When looking to purchase a loose diamond for yourself or a loved one, for a piece of jewelry, or for an engagement ring, you might be in one of three places; Completely new to the world of diamonds, fairly familiar with the diamond buying process, or a verified expert on all things diamond.
Regardless of the position you’re currently in, you’ve probably heard of one of the best-known names within the diamond industry – James Allen. They’re a frequently recommended and oft-used retailer, with many years of diamond experience behind them, and a wide variety of incredibly high-quality diamonds on offer.
Like many trusted diamond retailers, James Allen offers their own line of top-quality diamonds – stones that are set apart from the rest. This is the True Hearts™ range, which promises “perfect internal symmetry, proportions, and the highest gem grading for cut and polish.”
The question we’re answering today is – How does True Hearts™ compare to other diamond cuts and retailer lines?
- What Is A James Allen True Hearts™ Diamond?
- The Diamond Selection of James Allen True Hearts™
- Lab-Grown James Allen True Hearts™
- Do True Hearts™ Diamonds Have Independent Grading Reports?
- The Price of James Allen True Hearts™ Diamonds
- Do True Hearts™ Perform Well?
- Our Final Thoughts on James Allen True Hearts™
What Is A James Allen True Hearts™ Diamond?
In your search for a diamond, clicking through the sites of diamond retailers, you may have noticed they have a particular line of diamonds they treat as the very best.This is typically their signature line—common among jewelers—but only a few truly live up to the reputation they claim.
True Hearts™ takes its name from the intricate heart pattern you can see within the internal symmetry of the ‘pavilion’ of the diamond itself when viewed using an hearts viewer. According to the James Allen website, fewer than 1% of the world’s entire diamond stock have the perfect internal symmetry needed to be classed as a True Hearts™ diamond. It is very rare for these internal hearts to have a perfect alignment, and so this is a good characteristic to look for when sorting the top 1% of diamonds from the rest.
For wider detail on James Allen as a diamond retailer, head to our review here.
What Does True Hearts™ Offer?
James Allen’s True Hearts™ promises cut qualities above the ‘excellent’ or ‘ideal’ cut grade. Now, if you’re new to the world of diamonds, you might be wondering ‘Why does cut quality matter?’ The short answer? It’s one of the most crucial aspects of a good quality diamond, affecting all other characteristics of the diamond in question.
Cut quality influences how a diamond successfully reflects light, which is how it gets the sparkle and luminescence we all adore. The better the cut quality, the more a diamond shines. The facets of a well-cut diamond will reflect light brilliantly, producing light that is usually referred to as ‘fire’. In comparison, a poorly-cut diamond will be incredibly dull.
The next time you visit a jewelry shop or diamond retailer’s location, try to see if you can tell the difference in a diamond’s shine – that might inform you of the diamond’s cut quality.
One of the best things about a high cut quality is its ability to make a diamond seem larger than other diamonds of the same carat weight – which is a fact that could save you money if you use it wisely.
You can find out more about diamond cut quality in our guide here.
The Diamond Selection of James Allen True Hearts™
James Allen offers three types of diamond shapes within this range: Round Cut, Princess Cut, and Cushion Cut.
Round Cut True Hearts™
Like any signature line of diamonds, the Round Cut makes up the majority of the True Hearts™ line. At the time of writing this review, James Allen has 408 True Hearts™ diamonds available – out of the 165 thousand on their site. Already, we are seeing that True Hearts™ definitely represents a level of exclusivity not usually experienced.
However, when we search for diamonds with a clarity of VS2 or higher, and a color of H or higher, this number drops to 123 available diamonds across the entire range of carat weights. If we are to further narrow our search by targeting the industry standard weight of around 1 carat (0.95 – 1.10), we have 55 available Round Cut True Hearts™ diamonds, ranging from $3,840 to $5,880.
This is a small range, but it is most likely enough to find the kind of diamond you’re looking for.
Princess Cut True Hearts™
At the time of writing this review, there are 14 Princess Cut True Hearts™ diamonds available – a very small range. These are priced from $560 to $6,050.
As mentioned, James Allen also has a range of ‘True Hearts’ Princess cut diamonds, which are all accompanied by an AGS grading report. AGS is the only grading lab that awards a cut grade to princess cut stones is AGS, and all True Hearts princess cuts are an AGS ‘0’ grade, which is their top grade.
Cushion Cut True Hearts™
An even smaller portion of the True Hearts™ line is made up of cushion cuts, numbering at five diamonds currently available on the James Allen website. These are priced from $890 to $3,270.
Search For James Allen Diamonds Using PriceScope
If you think you’re at the point where you can start searching for the diamond that’s right for you, head to our dedicated diamond search portal. You can filter diamonds by a large range of variables, from different vendors to grading organizations to symmetry and more.
Lab-Grown James Allen True Hearts™
Lab-grown, or synthetic, diamonds have been rising in popularity due to their price points and guaranteed ethical footprint. While they still don’t have the same status as natural diamonds, they’re a valid and useful route to choose when searching for diamonds on a strict budget. The True Hearts™ range currently offers lab-grown diamonds as part of the line, providing an incredibly high-quality cut for a fraction of the price. This is very useful for people who are limited in how much they can spend, but still want a high-quality diamond.Do True Hearts™ Diamonds Have Independent Grading Reports?
