Summer %-Sale: Code: Summer10
Free shipping
Free resizing
Trusted Shops 4,9 ★★★★★
60 days return
Was bedeutet Hearts and Arrows bei Diamanten? - BREEDIA

What Does Hearts and Arrows Mean in Diamonds?

in Diamonds

"Hearts and Arrows" is a special diamond cut that exhibits extraordinary symmetry. Through precise facet cutting, heart and arrow shapes appear when viewed through special scopes. These diamonds offer impressive brilliance and strong fire and are considered a sign of the highest craftsmanship. A diamond with the "Hearts and Arrows" characteristic is very rare and therefore also very expensive. Contact us directly if you would like your engagement ring to shine with this special cut.

Hearts and Arrows diamonds

Image: Original photograph of brilliant with arrows, photographed from above

  • Symmetry: Hearts and Arrows diamonds are distinguished by remarkable symmetry achieved through precise facet cutting.
  • Brilliance: They offer extraordinary brilliance and strong fire due to their optimal light refraction properties.
  • Precision: The cut requires the highest craftsmanship and extreme precision to create the characteristic heart and arrow shapes.
  • Rarity: Hearts and Arrows diamonds are particularly sought after due to their elaborate cut and rarity compared to conventional diamonds.
  • Quality: They are considered a quality mark for diamonds and are a sign of the highest processing standards and excellence in diamond cutting.
Hearts and Arrows diamonds microscope

Image: Original photograph of brilliant with hearts, photographed from below

Unique and Fascinating Optics

To better understand the terminology, it makes sense to translate it into English. "Hearts and Arrows" comes from English and means hearts and arrows.

Hearts and Arrows diamonds Breedia

These terms are used to define a special diamond cut. When you look closely at the top of the gemstone, you can see eight arrows, and on the bottom, eight hearts. Through the symmetrically arranged facets, light is refracted in a wonderful way. This has the effect that the stone appears purer and whiter than is the case with gemstones with a different cut. This special cutting technique makes the diamond a real eye-catcher and is considered one of the most popular ways to cut a gemstone.

Chance Played a Role in Its Development

Unlike other cutting techniques, the cutting technique for Hearts and Arrows diamonds is still relatively young. It was created by happy accident in the 1980s in Japan.

Japanese craftsman Takanori Tamura discovered while working on a gemstone under a special viewing device that certain cutting processes create a heart and arrow pattern. After some tinkering, the cut was continuously improved. In 1988, the name Hearts & Arrows was finally created for this cut. Today, this processing method has become established and is counted among the most popular diamond cuts.

Elaborate and Time-Intensive Process

These special gemstones require a skilled hand and much time in processing. Manufacturing takes approximately four times as long as the regular processing time required for a brilliant. Only when the 57 facets are cut in perfect proportion and symmetry to each other does the unique pattern of eight identical-looking hearts and arrows emerge. The more perfect the diamond cut, the more valuable the ring into which this diamond will later be set.

Even though the pattern can only be recognized with special equipment, the result of this cutting technique is a sparkling gemstone with extraordinary brilliance.

These special devices are a type of kaleidoscope under which you place the sparkling stone. Through the special light incidence into the 57 facets, a veritable fire or sparkle is ignited – a fascinating sight. Since this type of diamond cut is still quite young, there are no established evaluation criteria for quality, such as the four C's in diamonds. Therefore, when buying a diamond ring, it is important to keep your eyes open. Because jewelry sellers often use this designation to make an engagement ring with a diamond particularly attractive.

However, the fact that you can see hearts and arrows in this form is not necessarily a sign of particularly good quality. Only when the pattern is symmetrical and the proportions are correct does the diamond ring have an ideal Hearts and Arrows cut. The extraordinary brilliance is only achieved when cutting has been done with particular care and precision. This applies, by the way, to all diamond cuts in general. Pattern and cutting quality are the factors that make up the comparatively high price of Hearts and Arrows diamonds.

General Evaluation Criteria for Diamonds

As already seen, there are no established criteria specifically for Hearts and Arrows diamonds. So that you can still assess the quality offered to you at the jeweler, you should know that there are different designations for quality. "Super Ideal" is what you call an extraordinarily symmetrical diamond cut.

