2 Diamonds Help!

[Richard Price]

Hi all,

I am hoping someone can help me make a decision!

I am sure a lot of people are looking for the perfect engagement ring and it can go on and on.

I have finally found the one I want to buy in a hailo design. I am stuck on which diamond to go into the middle. I have seen both in the flesh and they both look incredible.

My dilemma goes:

0.45 carat, VS2, F Colour, Hearts and Arrows Cut

OR

0.5 carat, SI2, G Colour, Hearts and Arrows Cut

The bigger diamond is only slightly bigger but jumps up in price by £230. However the company is telling me that the smaller one is a rarer stone and when you hit half a carat they automatically add a premium in the market place for diamonds.

Is it worth the jump for a slightly lower quality of diamond but slightly bigger in size by about 0.2mm?

Both are eye clean! You are unable to see any inclusions.

Thank you

 

[whitewave]

I really would like some more information. With what you have given us, I would go with the .45 F but there is really no way to say how the diamond would perform (which should be good given it is hearts and arrows so I will take it at face value).

I hope that helps.

 

[Richard Price]

I really would like some more information. With what you have given us, I would go with the .45 F but there is really no way to say how the diamond would perform (which should be good given it is hearts and arrows so I will take it at face value).

I hope that helps.

Thank you for the reply! The jeweller has shown me a holloway report and they are both coming out 1.0. Which they are telling means they both perform exceptionally well.

Here is a picture of the ring from there website.

The ring is from Samara James: https://www.samarajames.com/engagement-ring-halo-scalloped-round-shoulder-set.html

Looking at them both physically, they are both stunning, both eye clean and I (untrained eye) am unable to tell the difference. Hence why I am trying to gain some more knowledge as to whether it is better to go fro a bigger carat weight and the bigger carat weighed diamond is slightly bigger to the eye when side by side. However I do not want to make a mistake if the colour grade and clarity is going to make amigo difference as they are telling me its all about the cut moreover the anything else.

 

[whitewave]

I'd like to know if the depth% of the .50 is greater than the .45

What are the mms of each stone, do you know?

Sometimes cutters keep some weight on to make that 1/2 carat mark, etc.

 

[Richard Price]

I am not sure of the mm's of each stone other then the .50 is 2mm wider.

Are you saying that the weight might be in the diameter rather then the depth?

So effectively, you could have both diamonds have same diameter at the top if the weight is at the bottom?

 

[whitewave]

The .45 could be as round at the top (eye view) as the .50, or close enough that they appear essentially the same size is how I would explain it.

For .2mm larger size, I wouldn't pay the extra money. The .45 has good spread.

Do you think your intended would prefer the idea of the size of the .50 over .45?

 

[ringo865]

Do either of the stones have grading reports?

 

[bmfang]

What @ringo865 said!

 

[Richard Price]

Do either of the stones have grading reports?

The 0.45ct is 4.95mm in diameter and the 0.50ct is 5.14mm in diameter.

The grading reports are triple excellent with both being hearts and arrows cut.

 

[OoohShiny]

IIRC Samara James are one of the few UK retailers that actually emphasise decent cut - I think they have some videos on Youtube on the subject.

If they're using the HCA tool, that is interesting!

*goes off to check their site out*


Oooh, this is indeed interesting - check out the video section:
https://www.samarajames.com/videos

and also the 'Diamonds' section of their FAQs page:
https://www.samarajames.com/faq.html#diamond/

Is it important to buy a certified diamond?

If you are buying a diamond above 0.25 carat in size, it is important to buy a certified diamond. The certificate is your guarantee that the diamond has been independently tested to ensure that it has not been artificially enhanced in any way and that it has been professionally graded to assess the carat weight, colour and clarity. However, not all diamond grading labs adhere to the same strict standards. This is why at Samara James we only buy GIA certified diamonds to ensure we offer diamonds conforming to the most rigorous standards.


Can I see the certificate before I buy?

Yes, we can send you a scanned copy of the diamond certificate by email prior to purchase. You can also arrange an appointment to visit us where we can show you the diamond at our showroom in Shepperton. We can then show you the full details of the diamond using our video microscope and our various tools to assess light performance.


Can I specify the details that I would like on the GIA lab report e.g. crown angle or depth percentage?

Yes, please contact us prior to your purchase and we will confirm the availability of the specific diamond you are looking for.


I want a perfect 'ideal cut' diamond. Can you offer this specification?

We specialise in perfectly cut diamonds so the answer is a definite yes. In fact, we have a range of tools including Idealscope and ASET to assess and demonstrate the light performance of our diamonds. We also use the cut grading software developed and used by AGS in their labs to assesses every aspect of light performance. We can also supply a Sarin report for any of our diamonds. Finally we have a video microscope which allows us to both video and photograph any of our diamonds at up to 300 times magnification so you can really see the details of any inclusions in the diamond before you purchase.


Do you have diamonds in between the carat weight choices on your website?

Yes, in fact we hold in stock a number of diamonds just below the main carat options as these can offer excellent value for money giving a diamond which is very close in appearance to the larger size but for significantly lower cost. If you would like us to quote for a specific size of diamond please contact us to discuss in more detail. If you do order a particular carat weight through our website we guarantee that the diamond you will receive will be at least this carat weight.

It sounds like they are using a PS-approved approach

 

[OoohShiny]

Do either of the stones have grading reports?

The 0.45ct is 4.95mm in diameter and the 0.50ct is 5.14mm in diameter.

The grading reports are triple excellent with both being hearts and arrows cut.

Please post the GIA report numbers as then we can see if they have plots of the inclusions, which will help in determining if the larger stone is or isn't an eye-clean SI grade.

 

[Richard Price]

Please post the GIA report numbers as then we can see if they have plots of the inclusions, which will help in determining if the larger stone is or isn't an eye-clean SI grade.

Here are some pictures and video links to youtube of the 0.5 diamond just sat in the setting without actually being set. I am just getting the GIA numbers now and will post shortly.

Video Link:

 

[OoohShiny]

Cool, will be great if the reports have the inclusions plotted (fingers crossed).

Stone looks decent in the pictures/video, but make sure to check both stones out in as many lights as you can - such as flat/diffuse office-style lights, cloudy/overcast daylight, sun, and not just the twinkly shop lights that are designed to make stones look good! Perhaps they would be willing to walk outside with them holding the stone?

 

[ratatat]

If you have seen both with your eyes, you should choose the one that looks best to you. However I'd like to know what the grade making inclusions are on the SI2 to ensure there aren't any concerns there. All else being equal I would probably go with the 0.45ct as well. SI2 bugs me

 

[bmfang]

Likely that these will just have diamond dossiers being under 1ct in size. So no plot but at least we should be able to find out the grade setting inclusion.

 

[Richard Price]

Please post the GIA report numbers as then we can see if they have plots of the inclusions, which will help in determining if the larger stone is or isn't an eye-clean SI grade.

GIA Report Number: 2278104885

 

[Richard Price]

If you have seen both with your eyes, you should choose the one that looks best to you. However, I'd like to know what the grade making inclusions are on the SI2 to ensure there aren't any concerns there. All else being equal I would probably go with the 0.45ct as well. SI2 bugs me

Personally, with just faint office lighting and the LEd light bar above switched off it was still so sparkly. I even took it into natural light and it was the same. Both diamonds looked equally as good as each other however the 0.5 just sat slightly better in the setting. You would not notice the difference between the two.