Whiteflash ACA or Expert Selection – Need To Choose!

[Texas Leaguer]

OK, let me first say that it's a gorgeous stone. Very bright and sparkly. I'm sure you would love it. How it compares to the other one I don't know, but it compared nicely to the bigger stones I was also considering and was a smidgen whiter. I thought it had very lovely presence and really nice color. I quickly eliminated it though, because, besides that I'm looking to hopefully go a little bigger...but also, and it's a mind clean thing for me, part of the inclusions are feathers near and in the girdle. There was one of them that we looked at under the magnifier that was actually horizontal on the girdle facet. Small of course, but since my first engagement ring had inclusions near the girdle and it ended up chipping...who knows if that was the reason, but it's in my head. so AGAIN, I'm sure that there are zillions of people here that will tell you not to worry about this and I'm sure they're probably right, but it's a mind clean thing for me and I would always worry about it. I know this probably doesn't help either way, but I did want to tell you it's very pretty!

The original poster said above re the feather 'There was one of them that we looked at under the magnifier that was actually horizontal on the girdle facet' - can White flash tell us then why the original poster was told there was no durability issues, if we are not supposed to buy diamonds with feathers at the girdle?

That's a fair question Pyramid. Much would depend on how big the feather is. Typically in an Si1 it will not pose a significant risk on the girdle of a round. It is a bigger issue when located near the corners of pointed stones.

There are some diamonds that have what is referred to as a "bearded girdle" with lots of tiny feathers introduced by too much pressure in the bruting stage. Even these stones are not automatically considered durability risks because the feathers are small.

In 15 years we have sold alot of Si1 diamonds, many with feathers. We take in trade-ups on diamonds that have been worn every day for those 15 years. In the vast majority of cases they are in original condition. In a very few cases a stone has sustained a small chip or scratch that can polished out with little weight loss. Well cut round diamonds are extremely durable. My sense is that you would have to get down into the Imperfect clarity range before most feathers represent a significant durability risk.

 

[Green with Envy]

I would get an H color over and I color for a ring. I think if you compared them to an F... you would see the I is warmer. i think go whiter every time if you have a choice.

 

[pyramid]

Thanks Texas Leager for explaining that.

 

[mns12]

OK, let me first say that it's a gorgeous stone. Very bright and sparkly. I'm sure you would love it. How it compares to the other one I don't know, but it compared nicely to the bigger stones I was also considering and was a smidgen whiter. I thought it had very lovely presence and really nice color. I quickly eliminated it though, because, besides that I'm looking to hopefully go a little bigger...but also, and it's a mind clean thing for me, part of the inclusions are feathers near and in the girdle. There was one of them that we looked at under the magnifier that was actually horizontal on the girdle facet. Small of course, but since my first engagement ring had inclusions near the girdle and it ended up chipping...who knows if that was the reason, but it's in my head. so AGAIN, I'm sure that there are zillions of people here that will tell you not to worry about this and I'm sure they're probably right, but it's a mind clean thing for me and I would always worry about it. I know this probably doesn't help either way, but I did want to tell you it's very pretty!

The original poster said above re the feather 'There was one of them that we looked at under the magnifier that was actually horizontal on the girdle facet' - can White flash tell us then why the original poster was told there was no durability issues, if we are not supposed to buy diamonds with feathers at the girdle?

That's a fair question Pyramid. Much would depend on how big the feather is. Typically in an Si1 it will not pose a significant risk on the girdle of a round. It is a bigger issue when located near the corners of pointed stones.

There are some diamonds that have what is referred to as a "bearded girdle" with lots of tiny feathers introduced by too much pressure in the bruting stage. Even these stones are not automatically considered durability risks because the feathers are small.

In 15 years we have sold alot of Si1 diamonds, many with feathers. We take in trade-ups on diamonds that have been worn every day for those 15 years. In the vast majority of cases they are in original condition. In a very few cases a stone has sustained a small chip or scratch that can polished out with little weight loss. Well cut round diamonds are extremely durable. My sense is that you would have to get down into the Imperfect clarity range before most feathers represent a significant durability risk.