"Triple excellent" is the term for a gemstone or diamond whose cut, symmetry, and polish meet this quality mark. Since the focus here is not necessarily on Hearts and Arrows, you should definitely have the quality of the gemstone cut checked with an appropriate device.

Hearts and Arrows Cut – A Very Special Idea for the Engagement Ring

When proposing, it's not only important to find the right words – the engagement ring must also match your partner's appearance. Most importantly, however, the ring must express the intensity and uniqueness of your feelings for each other. For this special occasion, it should be a very extraordinary piece of jewelry. After all, you have found your one great love for life – and that also includes a beautiful proposal ring. Don't hearts and arrows also remind us a little of Cupid from Greek mythology, who with his arrows can ignite eternal love between two people?

Whether combined with white gold, yellow gold, rose gold, platinum or other precious metals – stones that have the special Hearts and Arrows pattern look particularly fascinating in every setting and with every ring band. Of course, this applies especially to the classic solitaire ring, but this special cut also impresses in a tension setting or as an eternity ring. When purchasing, follow the tips to evaluate the quality of the Hearts and Arrows pattern.

Back to the knowledge area for diamonds

Solitaire engagement ring

We Help You With Your Proposal
Diamond FAQs

Diamonds 4 C Diamond vs. Brilliant Diamonds ct converted to mm
Previous Post Next Post

