Diamonds are one of the strongest substances on Earth, and hearts are the universal symbol of love. Heart shaped engagement rings represent lasting love and loyalty, as well as a bond that can never be broken.

Not at all. In fact, heart diamonds have been highly prized by people since the Middle Ages.

The gift of heart diamonds in jewelry during those times was significant. Why? Primarily because diamond cutters did not have the sophisticated tools and techniques to create a diamond shape with the intricate details of a heart.

This meant the chances of cutters breaking a diamond during the shaping process were high. Therefore, creating a heart shape diamond was both extravagant and pricey. Because of the expense, only royalty and wealthy aristrocrats could afford to have heart shaped diamonds made into the perfect jewelry.

The heart diamond ring has a long history that has shaped its meaning--a meaning that we still associate with it today.

One of the first historical references to the heart shape diamond goes back to the mid-1400s. The Duke of Milan, Galeazzo Maria Sforza, mentioned a heart diamond in private letters with his confidante, Nicodemo.

Almost 100 years later, in 1562, Mary Queen of Scots gifted Queen Elizabeth I a heart shaped diamond ring. This gift was given as a sign of friendship and goodwill.

Interestingly, this act likely gave the heart diamond a new image--an image associated with admiration and love.

With its history of extravagance and unique shape, it stands to reason that heart shaped diamond engagement rings would be a popular choice for celebrities with eclectic tastes.

Let's take a look at a few heart cut engagement rings, here:

Lady Gaga

Lady Gaga has a stunning 6-carat heart shaped solitaire. Her diamond is set in a platinum band encrusted with glittering pavé diamonds. She received it from former fiancee Taylor Kinney, but they broke off their engagement a year later.

Gwen Stefani

When Gavin Rossdale proposed to Gwen Stefani he gave her a thick, gold engagement ring with diamonds around it. But after a while Stefani switched it up for a heart diamond ring.

Avril Levigne

In March 2022 Avril Levigne became engaged to Mod Sun. He presented Levine with a solitaire heart shape diamond ring on a pavé band. The 5-carat sparkler's band has two special engravings on it: "Hi Icon" (the first words he spoke to her) and "Mod + Avril."

A heart diamond ring is a unique style that deserves to be in the spotlight. For this reason, it will stand out when you wear it on its own. But if you want to dress it up, consider stacking it with different bands in yellow gold, white gold, or even platinum. Rose gold makes a nice option as well.

For even more sparkle and added romance, choose stacking bands with smaller stones on them. You can even choose to highlight a stacking band or two with a different-colored stone, like a blue sapphire.

A heart shaped diamond is generally more expensive than other fancy cuts of similar weight. This is mostly because cutting a heart shape is difficult. If you're on a budget but want a heart shaped diamond, compromise on clarity and color. Don't compromise on carat weight or cut.

Another way to save on cost is to choose a lab grown heart shaped ring. Lab grown diamonds are about 20-40% less expensive than mined diamonds. They're also conflict free and environmentally friendly--what's not to love about that?

Whether you shop for a heart shaped diamond engagement ring online or in store, look for one with good symmetry. You should also look for one that has a nicely defined cleft and point. If the heart diamond you choose doesn't have a well-defined cleft it could look like an oval.

In addition to symmetry and definition, purchase a diamond that is at least 1 carat. If you buy anything smaller than 1 carat you may not be able to tell it's a heart shaped diamond.

At Clean Origin, we carry a range of beautiful heart cut diamond stones perfect for engagement rings. To find your perfect diamond on our site, search under "diamonds" then shop by shape. From here you can do a quick visual search, find a heart diamond that you like, then build a ring with it. From there you can choose the setting and the metal color.

We've done our best to make the process easy for you. But if you need help finding the heart shaped ring of your dreams, we are always available to help. Request a consultation with one of our jewelry experts, here. We also have several retail stores where you can shop in person. To find a store near your current location, lookup our showroom locations here.