13 replies to this topic

[EdmondL]

Hello Everyone,

What diamonds are considered Hearts On Fire?
Is this just bunch of marketing crap to attract people in stores?

How are these diamonds rated in Grading Report ?

Thanks,
LEE.

[denverappraiser]

Hearts on Fire is a brand. Of course they engage in marketing to attract people into the stores, that’s what brands do. A stone is a genuine HoF if it came from HoF and it’s not if it didn’t. Your question is like asking which cars are considered to be Toyotas. Their advertising does tend to be a bit grandiose and they like to promote an optical affect called 'hearts and arrows' as if it were unique to them. It doesn't appeal to everyone but I think it's a bit overdramatic to call it 'crap'. It's pretty popular. Is this what you're asking about?

The labs grade their diamonds just like everyone elses’. Each stone is graded on it’s own merits. I’m going to guess your question has to do with their claims of having excellent cutting. For the most part this is correct although some of their stones are better than others. Overall they do a pretty good job.

Neil

Edited by denverappraiser, 12 November 2007 - 06:16 PM.

[DiamondMaven]

Lee,


This might help.


Regards,

[EdmondL]

Thanks for your feedback guys.

Are these HoF diamonds pretty much graded with the following:
Cut: Excellent
Color: D
Clarity: Flawless (FL)
Symmetry: Excellent
Polish: Excellent

If so, then I can simply go to Bluenile.com to get one, right?

[diamondsbylauren]

Hi,
Not all Heart on Fire diamonds are D, and I am firmly in the corner of those who feel it's a lot of hype.

Of course it's important to buy a really well cut diamond, but there's plenty of diamonds just as well cut as HoF for a lot less.


It's important to remember that sellers that do not possess the diamonds they are offering need something to prove they are better. Personally I'd demand to see photos......

[denverappraiser]

EdmondL, on Tuesday, Nov 13 2007, 11:39 AM, said:

Thanks for your feedback guys.

Are these HoF diamonds pretty much graded with the following:
Cut: Excellent
Color: D
Clarity: Flawless (FL)
Symmetry: Excellent
Polish: Excellent

If so, then I can simply go to Bluenile.com to get one, right?

All ‘excellent’ cuts are not the same and not all fabulous diamonds are even graded excellent although it’s a good place to start. It has to do with the way the grading scale works. I suspect that HoF makes a point to have every stone graded this way.

Most, but not all, GIA excellent cuts will have excellent symmetry and polish. The minimum required is ‘very good’. As with the above, I would expect HoF to make a point to get excellent in both of these as well.

All HoF’s are not D color or IF clarity. In fact the vast majority are not but it’s probably available if you want it. Expect to pay a considerable premium if these are part of your requirements.

Blue Nile is a fine company and they have some stones that are very likely to be comparable to what you're seeing from HoF for considerably less money. This is a very competitive business and there are lots of people out there with alternative offers and there are quite a few that perform technically as well or better than most of the offerings from HoF. In the end, each stone and each deal must stand on it’s own merits. BN has some stones that you probably wouldn’t be happy with, some of which will have similar looking lab reports to what you've seen with an HoF. Choosing a top quality requires more information than simply GIA cut/symmetry/polish grades of excellent.

Can you tell us a bit more specifically what you’re looking for and what you’ve been offered?

Neil

[EdmondL]

Neil,
I'm leaning towards buying from BlueNile because they offer much lower price than local stores.
I want a 0.33 carat, D-F color, FL-VVS2 cut with Excellent polish and symmetry.

Do you think such diamond will look pretty?

[denverappraiser]

Probably. Most diamonds are pretty. That parts easy. The trick is getting the prettiest within a particular set of parameters, one of which is usually a budget.

The big reason that people consider HoF is because of the high end cutting, which curiously isn’t one of your specs. Why are you considering HoF if not this? Symmetry and Polish are among the least important details regarding the beauty of a diamond so I’m curious how you came about this set of requirements. They’re pretty unusual, especially in a thread that started out by asking if Hearts on Fire is a scam.

