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AF ACA vs. BGD Signature --- Are you a Spock vs. Kurk?

S

supernnova

Rough_Rock
Joined
Jun 14, 2012
Messages
13
Please excuse me for the nerdy star trek reference. =p But say you could get a 2ct WF ACA - H SI1 and a BGD Signature - I SI1 for the exact SAME price, which would you choose?

My inner Spock (logical side) says choose the higher color grade diamond since they're both the same price and visible cut quality.

My inner Kurk (emotional side) says go with the diamond hand picked by the H&A guru/cutter himself, Brian Gavin (who spoke to me over the phone for over an hour).

Links below:

http://www.whiteflash.com/loose-diamonds/round-cut-loose-diamond-2696797.htm

http://www.briangavindiamonds.com/diamonds/diamond-details/2.040-I-SI1-Round-Diamond-AGS-104059302006

Any help or jokes are welcome!! Thanks!
 
Personally I'd choose the H-SI1 ACA over an I-SI1 BGD Signature -- in my own mind, ACAs and BGD Signatures are basically equivalent, so all things being equal (clarity, price, etc) I'd go for the higher color, which in this case is the ACA.

(Also will add - I did buy an I color BGD Signature round but returned it as I saw a hint of warmth that I didn't care for; I bought an H-SI1 from WF (Expert Selection though, not ACA) and for me the color was perfect. In your case, the ACA may be a low H and the BGD may be a high I so there may be no discernible color difference between them... but it could also be the reverse, a high H and a low I in which case you may notice a difference between them and prefer one over the other - just something else to throw into your assessment.)

eta - oh yeah, I make my stone evaluations with the Spock part of my brain - once the stone is hand, Kirk takes over and if the stone doesn't sing to me it doesn't matter how good it looks on paper.
 
Just based on the Kirk side of me - I'd go with the BGD stone, because I too, enjoyed my time talking with him and for me - personal service counts for a lot. Logic/Spock makes sense but in general, I'm an emotional decision maker.... price being equal. If the price were different one way over the other for the same thing--- price would win!

Now, I will actually go and look at your links!
 
well you said they were priced the same, but in looking at the links, the H at WF is about $2400 higher than the I at BGD. I would esentially say the stones are similar except color and price, but they are not apples to apples. If you can do the I, I'd save the $$ because cut-wise I think you're going to come out beautifully.

Also, I have a five-stone from BGD, all H's and they are gorgeous. And I love Brian and his personal service. Plus if you go with BGD, that's $2K more for the setting! or in your pocket...\

edited to add: If you say that you can get them for the EXACT SAME PRICE - did WF come down?

Live long and prosper.
 
Both very nice diamonds! Is the SI eye clean - to where YOU want it to be eye clean at?? all other dimensions seem to be good comps. I'd still lean to the BGD. and its slightly less expensive, which can go to the setting....

Good luck and remember, sometimes you just have to take a chance and ... "to boldly go where no man has gone before.... these are the voyages of the Starship Enterprise" :lol:
 
Let your inner Kirk choose the girl to marry.

Let the inner Spock allow you to do what is financially responsible and buy the higher color stone for the same money!

No-brainer, seriously. And I like everyone at BG and WF for the record!
 
Does one vendor have the setting you want?
They aren't the same price, exactly - the ACA is $1500 more. Does that impact your choice at all?

You can get excellent service from either vendor, I promise! Most of us have preferred vendors*, but ultimately they have basically identical operations, business models, manufacturing processes, and pricepoints. I've worked with both and had better experiences with WF, so they get my repeat business ::)


Edited - it didn't come out right first time :sick:
 
Wow so many Trekkies who also like to talk bling...I love it!!

Thanks for all the responses....So far the score is:

Spock: 2
Kurk: 1
Undecided: 1

The two diamonds may be listed differently, but I basically got WF to bring down their price to BGDs (while giving up certain conditions on return/upgrade policies). The WF ACA has been "on the market" (AGS report dated Sep 2011), while the BGD is a "newly" cut stone (June 12, 2012)...

