Decent First Diamond?

[ChrisB703]

Hi Friends,

First and foremost, thank you for your time and expertise! I am shopping for an affordable first diamond and have the opportunity to purchase the GIA diamond below. What is a fair and reasonable price based upon the GIA report?

Any feedback would be much appreciated.

https://www.gia.edu/report-check?reportno=14816714

Cheers!

-Chris

 

[tyty333]

This stone is not cut well due to the depth. You really need to be looking at Excellent (GIA) or Ideal (AGS) cut stones (and not Very Good).

Not that this stone is cut all that great either but it is an Excellent at $7.3k...one of the least expensive I found on James Allen web site.
https://www.jamesallen.com/loose-di...f-color-vs2-clarity-excellent-cut-sku-3289252

How much do they want for the stone? What is your budget? We can see if we can find you an Excellent in your budget.

Edit...that is a very old report too (2007)...I would want a newer report.

 

[drk14]

What is a fair and reasonable price based upon the GIA report?

I'll play...

I'll take this diamond as a comp, but knock the price down to $7k due to the lower cut grade and symmetry of OP's diamond. If purchased privately (not from a dealer who can offer generous policies for return, trade-in, or upgrades), then I'll knock off an additional 30%, for an estimated "fair and reasonable price" of around $5k.

How did I do?

 

[ChrisB703]

TyTy & drk, thank you very much for your reply! Very insightful!

They want $4.5K for it and it will go in a halo setting. Does it make sense not to buy an amazing diamond if it will be "hidden" in a halo setting? Any advice you can provide would be much appreciated. My budget is around $5k total

 

[drk14]

Would you wear a halo, with nothing in the middle? Or with a piece of glass, or maybe some crumpled-up aluminum foil in the middle, instead of a center diamond? I'm guessing no... which tells you it does matter what is in the middle.

A halo does not hide, or compensate for, a poorly cut center diamond. However, a halo can complement, and increase the finger coverage of, a well-cut diamond.

 

[farrahlyn]

it absolutely does make a difference! What's the use of car with a beautiful exterior and it looks lovely at first glance but then you then peek in the windows to only find out the tint is bubbled, interior leather is tore up & ripped, no carpets, the dash is beat up and radio ripped out.... kinda defeats the purpose, doesn't it?

what are you paying for the setting? OVerall budget? I bet the experienced posters here could find you a stunning stone AND setting for a really fair price.

 

[flyingpig]

There are three reasons for the very good cut grade, in this case.
-very thin girdle (durability issue)
-thick girdle
-good symmetry
Considering the numbers are 55/35/41, it is entirely possible that the diamond is a decent performer.
The price is really cheap at $4.5k, below anything I can find from PS database.

Two things really bug me are very thin girdle and the date of issue, which is 2007. The stone may have been damaged in the last 11 years.

Although I will never buy or recommend anyone a stone like this at 4.5k, it is not an unreasonable choice as long as it looks good and the stone can be re-graded or inspected by a REPUTABLE appraiser, considering the 4.5k price tag.

Still, that is alot of IFs and ANDs. I believe a logical advice is to avoid this stone.

 

[Texas Leaguer]

As flyingpig advises, the stone needs to be verified as in original condition. It's been 10 years since the stone was analyzed at the lab indicating that it is most likely second hand and has been warn, probably a lot, in the last decade. The girdle characteristics (very thin, with naturals) make it more susceptible to damage. Your best assurance is to have the jeweler send it back to GIA for an update. Since it is not inscribed, the diamond needs to be verified against the cert. A qualified independent gemologist can perform that service.

If future liquidity is any consideration, be aware that the Excellent cut grade is becoming something of a baseline standard. It will be more difficult to sell or trade a stone in the future that is not GIA EX.

 

[ChrisB703]

Wow! Thank you, everyone. I am so very grateful for the well thought out responses. I really appreciate everyone's time.

It is a second-hand stone that someone is selling on the private market.

I would welcome and be very grateful to anyone that can point me in the right direction of a reputable site to purchase a stone and setting. I am not (nor my GF) stuck on name brands or fancy designers. So, affordable is key as I am on a budget!

Thank you, thank you, thank you, again!!

 

[farrahlyn]

there are a number of pricescope sponsors here: https://www.pricescope.com/featured-sponsors

what kind of halo does she want? there are a lot of different looks.

https://www.jamesallen.com/engagement-rings/halo/?OrderBy=Price asc

halo with no side stones on the band:
https://www.jamesallen.com/engageme...ellis-halo-diamond-engagement-ring-item-53050

with pave band
https://www.jamesallen.com/engageme...ellis-halo-diamond-engagement-ring-item-53049

cushion outline
https://www.jamesallen.com/engageme...shion-outline-pave-engagement-ring-item-49493

 

[flyingpig]

With a 5k budget for the stone only, it will be either 1.0c I VS/SI1 or 0.9 H/G/F VS/SI1.
1.0 F VS2 is not really possible as it can cost at least 6.5k. In some rare occasions, 1.0 G/H SI1 with strong fluo can be found.

Let us know of your 4C requirement

 

[ChrisB703]

Farrahlyn thanks for the James Allen reference...

I would be very grateful to anyone that can point me in the right direction of another reputable site to purchase a stone and setting. I am not (nor my GF) stuck on name brands or fancy designers. So, affordable is key as I am on a budget!

 

[farrahlyn]

Farrahlyn thanks for the James Allen reference...

I would be very grateful to anyone that can point me in the right direction of another reputable site to purchase a stone and setting. I am not (nor my GF) stuck on name brands or fancy designers. So, affordable is key as I am on a budget!

do you want some stone and setting recommendations? Blue Nile is great for a budget but i don't care a whole lot for their halo settings. Most are set with an airline gap which i don't like. If you want affordable, CALL Yekutiel at ID Jewelry. If you do a search within RockyTalky you'll see they do fantastic things with a small budget. You can post stones Yekutiel has selected to garner opinions/thoughts here and they offer some really lovely Gabriel & Co settings at very reasonable prices.

https://idjewelry.com/halo-diamond-engagement-rings.html

https://idjewelry.com/idjewelry-contact-us

 

[ChrisB703]

What are your thoughts on these 2 diamonds?

https://www.jamesallen.com/loose-di...g-color-si1-clarity-excellent-cut-sku-3308582

https://www.jamesallen.com/loose-di...g-color-si1-clarity-excellent-cut-sku-3031161

Happy Eclipse Day!

 

[ac117]

Of these 2, I prefer the first stone but it has a big black crystal right under the table - is it confirmed eye clean?

 

[mrs-b]

Ok, I'll go against the grain here.

Firstly, yes, get it re-certed - make sure it is what they're telling you it is.

Then set it in a halo to protect the girdle.

Then I think you have a pleasant stone, white, clean, nice size - for not much money. I'd negotiate to have the seller re-cert the stone, but other than that, set carefully to protect the diamond - sure, I'd give it a whirl. To give you a comparison - To have it re-cut would cost you around $500 - and would give you excellent/ideal stats. Assume you'd lose around 10%, dropping it down to roughly 1.1ct. You'd then have an F VS1 1.1ct stone for $5000. No way you'd get that anywhere else for that price. So on that basis alone, I think it's a very good deal. I would get it re-cut, tho, by someone high end, like Brian Gavin Diamonds or Good Old Gold.