Thoughts on this stone? I''''m second guessing myself.

[Joey T]

Here are the specifics on a stone I am considering. Any comments?

Round Brilliant
1.25 carat
F/VS1
6.93-6.90x4.27
table depth: 61.7%
table width: 57%
crown height: 15%
pavilion depth: 44%
girdle: thin
polish: VG
symmetry: EX
culet: none
fluorescence: none
graining: nil
comments: "Excellent Ideal Cut"

It looked great to me in the store, comparing it side by side with other diamonds in the similar range, but now that I do a little more research into the details, I''m second guessing. This grades out on the Holloway Cut Advisor as only a 4.5, even though it''s listed as an "Excellent Ideal Cut." Should I be concerned about that?
Second, this certification report is from EGL. I''m aware that they are not quite as well respected as GIA or AGS, but is this a red flag? Should I be worried about this and does it have any real impact on the quality or value of the diamond?
FWIW, price of the diamond is $9700.

 

[lumpkin]

How long ago did you buy the ring, and is there time to return it? It looks from searching the pricescope database that you may have overpaid a bit. In my mind there is nothing wrong with an EGL diamond but it carries a discount compared to GIA or AGS. For your money you will probably be able to either go bigger or get a better cut. If you can''t return it, though, it''s a moot point, and in that case enjoy the one you own. Many people own diamonds that are not super ideal round cuts and are quite happy with them. The color and clarity are certainly very nice. BTW, any pictures???

 

[Joey T]

I haven''t actually bought it yet. I have just put it on hold.

And this is from a local B&M jeweler, so I realize I''ll be paying a slight premium over some of the internet prices. But to me that''s worth it, for the ability to see it in person, and to have a local place to take the ring for sizing, adjustments, etc.

It''s just that I thought I had done all my research and picked out a good one, but now I''m seeing more info that makes me wonder.

I thought the fact that it was graded as an "Excellent Ideal" on the grading report would mean that it was pretty close to as good as it gets. Now I''m learning that it''s not necessarily the case? Is there a very wide variation even among stones that are all graded as "ideal"? (Also, I''ve now seen that stones that were graded only as "premium" rather than ideal sometimes rate out a heck of a lot better on the HCA.) How am I ever supposed know which is better?

 

[Lorelei]

OK someone wallop me if I am wrong here. The HCA from my understanding helps to calculate how well the crown and pavillion angles work together and using other factors give you an idea of the diamond's performance. It is a very useful tool to help with the elimination process in choosing a diamond. However the terms Ideal and Premium cut can be decreed by a company to describe their better cut stones and the parameters of these can vary widely - the term can be used loosely. The price seems steep, although I am not too well up on prices, it depends on how much you like this diamond and what you are willing to pay and how long you are willing to wait to find the right one. JMO it seems you are unsure so maybe the best advice is to as we say in England - if it doubt, do nowt! The only way to really tell which is the best diamond is to look at as many as you can and see what speaks to you the most, sometimes the numbers can be very good but produce very different results and performance. Taking time to learn and compare when buying a diamond is time very well spent, this is all part of your learning process and it is good that you are asking these questions, you will have a far better chance of ending up with what you want in the long run. Hope this helps.

 

[lumpkin]

Does the report on the diamond you have on hold have any other documentation like a SARIN report or Brillianscope report? Some EGL reports have detailed information on the crown and pavillion angles (rather than just their height percentage) which will give you a more accurate grading on the Holloway Cut Advisor.

Unless you find a local B & M that carries super ideal rounds and advertises this, they are not likely to have this type of documentation. You could request it, but I''ll bet they won''t attain them unless you pay for it, and even then probably not. They would have to send the stone out to have that done, which would tack on time to the sale, and a lot of B & M''s don''t actually own the diamonds they are selling. They have them on consignment, and if they don''t sell within a given time frame, they go back.

If you are worried about not being able to look at the diamond before you buy it, you could have it shipped to an independent appraiser.

Isn''t ignorance bliss??? You never knew you''d agonize over this purchase until you started digging into it.

 

[Lorelei]

Lumpkin makes a good point about seeing if they can provide a Sarin or Brilliantscope report which would be very useful if they have them. Second guessing is a good thing IMO, it makes you a smarter consumer, but you want to be as sure as you can be that this is the one. Do you love the diamond? That is the important thing.

 

[cheetahman]

What I did (or really what I''m in the process of doing) is to buy the diamond online utilizing the discount that I saw on pricescope vendors vs. local B&M vendors. Then I went to the local vendor and said that I wanted to look at settings for a dimaond that I already have. They don''t have to know how I got it, could be my great grandmother''s for all they know.

Once I get it appraised (tomorrow) and if that turns out well, I''ll purchase the setting that I liked and they''ll set it for me. This way I''ve built that relationship with the local B&M people and I can come back to have it resized or polished or whatever.

I calculated that I saved about 30% on my diamond, so I don''t mind that I''m paying the extra couple hundred dollars for the setting (vs. the Internet vendors), to have that relationship. You might find that a good compromise as I did... or maybe not .

 

[Joey T]

This B&M store I''ve been shopping at is quoting prices at 7-10% below Rappaport value depending on the size of the stone. I thought that was pretty good. Are online retailers really that much less? (e.g. cheetahman quoted about 30% savings.) When I''ve looked at similar stones online, I''ve found the prices to range anywhere from a few percent below what I''m seeing at this B&M, to a few percent above.

 

[cheetahman]

I''m kind of new and my experience may not be typical. I know that the local Jewelry Exchange (a national chain) wanted $9400 for a 1.60 ct, I, SI1, 1.2 HCA cut. I went with a 1.63, I, SI1, with a 0.8 HCA from an online vendor here for $6250 (wire price). I''ll see what the appraiser says tomorrow, but I''m thinking it has to be to good to be true. I went with EGL certification, but that''s what both stones were.

I found this stone which seems to be close to what you are looking for. It''s GIA certified, so that might be another bonus in addition to the price savings. I''m not really recommending this diamond (I''ll leave that to people who have been around longer than I have), but savings like those drove my decision. I couldn''t find an EGL around 1.25 ct., but this one is 1.34 ct. at $7900. Again, just an example of something to think about. In the end, as long as you feel comfortable that''s probably all that matters.

 

[Mara]

EGL stones should be discounted over AGS and GIA certs...if you look online you will see large differences in price depending on the lab reputation.

That said a well-cut 1.25c stone should have a diameter of around 7mm so this stone is probably appearing a little bit smaller than it should...

I wouldn't overpay regardless of whatever the store is telling you re: what their pricing policies are. Use PS search to compare what you could get online or with another store..I'd shop around before buying, whether it's online or offline.

Oh and just because it says Ideal Cut or whatever on a cert doesn't mean a thing to me...I would use the numbers of the stone, the reports and my eyes if possible to make a decision.

Good luck!