EIGHT HEARTS DIAMOND
A TRUE HEARTS AND ARROWS DIAMOND
Selecting a diamond that perfectly captures your love and devotion, and complements the personality of the one you love, is a journey nothing short of magnificent. With so many mesmerising diamond cuts to choose from, selecting one above another is sometimes a daunting task. Considered the ideal cut, and favoured all over the world, the Hearts & Arrows diamond is the perfect selection for those who appreciate perfection, and unrivalled symmetry.
Only one in a million diamonds can be called a true Hearts & Arrows diamond. The first Hearts & Arrows diamond in South Africa, the exclusive Shimansky Eight Hearts, has three distinguishing factors: perfection in polish, symmetry and proportion. According to a GIA (Gemological Institute of America) study of over 60 000 diamonds, less than 3% could satisfy these ideal proportions. The Eight Hearts diamond displays very specific facet placement, and precise mathematical proportions.
HEARTS AND ARROWS, KNOWN AS THE SUPER IDEAL CUT
As testimony to the expert level of skill required to master the 57-facet diamond cut, the Eight Hearts diamond takes at least three times longer to cut and polish than a regular round brilliant diamond and only one in a thousand cutters possess the skill to cut a diamond according to the Hearts and Arrows parameters. Because of the level of difficulty associated with cutting symmetrical patterns such as these, the Eight Hearts diamond can only be cut by a master craftsman with years of experience and a wealth of skills. It is extremely rare due to the time and skill the cut requires.
When viewed through a special Ideal Scope viewer (available at all Shimansky stores), the Eight Hearts Super Ideal Cut Diamond displays a perfect eight hearts pattern when viewed from the bottom and a perfect eight arrow star when viewed from the top. This pattern proves beyond question that the facets on the diamond’s table (top) and pavilion (bottom) have been cut for perfect alignment and proportion, ensuring maximum fire, brilliance and scintillation. A Hearts and Arrows diamond is considered superior to the round brilliant cut diamond, as they emphasise and often exaggerate a diamond’s white colour.
Because of the precise arrangements of its facets, the amount of white light reflected is maximised, making diamonds with a lower colour grading appear much whiter than their body colour.
Hearts and arrows are age-old symbols, both alluding to love and romance. Traditionally, Cupid, the mythological god of love and desire, had a bow and arrow which represented his power: a person shot with cupid’s arrow was filled with infatuating love and desire for another. The arrow has thus become a symbol for deep and undying love. A global symbol, the heart is recognised across almost all cultures as a representation of love and desire. A so-called ‘wounded heart’ comprises a heart shaped symbol with an arrow through it, indicating love sickness. Hearts and arrows thus have significant symbolism when it comes to love, and knowing that your diamond contains the shapes of these symbols adds another special dimension to the Eight Hearts diamond.
The Shimansky Eight Hearts diamond is a strikingly beautiful choice for a solitaire diamond engagement ring. It is the perfect selection for the woman who loves delicacy and detail, and who appreciates the finer things in life. An embodiment of perfection, the Eight Hearts diamond combines the best of mathematics and optical science, with creativity and master artistry. It only takes one look though the Ideal Scope to understand why the Eight Hearts diamond is the ultimate expression of flawless symmetry, proportion and polish.