THE EIGHT HEART™ DIAMOND
Shimansky's Exclusive Super Ideal Round Brilliant Cut
When only the most beautiful round diamond will do, the Eight Heart™ Diamond stands in a league of its own. More than two decades ago, Shimansky introduced the world-renowned Hearts & Arrows standard to South Africa and, through relentless innovation, perfected it into a world-exclusive diamond, the Eight Heart™ Diamond, a super ideal round brilliant cut.
A registered trademark of Shimansky, the Eight Heart™ is more than a diamond. It is brilliance you can see with your own eyes and enjoy forever, knowing that you own the best round brilliant diamond you can trust.
Viewed From The Bottom
Eight Arrow PatternViewed From The Top
WHAT MAKES A ROUND BRILLIANT TRULY BRILLIANT?
The classic Round Brilliant Cut is the most popular diamond shape in the world, designed with 57 facets to maximize fire and sparkle. But here’s the truth: not every round brilliant is equally brilliant.
The difference lies in the quality of the cut, as well as symmetry, alignment, and precision. Many round brilliants are cut to retain weight, keeping more of the rough stone and yielding a higher carat. This compromises brilliance, producing diamonds with less sparkle and lower light return.
The Eight Heart™ Diamond is unlike any other. It is cut not for weight, but for ultimate light performance and brilliance. While many round diamonds today are shaped by automated machines for speed and cost efficiency, Shimansky follows a different philosophy.
We combine the latest laser scanning and mapping technology with decades of expertise and human artistry.
Every Eight Heart™ is then crafted by hand using traditional diamond cutting and polishing techniques, ensuring that each diamond reaches its full potential and sparkles with unrivaled beauty.
THE SUPER IDEAL EIGHT HEART™ DIFFERENCE
Only the Eight Heart™ Diamond is cut to exacting Super Ideal standards, ensuring brilliance that endures for a lifetime.
- Maximum Brilliance & Fire: Every facet is painstakingly aligned by master craftsmen to reflect and refract the maximum possible light.
- Hearts & Arrows Guaranteed: Viewed through a special scope, every Eight Heart™ Diamond reveals a perfect pattern of eight hearts below and eight arrows above, visual proof of optical perfection.
- Classic 57-Facet Structure: Both the Round Brilliant and Eight Heart™ share the same structure, but only one has perfected the art of sparkle.
- Longer Cutting and Polishing Process: An Eight-Heart diamond takes three to four times longer to cut and polish than a standard round brilliant diamond.
- Weight is Sacrificed for Brilliance: More rough diamond weight is sacrificed, so your diamond shines brighter and often appears larger than heavier stones of lesser cut.
THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN
Standard Round Brilliant Cut Vs Eight Heart™ Diamond (Shimansky Exclusive)
Brilliant Cut
FACET COUNT
The Eight Heart™ and The Brilliant Cut Diamond Both Have 57 Facets
SYMMETRY STANDARDS
1 Out Of A 1000 Round Brilliant Cut Diamond Are Super Ideal Eight Heart™ Diamonds
VISIBLE HEARTS & ARROWS
Cut And Polished For Weight Gain On Account Of Brilliance Will Not Show Hearts & Arrow
Diamonds Will Always Have Visible Proof Of Hearts & Arrowscolour white
BRILLIANCE & FIRE
Fewer Than 1 in 1000 Diamonds Radiate True Fire, Brilliance, And Scintillation.
CUTTING TIME
Eight Heart™ Cutting Time Takes 3 To 4 Times Longer Than Normal Diamonds
ROUGH WEIGHT RETENTION
Diamonds Are Prioritized For Higher Carat
Weight For The Ultimate Eight Heart™ Brilliance
EXCLUSIVITY
Diamond Are Widely Available And Not Exclusive
Diamond is Only Available From Shimansky. Trademarked in South Africa.
If You Love The Classic Round Brilliant Diamond Cut. Why Not Choose The Best Version?
WHY SACRIFICE WEIGHT FOR LIGHT?
Traditional diamond cutting prioritizes weight gain and speed, retaining more of the original rough to achieve a higher carat number, especially when aiming for a higher weight category, which is worth a higher price per carat within that category.
- The Eight Heart™ philosophy is different.
- More rough material is sacrificed.
- The result is a diamond that may weigh less but outshines heavier stones.
- This sacrifice guarantees maximum sparkle, fire, and brilliance that lasts forever.
- Less rough weight. More brilliance
HOW TO BUY A HEARTS & ARROWS (EIGHT HEART™) DIAMOND?
When buying an engagement ring diamond, brilliance is the detail that matters most. Here’s what to look for:
- Visible Proof: An authentic Hearts & Arrows diamond displays eight hearts and eight arrows when viewed under the ideal diamond scope.
- Cut Quality Over Carat: The quality of Cut and symmetry influences the diamond's brilliance more than any other factor in the 4Cs.
