The Final Four!!

[jimk]

Down to 4 stones!! Please help me decide! Here are the choices: (These are stones 1, 4, 5 and 6 from my prior post)

A. http://www.whiteflash.com/diamonds/diamond_Details.aspx?itemcode=AGS-6550508
1.55 H SI1 ACA/H&A (crown angle 34.9) THIS STONE IS EYE-CLEAN.

B. http://www.whiteflash.com/round_ideal_cut/Round-Ideal-Cut-cut-diamond-2225566.htm
1.5 G VS2 round ideal cut

C. http://www.whiteflash.com/hearts_arrows/A-Cut-Above-H-A-cut-diamond-2167486.htm
1.508 I VS1 ACA/H&A

D. http://www.whiteflash.com/round_ideal_cut/Round-Ideal-Cut-cut-diamond-1829034.htm
1.53 I VS2 (expert selection)

Thanks for all of your valuable help. I'd have bought a junky diamond in the mall if I hadn't found this great site.
ETA: I only need to narrow down to 2. I'm going to have 2 sent to a local appraiser.

 

[Kaleigh]

A is gorgeous. Love it.

Second choice is D.

 

[belle]

it''s too early for the final four..we still have a couple of months yet

i still like the last one.
the second one is a virtual stone..if that matters to you.

 

[jimk]

This is even more important than the b-ball Final Four! (To my girlfriend, at least). Belle, what do you mean by "virtual stone"? Do you just mean that the photo is a sample photo and not of the actual stone? I''m learning new terminology by the second on here. Thanks for you input! You, too, Kaleigh!

 

[belle]

there is something more important than final four hoops?

okay..if there is..i suppose a big rock might be it

by virtual stone, i mean that it is not actually in stock. you can tell by the ''contact us for availability'' notation at the top of the page.
there''s a chance it is very nice, but i would choose something that has already been looked over by the vendor first.

 

[jimk]

Thanks, belle. That''s very good to know.

Would anyone else like to chime in? Mara, I know you''re out there!!

 

[strmrdr]

a: nice, dont love the crown angle.

b: not enough info to consider it

c: like it

d: like it but would would want more info about the girdle.

Id consider finding and having an ACA classic sent along with C to review.

 

[jimk]

Thanks, strmrdr. The more I post, the more I realize how little I know about diamonds. WF tells me that A and C are both ACAs. I don''t know enough to know whether or not they are classic ACAs, but I assume by your post that they''re not. Would you recommend a "classic" for me? What would you want to know about the girdle in D? Does your post mean that you would go with C or D (depending on D''s girdle)? Or maybe you''re saying that C is best if it holds up to a classic ACA (and that you wouldn''t consider the other stones listed)? Thanks very much for your reply!

 

[Jelly]

Stone D looks like a great value for it''s size, but my heart belongs to the A Cut Above Diamonds!

A, C, D, B would be my order. I''m not a diamond expert, but if stone A is eye clean, then that would be the winner in my book.

Let us know what you choose.

 

[Sundial]

I''m no expert, but I still like idealscope image on C.

 

[Bman143]

I''m going with Kaleigh and Jelly and I''m going to pick A. I think C would be my second pick, but I am a newbie, so don''t take my word as gospel by any means.

Brandon

 

[strmrdr]

Date: 1/3/2006 8:27:29 PM
Author: jimk
Thanks, strmrdr. The more I post, the more I realize how little I know about diamonds. WF tells me that A and C are both ACAs. I don't know enough to know whether or not they are classic ACAs, but I assume by your post that they're not. Would you recommend a 'classic' for me? What would you want to know about the girdle in D? Does your post mean that you would go with C or D (depending on D's girdle)? Or maybe you're saying that C is best if it holds up to a classic ACA (and that you wouldn't consider the other stones listed)? Thanks very much for your reply!

newline is all red and black on the IS image and classic is red and black with properly placed whites for contrast.

they are all newline.
There is a slightly different look between newline and classic some like both and some like one or the other better.
Which is why I recomended looking at both.
I like diamonds cut like the classics better myself but havent seen the aca's just diamonds cut like them.

There isnt a dog in the bunch except maybe B,

---edited for clarity----

C and D if the girdle is ok look like the best picks to me.
But id have a ACA classic (c) and a newline sent to the appraiser if it was me :}

That clearer or still muddy?

 

[strmrdr]

hmmmm no classics in that range came up in the search.
Could ask WF if they have any.
If its just those 4 id have c and d sent if the girdle checks out on D.

 

[jimk]

Much clearer, strmrdr. One more thing - what would you want to see in the girdle for c and d to make you more comfortable with them? The girdle is not something I''ve focused on much. Thanks for the education.

Brandon, Sundial and Jelly - thanks very mnuch for taking the time to respond.

 

[belle]

strm is worried about the girdle being too thin..
i don''t think it''s a concern unless until it hits ''extremely thin'' and actually prefer a thinner girdle.
here is an article about girdles

 

[strmrdr]

d is rated as a very thin girdle, if its a small spot its not a problem, if one whole side is very thin its a problem.
A quick look by the vendor will settle the matter.

 

[icefisher]

Here''s a newby vote for "A," if only because when I was going through the exact same process as you 3 weeks ago, it was one of my two finalists. I ended up getting a slightly larger diamond from WF''s expert selection, but certainly not due to anything I didn''t like in "A."

