surfermegz
Rough_Rock
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- Mar 30, 2005
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- 10
So I am wondering, have any of you purchased them or own them and what do you think? Is it the most beautifully cut diamond or is it built up too much? Let me know!! thanks!
Hearts on Fire... ?
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codex57
Brilliant_Rock
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- Dec 18, 2004
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- 1,492
It''s just one of many of the ideal (i guess super ideal really) cut round brilliant diamond brands. They show a heart pattern upside down and arrows looking from the top. There''s a premium for the name, however, there are other "branded" ones just like it. At least if you buy it, you''re pretty certain to get one of the best cut diamonds available.
MichelleCarmen
Super_Ideal_Rock
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- Feb 8, 2003
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Hearts on fire are gorgeous! Definetly. . . I''ve looked at them under an ideal scope before and the stones have looked impeccable. . . but, I think that the price premium is ridiculously high and not worth paying when there are many alternative diamonds which have a much more reasonable price AND are just as beautiful.
Date: 4/1/2005 61:59 PM
Author:Megs
So I am wondering, have any of you purchased them or own them and what do you think? Is it the most beautifully cut diamond or is it built up too much? Let me know!! thanks!
HOF diamonds carry a hefty premium on price. However, if your willing to pay such a premium I would suggest you do two things.
1. Contact eightstar and see if there is a local dealer to you. Eighstars are priced about the same as HOF''s. ( eightstar.com)
and maybe check out the Eighteternity and Solasfera stones at local dealers.)
Then go see a regular H&A stone, and check a) how much larger or better can you buy for the same dollar amount b) if you select and equal quality how much will you save?
Most of this "research" is sort of dependent on finding local dealers, and seeing what your personal preferences are.
Hopefully you are geographically located in an area where there are dealers of these stones.
If you''re not near dealers there are plenty of folks here who sell these different stones... GOG, Whiteflash, Diamond Expert, USA CERTED, WINK, NICE ICE,Diamonds IDEAL etc.
Hopefully this will help you, and take the mystery out of choosing.
Rockdoc
Actually I think the Eightstars are priced higher than Hearts on Fire. The Eightstars looked to me like they had bigger flashes of more colorful sparkle. If I had to choose between the two & money were no object I''d say the Eightstar is the better performer. But I don''t think you need to buy a Hearts on Fire to have a beautiful diamond. Mines is not, it''s a GIA excellent symmetry & polish diamond that scores 1 on the HCA & I get plenty of compliments on it. Mostly because it''s so brilliant & large, it''s a very noticeable 1.85 carat, I have skinny fingers & that helps.
I was at the local HOF dealer the other day. No doubt about it, they are beautiful diamonds, but I don''t think their prices are justified. I got the feeling I was paying more for the marketing than the diamond. The salesperson obviously had little experience with them and I could see her reading off a cue card for her sales pitch. Not to knock the quality of the diamonds, just the premium. I''d look for some of the Pricescope vendors to send one of their premium H&A diamonds to a local independent appraiser in your area so you can see that they will go toe to toe with a HOF. Look into Whiteflash, Superbcert, Good Old Gold, Wink Jones etc. They all have great reputations for the quality of their products.
-joycer
-joycer
I bought a HOF and I feel it is a superior performer in most lighting situations. My friend bought a hearts and arrows that was not certified as such, and my diamond is more sparkly than hers. Hers is a carat bigger, (3 vs. 2), so I don''t know if that has a role in it, but I feel mine is a prettier stone. The cost is not that different than the ACA diamonds at whiteflash, I have checked on more than one occasion. They have a year warranty, for any defects in the stone due to workmanship, as well as 30 day unconditional return policy. I think they are a great stone!! I love mine...
surfermegz
Rough_Rock
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- Mar 30, 2005
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- 10
Thank you all so much for the help! I have been on the market for diamonds and have heard such wonderful things about Hearts on Fire, but wanted to know if the price was justifiable.
Since the diamond quality is better and it is what they call a "perfect cut stone", would that make the diamond appear to be bigger than it truly is? As in, could you get a smaller rock that would appear to look bigger than it truly is?
Since the diamond quality is better and it is what they call a "perfect cut stone", would that make the diamond appear to be bigger than it truly is? As in, could you get a smaller rock that would appear to look bigger than it truly is?
The sparkle will definitely make it more eye-catching. If it''s cut properly, i.e. not deep to retain carat weight than it will appear bigger than the same carat weight of a deeper cut stone. Carat weight is often hidden in the depth of a stone, which does nothing to make it look wider.
Mara
Super_Ideal_Rock
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I take serious issue with HOF marketing. The most perfectly cut stone in the world?
