There are a few things to consider when purchasing a heart shaped diamond. The shape itself is quite difficult to cut, and takes a master artisan to create a heart shape with perfect symmetry. Because of this, one of the most important characteristics to look for in a heart shaped diamond is the quality of the cut. The halves of the heart shaped diamond should be identical in shape and size, with the wings of the diamond slightly rounded.
It’s important to pay attention to the length to width ratio in a heart diamond as well. The optimum ratio is a 1.00, meaning it’s equally long as it is wide. Anything with a ratio less than 0.90 will either appear too long or too wide, leading to an overly elongated or bulky heart.
To ensure optimum fire and sparkle, the depth and table of the heart diamond should also be considered. The depth refers to the diamond’s measurement from the top to the bottom of the stone, often measured as a percentage comparison to its width. For a heart shaped diamond to have a truly great sparkle and fire it should have a depth of 56-66%.
The diamond’s table refers to the flat top facet found on the front of the diamond, which is also indicated as a percentage of its width. The table is an important consideration because if it isn’t large enough, it can affect the gemstone’s brilliance. An optimum table for a heart shaped diamond is 56-62%.
