Astor Ideal by Blue Nile Vs. True Hearts by James Allen

With regards to purchasing a jewel, you need to guarantee that you’re putting resources into a piece of remarkable magnificence and quality. With various precious stone brands accessible on the lookout, it’s important to compare and evaluate their offerings before making a decision.

We will compare two well-known diamond collections in this article, Astor Ideal Diamonds by Blue Nile and True Heart Diamonds by James Allen.

Table of Contents

Introduction to the Collections and Brands

Getting exclusive collections of premium diamonds from well-known retailers like James Allen or the Blue Nile makes it more convenient to find premium diamonds on your own.

Two such collections, True Hearts and Astor Ideal, feature diamonds of the highest quality in terms of cut, symmetry, and polish grade and both offer unmatched performance with their premium quality.

Astor Ideal by Blue Nile

Blue Nile sells a particular line of diamonds called the Astor Ideal diamond. The Astor Ideal collection is renowned for its exceptional cut and craftsmanship, which were created with the goal of enhancing the fire, brilliance, and sparkle of the diamond.

Blue Nile claims that Astor Ideal diamonds are among the top 1% of diamonds in the world. Blue Nile utilizes advanced technology and years of expertise to ensure that Astor Ideal diamonds meet the highest standards of quality and beauty.

Blue Nile has applieds advanced cutting techniques and stringent quality standards to select and craft the Astor Ideal diamonds. The collection typically includes a range of diamond shapes of variable size and cut, including round brilliant cuts. You can view the entire collection here.

We also have an entire comparison between Blue Nile and Kay Jewelers, another famous jewelry brand.

True Hearts by James Allen

True Hearts” is a particular line of diamonds offered by James Allen, also in the top 1% of diamonds. Diamonds from the True Hearts collection are renowned for their exceptional symmetry and cut quality.

Each True Hearts diamond has perfect internal symmetry, proportions, and the highest gem grading for cut and polish. The name of the diamond comes from the starburst pattern of hearts and arrows that has become the hallmark of the most ideal cut round diamond.

True hearts have another trick up their sleeves. Their natural internal symmetry and regular spacing allows them to depict the renowned hearts and arrows pattern. This means that when you look at these diamonds from above, you can see 8 arrows. When viewed from below, 8 hearts are visible. This is truly a feature you can boast about.

Additionally, True Hearts diamonds are certified by the American Gem Society (AGS), a reputable gemological laboratory known for its rigorous standards. The certification provides an objective assessment of the diamond’s quality, including its cut, color, clarity, and carat weight. Click here to view the entire collection.

You might want to read our comparison with Whiteflash’s ES collection or the comparison with Whiteflash’s ACA collection.

There is another line of diamonds, also by James Allen that is significantly less expensive than the True Hearts, called the Ideal Cut. We have fared these two up against each other in our comparison “James Allen Ideal Cut Vs True Heart“.

Cut Differences

Both Astor Ideal Diamonds and True Heart Diamonds place great emphasis on the diamond cut, as it is widely regarded as the most crucial factor in determining a diamond’s brilliance and fire.

Astor Ideal by Blue Nile

Astor Ideal Diamonds are selected by the well-established brand Blue Nile, which utilizes advanced technology and proprietary cutting techniques to create their signature Ideal Cut diamonds. These diamonds are cut to precise proportions, maximizing light performance and delivering breathtaking sparkle.

However these diamonds lack the H&A (hearts and arrows) status, which is because they don’t tend to offer the hearts and arrow cuts and design symmetry provided by true hearts.

True Hearts by James Allen

True Heart Diamonds, on the other hand, are exclusively chosen by James Allen, another prominent name in the diamond industry. True Heart Diamonds are crafted with meticulous attention to detail, employing the brand’s patented diamond-cutting technology.

These diamonds undergo a rigorous selection process to ensure they exhibit superior brilliance and scintillation. True heart diamonds are named for the starburst pattern of hearts and arrows that has become the hallmark of the most ideal and popular cut round diamond.

All in all, I prefer the cut of the True Hearts.

Diamond Quality

The four Cs are what determine diamond quality: clarity, cut, color, and carat weight. We have already discussed the differences in cut. Let’s see how True Heart Diamonds and Astor Ideal Diamonds fare in each of the rest of these categories:

Color

Both brands offer a wide range of diamonds in various color grades, allowing customers to choose based on their preferences and budget. From near-colorless to fancy-colored diamonds, both Astor Ideal Diamonds and True Heart Diamonds provide a plethora of options.

True Hearts, however, take the lead here because they offer diamond between color grade D to F, the highest on the GIA scale.

Carat Weight

Both brands offer diamonds in a wide range of carat weights, accommodating various budgets and style preferences.

Clarity

Both brands adhere to strict quality standards and provide diamonds with high clarity grades. They offer diamonds that are eye-clean, meaning any inclusions are not visible to the naked eye, ensuring maximum brilliance.

True Hearts and Astor Ideal both offer diamond that range from VVS1 to IF (internally flawless) which the best clarity you can get on the GIA scale.

In terms of clarity, Astor Ideals usually have a very marginal lead. However, the difference is almost negligible and, hence, they both draw in this category.

Price and Value for Money

Because the Astor Ideal is one of Blue Nile’s best-cut diamonds, it is much more costly than other stones, including those with ideal/excellent cuts.

I configured this round 1.50 carat VVS1 diamond, that is a color G, and it costs $27,800. I think it is quite expensive and you can find similarly specced diamonds with an equally amazing cut for less.

However, a similar cut from James Allen like this stunning 1.50 carat True Heart diamond will cost you $18,460. It is also a color G with VVS1 Clarity. This is a significant cost difference, if you ask me. This is surprising to me because James Allen also a better brand image, in my opinion.

Pertinent to mention that James Allen’s True Heart diamonds come at quite competitive pricing. Blue Nile’s Astor Ideal collection, on the other hand, is a bit more costly while comparing similarly specced diamonds.

With this in mind, I would choose James Allen True Heart, in a heartbeat. Whatever you choose, it is also important to closely examine the certifications of diamonds from both these collections, which leads us to the next category.

Certification

The most prestigious diamond grading laboratories, AGS and GIA, have certified every True Hearts diamond.The AGS certificate grades the diamond as an ideal cut at most. Similarly, the GIA report grades the True Hearts as an Excellent Cut diamond

All Blue Nile Diamonds are certified by the GIA labs. However, in the case of the Astor Ideal collection, the GIA report is accompanied by an additional GemEx grading report.

Conclusion- Which One to Buy?

In the battle of Astor Ideal Diamonds versus True Heart Diamonds, it is evident that both brands are a leader in the diamond industry.

However, for some of you, the fact that James Allen offers international delivery may put them ahead. They also have a larger inventory and a more flexible pricing range.

James Allen also has significantly lower prices in my experience and thus, I would choose James Allen True Hearts, most of the time. An exception would be if I am able to find a stunning masterpiece from Blue Nile, with a stunning cut, that might lure me towards it.