1.55ct VS1 H Ideal at mall store, need advise

[newgroom]

I've been looking around locally and nothing had really caught my eye. My budget is around $10k. After reading many diamond education links and perusing through here, WF, and BN I started looking around at local jewelers to see what variances in clarity and colour actually looked like in person. My experiences weren't great as most of the diamonds I saw were poorly cut(good or worse) and didn't have the bling that you want from a diamond. I will be proposing to my GF next weekend(not this weekend, the one after) and I've come across only 2 diamonds that have caught my eye.

The first is a 1.09 VS1 F Ideal for $10,000. This ring is absolutely stunning but I don't feel that such a small ring is worth $10,000 to me.

The second is a 1.55 VS1 H Ideal which was listed for 13.5, the jeweler came down to $11,000 cash with a platinum band all in. I feel there may be some wiggle room in there to drop it into the 10k range. Now my only issue with this second ring is that its EGL graded and not GIA, on top of that the certificate doesn't grade the cut. The jeweler is saying that it is an Ideal cut because you can see the hearts and arrows, which she did show me. This stone looks very nice but it doesn't have the fire of the 1.09 F.

That's understandable though I'm sure in actuality the 1.55 is really a VS1 H-I Very Good being an EGL and all. The band i'm going for is a classic solitaire 4 prong that is tapered at the top. The polish and symmetry were graded as very good. i believe the dimensions were 7.31x7.32x4.35.

What are your thoughts on this?

 

[crbl999]

You have a very nice budget, but IMO you are rushing this purchase and are more susceptible to purchasing a lesser quality stone. I would stick to GIA/AGS Excellent/Ideal. The EGL stone is most likely graded loosely and you can not determine a fair value for the stone.

ETA: Just because it is EGL does not mean it is 2 grades lower. I have read threads in which the EGL stone has been 5+ grades lower.

 

[diamondseeker2006]

I agree. You cannot negotiate a fair price on the EGL stone without sending it to an independent appraiser or GIA, and you simply don't have time to do that. It is likely J color or lower and who knows about the cut?! If you want a high quality stone and know what you are getting, you can get one online FAR easier than searching locally where true ideal cut stones are more rare.

I'd recommend looking on Good Old Gold's site and WhiteFlash. Look only at their in-house stones. (That is all you'll see listings for on GOG, and for WF, it would be ACA, Expert Selection, and Premium Select..all will have yellow stars after them.)

 

[slg47]

yeah, stick with GIA or AGS graded stones. Do you have the #s of the 1.09 F?

 

[diamondseeker2006]

I'm going to post a few examples for you, but unfortunately you will see that diamond prices are high now.

http://www.goodoldgold.com/diamond/8320/

http://www.goodoldgold.com/diamond/8426/

http://www.whiteflash.com/loose-diamonds/round-cut-loose-diamond-2676062.htm

http://www.whiteflash.com/loose-diamonds/round-cut-loose-diamond-2645118.htm

http://www.whiteflash.com/loose-diamonds/round-cut-loose-diamond-2649046.htm

(note their is a small additional discount at WF if you tell them you are a PriceScope member and pay by wire)

It would be worth seeing the report on the F stone. It could be a good buy if it is a true ideal cut.

 

[OCgirl]

The dimention 7.31x7.32x4.35 doesn't sound too good for a 1.55 cct stone
Shouldn't it be closer to 7.4 - 7.45?

 

[newgroom]

This is good advise coming, I appreciate it. The problem for buying a diamond off of GOG or whiteflash is that i'm in Canada. I have to pay taxes etc on top when i bring it in at 12% so a $10,000 diamond is 11,200+700 for a band so i'm up to $12,000 and that hasn't even factored in the exhange. Before taxes the ring/diamond come to $9375. So if i'm buying online i need something below 9375 WITH band. Also if I can see the H&A doesn't that mean it's atleast a very good cut? The arrows and hearts all seemed to be in equal proportions.

 

[diamondseeker2006]

This is good advise coming, I appreciate it. The problem for buying a diamond off of GOG or whiteflash is that i'm in Canada. I have to pay taxes etc on top when i bring it in at 12% so a $10,000 diamond is 11,200+700 for a band so i'm up to $12,000 and that hasn't even factored in the exhange. Before taxes the ring/diamond come to $9375. So if i'm buying online i need something below 9375 WITH band. Also if I can see the H&A doesn't that mean it's atleast a very good cut? The arrows and hearts all seemed to be in equal proportions.

Are you saying he turned the stone upside down and showed you the hearts with a scope? But it has to be too deep or something to face up at 7.3 mm. You want 7.4mm+ for a 1.55 ct stone. You would be paying for weight you could not see.

I'd check out the specs on the 1 ct. F color stone.

 

[crbl999]

This is good advise coming, I appreciate it. The problem for buying a diamond off of GOG or whiteflash is that i'm in Canada. I have to pay taxes etc on top when i bring it in at 12% so a $10,000 diamond is 11,200+700 for a band so i'm up to $12,000 and that hasn't even factored in the exhange. Before taxes the ring/diamond come to $9375. So if i'm buying online i need something below 9375 WITH band. Also if I can see the H&A doesn't that mean it's atleast a very good cut? The arrows and hearts all seemed to be in equal proportions.

H&A has to do with optical symmetry and refers to a high level of cut precision. It is NOT a representation of how well the stone is cut nor does it give you any information to say it meets a minimum cut grade.

 

[canuk-gal]

HI:

You can buy AGS (OOO) and GIA (XXX) graded stones in Canada--just ask for them or for them to be brought in. Also there are places that sell branded cuts--heart on fire--for example should you want "branded.

Please ask!

cheers--Sharon

 

[newgroom]

It's egl USA not regular egl and the dimensions are 7.32x7.33x4.6 the certificate# is It's certified by EGL(European Gemological Laboratory), cert number is 92902104D.

 

[newgroom]

After visiting another handful of stores and seeing nothing but junk on hand I was about to order from
James Allen a 1.3 si1 I cut above diamond for 8800. A friend recommended a jeweler her family uses and for 10k he's bringing in a Gia 1.37 si1 I excellent cut with band and taxes so $8928 before taxes. That's better than I can do online so hopefully it turns out nice i'll post
Back when I get the certificate number on Monday.

 

[canuk-gal]

After visiting another handful of stores and seeing nothing but junk on hand I was about to order from
James Allen a 1.3 si1 I cut above diamond for 8800. A friend recommended a jeweler her family uses and for 10k he's bringing in a Gia 1.37 si1 I excellent cut with band and taxes so $8928 before taxes. That's better than I can do online so hopefully it turns out nice i'll post
Back when I get the certificate number on Monday.

HI:

Let us know what you think when you see the stone IRL--and post the GIA cert number here. Thanks!

cheers--Sharon

 

[newgroom]

6137581204 1.3ct H Si1 triple excellent he said.

 

[swingirl]

6137581204 1.3ct H Si1 triple excellent he said.

This stone gets a 1.6 on the Holloway Cut Adviser. (which is an elimination tool. You want a 2.0 or less) So from that standpoint this is a decent stone and should perform very well.

 

[newgroom]

Saw the stone a couple hours ago. Looks magnificent. Even shines in the shade. The ring is about cast and everything will be done Thursday just in time before my flight. Befire taxes it amounts to 8928 so conservatively allocating $500 for the 19k tapered setting the diamond is costing me $8500 which is about what I'd pay for a wire price at James Allen or white flash except this one is H colour vs I colour at those vendors not that there's a world of difference.