3.2ct I SI1 AGS000 HCA2.4 $37,000 - is this a GOOD VALUE?

[eventhorizon]

Hi all!

First and foremost, THANK YOU to PS and all the contributors who make this site so helpful! Secondly, I'd like your opinions on something .

I have an opportunity to buy a diamond with the following stats:

• ~3.2ct I SI1 AGS000
• 9.54mm x 9.52mm x 5.91mm
• HCA 2.4

The seller is a PS vendor with a lot of positive feedback. After some polite negotiation, the offer price is $37,000.

So my questions to all you experts are:

• Do you think this diamond is a good value at $37k?
• The HCA score is slightly above 2.0. The i-scope and ASET images are below. Should I wait for a stone with better light return?
• The table is a bit small at 55.1%. Will this make the stone look smaller than its spread? (In other words, would a stone with the same spread but larger table look bigger?)

Many thanks for your informed opinions!

 

[Dancing Fire]

Re: 3.2ct I SI1 AGS000 HCA2.4 $37,000 - is this a GOOD VALUE

don't know about the value but i love the proportions...

 

[stci]

Re: 3.2ct I SI1 AGS000 HCA2.4 $37,000 - is this a GOOD VALUE

Too expensive IMO but It's just my 2 cents!

 

[ariel144]

Re: 3.2ct I SI1 AGS000 HCA2.4 $37,000 - is this a GOOD VALUE

I believe smaller tables with higher crowns make more beautiful diamonds. (Note the depth and table of the BG signature diamond below which is similar to yours.) the spread on your stone is 9.5 which is produced by the depth. The shallower the depth of the stone the larger the diameter. Thus it is preferable to find a stone with 59 or 60% depth to get a stone that faces up larger for it's carat size and still be in the ideal/ex range for cut in a MRB.

I'm not a RB expert but it looks very nice to me. After seeing these to compare, I would say the price is fair and a good value, but the RB experts can best tell you if it is a good deal.

http://www.briangavindiamonds.com/diamonds/diamond_details/AGS-104061592002

http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/H-SI2-Excellent-Cut-Round-Diamond-1469663.asp

http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/I-SI2-Excellent-Cut-Round-Diamond-1525105.asp

http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/H-SI1-Excellent-Cut-Round-Diamond-1514000.asp

http://www.engagementringsdirect.com/3.02-carat-i-si1-hearts-and-arrows-round-cut-diamond-gid-53328.html

http://www.engagementringsdirect.com/3.08-carat-h-si2-hearts-and-arrows-round-cut-diamond-gid-102015.html

 

[eventhorizon]

Re: 3.2ct I SI1 AGS000 HCA2.4 $37,000 - is this a GOOD VALUE

Many thanks for all your thoughtful replies!

I'm bringing this one in for a closer look, but searching for others in the meantime.

Hope to have this sewn up in the next week or two!

 

[diamondseeker2006]

Re: 3.2ct I SI1 AGS000 HCA2.4 $37,000 - is this a GOOD VALUE

Table size has nothing to do with size appearance. 55 is a desirable table size...55-57 is my preferred range and most ideal cut stones will have tables in this range or close to it. I think the price is okay. My hesitation would be the SI1 in a stone this size. I would MUCH rather have a slightly smaller diamond that is VS2. Maybe H VS2.

 

[eventhorizon]

Re: 3.2ct I SI1 AGS000 HCA2.4 $37,000 - is this a GOOD VALUE

Thanks diamondseeker.

I agree with your point regarding a 3ct SI1, and was originally searching for a VS2, but this stone is absolutely spotless relative to any other SI1 I've seen. I can't see any inclusions whatsoever - either on the table or from a profile view.

My bigger concern is actually the color. AGS calls it an I, but my appraiser (David Wolf) thinks it's a weak J or a high K. I knew AGS was soft on color, but am surprised that they're off by up to 2 grades.

On top of that, I'm not sure I'm thrilled to be paying $37k for an I SI1 which is appraising closer to a J VS2. I really like the vendor's generous upgrade policy (lifetime, no discount, any stone of equal or greater value), but am not sure it's worth the mark-up. Unfortunately, I haven't been able to find a better stone that meets my specs (I SI1 EXEXEX HCA<2 spreading 9.5mm+ at less than $40k).

If anyone else has thoughts about whether this stone is a good value - especially in light of the appraiser's opinion - I would love to hear them. Leon won't wait forever, so I'm racing to make a final decision!

(For what it's worth, David Wolf's appraisal documents are included below.)