My Kurk side told me that its indeed cooler to say that your diamond was handpicked by a famous cutter, but my Spock side says longer-term, who cares?

This is a tough call.
 
From a pure stone-quality vs. price perspective this is easy - they're identical in all aspects of quality except one, colour. These are expensive stones - I wouldn't worry at all about it sitting on a shelf for a while, except that it happens to benefit you :bigsmile:

But that's obviously not the only thing that matters to you (and there's absolutely nothing wrong with that!) - unfortunately we really can't help much in telling you how to prioritise talking to Brian and having him recommend a stone personally, though.

I'll be interested to see what you decide. This thread is a really good example of how people vary, and how "mind-clean" doesn't necessarily equate to the most financially equitable decision.
 
Kurk all the way. I wouldn't give up the personal service, return, and upgrade policy for what may or may not be a discernable difference in color.
 
I canna do it, Captain. I have to go with the ACA!...I think Scotty has the answer ;))
 
I seriously doubt your friends and family are going to be all that interested in your phone conversations with either company, seriously. Brian did not cut that diamond personally, so it's not like it has some added value because of who cut it.

As she looks at the stone over the next 50 years or so, I think looking at an H is going to be slightly more appealing that telling the story of speaking to Brian on the phone, (and I have, too, in the past). But come on, how could you pass up a more valuable diamond for the same price??? I actually would have paid more for the H anyway.
 
diamondseeker2006|1340222593|3220446 said:
I seriously doubt your friends and family are going to be all that interested in your phone conversations with either company, seriously. Brian did not cut that diamond personally, so it's not like it has some added value because of who cut it.

As she looks at the stone over the next 50 years or so, I think looking at an H is going to be slightly more appealing that telling the story of speaking to Brian on the phone, (and I have, too, in the past). But come on, how could you pass up a more valuable diamond for the same price??? I actually would have paid more for the H anyway.
Click to expand...


Yeah, okay. Exactly what I was thinking but was too chicken to say outright.
 
UPDATE: Talked to WF just now, they're offering to match BGD's return policy/upgrade for the same price as the BGD with the lower color grade...leaning towards my Spock side now.
 
dude, WF. Seriously. Higher color, same policies, same price?

Spock would not approve if you did anything else.
 
I personally prefer to do business with BGD but since WF has now matched BGD's upgrade and return policy for the same price with one color grade higher I guess I would go with WF.

Does your setting decision come into play at all here? Who has settings that you prefer if you are going to buy one from the diamond vendor?
 
Future Trek wifey (hopefully) doesn't seem too picky on ring setting...just wants fiery, brilliant rock =p.

FYI: She does like Star Trek (the latest one at least) but don't worry, we won't be looking at the Las Vegas Star Trek Casino as a wedding venue...haha
 
How did I miss the Vegas Star Trek casino?! :o JK I know nothing at all about Star Trek, so it's good thing it's not required for the discussion :lol:

I was going to chime in and say that I would NOT give up return or upgrade policies to save $1500, but since WF has now matched BGD price and policies, then this is a no brainer, I would go with WF all the way. I prefer to be wow-ed by the diamond as opposed to wow-ed by who cut it. In this case I'm sure they are both amazing stones, but it just makes so much more sense to purchase the H.
 
UPDATE: Brian Gavin is standing by his 2.04 I SI1 ...saying that it's a "magnificent very-white facing stone" and will look no different than an H.

Is it possible that a BGD I SI1 could "look" better than a WF ACA H SI1 ?? Could his "eye" for diamonds be that much better than the GIA graduate gemologists over at WF?? I guess that's what I'm struggling with.
 
supernnova|1340227087|3220520 said:
UPDATE: Brian Gavin is standing by his 2.04 I SI1 ...saying that it's a "magnificent very-white facing stone" and will look no different than an H.

Is it possible that a BGD I SI1 could "look" better than a WF ACA H SI1 ?? Could his "eye" for diamonds be that much better than the GIA graduate gemologists over at WF?? I guess that's what I'm struggling with.
Click to expand...

