table... how large is too large?

[john_ertw]

I was taking a look at a diamond with a 64% table and realized that it fell outside the "ideal" or recommended table size. I''ve done some reading about table and found that a larger table lets a diamond look larger and will allow a diamond to return more light. The down side is that they will have less fire. Is this accurate? Can a larger table be good if other dimensions cooperate?

The specific diamond that brought up this question is a:
1ct., SI2, F color GIA certified diamond
depth: 57.7%
table: 64%
medium to slightly thick girdle
cutlet: none
polish: very good
symmetry: very good

 

[Demelza]

I''m not an expert, but it is my understanding that with a larger table the stone will reflect more white light. This stone appears to be on the shallow side at 57.7%. Without other numbers (crown and pav angle), it''s hard to say much more than that. I believe Mara''s first stone was shallow with a very large table. Perhaps she can chime in here. It seems a bit odd that the girdle would be slightly thick given how shallow the stone is. Experts?

 

[DiamondExpert]

Basically, what you say is true...I''m assuming a round stone here...With the shallow depth and size of table you may be getting close to a "fisheye" - girdle reflection seen through the table, which is pretty unsightly.

Having said all that, there are combinations of shallow crown angle/low crown heights and slightly deep pavilions which can result in great looking stones

Have you seen this diamond?

 

[Garry H (Cut Nut)]

I generally draw a line at 62%.
The stone might not have a fish eye if the crown is around 30 degrees - in this case it is possible such a stone with those proportions could get AGS 2 under there new system - and this would be pretty good because you would have about a 4% bigger spread than most other well cut stones.

An ideal-scope view will tell you a lot.

 

[john_ertw]

The diamond is a round stone. I read somewhere that a larger table can go with a shallow diamond or vice-versa. I have seen the diamond this morning and it didn''t look bad to my amatuer eyes. I saw it in an office environment (fluorecsent lighting) so although the diamond sparkles, it is not like what you see under halogen lighting. Is the biggest worry with the table the possibility of fish eye? If the diamond does not have fish eye would it be something to consider?


In my initial post I did not include information on the dimensions which are 6.54 - 6.59 x 3.79 mm.

 

[john_ertw]

One more question: Does a GIA cert mention if the diamond has fish eye anywhere? Or is it something that will not be mentioned and I will need to look for it?

 

[Demelza]

No, a GIA cert will not say if a diamond has a fish eye. Here is a link to what exactly a fish eye is: http://diamonds.pricescope.com/fisheye.asp

I really can''t comment on whether this might be a good looking stone (not enough info on the stone and I''m not an expert) -- what I can say is that there are definitely lots of stones out there with better proportions than this one. I would recommend looking at some ideal or premium cut stones for comparison just so you know what a well-cut diamond looks like. Maybe this one wil hold its own.

 

[Garry H (Cut Nut)]

It can be better than average.
It can not be exceptional.
It could be worse than average.

I would suggest an independant appraisal, or order an ideal-scope and DIY for $25 plus shipping (I makel ideal-scopes so this advice may be biased)

 

[valeria101]

Date: 8/19/2005 11:24:57 PM
Author: Garry H (Cut Nut)

... or order an ideal-scope and DIY for $25 plus shipping (I makel ideal-scopes so this advice may be biased)

Second that. There should be plenty of diamonds with this sort of numbers out there, and if you get to see them, the respective bit of pink plastic would help understand what are you looking at... and tell us, if you so wish.

Umm.. Garry has a disclaimer, so here''s mine: I have been hanging around here for too long to be unbiased about the ''scope. If you want, there are loads of threads about shoppers'' taking this route - biased by the very presence on an Iscope friendly forum, but quite a few.

In the end, it may be just a matter of confidence: knowing with somewhat better certainty that there isn''t going to be much better awaiting around the corner. Since you may not have the opportunity to see a hundred diamonds, this is not easy.