The invention is an apparatus, system, and method for repairing heart valves. A suture line is secured to a papillary muscle, and then passed through a portion of a heart valve leaflet. A reference element (106) is provided at a desired distance from a plane defined by the heart valve annulus (100) . The suture line is secured to the heart valve leaflet at a position adjacent the reference element. The reference element may part of a device configured for placement on or in a heart valve annulus . The reference element may be slidingly secured to the device so that the distance of the reference element from the main body of the device can be varied by a surgeon or other user. The reference element may be a line of suture, which may be pre-installed during manufacture of the device or may be installed by the surgeon or other user.