James Allen True Hearts Diamonds Review – Good Or Bad?
I bought this 0.57ct H SI1 True Hearts diamond engagement ring in 14k white gold.
When it comes to buying a diamond engagement ring, cut quality is KING as it directly affects the amount of sparkle and brilliance it has. In this write up, we will perform a comprehensive review of the True Hearts™ diamond collection offered by James Allen.
So, if you are wondering what a True Hearts diamond is and whether it is worth it to buy one for your engagement ring, you are at the right place. You will also get to see real life videos of how they look like and find out why these diamonds are highly sought after.
Let’s jump right in!
What Are True Hearts Diamonds?
The True Heart diamonds represent a top-tier collection of ideally cut diamonds that are carefully curated for internal symmetry and proportions. When diamonds are cut to a high level of precision and workmanship, it enhances the diamond’s fire, brilliance and scintillation patterning.
Each True Heart diamond is also accompanied with a grading certificate from one of the top grading laboratories in the world; GIA and AGS. Besides round diamonds (hearts and arrows), the True Hearts selection is also available in princess and cushion cuts.
Review of True Hearts Round Diamonds – How Good Are They?
Since the True Hearts diamonds are marketed for their exceptional cut quality, one of the things that I do when performing an indepth review is to select random diamonds across different price points and specifications.
The rationale behind doing this is to get a good idea of consistency and quality throughout the inventory.
If a large $30,000 diamond in the signature line can stand up to scrutiny for performance and cut quality, I would expect a smaller $1,000 diamond to be cut to similar standards as well.
Here are 3 different diamonds I selected at random for this comparison.
At the time of writing, the diamonds (from left to right) costs $880, $9,550 and $40,470 respectively. One of the most amazing things about James Allen is the clear quality and transparency of their 360° video listings.
Idealscope – Light Return And Optical Symmetry (Arrows) Analysis
In the majority of True Hearts round diamond listings, James Allen provides an idealscope image that allows you to analyze the light return and leakage exhibited by the stone. In a nutshell, this is what the different colors represent:
• Red: indicates light return.
• Black: contrast – important for pattern & scintillation. Black areas should be symmetrical.
• White: light leakage – keep white areas minimal.
To make your own comparisons, feel free to use the reference charts here to determine the performance of the diamond. Besides static light return, the Idealscope images also reveal the cut precision of the diamond (arrow patterning).
Hearts Patterning Image – Optical Precision And Indexing Analysis
Optical symmetry is a result of precision and the cutter’s skill in aligning the individual facets of the diamond. In a super ideal cut diamond, the hearts patterning appear symmetrical and consistent.
Now, I want you to look at all 3 hearts patterning images closely and see if you can notice the minute variances in the first 2 diamonds. In both cases, there is a slightly bigger gap between the V and one of the hearts.
Speaking as a perfectionist, these small deviations in precision would be something that can be improved upon if you were looking for the best of the best. The 3rd True Hearts diamond (on the right) would be an exemplary example of a super ideal cut stone.
That said, it is important for you to recognize that these small deviations are NOT noticeable to the naked eye. Even with these slight inconsistencies, these 2 stones are MUCH better than 99% of the inventory in the market and that says a lot.
Review of TrueHearts Engagement Ring Purchased at JamesAllen.com
The following diamond ring was recently purchased from James Allen and I handpicked a 0.57ct H SI1 TrueHearts round diamond which was matched with a petite pave setting.
Check out the video below where I personally reviewed the craftsmanship and finishing of the ring.
I’ve also captured Idealscope and ASET images of the diamond engagement ring and it should come as no surprise that they look perfect as the diamond is cut for light performance. You can verify this be comparing it to the ASET reference charts here.
The next video shows you how the True Hearts diamond performs in real life under various types of everyday environment. So, if you are wondering how a True Hearts diamond performs, you are in for a treat.
True Hearts Princess Cut Diamond Review
After the round brilliant cut, the second most popular shape for a diamond engagement ring is the princess cut. If you are someone who fancies a square shape engagement ring, the True Hearts princess cut is a fantastic option for ideal light performance and sparkle.
