James Allen Ideal Cut Vs True Heart- What Other Comparisons Won’t Tell You

If you are new to the world of diamonds, it is fairly easy to get overwhelmed by the diverse variety, staggering amount of tiny details and fancy terms. In the hunt for a perfect diamond, however, you are likely to frequently come across two collections; Ideal Cut and True Heart, both by the same brand – James Allen.

Both of these are among the most popular and sought after diamonds, and rightfully so. They excel in terms of both quality and shine. What then, makes the two products different from each other, and how do you pick the better one for you? 

Here is a comprehensive guide that contains all the information that you need to know about these.

What Makes Diamonds Different From One Another?

Diamonds vary widely in terms of quality and shine, and ultimately price. Everything, beginning from the way the stone is extracted, its cut, grinding and polishing affects the appearance and worth of the final product. The diamond which is clearer and has better cut and symmetry is usually more sparkly. This makes it more exquisite and hence, more costly.

Keeping in view the above parameters, the American Gem Society and Gemological Institute of America has issued a grading scheme to rank the diamonds. Grade 0 is top-tier, while grade 10 indicates the poorest quality. 

AGS	0	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10
	AGS Ideal	AGS Excellent	AGS Very Good	AGS Good		AGS Fair			AGS Poor
GIA	Excellent		Very Good	Good		Fair			Poor

James Allen Ideal Cut Diamonds

The Ideal Cut by James Allen falls under the top grades (0 or 1) of the AGS scale, which means that it has the finest quality that is available on the market. Its size, proportions and build is near flawless, and is designed in a way that allows maximum light passing through it to be reflected. This gives it a superior shine and makes it much more exquisite than other cuts. 

James Allen True Heart Diamonds

The True Heart is a premium collection by James Allen, that also happens to be trademarked by them. Although it falls under the similar grade as Ideal Cut, True Heart is superior to it with its bespoke ‘hearts and arrows cut’ and symmetry.

It is unique and stands out among all the competitors  in having the most perfect and precise proportions, which make it all the more lustrous. At the same time, however, it is much rarer and therefore, much more pricier.

If you are torn between which of the two is a better bet for you, here is a side by side comparison of both in terms of the major parameters. We have also fared these up against the most premium lineup from Blue Nile in our popular comparison titled “Astor Ideal by Blue Nile Vs. True Hearts by James Allen“.

For a more detailed and dedicated review of the True Hearts series, read James Allen True Hearts Review.

Appearance and Aesthetics

James Allen True Heart

When the appearance of these two cuts is considered, True Hearts are superior. This is mainly due to the rare, nearly perfect natural internal symmetry of the stone which prevents dispersion of light and instead, makes it reflect back completely. This bestows the diamond with a sparkle that can make anybody awe-struck.

The hearts and arrows cut means that when viewed from above, you can see 8 arrows, and when viewed from below, you see 8 hearts. Since the digit 8 symbolizes the infinity sign, this specific cut holds a unique romantic and sentimental value. Click here to veiw some real True Heart diamonds.

We have stacked them up in a comparison with Whiteflash’s ACA collection and another comparison with Whiteflash ES collection.

James Allen Ideal Cut

The Ideal Cut variant by James Allen is very similar to True Heart in almost every way. The difference lies in the precision and symmetry of the cut, which is slightly less perfect than the latter. This results in relative dispersion of light and thus, less shine.

It is pertinent to mention, however, that the difference is slight, often too little to even notice. This is especially true for some top-tier Ideal Cut diamonds. The difference between these two, in such cases, is almost always technical and not apparent. 

Quality, Color and Clarity

In terms of quality, both Ideal Cut and True Heart are nearly indistinguishable. Both of these variants are between grades 0 to 1 of the AGS scale, which means that they are of top-notch standard. Both of these variants offer options ranging from VVS1 to IF (internally flawless), on the GIA scale, which is the best that a company can do. Here’s the standardized clarity scale for your perspective:

The clarity and color of both of these is the best that you can find on the market. You can get both of them as perfectly colorless to faintly yellow in color lying between grades D to F on the color grading scale, with subsequent differences in price. Here’s the color grade scale for your guidance:

Thus, as far as quality, color and clarity is considered, none of them is superior to the other. 

Availability

James Allen Ideal Cut

The James Allen Ideal Cut diamonds are widely available all across their stores and online. They are hardly ever out of stock. James Allen uses round, brilliant or princess cut diamonds that are cut to ideal proportions. This allows them to reflect almost all the light that enters them.

James Allen True Heart

True Heart on the other hand, as mentioned before, is one of the rarest stones to exist. Only about 1 to 2% of diamonds have the precision and internal symmetry that is perfect enough for it to qualify as a True Heart. Therefore, it is not surprising that getting your hands on one might be a hassle. True Heart comes in round, cushion and princess shapes. 

Cost And Value For Money

Both Ideal Cut and True Heart are among the top ranked diamonds and therefore, fall under the high end category. However, unsurprisingly, True Heart is the pricier of the two and retails for at least 30% higher cost than Ideal Cut.

James Allen Ideal Cut

Ideal Cut diamonds can be bought for a significantly lesser price than True Hearts. A 1 carat Ideal Cut diamond with a clarity of VVS1 lies somewhere between $6570 to around $9000.

This stunning 1.00 Carat Round Diamond for instance, has a clarity of VVS1 and color grade F and is priced at $6590, which is practically a steal. This is remarkably lower as compared to a True Heart of the same caliber.

James Allen is also well-known for their competitive prices among the online diamond retailers. Here, you can read all about the James Allen price guarantee. If you are able to find a similar diamond for cheaper than what James Allen is asking, they will honor the price.

James Allen True Heart

Due to their flawless cut, True Hearts are among the most expensive diamonds available. Their value soars even further up by the fact that they are some of the rarest stones to exist. 

Here is a similarly specced True Heart 1.00 Carat Round Diamond, also with a VVS1 clarity and color grade F. It retails for $11,780.

All in all, true hearts are about 30 to 50% more costly than diamonds of Ideal Cut with similar specifications. Although the exact value varies widely with specifications, on average a 1 carat True Heart with a clarity of VVS1 and above lies somewhere between $10,270 to around $12,000.

Conclusion- Which One to Get?

With the elaborate breakdown above, it is easy to conclude that both Ideal Cut and True Heart diamonds by James Allen hold their own distinct place, and are both worth the buck depending on the customer’s preference. 

If you want a premium, rare piece for its symbolic value, True Hearts are worth the hefty cost. However, if you are concerned with the quality, shine and brilliance and not the bells and whistles, you can find an Ideal Cut specimen which ticks all the boxes, and that too at a significantly less cost. 

Thus I would say that Ideal Cut diamonds provide more value for the given bucks, in most of the cases.

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