Hearts and Arrows Diamond – Who Sells The Best Online?

Q:

Hi Liz,

I’m trying to understand how to find a hearts and arrows diamond online. I’m confused as to which retailer offers this kind of diamond. Everyone seems to have their own names and it is somewhat confusing for me.

I’m looking at Blue Nile and James Allen. Are there any major differences between these two large companies? I am looking at their Astor and True Hearts collection of diamonds and wondering how they differ from each other as well as the price difference if any.

Thanks,

Derek

A:

Hi Derek,

Blue Nile’s Astor diamonds are GIA graded diamonds that come with an additional GemEx report. You can read about Blue Nile’s GemEx report here: https://www.bluenile.com/education/diamonds/certification/gemex

Blue Nile’s Astor diamonds are not super ideal hearts and arrow diamonds. They are simply diamonds that have an accompanying GemEx report that is branded with Blue Nile’s name. In many cases these diamonds do possess exceptional light return and brilliance, but overall they are not to be considered a hearts and arrows diamond. The reason is because hearts and arrow diamonds exhibit extreme precision in facet alignment and overall cut symmetry. Diamonds of this caliber require more time and effort in cutting and polishing. Many of Blue Nile’s Astor diamonds fall short of the basic requirements and show an obvious lack of symmetry.

A ‘Hearts and Arrow’ diamond is a precision cut high performance diamond. These represent the top 1% of all cut diamonds and take longer to cut and require years of experience and generally are sold at a premium. These diamonds face up whiter, brighter and larger than average/well cut diamonds and also have a perfect balance of fire/brilliance.

Keep in mind that Blue Nile uses GIA and GemEx for cut evaluation with their Astor collection. Whereas, other Hearts and Arrow diamond retailers use AGSL exclusively. This is because AGSL (American Gem Society Labs) is known for their superior scientific approach in evaluating a diamond’s cut grade. The ASET (Angular Spectrum Evaluation Tool) easily shows how light is reflected from within a gemstone back to the observer’s eye. The ASET image found on an AGS diamond grading report helps the consumer easily understand how well their diamond reflects light. This is a more consistent and scientifically sound approach in evaluating cut grade.

As for James Allen, they too offer their line of True Hearts diamonds which are touted to be super ideal hearts and arrow diamonds. However, as I stated in my James Allen review on ODBA, there are many diamonds that are included in this category that are simply inferior and lacking superior brilliance and optical symmetry when compared to diamonds that are indeed triple 0 AGS ideal with perfect facet alignment in the hearts and arrow pattern.

Simply put, a super ideal hearts and arrows diamond must be optically brilliant and maximize white light return AND showcase eight symmetrically formed arrows and hearts. So, there are two aspects we are evaluating: the light performance AND the cut precision. If a diamond exhibits both of these attributes, only then can they be considered a true hearts and arrows diamond.

I hope this helps, please let me know if you have any additional questions!

Best,

Liz

Q:

Thanks Liz!

I appreciate the quick follow-up. So what other retailers offer hearts and arrows diamonds? How can I search for these exclusively?

Thanks,

Derek

A:

Hi Derek,

If you are looking for consistent cut quality for hearts and arrows diamonds, then I recommend either Whiteflash or Brian Gavin Diamonds.

Whiteflash.com has been selling their A Cut Above (ACA) Super Ideal Hearts and Arrows diamonds since 2000. They specialize in high performance super ideal diamonds and have the largest AGS graded diamond inventory and own all of their ACA and Expert Selection diamonds. They are bit more expensive but the level of quality and service more than makes up for the extra premium. In effect, you are getting the ‘Rolls Royce’ of all diamonds!

I also recommend Brian Gavin Diamonds. Brian Gavin is a 5th generation diamond cutter and has won many industry accolades. His ‘Cut Beyond Brilliant’ Signature hearts and arrow diamonds are a favorite among many.

I do recommend other retailers (like Zoara, Ritani, and Victor Canera) that sell top quality ideal cut diamonds but if you are looking for a hearts and arrows diamond then you must always confirm evaluation with a hearts and arrows diamond image. There is no way you can decipher hearts and arrows from a lab report or just a regular magnified image. You need to specifically view a ‘hearts’ image and an ‘arrows’ image.

For more information on what to look for in the hearts and arrows diamond optical symmetry, please visit my Hearts and Arrows educational article: https://www.onlinediamondbuyingadvice.com/diamond-education/hearts-and-arrows/

Happy Diamond Buying!

Liz