Oval opinions on this stone

[Lady_Glitter_Sparklez]

https://www.bluenile.com/diamond-details/LD00070478

I saw this in person and thought it was beautiful. It has what I think is a minimal bow tie, but I'm not sure. I'm confused on how little of a bow tie effect I can expect to find in a stone. I don't want to let a stone I think is pretty go bc of the bow tie if it's unrealistic to expect I can get a milder bow tie.

Any opinions? From what I've read, I can't fully escape the bow tie. How do I know what minimal actually is? I want to stay around the 1.4 ratio.

Thanks!

 

[WillyDiamond]

Hi OP, and welcome to the forum. In the last few days there is a lot of threads of people selecting Ovals and yes you can stay away from the bowties.
It seems like the go to Oval is is the Opulence Oval by AugustVintage (I hope I have the spellings correct)
link:
https://www.augustvintageinc.com
and
https://www.augustvintageinc.com/collections/opulence

If you tell the PS community your budget for the stone, setting, etc. I am sure the PS brains will help you pick out a beautiful diamond. Good luck.

EDIT: OP, I looked at you BN link above and what concerned me was the "SI2" clarity. So I watched the video of the stone as it was spinning and I am pretty sure I saw lots of inclusions around the middle of the table and if I am not incorrect the image is magnified, so the diamond, if I am correct, is not eye-clean and that will bother many people. Others will have to chime in who know a whole lot more than me.

 

[rockysalamander]

I would be very cautious with an SI2 with clouds on the GIA grading report. They may be ok, but they may also seriously impair the light return, scattering light internally light putting a flashlight through a snowglobe. So, ask the BN gemologist (not Sales Associate) to examine the diamond for impact from the clouds. You should also request an ASET as there are some mushy facets.

 

[Lady_Glitter_Sparklez]

Thanks for your advice! What is your opinion on the bow tie? Would this be considered minimal?

 

[rockysalamander]

The bowtie, to me, is not bothersome. But, there is mushy facets that I fear will make the ring look dark. Maybe @tyty333 @mrs-b @whitewave @diamondseeker2006 and other fancy lovers can post some additional options.

Looks like a $30k budget, H+ SI2+ and near 2.7 c is your goal for an oval?

On the clarity, bear in mind that an oval has a large surface area to observe inclusions. So, I'd share @WillyDiamond caution about the inclusions.

 

[rockysalamander]

This drawing might be helpful to put the bowtie in perspective.
https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/seeking-advice-on-oval-diamond.238873/#post-4304180

 

[lambskin]

I am an oval lover. I think that the stone is very pretty. As with any fancy shape. you will have to look at it in real life to assess the stone. The bow tie is not prominent and seems to bring in some wide flashes of sparkle. The 'mush' (in the center of the stone above and below the bow tie)is a matter of taste and how it performs in real life. I think this part of your diamond looks good as there seems to be some bright, clear facets. I have not seen the new AV opal to compare. I would love to see the stone! But, except for the Octavia, I am not a fan of the newer cuts- IMHO, they have so many small facets that the symmetry of cuts seems lost. Can't wait to see what you decide upon and how it is set.

 

[diamondseeker2006]

I think the cut of that stone looks okay, but I can see the feather (crack) right under the table which is a dealbreaker for me. I think good SI2s are hard to find, but I would not choose one that has a feather for the primary inclusion.

 

[whitewave]

The bowtie, to me, is not bothersome. But, there is mushy facets that I fear will make the ring look dark. Maybe @tyty333 @mrs-b @whitewave @diamondseeker2006 and other fancy lovers can post some additional options.

Looks like a $30k budget, H+ SI2+ and near 2.7 c is your goal for an oval?

On the clarity, bear in mind that an oval has a large surface area to observe inclusions. So, I'd share @WillyDiamond caution about the inclusions.

Ovals are the stone I feel least confident commenting on.

I would use Jon and trust his opinion.

 

[Lady_Glitter_Sparklez]

The bowtie, to me, is not bothersome. But, there is mushy facets that I fear will make the ring look dark. Maybe @tyty333 @mrs-b @whitewave @diamondseeker2006 and other fancy lovers can post some additional options.

Looks like a $30k budget, H+ SI2+ and near 2.7 c is your goal for an oval?

On the clarity, bear in mind that an oval has a large surface area to observe inclusions. So, I'd share @WillyDiamond caution about the inclusions.

Yes those are my preferred specs. Ideally want to be at 3 cts w/larger dimensions. As long as it's eye clean, any clarity is fine.

 

[Lady_Glitter_Sparklez]

I am an oval lover. I think that the stone is very pretty. As with any fancy shape. you will have to look at it in real life to assess the stone. The bow tie is not prominent and seems to bring in some wide flashes of sparkle. The 'mush' (in the center of the stone above and below the bow tie)is a matter of taste and how it performs in real life. I think this part of your diamond looks good as there seems to be some bright, clear facets. I have not seen the new AV opal to compare. I would love to see the stone! But, except for the Octavia, I am not a fan of the newer cuts- IMHO, they have so many small facets that the symmetry of cuts seems lost. Can't wait to see what you decide upon and how it is set.

Thanks for your opinion! I have seen it in person (along with my husband and another family member. I need advice None of us observed any issues with the inclusions. We did not see it with the naked eye. I know the inclusion is in the center but it did not seem visible to any of us.