When I was working in branding many moons ago, our company was the market leader in their industry, but they were very careful about saying things such a ''best'' or ''#1'' or other absolutes that competitors could legally challenge. I worked for another company who seemed to not care about the legal issues and just said whatever they wanted..including best and other terminology to suggest they were the cream of the crop.
So when I hear the HOF commercial on the radio about her being perfect so shouldn''t her stone be, and then the HOF...the most perfectly cut stone in the world blarney, I almost want to barf!
I am a huge diamond cut snob and I have seen HOF in person. YES they are exceptional. But so are the ACA''s I have seen and some of the other diamonds on here that are VERY well-cut. HOF stones are precisely cut. That does not make it the most perfect or most ideal stone in the world. I know it''s just marketing (I was in marketing for 7 years) but it peeves me to hear absolutes on anything like that, leftover from my branding paranoia time I guess.
HOF stones do have a steep markup and are not the same as ACA stones in terms of price...I have priced them out myself when we were looking. HOF came in almost 40% more than similar H&A cuts, almost inline with a Tiffany stone or an Eightstar. Since I don''t like premiums...I didn''t want to pay it and I probably wouldn''t ever.
So to answer your Q...HOF stones are exceptionally beautiful from what we saw in person and I really loved them, BUT I didn''t know at the time there were other stones that were as great..and when we found that out, the HOF spell was broken forever. Precisely cut...there are stones like HOF out there..just not with that brand or markup.
I also have seen Eightstars in person and did not see what the premium was about there either. Some say there are differences with Eightstar as well, so I guess if your eyes visually see it, then it''s worth it for you maybe. But for me...I have seen the IS images and numbers of many Eightstars and unbranded H&A''s and other branded H&A''s and they all seem exceptionally beautiful to me.
My two cents..I''m sure some will agree and some will disagree.
When I was working in branding many moons ago, our company was the market leader in their industry, but they were very careful about saying things such a ''best'' or ''#1'' or other absolutes that competitors could legally challenge. I worked for another company who seemed to not care about the legal issues and just said whatever they wanted..including best and other terminology to suggest they were the cream of the crop.
So when I hear the HOF commercial on the radio about her being perfect so shouldn''t her stone be, and then the HOF...the most perfectly cut stone in the world blarney, I almost want to barf!
I am a huge diamond cut snob and I have seen HOF in person. YES they are exceptional. But so are the ACA''s I have seen and some of the other diamonds on here that are VERY well-cut. HOF stones are precisely cut. That does not make it the most perfect or most ideal stone in the world. I know it''s just marketing (I was in marketing for 7 years) but it peeves me to hear absolutes on anything like that, leftover from my branding paranoia time I guess.
HOF stones do have a steep markup and are not the same as ACA stones in terms of price...I have priced them out myself when we were looking. HOF came in almost 40% more than similar H&A cuts, almost inline with a Tiffany stone or an Eightstar. Since I don''t like premiums...I didn''t want to pay it and I probably wouldn''t ever.
So to answer your Q...HOF stones are exceptionally beautiful from what we saw in person and I really loved them, BUT I didn''t know at the time there were other stones that were as great..and when we found that out, the HOF spell was broken forever. Precisely cut...there are stones like HOF out there..just not with that brand or markup.
I also have seen Eightstars in person and did not see what the premium was about there either. Some say there are differences with Eightstar as well, so I guess if your eyes visually see it, then it''s worth it for you maybe. But for me...I have seen the IS images and numbers of many Eightstars and unbranded H&A''s and other branded H&A''s and they all seem exceptionally beautiful to me.
My two cents..I''m sure some will agree and some will disagree.
bluedawg
Shiny_Rock
- Joined
- Mar 7, 2005
- Messages
- 485
Hi, I have recently been looking at diamonds as part of an upgrade for a 10th anniv. My current stone is a "good cut" and having seen some AGS 000 stones that scored under 2 on the HCA, DH and I are converts to the idea that cut is the most important of the 4 Cs!
So... I contacted Eightstar with hopes of seeing one in person, but alas, there are no local dealers. Next, I went to Jared--The Galleria of Jewelry
and looked at the Hearts on Fire diamonds.
The experience was at once both disappointing and amusing (because of the HoF sales pitch, from a salesman who couldn't even answer my questions about grading, cut, etc). The only HoF stone at that location above a carat was a 2.01 H/SI1. It was pretty and fiery, and I enjoyed looking at the hearts and arrows thru the viewer. The price was $35000.
I had recently seen a similar stone, not HoF, with AGS cert, Ideal cut (000), F, SI1 for $20,100 at another B&M (not mall but a chain nonetheless). That stone was far more beautiful to my eyes. It could have been the F color, I'm not sure. But I now know that it's unnecessary for me to get the Hearts on Fire name.
