‘A Rare And Unique Hearts and Arrows Cushion Cut Diamond’

My Personal Journey In Purchasing A Gorgeous Solitaire Necklace…

A few years ago I lost a diamond solitaire necklace while traveling in Rome. Of course anyone can understand that this was disappointing and at the same time annoying. As a diamond and jewelry lover a solitaire necklace is a staple piece in any women’s jewelry collection. It offers the perfect flash of elegance and sparkle and is suitable to virtually any attire whether casual, business, or even formal.

So over the years I’ve perused many a diamond website and jewelry collection to gain some ideas of a replacement. I knew I wanted something timeless and classy while also showing a modern edge. As for the diamond itself – it had to be different. This was an absolute must.

Since I’m in the diamond industry, I have the advantage of keeping up to date with the latest diamond cut innovations and technical feats of mastery. When Brian Gavin Diamonds launched their Signature Hearts and Arrows Cushion Cut diamond collection in 2013, I was both intrigued and excited. I loved the modern look of a more square shaped cushion cut diamond coupled with the highly coveted optical symmetry that only a hearts and arrows ideal cut diamond can showcase.

Brian Gavin Diamonds Innovative New Diamond Cut – A Few Words On Why It’s So Unique

Unlike round brilliant diamonds that are perfectly symmetrical and mathematically perfect, a cushion cut diamond doesn’t have a set standard for ideal cut proportions. That is what makes this fancy shape difficult to purchase. Many cushions are cut poorly with an interest in maximizing carat weight, not beauty. These stones often have very thin to extremely thick girdles that are not symmetrical. Poorly proportioned pavilion facets with awkward angles can result in a dark, dull, and not very exciting diamond. This is in stark contrast to the H&A cushion that BGD has developed. Instead, these diamonds are all graded by AGS as ideal light performance, polish and symmetry. Their proportions are consistent across this Signature line which gives the consumer a sense of safety and trust. All of these factors really stood out to me and made me feel that this just might be the diamond I was looking for.

Another very unique aspect to this diamond is that BGD has issued a patent on its cut. Traditionally, patents take a long time to get approved and are also very expensive. Obviously when Brian Gavin was in the developmental stages of creating this modern hearts and arrows cushion cut, he understood how special it was. No one else can produce this particular cushion cut diamond except for BGD and that in itself is significant.

One testament as to how technologically innovative this cut really is can be detailed in BGD’s article, “The Science Behind The Sparkle.” All BGD Signature Cushion cut diamonds have a consistent and uniformly thin girdle (no overly thick or thin sections) which results in a more durable diamond.

Finally, in order to give this cushion cut a hearts and arrows contrast that was appealing, BGD rotated the main pavilion facets to enhance light performance and optical symmetry. The result is a fancy cushion that exhibits extraordinary light performance while showcasing hearts and arrows optical symmetry contrast.

Choosing A Diamond And Creating a Custom Solitaire Necklace

After doing my research I knew that this Signature Cushion cut diamond was the one that I was looking for. I settled on a .918ct K VS1 for $3,095.00. There were several reasons why. First, I knew that I could get the most bang for my buck by buying a stone that was just under the 1.00ct mark (looks like a 1.00ct diamond but without the price tag). Second, by going down a few color grades I could also save some cash. The VS1 clarity grade is just an extra bonus. It’s what they had in their inventory at the time – I would have been perfectly happy with an eye-clean SI1 if it was cheaper and available. Looking at the HD video on BGD’s website and also studying the ASET images I knew this diamond would be nothing short of stunning.

Here’s a picture of a previous custom created fixed basket setting pendant. I loved the design but wanted the attached loops to be half the size. My aim was to have a very dainty platinum link chain with a gorgeous sparkling diamond attached mysteriously to it. I wanted it to appear as if it were floating – pure elegance. When you are working on a custom jewelry creation, any pictures and comments can help the artists and jewelers create exactly what you are looking for.

Of course the BGD team responded immediately and were able to send the following CAD images within the next few days. They also said, “Note: the jump rings in the CAD rendering are not an accurate representation of how the jump rings will look. The jump rings will be more along the size close to one of the chain links rather than bulky and protruding like they are right now. Smaller jump rings are made by hand anyway” Here is what they sent to me for approval:

Seeing The Real Thing In Person!

With final approval given on the CAD drawing, I finalized my trip to Chicago to visit family and also pick up my gorgeous new necklace. To say I was excited was an understatement….BGD’s team forwarded all the shipping details with tracking information to me ahead of time and also attached some ‘Glamour Shots’ of the final necklace. What great customer service and attention to detail. I was very impressed. Here’s the glamour shots of my necklace (get ready to drool):

In this shot you can clearly see the crisp arrows that show gorgeous optical symmetry. Remember, this diamond is a ‘K’! However, when I look at it I only see white, white, white…

My Personal Feedback

My necklace was shipped to a FedEx holding location near where I was staying and I showed them ID and took my package home. Inside the large FedEx box I found a smaller box, and inside this I found a small black box and some paperwork. The black cardboard box opened to a small leather presentation box inside. Here’s what it looked like:

Simple and elegant black leather presentation box.

Here’s a picture of the diamond while still inside the house. You can easily see the dark crisp arrows in contrast to the bright white light reflection. I was really amazed at how beautifully this ‘K’ colored cushion diamond reflected light. Stunning.

1. This cushion cut diamond has the most amazing sparkle and brilliance I’ve ever seen. It’s absolutely stunning. This is due completely to the CUT and of Brian Gavin’s brilliance. Kudo’s to him for making his dream a reality.

2. This cushion cut diamond really looks WHITE. It’s amazing how much white light is reflected back to you even though this particular diamond is a ‘K’ color.

3. I love how the diamond sits perfectly alongside the delicate platinum links. It really does look like it is floating when I’m wearing it.

So, was it worth the wait in finding my perfect solitaire diamond necklace? Yes, absolutely. I’m more than happy with my diamond selection and BGD’s custom craftsmanship and jewelry quality. I hope my personal review gives some of you active cushion cut shoppers additional insight into your future purchase – you certainly cannot go wrong if you chose this rare and unique cut too. Join the club!