This was a ring I built from scratch on a budget of $2,000. It features a 0.58ct H SI1 TrueHearts princess cut diamond and is paired with a 14k flush fit pave ring setting.
Here are the Idealscope and ASET scope images that I’ve photographed for your reference. Both images show the outstanding light return and performance of the diamond.
If you are interested to see how a TrueHearts princess cut diamond performs in different types of real life environments, watch the video below. It is a perfect benchmark of how a well cut princess diamond should look like.
True Hearts Cushion Cut Diamond Review
If you are looking for something different, the cushion cut diamond is a great alternative to the traditional round diamond. The diamonds undergo a stringent selection process which include being certified as an ideal cut by AGS.
Interestingly, one of the things I noticed about the TrueHearts cushion cut is their unique facet patterning. By polishing the facets to this arrangement, it gives the diamond a distinct appearance and contrast patterning.
Facet arrangement extracted from AGS grading report.
If you had been following my work on Beyond4cs.com, you will know that I place a strong emphasis on cut quality and I walk the talk when it comes to reviewing diamonds.
So, I picked out a 0.52ct E color Truehearts cushion cut diamond and built a ring by selecting a halo setting to accentuate the diamond’s size. Check out the video below and watch me review the cushion cut diamond’s performance.
For your reference, I’ve captured the idealscope and ASET images. It should come as no surprise that these images reveal very strong light performance about the cushion cut diamond.
My Final Thoughts to Wrap Up This Review
Line up of round, princess and cushion cut True Hearts diamond rings.
When it comes to buying a diamond, Cut is hands down the most important criteria out of the 4Cs. It is the factor that has the biggest impact on a diamond’s appearance.
Not only does it help mask body color and makes the diamond appear bigger due to edge to edge brightness, the better sparkle also help mask inclusions. In essence, you are getting “improvements” in the other 3Cs just by focusing on cut. So, don’t skimp on cut quality.
In this write up, I’ve performed an indepth review of the True Hearts diamonds. Having looked the diamonds in person, I can tell you that they are cut to very high standards and I have no qualms about buying them myself.
In fact, you’ll be amazed at the visual differences between a True Hearts diamond and a typical off-the-shelf GIA graded diamond when you see them in person.
With that, we have come to the end of this review. Which of the diamond shapes (round, princess or cushion) did you like the most? Feel free to leave a comment below to share your thoughts.
And if you have any questions or need help in picking out a diamond, get in touch with me and I’ll do my best to help you out.
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18 Comments
I was recently engaged. James Allen.com was the internet store where my engagement ring was ordered from. I recommended everyone who is looking for engagement ring or for wedding rings to check this site first…
I absolutely love it…
When I went to apprised the ring professionally, for my insurance company, I was confirmed that price we actually paid, was below wholesaler price for a great quality stone that my ring has.
Appraiser also stated that majority of people who are buying expensive jewelry in the stores have a fear of internet transactions. But that fear comes with greater price. That price includes overhead: that owners of the store have to pay rent, salary, commissions insurances, depend of the buying ability of the individual stores e.t.c
That it is all effecting and included in the final price of every each item. At the same time, you are deprived of the comfort of your own home, time, technology and varieties to learn all specifics of your investment before making your final decision.
He complimented us with sadness in his voice that he does do that as often as possible. He would really advise everyone to do their homework first, before spend a big chunk of money in the stores.
Salesperson trained to help you based on your budget, but budget can be tricky. The same budget, the same 4C’s can offer you different quality of the stones, because those C’s stands for “the range” of some specifics… diamond made by nature and cut by men.
Do your homework, educate yourself and check out the James Allen site. I love this store we are going to order our wedding sets and gifts for our parents from them; it is great site knowledgeable and helpful stuff, punctual and reliable. If I can, I’ll give James Allen 11 stars from 10.
Hi,
I bought a diamond and setting from James Allen, based on your review. But by now, I am very frustrated. Just a few days after having the ring resized by James Allen, one of the side stones fell out and was lost. We sent it back to get it repaired… another few weeks later we received the ring back. And guess what – 3 days on the finger and another sidestone fell out – really?? What kind of quality check and craftsmanship is that? I mean, wouldn’t you assume that they actually check the ring even more carefully before sending it out?
