James Allen True Hearts Review- What Other Reviewers Won't Tell You

James Allen has made a name for itself among the leading jewelry and diamond brands ever since its rebranding in 2005. However, there is no denying that a major chunk of its popularity has been a result of the buzz created by its premium collection – True Hearts.

True Hearts is a patented name for James Allen’s range of super ideal diamonds that have the esteemed ‘hearts and arrows’ cut. This category of diamonds is considered to be the most superior with the finest cut, quality and sparkle, and thus, the best that you can get in the world of diamonds.

It is for this very reason that they hold a great amount of symbolic value. For the same reason, unsurprisingly, they are also much higher above the rest on the price list and have sparked a debate on the value they offer for the money.

If you are having trouble making up your mind about this collection, here is a comprehensive review of the True Hearts to make things easy for you.

Table of Contents

Cut, Polish and Symmetry

True Hearts are the extremely rare diamonds that have a cut that is as close to perfect as possible. In fact, only less than 1% of all the diamonds have a cut worthy enough to qualify as a True Heart.

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.

As the number 8 is considered to be the symbol for infinity, this together with the hearts and arrows pattern greatly enhance the symbolic value of True Hearts, especially when it comes to engagement rings.

This cut not only bestows them with a regality like none other, but also allows the True Hearts to shine across the room. Moreover, the polish of these diamonds is also the finest one available among all collections. You can view some stunning examples here.

James Allen also offers another line of diamonds that are also ideally cut, but they lack the “H&A” status, and calls them “Ideal Cut”. We have summed up their differences in this comprehensive comparison between True Hearts and Ideal Cut.

Color and Clarity

Anyone who knows diamonds knows that the color and clarity of a piece can make or break it. True hearts are offered in the top notch color grades.

While most of them are colorless, which means that they are at the top of the AGS color scale, others follow closely with a faint yellow hue. On the GIA color grading scheme, True Hearts lie between D and F – the top 3 categories.

In terms of clarity too, True Hearts occupy the top part of the scale with a majority of them ranking as ‘flawless/IF’. They can, however, range between IF and VVS1 grades. This means that they are impeccable in their composition and stand out and shine conspicuously in comparison to other, low grade diamonds.

Brilliance and Sparkle

As mentioned previously, the quality of sparkle or brilliance of a diamond is highly influenced by its internal symmetry and specifications.

True Hearts, thanks to their precise and immaculate symmetry, allow nearly all the light falling on them to be reflected back with little to no dispersion. This near total reflection of light imparts them with the exquisite and blinding sparkle that these diamonds are known so widely for.

Shapes

True Hearts come in three distinct shapes; round, princess and cushion. Originally, these were only available in round cut. Later, the two new shapes were added to the collection keeping in view their rising popularity and the trend shifting towards square stones in rings.

However, it is important to note that the bespoke heart and arrows pattern is only visible in the round diamonds. The princess and cushion shapes are technically unable to display the pattern due to their build. Nonetheless, they share the same prestigious quality, brilliance and esteem as the round ones.

Grading and Certification

All True Hearts are backed by a grading certificate from reliable laboratories and institutions such as AGS and GIA. They are graded 0 to 1 on the AGS scale, and ‘excellent’ on the GIA scale, both being the highest grades on their respective scales. In simple words, True Hearts are the best you can find in the diamond market today.

Price and Value for Money

Considering their rarity and the fact that they are practically the farthest that the manufactureres can go with regards to perfection, it is no shock that True Heart diamonds are among the most high end stones.

On average, they retail at significantly higher cost than their competitors with similar specifications but without the super ideal ‘True Hearts’ label. According to my analysis a True Heart diamond cost around 60 to 65% more than a similarly specced Ideal Cut diamond.

This True Heart 1.00 ct. Round Diamond (color grade F and clarity VVS1), for instance, is priced at $11,280. This may seem high, but actually makes sense when you consider that James Allen offers a ‘Very Good’ cut diamond, like this one, with the same specifications for approximately $5500 to $7000.

Here comes the interesting part. Even the ‘Ideal Cut’ James Allen diamonds retail in a similar price range of $6000 to $7000. I found this Ideal Cut 1.00 ct. Diamond (color grade F and clarity VVS1) for under $6000, which is actually cheaper than the ‘very good’ cut example I just gave. Talk about value for money!

This colossal price difference between the regular and the True Heart diamonds is because the True Hearts have a better symmetry and superior shine. The tag also plays a role here. That being said, buying from James Allen does impart a peace of mind like no other because of their insurmountable reputation and customer care.

In all fairness, you can find examples elsewhere with nearly similar specifications and no visible difference agt all at a much lower price. True Hearts is a premium line of diamonds by the largest online retailer in the world with a price tag to match.

James Allen also has a price match guarantee to satisfy their clients. It states that if you are able to find an identical diamond at a lesser price, James Allen would honor it.

In my experience, James Allen’s regular loose diamonds are priced fairly in comparison to other online retailers like Blue Nile and WhiteFlash, but the True Hearts are on the pricier side.

Conclusion

So far in this discussion, it is safe to say that True Hearts do excel with regards to the various qualities that one would want in their diamond, should they decide to invest in it.

At the same time, the peace of mind that you are getting one of the best prices available among online diamond retailers is unrivaled. The 30-days no questions asked returns policy also helps make the decision much easier.

In short, if you wish to get a True Heart because you want to get your hands on the best thing available, or simply because of its symbolic value, it is worth the expenditure. However, in my opinion, True Hearts may not be the best option for someone on a budget.

If cost is your number one concern, you are better off buying a diamond which does not have a “true heart” tag and the hefty price tag that accompanies it.