 

[JulieN]

Re: 3.2ct I SI1 AGS000 HCA2.4 $37,000 - is this a GOOD VALUE

I think it looks great! The price seems like a deal, here is one for comparison: http://www.goodoldgold.com/diamond/9942/

This J VS2 is much more expensive than yours: http://www.goodoldgold.com/diamond/9541/

 

[Gypsy]

Re: 3.2ct I SI1 AGS000 HCA2.4 $37,000 - is this a GOOD VALUE

I think that considering the PILES of information you are being provided to make this a safe purchase, this is a great stone for the money and the vendor is clearly doing everything right to win this business and I would award it to them.

 

[yssie]

Re: 3.2ct I SI1 AGS000 HCA2.4 $37,000 - is this a GOOD VALUE

Generally clarity is more valuable than colour in this size range, so a J-ish VS2-ish may well be a "better" buy than an H-ish SI2-ish.
Speaking of course in very general, stereotyped views - the correct answer is always going to be "it depends".


As Gypsy notes you have lots of info on the stone, it has the AGS0 pedigree, and there's no reason to believe it's anything but lovely IRL, so I'd go for it - definitely have it shipped out and see what you think of it in-person. Spread is just fine.

 

[diamondseeker2006]

Re: 3.2ct I SI1 AGS000 HCA2.4 $37,000 - is this a GOOD VALUE

I totally hear you on the color issue! I am close to deciding about an AGS I color stone and I can look at it and believe that it would be graded J color by GIA. In my case, it is a specialty cut and there is an extremely limited supply. In your case, you can limit your search to GIA I color or AGS H color if you don't want a stone that appears to be J color. But I think the price is fine and since you have seen it and think that it is a clean SI1, then I'd probably consider it as long as you were able to take it in regular lighting (outdoors preferably) to see the color.

 

[eventhorizon]

Re: 3.2ct I SI1 AGS000 HCA2.4 $37,000 - is this a GOOD VALUE

YSSIE: Very interesting. I had always read that color is MORE important than clarity. What makes you say that's not the case in a stone this size? Is it just that inclusions are more visible when the facets are larger?

JULIEN: Thanks for the links - ERD is definitely on my watch list!

DIAMONDSEEKER: Sorry to hear you're in a similar spot. First world problems, of course, but it's a tough decision!

 

[kenny]

Re: 3.2ct I SI1 AGS000 HCA2.4 $37,000 - is this a GOOD VALUE

3.2ct I SI1 AGS000

Was it actually graded by AGS?

Sometimes sellers will report it is AGS 000, even when it's not graded by AGS if they feel AGS would grade it that way.

 

[eventhorizon]

Re: 3.2ct I SI1 AGS000 HCA2.4 $37,000 - is this a GOOD VALUE

KENNY: Yes, it's graded by AGS as a 000; I have the certificate. I have absolutely no problem with the cut or clarity. I'm just unsure whether $37k is good value for a stone that is effectively a J/K VS2.

 

[fanofhardrock]

Re: 3.2ct I SI1 AGS000 HCA2.4 $37,000 - is this a GOOD VALUE

KENNY: Yes, it's graded by AGS as a 000; I have the certificate. I have absolutely no problem with the cut or clarity. I'm just unsure whether $37k is good value for a stone that is effectively a J/K VS2.

Looking at the inventory at James Allen - I would say it is... There is nothing as good even if you look at J VS2...

I being a J seems reasonable. A K? You would see some color - have you seen it in real life?

 

[yssie]

Re: 3.2ct I SI1 AGS000 HCA2.4 $37,000 - is this a GOOD VALUE

I didn't say "important", I said "valuable". What is more "important" is strictly a function of your priorities, and you may well prioritize colour over clarity. Clarity increases generally cost more than colour increases in stones of this size - that may not matter to you, but if you are talking about generic "value for money"... if it's J, that is. IIRC David Wolf is known to be "tough" on colour..


ETA: Oh, you aren't OP.

 

[denverappraiser]

Re: 3.2ct I SI1 AGS000 HCA2.4 $37,000 - is this a GOOD VALUE

KENNY: Yes, it's graded by AGS as a 000; I have the certificate. I have absolutely no problem with the cut or clarity. I'm just unsure whether $37k is good value for a stone that is effectively a J/K VS2.

The pricing is based on the AGS grading. It *IS* an AGS-I, even if it's darker than other AGS-I's or GIA-I's out there. I'll take the appraisers word for it that it's misgraded at the lab but that's a reason to send it back and get another one that you and/or he believe to be correctly graded. Why keep it if you believe it to be a K and what you want and what you're paying for is an I?

 

[JulieN]

Re: 3.2ct I SI1 AGS000 HCA2.4 $37,000 - is this a GOOD VALUE

KENNY: Yes, it's graded by AGS as a 000; I have the certificate. I have absolutely no problem with the cut or clarity. I'm just unsure whether $37k is good value for a stone that is effectively a J/K VS2.

You would be spending well over 40K for something comparable.