Hearts and Arrows
[ Edit This Page ] [ Report This Entry ] [ View History ]
The true Hearts and Arrows' pattern is extremely rare and difficult to find. The sentimental charm and mystery of the Hearts and Arrows Diamond renders emotional meaning.
All of the hearts and arrows diamond bezel, star, upper girdle, lower girdle, and pavilion main facets must be aligned precisely 180 degrees opposite of each other or the "H&A" pattern will be incomplete, misalign, faded or distorted in its appearance. All the facets must be exactly the same shape and size. If the cut of the diamond is even slightly asymmetric, it results in uneven or incomplete display of the pattern.
To gain this optimum reflection and refraction of light, the cutter must be willing to sacrifice expensive rough diamond material, losing a significant percentage of costly rough stone to yield a smaller diamond of superior beauty. Whereas it takes an hour to polish a standard cut, the "Ideal Cut" can take up to four days. As a result of the extremely complex cut and occurrence of a rare phenomenon, the diamonds exhibit a complete "Hearts & Arrows" pattern (as shown below) that cost more to produce than a regular round or even a standard ideal cut diamond.
Not all Ideal Cut diamonds are created equal. The Ideal Cut with the 'Hearts & Arrows' optical effect is the unique diamond in the world of ideal proportions. The term 'Hearts & Arrows' is a generic description used by the diamond industry to refer to diamonds that exhibit a crisp and complete pattern of Hearts & Arrows. They are created by the reflection of 16 lower girdle facets in the table of the stone. This phenomenon of harmony can only be seen with the aid of a Hearts and Arrows Scope.
The clinical precision facet alignment, the impeccable care cherished by the crown and the pavilion angles, the placing of the bezel, star, upper girdle, lower girdle and the pavilion facets with accuracy of the highest order emit the Hearts & Arrows. This Hearts & Arrows pattern generates light return of an average 100% in comparison with an average Hearts & Arrows that has a light return of an average 80%.
The standard of the perfect degrees for maximum brilliance, blended with perfect degrees of the Hearts & Arrows, results in the best diamond in the world today. The beauty that is the result of those experts who labour to bring out the best from rough diamonds.
This is how it should NOT look: