shape
carat
color
clarity

Help Please - need decision on these 3 rounds

shinebrightlikea

Rough_Rock
Joined
Apr 22, 2017
Messages
17
Hello everyone,

After a good amount of deliberation, I finally pulled the trigger on a stone from WhiteFlash:
https://www.whiteflash.com/loose-diamonds/round-cut-loose-diamond-3797676.htm
It is a 1.788 F VS1 (AGS cert), with ideal proportions, fairly good IS and ASET images, and a HCA of 1.1. The cost was just over $25k.
I was so excited to see it in person, but was honestly pretty disappointed. I definitely don't have a very trained eye, but under 10x magnification, was able to spot the 3 crystals on the table very quickly - under 2 seconds. Is that appropriate? I thought a VS1 should be harder to spot the inclusion?

Anyway, I brought the stone into a jeweler I've been working with a bit, who showed me a GIA 1.80 F SI1, and side by side, my stone looked A TINY BIT darker (not really more yellow, but maybe a bit more grey). He did say that this is possible, but that it was correctly graded an F color. In terms of the inclusions, I could find his SI1 inclusions in about the same time I found on my stone. He then brought out another stone for comparison: 1.9 D SI1 (GIA cert) (HCA 1.9), which as you can see in the attachment has a lot of inclusions, but definitely had a much more "wow" factor due to larger size and much cleaner color. Of course, he tried to sell me the stone, with a price of $22.5k plus tax which comes out to just under $24k.

To complicate things further, another jeweler I've been working with (who I trust a bit more), found a comparable 1.8 F VS1 (GIA cert) (HCA 1.1), which is he offering me at 20.5K plus tax = $21,750. I haven't seen this stone in person yet, but plan to do so in 2 days, and was hoping from some advice from you all. Please give me some insight on my situation: am I over-reacting to the WF stone? Are either of the stones from my 2 jewelers worth making a change? Thank you all!

Quick recap: 1.788/F/VS1/HCA1.1/$25k from WF versus 1.9/D/SI1/HCA1.9/$24k versus 1.8/F/VS1/HCA1.1/$22k

IMG_8760.jpg Screen Shot 2017-04-30 at 12.15.47 PM.png
 

Tophat1

Brilliant_Rock
Premium
Joined
Feb 5, 2017
Messages
529
Depends what your priorities are - if you want the best cut, the WF stone has that. The specs on the two GIA stones you posted are out of the super ideal range (and I believe even out of AGS ideal range)

If you prefer higher color or better clarity (mindcleanliness) the other stones may work better for you.

I suggest you look at your WF stone vs the others in diffuse light to show you what the difference in cut can do. That may help you make the decision.
 

MissGotRocks

Super_Ideal_Rock
Premium
Joined
Jun 23, 2005
Messages
16,270
Stones are graded at 10x magnification so seeing the inclusions at that power is probably not so surprising. However, we don't see at 10x so the issue is whether or not you can see them in normal viewing circumstance. GIA rounds their numbers and those stones have not had the benefit of light analysis that the Whiteflash stone has had both through AGS and WF so you are really not comparing apples to apples. However, having said all of that, buy the stone that most speaks to your eye. I honestly don't think there would be a huge wow factor in size between a 1.78 and a 1.90 but if it looks larger and brighter and more appealing to you, the SI1 inclusions are not problematic either, then go for it.
 

flyingpig

Ideal_Rock
Premium
Joined
Nov 7, 2015
Messages
2,975
I think there is no correct answer here. You did research, bought a WF ACA, was disappointed and did couple side-by-side comparisons. The other stones you mentioned are not super ideal cut quality, but still HCA less than 2.0 and potentially AGS ideal proportions. You should go with whatever pleases you the most according to your budget.

