Appreciate help with diamond selection

[spon88]

Hi,

I am looking at the following stones as a present for my elderly mother's birthday and would really appreciate some help on selection please. I have a budget of around £9k (UK pounds) and all fit within just about. Three of the stones are from a reputable on-line dealer and come back "eye-clean" apparently. Certainly you can see a few inclusions on the magnified photographs but normal viewing I suspect they are fine. The HCA range is 2.6 down to 0.6 and colour D through F. I also have the gemologists and light performance reports coming for three out of four of the stones. The 4th, from a bricks and mortar vendor in the UK would just be via my untrained eye!

Looking at the certs and inclusion types, are there any of these I should definitely avoid please? Also what about the stone that comes in around 2.6 HCA?

Are clouds an issue here?

http://www.gia.edu/cs/Satellite?pagename=GST%2FDispatcher&childpagename=GIA%2FPage%2FReportCheck&c=Page&cid=1355954554547&reportno=6172112041

The one below looks very clean but has the HCA of 2.6 and are those "twinning wisps" a problem?

http://www.gia.edu/cs/Satellite?pagename=GST%2FDispatcher&childpagename=GIA%2FPage%2FReportCheck&c=Page&cid=1355954554547&reportno=2177747328

This one looks a bit "lumpy" but is reported as "eye clean" and 1.6 on the HCA scale:

http://www.gia.edu/cs/Satellite?pagename=GST%2FDispatcher&childpagename=GIA%2FPage%2FReportCheck&c=Page&cid=1355954554547&reportno=5131637603

This last one is the stone from the UK high-street store - 0.6 HCA and also looks clean - I've seen this one and it looks nice but then I have no real experience to compare:

http://www.gia.edu/cs/Satellite?reportno=5176936178&childpagename=GIA%2FPage%2FReportCheck&pagename=GIA%2FDispatcher&c=Page&cid=1355954554547

Any guidance much appreciated please! All are SI1 and within around £350 of each other price wise.

Thanks
Dave

 

[diamondseeker2006]

There's no way we can give meaningful information without the images of the stones and the light return images. I would not buy the stones with the .6 or 2.6 score without light return images. If it were me, I'd go down to maybe G color and VS2 clarity. Clarity can only be evaluated by pictures and preferably in person. Some SI stones are cleaner than others.

Please post all the photos when you get them and we can better help you.

 

[Niel]

I like the last one best. I disagree that you can't buy a diamond without light return info, at least for rounds....if you're able to see in person though, just go based on which you prefer most to your eye.

 

[diamondseeker2006]

Oh, you can definitely buy a diamond without light return images. I just assume if someone has requested those images, they are interested in getting a well cut diamond with minimal to no leakage.

 

[Niel]

Oh, you can definitely buy a diamond without light return images. I just assume if someone has requested those images, they are interested in getting a well cut diamond with minimal to no leakage.

Still, you can buy a well cut diamond without those images. Not just any diamond.

If you want to be nit picky and analyze it to a T. which yes I've done and you've done, these images are important. But you can't get a well cut diamond with minimal of no leakage.

But for many its a negligible difference, and that negligence is worth giving up if the price is right on a stone from a vendor that doesn't have that info

 

[spon88]

Thanks for the replies. I'll wait for the reports and then post the images back here.

Thanks
Dave

 

[spon88]

Hi,

In the end I didn't go for the JA stones because it took a little longer than I expected to receive the light reports etc. Overall their service was good though.

Eventually I opted for this from White Flash and their service was also excellent. Should be winging its way to the UK in a few days time:

http://www.whiteflash.com/loose-diamonds/round-cut-loose-diamond-3577111.htm

I also stumbled across a service called Transfer Wise which is regulated by UK financial services and allowed me to transfer *a lot* of cash to the US very cost effectively and quickly. It cost me around £35 (UK pounds) versus the £250 my bank wanted. Twice as fast too. Highly recommended for anyone wanting to import.

Thanks
Dave