D/IF comes at a considerable premium over F/VVS2. It’s in the neighborhood of a factor of 2. People choose it because it’s the ‘best’ and are willing to put up with the price, which I understand, but can you tell me why the bottom of your range is at F/VV2 instead of, say, F/VS2 or even G/VS2? Quality of cutting and grading will be responsible for another factor of 2 or so and dealer and brand added value will result in at least another 30% variation. That adds up to quite a span of prices for superficially similar stones. I think you would be helpful to narrow down the target range a bit.

Neil

Edited by denverappraiser, 14 November 2007 - 07:32 AM.

[EdmondL]

Neil,
I just want the best looking, best quality diamond. So I thought diamond with D color, FL clarity, Excellent cut, Excellent polish & symmetry would pretty much considered the best.

[denverappraiser]

Edmond.

I understand and I realize that it’s a frustrating process. What you describe would almost certainly be a fantastic stone but 'best' is a more difficult thing to pin down. I keep asking the same questions because people view these things differently. Visually, IF will be indistinguishable from VS2 and even most SI1’s. D is indistinguishable from G for 99% of the people.

Here’s a Blue Nile 0.34 D/IF/xxx that is probably quite lovely for $1606.
http://www.bluenile....?pid=LD01199544

Here’s a 0.54 G/VS2 for about the same price from the same guys that will probably be visually very similar or even a little better in terms of cutting and it’s close to twice the size.

http://www.bluenile.com/diamonds_details.a...amp;filter_id=0

That's why I ask about your parameters. These two stones are different is pretty much every way but both are likely to be terrific. Play with the database at the top of the page by clicking on ‘find online jeweler’ and choosing a few parameters. You can quickly see how these things relate. Raise and lower a few of the choices or your budget, aim for the higher or lower prices stones in the results and see what happens (the more expensive are generally the best cut within a particular weight/clarity/color set). As I recall, HoF only sells through their network of dealers so it's harder to pull up prices quickly.

Neil

Edited by denverappraiser, 14 November 2007 - 07:33 AM.

[diamondsbylauren]

I also feel that a .33 D/IF is total overkill.
You'll NEVER be able to see the differnece between an F/VS1, and the D/IF- and as Neil pointed out, the price difference will be huge.


I also think that by judging only what a company charges, you are forgetting alot of services that you might need. Buying blind, which I strongly discourage is only one of Blue Nile's weaknesses.
A local store surely will charge more than BN_ BUT- they offer a whole lot more service.
You can see what you're getting for one.
Another very important aspect is the ring- here a store can again offer advantages not found on BN.

Plus, there's a whole lot of websites that offer greater service and similar pricing to BN.

[TedT]

Hello,

I was looking for an engagement ring, came across the HOF retailer and was wondering if HOF was worth the money? Any help would be appreciated. If I want the best diamond, what company, who would you buy diamonds from?

Ted

[davidelevi]

Hello Ted, you may get more attention and responses if you start your own thread, rather than reopening a 4 year old conversation...

Said this, things on Hearts on Fire haven't changed since the original responses to this thread - particularly the conversation on posts 7-10.

Also, bear in mind that diamonds are a strange, semi-commoditised market: each stone is in some way unique. There are companies (HoF being one) that are much more consistent in the quality of what they sell than others (Blue Nile being one), but that does not prevent the Blue Niles of this world from having stones that you may like more. Not least because HoF only sells rounds, and quite a few people prefer another shape!

Trying to understand "who has the best diamonds" in abstract terms is not going to lead you very far..

[AverageJoe]

Hmmm I'm not in the trade but I was told by our local/family jeweller to go for GIA Excellent Cut, H as most people will see it as colourless, VS2 as you'll need a microscope and a trained eye to locate the imperfections and then spend the rest on getting more carats. Then let the lady decide whether she wants a bling bright burn your eye out rap star one or a more fiery, sparkly diamond from a range of diamonds. I got ours from our local jeweller but then I had it (diamond) independently appraised and valued. A bit more difficult with BlueNile as you would have pay for a set to be sent out to you. My friend who recently got engaged put them on a credit card and returned the ones he was not happy with until he found the 'One'. Just make sure your credit card has insurance cover while you're choosing and keeping them at home. Also don't restrict yourself to BlueNile, James Allen is another site many out there. I think him and his fiancee and a lot of fun in the evenings trying decide on just one...