advice on picking out a diamond...

[diamonicus]

Hello…I’ve been using this site for several weeks now in my search for an engagement ring. I’ve read just about all of the tutorials, etc, and I think I’ve finally narrowed down the field of contenders at my local jewelry stores. But I’m having a hard time making a decision about what diamond to buy, as they all seems nice but it’s hard to really compare how diamonds at different stores sparkle in relation to one another. Does anyone have any advice or opinions based on the specs below?

Also, has anyone ever heard of an AGQA cert that a jeweler provides in addition to an AGS or GIA cert to “guarantee” the grades given by the certs?

Finally, if I want a diamond that is truly ideal cut, should I set for nothing less than all ‘excellents’ on the Holloway Cut Advisor? Or if the total score is ‘excellent,’ even if 3 of the 4 categories are ‘very good’, should I still consider that to be excellent by HCA standards?

Thanks in advance to anyone with input on this subject!

#1
carat: .92, color: H, clarity: SI2 (but it looks very clean to me aside from one inclusion)
cert: AGS
proportions: IDEAL
symmetry: IDEAL
polish: IDEAL
depth 61.9%
table: 55%
crown angle: 34.3 degrees
pavilion angle: 41 degrees
fluorescence: none
culet: pointed
HCA total: 1.7 (Excellent)
Light return: Excellent
Fire: Very Good
Scintillation: Very Good
Spread: Very Good
PRICE: $4300 (including mounting, nice warranty, AGQA certification)
#2
carat: .80, color: G, clarity: SI1
cert: AGS
proportions: IDEAL
symmetry: IDEAL
polish: IDEAL
depth 61.1%
table: 56%
crown angle: 34.7 degrees
pavilion angle: 41 degrees
fluorescence: none
culet: pointed
HCA total: 1.9 (Excellent)
Light return: Excellent
Fire: Very Good
Scintillation: Very Good
Spread: Very Good
PRICE: $3800 (including mounting, nice warranty, AGQA certification)
#3
carat: .80, color: G, clarity: VS2
cert: GIA
proportions: “IDEAL”
symmetry: excellent
polish: excellent
depth: 62%
table: 53%
crown angle: 35 degrees
pavilion angle: 40.8 degrees
fluorescence: some (didn’t note what color, amount)
HCA total: 1.7 (Excellent)
Light return: Excellent
Fire: Excellent
Scintillation: Excellent
Spread: Very Good
PRICE: $4200 (for just the diamond)
#4
carat: .707, diameter: 5.7mm, color: E, clarity: SI1
cert: AGS
proportions: IDEAL
symmetry: IDEAL
polish: IDEAL
depth 61.8%
table: 56.5%
crown angle: 35 degrees
pavilion angle: 40.8 degrees
fluorescence: none
culet: very small
girdle: Medium to slightly thick
HCA total: 1.6 (Excellent)
Light return: Excellent
Fire: Excellent
Scintillation: Excellent
Spread: Very Good
PRICE: $3500 (for just the diamond)

 

[bluedawg]

I wonder if you could get a better deal (meaning closer to 1ct with those same parameters) with an online vendor? Did you check those?

I am just learning myself, but this will bump this question; I''m sure someone knowledgeable will come along shortly.

Good luck!

 

[Sue Duncan]

Thank you for your inquiry about the AGQA certificate.

AGQA provides benefits to the buyers and the sellers of jewelry merchandise. Briefly, wholesalers and retailers can appraise and certify both mounted and loose goods. Sellers have the ability do inventory reporting through their secure AGQA site. Buyers / consumers have the ability to maintain service records on their secure portion of the site. AGQA will notify the consumers by email twice per year for cleaning and inspection updates to prevent loss or damage to their jewelry and once annually for potential appraisal updates.

AGQA is not a lab, it is a web based software company that gives wholesalers and retailers the ability to create certificates and appraisals. We have many clients across the country who are using this service. One of the major differences between us (AGQA) and the standard labs (AGS, GIA, EGL, etc) is that we guarantee the accuracy of grading done by our retailers and wholesalers.

AGQA encourages the use of all accredited lab reports. With the interactive function of AGQA, consumers have all grading information (including any lab report numbers) on their certificate that they can access on the web. Consumers have the ability to send electronic files (appraisals/certificates) to their insurance agent or their friends and family. They also have the ability to see any service records they may have had on their jewelry. AGQA certificates were designed to give consumers the confidence in what they are buying; not only through the web access, but with AGQA's 90 day guarantee. This guarantee reimburses the consumer if their is a discrepancy in the appraisal.

Any authorized AGQA member has gone through a screening process to become a member. We only partner with stong and reputable wholesalers and retailers. This give us the confidence in our partnerships.

 

[Regular Guy]

If you''ll see this post, you may find my own questions to be largely undifferentiated from yours, though you may find some of the answers provided there enlightening.

Otherwise, I''d be drawn to #2 & 3, with #2 for value, and # 3 because I''m either superstitious or smart about valuing more excellents (however, generally I don''t think you need to have 4, and the frequency seems lower than average for getting spread to read as excellent). The author of the HCA will recommend an idealscope to help you ferret out this from that, however, and at the end of the day, since you won''t be carrying that idealscope around, you might rig it up to give them the pepsi test with your eyes, and see if you come up with a consistent winner.

With best wishes,