The first thing I noticed about the stone was the sparkle! To me it was impressive. I loved the face value/ dimensions of the cut and the ratio. I prefer around 1.4. The only issue I could find personally (with my limited knowledge base) was the bow tie. It seemed minimal. At some angles it was not present but at others it was there. I want the most minimal bow tie I can get. I'm just not experienced enough to judge whether this is actually minimal or not.

 

[rockysalamander]

The only issue I could find personally (with my limited knowledge base) was the bow tie. It seemed minimal. At some angles it was not present but at others it was there. I want the most minimal bow tie I can get.

Did you like this stone? Did your heart go pitter pat? If so, then whatever bowtie it does or does not have is irrelevant. There are so very few well cut ovals that if you love this, I'd go for it. It has to be beautiful to you. If you really don't want a bowtie, you need to look for cushiony ovals (which are no easier to find), go with Opulence or maybe an antique diamond will suit. You could also look for a elongate cushion.

This is smaller than your target but has zero negative bowtie. You could message @Rhino and see if he has any larger stones coming in. These are "super-ideal" ovals that are gorgeous.
https://august-vintage-inc.myshopif...ucts/2-41ct-h-si1-august-vintage-oval-1670852

Antique ovals have a bowtie, but it is very different looking than a modern oval. Maybe you like these?

WAY Over budget, but huge and gorgeous.
http://www.jewelsbygrace.com/5-01-vintage-oval-cut-diamond-gia-k-si2 , early bird price of $46950
https://jewelsbygrace.smugmug.com/Loose-Diamonds/401ct-and-larger/501-Oval-Cut-GIA/

Under your 3 c size gold, but in budget and lovely.
http://www.jewelsbygrace.com/diamonds?dir=desc&order=weight&p=3

Elongate Cushion. Smaller weight than you posted oval, but similar length (less wide).
http://www.jewelsbygrace.com/2-38ct-cushion-cut-gia-f-vvs-2 , 11.04 x 6.89 x 3.96 mm

Maybe a moval? These have a culet showing (the center you see)
http://www.jewelsbygrace.com/1-84ct-antique-moval-diamond-gia-f-si2

 

[Lady_Glitter_Sparklez]

Thanks for these. I didn’t even know a moval existed. It’s very unique and pretty. I’m going to look at the stone again on Saturday and will try to take pics.

Whenever I try taking pics of any ovals the bow tie shows up very prominently. I guess this is normal due to the reflection/camera flash?

 

[lambskin]

A well cut oval can hide flaws with its sparkle. The image seen in the photo is under magnification which is not eye visual. As such those flaws may not be apparent by you (or your friends and colleagues). Again I do not mind a minimal bow in a well cut stone. To me it adds to the symmetry of the stone and adds a different more broad flash. If I did not want a bow I would have bought a round. I saw a lot of ovals before purchasing mine. You will know the right stone for you...it will pick you.

 

[Lady_Glitter_Sparklez]

Do you guys have an opinion on this stone? This is another I have been looking at.

https://www.yadavjewelry.com/products/oval-diamond-h-vvs1-yd2043286
@rockysalamander @lambskin

 

[Lady_Glitter_Sparklez]

 

[Lady_Glitter_Sparklez]

Here is the stone. It’s gorgeous. Minimal bow tie. I have a video but it won’t load.

 

[Lady_Glitter_Sparklez]

 

[rockysalamander]

Which one is this?

 

[Lady_Glitter_Sparklez]

This is the H SI2 3.08

 

[TreeScientist]

That is a beautiful diamond! Very firey for an oval. I've noticed that a lot of ovals look "flat" or "dead." Just big white blobs. This one appears to have more scintillation and fire similar to a MRB. Also, it doesn't appear to have any color entrapment even though it is an H.

If you love it, I would have no reservations in purchasing it. Appears to be a good price for a 3 carat.

One question though, did you take it out of the store into normal lighting conditions? Jewelry store lighting has a way of making EVERY diamond look amazing. If you're really interested in purchasing it, I would recommend standing near the window of the store on sunny/party cloudy day, away from any store lights, or under a tree outside of the store, and see how it looks. How it appears in diffuse daylight (by a window or in shady outdoor conditions) will give a good indication of how the diamond will perform in everyday life.

Also, regarding the clouds, I don't think the "clouds not shown" comment raises any red flags. If the inclusion plot was completely clear and the comment said "clarity grade based on clouds not shown" then this would be a red flag. But here, I think the clouds are a non-issue, as the stone certainly doesn't look cloudy in the photos.

 

[TreeScientist]

About the bowtie: I can see a very minimal bowtie effect in one of the photos, but it is by no means prominent. I don't think bowties are a bad thing if they're just an area that is a little less bright and are symmetrical (as appears to be the case with this diamond).

To completely avoid any hint of a bowtie, the Opulence Oval is probably the only stone out there right now that accomplishes this feat. It's cut more like an MRB and has the optics of one as well, but at the expense of spread (it is cut very deep to remove the bowtie effect). @rockysalamander posted the 2.41 H as an example above, which seems to be one of the most recommended diamonds on this site over the past few weeks that has yet to find a buyer.

Only you can decide though if avoiding a minimal bowtie is worth giving up almost 2mm in spread.

 

[lambskin]

2mm spread vs bow tie is indeed a personal choice. You gotta look at the stones in person.

 

[Lorelei]

Really, if you've seen the stone in person, the other specs add up as does the price, then it's good reason to consider it seriously, especially as ovals in this size don't grow on trees and if it has a minimal bow tie. The larger you go, the less choice you have generally. I'd say get an independent appraiser to check it out before finalising the purchase and check it out in plain daylight before pulling the trigger if possible so you can be sure you love it out in every day lighting.