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Hearts on Fire... what''s the deal?

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GoodBishop

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Aug 18, 2009
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I''d like to hear people''s thoughts on the Hearts on Fire diamonds.

First, how about cut? Are their cuts symetrical and good? I noticed on their website that they cut at 100x power... that''s fairly interesting if you think about it.

Next, price? Do their prices compare to others? I went to two local jewelers that carry Hearts on Fire diamonds, and while very nice... they were also super expensive too.

Finally, performance. How would they rate optically in returning light? Do they rate high under a Brilliancescope/Isee2 machine? Are the proportions they use in cut (depth, table, pavilon angle, crown angle) rate as "ideal"?

I''m getting the impression that they are overpriced, and there might be better performing diamonds out there... but I don''t know. I''d rather go with a super performing diamond than a super branded diamond.
 
I am considering a HOF setting and am thinking of a HOF diamond too. From what I have read, HOF come with a big premium. I requested some quotes from the HOF store (only HOF store btw) and will let you know what they look like! I''ve tried those rings on and the diamond is GORGEOUS! I''ve been browsing alot and I have to say their diamonds have had the most fire and brilliance. But whether it''s worth the money is I guess another story. I haven''t seen the AGA diamonds yet so I''m not sure how they compare.

GL!
 
My feeling is that HoF diamonds are overpriced for what you get. They are well cut, high performing diamonds overall, but actually have slightly looser tolerances than some other branded cuts.


I''d rather go with a super performing diamond than a super branded diamond.
You can get both at a more resonable price than HoF through several vendors

www.whiteflash.com Check out the ACA diamonds--branded H&A

www.brianthecutter.com Brian Gavin was the originator of the ACA line when he worked for Whiteflash. He now has his own company with his Brian Gavin Signature H&A diamonds

www.highperformancediamonds.com Carry Infinity branded H&A stones

www.goodoldgold.com His Signature H&A are all hand selected. A litte more variance in personalities among the stones than the other three, but all gorgeous.

Any of these vendors should be much better priced than HoF with amazing performance from their stones. I would also add that they are all true diamond lovers with great customer service and excellent return and trade-up/exchange policies.
 
Would you say that a HoF is better than, oh, a Blue Nile Signature Ideal?

I''ve not see the BN S.Ideals, but they''re on my list to check out too.
 
I went to a jewelry store today to figure out ring size. While I was there, I asked to see some HoF diamonds. They looked very nice in the store''s lighting. The lady showed me a 1.25 H-SI1 and I suggested trying to guess the price. I guessed $13K, but turns out it was $16-17K!! I bought an I-SI1 around that size from BGD for 2-3 times less.

Looks nice, but probably not worth it.

My buddy got his now-wife a BN signature ideal. It certainly performs well, but i''m not sure how strict their standards are. Certainly not all are H&A...
 
My friend purchased a 3 diamond HoF ring with a 0.75ct center and 0.25ct side stones. All diamonds were G SI1 with the center costing $8,000 and the sides $1,500 each. If I use WF ACA as a comparison (I understand it''s not perfect) a 0.75 is approximately $3,000 and a 0.25 is $500. In this one example HoF was about 3 times more expensive.

IMO Blue Nile Sig Ideal is not better than HoF and is at the bottom of the PS vendors, not that it is of poor quality. This is primarily due to the lack of information that they provide. Since I am not an export it was nice to look at ASET/IS/SARIN reports to give me an idea of the diamond that I would be purchasing.
 
I think HOF are nice stones, but you can get much better value from many of the vendors listed above.

for GOG, besides their signature H&A, they also sell Isee2 diamonds, which are amazing.
 
It depends what is important to you.
is it just about the diamond?
If so then is it about the quality of the hearts and arrows that can be seen thru a viewer?
the sparkle of the diamond?
The shopping experiance?
Trade up or other vendor features?
 
Date: 9/2/2009 12:06:19 AM
Author: Darthkim
I think HOF are nice stones, but you can get much better value from many of the vendors listed above.


for GOG, besides their signature H&A, they also sell Isee2 diamonds, which are amazing.

ditto - I can vouch for Isee2''s being impressive in real life conditions.

with re to HOF, I just can''t fathom paying a three-times premium, for something that isn''t
actually exclusive or all that special after all
40.gif
 
Date: 9/1/2009 3:38:07 PM
Author: jet2ks
My feeling is that HoF diamonds are overpriced for what you get. They are well cut, high performing diamonds overall, but actually have slightly looser tolerances than some other branded cuts.



I''d rather go with a super performing diamond than a super branded diamond.
You can get both at a more resonable price than HoF through several vendors

www.whiteflash.com Check out the ACA diamonds--branded H&A

www.brianthecutter.com Brian Gavin was the originator of the ACA line when he worked for Whiteflash. He now has his own company with his Brian Gavin Signature H&A diamonds

www.highperformancediamonds.com Carry Infinity branded H&A stones

www.goodoldgold.com His Signature H&A are all hand selected. A litte more variance in personalities among the stones than the other three, but all gorgeous.

Any of these vendors should be much better priced than HoF with amazing performance from their stones. I would also add that they are all true diamond lovers with great customer service and excellent return and trade-up/exchange policies.
Jet2ks,

As one of the four vendors mentioned I wanted to thank you for your kind words and accurate descriptions. I might add only that we are all also friends as well as competitors and we all have worked together from time to time to make sure that the consumers are well taken care of.
 
Date: 9/2/2009 8:37:47 AM
Author: Wink

Date: 9/1/2009 3:38:07 PM
Author: jet2ks
My feeling is that HoF diamonds are overpriced for what you get. They are well cut, high performing diamonds overall, but actually have slightly looser tolerances than some other branded cuts.




