What makes Brian Gavin H&A Diamonds better than the rest?
Hi Danny, please don’t take this the wrong way, but I’m wondering what makes Brian Gavin Hearts and Arrows diamonds better than the rest? It seems like lots of websites sell hearts and arrows diamonds, but there seem to be only a few who post actual photographs of the hearts and arrows patterns… does this mean that their diamonds aren’t really hearts and arrows? How can I be sure that the diamond I purchase is actually a true hearts and arrows diamond? From what I’ve read, it seems like hearts and arrows diamonds offer the best sparkle, and I really want a diamond that sparkles! Please help me figure this out; I’m driving my boyfriend nuts! – Kimberley S.
A picture is worth a thousand words…
It’s easy for a diamond vendor to say that they sell Hearts and Arrows diamonds, but the statement carries little weight if they are unable or unwilling to provide proof in the form of a photograph of the actual pattern of hearts and arrows exhibited by each diamond.
Over the years, we’ve heard all sorts of excuses for why various vendors don’t provide pictures of their diamonds as seen through various reflector scopes, like the Hearts and Arrows scope, Ideal Scope, and ASET Scope, but at the end of the day, it seems to us that it really comes down to knowing that their diamonds lack the degree of optical symmetry to perform well under those circumstances.
The simple truth is that the only way to judge the optical symmetry of a diamond is to be able to view the diamond through a variety of reflector scopes, which serve different purposes. The hearts and arrows scope which enables us to see the hearts pattern which appears in the 1.041 carat, D-color, VS-1 clarity, Brian Gavin Signature round diamond pictured to the left, is the result of extremely precise facet structure and alignment, it requires a tremendous level of skill to produce diamonds of this caliber. It takes time to take photographs of every Hearts and Arrows diamond in our inventory, but it seems to us that using a stock image or sketch of a hearts and arrows pattern is a sketchy practice.
Because as Brian Gavin likes to say “It’s all about the hearts” because the degree of consistency exhibited by the hearts pattern of a round brilliant cut diamond, tells you everything you need to know about the precision of facet structure, it is quite simply the best indication of optical symmetry that you could hope for.
Why is Optical Symmetry Critical for Diamond Performance?
The facet structure of a round brilliant cut diamond, consists of 58 facets, counting the culet which is the facet located on the bottom point of the diamond. The facets are arranged in geometric patterns on the surface of the diamond; and the consistency of facet shape, size, and alignment is critical to achieving the highest volume of light return and sparkle.
Using an Ideal Scope to detect light leakage in a diamond:
The slightest deviation in the indexing of the facets, as they are positioned around the surface of the diamond, one facet to the other, or the angle which they are polished on to the surface of the diamond, can create the type of light leakage which is visible under the table facet of the diamond. This type of light leakage is visible under the table facet of this “hearts and arrows diamond” that is being offered by one of our competitors, as indicated by the light grey sections that appear at the lower end of the table facet in this Ideal Scope image that they provided on their diamond details page. This is most likely due to the pavilion depth being too deep, and the angle of the facets being slightly off kilter.
How an “Ideal Cut Diamond” should look through an Ideal Scope:
From our perspective, the term “Ideal Cut” should only be applied to diamonds which are truly ideal cut, to a range of proportions which will truly deliver the maximum volume of light return, and a level of optical symmetry which will produce the highest number of virtual facets, thereby producing the most sparkle possible, and the brightest, broadest flashes of light. A properly cut ideal cut diamond, like this 1.041 carat, D-color, VS-1 clarity, Brian Gavin Signature round diamond, shows a lot of deep pinks and reds, with small white areas which are positioned symmetrically throughout the diamond, not lots of grey like the diamond pictured in the ideal scope image above.
By the way, if you look carefully at both images, you will see that the diamonds are tilted slightly to one direction or the other, this is because it can be a real challenge to get the diamonds aligned absolutely perfectly on the tray which holds them in place while being photographed. However note that this should not have a dramatic effect upon how the diamond looks through the ideal scope image, as demonstrated by how different these two “ideal cut diamonds” appear through the scope, despite both being tilted slightly off center.
