Virtual Loop Opinion on This JA Stone (Have it on hold)

[drewsah]

Hi all,

First, I want to say how thankful I am that this site and its community exists. I am BRAND NEW to this and have been lurking/reading/researching on here and around the web for months in anticipation of making my engagement ring purchase. Time is running short and I am thinking of making a purchase today:

http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/I-SI1-Excellent-Cut-Round-Diamond-1497444.asp

It is a 1.22 round I color SI1, excellent cut from James Allen. To my very untrained eye, it looks clean VIA their Virtual loop and trying to go off of the GIA report. Would be incredibly appreciative if anyone with a more trained eye could take a look and give me the confidence that it would be eye-clean and to pull the trigger... (I know I have a 60 day return policy, but... who wants to deal with that . The price would be about $6700 after pricescope discount.

One other question. Would you recommend purchasing just the stone and inspecting it first before getting it set, or should I do the whole process now (stone, setting) all in the same purchase?

I hope that one day I will actually be able to contribute some knowledge to these forums based on this experience, but for now I'll keep my yap shut and just ask questions/learn

Thanks!

 

[TitanCi]

Looks pretty clean to me, face up. I *think* I saw the inclusion at the center of the table (under the table reflection, slightly at 3) and one more at 5, but that's about it. In the real world, I don't think you'll be able to see it at all. This is a very magnified view, and the feathers don't look like they're of any concern...

I'd ask them for an Idealscope image next before you buy it. Just to make sure it returns the most light; it scores rather decently on the HCA (2.3) so just have some assurance with the IS images.

As far as the setting goes, if JA has the setting you want, just get everything done with them. It'll be easier and you won't have to deal with the hassle of getting it appraised then getting insurance and then shipping it to the setters (like I'm doing), so it'll save some $$ and time.

 

[rubybeth]

Definitions of 'eye clean' vary, so I'd decide what you consider eye clean to be and ask if a JA gemologist can look at it and tell you what they think. It's really hard for me to see any inclusions without the loupe, and with the loupe, I just see a few little tiny flecks near one edge. Realize that in real life, this stone is smaller than 7mm, so inclusions that are tiny on a huge monitor are even more tiny in real life.

 

[drewsah]

Wow, thanks for looking! I followed your advice and got on support chat with JA and requested IdealScope images (choose one other stone for them to look at) and to have a gemologist give me their take on it.

I'll post what comes of it. Thanks!

 

[drewsah]

Re: Virtual Loop Opinion on This JA Stone *Updated w/ Ideals

Hi everyone. Resurrecting this thread from about a week or so ago as I received the IdealScope image for the stone I am looking at in this thread.

I welcome any opinions/analysis from fellow readers who care to chime in Thank you!

 

[TitanCi]

^Well to ME, there's def. enough white/leakage under that table to make me pass. Maybe if there was more pink as opposed to straight up white... it is nearing the steep/deep range, so unless you can't find another stone for some reason I'd likely pass. You can sorta see the characteristics of the stone changing in the live pic too: right about 12'ish...

 

[drewsah]

Thanks for the input. I'm continuing to search, and my hold on this stone ends this evening. I have been hard pressed to find a round cut of this weight and cut that looks clean (according to my eyes and others in the JA loop) for that price; approx $6700 wired.

I was hoping to be reassured by the IdealScope image, but it got me second guessing myself again. I don't want to rush such an important decision as this, but I am eager to pick up something (been shopping/researching forever it seems).


Any other opinions are still more than welcome

 

[TitanCi]

Trust me, there'll always be a stone.

A few weeks ago I bought an AWESOME stone from JA (0.8 on HCA, awesome IS performance). What happens? Fast forward to last week, and a slightly larger diamond pops up that scores a 1.0 on the HCA, falls dead smack in the middle of the GIA/AGS Zenith and is only a FEW hundred dollars more. If I waited, I would have lost my current stone, but picked up something that is slightly larger (0.20 mm in dia larger) for only a few hundred more (don't know how it looks on IS, but I'm sure it's great). The point is, they'll pop up, just be patient, but you'll know when you have a great stone that you shouldn't pass up. That's the problem: I feel we'll always see something that is slightly bigger or this or that... just go with your gut and be happy!

If this stone "feels right" to you, then perhaps you should get it. JA has a 60 day return policy so that helps!

 

[06pvc]

What did the JA gemologist say about the stone?

 

[drewsah]

Verbatim (albeit coming from the CSR/Sales Rep's email):

"This diamond has nice fire, brilliance, and scintillation and faces the brightest of the bunch. It has a true "I" color and due to its how small it's inclusions are and how well they blend, the diamond will face eye clean to the unaided eye."

(Second email w/ the IdealScope images for this stone and one other which I already ruled out)

"The images look rather similar and indicate that there may be some light leakage under the table but I've confirmed with the gemologist that diamond 1497444 is bright and the better performer of the two diamonds."

 

[yssie]

You need to ask your JA rep whether the stone is clean in-person to your specifications (completely clean at 5" face-up? 12" sufficient? from the sides as well?) - pictures and plot diagrams can tell you where the inclusion is and what it looks like, but can't tell you anything reliable about *how visible* it is from any given distance/angle.

On top of that, what is completely clean to one person may not be to another, and vice versa - people's eyes are different! So I strongly recommend having the stone shipped out loose to inspect yourself before having it set - it's under a couple hundred in shipping and well worth it IMO

Based on that IS I would put it in the "worth further investigation" bucket IF you like the rest of the specs, your rep confirms it is clean to your specifications, and you are satisfied with the price. If you aren't, as Titan says there are always more stones!!


ETA: just read the last post - eye clean face-up from what distance? Does JA say how they define "eye clean" on the website somewhere - I can't get to it

 

[drewsah]

I will probably ping my sales rep for additional info on what they define as eye clean. Thanks for that suggestion.

Currently, I am leaning towards holding off on the impulse buy today while it is on hold. Might just let it get back into the market and keep it under consideration as I continue to look. I was really liking the look of it on the Virtual Loop, but am glad I requested the IS image. Though it isn't necessarily poor, it gives me reason to continue hunting (sigh). I'm not on a super tight deadline, so I have the time I think. Bugger.

 

[drewsah]

Just so that I am clear on the areas of concern w/ this IS image. The areas that I have circled in the image below are where your concern mainly lies with the table leakage?

So much to learn!

 

[drewsah]

FYI, if it's of any help, I plan on mounting in platinum solitaire (Tiffany) setting.