Are Hearts and Arrows diamonds worth the premium?
“I’ve been researching ideal cut diamonds for awhile now and am getting ready to order a diamond engagement ring online. I’ve determined that online diamond prices are more competitive than what my local jeweler can offer me, and there is more information. At this point I am trying to decide between two ideal cut diamonds, both of which are in the range of 1.80 carats, I-color, VS-2 clarity, GIA Excellent or AGS Ideal Cut, however the option from Brian Gavin is more expensive because it is labeled as hearts and arrows. My local jeweler told me that hearts and arrows is a gimmick, and just a reason to charge more for a diamond, but I’m not so sure that is true, because some of the other stuff he told me conflicted with the conclusion of my research. Is there a way for me to determine whether the premium charged for hearts and arrows justifies the difference in price?”
Which Porsche would you like to find in your driveway?
Imagine that you woke up this morning and discovered that Tooth Fairy had left a brand new Porsche Cayman in your driveway. I have no doubt that you’d be excited, especially if your generous benefactor happened to guess your favorite color while shopping for your new car, but would you be more excited if it was a Porsche Cayman, or a Porsche Cayman GT4? One has an MSRP of $52,600.00 and the other a MSRP of $75,200.00
The reason the Porsche Cayman GT4 costs $22,600.00 more than a standard Porsche Cayman is because it offers better performance, it has a top track speed of 183 miles per hour, and offers an impressive 385 horsepower at 7400 rpm. Whereas the standard Porsche Cayman has a top track speed of 165 miles per hour, and only offers 275 horsepower at 7400 rpm. There are other differences as well, but the point that I’m trying to make is that high end performance demands a higher price, not simply for the sake of doing so, but rather because the degree of workmanship and components required to achieve that degree of performance, costs more money.
Brian Gavin Signature vs GIA Excellent:
So I took a look at the proportions and reflector scope images that you sent me for the 1.81 carat, I-color, VS-2 clarity, GIA Excellent cut round diamond that you are considering, and thought that it might be helpful to view the hearts photograph for our 1.811 carat, I-color, VS-2 clarity, Brian Gavin Signature round diamond, next to the one provided for their diamond:
Clearly the pattern of hearts exhibited by the 1.811 carat, I-color, VS-2 clarity, Brian Gavin Signature round diamond pictured on the left, is more uniform in appearance than the hearts pattern pictured for the 1.81 carat, I-color, VS-2 clarity, GIA Excellent cut diamond.
The difference in the size and shape of the hearts exhibited by the GIA Excellent cut round diamond pictured on the right, is due to a difference in the length of the lower girdle facets, as well as a difference in the indexing of those facets as they were polished on to the surface of the diamond. Notice how the tips of the hearts and bending, especially the one in the relative three o’clock position, and how the clefts of the heart are split.
Although the diamond vendor online who is offering this diamond does not provide an ASET scope image, the fact of the matter is that I don’t really need one to tell you that the diamond will not be as bright, nor exhibit a pattern of light return as evenly distributed as the one offered by the 1.811 carat, I-color, VS-2 clarity, Brian Gavin Signature round diamond. Because the facets of the diamond are not crafted as precisely, and they are not aligned as precisely upon the surface of the diamond. The fact of the matter is that every facet has a specific purpose, to reflect light in a specific direction, at just the right angle…
And when each facet of the diamond is not shaped as precisely as the one next to it, or across from it, or above or below it, then it will have a negative impact upon the visual performance of the diamond. And as difficult as the degree of precision offered by Brian Gavin Signature round diamonds is to achieve, the fact of the matter is that most diamond cutters to not produce it because they lack the talent, but rather because it costs more to produce diamonds that offer this higher degree of optical precision… and they know that the majority of diamond buyers are going to decide which diamond to buy based primarily on price, and their assumption that all ideal cut diamonds are the same…
But the assumption that all ideal cut diamonds are the same, is no more accurate than the assumption that a Porsche Cayman is a Porsche Cayman, because clearly the GT4 is faster and offers more horsepower, for a price.
Photo credit, Porsche Cayman: Porsche USA
Porsche Cayman Specs provided by same.