Related Posts

Konfliktfreie Diamanten - BREEDIA

Conflict-Free Diamonds

Contents What is the Kimberley Process? Where do conflict-free diamonds come from? What conflict-free diamonds are, and what they are not! Is there a certificate of origin when purchasing a diamond? Can you recognize conflict-free diamonds with the naked eye? Conflict-Free Diamonds and the Kimberley Process At BREEDIA, we are frequently asked where our diamonds come from and whether they are also not blood diamonds. Since we also consider this topic when purchasing diamonds, we explain below not only why our diamonds are conflict-free, but also what other ethical standards we adhere to. The Kimberley Process and the System of Warranties After it was discovered in the 1990s that illegally mined diamonds in Liberia, Sierra Leone, and Angola were being used to finance African civil wars, the U.N. decided in partnership with some African diamond-producing countries, as well as the EU and the USA, to ban trade with countries from conflict regions. In 2003, this agreement, which was decided in Kimberley (South Africa) in 2000, came into force. Since then, the so-called Kimberley Process has used the Kimberley Process Certification System (KPCS) to ensure that only fair diamonds are traded worldwide, which can demonstrate through certificates of origin that they do not come from any conflict region. Furthermore, export and import are only permitted between countries that have signed the Kimberley Agreement. To ensure that no conflict diamonds are mixed in, rough diamonds are transported together under seal. In the so-called System of Warranties, subsequent (intermediate) traders confirm the verification and compliance with the Kimberley Process of the previous stage. As a trader of a Kimberley participant country, it is therefore not permitted to acquire diamonds whose origin is unclear and has not been unambiguously certified as conflict-free. Compliance is continuously monitored by national and international control bodies. The conflict-free diamond is also referred to as a fair diamond. However, this has nothing to do with the Fair Trade label. What is a blood diamond? A blood diamond is a rough diamond or already cut stone, through the sale of which wars or civil wars are financed. Often, rebel groups smuggle these stones into other countries to buy weapons with them. Although the Kimberley Process is certainly not perfect: Overall, this step led to the fact that the sale of diamonds from dubious sources in the diamond trade has been largely curtailed. Only 0.02% of traded diamonds still come from conflict regions (in the 90s it was still 4%) Discover conflict-free diamond engagement rings Purchase classic, simple, and curved engagement rings with fair diamonds or without gemstones from your trusted jeweler! More transparency through BREEDIA's direct diamond trade At BREEDIA, you can only buy conflict-free diamonds. However, the System of Warranties is only as strong as its weakest link. There is a quick risk that despite strict controls, "black sheep" will sneak into the diamond sourcing cycle. Therefore, our diamonds are not only subject to strict control by the Kimberley Process. We also eliminate through our vertical value chain those intermediaries and non-transparent sourcing of traditional jewelers through the following measures: Direct diamond sourcing from cutting facilities or those dealers who cooperate directly with them, rather than from national wholesale In-house jewelry production instead of outsourcing BREEDIA compared to other jewelers. Traditional jeweler Few jewelers produce their own pieces; most purchase their jewelry from larger jewelry manufacturers at home and abroad. Traditional jewelers are therefore dependent on their suppliers' diamond dealers and intermediaries providing the guarantee that the diamonds are demonstrably of ethically unproblematic origin. You should therefore only shop at a jeweler you trust. At BREEDIA, this problem does not exist because we produce our engagement rings in Pforzheim in our own production facility and take care of sourcing all gemstones ourselves. By reducing the steps in the supply chain, we can significantly increase transparency compared to the competition of local jewelry retailers. Online retailers with huge diamond selection (+20,000 diamonds in stock) Caution is also advised with online retailers who display a large selection of diamonds on their website. In fact, these stones do not belong to the company itself. Instead, only an offer from a globally spanning diamond exchange is provided, on which other jewelers, diamond dealers, and intermediaries (mostly from India) offer their inventory. These online retailers therefore act only as intermediaries between you, the end customer, and the actual owner of the cut diamond, without really marking this on the website. Direct control over the actual dealer is not possible due to the large number of sellers on this platform. The System of Warranties is very difficult to enforce in this case. Where do conflict-free diamonds come from? Around 80% of all diamonds certified as conflict-free come from Russia, Botswana, Namibia, South Africa, Australia, USA, and Canada. In these countries, in addition to the obligations of the Kimberley Process with regard to diamond mining, great emphasis is placed on compliance with human rights, ecological sustainability, and workers' rights. At BREEDIA, we therefore always try to source diamonds exclusively from those regions. Furthermore, additional countries (54 of them, as well as all EU countries; as of 2018) have committed to complying with the Kimberley Process. Meanwhile, 99.8% of all diamonds produced in the world are of conflict-free origin. Top 80% of Kimberley mining countries What conflict-free diamonds are, and what they are not! The Kimberley Agreement ensures exclusively that international trade in blood diamonds and the resulting financing of wars (particularly in Africa) is prevented. This does not affect numerous ethical and ecological standards. While many countries are now trying to improve ecological sustainability in diamond mining and reduce worker exploitation, the Kimberley Agreement ultimately does not require this. As described in the last section, 80% of conflict-free diamonds are now mined in countries where standards are already very high. However, in Kimberley participant countries such as Angola, Ghana, or the Congo, working conditions and environmental impacts are still very poor. At BREEDIA, we therefore support those initiatives that value fair diamond mining. It is our concern that you can purchase sustainable and fair diamonds. There are efforts to expand the diamond trade to include additional points for participating members of the Kimberley Agreement in the near future. This is intended to enable fair trade in these precious gemstones for both the environment and people. Our promise: Diamonds from BREEDIA from fair regions Is there a certificate of origin when purchasing a diamond from a jeweler? No, a jeweler cannot determine exactly where a fair diamond comes from. Unfortunately, this is because immediately after diamonds are mined from the earth, they are auctioned to diamond cutters or intermediaries. At these auctions, it is not possible to bid on specific rough diamonds from a single mine, but only on an entire lot. This lot consists of stones of various sizes and qualities from different mines. This gives the diamond producer who owns the mines the assurance that all diamonds can be sold and not just the best and most frequently requested ones (due to the monopoly position of the two leading diamond mine owners, De Beers and Alrosa, this sales system is unfortunately difficult to break through). Since the origin of the diamonds is already mixed after the auction and before the stones are cut, it would be extremely unethical for a jeweler to claim to know the exact source of the diamond. An expertise on quality (e.g., from GIA or IGI) also does not include information about the origin of the gemstone - however, these certification institutes pay particular attention to origin. Engagement rings in all styles Classic rings Pavé rings All engagement rings Can you recognize conflict-free diamonds as a layperson? No. Even as a jewelry expert, it is not possible to determine the exact origin of the diamond. However, there are scientific methods, including infrared light, to analyze the light spectra or trace elements of the gemstone, which can be used to determine the place of origin relatively accurately. Due to the high effort and high costs, this is not implemented in practice. There is one exception: Certain pink or fancy-colored diamonds are so rare and so special in their color tone that they can be assigned to a specific mine at first glance, the Argyle diamond mine in Australia.

