Advice please - unsure about clarity!

[sammyb]

Hi everyone.

I have been reading the posts for a while now, and doing research on diamonds - I am shopping for a RB, at least 1.25 cts - I am putting cut above all other "C''s" (Ideal) and really prefer I not go below a G or H colour.

I came across the following through a "friend of the family" contact and am unsure about it due primarily to the clarity. I feel that I have to be a bit careful in what I ask and say to this person, since I do not want to upset or offend them by challenging what they say, however, I feel a bit uneasy...

I can go see the stone before I make a decision, however, due to the situation, I do not want to go there unless this is potentially a good stone... When I asked about the inclusions I was told "they are not a problem", and are on the side...

Here are the specs:

Round
1.38 cts
G color
SI2
Diameter (7.06mm, 7.12mm)
Total Depth 4.37mm, 61.6%
Crown Angle 34.5 degrees
Pav Angle 40.4 degrees, 42.9%
table 4.03mm, 57.5%
Culet 0.6%
girdle thickness % 1.2-2.6

Price $5,880

Thanks for your comments / advice on the stone.

I have 2 other stones from a different source that I have requsted the Sarin reports be done on - I will post these later for your advice...

Thanks Again!

 

[optimized]

Hi Sammy,

First of all, the diamond you mention appears to be cut very well indeed. It looks as though the "friend of the family" is certainly offering a nice diamond for your consideration. That's certainly more than can be said of more than a few similar "industry connections" we've seen posted about in the forums in the past.

As far as the SI2 goes, I've found that the importance of the clarity grade has an awful lot to do with the individual stone, as well as the individual buyer. Are you against the idea of having an SI2 stone out of principle, or are you simply concerned with the visual impact of the inclusions? If it's just the visuals that concern you, the only way to be really sure of it may be for you to see the diamond with your own eyes and decide whether you think the clarity affects the visual appearance. An SI2 stone may be very "eye clean" and not advertise its imperfections, but there is also a possibility that the inclusions will be visible to you without too much effort. It depends on where the inclusions are and the type(s) of inclusions present. It's reassuring to hear that the "grade maker" isn't located under the table, but there is still a chance that the optics may accentuate the negative, so you'll want to know for sure.

Having said all that, the amount of faith you put into the dealer may also be a factor for you. If you think the person offering the diamond is indeed a knowledgeable "straight shooter" you may be comfortable taking their word for it that the diamond is clean and is worth considering. Judging by the proportions, it certainly appears they have chosen an optically wonderful stone for you to consider (at a very respectable price), so perhaps they have also taken pains to ensure that the SI2 grade is a "good" SI2. Obviously you'll want to inspect the stone before committing to the purchase anyway, but the trustworthiness of the vendor is certainly worth considering.

One more question... There's no indication of what lab graded the color/clarity of the stone. This information may help you decide whether the diamond is a good value. A GIA/AGS/HRD cert will often be stricter than some other labs as concerns color and clarity grading, so you may want to ensure that you're dealing with one of the stricter labs before making a final judgment.

-Tim

 

[manhattan01]

Wow...that really is an incredible price.

One thing about SI stones is that while the inclusions may not be visible to the un-aided eye from the top, be sure to turn the stone over and have a look below. You may be able to see some there without a loupe. That being the case, at that price, I'd still go for it seeing as how, once set, you wont see the bottom.

Also, Optimized has informed correctly on the cert that this diamond should come with. I'd reccommend GIA or AGS certs in that order.

sw.

 

[Giangi]

Should be a beautiful stone! Numbers are just great!!!

 

[sammyb]

Thanks for your advice - I feel better about this now.

I am not concerned about the SI2 from a theoretical persepective, but do not want to be able to see the inclusion(s) day to day, so if it were eye clean when mounted, that would be great.

The lab is not GIA or AGS - it is Gemscan. So I don't have that backing it up.

I agree that likely they are being as honest about the inclusions as they were about the cut - I will have to go see. I wasn't sure if Si2 was a deal breaker...

I tried to find similar stones on pricescope for comparision - the only G SI2 I found was a bit lighter and not the same cut - It was $5,000 on average. so for that quality a cut, (hopefully there is no flouresence and polish and symetry are ex as well) it seems like a good price.

Thanks for your responses! Any additional comments would be great.