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Bigger Stone for Lesser Clarity?

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fatalysis

Rough_Rock
Joined
Jun 21, 2006
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Hi all,

First time poster, long time lurker...after giving myself a crash course in Purchasing an Engagement Ring 101 and then shopping around, I think I''m ready to take the next step and make a purchase soon.

Taking the advice of a lot of posters in this forum, I''ve decided to go with a simple platinum "tiffany" style ring from whiteflash that will play the supporting role for the main attraction, whichever stone i decide to choose:

http://www.whiteflash.com/golden-wardrobe/Gold_Details.aspx?ItemCode=PL0701&size=7.50


As for the stone itself, I know I want the best possible cut I can afford (another piece of advice I''ve learned from you all), and in the color range I''m looking in the G-H range.

What I''m trying to decide on is carats vs clarity. I initially was only looking at 1.0 carat round diamonds with a clarity no less than VS2, and I had no problems finding something in my budget (no more than $5,100 for just the stone). Recently however, I''ve slightly broadened the range in clarity down to SI1 and have found that I can find diamonds as large 1.15 ct that are in my budget.

My questions is, in your opinion, would you sacrfice the clarity of a diamond one notch lower from VS2 to SI1 for a larger stone? Is there really that big of a difference between VS2 and SI1? Is an extra 0.15 ct worth even giving this thought? Does all this even matter if I can find a diamond with an ideal cut or better? I don''t have a clue, so I''m grateful for any advice you can give me.

BTW - I''m truly grateful that Pricescope and its members exist. Without this great website and the people who are part of it, I''d probably end up going to a mall jewelry store and buying the first thing they''d suggest. Thank you!
 
I would absolutely look for an SI1 and even an SI2. As long as the diamond is eye clean, it will look the same as a VS2. No question to go for the bigger size. Size you will see. The clarity you will not. Just look for GIA or AGS certed diamonds and make sure to find one that is eye clean.

BTW, you can go down a little in color as well. A diamond with a great cut will look so white all the way down to an I or even lower for some people. The great cut also helps to hide inclusions.
 
You most certainly can find awesome stones that are SI1 and SI2 that are eye clean. WF is great about telling you if they are eye clean or not. I bought a stone from them recently for a pendant that was SI1 and it''s totally eye clean and I am very picky. You will be able to get a bigger stone going with and SI clarity. Just call and ask them to pull it for you and they will give you their honest opinions. Good luck!!!
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My stone is an AGS graded SI1 (some labs are more strict than others, btw), and I couldn''t even see the inclusions with a loupe looking from all sides when we bought it. The jeweller, a GIA gemologist, said it could be graded as a VS2. There are some amazingly clean SI1 and SI2 graded stones out there, you just have to know where to look.
 
Before PS, I never thought I would go below a VS1...but seeing magnified pics of so many beautiful, eye-clean SI1 and SI2 stones has really opened my eyes.

I just bought 2 eye-clean SI1 stones for a pair of earrings from WF...and they were truly beautiful in person...not to mention that in the 40x photos, you can''t see a thing.

If the stone is truly eye-clean, then I would definitely go for more carat weight.
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I'm different.

I like the best cut possible no matter who the diamond is for.
Next if it is for me, then I prefer higher clarity and color, VS1 or better and F or better.
I prefer to put size last.

To each his own.
Nobody is wrong.
 
You can easily find some great eyeclean SI1 stones in that carat range. Definitely go bigger and eyeclean! .15 isn''t a HUGE visual difference but if you can get a nice SI1, why go .15 less for better clarity that you can''t detect without a loupe and eagle vision? Just stick with the ideal cuts and you''ll do great.
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(or, you might consider checking out the Expert Selections on WF and get an even larger stone for the money....these are beautiful stones that are *juuuust* outside of ideal range and people can find a lot of value there.....and extra carat weight.
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I''d buy an SI-1 in a minute over a higher grade to get a bigger stone if it shows as well or better. No-one is going to come up to you at a party to see the ring with a loupe(unless a newly graduated gemologist is present
emembarrassed.gif
).
 
Thank you so much for the feedback! I''ll definitely be on the look out for a bigger stone that''s "eye clean" while lowering my color requirements...Thanks again!

One question about Whiteflash''s expert selection. I was under the impression that their expert selection were all ideal cut until someone posted that they were just under it. Are they or are they not ideal cut?
 
The expert selection stones may be AGS ideal cut of GIA excellent cut. You just have to look at the certiicates to see. WF top of the line stones are called A Cut Above, and they are usually AGS Ideal. The Expert Selection stones are often excellent, but you have to look at all the information.

Oh, and I''m with Kenny...I like VS1 or above for clarity, and H is my lowest on color if it is a high H.
 
Bigger stone? Not for me. It wouldn't even matter if it were D/Flawless, I wouldn't want a bigger stone than what I have (1 carat). So before you make size a priority, make sure it's a size your girlfriend would wear, and a stone you are proud to buy and present. Some women are not comfortable with a larger stone, and only you can make that assessment regarding your future fiancée.

Cut is #1 on my list because sparkle is #1 on my list for diamond jewelry.
Clarity is next for me.
Color (I like stones as low as Z). I'm a big canary fan.
Then size hovering around 1 carat.

So you see everyone is different.
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Date: 6/21/2006 10:19:04 PM
Author:fatalysis
Hi all,

My questions is, in your opinion, would you sacrfice the clarity of a diamond one notch lower from VS2 to SI1 for a larger stone? Is there really that big of a difference between VS2 and SI1? Is an extra 0.15 ct worth even giving this thought? Does all this even matter if I can find a diamond with an ideal cut or better? I don''t have a clue, so I''m grateful for any advice you can give me.
Click to expand...
no difference between a VS2 and SI1 if.... eye clean and mind clean.

1.00ct about 6.50 mm
1.15ct about 6.80 mm
 
I would definitely go for an eye clean SI over a VS clarity any day for a bigger size. But I''m not so clarity sensitive either. I have two SI2 diamonds. One is totally clean and the other is clean from face up but the side shows the feather...I''m not bothered in the least by it. Matter of fact if I could find an eye cleanish I1 I''d take it in a heartbeat as long as the cut was ideal and the color was in my range (I''d take an H for sure and definitely look at an I or J). I guess it''s all what you are sensitive to. I''m not holding up my diamond to my face inspecting it every second nor is anyone else looking at it that close so I figure why pay for what you can''t see without a loupe. But that''s just me and I like bigger diamonds (although I don''t own anything super large at this point LOL).
 
As long as the cut was great I would and have gone low for clarity to an eyeclean I1 and am very glad I did on a couple of occasions. Would I do it again? Absolutely! My round I1 has a small white inclusion as the grade setter hidden by a prong. The rest of the diamond is completely clean - no one would ever guess the grade.
 
Fatalysis,

With Regards to clarity, it''s a matter of personal preference. Many prefer more carat size at the expense of clarity. As long as it''s eye clean, they''re satisfied. Some SI1 and SI2 stones are eyeclean from arms length and some from 6" or less.

Others, such as myself, I have a preference for VS or VVS clarity at the expense of carat sizse It''s simply comes down to presonal preference. It''s a decision for you or your loved one to make, not others.

Kevin
 
Date: 6/21/2006 11:55:05 PM
Author: kenny

To each his own.
Nobody is wrong.
Click to expand...
Well said.
 
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