Please help with some Radiant questions!

[moogiemae]

My jeweler has been looking for a radiant stone for me and surprised me with one today in a fancy light yellow instead of a white.

Weight 1.76
Depth 60.0%
Table 65%
Cutlet none
Girdle thin to ext. thick
Polish Good
Symmetry Good
Clarity vvs2
Flour None
Distribution Even
Color origin Natural
Grade Fancy light yellow

It looks quite lovely but I can see a small dark area on the left and right side of the stone when looking straight at it but not when I angle it away. My question is would this be normal in a radiant cut ? Also it has a lot of sparkle but I was wondering if there would appear to be more in a white radiant. Are yellow stones more expensive than a white one and are good cuts harder to find? I''m confused now since I thought I would like a white one. I do have other white diamonds in different stones so maybe going with the yellow would be a nice addition. I'' just not sure it will give me the same fire and brilliance as a white would or does the yellow mute it a bit.

Thanks for any opinions..

 

[moremoremore]

You are probably seeing a bow tie which is expected in radiants, especially in the rectangular shape..It's only a big deal if it bothers you. I *think* that true fancy yellows are more expensive than whites, but a stone could just be a low color grade and pale yellow I would think and much cheaper than a colorless stone. Hope that helps and hope an expert replies

I never questioned whether a fancy will have the same fire as a colorless. I'd love to know.

I personally wouldn't buy a colored diamond. If I want color I'll buy a gemstone. But I suppose if it's good enough for Heidi Klum...!!!

 

[moogiemae]

Thanks. I''m not sure it is a bow tie I am seeing. It appears on the outer edge of the stone but does not go through it. Sometimes I can see it as a small darkened area in the middle of all 4 sides. It appears to create a circle around the center which appears very clear. Could this be because the girdle may be extremely thick in some areas? Since this is the first fancy light yellow I have seem I was wondering if this would be normal.

Thanks everyone!

 

[moogiemae]

Also he is asking 12.5K for this stone. Does anyone know if that is reasonable or way too much?

 

[Shay37]

I have linked a site that may be able to help you answer some of your questions. He carries lots of fancy cuts and colors. He is very reputable. You will also be able to get an idea as to whether the price you were quoted is fair. Sorry I can''t be more help. link Just click the link and prepare to drool.

shay

 

[Stephan]

Fancy light yellow should be priced like a G-H (or I-J?), if I remember correctly.
The extr. thick girdle is not that nice, and the table could be a little smaller for this depth.
As the depth is shallow, this diamond could have a great amount of scintillation, but perhaps no good light return (as for a lot of radiants).
The circle you see could be a reflection of the girdle.
This cut sounds like a "good" cut, but not very good.
Pol. & Sym could be better too.
If you like it, then go for it but try to have a discount.

 

[valeria101]

Date: 3/10/2006 10:35:28 PM
Author:moogiemae


It looks quite lovely but I can see a small dark area on the left and right side of the stone when looking straight at it but not when I angle it away.

Extra facet? There may be some mention on the lab reports (say, under 'Comments) or none at all if the grader felt that this little extra is not visible top down.

The 'thin to extra tick' girdle description doesn't say how much of it is thin and how much thick - it could be a thin spot on a wide girdle or the other way around. I wonder if the extra facet you see reflecting, is not in fact close to the girdle... while both the variation in the girdle width and/or a small extra facet would have been cut to get rid of a last inclusion and turn a perfectly cut VS-something into a VVS with a ding

It happens... I'm basically guessing by a mile without seeing the diamond (hoping not to denigrate it - this is not necessarily a bad thing).


If it bothers you, there are many more fancy light yellows floating around.


Anyway, how very lucky to have been surprised by these beautiful diamonds at the right time!

Good for you

If you are interested in some price reference and further 'fancy yellow' choices.. try Scheiner (www.scheinerdiamonds.com) and Diamonds by Lauren (www.diamondsbylauren.com) and ... Icestore, James Allen, Ishay ben David (www.fancycolordiamond.net) and Herskowitz & Polnauer (www.fancydiamonds.net). Between these, there should be a couple dozen fancy light yellow radiants - this is the most common shape for fancy yellows, because it does enhace color relative to others.

I would definitely look down the VS range and possibly higher color rating too - if the 'VVS' part does not hold some symbolic meaning to you.

My 2c

 

[valeria101]

Date: 3/11/2006 10:30:32 AM
Author: QueenMum

As the depth is shallow, this diamond could have a great amount of scintillation, but perhaps no good light return (as for a lot of radiants).

... true, but the shallow pavilion angles have a reputation of enhancing color, and since these buddies are color graded face up ... On rads, ''shallow pavilion angles'' does not mean shallow total depth - it could be 90% with a flat bottom easily.

This is about as much as I know before getting into wild guess territory .

Opened to suggestions, of course

Anyway, all I know about the cut of fancy color radiants is that different rules work than for white radiants. With som many parameters on this cut, two stones may look like m=night and day and be called ''radint'' all the same.

 

[valeria101]

Date: 3/11/2006 9:19:11 AM
Author: moogiemae
Also he is asking 12.5K for this stone. Does anyone know if that is reasonable or way too much?

Seems reasonable, but... I'd honestly prefer 7-8k for fancy light/ VS.

Or stronger than 'light' color for 12k.

But... there are enough references and choices to look at.


In general, look for the size not just weight of these stones: thick girdles 'eat up' quite a bit of the apparent size of radiant cuts and prices go with spread too.


This is a personal opinion, but if you want fancy color, than I would look for color first. I know this was a first surprise... There isn't any better reference than looking around a bit. For example, 'fancy light yellow' is not a rarity compared to other fancy colors. This is why they are relatively low priced and popular compared to other colors. Sure enough, I like them all, fancy light yellows on tops - but this is beyond the point, because this ain't mine to choose. Deeper colored yellows are allot rarer and higher priced. 'Vivid' overtakes the prices for 'D' colorless... and for all the good reasons: there are not many such stones and the color glows in the dark like no less brilliant yellow gem could... at their best. You should see some

Case in point...

12k? Vivid please ! LINK

I would have expect higher price for vivid, VS and over 1 carat... but there is a bit of something on the report that deflated the price. Anyway. There's 1.8 'fancy yellow/ VVS next to it and 2 cts intense Si2 for around 12k. Enough to give an idea on what is out there. And this is just one shop.

 

[moogiemae]

Thanks Valeria. The gia report did say extra facet not shown and chip without a comment. I asked the jeweller and when he looked at it he found 2 extra facets. You a right this must be what I am seeing. I''ll have him check it over again. Thanks for great advice.