Making my diamond decision - feedback requested

[aka_mn]

I've read the forums here and felt like I've learned a great amount in a short time, but by all means am a "newb". I'm currently shopping for an engagement setting and diamond, and have narrowed my choice to a few settings, but I'm posting today for some assistance in choosing the stone.

I've found varying price points on a few similar settings, so that may allow my to spend more of my budget on the diamond, thus some of the difference in price. All of these are from two different dealers. They're all in a color/clarity/carat range that I'm comfortable with, but my uncertainty mainly stems from the cut. Things like girdle, spread, table and depth are things I only have a basic understanding of.

My options (so far):

A)
. Report: AGS
. Shape: Round Ideal Cut
. Carat: 0.702
. Depth %: 60.5
. Table %: 55.9
. Crown Angle: 34.6
. Crown %: 15.2
. Star : 52
. Pavilion Angle: 40.7
. Pavilion %: 42.8
. Lower Girdle %: 77
. Girdle: Thin
. Measurements: 5.77-5.78X3.50
. Polish: Ideal
. Symmetry: Ideal
. Culet: Pointed
. Fluorescence: Negligible
$2660

B)
Shape: Round
Carat weight: 0.71
Cut: Hearts & Arrows Ideal
Color: G
Clarity: VS1
Certificate: AGS
Depth: 62.0%
Table: 54.0%
Polish: Ideal
Symmetry: Ideal
Girdle: Thin to medium
Culet: None
Fluorescence: Neglible
Measurements: 5.74*5.77*3.57
Crown Angle: 34.5°
Crown %: 15.80
pavilion Angle: 40.7°
pavilion %: 42.90
$3080

C)
Shape: Round
Carat weight: 0.71
Cut: Ideal
Color: F
Clarity: VS2
Certificate: AGS
Depth: 61.6%
Table: 56.4%
Polish: Ideal
Symmetry: Ideal
Girdle: Thin to medium
Culet: None
Fluorescence: Neglible
Measurements: 5.73*5.76*3.54
Crown Angle: 35.1°
Crown %: 15.50
pavilion Angle: 40.6°
pavilion %: 42.70
$2890

D)
Shape: Round
Carat weight: 0.71
Cut: Ideal
Color: F
Clarity: VS2
Certificate: AGS
Depth: 61.8%
Table: 55.2%
Polish: Ideal
Symmetry: Ideal
Girdle: Thin to medium
Culet: None
Fluorescence: Neglible
Measurements: 5.73*5.77*3.55
Crown Angle: 34.8°
Crown %: 15.50
pavilion Angle: 41.0°
pavilion %: 43.20
$2930

E)Shape: Round
Carat weight: 0.72
Cut: Ideal
Color: E
Clarity: VS2
Certificate: AGS
Depth: 61.4%
Table: 56.9%
Polish: Ideal
Symmetry: Ideal
Girdle: Thin to medium
Culet: None
Fluorescence: Neglible
Measurements: 5.75*5.77*3.54
Crown Angle: 35.0°
Crown %: 15.30
pavilion Angle: 40.8°
pavilion %: 43.00
$3160


My preference is B, the .71 H&A. Is the table/depth/spread ok? I originally preferred A, before my choice in setting provided more budget options. Are any of the others I included (or any other, for that matter) a better choice, and for what reason? Thanks!

 

[aka_mn]

Sorry for the long list of options. To simplify, I''ll post my favorites, B from the above list, and another I just located by tweaking my search options:

Shape: Round
Carat weight: 0.71
Cut: Hearts & Arrows Ideal
Color: G
Clarity: VS1
Certificate: AGS
Depth: 62.0%
Table: 54.0%
Polish: Ideal
Symmetry: Ideal
Girdle: Thin to medium
Culet: None
Fluorescence: Neglible
Measurements: 5.74*5.77*3.57
Crown Angle: 34.5°
Crown %: 15.80
pavilion Angle: 40.7°
pavilion %: 42.90
$3080
------------------------
Shape: Round
Carat weight: 0.70
Cut: Hearts & Arrows Ideal
Color: E
Clarity: VS2
Certificate: AGS
Depth: 62.1%
Table: 54.1%
Polish: Ideal
Symmetry: Ideal
Girdle: Thin to medium
Culet: None
Fluorescence: Neglible
Measurements: 5.69*5.72*3.54
Crown Angle: 34.2°
Crown %: 15.70
pavilion Angle: 40.8°
pavilion %: 43.00
$3270

Considering both of these are H&A, are their depth/table/spread not as critical, since they''re still within acceptable range of that cut quality?