Thanks for the explanation, that is helpful! Curious, is this a common occurrence for super ideal or even ideal RBs or more the exception?

 

[diamondseeker2006]

I understood him to say that SI1 feathers are almost never a durability problem in round brilliant diamonds.

 

[mns12]

OK, let me first say that it's a gorgeous stone. Very bright and sparkly. I'm sure you would love it. How it compares to the other one I don't know, but it compared nicely to the bigger stones I was also considering and was a smidgen whiter. I thought it had very lovely presence and really nice color. I quickly eliminated it though, because, besides that I'm looking to hopefully go a little bigger...but also, and it's a mind clean thing for me, part of the inclusions are feathers near and in the girdle. There was one of them that we looked at under the magnifier that was actually horizontal on the girdle facet. Small of course, but since my first engagement ring had inclusions near the girdle and it ended up chipping...who knows if that was the reason, but it's in my head. so AGAIN, I'm sure that there are zillions of people here that will tell you not to worry about this and I'm sure they're probably right, but it's a mind clean thing for me and I would always worry about it. I know this probably doesn't help either way, but I did want to tell you it's very pretty!

The original poster said above re the feather 'There was one of them that we looked at under the magnifier that was actually horizontal on the girdle facet' - can White flash tell us then why the original poster was told there was no durability issues, if we are not supposed to buy diamonds with feathers at the girdle?

That's a fair question Pyramid. Much would depend on how big the feather is. Typically in an Si1 it will not pose a significant risk on the girdle of a round. It is a bigger issue when located near the corners of pointed stones.

There are some diamonds that have what is referred to as a "bearded girdle" with lots of tiny feathers introduced by too much pressure in the bruting stage. Even these stones are not automatically considered durability risks because the feathers are small.

In 15 years we have sold alot of Si1 diamonds, many with feathers. We take in trade-ups on diamonds that have been worn every day for those 15 years. In the vast majority of cases they are in original condition. In a very few cases a stone has sustained a small chip or scratch that can polished out with little weight loss. Well cut round diamonds are extremely durable. My sense is that you would have to get down into the Imperfect clarity range before most feathers represent a significant durability risk.

Thanks for the explanation, that is helpful! Curious, is this a common occurrence for super ideal or even ideal RBs or more the exception?

Sorry, clarification: Is it common for super ideal or ideal RBs to have a feather near or in the girdle (as described above)? Or the exception?

 

[Texas Leaguer]

OK, let me first say that it's a gorgeous stone. Very bright and sparkly. I'm sure you would love it. How it compares to the other one I don't know, but it compared nicely to the bigger stones I was also considering and was a smidgen whiter. I thought it had very lovely presence and really nice color. I quickly eliminated it though, because, besides that I'm looking to hopefully go a little bigger...but also, and it's a mind clean thing for me, part of the inclusions are feathers near and in the girdle. There was one of them that we looked at under the magnifier that was actually horizontal on the girdle facet. Small of course, but since my first engagement ring had inclusions near the girdle and it ended up chipping...who knows if that was the reason, but it's in my head. so AGAIN, I'm sure that there are zillions of people here that will tell you not to worry about this and I'm sure they're probably right, but it's a mind clean thing for me and I would always worry about it. I know this probably doesn't help either way, but I did want to tell you it's very pretty!

The original poster said above re the feather 'There was one of them that we looked at under the magnifier that was actually horizontal on the girdle facet' - can White flash tell us then why the original poster was told there was no durability issues, if we are not supposed to buy diamonds with feathers at the girdle?

That's a fair question Pyramid. Much would depend on how big the feather is. Typically in an Si1 it will not pose a significant risk on the girdle of a round. It is a bigger issue when located near the corners of pointed stones.

There are some diamonds that have what is referred to as a "bearded girdle" with lots of tiny feathers introduced by too much pressure in the bruting stage. Even these stones are not automatically considered durability risks because the feathers are small.

