Comparison of H&A rounds from BG/JA/BN

[0-0-0]

Recent price drops prompted the search for a set of diamonds for a graduated 5-stone ring.

Criteria

• 0.3 to 0.5 carat diamonds
• VS clarity
• D to G color
• Round hearts and arrows cut
• Strong or medium blue fluorescence

Brian Gavin had a 0.5 carat and a pair of 0.3 carat that fit the requirements, but didn’t have any in the 0.4 carat range. James Allen had a True Hearts and Blue Nile had an unbranded one with different sets of proportions. I took it as a good opportunity to compare different H&A cuts.

This is actually the first time I ordered loose rounds from BG/JA/BN. BG and JA included H&A viewers in the shipments as the diamonds are branded hearts and arrows cuts. BG’s H&A viewer is slightly bigger and offers more magnification. BG also included an UV light. JA included a polishing cloth.

BG shipped with heavy duty glass and magnetic gem boxes that stack on top of each other. JA shipped with a plastic gem box inside a wooden ring box. BN shipped with a heavy duty plastic gem box that has a pivot stand in the back. It’s also big enough for multiple gems for easy side by side comparisons. I’ll get to the diamonds in my next post.

 

[0-0-0]

Starting with some fire!

https://imgur.com/a/YYrRQTj

Fluorescence along with some phosphorescence!

https://imgur.com/a/ea7d4Cp

Do you have a favorite?

https://imgur.com/a/cMXPf1p

Diamonds in the videos from left to right, top to bottom:

Vendor	JA	BG	BG	BG	BN
Carat	0.44	0.31	0.5	0.3	0.41
Clarity	VS2	VS2	VS2	VS1	VS2
Color	D	D	G	G	F
Fluorescence	Medium	Strong	Strong	Strong	Medium
Measurements	4.87 - 4.89	4.33 - 4.37	5.08 - 5.12	4.33 - 4.37	4.81 - 4.82
Table	56%	54%	56%	55%	57%
Depth	61.5%	62.1%	61.8%	61.4%	61.0%
Crown Angle	33.0	34.5	35.0	34.5	34.0
Pavilion Angle	41.0	40.8	40.8	40.8	41.0

 

[Ibrakeforpossums]

Bottom right for fire.
I love those black easel cases, they keep earrings from rolling around.
This is a great presentation.

 

[0-0-0]

Haven’t figured out how to get good backlit ASET images of these rounds. The cutouts in the clear holding tray I have are too big for them. Skipped taking ASET images of the 0.3 pair altogether.

0.44




0.31



0.5




0.3



0.41

 

[musicloveranthony]

I love this thread so much... can't wait to read more deeply. At work so was only able to scan - much to my nerdy impatience!

 

[DejaWiz]

I love this thread so much... can't wait to read more deeply. At work so was only able to scan - much to my nerdy impatience!

(disclaimer: me too!)

 

[0-0-0]

More videos of the 3 bigger diamonds! They are more comparable in size and the BG diamonds are cut very similarly in any case.

https://imgur.com/a/MxrjShs

Vendor links and cut details of the diamonds in the videos from top to bottom:

Vendor	JA	BG	BN
Table %	56	56	57
Depth %	61.5	61.8	61.0
Crown Angle	33.0	35.0	34.0
Pavilion Angle	41.0	40.8	41.0
Star %	50	55	55
Crown %	14.0	15.5	14.5
Girdle %	4.0	3.5	3.5
Pavilion %	43.5	43.0	43.0
Lower Girdle %	75	75	80

 

[tyty333]

Can you tell us @0-0-0 what, if anything, you see differently in person? They all look pretty sparkly to me. Is the 33/41(JA) stone acting
much differently than the other stones? Are any of the stones acting differently in different lighting? Outdoors?

Are these all winners for you? Are you keeping all of them or are you replacing any of them with something else?