The majority of diamonds on offer by James Allen have been graded independently by the Gemological Institute of America (GIA), which is a highly trusted independent diamond certification organization. On top of this, a smaller number of the True Hearts™ diamond range have also been graded by the American Gem Society (AGS) (please note the GIA has now purchased the AGSL however look out for GIA diamonds with AGS Ideal Reports), which is generally viewed as being a little more stringent in its certification approach. On top of this, a small number has been graded by the International Gemological Institute (IGI), another widely used and reputable grading organization. When viewing a True Hearts™ diamond, you can consult the report provided by each of these organizations, which includes all of the relevant information that proves the provenance and quality of the diamond. The AGS reports are particularly useful, as they include an ASET image of the diamond, which can be used to judge light performance. For example, view this True Hearts™ diamond, 0.9 carat F color SI1 clarity diamond and scroll down to view the hyperlinked report. You can view the ASET image there. A good rule of thumb for this image is – the more red and less green you can see, the better. In the advanced search tool on the James Allen website, you can filter diamonds by their certification provider, which is a very useful addition to the search function. Diamond certification is one of the most important aspects to search for when purchasing a diamond. Without it, you don’t know what you’re getting.Explore the True Hearts™ Range Today
If you’ve read up to this point and are excited about the concept of owning a James Allen True Hearts™, why not start searching for them right away?
The Price of James Allen True Hearts™ Diamonds
Ideal cut diamonds are often part of a jeweler’s signature collection, and as such, they typically carry a premium price tag. It’s not unusual to see a noticeable difference in cost when comparing ideal cut diamonds to standard excellent or very good cuts. At the time of writing, the average price for a 1.00 carat, VS1 clarity, D color ideal cut diamond was around $7,200. In comparison, a similar diamond with an excellent cut but not part of a signature collection averaged around $6,374—highlighting the premium often associated with branded precision cuts. That said, comparing average prices can be misleading. Each diamond is unique, and averages may include hundreds or thousands of stones that vary in inclusion type, fluorescence, or polish and symmetry grades. A more accurate approach is to compare individual diamonds with similar specifications. For example, among 1.01 carat, F color, VS1 clarity round cut diamonds:- Ideal Cut (Signature line): ~$7,150
- Excellent Cut (Non-signature): ~$4,600
- Very Good Cut: ~$4,440
- Ideal Cut Lab Grown: ~$2,200 (noting this was for a slightly larger 1.68 carat)
These comparisons highlight how cut quality—and whether a diamond belongs to a premium line—can significantly influence price. Lab-grown options, in particular, often provide dramatically lower prices for similar specifications, though other factors such as resale value and origin may come into play.
While this pricing guide provides a general sense of the market, it's important to remember that many factors beyond the 4Cs can affect price. Elements like light performance, brand reputation, certification, and in-store versus online offerings can all contribute to the final cost.
🔍 Want to explore live pricing for yourself?
Compare natural and lab-grown diamond prices in real time using the tools below:
These tools are regularly updated to help you get a transparent view of the current market and make informed buying decisions.
How Do True Hearts™ Perform?
Let’s do a little review on one single True Hearts™ diamond.
We’ve filtered what is currently available on the James Allen website, choosing to view all diamonds, with the only filters in place showing us True Hearts™ diamonds between 0.99 and 1.10 carats. We will now compare the least expensive and most expensive diamonds available within this list.
The Least Expensive Diamond
| Clarity | SI2 |
| Cut | True Hearts™ |
| Carat weight | 1.04 |
| Color | K |
| Price | $1,870 |
The least expensive diamond available is a GIA 1.04 Carat Round Diamond. At first glance, we can see this a heavily included diamond, with inclusions visible to the naked eye – hence the low clarity grade. There is a slight warmth to the diamond, resulting in a K color grade.
While this diamond may have some visible inclusions, its brilliance and craftsmanship more than make up for it. James Allen delivers on its promise of precision with the True Hearts™ collection, and this stone is no exception.
Certified by GIA with excellent polish and symmetry, its superior cut quality is clearly visible in the 360° view. Despite the clarity grade, the sparkle and light performance truly stand out—making it a compelling choice for those prioritizing fire and beauty in a diamond.
The Most Expensive Diamond
| Clarity | VVS2 |
| Cut | True Hearts Cut |
| Carat weight | 1.00 |
| Color | E |
| Price | $8,570 |
The most expensive diamond, at the time of writing, is a GIA 1.00 Carat Round Diamond. As you can see, there are huge differences in terms of the characteristics, price, and simply how it looks to the naked eye. It’s a very beautiful diamond.
With a VVS2 clarity and E color grade, it has a very good shine. It also has the same level of polish and symmetry as the previous diamond.
As you can see, the range between these two diamonds is very wide. From 0.99 to 1.10 carat, there are 138 diamonds that come up in this search. From this, we can say that for the quality and price-conscious buyer, the True Hearts™ range offers many opportunities to get a high-quality, eye-clean diamond for an affordable price.
Our Final Thoughts on James Allen True Hearts™
The True Hearts™ range from James Allen has shown itself to be an offering that both stands up to the demands of the discerning and experienced customer, and offers affordable, beautiful diamonds. While just a small fragment of the wider James Allen offering, there is enough there to take hours to pore through, ensuring the willing diamond buyer the opportunity to get the right diamond for them.
The True Hearts™ cut grade is extremely high, which translates to a range of diamonds that have an undeniable sparkle. A good cut can mask a lower color grade and make the diamond appear bigger. Essentially, a True Hearts™ diamond, with this high level cut, can result in more bang for your buck.
Ready For More Diamond Knowledge?
All in all, the True Hearts™ diamond range by James Allen is highly recommended. But it’s just a small part of a larger diamond universe. Curious to learn more today about diamonds? Head to our insightful forum, where we have thousands of conversations from diamond enthusiasts and experts to read through - with everything from the 4Cs to pearls to antique jewelry.
