How does Brian Gavin Diamonds operate?

Hi Danny, I’m just beginning my research regarding buying a diamond engagement ring and have read some great reviews about Brian Gavin Diamonds on various forums. I’m just wondering how to go about acquiring a diamond from Brian Gavin, which is not featured in his current inventory of Signature Diamonds… Is it possible to special order a diamond and have Brian cut it to my specifications? And if so, how long does it take for a diamond to be cut? It appears that Brian charges a premium for his production; can you explain the benefits of buying a Signature Diamond from Brian Gavin versus other brands of Signature Diamonds that I find online? Sorry for all the questions, but I’m trying to determine the best options, so that I’ll be better prepared for when I start seriously looking in about a month. Can you tell me more about how Brian Gavin Diamonds operates? Thanks! – Andrew J.

The Best Way to Shop for Diamonds Online:

The best way to shop for diamonds online from established vendors like Brian Gavin, is to learn as much as possible about diamonds in advance, by reading the diamond grading tutorials by Brian Gavin which will provide you with a significantly more in-depth understanding of diamonds than you’re likely to find in those glossy 4C’s of Diamond Grading pamphlets that you’ll find sitting on the counter of most retail jewelry stores.

Speaking of retail jewelry stores, while it can be extremely challenging to find ideal cut diamonds of the quality produced by Brian Gavin, it is a good idea to actually get out there and visit a few of the stores in your area, to get a feel for the subtle differences presented by the different diamond color and clarity grades so that your online diamond search focuses on finding the best options available for your budget.

Too often, we find that people start out shopping for diamonds online, by trying to find the best diamond possible, by focusing on searching for diamonds of the highest color and clarity, when in fact these factors have very little to do with the actual visual performance of a diamond, and they would be best served by focusing on the overall cut quality of the diamond.

To this regard, Brian Gavin takes the guesswork out of diamond buying; by only selecting diamonds for the Brian Gavin Signature and Brian Gavin Blue collections which exhibit the highest volume of light return and sparkle factor! Every Brian Gavin Diamond is cut to the highest standards, with ideal proportions, and a degree of optical symmetry which is practically unparalleled; e.g. if you take a look at the diamond details page for this 0.913 carat, H-color, VS-2 clarity, Brian Gavin Signature round diamond, you will see that not only is it graded by the American Gem Society Laboratory (AGSL) with an overall cut grade of AGS Ideal-0, but it is also looks exceptional in the ASET Scope, Ideal Scope, and Hearts& Arrows scope images, which are proof positive of superior diamond cut quality.

The Added Value of Brian Gavin Signature Diamonds:

In a previous blog post, I actually addressed the distinct differences between Signature Diamonds vs Brian Gavin Signature Round Diamonds (link to article of that title, written March 2014) but one topic that I did not address was the inherent value presented by the higher volume of light return and superior sparkle factor exhibited by Brian Gavin Signature diamonds…

It is widely recognized throughout the gemological community that the proportions of a diamond dictate the volume of light return, and that the precision of facet shape and alignment have a direct effect upon the size and intensity of the sparkle.

What is rarely discussed is the effect that precise indexing of the facets has upon the appearance of a diamond, but it was addressed in a study conducted by the AGSL, which was published in Optical Engineering magazine in September 2007, in which they indicated that the visual performance of a diamond was significantly improved by the superior level of optical symmetry required to produce a crisp and complete pattern of hearts and arrows, like the one visible within the 0.913 carat, H-color, VS-2 clarity, Brian Gavin Signature round diamond, which is pictured to the left. Those dark spots are simply reflections of the diamond crystals being picked up by the magnification by the way…

We use varying degrees of magnification and focal depth in order to capture the presence of the hearts and arrows patterns which are visible within Brian Gavin Signature round diamonds as a result of precise indexing of the pavilion and crown facets, and the inclusions within the diamond may be visible within the hearts pattern, depending on their location within the diamond.

While we’ve noticed that a lot of our “competition” state that their Signature Diamonds are “Hearts and Arrows” it is clear to us that their diamonds do not meet the established standards for grading hearts and arrows diamonds that those of us who produce them adhere to… thus it is not that Brian Gavin Signature Diamonds are being sold at a premium, they are simply a higher quality product than what other vendors are marketing as their Signature brand.

Next Up: Ordering a Custom Cut Diamond from Brian Gavin