- Certification: Look for GIA or AGS certificates that confirm the diamond proportions and exact angles. Shimansky also provides an in-house certificate verifying Hearts & Arrows status, in addition to the 4Cs grading report.
- Test in Different Lights: Brilliance should remain proportionally consistent in daylight, candlelight, and indoor lighting conditions. Brilliance is the amount and intensity of light that is reflected up through the top of a diamond and back to the viewer’s eye
- Trust the Source: Shimansky was the first jeweller to introduce Hearts & Arrows to South Africa, mastering cutting and polishing in-house to ensure guaranteed authenticity and quality assurance.
IS THE EIGHT HEART™ DIAMOND RIGHT FOR YOU?
If you are considering a Round Brilliant diamond, demand more than just a carat weight. Choose one that is visibly, scientifically sparkling the best.
- Unmatched Brilliance: Sparkles beautifully in all light conditions.
- Visible Proof: Hearts and arrows are a visual confirmation of precision.
- Romantic Symbolism: Eight hearts for eternal love, eight arrows for destiny.
- Exclusivity: Only Shimansky offers the Eight Heart™, South Africa’s exclusive Super Ideal Cut.
THE MINE-TO-FINGER™: A JOURNEY OF A SHIMANSKY DIAMOND
Every Eight Heart™ Diamond is part of Shimansky’s unique Mine-to-Finger™ journey:
Ethically sourced directly from South African mines.
Cut and polished in-house at our Cape Town workshops, using specialized tools designed for precise work, you are welcome to visit Shimansky and experience the art of diamond cutting and polishing firsthand.
Design Crafted into jewellry by Shimansky artisans under one roof, using ethically sourced and mined gold and platinum.
This vertical integration ensures true authenticity, transparency, and excellence in every step of the diamond and jewellry journey from mine to your finger.
EXPERIENCE THE EIGHT HEART™ DIAMOND IN CAPE TOWN
Ready to see the ultimate round brilliant cut diamond? Visit Shimansky’s flagship at the V&A Waterfront or the Clock Tower Diamond Experience in Cape Town, home to the world’s most exceptional diamonds.
Book a private appointment or schedule a virtual consultation, and discover brilliance refined to perfection. The Eight Heart™ Diamond. A Shimansky Exclusive Super Ideal Cut
Frequently Asked Questions
Eight Heart™
A Hearts and Arrows diamond is a super-ideal round brilliant cut so precisely that it reveals eight perfect hearts when viewed from below and eight symmetrical arrows from above.
This unique optical pattern created by flawless facet alignment and polish signifies ultimate light performance, brilliance, and fire.
Shimansky’s Eight Heart™ represents the pinnacle of this craftsmanship: cut, polished, and certified in-house by master artisans in Cape Town to the most exacting standards of proportion and beauty.
No. Only Eight Heart™ Diamonds, cut and certified by Shimansky, exhibit the visible hearts and arrows pattern, proof of proper optical symmetry.Each stone is engineered with perfect proportions, symmetry, and polish, ensuring super-ideal brilliance that exceeds standard round diamonds.
Yes. Because every Eight Heart™ is cut to ideal proportions rather than maximum weight, it reflects light more efficiently. This results in a diamond that often appears larger, brighter, and more radiant than typical round diamonds of the same carat weight.
Absolutely. Every Eight Heart™ purchase includes a Hearts & Arrows demonstration, either in our Cape Town showroom or during a private virtual consultation. You’ll see the perfect hearts beneath and arrows above, visible proof of its super-ideal precision and brilliance.
Crafting an Eight Heart™ Diamond requires three to four times longer than a standard diamond. Each of the 57 facets must be microscopically aligned, with laser-guided measurements and light-performance checks throughout the process. Only a handful of master cutters possess the skill to achieve this level of perfection
Every Eight Heart™ Diamond includes a Shimansky Certificate of Authenticity, along with an independent GIA or EGL grading report confirming its 4Cs cut, color, clarity, and carat. You’ll also receive digital imagery of your diamond’s hearts and arrows pattern, unique to your stone.
While many diamonds are described as “ideal,” few achieve the optical precision required to reveal eight distinct hearts and arrows.
The Eight Heart™ represents the pinnacle of ideal-cut craftsmanship, balancing brilliance, fire, and scintillation in perfect harmony, a diamond that performs as beautifully as it looks
Shimansky is South Africa’s pioneer of Hearts & Arrows diamonds, and one of the few jewelers worldwide to cut, polish, and design every diamond under one roof. With over 30 years of expertise, Shimansky blends authentic craftsmanship, ethical sourcing, and timeless design, creating jewels as rare and extraordinary as the people who wear them.
Visit our Shimansky Showroom in Cape Town or book a private virtual consultation to see the Eight Heart™ Diamond’s perfect hearts and arrows live through our precision viewer.