Learn more
Diamanten 4c

Diamonds 4C

When selecting a diamond, two factors must be considered! First, there is the stone shape and second, the stone quality: Initially, you should think about what shape the diamond should be cut into for your engagement ring. There are countless cut shapes, such as Brilliant (round) or Princess Cut (square), which we will discuss in more detail below. The actual diamond quality is determined by four quality criteria, the so-called 4C's (Carat, Color, Clarity, Cut). The 4 C's Carat (weight), Color (color), Clarity (purity) and Cut (cut quality). All these properties determine the value of a diamond. A large diamond in poor quality can be worth less than a small, yet flawless diamond. Therefore, it is important to ensure that the diamond is of good to very good quality. What to look for when buying a diamond! Only flawless diamonds (IF) are absolutely perfect. However, even for experts, it is not easy to detect small impurities with the naked eye, as long as they are at most very small (SI1). Only visible inclusions (I1–I3) disturb the overall appearance and also reduce brilliance. The same applies to color: An absolutely colorless diamond (D) would of course be desirable, but is very expensive. Nearly colorless and more affordable diamonds are a very good alternative for most occasions (e.g., color G or better). Yellowish-tinted diamonds (such as K) are not recommended and are therefore not offered by BREEDIA. Carat Color Cut Clarity 1. Carat – Weight Carat indicates the weight of the diamond, where 1 carat equals exactly 200 mg. At BREEDIA, you will find diamond jewelry from 0.05 to 1 ct. In rings with multiple stones, stones of 0.001 ct to a maximum of 0.05 ct are usually offered on the ring band. Through the weight of a brilliant, the size of the stone can be approximately determined, since the proportions are almost the same with the same cut. 2. Color – Color Color indicates whether a diamond is colorless or has a yellow tint. Diamonds of the best quality are colorless or in a very fine white and are therefore also the most valuable. Color is one of the most important factors in determining quality. In general, we recommend diamonds in color G (TW, Top Wesselton). Upon request – or if the configuration allows – a better quality can also be selected. Since the designation of diamond color quality varies greatly internationally, you can see the most commonly used quality grades in the following table: In Germany, German terms were previously used to grade diamonds. Today, however, designations according to English or American standards are more common. For diamonds under 0.30 ct, English additions are therefore often found, e.g., for fine white Top Wesselton (TW) is specified. Diamonds from 0.30 ct are supplied exclusively with GIA or IGI expertise at BREEDIA. Here, the evaluation is in alphabetical order from D to Z. Therefore, from these stone sizes onwards, you will only find the American designation in our certificates. Not to be confused is the "color of a diamond" with "colored diamonds", the so-called Fancy Diamonds, including pink, yellow or black. These stones are evaluated according to their own standards. Fancy Diamonds are extremely rare and in most cases significantly more expensive than white diamonds (upon request, we also process colored untreated or colored treated diamonds). Diamond Colors Color G is a bright diamond with minimal color traces. DEFGHIJ Colorless Nearly colorless Slightly tinted 3. Cut – Cut Quality The Cut is the most important criterion for the actual brilliance of a diamond and has become increasingly important in purchasing decisions in recent years. Cut is often confused with the term cut shape (i.e., round brilliant or square princess cut, etc.). However, cut in the sense of diamond grading actually refers to cut quality. Before a diamond is cut, it must first be determined how many diamonds can be cut from a single rough diamond. Typically, a rough diamond (due to its octahedral shape) is split into at least two stones to maximize the remaining weight afterwards. While this maximizes the yield for diamond cutters, it often results in poorly proportioned diamonds. Only very well-cut diamonds, with the right ratio of height and width, reflect light back to the viewer and create that inner fire. Poorly cut stones scatter light in all directions and thus sparkle less. In addition to brilliance, the overall appearance of the facet arrangement is of great importance. When the facets on the top and bottom (viewed from above) are aligned with each other, a calm image is created for the viewer. If this is not the case, the stone appears very restless (this criterion is determined, for example, in GIA certificates by symmetry). Not quite as important, but still recognizable under magnification, is the quality of the polish. Ideally, no polish marks are visible. Poorly polished stones have recognizable white grinding marks under 10x magnification. BREEDIA therefore offers exclusively diamonds with very good to excellent quality, because the diamond (even if flawless and colorless) simply would not look beautiful otherwise. 4. Clarity – Purity Clarity defines the purity level of a diamond. Since diamonds are carbon compounds that form over millions of years under high pressure, other minerals can be trapped in the diamond during this process and disturb the crystal structure. Such inclusions and disturbances can limit brilliance. Absolutely flawless diamonds are therefore very rare and extremely valuable. For jewelry purposes, diamonds with very small inclusions that are only visible under magnification are already suitable. We therefore offer diamonds with at least SI (small inclusions) or VVS/VS (depending on the collection) on almost all models, as these characteristics are not visible to the naked eye. Diamonds with the clarity grade I (Inclusions) are not offered, as inclusions are already visible to the naked eye at this level. As with the color of the 4C's, clarity is also evaluated according to international standards – as you can see from the following table: The importance of independent certificates for diamond value: In addition to the 4C's, expertise is also of great importance for the value of a diamond. Only diamonds certified by the Gemological Institute of America (GIA) or the International Gemological Institute (IGI) meet our high standards for diamonds from 0.3 ct. Grading by other institutes (however reputable they may sound) is less strict and therefore has a negative impact on price. For diamonds of at least 0.3 ct (for the main stone), GIA or IGI certificates are included in our delivery – diamonds under 0.3 ct are subject to our own strict evaluation. With these tips to the perfect proposal Find ring size 10 Facts about engagement rings Engagement ring costs? Back to magazine

