Heart-Shaped Lab-Grown Diamond 5.6×5.6 mm, Loose

A heart-shaped lab-grown diamond, 5.6 x 5.6 mm, D to F color, VVS clarity, sold individually. A heart outline, brilliant cut.

The hardest shape to cut, and why it costs more

The heart is the most labor-intensive shape in this group, which is why it costs noticeably more than other shapes of the same size. The cutter has to balance two perfectly symmetrical halves, keep the cleft at the right depth, and avoid making the bottom point too thin.

Symmetry decides whether a heart looks beautiful or not. Even slightly uneven halves are obvious to the naked eye, because the human brain is very sensitive to the symmetry of a heart shape.

See it in person before deciding

Unlike other shapes, the heart has a quality that isn't on paper: the cleft. Too shallow and the stone looks like an apple; too deep and the two lobes look separate. A grading report doesn't score this.

At 5.6 mm, the heart shape is clearly recognizable to the naked eye at normal distance. Below 5 mm the shape becomes hard to read, so this is the smallest size really worth using for a heart.

Setting has to get two spots right

The bottom point is the thinnest spot and must always be fully covered by a prong. The cleft at the top also needs its own prong, both to hold the stone and to emphasize the curve of the two lobes.

The axis of the stone must be perfectly straight with the piece. A few degrees off shows faster on a heart than on any other shape, because the shape is symmetrical by nature.

Care

The cleft is where lotion and soap collect most on this stone. Use a soft brush to clean the cleft specifically, and rinse well with warm water.

Take it off for manual work and sports. Like a pear, the bottom point doesn't take knocks well.