bling vs sting?

[thevoodoowedo]

So I''m starting to get torn between a higher quality diamond and one that is slightly bigger but not quite has high quality in color + clarity

thoughts on a pick between these two?

BLING
HCA score: 1.6
Shape: Round
Carat weight: 2.09
Cut: Ideal
Color: I
Clarity: SI2
Certificate: AGS

Depth: 61.2%
Table: 57.4%
Polish: Ideal
Symmetry: Ideal
Girdle: Thin to medium
Culet: None
Fluorescence: Neglible
Measurements: 8.21*8.23*5.03

Crown Angle: 34.2°
pavilion Angle: 41.0°
price 13,927

vs

STING
HCA score 0.7
Shape: Round
Carat weight: 1.84
Cut: Ideal
Color: H
Clarity: VS2
Certificate: AGS

Depth: 61.7%
Table: 57.2%
Polish: Ideal
Symmetry: Ideal
Girdle: Thin to medium
Culet: None
Fluorescence: Neglible
Measurements: 7.81*7.84*4.83

Crown Angle: 35.4°
pavilion Angle: 40.5°

price 15,375

This is hypothetically assuming that the first diamond is eye clean which might be a stretch at this point...

Is it worth it to compromise on quality to get the bigger size? My value meter seems to lean towards the bigger size since the smaller diamond also costs 10% more.

Both stones score pretty well on HCA but which one do you think is the better cut since HCA is more a tool to throw things away than to tell you what the good stone might be.

So far my overall sweet spot seems to be (~2ct h,i color si1-si2 ideal cut)
Would it make sense to adjust any of those main parameters up and size down?

-voodoo

 

[Lorelei]

My preference is for Bling versus Sting - lol - I would settle the question by insisting on a good description of eyecleanliness or not for Bling, then if that is a positive, ask for Idealscopes for Bling and Sting to help choose between them. If Bling isn't eyeclean, see if you can find one that is with a great cut in SI1 clarity, similar colour etc.

Also read through this thread to make sure you and your vendor are on the same page for eyecleanliness.

https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/clarity-eye-clean-definition-interpretation-and-taste.30483/

 

[thevoodoowedo]

great thanks for all of your help!

How willing are vendors to give idealscope images? I haven''t asked, so I guess I can start requesting them and just see what happens.

At this point I''d also like to vent one frustration I''ve found with all of the vendors I''ve been in contact with thus far. So far, all of them have tried to steer me away from what I''ve asked for and towards what they have in stock... which I suppose is a fair thing for a sales person to do. I just thought one reason to involve a sales person early in the process was for them to possibly unlock hidden options.

Also for the bigger vendors commonly featured here, none of them seem to have an inventory other than what is available through their respective website database interfaces. Since I have the element of time on my side, is it reasonable to ask them to hunt for a diamond that fits my needs? How willing are these vendors to do leg work for me vs just want to make the quick easy sale? I''m happy to just surf the search engines for a few months until something I really like finally does show up, but at the same time I''d also like to maybe jump start that process.

Thanks again

-voodoo

 

[Lorelei]

Date: 8/7/2007 10:04:40 AM
Author: thevoodoowedo
great thanks for all of your help!

How willing are vendors to give idealscope images? I haven't asked, so I guess I can start requesting them and just see what happens.

Many vendors do offer Idealscope images, just ask - especially if these are in house diamonds.

At this point I'd also like to vent one frustration I've found with all of the vendors I've been in contact with thus far. So far, all of them have tried to steer me away from what I've asked for and towards what they have in stock... which I suppose is a fair thing for a sales person to do. I just thought one reason to involve a sales person early in the process was for them to possibly unlock hidden options.

Yes you would hope that vendors would steer you towards their best options and suggest diamonds which may be perfect for you that you may not have found, perhaps though if you have been inquiring about virtual stones, they may have great options with their in house diamonds which are a known quantity, so they can confidently recommend a diamond to you. They can't do this with a virtual diamond. Also many vendors are used to PSers requesting in house diamonds rather than virtual ones. But if you feel you aren't being heard with your requirements then it may be best to change vendors.

Also for the bigger vendors commonly featured here, none of them seem to have an inventory other than what is available through their respective website database interfaces. Since I have the element of time on my side, is it reasonable to ask them to hunt for a diamond that fits my needs? How willing are these vendors to do leg work for me vs just want to make the quick easy sale? I'm happy to just surf the search engines for a few months until something I really like finally does show up, but at the same time I'd also like to maybe jump start that process.

You can definitely ask online vendors to suggest options for you which they should be glad to do, they will probably do this with in house diamonds, or be able to source potential candidates to bring in for you, there may be a charge for this though, to cover shipping expenses etc.

