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Radiantntn

Rough_Rock
Joined
May 7, 2012
Messages
6
Hi~
I am a newbie here to the forum. I have lurked around for a few weeks trying to absorb as much knowledge as I could regarding diamonds. I have fallen in love with a radiant stone and would appreciate your honest advise on it. I would like to know if this will be a great purchase. The specs are 1.03 SI1 H radiant stone (but has pointed edges). It looked eye clean in the store while I was taking pictures however once I reviewed the pictures at home, there seems too be a carbon spot in the center. The stone is priced at $3600. Please give your honest feedback. Is this a good purchase??? Thanks in advance for your advice!

radiantset93.jpg
 
I'm not very helpful, but just wanted to say it looks beautiful on you! Looks so big :love:
 
Thanks Totheleft! I like how it faces up. Thinking of buying the setting as well.
 
Are there any radiant cut experts that give advice. Unfortunately, the information that I provided is all that the jeweler have for the stone.
 
does it come with a lab report?
 
Are you sure it isn't a rectangular princess shape? One of the very specific characteristics of a radiant shape are the cut corners.
 
Sig47.... I checked and there is no lab report available. Should I have it appraised?

StaceylikesSparkle... I would agree with you that it's a rectanglar princess

Thanks
 
Without a lab report you cannot determine whether or not you are paying a fair price. However, you can get a GIA H/SI1 for that price. I recommend only stones graded by GIA or AGS so you know what you are getting.
 
Sig47 which vendors should I work with for rectangular princess cut stones?
 
Princess cuts are supposed to be square, but some can be more rectangular. I would stick with radiants if I wanted a rectangular stone because I wouldn't want a poorly cut princess. Absolutely only look at GIA graded stones. I would ask Good Old Gold to source radiants if they do not have any in stock in the size you want. This looks like a beautifully cut one if it is eyeclean:

http://www.goodoldgold.com/diamond/9116/

You can look for ideal cut princess stones at Good Old Gold, WhiteFlash, and Brian Gavin.
 
looks nice, but you cant tell from a photo, you need to look at it in the flesh. I wouldnt cut your options by only looking at GIA stones either, its pure snobbery. There are many many beautiful stones that are on HRD or EGL o AGS or IGI certs. This obsession with GIA is just plain daft and is based on nothing but conjecture.

If you are considering square stones, then look at radiants, you will get the same spread but lower carat weight (because the corners are cut away), and lower price. The corners of a princess are prone to chipping too, and they claws generally go over the corners so you wont be able to tell the difference between the two once its set.

good luck anyway, the ring in the photo looks lovely.
 
gemmz|1336661016|3192046 said:
looks nice, but you cant tell from a photo, you need to look at it in the flesh. I wouldnt cut your options by only looking at GIA stones either, its pure snobbery. There are many many beautiful stones that are on HRD or EGL o AGS or IGI certs. This obsession with GIA is just plain daft and is based on nothing but conjecture.

If you are considering square stones, then look at radiants, you will get the same spread but lower carat weight (because the corners are cut away), and lower price. The corners of a princess are prone to chipping too, and they claws generally go over the corners so you wont be able to tell the difference between the two once its set.

good luck anyway, the ring in the photo looks lovely.
Click to expand...

I totally disagree with this. The two most respected and consistent labs in the world are GIA and AGS and there isn't anything snobby about saying so. It's irresponsible to spend this amount of money on something without knowing exactly what you are buying and being sure that you are paying a fair price for it. EGL is notorious for it's soft grading, they are often 2,3,4,5 grades off what the same stone would be graded by GIA or AGS. If you don't know what you are buying than you have no idea what you should be paying for it. EGL stones are priced less because they are worth less, and the only people that get a good deal are people who sell them, not the people that buy them!
 
Christina...|1336662236|3192062 said:
gemmz|1336661016|3192046 said:
looks nice, but you cant tell from a photo, you need to look at it in the flesh. I wouldnt cut your options by only looking at GIA stones either, its pure snobbery. There are many many beautiful stones that are on HRD or EGL o AGS or IGI certs. This obsession with GIA is just plain daft and is based on nothing but conjecture.

If you are considering square stones, then look at radiants, you will get the same spread but lower carat weight (because the corners are cut away), and lower price. The corners of a princess are prone to chipping too, and they claws generally go over the corners so you wont be able to tell the difference between the two once its set.

good luck anyway, the ring in the photo looks lovely.
Click to expand...

I totally disagree with this. The two most respected and consistent labs in the world are GIA and AGS and there isn't anything snobby about saying so. It's irresponsible to spend this amount of money on something without knowing exactly what you are buying and being sure that you are paying a fair price for it. EGL is notorious for it's soft grading, they are often 2,3,4,5 grades off what the same stone would be graded by GIA or AGS. If you don't know what you are buying than you have no idea what you should be paying for it. EGL stones are priced less because they are worth less, and the only people that get a good deal are people who sell them, not the people that buy them!
Click to expand...


Totally agree with you, Christina!
 
gemmz|1336661016|3192046 said:
looks nice, but you cant tell from a photo, you need to look at it in the flesh. I wouldnt cut your options by only looking at GIA stones either, its pure snobbery. There are many many beautiful stones that are on HRD or EGL o AGS or IGI certs. This obsession with GIA is just plain daft and is based on nothing but conjecture.

