Brian Gavin Signature vs "other" Signature Diamonds:
I'm often asked what makes Brian Gavin Signature Diamonds better than the "Signature Diamonds" found on other web sites... the easiest explanation that comes to mind is that the some signatures are worth more than others, depending on the value which they add to a product or service, or the rarity of items bearing that signature.
For instance, a baseball signed by Babe Ruth is going to be worth considerably more than a baseball signed by a rookie baseball player who is not yet famous, simply because Babe Ruth is a well known baseball player who is known for his great performance and skill.
Likewise, the value of a diamond is determined by taking into consideration basic characteristics, such as carat weight, color, clarity, and cut... but the term "cut" is used to describe the overall diamond cut quality, and the visual performance which results from skillful diamond cutting.
As a fifth generation diamond cutter, Brian Gavin has mastered the art of handcrafting diamonds which are optimized to deliver maximum light return and visual performance... as such, his Signature Diamonds tend to be brighter, more brilliant, more fiery, and deliver more scintillation, than other brands of "Signature Diamonds" and we're not just saying that... we provide the images and documentation necessary to prove our claim and enable our customers to compare the optical symmetry of our diamonds to that of our competitors...
Well, that is, if our "competitors" actually dared to provide the information required for people to make that comparison, most of the companies offering "Signature Diamonds" online, don't provide reflector scope images on their diamond details pages, they simply post a copy of the diamond grading report and hope that people will assume that the optical symmetry of the diamond is excellent because the diamond grading report states that the symmetry of the diamond is excellent, however those are two different factors of diamond grading.
Optical Symmetry vs. Meet Point Symmetry:
You might not realize it, but the "Symmetry" grade presented on diamond grading reports like those issued by the GIA, AGSL, EGL, IGI, HRD, and so on, are based on a concept known as "meet point symmetry" which is based upon how well the "points" or "tips" of each facet, align with the next facet which "meets" up with it.
If the points of the facet align quite well, the diamond is likely to get an overall symmetry grade of GIA Excellent or AGS Ideal, but if the alignment is slightly off, it can drop down to very good, good, etc.
Optical Symmetry is a completely different concept which is used to describe the consistency of facet shape, size, and alignment per section, but also from the perspective of the reality that a diamond is a three dimensional object, with facets which should be aligned from top to bottom, and across the diamond, to maximize light return and increase brilliance, dispersion, and scintillation.
Using Reflector Scopes to Judge Optical Symmetry:
Optical Symmetry in a diamond, can only be judged using various reflector scopes which are designed specifically for that purpose. While some insight into the optical symmetry of a diamond can be obtained by examining the ASET image provided on Diamond Quality Documents (DQD) issued by the AGSL, those images only show the arrows pattern, and are intended to be used to judge the pattern of brightness being exhibited by a diamond, and not optical symmetry.
Likewise, the Ideal Scope images which we provide on our diamond details pages, are intended to provide insight into the manner in which the diamond is leaking light, and not the optical symmetry of the diamond, although the two concepts are directly related.
The best manner in which to judge the optical symmetry of a diamond, is to view the diamond while unmounted through a hearts and arrows viewer, which is why we provide an image of the pavilion view of every Signature Diamond featured on our web site, so that our customers may judge the precision of the hearts pattern for themselves and see that the optical symmetry of our diamonds is exceptional.
The presence of a crisp and complete pattern of hearts, which is symmetrical, even in size and spacing, is a clear sign of superior optical symmetry. It is much more difficult to produce a crisp and complete pattern of hearts and arrows, than it is to merely produce a nice looking arrows pattern, because the hearts are created by the reflection of several different facet sections which are combined to produce each heart.
Without getting into an extensive amount of detail, I'll simply say that each heart is actually the reflection of the group of facets which are located directly opposite of it, this is why the three dimensional symmetry of the diamond is a critical factor. If the facets are not perfectly aligned across from each other in all directions, the hearts pattern will appear uneven and irregular. Hearts patterns like the one which appears to the left, are the result of extremely precise diamond cutting and skill.
The Unparalleled Quality of Brian Gavin Signature Diamonds:
Every Brian Gavin Signature Diamond is designed and handcrafted to deliver a level of light return which is measurably higher than most other ideal cut diamonds, and the crisp and complete pattern of hearts and arrows which is visible within our diamonds, is proof of superior optical symmetry.
We provide a high resolution video of each of the diamonds featured within the Brian Gavin Signature collection, along with images of the diamond as seen through an ASET Scope, an Ideal Scope, and a Hearts & Arrows viewer, as measurable proof that our diamonds are superior to other "Signature Diamonds". Those other guys, seem to be operating under the impression that merely adding a brand name to the girdle edge of a diamond is somehow supposed to increase its value, we say that "added value" can only be measured in terms of a measurable improvement in light return and sparkle factor, and that my friends is a direct result of optical symmetry and overall diamond cut quality - which can only be proven by providing you with the reflector scope images required to make that determination.
