Cover Story - July/August 2008

The Heart of The Matter

Heart-shaped diamonds are almost as old as the craft of diamond cutting itself, yet they are rare and expensive since very few rough stones lend themselves to this special cut. Now, the Lady Heart diamond goes straight to the heart of the matter.

>>By Diana S. Zimmerman, Special Features Correspondent

Evoking love and romance, the heart is a favored theme in jewelry. And, if a diamond is forever, then a diamond cut in the form of a heart would be the ultimate and eternal gift of love. Alas, however, such gifts have always been few and far between due to the rarity and expense of the rough stones suitable for this particular cut. In his writings during the latter half of the 1600s, the French gem merchant Jean-Baptiste Tavernier mentioned seeing a few of the rare heart-shape diamonds. Most notably among them was the 69.03-carat “Blue French” heart that was owned by French King Louis XIV. Considered the most significant heartshape diamond ever recorded, the rough for this royal stone reportedly came originally from India.

Today, however, romantics can take heart, literally! Technology and the innovations of an Israeli-based diamond manufacturer, Australia Diamonds, Ltd., have made heart-shaped diamonds significantly more affordable and with more sparkle and fire than traditional heart shapes. The company has patented a three-diamond design called Lady Heart® that is formed by combining two innovative step-cut half-moon stones and a princess—or square—shape diamond. The combination is so brilliant and unique that it has been granted four distinct international patents for both cut and design, making these innovative diamonds unavailable from any other source in the world.

“Typically half-moons lack brilliance and good refraction, so we solved the problem by modifying the facets of the stones,” explains Joseph Hacmon, the diamond’s creator. After almost 30 years of expertise in diamond cutting, during which Hacmon established himself as one of the world’s largest suppliers of specialty-cut diamonds for the high-end watch industry, he certainly knows his way around the secrets of fine cutting. “Our ‘Lady Cut’ diamonds are cut in steps with a total of 57 facets, which maximizes their brilliance and, combined with a Princess cut, makes them appear larger than a traditional heart shape.”

The Lady Heart three-diamond combination comes in all sizes, from one-quarter carat to three carats of total weight. “They are all high quality diamonds and, on average, are priced 50 percent below what a traditional heart shape would cost,” adds Hacmon. “They offer the beauty and brilliance as well as the color and clarity of the finest diamonds, while being attractively priced. Carat for carat, they are an extraordinary value.”

Set in lustrous 18K white gold, Lady Heart diamond jewelry is custommade to a particular carat weight and size specifications. A multitude of heart-throbbing designs are available as elegant earrings, unusual necklaces, romantic rings, perfect pendants, and beautiful bracelets, offering nearly unlimited ways to give the eternal gift of love.

The Lady Heart team prides itself on the quality of diamonds chosen for the collections. Each individual stone is hand-selected to a minimum of F/G color and VS quality. The company also insists on only conflict-free diamonds and strictly adheres to the Kimberley process with regards to the sale of its diamonds. All individual pieces come with the Lady Heart international guarantee card as a hallmark of quality and authenticity.

In addition to the “Lady Heart” collection, Australia Diamonds also markets the innovative “Flame” cut jewelry lines to a select group of highend retailers. As part of its marketing efforts, the company provides retailers with a full range of marketing services, including custom-made displays, logos, ad-slicks, radio spots, and TV commercial footage. It also offers participation in programs for in-store catalogues and co-op advertising in leading consumer magazines.

Drawing on the company’s diamond heritage, its strong relationships, and its direct access to international diamond sources, it has significantly expanded operations, increased sales, and enlarged its customer base in the United States over the last few years. Among the many retailers it serves are Saks Fifth Avenue, Henry Birks & Sons, Mayors, Finks, Lux Bond & Green, Borsheims, Molina Fine Jewelers, Bachendorf ’s, and Traditional Jewelers. With its established, long-term relationships with retailers, Lady Heart will continue to go straight to the heart of the matter.
(www.ladyheartcollection.com)