Brian Gavin Hearts and Arrows DiamondIn 1999 and early 2000, fifth generation diamond cutter Brian Gavin was researching a challenge. Always the master craftsman, Mr. Gavin wanted to create an offering where the diamonds he sold went beyond “ideal cut,” or “excellent cut.” Gavin wanted his best diamond inventory to offer the highest volume of light return and sparkle factor that a diamond could possess, and to do so in a way where more than just people in the know with a big bank-book could benefit. It was at this time Brian Gavin adopted the Japanese-created precision of the Hearts and Arrows design as the standard for his online diamond business, Brian Gavin Diamonds. Brian Gavin Diamonds is an A+ rated online diamond store with an outstanding reputation (www.BrianGavinDiamonds.com) “As BMW is to Chevrolet, or the Four Seasons hotel is to the Holiday Inn, so is the Hearts and Arrows round cut to other cuts in the industry,” say the experts.

The reasons are manifold, but the main one is that the majority of diamond grading laboratories fail to take into account the degree of optical precision of a diamond’s cuts and angles when grading the gem. Given that optical symmetry is the major influence on a diamond’s sparkle and brilliance, we at New York Jewelers Directory have always found it strange that most grading labs do not measure light performance as part of their overall remit. Less than 0.001% of diamonds are cut to the degree of a Hearts and Arrows Diamond’s precision according to Mr. Gavin.

History of Hearts and Arrows Diamonds

hearts-hearts and arrows graphIn the 1980s, Japanese diamond cutters set out to create the most beautiful and perfectly cut round diamonds in the world. After significant research and trial and error, the end result was a precision cut diamond with facets that displayed eight eight arrows when viewed from the top of a round diamond and eight hearts when viewed from the bottom. The cut created a kalaedescope of light, bouncing from one facet, to another, to another before revealing itself to the viewer. This symphony of light was appropriately named the Cupid Effect, and it has melted women’s hearts the world over ever since.

The challenge is that cutting a gem with the exacting precision of a true Hearts and Arrows diamond is very time consuming. The majority of round diamonds, even those rated “ideal cut” or “excellent cut,” (depending on the nomenclature of the diamond lab) display something less than true Hearts and Arrows and are produced in high frequency. “Their heart looks more like a lawn dart or rabbit ears, and the light reflection is sub optimal.” This is where a Brian Gavin Signature Hearts and Arrows Diamond really shines (pun intended!). Although Brian Gavin did not invent the hearts and arrows design, he has had a major influence on the Hearts and Arrows grading standards that are used in the upper echelon of the diamond industry today.

arrows - hearts and arrows graphMr. Gavin is a public speaker on the subject of Hearts and Arrows diamonds. In Moscow, he gave an in depth speech on Hearts and Arrows diamonds at the International Diamond Cut Conference.

Production of Hearts and Arrows Diamonds

Mr. Gavin says It takes about four times as long to make a Hearts and Arrows diamond compared to another diamond of equal “paper grading.” The end result is a diamond that Gavin says “returns light with sparkle and flash that often can be seen from across the room.” The Brian Gavin Signature Hearts and Arrows Diamond is offered exclusively through Brian Gavin’s Online Diamond Store.