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 Please help me decide!

P:  10/12/2006 6:48:48 PM  
knuman
knuman

Rough Rock
Total Posts: 41
Last Post: 12/2/2006
Member Since: 10/8/2006
 
Hi all

I've been desperately searching for a diamond for an engagement ring for a few months now and there is a diamond from an online seller that I've had my eye on for quite some time. I'm relatively new to all of this but from what have researched thus far it looks like a pretty darn good diamond!

It is a round 1.01 carat, D colour, VVS2 diamond with the following specs:

Lab: GIA
Dimensions: 6.48 - 6.53 x 3.94
Depth: 60.6%
Table: 56%
Girdle: Thin-Med
Cutlet: None
Fluorescence: Med
Symmetry: Excellent
Polish: Excellent

The price is US$10315 (already discounted about $150 through my whining). However, since I am from Australia, with all the taxes, insurance, shipping etc it comes out to US$11486, which is still probably a good deal, but significantly higher.

I've looked around local wholesalers as well, and there was a place that sold a 1.01 carat, E colour, VVS2 diamond with very good polish and symmetry (DCLA certified) for about US$10781. My personal preference is a D color with excellent polish and symmetry (although I can't even tell the difference between D and G!), but this was all they had in stock and there was no guarantee of anything fitting my description coming through.

I'm not in a huge rush but I have the online diamond on hold and I'm not sure how much longer they can hold it.

Should I just go for the first diamond? Is it worth trying to get the price down even more or am I pushing my luck considering they already reduced it a bit? Or should I wait a couple of months for another local diamond (not knowing if it will ever come)?

Any thoughts or ideas will be greatly appreciated!

Thanks

Posted:  10/12/2006 6:48:48 PM

 There are 12 replies to this message.  There are 12 replies on this page.

P: 10/12/2006 7:14:47 PM
Ellen
Ellen

Ideal Rock
Total Posts: 22,894
Last Post: 11/6/2009
Member Since: 1/13/2006
 
Hi!

Question. If you can't tell the difference between a D and G, why not hold out for a well cut G? It will save you tons, and so would dropping the clarity a bit. VS2 will show nothing to the eye....

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

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-Murray N. Rothbard, in The Anatomy of the State



John Swinton [1829-1901] Chief Editorial Writer of the New York Times (Considered "the Dean of his Profession" by his peers), when asked to toast an 'Independent Press' in a gathering at the National Press Club, circa 1880

"There is no such thing in America as an independent press unless it is in the country towns. You know it, and I know it. There is not one of you who dare express an honest opinion. If you express it you know beforehand that it would never appear in print. I am paid... for keeping my honest opinions out of the paper I am connected with. Others of you are paid similar salaries for doing similar things....

The business of the New York journalist is to distort the truth, to lie outright, to pervert, to vilify, to fawn at the feet of Mammon, and sell his country and race for his daily bread, or for what is about the same thing, his salary. You know this, and I know it and what foolery to be toasting an 'independent press.' We are tools, and the vassals of rich men behind the scenes. We are jumping-jacks. They pull the strings and we dance. Our time, our talents, our lives, our possibilities, all are the property of other men. We are intellectual prostitutes."

Posted:  10/12/2006 7:14:47 PM
P: 10/12/2006 7:49:35 PM
knuman
knuman

Rough Rock
Total Posts: 41
Last Post: 12/2/2006
Member Since: 10/8/2006
 
Sorry, I should have said "my girlfriend's preference"! I know she has always wanted a top colour and top clarity diamond, even if no one else can tell the difference. This is why I'm really only considering D/E colour and VVS1 or VVS2.

Posted:  10/12/2006 7:49:35 PM
P: 10/12/2006 8:03:24 PM
diamondseeker2006
diamondseeker2006

Ideal Rock
Total Posts: 17,609
Last Post: 11/18/2009
Member Since: 1/11/2006
 
Well, somebody needs to buy those high color/high clarity diamonds, so it may as well be you!

However, you need to find out the crown angle and pavilion angle of the stone you posted for people here to be able to estimate whether it is worth buying. Are you shopping online with US vendors?




~~~ When in doubt...don't.~~~

Posted:  10/12/2006 8:03:24 PM
P: 10/13/2006 2:34:49 PM
codex57
codex57

Ideal Rock
Total Posts: 1,492
Last Post: 1/21/2008
Member Since: 12/18/2004
 
When I bought my ring, I wish I didn't have to rush. Is the VVS2 something you want (being in the VVS range vs. the VS range)? I'd drop down in clarity for sure. Possibly in color. Bump up the carat size some for the same price. My wife wanted similar specs. After thinking about it tho, clarity is definitely the easiest thing to sacrifice because even with a loupe, it's hard to see those inclusions. I bought her a D color, VVS2 stone. I'd definitely drop down to a VS1 before I'd drop down to a E color. The reason being is that, with the naked eye and a stone to compare against, color is easier to see than a difference in clarity. Also, psychologically, D is the highest. VVS1 is not. So, dropping down from D is getting away from the best where as going down from the VVS level is more like going down from something that's not the best. Since it's not the best, it's not as big a step.

Posted:  10/13/2006 2:34:49 PM
P: 10/15/2006 8:08:23 AM
knuman
knuman

Rough Rock
Total Posts: 41
Last Post: 12/2/2006
Member Since: 10/8/2006
 
Hello - thanks for the advice.

I am shopping with online US vendors because I find they have the largest range of quality diamonds online.

I'm definitely looking for a VVS as opposed to a VS diamond - somehow I just know that is what she would want...

The reason I hesitate in getting a diamond that is much bigger than 1 carat is because I've heard several people mention that it might look too big for my girlfriend's hand and may not be "practical". I'm not sure if there is really such a thing as "too big" a diamond, but I guess if the trade off for a bigger diamond is lower grade colour or clarity, I think she would always prefer the smaller diamond that has better qualities than a larger diamond even if the larger diamond's qualities are still very good. Hope I am making sense.

Posted:  10/15/2006 8:08:23 AM
P: 10/15/2006 8:25:45 AM
diamondseeker2006
diamondseeker2006

Ideal Rock
Total Posts: 17,609
Last Post: 11/18/2009
Member Since: 1/11/2006
 
I'd probably go with this one myself because there is so much info on the stone:

http://www.whiteflash.com/round_ideal_cut/round-ideal-cut-cut-diamond-61139.htm#  1.03 D VVS2 $10,951 (with pricescope and wire discounts)