I''d rather go with a super performing diamond than a super branded diamond.
You can get both at a more resonable price than HoF through several vendors

www.whiteflash.com Check out the ACA diamonds--branded H&A

www.brianthecutter.com Brian Gavin was the originator of the ACA line when he worked for Whiteflash. He now has his own company with his Brian Gavin Signature H&A diamonds

www.highperformancediamonds.com Carry Infinity branded H&A stones

www.goodoldgold.com His Signature H&A are all hand selected. A litte more variance in personalities among the stones than the other three, but all gorgeous.

Any of these vendors should be much better priced than HoF with amazing performance from their stones. I would also add that they are all true diamond lovers with great customer service and excellent return and trade-up/exchange policies.
Jet2ks,

As one of the four vendors mentioned I wanted to thank you for your kind words and accurate descriptions. I might add only that we are all also friends as well as competitors and we all have worked together from time to time to make sure that the consumers are well taken care of.
it would be nice if we could arrive at some more objective measure of your statement above Jet2ks.

Tollerances for proportions, symmetry, hearts and or arrows patterning?
Or all of the above?
 
Yep, those tolerances are what interest me.

I talked to someone in the store about it, and they mentioned that the hearts on fire and the Isee2 diamonds are in that sweet spot of 40.8 degree pavilion angle and anywhere from 34.0 to 35.0 degree crown angle.

Is that correct, or what you''ve seen?
 
Date: 9/2/2009 8:50:23 AM
Author: Garry H (Cut Nut)
it would be nice if we could arrive at some more objective measure of your statement above Jet2ks.

Tollerances for proportions, symmetry, hearts and or arrows patterning?
Or all of the above?
I was meaning variation of proportions for being included in the brand--tolerances was probably the wrong word to use. The branded H&A cuts mentioned above seem to have more consistency from stone to stone and a narrower window of acceptable proportions than HoF.

Once again, I think HoF has beautiful stones. I just think you end up paying more for the brand name than necessary.
 
To be fair lately I haven''t seen the variation in hof stone to stone there used to be, I think they have tightened things up.
That said they are no better than the top PS vendors h&a offerings and the price is way higher for them.
The top PS vendors hands down win bling for the buck in top of the line diamonds compared to them.
 
Date: 9/2/2009 1:41:46 AM
Author: Garry H (Cut Nut)
It depends what is important to you.
is it just about the diamond?
If so then is it about the quality of the hearts and arrows that can be seen thru a viewer?
the sparkle of the diamond?
The shopping experiance?
Trade up or other vendor features?
It''s just about the diamond. More specifically, it''s all about performance. Quality of hearts and arrows are important, fire, sparkle, light reflection, how it performs on light analysis... that''s what''s important to me.

Plus I need to feel as if I''m getting a "deal" too.
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Ditto the others -- you will get great service and a much better price from the online vendors listed above. The above listed vendors'' diamonds will perform just as well as an HOF -- in terms of fire, brilliance, scintillation, light return.

There''s really no need to pay the extra $$ for HOF unless you are really interested in owning that specific brand.

I have seen HOF stones in several stores; one thing to keep in mind is the HOF stones look especially good compared to the other diamonds in the store. The contrast is striking and, I think, misleads people into thinking that no other company cuts diamonds the way HOF does. And that''s just not true.
 
Date: 9/2/2009 1:36:21 PM
Author: sarap333
Ditto the others -- you will get great service and a much better price from the online vendors listed above. The above listed vendors'' diamonds will perform just as well as an HOF -- in terms of fire, brilliance, scintillation, light return.

There''s really no need to pay the extra $$ for HOF unless you are really interested in owning that specific brand.

I have seen HOF stones in several stores; one thing to keep in mind is the HOF stones look especially good compared to the other diamonds in the store. The contrast is striking and, I think, misleads people into thinking that no other company cuts diamonds the way HOF does. And that''s just not true.
Yeah, I figured as much, when they showed me a HOF and a normal diamond... there was a significant contrast.

Between the lighting, the Coldplay music, the soda and cookies that they offered... I''m surprised I didn''t just get one right there.
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I kid, of course. But that sort of marketing doesn''t play well if it''s supposed to influence you to buy.

I''ve narrowed down my selection from 20 to 2... both from GOG, so hopefully that will work out. Though I''m still holding out for that perfect optical performance stone, the solasfera that perfectly maxes out the Gemex report AND gets a 9.8 on the Isee2 machine.
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I'm glad you resisted temptation, GoodBishop! All of that soda and cookies costs big bucks, so it's not surprising HOF has to charge more
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GOG has a good reputation on PS; you are in good hands.

And, I'm curious, if you like the look of the Solafsera, why get hung up on the tiny diffs. in performance on the instruments? A Solafsera in the size you are looking at would be a stunning stone, imho.

But, I know (from experience) that there are some of us who get bit by the "perfect" bug and there's no going back!

Sometimes seeing a video of the stone(s) you are considering is a big help -- Jonathan and some of the other vendors have the ability to do that for you if you ask.
 
Date: 9/2/2009 9:27:31 AM
Author: GoodBishop
Yep, those tolerances are what interest me.

I talked to someone in the store about it, and they mentioned that the hearts on fire and the Isee2 diamonds are in that sweet spot of 40.8 degree pavilion angle and anywhere from 34.0 to 35.0 degree crown angle.

Is that correct, or what you've seen?
Isee2's vary a bit, but a good portion tend to be in the 34/41 range (give or take a tad). And they can be just a stunning as a very well cut stone with a 34.6/40.8 combo. I have one of each.
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In other words, there is no single one sweet spot.
 
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