Thanks for your feedback. Let me know what follow up actions they had taken to resolve this issue. If it isn’t resolved, drop me an email and I will make sure this gets the proper attention.
I just found your amazing site! Thank you so much for the great advice and guides. It’s really helpful to someone who is trying to navigate engagement ring buying for the first time.
I am a Canadian who’s living in Rome for 7 months and want to buy an engagement ring before my girlfriend visits me in Rome. From my initial research, I feel that prices are much higher here in Italy than back in Canada and USA.
My question: Do you think there is anywhere I can find an engagement ring for a decent price in Italy? Everything seems more expensive here. All the locals I ask can’t suggest any reasonable options. Wondering what your general recommendation is here.
Would it be easier for me to just buy a ring online and have it shipped from USA/Canada? I’m nervous about idea of shipping something valuable, but I’m under the impression that the general price is higher here in Italy, even if I go to some small town to try and avoid the tourist trap pricing.
Lastly, when comparing true hearts vs ideal cut diamonds, what are the differences?
Thanks for your time and thank you for the amazing website!
Shopping online is way “safer” than buying in a physical store because of the consumer protection and better quality goods you will get. Prices are definitely going to be cheaper as well. Read this: https://beyond4cs.com/best-place-to-buy-engagement-ring/
For your next question, I am assuming that when you say ideal cut, you are referring to AGS ideal cut 000 diamonds only. The difference between james allen true hearts vs ideal cut lies in cut precision. Basically, James Allen has its own filter and selection process to pick out the better AGS ideal cut diamonds for their signature lines. That’s why you see that most truehearts diamonds are actually AGS certified 000 diamonds as well.
Thank you so much for taking the time to reply.
I’ve looked through White Flash and James Allen and I can see the prices are much better the stores in Rome. Glad to see there are several with free shipping and insured shipping. Now I just need to sit down and compare these sites to Blue Nile and see what I like best :)
So glad I found your website. I’m already feeling a lot less anxious about this search after reading about your search method. “Cut is king” makes sense to me.
I had another question: If unsure about the ring size, is it better to go high, or go low? Which is easier to resize?
I ask because I’m overseas in school right now, and planning to buy a ring online before my girlfriend comes to visit me. I bought her a cheap little ring years ago and I took a picture of it for scale before I left. She wore it on ring finger and she hadn’t changed over the years. This seems to measure at 15mm – so should I consider a ring size of 4.25 based on this ring size scale? Is resizing to make the ring smaller going to be easier than making the ring larger? I plan to buy a fairly affordable (but safe) setting for this first ring anyways, so I could just select a new ring when I get back to Canada if resizing is not an option.
So glad I am looking online instead of in stores. Now I have a better feel for fair pricing before I even go into a store. Was wondering your thoughts are on feathering and wisps in the diamond? I found some diamonds I really like for their clarity, and they have thicker girdle that you mentioned. However they have these feathering and wisps in the stone and I’m wondering how this is usually perceived? I think they will add some nice character – but perhaps I am naive?
Thank you so much. I will make sure to sing some praises for your site across social media and my blog once it’s safe to do so. I need to wait until the proposal at least ;)
It depends on the type of ring design. Slightly smaller is easier to resize by stretching the ring to a larger size. This is good for solitaire designs. The best is to get it right the first time round. Overall, I don’t like getting rings resize because of hassle.
The ring size of 4.25 or 4.5 (most vendors only provide incrementals of 0.5 sizes) would be recommended based on the old ring’s dimensions. Since yours fall under the 4.25 range, going slightly bigger to 4.5 is the better option.
Twinning wisps and feathers are generally fine for SI1 and better diamonds. It all depends on a case by case basis. Let me know what you are looking at with the direct url links so that I can review the videos for you.
Going online is the way to go. Better prices are just part of the benefits of doing so. The main reason I tell people to go online is getting better quality diamonds.
Thanks again for the advice. I’ll choose carefully with the setting, but I’m fully realizing that I may have to get the ring re-sized or consider another setting someday if the fit isn’t perfect. I’m definitely learning a lot lately – I’m opening your site repeatedly throughout my day.
