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Watching this thread with interest.Date: 7/6/2005 9:19:51 PM
Author: widget
I've had an H&A question forever, and this seems like a good place to ask it.
Every once in a while I see a picture of a diamond with what I call a 'wagon wheel' effect. I assume the the 'spokes' are arrows.
Is this considered good or bad? I notice the pretty diamond Belle posted doesn't show that effect, and I much prefer that look.
Just curious, actually. The truth is I'm an asscher/EC/OEC kinda girl, myself...![]()
widget
KaleighDate: 7/6/2005 9:25:45 PM
Author: kaleigh
I was wondering the same thing widget. I thought all those H&A's had those black arrows that you see in so many of the pictures. The pic that belle posted didn't have them and actually I prefer that. Am I in the minority??? Oh and widget, I'm with you asschers rule!!! Not that I have one, but I can dream can't I???
Garry- Aren''t you assuming crown height when you say a med girdle 60/60 spreads 6.48mm?Date: 7/6/2005 9:13:18 PM
Author: Garry H (Cut Nut)
Just a small disenting voice David.Date: 7/6/2005 4:01:01 PM
Author: diamondsbylauren
Here''s another, less publicized fact: Most ''Ideal'' cut diamonds look smaller than a 60/60 of the same weight.
Many well cut 60/60 1.00''s will have a spread of 6.5mm.
Many ''Ideal'' cut diamonds are 6.2mm.
Compare the two and you will notice a differnce in size.
You may also notice a difference in the type of sparkle the diamond exhibits.
Some say an ''Ideal'' cut has more fire, a 60/60 more sparkle. Whatever, I still prefer the look of a well cut 60/60 wioth NO hearts and arrows.
Then, the kicker.
To get all this: Smaller table, smaller appearance etc...I have to pay more???
a 60-60 tolkowsky with medium girdle measures 6.48mm.
The same stone with a 56% table (and 61.4% depth) measures 6.45mm
The stone with the smaller table will have a slightly brighter appearance and can look the same size to the eye because of that. And it will have an impercepably larger amount of fire.
In addition the smaller table diamond has more verticle spread i.e. - more diamond sticks out the top of the ring setting.
But i personally believe there will be many more fads to come in the diamond world.
Sergey is working on some nice ones - a couple of years off - but with every potential to add to the current trends.
Seeing hundreds of diamonds a week puts him in a much more authoritative position than someone who simply talks about diamonds but never sees them.Date: 7/6/2005 9:10:21 PM
Author: strmrdr
anyway....
back to my point:
I was responding to rickyrockranger, seeing 100 diamonds a week does not make an automatic expert on all diamonds.
Even if it did there are preferences and agendas that come into play.
Iv talked to vendors that have seen thousands of diamonds over the years that have managed to learn very little about them other than the profit margins they can get from them.
There are no before picturesDate: 7/6/2005 10:06:26 PM
Author: Dancing Fire
David
here''s the link. i bought the stone with no lab report. an appraiser measure the stone and he told me was a 60/60.
https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/from-a-1-47-ct-60-60-stone-to-a-1-15-ct-after-the-recut-by-infinity-diamonds.24501/
davidDate: 7/7/2005 1:20:55 AM
Author: diamondsbylauren
DancingFire- can we agree that the lack of a proper GIA report means we really don't know the exact proporions of the diamond prior to re-cut- great job on the re-cut- great looking stone. I'd love to be able to see what it lookerd like before- but we don't even have that.
It's a beauty now, but declaring that ' It was an ugly 60/60' is simply not a fair statement.
There are all kinds of appraisers and all kinds of........
I would be willing to bet that the diamond was NOT a 60/60 before the recut.
Something is kind of weird - here's why.
Normally, if a cutter takes a stone to 1.47, it's because he's really doing a nice job on the cut- after all- a leave a little more girdle and viola- you've got yourself a full carat and a half.
The diamond ended up grading I/VS2 -so it was not a very cheap color/clarity to start out with.
Was it an antique, or old cut?
I'm working on that photo......
great summary bill.Date: 7/7/2005 9:47:48 AM
Author: mepearl53
I just did a quick search on Rapaport''s trade listings for 60/60''s. In the gd/gd vg/vg lists in D to H If to VS1 ranges of 200 diamonds of 1.0ct there are 3 diamonds that match the 60/60 category. Two were 6.3 ish mm and one was a 6.3-6.4 ish. Of the AGS000 on the list of the same qualities not a one measured under 6.4mm unless it had over a 62.2 depth. We carried the Kaplan and Keiger diamonds in the 1970''s and we did this because it was a premium cut diamond that had a market. We also carried a more middle of the road diamond for those that wanted a less expensive stone and these were the 60/60. In other words over the past 34 years that I have been associated with the industry there has been a preference for both diamonds. Would I put a 60/60 into some of my premium design rings, no. Would I put the 60/60 into our more main stream brands, yes. Is there a visual difference between the two diamonds, yes. Is the AGS00 easier to compare prices, yes. Non ideal stones are harder for the consumer to compare prices and I think it is here that the trade has the grip. Although you pay a premium for a ideal the profit margin is less than a non ideal IMHO.
