Hearts On Fire is a well-known diamond jewelry design and manufacturing company that was founded in 1996 by Glenn & Susan Rothman. About 20 years prior to the founding of Hearts On Fire, the couple started a diamond wholesale business.
While in Europe in 1996, they saw a unique diamond with a geometrically optimized cut that displayed a hearts and arrows pattern when viewed through a special scope. They called it the “Hearts On Fire” diamond and started selling it with the trademark, “The World’s Most Perfectly Cut Diamond®.”
The company built its identity around diamond cut and precision. Rather than simply focusing on the traditional characteristics of a diamond, Hearts On Fire developed a highly specific approach to cutting and polishing its diamonds to produce consistent proportions and intense light performance.
By 1999, the company had a presence in Asia and the Caribbean and launched its first collection of diamond jewelry, creating rings and earrings using their own diamonds. The company continued developing proprietary diamond cuts and jewelry collections as Hearts On Fire expanded internationally.
In 2002, Hearts On Fire patented the “Dream” cut diamond, a version of the modified square cut. The Dream cut became another example of the company’s focus on using precise proportions and cutting techniques to create a distinctive diamond appearance.
Hearts On Fire has also been involved in several high-profile jewelry and fashion projects throughout its history.
In 2002, the same year the “Dream” cut diamond was patented, Hearts On Fire supplied fashion designer Anne Bowen with diamonds for a dress created for the 74th Academy Awards. Bowen created a diamond dress worn by Jules Asner that was estimated to cost more than $5 million and its brilliance was blinding.
The project demonstrated how Hearts On Fire diamonds could be used not only in traditional jewelry but also in large-scale fashion and design projects.
For the 60th anniversary of the Emmy Awards in 2008, Hearts On Fire created a spectacular diamond chandelier following the company’s launch of its Architectural Collection, a jewelry line inspired by architectural structures from around the world.
The chandelier featured more than 3,300 diamonds weighing over 1,000 carats and was valued at approximately $10 million. It was displayed in the Emmy Awards’ green room.
These projects helped bring attention to Hearts On Fire beyond traditional diamond jewelry and highlighted the company’s emphasis on precision-cut diamonds and distinctive design.
Hearts On Fire has created new signature collections that debut every 1-2 years like the Inside/Out, Vela, Barre, Illa, Lorelei, and more. Collaborations with celebrity designers such as Hayley Page and Stephen Webster created the White Kites collection, and the first collection featuring colored gemstones.
One of the defining characteristics of Hearts On Fire is the company’s focus on diamond cutting and polishing.
According to Hearts On Fire, its diamonds are selected from the top 1% of the world’s raw diamonds. The diamonds are then cut and polished using highly precise techniques designed to meet the company’s exacting standards.
Hearts On Fire diamonds are cut and polished at 100x magnification, compared with the traditional 10x magnification used industry-wide with diamond grading and examination. The company also limits the cutting of its diamonds to a small group of master diamond cutters who are trained to meet its specifications.
The cutting process takes significantly longer than conventional diamond cutting because of the precision required to achieve the company’s proportions.
Diamond cut is one of the most important factors affecting how a diamond interacts with light. It determines how effectively light enters the stone, reflects within it, and returns to the viewer’s eye.
A well-cut diamond can appear brighter and more lively because its proportions and facet arrangement allow it to return more light to the observer.
Hearts On Fire built its reputation around controlling these proportions with mathematical precision. The company’s approach is designed to produce diamonds with a distinctive level of brilliance and sparkle.
This is also why comparing diamonds based only on color, clarity, and carat weight can leave out an important part of the buying decision. Two diamonds with similar color, clarity, and carat weight can look noticeably different because of their cut and light performance. A Hearts On Fire diamond captures even the smallest amount of light and returns it in a brilliance that is noticeable.
The name Hearts On Fire comes from the hearts and arrows pattern that can be visible in a precisely cut round brilliant diamond when viewed with specialized equipment.
When a diamond is cut with a high degree of symmetry and precision, its facets can create recognizable patterns when viewed from different directions. Looking through the pavilion or bottom of a properly proportioned diamond can reveal the “hearts” pattern, while viewing the diamond from the top or table can reveal the “arrows” pattern.
The pattern itself is not simply a decorative feature. It is an indication of the precision and symmetry of the diamond’s facet arrangement.
This distinction is important when comparing Hearts On Fire diamonds with other diamonds marketed as “ideal cut.” The term “ideal” means the diamond was cut within a range of mathematically precise proportions to maximize brilliance, but does not mean that every diamond will have the same optical performance or visual appearance.
Hearts On Fire has long used the trademark “The World’s Most Perfectly Cut Diamond®” to describe its diamonds and its approach to diamond cutting.
