Ideal Scope – The Ultimate Standard for Sparkle
Even the best GIA triple XXX cut graded diamonds can leak light, dulling their brilliance and sparkle – But not ours
Our signature Ideal-Scope test – developed by founder Garry Holloway and now a global standard in the most demanding sectors of the luxury jewellery industry – creates a diamond you’ll notice from across the room.
We use this technology in the final selection process of every stone – that’s why buying a Holloway diamond means more sparkle for your money.
Let’s take a look at the science behind our industry-leading sparkle.
When you buy an HD diamond, you’re buying “High Definition” sparkle
The Ideal Scope test, his unique tool for identifying the best cut diamonds, was officially created in 1986 and redefined what it meant to deliver quality in the diamond industry.
Now used by jewellers and diamond experts worldwide, we’re proud to call ourselves the home of the most showstopping, high-definition diamonds for 50 years.
Holloway Diamonds has never followed industry standards – we’ve shaped them, insisting on an unmatched standard of excellence for our customers.
A long-standing love affair with the Science of Sparkle
The Holloway Cut Adviser (HCA):
Rejects 80% of the GIA’s top cut quality diamonds that leak light.
Ideal Scope:
Takes a deeper look at light return, symmetry, and brilliance.
The High-Definition Sparkle Guarantee
Here’s how we do it with our 3-step vetting process:
1. Selecting The Creme De La Crème
We start with a GIA triple X top cut quality certified stones and use their grading systems around colour and clarity to filter for the signature HD sparkle. Keeping towards the front of the alphabet in terms of colour, we reject below F for fancy shapes, G for round stones greater than 2ct, and H for round stones under 2ct.
Then we screen all stones for perfect crystalline transparency. We chose to sell and trade up or upgrade diamonds in the VS to SI clarity grades, rather than Flawless and VVS diamonds, because we know these are the best value diamonds when screened for invisible inclusions, or ‘eye clean’, and optical transparency. After this rigorous selection, only 15 out of 100 of GIA’s diamonds pass our standards.
2. Leakage = The Enemy
Light should stay in the diamond and only escape out the top. If light leaks out the bottom, the diamond loses brilliance and looks smaller than it actually is. Most diamonds – even expensive ones – leak too much light.
This is where our USA patented Holloway Cut Advisor (HCA) comes in. Used to grade billions of dollars worth of diamonds throughout the global industry, the HCA helps quickly filter out these low-performing diamonds and focus on the ones with exceptional brilliance. Only those with a score of less than 2 make the cut, and then go on to be tested for other factors. This eliminates 65% of the already vetted diamonds, reducing the 15 left out of a 100 down to just 10.
3. We’re Not Done Yet
Once a diamond passes the initial HCA test and we have rejected the vast majority of diamonds, it’s time to pull out the big gun: the Ideal Scope takes a closer look, showing exactly how much light stays inside the diamond
A truly brilliant diamond appears bright pink or red with a sharp black star and minimal white or pale areas – except for small ‘V’-shaped white spots near the edge. This pattern indicates maximum sparkle from every angle.
Combining the GIA standards with the rigorous standards of the Holloway Cut Advisor and Ideal Scope test, we can guarantee your Holloway diamond will look bigger, shine brighter, and sparkle more than its actual carat weight.
Want to see for yourself?
Order a complimentary Ideal-Scope card and test your own diamond at home.
If it fails, we also offer a managed recutting service to bring old family heritage diamonds to life.
