A Real Heartthrob
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| Celebrated designer Bez Ambar creates The Light of Love |
We don’t know exactly who first cut a heart shaped
diamond, but we can find some very early owners of this romantic shaped stone.
As early as the 15th century, Italian nobility were exchanging these
sentimental shaped diamonds. For such a modern-looking cut, the heart-shaped diamond
has a very long history.
It was first mentioned in correspondence between the
infamous Duke of Milan, a guy with a greedy, lusty reputation, and his betrothed Galeazzo
Maria Sforza, and Nicodemo in 1463.
In Elizabethan times, the heart shaped diamond was a gift of friendship signifying true fidelity and sincerity. Mary Queen of Scots was known to have given Queen Elizabeth I a ring with a heart-shaped diamond in 1562. They even appear in paintings from the era. Yup, true story.
In Elizabethan times, the heart shaped diamond was a gift of friendship signifying true fidelity and sincerity. Mary Queen of Scots was known to have given Queen Elizabeth I a ring with a heart-shaped diamond in 1562. They even appear in paintings from the era. Yup, true story.
Now Cut That Out
The heart-shaped
diamond is based on the Round Brilliant with 59 facets, and has elements seen
in the pear-shape and the oval. It is
essentially a pear-shaped diamond with a cleft at the center of its rounded end
creating two “shoulders.” Expert polishers like to take advantage of its unique
shape to hide inclusions (if any) by careful cutting.
The model heart diamond is as tall as it is wide so it’s ideally cut at a
1:1 ratio. The heart must be symmetrical on both sides. A beautifully cut heart shaped
diamond takes a very skilled cutter to create a flawless heart-shaped diamond.
The slightest error could spell ruin to the elegant symmetry and negatively
impact its brilliance. That would be a heart breaker now, wouldn’t it?
Ancient and Modern
Although its
history is an ancient one, heart shaped diamonds still capture the imagination
today. We heard Lady Gaga rocked a pretty dazzling heart shaped diamond given
to her in 2015. But things change, hearts break and . . . . and well, it went back to her ex-fiancé.
Endearing Symbol
Armed with all this backstory, I hope you look at these hypnotic sparklers with newfound appreciation. Their difficult cutting—and their spectacular results transcend time and hold the promise of true devotion.
Be still my heart.
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