What is Heart Shaped Diamonds?

Of the various shapes currently available to the public, heart shaped diamonds are perhaps the most distinctive. Of course, as is the case with diamonds of any shape, shape alone isn't the only thing that distinguishes diamonds from one another. It's necessary to take a range of factors into account when buying a diamond in order to make sure that you're getting a good value from your dealer. Heart shaped are no different in this respect, and there are very specific things you'll need to be aware of if you're going to make sure that you're making the right purchase.

What are heart shaped diamonds?

Although the term "heart shaped diamond" is fairly self-explanatory, there are very specific and sometimes complex processes involved in the cutting of a diamond into a heart shape. The majority of heart shaped diamonds have a heart facet at the top, and triangular shaped facets around the table.

Most heart diamonds are actually pear shaped diamonds (another popular diamond shape unto itself) with a cleft cut into the top. The cutting of the cleft is the most sensitive part of the process, and this will likely become evident if you view a few different heart diamonds side by side. Only a very well-cut heart diamond will have an attractive cleft.

There are other ways in which heart diamonds can differ from one another, as well. They can have length to width ratios from.75 to about 1.25; heart diamonds with a length-width ratio of.75 are wider and "fatter" in appearance, while diamonds with a ratio in the 1.25 area are longer and narrower.

What makes heart shaped diamonds special?

Heart diamonds have been in demand since their introduction because of the association between the heart and concepts like love and romance. This is certainly the main reason why buyers specify heart diamonds, but there are other features unique to these diamonds that endear them to diamond enthusiasts. Most importantly, the best heart shaped will have a sparkle and "fire" comparable to what you can normally only find in round brilliant diamonds. This means that, simply put, heart shapes are some of the best-looking diamonds out there.

What should I look for in heart shaped diamonds?

There are a few factors that buyers should take into account when shopping for heart shape diamonds in order to ensure that they're getting the best possible value. Although these diamonds are available with a fairly wide range of length to width ratios, only those that fall within the 0.9 to 1.1 range are recommended. Diamonds that fall above or below this range can be difficult to set effectively.

When looking at the certificate for a heart diamond, the most important areas to look at are the color and cut grades. With these, color can appear around the corners, especially with a color grade of J or lower. Finally, because of the relative difficulty associated with cutting heart diamonds, the cut grade is extremely important. It's recommended that you stick with diamonds with a cut grade of "Good" at the very least, and higher if at all possible. Poorly cut heart diamonds will suffer greatly in terms of sparkle and brilliance.