Something else about Jared's HoF diamonds... the other diamonds in the store were almost all of I color or lower, and graded by IGI. Compared to other stones in the store, I think people new to diamond shopping would get the idea that HoF are FAR superior to any other diamonds out there, because when compared to the rest of the inventory, well, they are!
But I feel that I'd rather spend the money on a larger stone, rather than the brand name.
I do like my designer jeans... but I'm fine with an unbranded diamond.
So... I contacted Eightstar with hopes of seeing one in person, but alas, there are no local dealers. Next, I went to Jared--The Galleria of Jewelry
The experience was at once both disappointing and amusing (because of the HoF sales pitch, from a salesman who couldn't even answer my questions about grading, cut, etc). The only HoF stone at that location above a carat was a 2.01 H/SI1. It was pretty and fiery, and I enjoyed looking at the hearts and arrows thru the viewer. The price was $35000.
I had recently seen a similar stone, not HoF, with AGS cert, Ideal cut (000), F, SI1 for $20,100 at another B&M (not mall but a chain nonetheless). That stone was far more beautiful to my eyes. It could have been the F color, I'm not sure. But I now know that it's unnecessary for me to get the Hearts on Fire name.
Something else about Jared's HoF diamonds... the other diamonds in the store were almost all of I color or lower, and graded by IGI. Compared to other stones in the store, I think people new to diamond shopping would get the idea that HoF are FAR superior to any other diamonds out there, because when compared to the rest of the inventory, well, they are!
But I feel that I'd rather spend the money on a larger stone, rather than the brand name.
I do like my designer jeans... but I'm fine with an unbranded diamond.
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- Apr 3, 2004
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- 33,852
elmo65
i think the ACA would cost 20% less for the same grade compare to the HOF.
- Joined
- Apr 3, 2004
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- 33,852
a beautiful cut stone is a beautiful cut stone.i don''t care what''s inscribed on the girdle ,i''m not paying the 35% premium.Date: 4/1/2005 61:59 PM
Author:Megs
So I am wondering, have any of you purchased them or own them and what do you think? Is it the most beautifully cut diamond or is it built up too much? Let me know!! thanks!
- Joined
- Sep 19, 2004
- Messages
- 2,547
If you love the way they look and can afford the price, I see nothing wrong with your buying a Hears On Fire (HOF) diamond. You will not be disapointed and many people will comment on how nice they look. I have seen them and was very impressed with them. One of the more interesting things is that HOF cuts down to 1/4 carat so that you can also have some very nice accent diamonds for a larger center stone - or just a very nice small diamond if that is all you can afford. Very few of the other dealers are cutting branded diamonds below 3/4 carat - or even below 1 carart.
Another Excellent choice of a similar priced branded diamond is the EightStar diamond. However it has a different look.
If however, you want a very nice looking diamond for a better price then there are other options:
I would consider any of the diamonds listed by NiceIce first, and at Infinity Diamonds (Wink Jones, and other distributors). I would look at Good Old Gold Selection, and at WhiteFlash''s "A Cut Above," and at Superbcert.
If you want to get a better price yet you can do more looking at many of the other vendors, but you will be looking for those few in a large assortment of average diamonds.
All of these diamonds have different looks to them - and you are unlikely to match the look of a HOF diamond except by chance. That does not mean that the different look of the other dimaonds is bad; but some people prefer one look over another (of course you need to be able to compare different "super ideal cuts" in order to see the different looks).
Best of luck with your choices: Depending on what you are looking for, how much time you spend educating yourself and looking, and who''s diamond you finally buy you would probably save 20% to 40% for a superideal cut below the HOF diamond. Only you can decide if that is worth it to you.
Best of luck with you selection, and do let us know what you finally decide to do.
Perry
Another Excellent choice of a similar priced branded diamond is the EightStar diamond. However it has a different look.
If however, you want a very nice looking diamond for a better price then there are other options:
I would consider any of the diamonds listed by NiceIce first, and at Infinity Diamonds (Wink Jones, and other distributors). I would look at Good Old Gold Selection, and at WhiteFlash''s "A Cut Above," and at Superbcert.
If you want to get a better price yet you can do more looking at many of the other vendors, but you will be looking for those few in a large assortment of average diamonds.
All of these diamonds have different looks to them - and you are unlikely to match the look of a HOF diamond except by chance. That does not mean that the different look of the other dimaonds is bad; but some people prefer one look over another (of course you need to be able to compare different "super ideal cuts" in order to see the different looks).
Best of luck with your choices: Depending on what you are looking for, how much time you spend educating yourself and looking, and who''s diamond you finally buy you would probably save 20% to 40% for a superideal cut below the HOF diamond. Only you can decide if that is worth it to you.
Best of luck with you selection, and do let us know what you finally decide to do.
Perry
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