3 carat total weight studs, opinions please!

[royalasschergirl]

Hey everyone! I haven''t posted in a while, but I just got my potential "Wedding Present" diamond earrings today to look at (we have until Monday to decide) and would like a few opinions. They look gorgeous, just want to be sure we''re getting a good value, although I feel certain we are, running by the ''experts!''

Here are the specs, we would be paying $10,230 for the pair, 3.06 total weight:

First Certificate:

Shape & Style: Round Brilliant
Measurements: 7.50x7.57x4.46
Weight: 1.53 carats
Proportions
Depth: 59.2%
Table 60%
Girdle: Medium to slightly thick, faceted
Culet: None
Finish:
Polish: Very Good
Symmetry: Very Good
Clarity Grade: S12
Color Grade: L
Flourescence: None


Second Certificate:
Shape & Style: Round Brilliant
Measurements: 7.45x7.53x4.48
Weight: 1.53 carats
Proportions:
Depth: 59.8%
Table: 62%
Girdle: Very thin to medium faceted
culet none
Finish:
Polish: Very good
Symmetry: Very Good
Clarity Grade: S12
Color Grade L
Flourescence: None

 

[Mara]

what are your priorities here for these earrings?

just glancing at the earrings, i see they are L SI2's with larger table and shallower depth cuts, making for probably very white brilliant stones, but not alot of fire....but the white brilliance will most likely mask a bit of color.

what do you see when you look at them?

are you trying to get most bang for the buck, most size for the buck?

do you see color in the L's? if so, do you like it?

are the SI2's eye clean?

in terms of getting a good deal, that is totally subjective, are these WORTH what you are paying? probably at about $5k each for 1.5c each is not bad at all....but i would just say make sure you love what you see and in how these perform...these are not going to be ideal cut stones but maybe for earrings that's okay if you just want big white bling on the ears.

being a big ole size whore, i'd LOVE to see pictures....!!

 

[ChooChoo]

If it were me, I would go down in size and up in color and cut quality... but if size is priority #1, I''m sure they''ll be pretty.

 

[belle]

i think the priority is size mara.

 

[Lorelei]

Which cert comes with these diamonds?

 

[valeria101]

I''m not an enemy of any sort of proportions, as long as they work. And sure enough, the cuter knew better how to do that.

I would try out some ways of guessing cut quality on them (Ideal Scope? Aset?), make sure the stones look reasonably clean up close as well, not just on the years and away from direct scrutiny... and this is about it.

The bonus of large earrings like that is that they allow fancy settings.

 

[ChooChoo]

Here is what I would get with your budget: a pair of premium cut J SI1 stones.

http://www.uniondiamond.com/diamonds/diamonds.php?search_type_id=2&action_type_id=2&item_id=AA030806&&1.32ct-J-SI1-Round-Brilliant-Cut-Diamond
and
http://www.uniondiamond.com/diamonds/diamonds.php?search_type_id=2&action_type_id=2&item_id=AA101536&&1.33ct-J-SI1-Round-Brilliant-Cut-Diamond

They will be plenty big at 7mm, a lot whiter and a lot sparklier. But it''s your money!

 

[Mara]

"I''m not an enemy of any sort of proportions, as long as they work. And sure enough, the cuter knew better how to do that. "

________

Unfortunately often enough Val the cutter does NOT know how to do that, as we see many times from seriously dud stones that people buy...could be many reasons stones are cut crappily, from trying to keep carat size to who only knows what else?

The question here is what sort are these? Hopefully the OP can answer based on her visuals from seeing the stones and holding them...and hopefully showing us pictures.

 

[Lorelei]

VERY good idea about the pictures Mara!

 

[royalasschergirl]

Hey guys, thank you all for your input. When i get home this evening I can take some pictures and post them up.

To answer a few of the questions, I definitely wanted 3 carat total weight, and they are incredibly sparkly. I was told by our jeweler that on their Sarin they were a "2" for whatever that''s worth! (i think that''s the right report, whatever report gives a cut grade from 1-10, 1 being best!) Also, they are ''eye clean.'' I have the map that shows where the inclusions are but i couldn''t see them when i held them up close to my eye. Lastly, they are GIA certified!

I just heard back from the other potential vendor -- she has a pair that are L VS2, 3.03 carat weight, and the measurements are almost identical at 7.38 x 7.49 to 7.3 x 7.35. I don''t have her certificates, so i can''t give the table measurements, but hers are priced at $10,500..........

I have knots in my stomach, no idea what to do. I''ve asked her to bring them in so i can compare side by side and make a final decision.

 

[Mara]

woo hoo pictures!!!

anyhow, i say compare them side by side and buy whichever ones sparkle more and look the brightest to your eyes....

if you are sure that this is the route to go then at least you are educated with what you are buying...and i do think for earrings that you don''t have to have the superideal hearts and arrows, esp when you are trying to get most bang for the buck with size and 10k for 3c sounds like a nice price...good luck!

 

[jmari]

This may not be what you are interested in but you can also get SI/I stones where their inclusions are removed by laser and they look a LOT cleaner. You pay much less (probably about 40% less) They are called "Clarity Enhanced".
Personally, I would definitely go down in size and up in the Color of the stones. L color is a definitive yellow (not canary, more brownish). The jewelry store that I am most loyal to (A&E Diamond and Gold in Merrimack NH...www.aediamond.com) would sell similar stones (same clarity and color) for under $10,000. If you go with clarity enhanced, you could spend around $6000 for something that looks like $15,000. Depending on where you are, I would suggest calling around...I think you could possibly get a better deal, I hope I helped and didnt upset you!

