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Every industry has its premier products that are synonymous with quality and prestige. In the diamond world, many consider a ‘hearts and arrows’ stone to be the pinnacle of craftsmanship. It’s a term you might come across during your jewellery research and it pays to know exactly what it means.
In this article, we look into the mechanics of a ‘hearts and arrows’ diamond and what makes them so prized.
The term ‘hearts and arrows’ refers to a pattern that’s visible when viewing a well-cut round diamond from the top down and bottom up through a simple “scope”. As you can see below, the pattern appears to be perfectly symmetrical, with a combination of eight ‘arrows’ facing outwards.
On the right side of this image, which shows the diamond viewed from the bottom up (also called the pinnacle), you can see eight ‘hearts' nestled in between the arrows.
Hearts and arrows patterning is a byproduct of great diamond cut and polishing, which contributes to the light reflection (or brilliance) of the stone. However, it’s important to note that hearts and arrows patterning doesn’t always appear in diamonds with the highest cut rating.
Hearts and arrows diamonds are a reflection of incredible workmanship. Diamond cutting and polishing is a fine art and a perfectly symmetrical stone is a fantastic achievement.
Hearts and arrows diamonds are also more likely to demonstrate superior light performance. But remember, cut is just one of the things that determine a diamond’s quality; even stones with an ‘ideal’ or ‘excellent’ cut rating can have internal imperfections (inclusions) that will affect its brilliance.
True hearts and arrows diamonds aren’t common. While the pattern is displayed even on some lesser-quality stones, achieving perfect symmetry is no easy task. There’s a unique criterion used to rate the quality of hearts and arrows patterning, which includes things like:
For this reason, you can expect to pay a premium for a true, perfectly symmetrical hearts and arrows stone. Just like no two diamonds are equal in quality, no two hearts and arrows stones are the same.
If you have your heart set on securing one of these impressive diamonds, there are a few cautionary tips to consider:
1. It’s possible to manipulate diamond facets to artificially create the appearance of hearts and arrows. These stones shouldn’t be considered true hearts and arrows diamonds. Remember, hearts and arrows patterning is a byproduct of excellent cut and polish.
2. The appearance of hearts and arrows doesn’t necessarily equate to superior quality. The stone could be lacking in other areas, such as clarity and colour.
3. Different diamond grading laboratories (such as GIA and AGS) have their own terms that rate diamond cut. When buying your diamond, ensure you understand what terms are used by the laboratory that has reviewed your stone, and how they rate on a scale of quality.
True hearts and arrows are certainly a desirable characteristic to look for in a diamond, however, there’s far more that makes up a quality stone.
We’ve published some helpful resources to help buyers along the road to finding that perfect stone. If you’re currently in the buying process, you may like to read:
If you’re attracted to the superior workmanship that goes into creating a hearts and arrows diamond, it’s clear that you value your jewellery as highly as we do.
At Q Report, we provide specialist jewellery insurance to protect your most precious items from damage, theft and loss. We give you the option to return to your original jeweller in the event of a claim, so you can receive like-for-like replacement of your special piece.
To see how little it takes to protect the things you love, get an instant online jewellery insurance quote today.
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