About to buy this diamond... Opinions very much Appreciated

[NDreamer]

Hi Everyone!

I would like to thank all of the people on these forums for your informative posts, as I have learned a lot of information from here... I've been reading a lot and this is the stone I am about to get:

carat: 1.05
color: D
clarity: SI1
cut: "ideal" (is it?)
Symmetry: Ex
Polish: Ex
Flurescence: None
Diameter: 6.56mm
Depth: 3.97mm (60.5%)
Crown: 31.9 degrees (13.1%)
Pavilion: 40.9 degrees (43.0%)
Table: 3.80mm (57.9%)
Culet: 0.8 % "Very Small"
Girdle 2.0%
Non Eye visible inclusions; No surface inclusions/damage; clearly visible under the microscope and marked in a GIA cert.
AGS sticker says "Grade 3" with 3 given for Crown Angle it seems from the sticker, while 1 is given for Table. the rest is "0"
Holloway Cut Adviser rating 1 BIC range

I saw the Hearts with my own eyes, and one of them has some splitting (due to the inclusion?) whie the rest are great. Arrows were much harder to see (is this because it is a "Brilliant" as opposed to "Fiery" cut?)

price is somewhat out of my five k budget but reacheable (barely - it is 5800).

Setting I (and mom have chosen is "Vatche X-Prong" in platinum (any ideas on this? - My mom is concerned - what if prongs catch on clothing fabric?) The seller said they can set the stone in this setting for me for six hundred (is that a good price?)

When should I appraise the stone (with Mr Wolf?)? Should I do it before the stone is set? If yes then how will I know for sure the stone wasn't switched while setting? And I don't want to torture the prongs by trying to appraise the stone after it is set (since it seems it will need to be removed for appraisal)...

I will truly appreciate any response to my questions from all you gurus since this is my first time and the biggest purchase I am about to make in my life (by using my college loans :-O)

Thank You!

NDreamer

 

[Nicrez]

This stone DOES sound lovely. I am just worried about you spending more than your BUDGET! And LOANS! Ok, putting the mommy instinct away for a second:

the X-prong is a lovely setting for a round stone with this kind of fireworks! $600 for platinum or gold? Also, is it the Vatche X-prong, or a generic x-prong. Those make the price difference. My suggestion is to stay on budget, get a simple gold band ($100) and when you can afford more or she determines what she likes, you guys can have it set then.

I just did the same thing with my guy. As a matter of fact I don't think the designer will be available to set it until June, and I am so glad he didn't wait until it WAS set!

It's a great rock!

 

[kg]

I have the same question - should you have the diamond appraised before it is set? Will they have to remove the stone to appraise it?

 

[aljdewey]

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On 4/6/2004 4:44:22 PM NDreamer wrote:





cut: 'ideal' (is it?)
----------------

If you mean is it "ideal" in terms of AGS cut grade, the answer is no. It's not an ideal cut because of the extremely shallow crown angle, and as you noted, the table is graded by AGS as 1.

That said, I think the most important question is "do you like how it looks"? I found the thing that most appealed to me about diamonds was the flashes of color -- the fire. This diamond won't have that with such a shallow crown. Mara used to have a really shallow stone, and she notices an INCREDIBLE difference going for a more balanced look (brilliance/fire).

It's really a question of what you prefer.

When should I appraise the stone (with Mr Wolf?)? Should I do it before the stone is set? If yes then how will I know for sure the stone wasn't switched while setting? And I don't want to torture the prongs by trying to appraise the stone after it is set (since it seems it will need to be removed for appraisal)...

Optimally, have it appraised unset prior to setting. (There is NO point having it set, only to have the appraiser unset it--your security concerns about getting the same stone would be equal whether it comes unset or is removed from setting). Shouldn't be much of a concern; diamonds can be identified by any inscriptions that are on them and also by comparing to the inclusion plot. That is individual to the diamond; like a fingerprint.

 

[NDreamer]

Hi - Thank you for the replies!

The Vatche X-Prong price of 600 was for the one in platinum, and he answered "yes" when I asked whether I will get a "real" Vatche for 600. (Could such a price for a real Vatche X-Prong be true, or is there something fishy about it?)

The diamond price they quoted was 5800... I hope that is not too much for what I am getting...(?)

And - yes I do like the the way it looks. only a 1.2 carat D SI2 ags 1 stone that I compared it to looked barely noticably better (the difference was definitely not worth the extra two grand even if i forget about the fact that I don't have that money...)

Is Vatche X-Prong too wide? I have only seen it in pictures so far... Is Blue Nile's Trellis setting better? I know the intended recepient likes thin settings, but is there one that is thin AND where the diamond can be set low so it wouldn't catch clothing?

What is the reasonable price for an imitation (cubic zirconia/white gold or silver) of the ring I am about to get? I want her to be able to wear something safely as she commutes to school (often in a subway...

)

Thank you guys. If it wasn't for your posts on this forum I'd be lost

 

[valeria101]

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On 4/6/2004 10:29:26 PM NDreamer wrote:

I want her to be able to wear something safely as she commutes to school (often in a subway... ----------------

Insurance

$600 would be quite a bargain for the branded setting. If the sho makes these look-alikes, could they also make the low-set, thing ring you would like? Models without metal parts below the diamond can get very low on the finger.

 

[NDreamer]

Hmmm.. insurance you say... what is a fair range of payments I should expect for a stone like this? Am I going to have to send my lunch money to AllState every month

? Or will her parents hate me for having to pay the insurance policy during the time she still lives at home?