You''ll want to discount my input though as I''m the roughest rock around. If anything though I guess it shows that 2 blind squirrels can stumble over the same nice acorn.

 

[belle]

Date: 1/3/2006 9:37:57 PM
Author: icefisher

If anything though I guess it shows that 2 blind squirrels can stumble over the same nice acorn.

lol...

welcome icefisher!

 

[Kaleigh]

Date: 1/3/2006 9:43:54 PM
Author: belle

Date: 1/3/2006 9:37:57 PM
Author: icefisher

If anything though I guess it shows that 2 blind squirrels can stumble over the same nice acorn.

lol...

welcome icefisher!

Too cute, welcome!!

 

[Janis]

I am new, too, and can''t comment on the cuts (although I want an AGS 0 or ACA), but I have currently have an eye-clean SI1 and it really bothered me the first time I looked in a loupe and saw the inclusions. My next diamond will be at least VS2 and hopefully VS1. I also would want the color to be no lower than G. But that''s just me. Think about whether your bride-to-be is particular about things or not! (I didn''t know any better when I was getting engaged, but later when I learned more about diamonds, I really was disappointed in my diamond. But it is a nice color and decent size and I do get compliments on it.)

 

[jimk]

Thanks for the reply, Janis. My gf is what you''d call "low-maintenance" (n a great way). I just want to blow her away with the most beautiful diamond I can find/afford. And the best part is that she doesn''t have even the slightest clue that it''s coming! I looked at some G/H/I stones and was fine with the color. The magnified photos of these stones look great to me, so I expect that the inclusions won''t bother her (or me for that matter).

Anyone else have a favorite?

 

[Mara]

I'd say my favorite is D.

B is totally out of the question for me, compared to the other three being a virtual stone and not having the best specs IMO compared to the other stones.

The other 3 are really nice and it's splitting hairs to choose between them...but I like that D is affordable, has exceptional angles, and has a nice large diameter. The EX VG doesn't really bother me because the specs are great, the Idealscope looks great too and so does the diamond image. The girdle would not bother me as long as it's a small area of v.thin which is probably the case. I actually prefer thinner girdles because they don't steal carat weight from the stone.

I think my 2nd choice is the H SI but I don't like that it's 2k more...that seems like alot for just a color grade up...and unless you know her preference is color then I wouldn't necessarily pay for an H when there's an I...having gone from a G to an H to a J ...I have been really happy with the color or lack thereof of all the stones.

Nice choices but I say D for me!!

 

[jimk]

Thanks so much everyone! I plan to buy today and will keep you all posted.

 

[valeria101]

Poor B

... if we don't know how it looks now... it doesn't mean it is not worth investigating.

Call it in - it does have the highest grades for the money.

And between I-VS and H-SI... H winns, for me. Particularly since clarity is no problem. Cut-wise, all these are cherries in my book.

My 2c

 

[Mara]

Val, I can see why you say to call it in BUT when up against three other stones that DO have the cherry numbers and images, why even bother with poor ole B? Esp if it will cost the vendor (and maybe the customer, did we ever determine if WF charges?) to ship it in and back just so they can look at it against 3 cherry picked stones? It doesn''t make sense to me. But if there was only one WF in inventory and B...I''d agree with you. But not with 3 other amazing contenders in-house....my two cents!

 

[Hest88]

A, then D for me, but that''s purely because I''m a color over clarity person. I do agree with Mara that D is a pretty good choice because of the price and because you probably won''t notice the color face up.

 

[valeria101]

Date: 1/4/2006 1:59:34 PM
Author: Mara

Val, I can see why you say to call it in BUT when up against three other stones that DO have the cherry numbers and images, why even bother with poor ole B?

G-VS, AGS0 cheaper than H-I/VS-Si1 AGS0

I definitely agree that ACA is a step above AGS0 by definition... but this is not a case where I know one stone is worse. If money is going to be spent on ''rpcessing costs'' (two diamonds being called in for comparison) - it just seems that the extra cost of seeing the goods is better placed on the (tempting) stone about which there is less info as is.

Anyway... no, this is not about preferring a sketchy listing over well described, chosen and branded stock.

 

[valeria101]

Since the info gap came up.... it just occurred to me to look up the other listings of the same 1.5 cts G-VS2 and see if some other seller doesn''t post the lab report at least - It happens.

And sure enough: here it is

The proportions read HCA=1 (FIC) and there aren''t too many of those.

Light Return: Excellent

Fire: Excellent

Scintillation: Excellent

Spread or diameter for weight: Very Good

Total Visual Performance 1 - Excellent (within FIC range)


Another listing (at USA Certed) mentions ''no black inclusions'' good to know. Besides, the clarity plot looks nice anyway - for what that matters for VS2.


Anyway, I can see your point of cutting down to the chase.

 

[jimk]

After speaking with Brian at WF, I''ve ordered "D" to be sent to the appraiser and I''ll see it Friday morning.

Thanks so much to everyone here for your input. You guys really go the extra mile. I have learned a lot and am really happy to have found a place where people really help each other. I''ll keep you all posted! Thanks again!

 

[Kaleigh]

That''s great Jim!!! I can''t wait to hear what you think on Friday. I bet it will be an amazing stone.