Thanks again

-voodoo

 

[gwendolyn]

I think 1.84 is still a big stone, so I''d go for the 2nd one personally, but I''m sure either will be gorgeous.

Do you know what sort of setting you want yet?

 

[thevoodoowedo]

yes, i''ve chosen a setting. I''m most likely going to go with a jeff cooper setting I think.

Most likely:

http://weddingband.com/jcooperengR3010.html

in polished plat.

 

[:)]

Ditto everything Lorelei said (as usual!) - you should make sure that you have gone to a store at one point and looked at either GIA or AGS graded stones to check your color tolerance (I say GIA or AGS as they are the most reliable with regards to color grading in the US). You likely will be just fine, but some people are very sensitive. And Absolutely make sure you and the vendor are very clear on each of your definitions of eye clean when discussing.

 

[Lorelei]

Date: 8/8/2007 12:41:28 AM
Author:
Ditto everything Lorelei said (as usual!) - you should make sure that you have gone to a store at one point and looked at either GIA or AGS graded stones to check your color tolerance (I say GIA or AGS as they are the most reliable with regards to color grading in the US). You likely will be just fine, but some people are very sensitive. And Absolutely make sure you and the vendor are very clear on each of your definitions of eye clean when discussing.

You are too kind Lisa and it is lovely to see you back - I missed you!!!

Voodoo, any updates on Bling V Sting???

 

[thevoodoowedo]

I''ve thrown out the smaller stone (since most of my shopping comparisons have focused on >2ct) I wasn''t sure the 1.84 was a great deal. It was more of a hypothetical question about whether or not I should go smaller and higher quality. I like your preference for bling...

I''m working with the vendor to get idealscopes for:

Shape: Round
Carat weight: 2.06
Cut: Hearts & Arrows Ideal
Color: I
Clarity: SI1
Certificate: GIA

Depth: 61.7%
Table: 55%
Polish: Excellent
Symmetry: Excellent
Girdle: Thin to medium
Culet: None
Fluorescence: None
Measurements: 8.19*8.22*5.06

Crown Angle: 35.0°
Crown %: 16.00
pavilion Angle: 40.8°
pavilion %: 43.00


-----------------------------
Shape: Round
Carat weight: 2.09
Cut: Ideal
Color: I
Clarity: SI2
Certificate: AGS

Depth: 61.2%
Table: 57.4%
Polish: Ideal
Symmetry: Ideal
Girdle: Thin to medium
Culet: None
Fluorescence: Neglible
Measurements: 8.21*8.23*5.03

Crown Angle: 34.2°
Crown %: 14.40
pavilion Angle: 41.0°
pavilion %: 43.30
----------------------------------

Item Number: 859759
Shape: Round
Carat weight: 2.08
Cut: Ideal
Color: H
Clarity: SI2
Certificate: GIA

Depth: 61.5%
Table: 57%
Polish: Very Good
Symmetry: Excellent
Girdle: Medium
Culet: None
Fluorescence: Medium
Measurements: 8.20*8.26*5.06

I''m hoping for the best results from the first stone of the 3 (it''s actually the one reccomended to me in my first thread)

I feel like I''m making decent progress now but wouldn''t be devastated if the whole process came to a halt. I have plenty of time, don''t plan on using the e-ring until march or so of next year...

Thanks for your help Lorelei. Btw, of the three do you still support the first stone?

 

[Lorelei]

Do you have the crown and pavillion angles for the 3rd diamond? I would really like to see Idealscope images for the first 2, as now it is between the first original Bling and the new AGS diamond!! But also we need to know if eyeclean or not.

 

[thevoodoowedo]

I''m glad you asked:

Item Number: 859759
Shape: Round
Carat weight: 2.08
Cut: Ideal
Color: H
Clarity: SI2
Certificate: GIA

Depth: 61.5%
Table: 57%
crown - 34
pav - 41
Polish: Very Good
Symmetry: Excellent
Girdle: Medium
Culet: None
Fluorescence: Medium
Measurements: 8.20*8.26*5.06

Anyway, I wanted to get your opinion if medium fluor would have any negative impact on the stone.
Fluor is one thing I''ve not witnessed in person so I know little about it. It''s on my to-do list though before I were to get a diamond with fluor.

 

[Lorelei]

http://diamonds.pricescope.com/hna.asp

Read the link above to check the criteria for the H&A diamond to make sure it checks out. What I would do now is to check with the vendors which out of these is eyeclean ( they are all possibly great selections) and make sure of your definition of 'eyecleanliness,' then once you have determined which out of these are eyeclean or not as the case may be, see if you can get an Idealscope image for your final contenders to help you choose. I think at this stage the eyecleanliness issue is the next important thing, no good carefully choosing one of these if it turns out not to be, so I would say that is next on the list

Medium fluorescence is liked very much by some round here ( myself included!) It can help to give the effect of ' brightening ' a diamond and helping it to face up whiter, especially with an I or J grade, you may not notice the effects much but if you do, you may see a violety blue glow in sunlight and with a blacklight, many of us find this fascinating!!

