Hearts and arrows

Hearts and arrows (often abbreviated H&A) is a visual symmetry pattern visible in round brilliants cut to exacting tolerances. Viewed face-up under a special H&A viewer (a small cone-shaped reflector that controls incoming light angles), the stone shows eight evenly-spaced arrow shapes pointing outward from the center. Viewed face-down — also through the viewer — the same stone shows eight symmetric heart shapes radiating from the culet outward. Both patterns are pure symmetry effects; they are not a grade and do not appear on the GIA Diamond Grading Report.

The eight arrows face-up are the eight pavilion main facets reflected up through the crown. The eight hearts face-down are the eight bezel facets reflected down through the pavilion. Both patterns require near-perfect optical symmetry across all 57 facets — pavilion main symmetry, bezel facet symmetry, star facet symmetry, upper-half and lower-half symmetry, and exact alignment between the crown and pavilion facet layouts. AGS Ideal-0 stones almost always show H&A because the AGS Performance Grading Standard penalises the symmetry deviations that would break the pattern. GIA Excellent admits more variation; not every GIA 3EX round is H&A.

H&A is a symmetry-precision claim, not a cut-quality claim. A round can show perfect H&A and still face up dim if its proportions are wrong — symmetry tells you the cutter aligned the facets precisely, not that the underlying angle math returns light to the eye. The trade combines H&A verification with proportion verification to identify the "super ideal" tier: stones that show both AGS Ideal-0 light performance and visible H&A symmetry. Brands like Whiteflash A CUT ABOVE, Brian Gavin Signature, and Hearts on Fire built their entire identity on this combination.

The verification requires an H&A viewer or equivalent. Standard 10× loupe inspection does not show H&A — the pattern only emerges under controlled lighting. Reputable retailers selling H&A rounds publish viewer images on the product page; the buyer should see eight symmetric arrows face-up and eight symmetric hearts face-down, both with clean lines and consistent shape. Mismatched arrowheads, broken hearts, or visible asymmetry between the eight elements indicate a "near-H&A" stone that does not meet the standard.

H&A carries a 5% to 15% trade premium over non-H&A stones at the same paper grade. The premium is real but small; for buyers prioritising face-up brilliance over symmetry-pattern aesthetics, the premium is optional.