Its character
The most demanding outline to cut well. The two lobes must be the same height and width, the cleft must be sharp and centred, and the point must sit directly opposite it. Below roughly half a carat the outline becomes hard to read once mounted, so these are usually taken in larger sizes.
Where the heart cut comes from
Heart-shaped diamonds appear in European records from the fifteenth century onward, often as gifts between royal families. Early examples were far less precise than modern ones.
Precise heart shapes became practical with modern cutting equipment, which can control the matched lobes and sharp cleft that the outline depends on.
How a heart is faceted
A heart usually has 56 to 59 brilliant facets. It is essentially a pear shape with a cleft cut into the rounded end, which forms two lobes.
The cleft and lobes make it one of the most difficult outlines to cut well, and like other fancy brilliants it can show a bow-tie across the centre.
Heart cut proportions
Ranges most well-cut heart stones fall within. They narrow the field; they do not replace seeing the stone.
| Measure | Typical range | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Table | 56 – 62% | |
| Depth | 56 – 62% | |
| Length to width | 0.95 – 1.10 | Close to 1.00 keeps the classic outline. |
| Girdle | Thin to slightly thick | Check the point and the cleft. |
| Culet | None | |
| Cut grade | Not graded | Neither GIA nor IGI assigns an overall cut grade to this shape, so these are trade ranges rather than a standard. |
What to look for in a heart diamond
Check for a clearly defined cleft, lobes of equal size and a crisp point, with a ratio close to 1.0 — stones much wider or narrower lose the outline. A heart reads best from around a carat upward. Three-prong and bezel settings protect the point and keep the silhouette clean.
- Matched lobes
- Both lobes should be the same height and width, with evenly rounded tops.
- Cleft and point
- The cleft should be sharp and centred, and the point should sit directly opposite it. A soft cleft makes the outline look vague.
- Size
- Below about half a carat the outline is hard to see once set. Around one carat and above, the shape reads clearly.
- Bow-tie and colour
- Check for a dark band in a video, and note that colour can gather in the lobes and point.
Setting a heart
Three-prong settings (one at the point, two at the lobes) and bezels are standard. Hearts are popular in pendants as well as rings, and a bezel keeps the outline crisp.
Heart size by carat weight
Approximate face-up size at a typical heart ratio and depth, drawn to scale. Select a weight to see natural stock in that band.
5 mm. Every silhouette is drawn to this scale, at typical proportions.
- Natural heart diamonds, 0.25–0.49 ct, about 4.1 mm face up
- Natural heart diamonds, 0.50–0.74 ct, about 5.2 mm face up
- Natural heart diamonds, 0.75–0.99 ct, about 6.0 mm face up
- Natural heart diamonds, 1.00–1.49 ct, about 6.6 mm face up
- Natural heart diamonds, 1.50–1.99 ct, about 7.5 mm face up
- Natural heart diamonds, 2.00–2.99 ct, about 8.3 mm face up
- Natural heart diamonds, 3.00 ct and above, about 9.5 mm face up
Diamond carat guide: every shape, price milestones and choosing a weight
Terms used on this page
Each one is defined in full, with what a report prints for it, in the glossary.
- Symmetry
- How precisely the facets line up with one another and with the outline.
- Bow-tie
- A dark band across the centre of an elongated stone, shaped like a bow-tie.
- Length-to-width ratio
- The outline's proportions — length divided by width — which decides how a fancy shape reads.
- Brilliant cut
- A faceting style built from triangular and kite-shaped facets radiating from the centre.
- Carat
- The unit of weight for gemstones: one carat is 0.2 grams, divided into 100 points.
- Chip
- A small shallow break at the girdle, a point or the culet.
Heart cut questions
What buyers ask most often before choosing a heart diamond.
What size should a heart shaped diamond be?
Around half a carat is the practical minimum for the shape to read clearly once set, and one carat or more shows it best. Smaller hearts are often used as accents rather than centre stones.
What makes a well-cut heart shaped diamond?
Matched lobes, a sharp and centred cleft, a clean point and a length-to-width ratio close to 1.00. These are judged by eye, since no report grades them.
Is a heart shaped diamond more expensive?
It is often similar to or slightly below a round per carat, but well-cut hearts can be harder to find, especially in larger sizes and matched pairs.