New Diamond Buyer

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I am a first time diamond buyer (for an engagement ring) and am considering the following two diamonds:

Stone#1 Pear Cut -
1.17 carat
Color: I
Clarity: VS1
Table: 57%
Depth: 58.3%
Measure: 9.2 x 5.8 x 3.4
Medium Blue Flourescence
GIA Cert.
Price: $4,500


Stone #2 Pear Cut
.9 carat
Color: F
Clarity: VVS2
Table: 59%
Depth: 55.4%
Measure: 9.03 x 5.7 x 3.16
No Flourescence
GIA Cert.
Price: $5,000

#1 is clearly the larger stone. Which one is the better value considering that stone #2 has better clarity, is rated colorless and contains no flourescence?

On Stone #2, I believe there is still some negotiating room to bring the price lower.

Thanks,

Kim

 

[windowshopper]

Hello and welcome- I am not an expert on pears. caveat emptor here...........I also think these are so different that value is tough to compare. However, #1 seems to be a better cut stone at least initial numbers here--the second is too shallow --have you checked out the fancy cut guide up at the top of the page under knowledge????

a couple of comments--i would not personally pay for a VVS stone that is a brilliant cut b/c the inclusions usually are not too evident amidst the faceting .... and the fluor is a cost reducing factor that will add whiteness to that I color...........number #1 is more appealing at this stage. dont know if you can get crown information from them but it helps to provide a mental three dimensional image prior to actually seeing it...

EDIT: fancies like pears, marquises and ovals are VERY subjective (well everything but a round i guess!) so knowing the length to width ratio that pleases your eye is an important first step for you

 

[valeria101]

"guess both would be amazingly similar in size - a tenth of a milimeter is a hair split, really. Even if side by side there would be a slight different, once set each on it's own that would not be noticeable.

BUT, the second one is pretty shallow cut. It would be nice to see these two and make a fair judgement of their brilliance, but without that posibility the safest bet would say that 55% depth is less than you might want. If the common sense guesstimate can be proved wrong, the 0.9 would be quite a deal, 'cause it obviously looks larger than it's weight and the grades are tops.

Any chance to see these ? preferably with an Ideal Scope at hand... but even without.

It's a bit weird to buy sight unseen an item that's meant to serve by it's good looks alone. Those numbers are only a little better than buying sight unseen, IMO.

 

[pearcrazy]

I think that the second diamond is a bit too shallow and you may not get the best light performance. The fluorescence in the I colored diamond will help it appear whiter. You are paying a premium for the VVS clarity and F color and not the best cut. I have a diamond very similar in size to the first diamond. 1.12 I color VS2 clarity. It is nice and white and has no fluorescence. You may be able to go to an SI1 clarity and still have a really clean stone and get a much better price.