help please choosing my diamond

[aussiegirl]

Hi everyone!

well the time is coming closer and we will be purchasing in the next couple of weeks. Just wondered if any of you have advice on the following:

I have come down to 2 choices, a 0.44 H&A F SI1 or a .502 Ideal I SI1

do you think it is better to go for the H&A (will it have more sparkle) or go for size? will you even notice the difference?

any advice appreciated

cheers
aussiegirl

 

[lmurden]

Have you seen the diamonds in person?
How much difference is the price?
Are you color sensitive?
What about spread?

 

[PhillipSchmidt]

A lot comes down to individual choice Aussiegirl, so there is no clear answer.

In my oppinion the trade off for size isn't worth it if you drop too far in the others of the 4c's. You personally, are not dropping much at all.

You ask about H&A. That is a pretty high standard of cut to be looking for. Ideal cut is also very high. However, I would need to know more to give you a firm oppinion. What certifications are you being offered?

On H&A. I don't think it determines sparkle as such. I have sold many stones without H&A which have ideal proportions and look just as amazing as H&A. The cut advisor on this site also is a good way to determine a diamonds performance, but in many cases the certifications don't have the neccessary dimensions to use this. H&A suggests perfect symetry, but 'ideal' suggests much more. Is the smaller stone actually certified as H&A and what is the cut grading? The ideal cut could even be a better cut stone.

What I am more concerned about is the colour. You have an 'f' and an 'i' This will make a noticeable difference. Are you setting it in a solitare? You will need to colour match your side stones. Any diamonds of better colour will look whiter alongside an 'i' colour stone.

.44 & .50 are noticeably different in size. However a better performing .44ct will out sparkle a .50ct. I see no reason why your .44ct will outperform the .50ct stone. H&A won't make that much difference, if any. You are talking about two extremly well cut stones from what I can make out.

These are my oppinion from what I see through my own eyes. Some people want H&A and I probably would too, but not because of sparkle. I like the perfection it represents. SI is good enough for a lot of people but as a setter I look at stones all day and I can see the inclusions. The price jumps up with better clarity and it is not worth paying more for less of something that you can not see. In the case of SI clarity, it is important to have a good certificate like GIA, HRD, STLA (in Australia) if your buying the stone sight unseen because a lot of SI stones are far from eye-clean. G for me is the cut off point in colour. It all depends on budget and what YOU are willing do drop.

Both your stones will be very nice. The extra 6pt's may mean more sparkle. The colour will bring the look down a little and in the end I'd say they are about the same, but only because I like whiter stones.

 

[aussiegirl]

Thank you very much for your advice. I have spoken to my vendor and they are going to take a pic of the two side by side - and give me their opinion also.

Thanks again

 

[aussiegirl]

Hi Platinumsmith

these are the specs on the two if you can give me your opinion:

Report: AGS
Shape: Round Ideal Cut
Carat: 0.502
Color: I
Clarity: SI1
Depth: 61.6
Table: 55
Crown Angle: 34.8
Crown %: 15.9
Pavilion Angle: 40.9
Pavilion %: 43.4
Girdle: Thin to Slightly Thick
Polish: Excellent
Symmetry: Excellent
Culet: Pointed
Fluorescence: Negligible
Measurements: 5.13-5.16X3.16

and

Report: AGS
Shape: A Cut Above H&A
Carat: 0.440
Color: F
Clarity: SI1
Depth: 61.8
Table: 54
Crown Angle: 34.8
Crown %: 15.7
Pavilion Angle: 40.9
Pavilion %: 43.1
Girdle: 1.0%-1.8% Faceted
Polish: Ideal
Symmetry: Ideal
Culet: Pointed
Fluorescence: Negligible
Measurements: 4.88-4.91X3.03


what do you think?

thanks in advance

 

[PhillipSchmidt]

Both score very well on the cut advisor here in fact the same!

If AGS grades them ideal, then thats what I would expect.

The issue of colour is the one you need to think about