Fancy Shapes
Hearts and Arrows
Some round brilliant diamonds display a distinct pattern of 8 arrows when viewed through the table and 8 hearts when viewed through the pavilion. Such diamonds are often branded Hearts and Arrows and are said to have a superior cut. Is this actually true? Well, yes and no. The hearts and arrows patterns are the result of symmetrical alignment of facets and are not influenced at all by the proportions of the stone. This means that such a diamond will have perfect symmetry but is not guaranteed to have good proportions.
On the positive side, many branded hearts and arrows diamonds have actually been given both perfect symmetry and perfect proportions, simply because the brand name relies on the consistent beauty of the diamonds to stay recognized. When looking at a non-branded diamond described to display hearts and arrows, a separate verification of its proportions is required.
Such a perfect combination of symmetry and proportions may well be worth it if you are looking for a stunning diamond and are not too tight on a budget. In fact, a well cut diamond will look brighter and cleaner than a poorly cut one, so you can safely go down one colour grade to afford an ideal cut stone and end up with a better looking diamond overall.