 

[0-0-0]

Can you tell us @0-0-0 what, if anything, you see differently in person? They all look pretty sparkly to me. Is the 33/41(JA) stone acting
much differently than the other stones? Are any of the stones acting differently in different lighting? Outdoors?

Are these all winners for you? Are you keeping all of them or are you replacing any of them with something else?

The biggest difference with the JA is that the fluorescence is highly directional. Under UV light, face down and from the side it appears similar to the BN with medium fluorescence. Yet face up, the fluorescence appears more faint as in the videos. Phosphorescence is more common than I expected in my limited sample size. The JA is the only diamond without any.

All the videos showing fire were taken in direct sunlight. Videos showing rainbow arrows were taken in shaded sunlight. The rest were taken in diffused natural or led light indoors.

One more video of JA/BG/BN in full sun outdoors reflecting the sky.

https://imgur.com/a/DQnVA46

At 0.5 carat and below, the visible differences in the different sets of H&A proportions are much less than I expected. Ignoring the differences in color and size, I’m not sure I can identify each correctly if I viewed them individually without a loupe or UV light.

Side by side, I can see the differences in cut between JA/BG/BN, but I don’t have a strong preference of one over the others. It’s actually more interesting to see them reflect lighting slightly differently next to each other. This can be seen more easily in the videos showing fire and rainbow arrows. The timing and location of fire and rainbow arrows lighting up are quite different between JA/BG/BN. In comparison, the 3 BG ones perform so similarly it can look a bit too predictable or boring side by side.

TLDR: All winners I’m keeping! For others considering 5-stone rings, I recommend selecting well cut diamonds with slightly different proportions to put next to each other to maximize the amount of sparkle at any given time.

 

[0-0-0]

This is the best I can do with backlit ASET images for the 3 bigger diamonds. They are all slightly tilted and I have no idea why the BG comes out darker.

JA


BG


BN

 

[Texas Leaguer]

TLDR: All winners I’m keeping! For others considering 5-stone rings, I recommend selecting well cut diamonds with slightly different proportions to put next to each other to maximize the amount of sparkle at any given time.

Triple Zero,
Kudos to you on your research and analysis. Tremendously helpful to the PS community.

I just want to say that the statement above (my bold) is really interesting. I had never heard that advice given but it makes perfect sense. And it is a nuanced but well thought out and useful takeaway from your analysis.

It may be particularly helpful to people looking to match stones and obsessing over tiny differences in proportions within the ideal/superideal category.

 

[0-0-0]

Simple, beautiful work from David Klass! The whole process from initial contact to sending out my diamonds and receiving the completed piece took about a month.

https://imgur.com/a/wSnrUoU

 

[Ibrakeforpossums]

So lovely I struggle to find an adjective. How do you feel about it, after all your research and work?

 

[MissGotRocks]

It is gorgeous! Well done by you and DK!

 

[tyty333]

Beautiful @0-0-0 ! Looking forward to some hand shots!

 

[Golden_bird]

Simple, beautiful work from David Klass! The whole process from initial contact to sending out my diamonds and receiving the completed piece took about a month.

https://imgur.com/a/wSnrUoU

If you don’t mind me asking , what is the price of the setting currently? Haven’t been doing any project work David for the last 5 years school and kids

 

[0-0-0]

So lovely I struggle to find an adjective. How do you feel about it, after all your research and work?

It’s very satisfying to see it light up under uv lighting and the slight tapering makes it a more unique piece.

If you don’t mind me asking , what is the price of the setting currently? Haven’t been doing any project work David for the last 5 years school and kids

1500 for platinum.

 

[Kim N]

This turned out so beautiful. Fantastic analyses as well.

 

[musicloveranthony]

I don't know how I missed this previously. Absolutely stunning

 

[0-0-0]

https://imgur.com/a/41B0t6c

 

[Texas Leaguer]

Well done! A real sparkle bomb!

 

[musicloveranthony]

https://imgur.com/a/41B0t6c

What a beautiful outcome!! You did a really great job choosing stones and the setting suits it wonderfully