James Allen True Hearts vs. Excellent Cut Compared

I know how the True Hearts diamonds intrigue many of us but are they really worth the hype? Let’s talk about the very fascinating James Allen True Hearts collection today and see how it exactly differs from the Excellent Cut. 

We’ll learn everything about these two types of diamonds here step by step, and then you can decide which diamond is actually worth the investment!

What is a True Heart Diamond?

Just like a few other diamond retailers that have curated a premium collection for Hearts and Arrow diamonds (ACA by Whiteflash or Astor by the Blue Nile), the collection of H&A diamonds by James Allen is named ‘True Hearts.’ 

So what exactly is a True Heart diamond? Well, to begin with, it is a super ideal cut diamond known for its superior proportions and symmetry. The high cut and polish grades of a True Heart diamond combined with a near-flawless symmetry produce an incredibly captivating light performance.

Owing to their unusually perfect proportion, symmetry, cut, and polish, these diamonds reveal a Heart and Arrow pattern when viewed from certain angles. It is really hard to craft a true Heart and Arrow diamond which is why only less than 1% of the world’s diamonds have the honor of being referred to as a True Heart. 

Check out a stunning collection of James Allen True Hearts Here

Are True Heart Diamonds Certified by Any Lab?

As a matter of fact, yes. True Heart diamonds indeed are certified by either GIA or AGS laboratories. But the concern arises when most buyers don’t see a particular mention of the diamond being a True Heart. 

So this is just a heads up for you if you’re going to buy a True Heart diamond, then you’ll have to settle with that. No diamond grading laboratory specifically grades a diamond as a True Heart or even a Heart and Arrow diamond, for that matter.

What you will find on these diamond grading certificates at most will either be an ‘excellent’ or ‘ideal’ cut grade. A True Heart diamond owns a ‘Triple zero or Ideal Cut’ grade on an AGS certificate. On the other hand, the GIA certificate labels a True Heart as an ‘Excellent Cut’ diamond.

And that brings us to a very obvious question.

Are all Excellent Cut Diamonds True Hearts?

Not at all. We do know that all True Hearts diamonds are excellent or ideal cut diamonds. 

But not all Excellent/Ideal Cut diamonds are True Hearts. A Heart and Arrow diamond differs a lot in its proportion and cut symmetry. It is really hard to achieve the Heart and Arrow pattern in a diamond, even for the finest craftsmen. 

Therefore, not all Excellent Cut diamonds have the ability to showcase a Heart and Arrow pattern. Hence, they’re not True Hearts. On the other hand, every True Heart boasts the highest cut grade, which always makes it either an Excellent or Ideal Cut diamond. 

What is an Excellent Cut Diamond?

The highest cut grade for a diamond on the GIA scale is an Excellent Cut. An excellent cut diamond delivers the highest fire and brilliance. Apart from that, an excellent cut diamond showcases an incredibly amazing light performance because it reflects almost all the light that hits it. 

Since the diamond cut affects its ability to reflect light and hence, the brilliance, you shouldn’t compromise on the cut grade of the diamond. An excellent cut diamond has a very high cut grade. However, the symmetry may not be as flawless as that of a True Heart.

Although with their incredible internal symmetry and optimal facet angles, the excellent cut diamonds do reflect the majority of light through the crown and table. Hence, make sure that your diamond shines from across the room.

Lastly, keep in mind that an excellent cut diamond on the GIA scale is graded as an ideal cut diamond on the AGS Certificate. There’s no essential difference between the two except a difference in grading institutes.

Does only James Allen have True Hearts?

Yes, only James Allen has True Hearts, just like the Astor Collection is limited to the Blue Nile only. True Heart itself is not a universal name for any specific kind of diamond. In fact, it is the Hearts and Arrows diamonds that make these premier collections by different diamond retailers.

True Heart is a trademark of James Allen only, and so you’ll not find that name elsewhere. However, you can surely find H&A diamonds in other places too. 

What Is The Difference Between True Hearts And Excellent Cut?

