Hi Guys,
I'm new to the forum and am currently looking for a center stone for an engagement ring. I've done a lot of research on diamonds, specifically round brilliant and currently have my search narrowed to two.
My initial parameters when I began searching for a stone was colorless, VS clarity, triple EX with AGS 0 proportions or AGS000, and a .90+ pointer. I recently stumbled across the HCA metrics so threw under 2.0 into my criteria as well.
Just a little bit of background, I am extremely particular and looking for a .90+ pointer has been challenging as there isn't that much Ideal cut inventory in that size. When initially searching I was not even considering a near colorless stone because I didn't want to see any trace of color (my gf won't but I'm sure I would).
The ring will be 950 palladium with 10 x .07 ct. side stones in G-H, VS, VG cut. The stone will be in a double wire setting and set very low in the setting.
I've been able to find two stones that fall below my price target and I need your help in determining which stone may be the best performing (we obviously don't have them in front of us).
Okay now to the dilemma...
The first stone, an Expert Selection, I have put on reserve from WhiteFlash (WF) and is the current leading candidate. The light performance looks better than many AGS 000 stones I've seen in my price range (Ideal Scope and ASET photos) and symmetry is worthy of it's ideal classification. It has a 1.1 HCA rating but my biggest hang-up is that it is in the middle of the near colorless range (H). I feel that I am compromising on color (which was one of my inflexible parameters initially) but am warming up to the fact that when set in Palladium you should not really see the color.
http://www.whiteflash.com/loose-diamonds/round-cut-loose-diamond-2164509.htm The second stone sounds great on paper: .92 ct, E color, VS2 clarity, 1.8 HCA, GIA triple EX, AGS 0 proportions, and under budget. This was my ideal stone on paper when I started my search. After review of the Ideal Scope and ASET image I am seeing a difference of quality between this stone and the WF stone. To me, the light performance would be on the border of Ideal/Excellent, rather than Ideal on the WF stone. And the same with the symmetry, Ideal/Excellent rather than the WF undoubted Ideal. I also see a large (prospective) leakage spot in the center of the stone, in both the ASET and Ideal scope image by the table.
http://www.exceldiamonds.com/Loose_Round_Diamond-143/Loose_Round_0.92_Carat_E_Color_VS2_Clarity_diamond-590336.htmlI've got a side by side analysis document that I put together for easy reference but it wouldn't let me attach it.
I would appreciate everyones opinion on this as I am hoping to pull the trigger this week on a stone.
Thanks a lot!
Paul
by scjkennedy » February 21st, 2011, 6:24 pm
