Clarity Enhanced Diamond -- I want one, but should I?

[mdg228]

I want a to buy a clarity enhanced diamond for an engagement ring! I gather from the following threads that the PS community is generally adverse to purchasing a CE diamond:

[URL='https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/clarity-enhanced-diamonds.159356/']https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/clarity-enhanced-diamonds.159356/[/URL]
[URL='https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/would-you-buy-a-clarity-enhanced-diamond.139277/page-2']https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/would-you-buy-a-clarity-enhanced-diamond.139277/page-2[/URL]

However, I think it's the right call for me for the following reasons:

(1) eye clean is mind clean to me -- I truly just want to spend as little as possible on a decent-sized diamond that looks nice
(2) She doesn't care -- while I can't get her a CZ or anything synthetic, she's ok with a CE stone (I don't understand her logic, but, what can you do?...)
(3) She's a nurse and won't be wearing the ring on a daily basis -- she's planning on primarily wearing it on a necklace
(4) Similar to 1, I'm interested in saving money -- I'm in a PhD program and (surprise) don't make much

The only thing that concerns me is the comment about UV affecting the enhancement -- can someone forward me to literature on this? I'd like to know exactly how much UV it'll be able to tolerate and how the process actually works.

I'd like to know 2 things:

(1) While I think i'm a good candidate for a CE stone, am there something I am overlooking?
(2) Where can I buy a CE stone? I'm ok buying it from retail, or second hand (ebay, craigslist, etc. etc.)

Thank you all for your time, experience, and willingness to help!!!!!

 

[Dancing Fire]

No!!

 

[mdg228]

I expect a lot of those! But why not?

 

[JulieN]

Why would UV affect it? Where did you hear that?

 

[SophiesDream]

Ok whats your budget for the stone? I just got a .611ct ACA I vs2 stone for 2k... clarity enhancement comes with problems. It weakens the stone. She could bang her hand and its stuffed.. then youve basically waisted what you spend. Whats your size and budget ? Also im pretty sure im correct in the info ive given but if anyone else wants to chime in or correct me if im wrong feel free

 

[mdg228]

I think the bromine used in some fillers reacts to UV light, but not all fillings have them. Yehuda, for example, claims their diamonds do not react to UV light.

I'm not concerned with her bumping the diamond because it'll be worn primarily around her neck, not on her finger. Further, how much more fragile does it make it? Are there studies quantifying such differences?

I'm looking for a 1.4 - 1.8 carat stone, excellent cut, and colorless/near colorless (obviously I don't care too much about the clarity -- as long as it's eye clean) and I am willing to spend up to $7,500.

Thanks again for the responses!

 

[arkieb1]

What size are you looking for? You have a great budget, and could get either a pretty darn nice modern cut stone or a very nice Old Cut Vintage stone, which by the way would be totally unique, is recycling leaving less of an imprint on the planet, is more cost effective and will hold its value over a CE stone any day.....

I am another person who dislikes CE stones mainly because vendors charge a fortune for them, if it started life as an I2 then it will NEVER be worth more than an I2, even it it comes with a certificate that says its now a VS2, but they will still try and charge you a bucket load of money. And as to the quality of the enhancement it depends what was done. Many stones are fracture filled and done quite badly this over time can revert back to that milky frozen spit type appearance.

Have a look on the Jewels By Erica Grace website and see if there is something that you could buy that is not clarity enhanced;

http://www.jewelsbyericagrace.com/loose_antique_and_estate_diamonds_page_2

 

[Dancing Fire]

I think the bromine used in some fillers reacts to UV light, but not all fillings have them. Yehuda, for example, claims their diamonds do not react to UV light.

I'm not concerned with her bumping the diamond because it'll be worn primarily around her neck, not on her finger. Further, how much more fragile does it make it? Are there studies quantifying such differences?

I'm looking for a 1.4 - 1.8 carat stone, excellent cut, and colorless/near colorless (obviously I don't care too much about the clarity -- as long as it's eye clean) and I am willing to spend up to $7,500.

Thanks again for the responses!

You got to be kidding ...you are willing to spend $7,500 on a CE stone??... when you can buy a very nice 1ct for that price. Take two aspirin and call me in the morning.

 

[mdg228]

I am here to be educated! Would you mind explaining specifically why this is a bad decision?

Thanks!

 

[mdg228]

Thanks for your input!

I do not disagree with you about a CE I2 diamond still being an I2 diamond -- however, where can I buy an I2 diamond that looks like an SI1 or a VS2 diamond at an I2 price?

 

[arkieb1]

Thanks for your input!

I do not disagree with you about a CE I2 diamond still being an I2 diamond -- however, where can I buy an I2 diamond that looks like an SI1 or a VS2 diamond at an I2 price?

O.K it depends on the stone they started with. A lot of CE stones start life as I1s and I2s usually they are really really badly cut, some start life as non eyeclean Si2s and Si3s. They do different treatments for a range of problems, sometimes its lasering a targeted black spot or a white mass of inclusions, sometimes its fracture filling which is injecting with a bunch of chemicals of a glue like substance and heating and they also use high pressure high temperature. Some of these processes cannot be reversed and do not change over time. Some of them can and do wear over time. I've seen CE stones that end up with this really dull like appearance that really cannot be fixed. Its yuk!!!