Sometime strong blue can have a negative effect such as making a diamond look oily or milky in some lights, but this is very rare - medium shouldn't be a problem at all, but to be prudent it is best to just check with the vendor.

 

[thevoodoowedo]

Random question: Is it kosher to post vendor item ids instead of pasting in the full diamond descriptions to keep threads shorter? I seem to remember seeing another thread where the vendors had to be hands off once actual non-anonymous stones were in play.

The vendor said that the si2s are eye clean. Though he only has one of them and is sourcing the other... He also has the si1 in stock so I may ask him after the idealscope for his opinion on the 3.
I wasn''t specific about the definition of eye clean, but will ask that now.

I still need to ask him if the si1 is eye clean. I''m just excited to see that he still has the si1 since the site says the stone is unavailable...

 

[thevoodoowedo]

In all it was sort of a disappointing morning, the stone I really wanted (AGS stone) is gone.

I did get the idealscope images from them though:

and 2.08 H Si2s are attatched.

I think the 2.09 looks better, but what do you think? Should I hold out for a better deal maybe an si1 or vs2?

 

[thevoodoowedo]

the 2.09 I SI2 is:

 

[thevoodoowedo]

btw, i was posted wrong, the ags 2.09 is still available. It was the 2.06 i si1 that was an hearts + arrows cut is no longer available.

I''m still favoring the 2.09 ags.

 

[gwendolyn]

If the inclusions are in the center like that, aren''t they going to be fairly visible to the naked eye?

 

[WorkingHardforSmallRewards]

That first one looks like the clouds might potentially be affecting the light performance. You might want to contact someone that understands IS images and see if that diamond will have noticeable or serious light performance impacts due to the clouds. Depending on the color of the inclusions in the 2.09--namely if they are black--then I think you should wait for a better SI2, or look for an SI1.

 

[:)]

confused. is the first IS sold? it seems you said the AGS stone sold but then appear to have posted its IS for consideration? Or did you mislabel? Are you still waiting for an IS for the 2.06? Please clarify which stone goes with which IS. Yes you can post links to the stones if you have them. Next step on your agenda is clarifying the vendors PRECISE definition of eyeclean.

 

[thevoodoowedo]

Sorry for the confusion : )

both diamonds that I posted idealscopes for are still available.

Here they are:

2.09
http://www.jamesallen.com/diamond.asp?find=1&cid=130&item=868598


I''ve pretty much ruled out the 2.08 (with the many clouds)
2.08
http://www.jamesallen.com/diamond.asp?find=1&cid=130&item=859759

I''m still considering the 2.09 but after what you guys have said : ) im even questioning my definition of eye clean.

 

[SpeedracerII]

Date: 8/9/2007 10:20:57 PM
Author: thevoodoowedo
Sorry for the confusion : )

both diamonds that I posted idealscopes for are still available.

Here they are:

2.09
http://www.jamesallen.com/diamond.asp?find=1&cid=130&item=868598


I''ve pretty much ruled out the 2.08 (with the many clouds)
2.08
http://www.jamesallen.com/diamond.asp?find=1&cid=130&item=859759

I''m still considering the 2.09 but after what you guys have said : ) im even questioning my definition of eye clean.

Eye clean is a relative term in my mind. I know many vendors have a definition of x inches but honestly, under normal conditions who is going to see these inclusions? Your initial post asked should you sacrifice color and clarity for size? The answer is of course it is up to you but just about everyone does, otherwise we''d all be looking for D, IF''s and going broke doing it. I personally bought a I1 stone and to my eyes (and my wife''s) it is eye clean since in real world conditions we can''t see the feather that makes it an I1, it is just too bright. It a well cut stone like this, with light screaming up at you, the last thing you are going to notice are those small inclusions. The vast majority of people who will see this ring will be first impressed with the light and size. You might be able to see these by looking through the pavilion but who looks at an e-ring that way? The other attribute, color, can depend on the quality of the cut. In a well cut stone like these you can easily go with a I color and it will look great. And in the solitaire setting you are putting it in, the diamond will be very white. I wouldn''t hesitate to by an I color but it needs to be a well cut stone. I think JA has a return policy, so you can buy this stone and send it back if you don''t like it. Or ask if they will send it to a local appraiser for you so you can go there and see it for yourself. That is what I did. Cost me a little money but was worth the peace of mind.