If you are considering square stones, then look at radiants, you will get the same spread but lower carat weight (because the corners are cut away), and lower price. The corners of a princess are prone to chipping too, and they claws generally go over the corners so you wont be able to tell the difference between the two once its set.

good luck anyway, the ring in the photo looks lovely.
Click to expand...

Looking at GIA isn't "pure snobbery". I highly disagree with this statement. I would only look at GIA or AGS stones. I'm sure you can get some decent stones thru EGL or IGI, but how far and long will you have to look? Those will be rare especially from those grading labs! It's not comparing apples to apples here!

Radiant cuts are very different than princess cuts. It's not simply a square cut with the corners chopped off. The facet arrangements resemble RB facets, where as the princess chevron facets are WAY different.
 
Absolutely.

EGL and IGI are actually very poor values because you are getting a diamond based on inflated statistics that are inaccurate.

You pay for a G VS but end up with a stone that in reality is an I VS. Or with IGI an I SI stone.

Christina, you have a lovely way of explaining the pre-report thing that EGL does and the result of that system. Can you include that information here?

Buying a GIA stone is like buying a Toyota or a Honda. A sterling reputation for dependability built on generations of unimpeachable hard work to be the best. That's not snobby. It's fact. And sure that Daewoo looked beautiful when it first came out, all shiny and pretty on the service-- but notice they aren't being sold and you can't get them serviced anymore. That's what going with IGI and similar labs are like. EGL is like a Land Rover. You pay too much for an SUV and have a 50/50 shot of it being a lemon.
 
TitanCi|1336681663|3192350 said:
Radiant cuts are very different than princess cuts. It's not simply a square cut with the corners chopped off. The facet arrangements resemble RB facets, where as the princess chevron facets are WAY different.
Click to expand...


This isn't true. Generic Radiant are cut cornered square brilliants. And there are MANY variations in the faceting structure of that category. Some of princess-like some are cushion like and some are like round brilliants. You can get a radiant that looks like a princess with corners. But it's not fair to say that ALL radiants are princess stone with corners any more than it is fair (or accurate) to say that all of them have RB facets.
 
^ Well, thanks for the correction. I was informed a true radiant is far different than a cut-cornered princess, which many people try to pass off as radiant cuts. Seemed logical enough to me!
 
^ Well, thanks for the correction. I was informed a true radiant is far different than a cut-cornered princess, which many people try to pass off as radiant cuts. Seemed logical enough to me!

http://radiantcut.com/RP_Cutting.aspx
 
Gypsy|1336682042|3192353 said:
Absolutely.

EGL and IGI are actually very poor values because you are getting a diamond based on inflated statistics that are inaccurate.

You pay for a G VS but end up with a stone that in reality is an I VS. Or with IGI an I SI stone.

Christina, you have a lovely way of explaining the pre-report thing that EGL does and the result of that system. Can you include that information here?

Buying a GIA stone is like buying a Toyota or a Honda. A sterling reputation for dependability built on generations of unimpeachable hard work to be the best. That's not snobby. It's fact. And sure that Daewoo looked beautiful when it first came out, all shiny and pretty on the service-- but notice they aren't being sold and you can't get them serviced anymore. That's what going with IGI and similar labs are like. EGL is like a Land Rover. You pay too much for an SUV and have a 50/50 shot of it being a lemon.
Click to expand...



EGL is the only lab that I'm aware of that offer to pre cert diamonds. This allows cutters and dealers to submit their diamonds to EGL for a pre grading. Obviously the cutter wants to optimize his profits and is hoping for high grades for his diamonds, and of course EGL wants the cutter to resubmit their stones for final grading because this is how EGL makes its money. EGL knows that the only way to ensure that the diamond is resubmitted is to softly grade the stone. This is not a grading system set up to ensure that consumers are protected and know what they are buying. It's a grading system based on cutters/dealers and EGL maximizing profits!

I'm not sure how eloquently put that is Gypsy, but I believe it's accurate! ;)
 
That stone doesn't look like a radiant. If you asked me, I would run away and start over. But you already said you love it, so maybe it doesn't matter if the stone is not graded (it's probably really an I1-2 clarity, especially for that price). Even though it does look like there is a black spot in the photo, it is still unclear from that one photo if it is just a reflection. Is it a good buy? I don't think buying a stone without a lab report is very good because you really DON'T know what you're getting. But, again, if you already love it then it doesn't matter.
 
TitanCi|1336686795|3192458 said:
^ Well, thanks for the correction. I was informed a true radiant is far different than a cut-cornered princess, which many people try to pass off as radiant cuts. Seemed logical enough to me!

http://radiantcut.com/RP_Cutting.aspx
Click to expand...

YES. That's the key though. TRUE Radiants are branded cuts and ARE one specific facet pattern of cutting and they ARE different from princesses diamonds. But GENERIC radiants are in a larger catagory of "cut cornered square brilliant" which CAN and DOES include MANY different facet patterns and there are stones in that category that are basically princesses with corners-- and those are still referred to as radiants. So it depends on your terminology. It's like comparing a Royal Asscher (Branded Cut) to a generic asscher (square emerald cut). Very different. It's like when you are in grade school: All apples are fruit but not all fruits are apples. ;))

Perfect Christina. ;))
 
Thanks everyone for your input and advice. I will continue to look and will post pics of the final product.
 
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