 

[Ellen]

Hi aka,

The numbers on both of those are fine. I would go with the G out of these two. It will be totally white, it's a half hair bigger, and it's less money.

However, A from your first list is is great too, and a half hair bigger than the G, and less money. If it's an acceptable color to you, I'd actually pick it.

 

[aka_mn]

Thanks for the reply, Ellen.

The first one (A from original post) was the front runner, originally. It is at a different dealer than the rest I've posted, but I do like the numbers. And it is, as you said, just slightly larger, in dimension. The color on that one is a G (looks like I skipped that). It'd probably be harder to have set though, since the setting is from the other dealer (the source of the other diamond options).

Here's two more that I located after tweaking my search yet again:

Shape: Round
Carat weight: 0.70
Cut: Hearts & Arrows Ideal
Color: G
Clarity: VS1
Certificate: AGS
Depth: 62.0%
Table: 53.5%
Polish: Ideal
Symmetry: Ideal
Girdle: Thin to slightly thick
Culet: None
Fluorescence: Neglible
Measurements: 5.70*5.73*3.54
Crown Angle: 34.4°
Crown %: 15.90
pavilion Angle: 40.7°
pavilion %: 42.80
$3040
------------------------
Shape: Round
Carat weight: 0.71
Cut: Hearts & Arrows Ideal
Color: E
Clarity: VS2
Certificate: AGS
Depth: 62.0%
Table: 54.5%
Polish: Ideal
Symmetry: Ideal
Girdle: Thin to slightly thick
Culet: None
Fluorescence: Neglible
Measurements: 5.72*5.74*3.55
Crown Angle: 34.4°
Crown %: 15.60
pavilion Angle: 40.6°
pavilion %: 42.80
$3280

I think I've narrowed down my choices to the last 4 I've posted. While the price difference on that very first one is nice, I think I can manage a discount on any of these 4 final ones, to minimize that difference (at most, $400 difference). These last 4 are also H&A Ideals, which is a nice plus, I think.

At this point, I'm leaning towards the first of the 4 final choices (B from the original post). Jumping up to an E in color seems nice, but I'd be dropping some clarity (but still within my tolerance) and bumping up the price. I'm still waiting on final quotes and a few additional details, which should help in narrowing it down to "the" one.

Any other thoughts?

 

[Ellen]

Out of these last two, I'd pick the E.

Between the G and the E, I think I'd pick the G. (but besides color, it's really splitting hairs)

 

[aka_mn]

By "G", I assume you mean the G from the second post (.71/G/VS1/H&A) and not the first one I mentioned ("A" from the original post). Confusing, I know.

That's the one I think I'm going to go with. It was the first choice from this dealer, even after I've found a few others (both Ideal & H&A Ideal). I did want to weigh my options and make sure there was nothing about it to be concerned about, which doesn't seem to be the case.

Thanks very much, Ellen!

 

[Ellen]

Date: 11/23/2007 7:15:43 PM
Author: aka_mn
By ''G'', I assume you mean the G from the second post (.71/G/VS1/H&A) and not the first one I mentioned (''A'' from the original post). Confusing, I know.

That''s the one I think I''m going to go with. It was the first choice from this dealer, even after I''ve found a few others (both Ideal & H&A Ideal). I did want to weigh my options and make sure there was nothing about it to be concerned about, which doesn''t seem to be the case.

Thanks very much, Ellen!

Yes.

And you''re welcome!