Danciing- You are simply proving the point- there''s no way at all to guarantee what the diamond was prior to re-cut.Date: 7/7/2005 2:42:30 AM
Author: Dancing Fire
davidDate: 7/7/2005 1:20:55 AM
Author: diamondsbylauren
DancingFire- can we agree that the lack of a proper GIA report means we really don''t know the exact proporions of the diamond prior to re-cut- great job on the re-cut- great looking stone. I''d love to be able to see what it lookerd like before- but we don''t even have that.
It''s a beauty now, but declaring that '' It was an ugly 60/60'' is simply not a fair statement.
There are all kinds of appraisers and all kinds of........
I would be willing to bet that the diamond was NOT a 60/60 before the recut.
Something is kind of weird - here''s why.
Normally, if a cutter takes a stone to 1.47, it''s because he''s really doing a nice job on the cut- after all- a leave a little more girdle and viola- you''ve got yourself a full carat and a half.
The diamond ended up grading I/VS2 -so it was not a very cheap color/clarity to start out with.
Was it an antique, or old cut?
I''m working on that photo......
this stone was purchase in 1996. the vendor call it a moderm RB Russian cut I VS2.i paid $5300 for the stone,i think that was like 15% back of rap.i''m sure it was a 60/60 stone ,i remember that''s what the vendor call it.even to this day he still consider a 60/60 to be the best cut. i''m sure there''re beautiful 60/60 stones out there but this wasn''t one of them.
about that 1.47 ct weight.i understand what you''re saying .here''s what Paul of infinity said about the stone....the original cutter did his best to hide some extra weight and still wasn''t able to make it a 1.50ct.
hey bill,Date: 7/7/2005 4:53:48 PM
Author: mepearl53
Now, can someone tell me how to get the subject matter into the grey box that said what the other poster said so I can remember the question![]()
John,Date: 7/7/2005 4:27:54 PM
Author: JohnQuixote
David,
I think Belle was just showing that if you buy using only the 60/60 rule there are more unknowns than if you have all of the particulars. For a consumer browsing the internet knowing many particulars reveals more about predicted performance than 60/60 will.
If someone offered to let you buy, sight-unseen, a 1ct diamond with 55 T, 61.7 D, 34.5 CA, 40.8 PA, or a 1ct ''60/60'' (you can have either for $1 – one time special!) which would you be more comfortable buying?
On your ebay ad (linked above) you state there are jewelry sellers who decide on their own formulas and “slap on the term, ideal.” I’d suggest that 60/60 is no different. Surely you have seen 60/60 diamonds that are not great performers. How do you express the difference between great and not-so-great 60/60s to your customers?
Thanks Belle!Date: 7/7/2005 4:53:48 PM
Author: mepearl53
David,
I use the rapp for it gives me a faster search and there is not as much duplication of the same stones offered. Although one would not call it a highly regarded survey I think a 1.5% return on a random sample gets to my point. The same results turned up on the Idex board.
As far as the Kaplan diamond and Keiger, we also did Keppie, this may have been a plan but it was a justified presentation. This information was taught at the GIA when I received my GG in Residence in 1974. It was in their instruction manuals for their students to effectively explain the difference to their customers or in appraisals for them. It was also a way of sight grading to determine the true re cut value of a diamond when on the road buying diamonds. (Haven''t things changed) Remember the proportionscope? That big grey thing that did the projection onto a screen of a diamond and how the proportions differed from or adhered to ideal. If you telling me that the information that was being taught by GIA to their students was wrong than I stand corrected. Any current GG''s care to chime in here on the current teaching?
Also, we carried the 60/60''s along with the ideals. Back then the jewelry business was different than today''s more specialized stores. We had something for everybody. If we presented a choice between ideal and non-ideal it was up to the customer to weigh what was presented to them and they made their own decision. If price was not a object they choose ideal. If it was a issue they choose the 60/60. If they asked me I said ideal. That is what I gave to my wife before the computer age and it''s beauty is timeless. I tell my customers that what ever they choose to give their loved ones make sure that she doesn''t see a prettier one on another woman''s hand. But, beauty is in the eye of the beholder and that is ones choice.
I take no offense and mean no offence to the discussion concerning the preference. This is what I was taught and this is what I recommend to my customers. The gemologist of today is far smarter than I but have a lot of experience in this area. I''d love to hear from some of the GG''s and people taking courses what their opinion is.
Now, can someone tell me how to get the subject matter into the grey box that said what the other poster said so I can remember the question![]()
Garry- I would be happy to pull the diamond fromthe setting, have a sarin done, and see how you did with your predictions.Date: 7/7/2005 2:34:06 AM
Author: Garry H (Cut Nut)
David what about 62% 62%?
Does that look better than a H&A''s?
This one is from your website - it is hard to get a really good reading on the crown height / angle and girdle thickness since you never gave the girdle thickness on the stone?
But it certainly has no risk of having those annoying stars
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=10216&item=5010623661#ebayphotohosting
David, what in particular these pictures misrepresent? They represent exactly the point that 60/60 rule alone cannot guarantee light performance of the stone and one should know more info such as crown and pavilion angles, girdle, etc.Date: 7/7/2005 5:24:12 PM
Author: diamondsbylauren
The pictures on that page can only be descibed as misrepresentations. What purpose do they serve?