If you like the H, then I would go for the H; both I am sure are beautiful. I wouldn't doubt WF.

eta: I looked at both, they are both beautiful; I don't think you could go wrong with either
 
I would be asking how/why Whiteflash can discount $1500 from a diamond and can we all have the same offer? :lol:
 
Ummm, both stones have been graded by AGS, right? And one has an H grade and one has I grade? That means the H is one grade whiter and it is worth more than the I.

Let's say you are going to buy your special silver Star Trek Enterprise version Porsche 911 tomorrow, and the sales guy offers you a 2012 and a 2013 model for the exact same price. They are both new. Which one would you choose? This is really an easy game and I am not sure why you are having trouble deciding! :lol:
 
diamondseeker2006|1340222593|3220446 said:
I seriously doubt your friends and family are going to be all that interested in your phone conversations with either company, seriously. Brian did not cut that diamond personally, so it's not like it has some added value because of who cut it.

As she looks at the stone over the next 50 years or so, I think looking at an H is going to be slightly more appealing that telling the story of speaking to Brian on the phone, (and I have, too, in the past). But come on, how could you pass up a more valuable diamond for the same price??? I actually would have paid more for the H anyway.
Click to expand...

Yes, exactly.

The ACAs were basically Brian's "formula" if you will, so they will be virtually identical to any BGD signature stone.
 
supernnova|1340224461|3220472 said:
UPDATE: Talked to WF just now, they're offering to match BGD's return policy/upgrade for the same price as the BGD with the lower color grade...leaning towards my Spock side now.
Click to expand...

Well now it's definitely a no-brainer to me!
 
supernnova|1340227087|3220520 said:
UPDATE: Brian Gavin is standing by his 2.04 I SI1 ...saying that it's a "magnificent very-white facing stone" and will look no different than an H.

Is it possible that a BGD I SI1 could "look" better than a WF ACA H SI1 ?? Could his "eye" for diamonds be that much better than the GIA graduate gemologists over at WF?? I guess that's what I'm struggling with.
Click to expand...


Short answer: No. AGSL, not WF, is the authority here, and as DS says the WF is the better value, period.

Unless, of course, the I is misgraded... but I certainly wouldn't be putting my eggs in that basket. Honestly it sounds like you really want to buy from BGD, so I say just buy it from BGD, accept that it's less value than what WF is offering, and stop trying to find some way to rationalize it - it's okay to be irrational sometimes ;))
 
Scotty...beam me that ACA!
 
Same terms, I would now go with Spock.
 
Listen, this is a big emotional purchase for you. For us, it's not. It's easy for us to be Spock. We're not emotionally invested. But there is a reason that Spock and Kirk are a duo. Pure logic is not sufficient, and neither is pure emotion.

It's not like you have a bad choice in front of you. Both choices are great diamonds.

If you connected with Brian and want to work with him, that's okay. Seriously. I know that many of us on this board have connected with vendors and have given them business when, maybe, in a purely logical move we could have gone with someone else. Connection and trust are important with big purchases.

You are seriously going to end up with a gorgeous diamond either way.
 
Here's the difference to me, WF changes its mind to out-compete a former partner. I wonder if they would have made the same deal if it wasn't a BGD you are considering. Long history between the two companies. Ethically, I'd go with BGD. Or you can have both diamonds sent to you, see if your eye can discern enough of a difference in color to be a concern and return the other. Or just go with your gut.
 
I think several vendors here negotiate price, and I know that for a fact. Any vendor has leeway to do that if they want to make the sale. Car dealers do this every single day (and I always shop the identical car between two dealers to get the lowest price), so I see nothing unusual about a diamond vendor doing it. If this involved two identical stones for the same price and policies, then I'd say fine, go for whoever you liked best on the phone! But I think it is bad advice to tell him to go for an I color over an H for the same price when we know the H stone is worth more. If I were the recipient, I would certainly want the H over the I in a round brilliant, plus getting a good deal on the H makes it even sweeter.
 
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