The company’s cutting philosophy is centered on precise proportions, symmetry, polish, and consistency. Rather than treating diamond cutting as simply a matter of shaping the rough stone, Hearts On Fire developed a process designed to maximize the diamond’s interaction with light.
The result is a diamond known for strong brilliance and a distinctive visual appearance.
Because cut has such a significant effect on a diamond’s appearance, it can be useful to compare Hearts On Fire diamonds alongside other well-cut diamonds in person. Looking at diamonds side by side allows you to evaluate differences in sparkle, brightness, pattern, proportions, and overall appearance rather than relying solely on a grading report or an image.
Although Hearts On Fire is best known for its diamonds, the company also designs jewelry around its signature stones.
Its collections include diamond engagement rings, wedding bands, earrings, necklaces, bracelets, and other fine jewelry. Hearts On Fire jewelry is designed to showcase the characteristics of its diamonds while incorporating the company’s own approach to contemporary jewelry design.
For someone considering a Hearts On Fire engagement ring or other diamond jewelry, the diamond itself is only part of the decision. The setting, metal, design, proportions, and overall construction can all affect the appearance and wearability of the finished piece.
One of the most common questions when shopping for a diamond is whether a Hearts On Fire diamond is different from another diamond described as “ideal cut.”
The answer depends on the individual diamonds being compared.
“Ideal cut” is a term used to describe the original ideal cut invented by Marcel Tolkowsky. Tolkowsky calculated a set of proportions that would create maximum beauty, fire and scintillation based on mathematical calculations. Modern diamond cutters discovered that a narrow range of proportions would still display ideal optics. Two diamonds can both be described as ideal cut while having slightly different proportions.
Hearts On Fire takes an even more specific approach to its cutting standards. The company controls the cutting and polishing process to meet its own requirements and uses its proprietary cutting methods to create a consistent look across its diamonds. Hearts On Fire does not publish its proportions ranges but calls it a “super ideal” cut.
That does not mean every diamond outside the Hearts On Fire brand will look inferior. It means that every diamond sold by Hearts On Fire brand will consistently display the maximum brilliance possible. The best way to understand the difference is to compare individual diamonds side by side.
If you are shopping for a Hearts On Fire engagement ring or diamond jewelry in San Diego, seeing the diamond in person can be particularly helpful.
The Hearts On Fire diamond has been available at Leo Hamel Fine Jewelers & Jewelry Buyers since 1998. The brand was not well known yet and no other store in San Diego sold it, but as soon as Leo saw the brilliance of the Hearts On Fire diamonds, he wanted the line for our customers. Over the past 28 years, we made the brand known in San Diego as the premier diamond label and thousands of people are wearing Hearts On Fire diamonds from Leo Hamel’s.
Visit our San Diego showroom to compare Hearts On Fire diamonds with other diamonds and see the differences in cut, proportions, symmetry, and light performance. After 28 years, we are experts in Hearts On Fire!
Hearts On Fire is a diamond jewelry company founded in 1996 by Glenn and Susan Rothman. The company is known for its focus on precision-cut diamonds and uses specific cutting and polishing standards for its diamonds.
The name comes from the hearts and arrows pattern associated with precisely cut diamonds. When viewed using specialized equipment, the diamond can display a recognizable hearts pattern from the pavilion or bottom of the diamond and an arrows pattern when viewed through the table or top of the diamond.
Yes. Hearts On Fire diamonds are real diamonds. Like other natural diamonds, they are made of crystallized carbon and are evaluated using the traditional 4Cs of diamond grading: cut, color, clarity, and carat weight.
Hearts On Fire is particularly known for its focus on precision cutting, symmetry, proportions, and light performance. The company developed its own cutting standards and processes to produce diamonds with a distinctive appearance. It is a difference that you can notice from across a room.
Diamond sparkle is strongly influenced by cut. Hearts On Fire diamonds are cut to precise proportions designed to optimize how light enters, reflects within, and exits the diamond. This precision contributes to their strong brilliance and visual performance. Even if not perfectly clean, a Hearts On Fire diamond sparkles like no other.
For over 28 years, Hearts On Fire diamonds and jewelry have been available at Leo Hamel Fine Jewelers & Jewelry Buyers in San Diego and there are Visiting the showroom allows you to compare Hearts On Fire diamonds with other well-cut diamonds in person.
Yes. Comparing diamonds side by side is one of the best ways to understand differences in cut, sparkle, proportions, symmetry, and overall appearance. At Leo Hamel, customers can compare loose Hearts On Fire diamonds with other loose diamonds before making a decision.
Hearts On Fire can be a strong choice for someone who places a high priority on diamond cut and visual performance. The company specializes in precision-cut diamonds, and its engagement rings are designed around those diamonds. As with any engagement ring purchase, it is worth comparing the diamond, setting, design, and price with other options before deciding.