~~~ When in doubt...don't.~~~

Posted:  10/15/2006 8:25:45 AM
P: 10/16/2006 7:56:18 PM
knuman
knuman

Rough Rock
Total Posts: 41
Last Post: 12/2/2006
Member Since: 10/8/2006
 
Thanks for the advice - the diamond from White Flash does look very good, but when taxes and other expenses are added on it's a little out of my price range!  I'm trying to set limits for myself because I've already had to readjust my budget three times already!

Just to clarify, in respect of the 1.01 carat I mentioned in the original post, the crown angle is 34.4 degrees, crown depth is 15.1%, pavilion angle is 40.1 degrees and pavilion depth is 41.7%.

The price is as low as it will go, so I'm not really sure whether I should take it.

There is another diamond which I have looked at with the following stats:

Carat: 1.04
Colour: E
Clarity: VVS2
Lab: GIA
Measurements: 6.54 x 6.51 x 4.04
Depth: 61.9%
Table: 54%
Polish: Excellent
Symmetry: Excellent
Cut: Excellent
Fluorescence: None
Girdle: Thin-Med
Culet: None
Crown: 35 degrees, 15.5%
Pavilion: 40.8 degrees, 43%

The price of this one is cheaper at $10796 (inclusive of taxes and transport) compared to $11486 for the 1.01 carat, D coloured one.  Is this a better buy?

Any thoughts?

Posted:  10/16/2006 7:56:18 PM
P: 10/16/2006 8:39:23 PM
kcoursolle
kcoursolle

Ideal Rock
Total Posts: 10,344
Last Post: 10/14/2009
Member Since: 1/21/2006
 
Date: 10/16/2006 7:56:18 PM
Author: knuman
Thanks for the advice - the diamond from White Flash does look very good, but when taxes and other expenses are added on it's a little out of my price range! I'm trying to set limits for myself because I've already had to readjust my budget three times already!

Just to clarify, in respect of the 1.01 carat I mentioned in the original post, the crown angle is 34.4 degrees, crown depth is 15.1%, pavilion angle is 40.1 degrees and pavilion depth is 41.7%.

The price is as low as it will go, so I'm not really sure whether I should take it.

There is another diamond which I have looked at with the following stats:

Carat: 1.04
Colour: E
Clarity: VVS2
Lab: GIA
Measurements: 6.54 x 6.51 x 4.04
Depth: 61.9%
Table: 54%
Polish: Excellent
Symmetry: Excellent
Cut: Excellent
Fluorescence: None
Girdle: Thin-Med
Culet: None
Crown: 35 degrees, 15.5%
Pavilion: 40.8 degrees, 43%

The price of this one is cheaper at $10796 (inclusive of taxes and transport) compared to $11486 for the 1.01 carat, D coloured one. Is this a better buy?

Any thoughts?

The $11486 is the price before pricescope and bank wire discounts, the price with these discounts is $10,951, is it still out of your price range?  By the way, you have to ask for the pricescope discount if you buy from WF. 

Posted:  10/16/2006 8:39:23 PM
P: 10/16/2006 9:32:06 PM
knuman
knuman

Rough Rock
Total Posts: 41
Last Post: 12/2/2006
Member Since: 10/8/2006
 
No, the WF price of $10,951 will not be the price I will actually be getting because I am from Australia, which means I have to pay about an extra $1100-$1200 or so for import taxes, shipping/insurance, etc.  So even with the Price Scope and Bank Wire discounts, I'm really looking at a price of around $12,050-$12,150.

The $11486 price and the $10796 price I quoted above already include this amount AND have factored into the Price Scope and Bank Wire discounts (and additional discounts the vendors were willing to give me).

Posted:  10/16/2006 9:32:06 PM
P: 10/16/2006 9:37:26 PM
JulieN
JulieN

Ideal Rock
Total Posts: 7,145
Last Post: 11/22/2009
Member Since: 7/25/2005
 
the E...

Posted:  10/16/2006 9:37:26 PM
P: 10/16/2006 9:41:16 PM
Gypsy
Gypsy

Ideal Rock
Total Posts: 14,306
Last Post: 11/20/2009
Member Since: 8/9/2005
 
Okay... so top color.. F is still colorless. And Top Clarity. Well... VS1 is REALLY close. That's the combo I have (although I would now go for a larger stone in H-I range and drop clarity to vs2) and it's really lovely. Can you take her someplace to get educated on this stuff and then see if she still wants D vvs?

Posted:  10/16/2006 9:41:16 PM
P: 10/16/2006 9:45:28 PM
Clarygrace
Clarygrace

Cut Rock
Total Posts: 158
Last Post: 1/26/2007
Member Since: 8/29/2006
 
If your GF is partial to high quality clarity and color, stick with VVS and D if you can afford it. Personally, I agree, I'd rather sacrifice size than color and clarity (I'm partial to D graded diamonds)  You are already in the 1 carat range and that's pretty good size. 

Good Luck!

Clarygrace

Posted:  10/16/2006 9:45:28 PM

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