I have a couple diamonds I’ve looked up – could I ask your opinion? I have a budget somewhere around 1000-1500 USD for diamond + setting (I am probably getting a standard $200 setting from James Allen), and I see some that look well cut and having good symmetry. I am aiming for a solitaire ring with round stone. My girl isn’t the type to want anything over-the-top, but I want to get something that will at least feel like a good value for the money spent.
I think I’m finally getting a feel for the price range now. I’m going to check out the other online sites and see how things measure up.
Thank you so much for the amazing website and insight you have been giving :)
I’ve been browsing at Blue Nile and James Allen on your advice and have some questions about their premier diamonds. What are the differences between true hearts vs astor diamonds. Is one better over the other?
For the benefit of readers who don’t already know, Astor is the signature line of branded diamonds by Blue Nile which is akin to the top tier diamonds branded by James Allen as TrueHearts.
When comparing the Astor ideal vs True Hearts diamonds, the main difference lies in cut precision and performance. In general, I find Blue Nile’s Astor to have a looser criteria and there are quite a number of Astors that won’t pass my personal criteria for cut quality.
You do need to look at details and the intricacy of data to help you cherry pick the better stones at Blue Nile. On the other hand, James Allen has much better consistency and the vast majority of True Hearts diamonds are indeed well cut.
Anyway, I think the True Hearts™ diamonds are generally a better buy because James Allen frequently run promos for them where you get to save 15-25% off settings with a diamond purchase. That easily equates to a couple of hundred dollars of savings.
What’s the difference between TrueHearts and the usual triple excellent or ags 000 ideal cut diamonds? Is there a specific set of criteria in which they are selected for?
As far as I know, James Allen has never published their selection criteria for their TrueHearts diamonds nor is there a specific set of proportions they rely on. And to be clear, when I say proportions, I am talking about stuff like table %, depth %, pavilion angles, crown angles and etc…
Here’s a fact. The generic GIA triple excellent diamond is generally mediocre in cut proportions and performance. The generic AGS 000 ideal cut diamond has far better standards than the generic GIA 3Ex. As to what classifies a diamond as True Hearts, I would tell you based on my experience that the diamond must have a certain standard of optical symmetry to be classified as one. So, it’s a combination of different factors.
Is a True Hearts Diamond worth It? Out of the 3 different shapes available, which is your favorite?
My favorite shape out of the 3 is the round diamond and for a simple reason. Round diamonds have superb light performance and sparkle that is inherent to the shape. i.e. the best cut round will outperform the best cut princess or cushion. But really, the choice of shape is a personal preference and yours could differ from mine.
This Youtube video here has a side by side comparison of all 3 true hearts shapes. If you haven’t decided which shape you like the most, then watch the comparison and discover your preferences.
Hello,
So after reading a couple of your articles, I went and picked out two true heart round diamonds. Can you help me pick one of the two? Or tell me what the difference is other than color & clarity, like what seems to be a more defined black star looking pattern. Sku 6259725 and sku 6259717.
https://www.jamesallen.com/loose-diamonds/round-cut/0.74-carat-i-color-vvs1-clarity-true-hearts-cut-sku-6259717
https://www.jamesallen.com/loose-diamonds/round-cut/0.77-carat-h-color-vvs2-clarity-true-hearts-cut-sku-6259725
In terms of performance and cut precision (optical symmetry), the first 0.77 carat H VVS2 is the better choice between the 2. If you look at the ASET of the I diamond, you can see some inconsistencies in the patterning. This is evident in the video listing as well.
However, if you want the best of the best, this would be one other diamond I would recommend. It’s a better option than the 2 you chose.
https://www.jamesallen.com/loose-diamonds/round-cut/0.72-carat-h-color-vs2-clarity-true-hearts-cut-sku-5331132
Hi, thanks for the great content! I’m looking at a true hearts James Allen diamond but it doesn’t have the super ideal proportions you’ve said are best for round diamonds. Should I pick another diamond that follows the super ideal proportions vs the true hearts? Thanks!
Do you have a direct url link to the diamond you are looking at? The tangible data like hearts and arrows imaging and idealscope should reveal more details about the stone’s performance. But in general, I would advice that you stick within the proportions and see if you can find alternative options. There’s no need to get too hung up on a single stone when there are other options available.