In 15 years we have sold alot of Si1 diamonds, many with feathers. We take in trade-ups on diamonds that have been worn every day for those 15 years. In the vast majority of cases they are in original condition. In a very few cases a stone has sustained a small chip or scratch that can polished out with little weight loss. Well cut round diamonds are extremely durable. My sense is that you would have to get down into the Imperfect clarity range before most feathers represent a significant durability risk.

Thanks for the explanation, that is helpful! Curious, is this a common occurrence for super ideal or even ideal RBs or more the exception?

Sorry, clarification: Is it common for super ideal or ideal RBs to have a feather near or in the girdle (as described above)? Or the exception?

A feather can occur anywhere on the diamond. It is not uncommon for it to be on the girdle. Generally you will not see precision cutting on diamonds that are heavily included or have obvious durability risks. I will hedge a little on this generalization with regard to princess cuts. And that is why when shopping for a princess, pay special attention to anything that might compromise the points. It is often worth going higher in clarity on princess cuts in my opinion.

 

[mns12]

Update: I'm most likely going to pull the trigger on the 1.968 ACA H VS2.
I had been using FireFox to view the AGS cert and apparently there is a glitch where you can not see the plot with inclusions.
Once I opened up in another browser I was able to compare the location and amount of inclusions of the ACA vs the ES I SI1. Again, mostly a mind clean thing as the ES is eye clean but that (and the color) pushed me over

Here is a link to the ES if anyone was interested.
http://www.whiteflash.com/loose-diamonds/round-cut-loose-diamond-3206023.htm

Thanks again for all the feedback!

 

[diamondseeker2006]

Update: I'm most likely going to pull the trigger on the 1.968 ACA H VS2.
I had been using FireFox to view the AGS cert and apparently there is a glitch where you can not see the plot with inclusions.
Once I opened up in another browser I was able to compare the location and amount of inclusions of the ACA vs the ES I SI1. Again, mostly a mind clean thing as the ES is eye clean but that (and the color) pushed me over

Here is a link to the ES if anyone was interested.
http://www.whiteflash.com/loose-diamonds/round-cut-loose-diamond-3206023.htm

Thanks again for all the feedback!

Oh gosh, that is one of the best stones I have ever seen! It is as close to 2 cts as you can get without paying the full price premium for 2 cts! If I had known from the start that that was the stone you were considering, I would have said get it NOW! I saw it on hold yesterday and thought someone was really lucky! You will never regret getting that stone! Congrats!!!

 

[m-2-b]

Update: I'm most likely going to pull the trigger on the 1.968 ACA H VS2.
I had been using FireFox to view the AGS cert and apparently there is a glitch where you can not see the plot with inclusions.
Once I opened up in another browser I was able to compare the location and amount of inclusions of the ACA vs the ES I SI1. Again, mostly a mind clean thing as the ES is eye clean but that (and the color) pushed me over

Here is a link to the ES if anyone was interested.
http://www.whiteflash.com/loose-diamonds/round-cut-loose-diamond-3206023.htm

Thanks again for all the feedback!

Glad you got it, too!

 

[mns12]

Update: I'm most likely going to pull the trigger on the 1.968 ACA H VS2.
I had been using FireFox to view the AGS cert and apparently there is a glitch where you can not see the plot with inclusions.
Once I opened up in another browser I was able to compare the location and amount of inclusions of the ACA vs the ES I SI1. Again, mostly a mind clean thing as the ES is eye clean but that (and the color) pushed me over

Here is a link to the ES if anyone was interested.
http://www.whiteflash.com/loose-diamonds/round-cut-loose-diamond-3206023.htm

Thanks again for all the feedback!

Oh gosh, that is one of the best stones I have ever seen! It is as close to 2 cts as you can get without paying the full price premium for 2 cts! If I had known from the start that that was the stone you were considering, I would have said get it NOW! I saw it on hold yesterday and thought someone was really lucky! You will never regret getting that stone! Congrats!!!

Aww thanks, that really means a lot coming from you! Not that I know you but I enjoy reading all of your posts and you obviously know your stuff. I'm really happy with the decision and feel a sense of relief!