 

[Lorelei]

Date: 2/24/2006 3:43:37 PM
Author: jmari

Personally, I would definitely go down in size and up in the Color of the stones. L color is a definitive yellow (not canary, more brownish).

Have to disagree with you here I'm afraid. I own an L colour diamond which is sizeable and it is DEFINITELY NOT YELLOW! In fact, it faces up extremely white! Diamonds can have different tints to them, yellow is only one tint. Some can have grey tints, brown tints etc. My diamond also does not look in any way brown either! Colour has to be assessed according to the individual diamond and it's cut quality and shape, not just what it says on the certificate with the colour. You also have to consider the lab doing the grading too.

 

[Mara]

Date: 2/24/2006 3:47:36 PM
Author: Lorelei

Date: 2/24/2006 3:43:37 PM
Author: jmari

Personally, I would definitely go down in size and up in the Color of the stones. L color is a definitive yellow (not canary, more brownish).

Have to disagree with you here I'm afraid. I own an L colour diamond which is sizeable and it is DEFINITELY NOT YELLOW! In fact, it faces up extremely white! Diamonds can have different tints to them, yellow is only one tint. Some can have grey tints, brown tints etc. My diamond also does not look in any way brown either! Colour has to be assessed according to the individual diamond and it's cut quality and shape, not just what it says on the certificate with the colour. You also have to consider the lab doing the grading too.

I was just going to say that Lorelei....BROWNISH L'S? Not if they are well cut, no way, no how!! Not sure what you see at your local jeweler, jmari.

We have seen numerous K's and even M's on here and they look very good as well, I would never peg them as a K or even an M in a round brilliant shape, just from the picture AND definitely not showing a hint of brownish...L is just the next step up and I even doubt an expert would peg a regular L as brownish. Stephan had a 3c M on here and it was just divine...nothing NEAR brown, in fact I would have pegged it more like a J or something. A reputable lab also, aka if these are graded by GIA, will mean more than an EGL cert.

Also the cut on thes may help them face up whiter, as they are probably going to return a bit more white light than colored.

 

[Lorelei]

Date: 2/24/2006 3:51:36 PM
Author: Mara

Date: 2/24/2006 3:47:36 PM
Author: Lorelei

Date: 2/24/2006 3:43:37 PM
Author: jmari

Personally, I would definitely go down in size and up in the Color of the stones. L color is a definitive yellow (not canary, more brownish).

Have to disagree with you here I''m afraid. I own an L colour diamond which is sizeable and it is DEFINITELY NOT YELLOW! In fact, it faces up extremely white! Diamonds can have different tints to them, yellow is only one tint. Some can have grey tints, brown tints etc. My diamond also does not look in any way brown either! Colour has to be assessed according to the individual diamond and it''s cut quality and shape, not just what it says on the certificate with the colour. You also have to consider the lab doing the grading too.

I was just going to say that Lorelei....BROWNISH L''S? Not if they are well cut, no way, no how!! Not sure what you see at your local jeweler, jmari.

Exactly my point Mara!

If a well cut L colour diamond looked brownish or yellow, there is no way I would be wearing it! As you said we have so many great examples of the warmer colours here, Seven''s fab rock, Glitterata''s, Stephan''s gorgeous M that he had, it can be very misleading to describe all warmer colours as being yellow or brownish, it isn''t the case at all.

 

[Sundial]

How exciting for you royalasschergirl! It would certainly be great if you can compare the two pairs side by side to see which has more sparkle. I received 2.5 carat total weight H SI2 studs at Christmas and I love them! I was afraid they would be too large, but I have been wearing them everyday since. Post pictures for us please!!!

 

[royalasschergirl]

Here are a few pictures, though my digital camera isn''t that great, so its nearly impossible to catch a totally still image. At least you can get a feel for the size of them next to my thumbnail and on my ear. Also, you can see they aren''t yellow although they are Ls, and they are sparkly. The second jeweler is bringing in the second pair so we can compare them side by side on Tuesday. Until then, i''ll just stress myself over it!

 

[Sundial]

Is it just me, I can''t see the pictures???

 

[MissGotRocks]

No, I can''t see the pictures either!

 

[pearcrazy]

You can see them if you right click on the red x, select "properties" and then copy and paste the URL address into your browser.

They're lovely by the way!

 

[Mara]

I see them ! They look HUGE ... more like 2c in each?!?!?!

 

[MacClure]

royal girl....tierhog here... you''re tryin'' to help me...i''m here for you. go for the ''j'' color, vs2''s.....coupla hundred bucks more, but, much better on both scales...just my newbie opinion girl......

 

[mrssalvo]

Does this help?

ok, keep scrolling

 

[MacClure]

mrssalvo...can''t see the pics...

 

[Sundial]

Thanks for the suggestion Pearcrazy, now I can see them! They ARE big, but not too big. It will be interesting to see how they compare to the others you are considering.

 

[sevens one]

I can''t see em

 

[mrssalvo]

here we go, the old fashioned way

 

[mrssalvo]

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[mrssalvo]

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[mrssalvo]

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