A side note.
http://www.b2cjewels.com/dd/9215312...m_medium=referral&utm_campaign=pricescope.com

You can save a few thousands (+ no tax, depends on where you live) going with B2C or USA Cert. It is the same D SI1 1.9:twisted::twisted:
 
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shinebrightlikea

Rough_Rock
Joined
Apr 22, 2017
Messages
17
I think there is no correct answer here. You did research, bought a WF ACA, was disappointed and did couple side-by-side comparisons. The other stones you mentioned are not super ideal cut quality, but still HCA less than 2.0 and potentially AGS ideal proportions. You should go with whatever pleases you the most according to your budget.

A side note.
http://www.b2cjewels.com/dd/9215312...m_medium=referral&utm_campaign=pricescope.com

You can save a few thousands (+ no tax, depends on where you live) going with B2C or USA Cert. It is the same D SI1 1.9:twisted::twisted:

Wait... how is it possible that the same diamond is for sale online when I just saw it in person yesterday?....
 

shinebrightlikea

Rough_Rock
Joined
Apr 22, 2017
Messages
17
Both jewelers have told me that GIA is more strict on grading color and clarity, and GIA stones have generally better resale values (that part isn't too important).. thoughts on that? Are they just trying to get my business?
 

AprilBaby

Super_Ideal_Rock
Premium
Joined
Jul 17, 2008
Messages
13,234
They want your business. That ACA is killer.
 

gm89uk

Brilliant_Rock
Premium
Joined
May 26, 2015
Messages
1,491
Just a few points:
-It may be you prefer the stones due to size. I'd just advise to compare the stones in all lighting environments, not just the jewellery store lighting.
-Seeing the crystals at x10 is personally not an issue for me, they are not visible to the naked eye. If it was not a VS1, and the crystals were under the table, it is quite possible you'd see them with a naked eye.
-The difference between F and D is something you may have noticed side by side, but individually I don't think you'd be 'wowed' by the colour.
-Was your diamond cleaned perfectly before the comparisons?
-Is this your forever stone? Do the jewellers you intend to work with have a good upgrade policy? Sure the 1.7 is expensive now relatively, but in the future if you ever wanted a 2ct+, which would be the best upgrade policy?
-There is no evidence that AGS or GIA are superior to the other, other than the obvious AGS objective analysis of cut.
 

flyingpig

Ideal_Rock
Premium
Joined
Nov 7, 2015
Messages
2,975
Wait... how is it possible that the same diamond is for sale online when I just saw it in person yesterday?....
The stone is probably from supplier's virtual inventory, which many vendors including B2C and your jeweller have access to. Your vendor happened to have it shipped to show it to you or have it on hand. The stone has not been sold to anyone. Noone put it on hold. That is why it is for sale online.
If anyone orders it from B2C, your vender will probably ship it back to the supplier or to B2C.

Most jewellers don't own any diamond.
 
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shinebrightlikea

Rough_Rock
Joined
Apr 22, 2017
Messages
17
You have all made some great points, and making me feel better about the WF purchase. I really wasn't expecting to feel any disappointment at all when I finally decided to get it. Truthfully, I like the two jewelers who have worked with me, but them being "local" doesn't make any difference at all since I'm moving in a few months.. so perhaps working with a company like WF for any future upgrading may be the smarter option anyway.
It also seems you guys don't think too much of the other two stones.. especially given their lack of light analysis. Their prices (especially the one listed on B2C) are really much more competitive and I guess really shows how much markup the same stone can have.
 

LLJsmom

Super_Ideal_Rock
Premium
Joined
Oct 24, 2012
Messages
12,633
I think it's great you're comparing IRL. I would trust your eyes. But I would also due diligence if you are going to buy based on looking. Like another poster said, make sure both stones are clean and take it all over the place in the room, outside of jewelry store lighting, in sunlight, under a desk, in a dark corner. Also, recognize that you may like the D more because it is a D!! Next to each other I can usually tell the difference between an F and a D. So.... If you ordered a D from WF, you might like it a lot more than the F too!!

I can tell you that I would not by the D from the jeweler yet. i would actually order a D from WF and see if you like that as much as the jeweler's D, and order one without all those inclusions too. Then you can do an apples to apples comparison and see if you actually want to go higher in color. Actually I would say if you don't care about all the inclusions and just like it best of all three, then get what your eyes like.
 
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