Best bang for buck

[DannyB7]

Hi everyone,

I''m looking to find a diamond that is the best value. As far as budget I do not want to spend over $2000 on the diamond itself. Carat size is not as important as finding a diamond with a little more pop for the budget that I''m working within. I searched BlueNile and found the follow:

.51 Carat Round Cut Loose Diamond
Stock number: LD00417382
Price: $1,983
Bank wire price:$1,954
Carat weight: 0.51
Cut: Ideal
Color: F
Clarity: VVS2
Price per carat: $3,888
Depth %: 61.4%
Table %: 56%
Symmetry: Very good
Polish: Very good
Girdle: Thin to medium, faceted
Culet: None
Fluorescence: Medium blue
Measurements: 5.16 x 5.17 x 3.17 mm

Does this seem to be a good price based on the specs? Any advice I would greatly appreciate. Thanks.

 

[Lorelei]

Welcome Danny,

It looks very nice, just a point unless you really prefer F colour and VVS clarity, you could drop to G or H and VS clarity without visual sacrifice to get a larger diamond if you preferred but this is of course a personal preference!

 

[DannyB7]

Thanks for the advice Lorelei. Taking your advice, and with both prices nearly identical I found:

.70 Carat Round Cut Loose Diamond
Stock number: LD01012911
Price: $1,970
Bank wire price:$1,941
Carat weight: 0.70
Cut: Good
Color: G
Clarity: VS1
Price per carat:$2,814
Depth %: 62.6%
Table %: 62%
Symmetry: Good
Polish: Good
Girdle: Slightly thick to very thick
Culet: None
Fluorescence: None
Measurements: 5.54 x 5.57 x 3.48 mm

Without visual sacrifice do you consider the above diamond a good value and comparable if not identical to the first diamond I posted. I''m assuming to the untrained eye, there would not be a difference - except for the above diamond being a little big larger. Thanks again.

 

[LaurenThePartier]

Date: 2/11/2009 10:27:37 AM
Author: DannyB7
Thanks for the advice Lorelei. Taking your advice, and with both prices nearly identical I found:

.70 Carat Round Cut Loose Diamond
Stock number: LD01012911
Price: $1,970
Bank wire price:$1,941
Carat weight: 0.70
Cut: Good
Color: G
Clarity: VS1
Price per carat:$2,814
Depth %: 62.6%
Table %: 62%
Symmetry: Good
Polish: Good
Girdle: Slightly thick to very thick
Culet: None
Fluorescence: None
Measurements: 5.54 x 5.57 x 3.48 mm

Without visual sacrifice do you consider the above diamond a good value and comparable if not identical to the first diamond I posted. I''m assuming to the untrained eye, there would not be a difference - except for the above diamond being a little big larger. Thanks again.

You''re sacrificing a bit in cut, there. I can''t even get the HCA to register a score because of the depth.

What about this G VS2?

http://www.whiteflash.com/hearts_arrows/Whiteflash-ACA-cut-diamond-978324.htm

Item Code: AGS-9662107
. Report: AGS
. Shape: Whiteflash ACA
. Carat: 0.578
. Depth %: 61.5
. Table %: 55.4
. Crown Angle: 34.3
. Crown %: 15.2
. Star : 53
. Pavilion Angle: 40.9
. Pavilion %: 43.2
. Lower Girdle %: 78
. Girdle: Thin to Medium Faceted
. Measurements: 5.36-5.41X3.31
. Light Performance: 0
. Polish: Ideal
. Symmetry: Ideal
. Culet: Pointed
. Fluorescence: Negligible


Also, if this is eye-clean and you can allow yourself to go with an SI1, this looks like a nice diamond.

http://www.whiteflash.com/hearts_arrows/Whiteflash-ACA-cut-diamond-978327.htm

Item Code: AGS-9662110
. Report: AGS
. Shape: Whiteflash ACA
. Carat: 0.542
. Depth %: 61.7
. Table %: 55.1
. Crown Angle: 33.9
. Crown %: 15.1
. Star : 53
. Pavilion Angle: 40.9
. Pavilion %: 43.4
. Lower Girdle %: 77
. Girdle: Thin to Medium Faceted
. Measurements: 5.24-5.26X3.24
. Light Performance: 0
. Polish: Ideal
. Symmetry: Ideal
. Culet: Pointed
. Fluorescence: Negligible

 

[LaurenThePartier]

Also, exploring options of going a bit lower, but with an AGS0 diamond, I found this .758 I SI1 that''s about $400 - $500 over budget after the PS discount.

http://www.whiteflash.com/hearts_arrows/Whiteflash-ACA-cut-diamond-636725.htm

Item Code: AGS-9408710
. Report: AGS
. Shape: Whiteflash ACA
. Carat: 0.758
. Depth %: 61.3
. Table %: 57
. Crown Angle: 34.7
. Crown %: 14.9
. Star : 52
. Pavilion Angle: 40.8
. Pavilion %: 43
. Lower Girdle %: 76
. Girdle: Thin to Slightly Thick Faceted
. Measurements: 5.86-5.88X3.60
. Light Performance: 0
. Polish: Ideal
. Symmetry: Ideal
. Culet: Pointed
. Fluorescence: Negligible

 

[Lorelei]

Date: 2/11/2009 10:27:37 AM
Author: DannyB7
Thanks for the advice Lorelei. Taking your advice, and with both prices nearly identical I found:

.70 Carat Round Cut Loose Diamond
Stock number: LD01012911
Price: $1,970
Bank wire price:$1,941
Carat weight: 0.70
Cut: Good
Color: G
Clarity: VS1
Price per carat:$2,814
Depth %: 62.6%
Table %: 62%
Symmetry: Good
Polish: Good
Girdle: Slightly thick to very thick
Culet: None
Fluorescence: None
Measurements: 5.54 x 5.57 x 3.48 mm

Without visual sacrifice do you consider the above diamond a good value and comparable if not identical to the first diamond I posted. I''m assuming to the untrained eye, there would not be a difference - except for the above diamond being a little big larger. Thanks again.

Danny, you can do better for cut on that one, it is a bit deep for one thing, take a look at Lauren''s selections. Also the best bang for the buck means you could even drop to VS2 and verifed eyeclean SI clarity grades if you were open to it, along with G or H colour and a little lower, but VS might be a good place for you - it is cut which gives a diamond its beauty moreso than colour or clarity, so get a well cut and eyeclean rock of good colour and you should be set!