Buying diamond asap. Please comment.

[marv117]

Hello everyone. I'm about to purchase this diamond from USACertedDiamonds.com. I am trying to save money and carat and measurements are first in my priority. As long as it's eye clean and very good symmetry and polish then I am happy. I've seen H I1 stones in person it works just fine. As long as there are no inclusions noticeable from the center (eye-clean).

Specs are below.
The first stone mention has been sold. New Stone below this.
Certificate EGL
Cut ROUND BRILLIANT
Carat 1.16
Color H
Clarity I1
Price $ 2273.60
Price per Carat $ 1960.00
Measurements 6.8 x 6.7 x 4.07 mm
Depth Percentage 60.3 %
Table Percentage 60 %
Crown Angle
Pavilion Percentage %
Pavilion Angle
Girdle -
Culet N
Polish VERY GOOD
Symmetry VERY GOOD
Fluorescence NONE
Certificate Notes
Other Notes WHITE PRONGABLE INCLUSION.
Clarity-Enhanced NO

New Stone 1.15ct:
Certificate EGL
Cut ROUND BRILLIANT
Carat 1.15
Color H
Clarity I1
Price $ 2230.00
Price per Carat $ 1960.00
Measurements 6.92 x 6.81 x 4.09 mm
Depth Percentage 59.5 %
Table Percentage 60 %
Crown Angle
Pavilion Percentage %
Pavilion Angle
Girdle -
Culet N
Polish GOOD
Symmetry GOOD
Fluorescence NONE
Certificate Notes
Other Notes EYE CLEANISH. NO BLACK INCLUSION.
Clarity-Enhanced NO


Please let me know what you think. I will be purchasing as soon as I get some feedback.

Thanks!
Marvin
NJ

 

[Patty]

As you mention, the important thing is whether or not this stone is eye clean. Also, the stone is not an ideal cut but rather one of the 60/60 proportioned stones that some people seem to like. Without the crown and pavillion angles, it's hard to tell how good of a cut you have. And EGL Europe can be not as strict on the color and clarity as other labs. The price certainly is great for a 1.16c stone. If you decide to purchase it, you might want to take it to an independent appraiser and then decide whether or not to keep it.

 

[marv117]

Thanks for feedback Patty. I am waiting to get a copy of the egl cert. Hopefully it's either from NY or LA. Do you suggest getting it appraised before I purchase it? How does it work? Will USACertedDiamonds send it to an independent appraiser before I purchase the stone?

I will be buying the tiffany knife edge solitaire setting from NiceIce. I wonder if they have their own appraiser. I can just have the stone sent directly to NiceIce, they can get it appraised, then if all turns out good I will pay for the stone and the setting and the appraisal, all in one shot.

Right?

 

[Jennifer5973]

This could be a great deal on a nice diamond or a real dud.

You should get it checked out by an appraiser. David Wolf is excellent and located in Florham Park, NJ.

As Patty aptly notes, the crown & pavillion angles/%s are critical to the stone's beauty, even a 60/60.

 

[marv117]

Thanks Jennifer.

What would you say should be an acceptable Crown/Pavilion angle for this diamond?

 

[Jennifer5973]

I am not a gemologist or an appraiser, and angles are where i still have a significant learning curve, but as a starting point, pavilion % should be in the 43% range and Crown % should be 14-15%, in very general terms. The EGL cert will give you those %s as a starting point. I urge you to read the tutorial at the top of the page which explains all of the diamond's components in great detail.

PS When it came to my diamond, someone else explained it to me.

 

[Shay37]

Marvin, I also purchased from USACerted. I dealt with Martin, and he was quite happy to send it to the appraiser of my choice (Dave Atlas). I didn't pay for the stone until it was appraised. Upon the diamond appraising out great, I gave my card number to Martin. He alerted the appraiser, and they released it to me. All in all, it was a very painless process. Good luck.

Shay

 

[marv117]

Just got a call from Martin. He said that this diamond has been purhcased last friday. He has an almost identical stone is available. It is .01 less which is not much of a difference and also eye-clean. But the polish/symmetry is Good/Good. He is about to send me a copy of the cert. Does the cert include crown/pavilion angles?

What do you guys think of this one?


Certificate EGL
Cut ROUND BRILLIANT
Carat 1.15
Color H
Clarity I1
Price $ 2254.00
Price per Carat $ 1960.00
Measurements 6.92 x 6.81 x 4.09 mm
Depth Percentage 59.5 %
Table Percentage 60 %
Crown Angle
Pavilion Percentage %
Pavilion Angle
Girdle -
Culet N
Polish GOOD
Symmetry GOOD
Fluorescence NONE
Certificate Notes
Other Notes EYE CLEANISH. NO BLACK INCLUSION.
Clarity-Enhanced NO

 

[Patty]

To get the crown and pavillion angles, you need a Sarin report and those are not usually included unless you ask for one. It will not be on a regular report (except for AGS). I'm glad to see that Shay bought from Martin and was able to have the stone appraised before she purchased it. While it would be nice to have it sent only one place, you will have to see if the logistics of that work out for you.




