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Heart shaped engagement rings would seem to be the ultimate proclamation of love and romance because the heart shape has for centuries symbolized these emotions. And what could be more symbolic of undying love than a pink diamond heart shaped ring? However, before choosing this shape or this color of stone for your engagement ring there are a few things you might like to consider when determining if this is the right ring for you.
The first thing to think about is how much you can afford to spend on that unique heart shaped diamond ring.
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To ensure that the heart shape is truly discernible, stones of less than one third of a carat are rarely used and obviously the larger the stone the clearer will be the design when it is cut. If you really would like to consider a pink diamond you need to be aware that this is the most rare and valuable of all diamonds and depending on the depth of color can cost from thousands of dollars to more than a million dollars per carat. Even when choosing a white diamond you need to choose one of as high a quality and size as your budget allows.
When choosing a heart shaped diamond engagement ring it is very important to look at the cut of the stone. The lobes of the heart need to be symmetrical, the point of the heart should be sharp (not rounded) and centralized so that the cut doesn’t appear lopsided or distorted. Another thing to look for is the “bow tie” effect which is usually evident in fancy cuts such as heart and marquise cuts. Some people like this effect but, depending on its size, it affects the sparkle of the stone.
Having chosen the stone, another thing to consider is the setting. If you are choosing a solitaire heart shaped engagement ring, you should be sure that it has enough prongs in the setting to protect the stone. Whereas more traditional shapes, such as the round or princess ones, have four prongs, the heart shaped diamond needs five – the extra one to protect the point of the heart.
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Some other designs to choose from could be a three stone ring – a very romantic setting with three heart shaped diamonds on a band, each one filled with love to symbolize your past, present and future together. Another increasingly popular style of ring is the Celtic Claddagh ring with the joined hands representing friendship, the heart they are holding standing for love and the crown on top symbolizing loyalty – all qualities we promise to bring to a relationship. When used as an engagement ring or as a wedding band, these rings usually have a diamond or other precious stone in the heart.
Yet another factor to take into consideration is the shape and size of the hand of the wearer of this ring. For instance the long shapes of the emerald and marquise cut engagement rings can look odd on fatter fingers unless they have accent stones set with them. Equally, the generally broader round or heart shaped diamond engagement rings aren’t necessarily the right ones to choose for thinner fingers.
If you’re a man and the ring is to be given as a surprise to your future wife, do try to find out what style of engagement ring she would prefer before rushing off to buy the ultimate romantic gesture of a heart shaped engagement ring.
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Even if her choice is for one of the more popular shapes of stone, you can still show your romantic side by having heart shaped scroll work or carvings on the band especially if she has other heart jewelry (for example, heart earrings or heart charms) that it will complement.
But whichever style of ring you choose, a solitaire heart shaped engagement ring or a pave diamond engagement ring, it will show the world that you are in love.