Learn more
Was bedeut die Steinqualität tw/si? - BREEDIA

What does the stone quality TW/SI mean?

The quality standard TW/SI is of great importance for use in engagement rings. TW/SI refers to the quality of the diamond. In diamond science, there are four different characteristics that classify the quality of a diamond, the so-called 4Cs. TW/SI covers two criteria: "Color" = color of the diamond and "Clarity" = purity of the diamond. The abbreviation "TW" stands for Top Wesselton and evaluates the color of the diamond. Diamonds with Top Wesselton are assigned the letters F or G in diamond science and are nearly colorless. The abbreviation "SI" stands for Small Inclusions. For experts, small inclusions are visible under 10x magnification. How does TW/SI differ from W/SI? With these diamond standards, the difference lies only in the color of the diamond. A diamond with TW/SI quality appears slightly more colorless than a diamond in W/SI. The purity of the diamond remains unaffected. Why is TW/SI a very good diamond quality? The diamond is nearly colorless. Only in direct comparison with stones of color E and D is a difference noticeable. Only experts see small inclusions under the 10x magnifying glass. With the naked eye, features in the diamond are only visible in exceptional cases. The inclusions are so small that the brilliance is only minimally reduced. The price-to-performance ratio of these stones is very good – which is why it is the most popular diamond quality for jewelry (especially engagement rings). For smaller diamonds up to 0.2 ct, the TW/SI diamond standard is ideal. Better qualities are difficult to detect at these stone sizes or only in direct comparison. What does the diamond quality TW/VS mean? The diamond quality TW/VS is better than TW/SI. The color is identical, but the clarity rating of the diamond is better. This means: A TW/VS stone has fewer inclusions than a TW/SI stone at the same color. How noticeable are the differences between TW/SI and TW/VS to the naked eye? Difficult – only in direct comparison can an expert with a 10x magnifying glass detect a difference. Buy engagement rings with diamond (TW/SI) online now Discover classic, simple and curved engagement rings with the recommended diamonds. Engagement rings with diamond In which cases is the diamond quality TW/SI not recommended? - Not optimal for diamonds with a large table, such as princess cut, emerald cut or oval diamonds. - Inclusions can reduce brilliance. - For angular diamonds, we recommend a better clarity grade than "Very Small Inclusions" (VSI). Back to the knowledge area for diamonds We help you with your engagementFAQ on diamonds Diamonds 4 C Diamond vs. Brilliant Diamonds ct converted to mm

Learn more
Home Rings Search Cart