I see this one is "eye-cleanish." You will have to decide if it's eye clean enough for you. I have an eye-clean I-1 stone and another that is "eye-cleanish." I do not mind seeing the inclusion in my one stone at certain angles but only you know what you can live with.

 

[Dancing Fire]

marv117

let me be honest here,just don't expect to get a nice 1.15 ct stone for $2254...how about a .80-.89 ct range ?

 

[Blueman33]

I am no diamond expert. I recently purchased a stone of the same size for twice as much. Why is this one lower in price than the one I purshased?

The things driving the price down are the clarity, cut and EGL.

Clarity:
I1 is defined as being able to see inclusions with your naked eye. This is from Diamondbuyingguide.com,

I1-I2-I3
Included (three grades). Inclusions visible under 10x magnification AS WELL AS to the human eye. We do not recommend buying diamonds in any of these grades.

If you can't see the inclusion, GREAT!
I have seen SI2 that was clean and an SI1 which had an obvious black dot in it (both GIA). So it IS subjective. You may get a great one, but the rating lowers the price.

As long as it's 'mind clean' and your girl's sister won't find a black line in it, you're fine. A simple Tiffany Setting is one of the most elegant and least expensive settings all in one. But it doesn't hide much! Unless you have something you can hide under a prong, that stone is to be seen from all angles.

CUT: The 'Premium Cut' shooting for the 60/60 figure sells for less than the 60-62/55-57 range of cut.

GRADING: EGL stones trade for less than AGS or GIA.

It seems like a great price, but IMO it CANNOT BE GREAT.

You CAN get a good deal on a stone, but you cannot IMO get a GREAT deal because the market is too efficient. It's not a true commodities market as there isn't a perfect standard of grading and there's subjectivity within and among graders....but given that, it's pretty close. It's close enough to a comodity market that you won't steal anything.

Just a non-expert's $ .02

 

[marv117]

Thanks all for your comments and suggestions.

I have the complete info with crown/pavilion angles.

Certificate US26799102D
Weight 1.15 ct.
Shape ROUND BRILLIANT
Color H
Clarity I1
Measurements 6.92 - 6.81 x 4.09 mm
Depth 59.5
Table 60.0
Crown 12.5%
Pavilion 43.8%
Girdle THIN TO SL. THICK FACETED
Polish GOOD
Symmetry GOOD
Fluorescence NONE
Culet NONE
Cut Grade
Lot
Comments
UGS Appraisal Value $6500.00

Here is the cut advisor results:
Selected: 59.5% depth, 60% table, 12.5% crown, 43.8% pavilion, 0% culet
The result is for a symmetrical diamond with a medium girdle and very good polish
HCA scores were adjusted Dec. 15, 2001 and Feb. 6, 2003.


Factor Grade
Light Return Very Good
Fire Very Good
Scintillation Good
Spread Excellent
Total Visual Performance 2.4 - Very Good - Worth buying if the price is right

Spoke to USACertedDiamonds earlier today and Martin said that it is full of life with very good light return. There are no black/dark inclusions and virtually eye-clean from the naked eye. It is on it's way to Todd from NiceIce. Once Todd confirms it is eye clean then I will go with the purchase of the stone and the setting.

Keeping my fingers crossed.

Do you think I should have it appraised even after NiceIce approves of the diamond? Would it be okay to get it appraised later? Does NiceIce have their own appraiser? The reason I ask is because I need this ready in two weeks and that's how long NiceIce will take to get the setting ready.

BTW, Is this EGL NY/LA/Other? Cert# US26799102D

Thanks,
Marvin

 

[marv117]

 

[Todd07]

Nice ice will give you a second opinion on the clarity but it's not appropriate for them to give an appraisal on the finished product.




This forum suggest you always get an independent appraisal. For you, maybe when the ring is done. For insurance and your peace of mind.

 

[strmrdr]

? for you if your getting the setting fom niceice why not just get the diamond from them 2?
More than likely these are list diamonds and they can get them also.

 

[marv117]

Todd from NiceIce did suggest that he can get the diamond for me as well but by that point I had already started working with Martin from USAcertedDiamonds. I actually didn't know at first that NiceIce could've gotten this diamond for me.

Anyway, Todd has been very helpfull with the whole process. The same with Martin. They are both making my purchase very smooth and I'm sure everything will turn out great.

So did anyone find out of this is EGL NY/LA or other?