Help with diamond in auctioned ring

[magbal]

Hi,

I would really appreciate some help.

I'm looking for an engagement ring and my initial thought was to find a diamond online and then take it to a local jeweller to have the ring made. I've just started to realise how little I know about diamonds... and I'm really grateful for all the knowledge in this forum. I'm looking for a nice round diamond that is preferably >1.2ct and that has a good enough cut to really shine. Size and cut is the priority. I think when it comes to clarity and color I just want to make sure that it is good enough for the diamond not to look "bad" or "cheap" to an amateur's eye. I will put the diamond in a classic yellow gold setting and my budget is between $9-13k, however, I don't live in the US so if I buy a stone online I will probably have to pay customs and extra sales tax of approx 25%.

Recently I found a used ring at an online auction at a well respected local firm. I started wondering if maybe it was worth it to bid for that ring and if I win the auction I could have the diamond reset. But I have trouble figuring out if the diamond in the ring is worth it and how high I should set my limit for the auction. The highest bid is at $7k right now. Unfortunately I will not be able to physically look at the ring before i make a bid for it that will be binding. So basically my questions are:

- What do you think of the diamond in the auctioned ring, I ran the numbers through the HCA tool and it got a score of 0.7. Will it look yellow to an amateur?
- Since it is used, how much can the properties of a diamond be degraded from wear and tear?
- Would you recommend me to spend the money on a new but smaller stone from an online store instead? Any suggestions?

I have attached a few images on the ring and the certificate. You can find the specs from HRD below.

Many thanks in advance!

Carat: 1.53
Fluorescence: slight
Colour Grade: slightly tinted white (J)
Clarity Grade: VS2
Cut - Proportions: very good
- Polish: very good
- Symmetry: very good
Measurements: 7.46-7.48mm x 4.51mm
Girdle: medium 3.0%
Culet: pointed
Total Depth: 60.5%
Table Width: 58%
Crown Height: 34.7 deg
Pavilion Depth: 40.4 deg
Length Halves Crown: 50%
Length Halves Pavilion: 80%
Sum alpha & beta: 75.1 deg

 

[Gypsy]

HRD is a good lab. So you are doing great there.

The numbers are great as well. It scores a .7 on the HCA. So it passes that test. And from the images I see what could be leakage, but I'm not sure, but probably not too much (hard to tell with the lighting, and the look edited a little, but still).

I think it could be a great deal. J's will show some tint in some lighting conditions, and they are a warm white. It will be noticable, but whether or not someone will dislike it is up to them. Warm is not bad. It's not good. It just is.
I think it's a very nice ring.
What is the price?


As for online:
We can get you a J GIA 1.5 carat for 11k and a setting like that or any solitaire really easily for under 2k. So your budget of 13k, if you want a J, is good.

We might even be able to find you a nice I (maybe) color.

And you would get an idealscope image. But... there will be import duties so I don't know how that will impact your budget.

 

[tyty333]

From what I'm reading he has to fit 25% tax into the $13k.

 

[diamondseeker2006]

I don't think I'd try a 40.4 pavilion angle without an idealscope image. 40.6-41.0 is a safer range (for crown angles between 34 and 35) when you can't get extra information.

 

[OoohShiny]

Which country are you in?

If it's the UK, loose stones attract 20% VAT (also added to the shipping cost, I believe ) but stones set within jewellery attract an additional 2.5%, although I'm not sure if that's on just the jewellery element and not the shipping element.

Fedex will also charge you something like £15 to process it, I believe.

 

[Karl_K]

I don't think I'd try a 40.4 pavilion angle without an idealscope image. 40.6-41.0 is a safer range (for crown angles between 34 and 35) when you can't get extra information.

Ideal scope issue wont show obstruction issues which this diamond will have with a 40.4 pavilion.
I will look a little darker under the table in a ring than some combos at some distances.
To me it is something that really bugs me but some might not be as sensitive to it.
It would likely get GIA VG and AGS1-2 because of it even if everything else is perfect.

 

[drk14]

Ideal scope issue wont show obstruction issues which this diamond will have with a 40.4 pavilion.
I will look a little darker under the table in a ring than some combos at some distances.

Sorry about the threadjack, but I would be very interested the learn more about the obstruction issues you refer to above and in the HCA=0.7 thread. Why will it not show in idealscope? Feel free to respond in a new thread. I'm fairly new to PS, but I have read a large number of threads, and never came across this issue before, so I think it would be a useful contribution.

 

[Karl_K]

Ideal scope issue wont show obstruction issues which this diamond will have with a 40.4 pavilion.
I will look a little darker under the table in a ring than some combos at some distances.

Sorry about the threadjack, but I would be very interested the learn more about the obstruction issues you refer to above and in the HCA=0.7 thread. Why will it not show in idealscope? Feel free to respond in a new thread. I'm fairly new to PS, but I have read a large number of threads, and never came across this issue before, so I think it would be a useful contribution.

I has been covered in depth before but here is a recap:
The IS and ASET both represent the viewer being close to the diamond not what it looks like at longer distances.
At close range a diamond with and without contrast issues will show the same general level of obstruction because there is so much of it. While the eye can clearly distinguish the contrast zone its a plus for contrast brilliance(light next to dark looks brighter) but once it is past that point and the eye blends the dark and bright zone it will appear darker if the arrows stay dark. So the ideal is that they provide contrast up close but don't obstruct at a distance. The degrees of obstruction and the pavilion angle determines what distance they go light, modified a bit by the crown angle and lower halves/girdle facets. For example a 40.45 pavilion and a 37 degree crown with a 50% table and 80% lower halves is fine but a 40.45 pavilion and a 34 crown and 60% table and 75% lowers is going to be much darker.
In general a 40.4 and under pavilion is going to have some issues with almost any reasonable crown in a ring.
There are some combos that can make 40.5 work and some with issues. Anything over 40.6 wont have issues if tight. You have to consider the angle of every pavilion main not just the average when considering potential obstruction.
Since a pendant and earrings are viewed at much greater distances they are not as sensitive to obstruction issues than a ring.