As far as the certifications and lab grading is concerned, there is no apparent difference between a True Heart Cut and an Excellent Cut Diamond. A True Heart will be graded as an Excellent or Ideal Cut diamond, just like a regular diamond.

However, the difference lies in their proportions and symmetry. A True Heart diamond boasts an exceptionally rare internal symmetry and polish that makes it the rarest of all diamonds. It reveals a Hearts and Arrow Pattern when viewed from certain angles. And that is exactly what makes it unique.

As compared to that, an excellent cut is simply a superior cut diamond with amazing brilliance and fire as well as outstanding symmetry. As great as it is, an excellent cut diamond is not always capable of showcasing a Hearts and Arrows pattern. And that’s how it differs from a True Heart Cut that possesses the perfect symmetry to reveal an H&A pattern. 

Since the True Heart diamonds are the rarest of all, you’ll see a noticeable difference in the prices of these two. For instance, this 1ct. Excellent Cut diamond at James Allen retails for $5750 only.

In contrast to that, a similar 1ct. True Heart Cut diamond by James Allen will cost you around $8390. A comparison between the key features of these two diamonds reveals that the True Heart diamond is graded excellent in terms of its polish and symmetry. At the same time, the Excellent Cut diamond has a Very Good Symmetry ratio. 

Anyway, that’s just a surface analysis. I’m sure you can find out other factors contributing to a sky-high price of a True Heart apart from its uniqueness. However, to find those, you’ll need to review a copy of their GIA certificates by contacting James Allen. 

Are James Allen’s True Hearts Worth it?

Well, that is really a complicated question. While it’s certainly correct that True Hearts are the rarest of diamonds, many people still don’t see that as a reason good enough to spend a fortune. And if you’re one of them, you can stick to your opinion, no worries.

But if you do have the budget and you’re willing to make an investment in the most brilliantly symmetrical and proportionate diamonds, then True Hearts are surely worth it. They deliver an unmatchable fire and brilliance. On top of that, the Hearts and Arrows pattern is very famous for its ‘cupid effect’. 

So getting a Hearts and Arrows diamond for a loved one will definitely be a great idea, especially because you’ll be getting your hands on the rarest of rarest diamonds.

What Are Ideal Scope Images Of A Diamond, And Why Are They Required?

Studying the ideal scope image of a diamond is the best way to analyze its light performance. Different colors in an ideal scope image reveal the diamonds reflecting ability, light leakage, symmetry, and contrasts. 

Each True Heart diamond by James Allen comes along with its ideal scope image that allows you to examine every diamond closely. I really appreciate it, because this way you know if a certain diamond is really worth your money. Also, it’s one of the things that makes shopping for a diamond online less stressful.

Ideal Scope Images for a 1.02ct. True Heart

The ideal scope image of a True Heart diamond reveals eight arrows when viewed from the top, while from the bottom, you can see a pattern of 8 hearts. Apart from the Hearts and Arrows pattern, the ideal scope images also reveal the areas of light leakage and reflection.

Red 

The red color in an ideal scope image shows the areas that reflect the light. A dark, deep red color shows the areas that reflect light the most, while the light pinkish areas on the image reveal the areas that reflect less light. 

White

Next, the white color in an ideal scope image reveals the areas of light leakage. This is the color you want the least on the ideal scope image of your diamond. 

Black

The black color on an ideal scope image indicates the areas where light is returned back at very high angles and creates contrasting patterns. 

The ideal scope images of a True Hearts diamond are often rich in contrasting red areas with negligible light leak regions, and that makes them deliver the utmost brilliance, fire, and light performance. 

The Bottom Line

In the end, it really comes to your choice. Both excellent cut and true hearts diamonds are utterly beautiful and have very amazing symmetry and proportion ratios. They deliver matchless brilliance and fire and make sure that everyone sees that sparkle from across the room. 

True Hearts are considered unique because of their Hearts and Arrows pattern as well as high polish and symmetry grades, but that doesn’t mean you can’t find a better-looking excellent cut diamond!

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