This has been Whiteflash's assertion since becoming involved in the Hearts & Arrows diamond movement in the 1990s.  Their strong convictions have resulted in his ascension to a position of foremost authority on this elite aspect of diamond cutting.

 
The hearts are the life of light performance in a Hearts and Arrows diamond.  The pavilion mains are the engines that drive all light return, and the lower girdle facets guide reflecting and refracting light to optimum efficiency.  The tolerances of pavilion main angles and lower girdle lengths, coupled with table size, determine more than any other relationship, how light entering the diamond from above is returned to the viewer.  The length of the lower facets determines how wide pavilion mains will be, and whether the diamond will reflect light and sparkle in soft light conditions as well as bright.  In all endeavors, FUNDAMENTALS are the foundation on which the product is built.  Pavilion construction is fundamental to light performance, and therefore diamond beauty.  That is why Whiteflash's strict tolerances for pavilion craftsmanship are the ‘heart’ of every Whiteflash ACA diamond.

 
Whiteflash ACA Pavilion "Hearts" seen through reflective viewer.

Crowning Touches 

Have you ever wondered where the term "fire" in a diamond originated? 

It referred literally to the reflection of fire from a lantern or torch in a diamond.  An important aspect of the quality of light return is the dispersion of light into spectral colors, which is still described as fire today, and depends on the crown’s relationship with the pavilion.  Old cuts were produced with steep crown angles and small tables in order to produce great fire by torchlight.  Today, Whiteflash selected crown height and main crown angles for Whiteflash ACA Hearts and Arrows Diamonds are carefully chosen to produce the optimum balance of fire and brilliance in bright modern lighting conditions, while remaining true to the quality of fire produced by masters of old who cut diamonds under gas lanterns.

 
Whiteflash ACA Crown "Arrows" seen through reflective viewer.

Visual Balance™

True Hearts & Arrows patterning aligns all of the mirrors in the diamond.  The facets are cut so precisely that facet reflections overlap and create kaleidoscopic patterns.  This logically OPTIMIZES the light return potential in any situation where light is present.  Whiteflash ACA pavilion angle and lower girdle lengths are tuned for a robust return of light and sparkle in bright and soft light conditions alike.  Crown angles and star lengths are tuned to maximize scintillation qualities according to cutting style. 

Many diamonds are beautiful and all diamonds sparkle well in bright jewelry store lights. This is because the sheer volume of light returned to the eye overpowers any fine-tuning of the cut. Whiteflash ACA H&A diamonds go further. In diffuse office lighting and soft conditions like candlelight the crisply aligned mirrors in each 'ACA' optimize even subtle or distant light so that it has life and performance where other diamonds do not. With these diamonds you will see broad flashes from across a restaurant in candlelight. It’s a logical result of every mirror inside the diamond working in harmony, and the crisp, true optical symmetry. This level of fine-tuning is a marriage of old-world knowledge with new-world technology for maximum performance in a diamond. 

Whiteflash ACA diamonds are designed by Whiteflash and carefully cut by our Antwerp sightholder. Each Whiteflash ACA passes a set of rigorous tests for craftsmanship and light performance beyond the American Gem Society's ideal grade, and each is protected by our guarantee of top optical symmetry. Fewer than one diamond in a million have hearts and arrows patterning and Whtieflash ACA stand with the most elite. They have been described as the most visually balanced diamonds in the world.