If you do have to buy one then go with one with a GIA certificate. A lot of CE cowboys make up their own certificates and most of the CE stones I have seen are horrid cuts to start with. The cut of the stone gives it the flash, fire and sparkle so buying a decent cut is important. The point I was trying to make you don't buy an I2 for an I2 price. I have seen people selling these stones for the price of a SI1. If you went and got a CE stone graded by a good appraiser if it started as say an I1 it will never be valued more than an I1 yet on its certificate it might say VS2 clarity enhanced and you could have paid the equivalent of a SI1 to VS2 for it.

I would NEVER buy a CE stone. They don't hold their value for resale, and generally I just really dislike them..... Once again I would urge you to either buy a smaller new modern cut or go for a nice antique stone that way you have something that is going to be worth more if you ever decide to resell it.

 

[KipsGirl]

What shape are you looking for?

 

[arkieb1]

I am here to be educated! Would you mind explaining specifically why this is a bad decision?

Thanks!

$7500.00 is a bucket load of money. People with low budgets often buy CE stones because they can get what they see as a larger stone for less money. I wouldn't spend $1000.00 on a CE stone let alone the amount you are talking it is crazy. The reason you will probably spend that amount on something that ultimately has a resale value of $2000.00 or less if you are lucky.

 

[delight]

Becareful what you wish for. Diamonds-Usa.com does sell clarity enhanced stones. The problem with clarity enhanced stones is that most aren't cut well for light performance. Good luck finding one!

If you do have to buy one then go with one with a GIA certificate. Don't bother finding one from GIA. You won't. Gia doesn't grade such stones.

 

[arkieb1]

Becareful what you wish for. Diamonds-Usa.com does sell clarity enhanced stones. The problem with clarity enhanced stones is that most aren't cut well for light performance. Good luck finding one!

If you do have to buy one then go with one with a GIA certificate. Don't bother finding one from GIA. You won't. Gia doesn't grade such stones.

Actually GIA does grade HPHT and some stones that have been lasered. There was a recent thread on here about it, and I have seen GIA certificates with HPHT treatments written on them.

[URL='https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/laser-drill-hole-comment-in-gia-report.191681/']https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/laser-drill-hole-comment-in-gia-report.191681/[/URL]

 

[SophiesDream]

Oh yes i did forget about clarity enhancement stones some of them can get that milky look. And some times the clarity enhancement does not stay. Same with colour enhancement. So here are two stones slightly smaller. The beauty of these is that with the pricescope discount + wire discount + $50 off first purchase when signing up theu are pretty much in budget. Both are natural stones and whiteflash also offer a fantastic 100% life time trade up for any stone to the same or equal value. So if you want to go bigger/better in any way you only pay the difference. Also they dont run any of the risks of clarity enhancement. Now honestly as a person who looked in to going in that direction due to budget restrictions i do understand where your coming from. But for me with such a huge purchase it wasnt worth the risk of ending up with a broken or cloudy stone i couldnt return. It could be 1 year or 10 years before it happens but either way its not worth it. I like that buying a decent stone through a vendor i can always change it if my style changes


http://www.whiteflash.com/loose-diamonds/compare.aspx?idnos=2777306,2925701

 

[SophiesDream]

http://www.goodoldgold.com/diamond/9974/


http://www.goodoldgold.com/diamond/10920/

There is two from good old gold who also has a buy back policy i think his is 75% though have you concidered brian gavins blue ?
Its a great way to get all the benifits of a brilliant diamond and slightly cheaper. You can look at it here

http://www.briangavindiamonds.com/diamond/brian-gavins-blue-diamonds-with-fluorescence/

 

[yennyfire]

I'd much rather wear a .25 ct. unenhanced stone than a CE diamond any day. I'd *know* it was a fake (I.e. trying to be something it wasn't) and that would drive me batty! Your budget is amazing and I think you can find a great sized stone...

Here's a 1.36 GIA certed old European cut stone. The one photo isn't great, but I think it would be worth asking for a couple more photos and posting them here...if the additional photos look good, I'd offer $6K for the stone, leaving plenty of $$ for a setting.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/321165082949?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2649

If you're not comfortable with eBay, contact Adam at Old World Diamonds or Grace at Jewels by Erica Grace. They both have a ton of nice options in your price range and we'd be happy to take a look at them for you....

 

[SB621]

Just another option as your SO doesn't seem that interested in a diamond for an ering if she will wear it as a necklace, but how about getting her an eternity band as an ering?? I know some other nurses on her were proposed to with eternity bands and for their wedding/ anniversary they just added additional eternities for a beautiful stack. Still blingy but functional so they could wear to work. Just something to think about....

 

[diamondseeker2006]

For that matter, if she is going to wear it around her neck, get her a pendant instead and then she can wear just a wedding band,

But no, it is a very big waste of money to get a CE stone. I'd vastly rather have an ideal cut 1 ct diamond than a CE stone of any size. In fact, I would far rather have a lab created stone or stimulant over a CE diamond. It's too much like throwing money away. If your financial situation changes later and she would like a larger diamond, vendors such as Good Old Gold and WhiteFlash have upgrade policies that allow you 100% of the price you paid toward a new diamond if you trade in your stone. That is a much wiser way to spend money.

 

[LaraOnline]

But no, it is a very big waste of money to get a CE stone. I'd vastly rather have an ideal cut 1 ct diamond than a CE stone of any size. In fact, I would far rather have a lab created stone or stimulant over a CE diamond. It's too much like throwing money away. If your financial situation changes later and she would like a larger diamond, vendors such as Good Old Gold and WhiteFlash have upgrade policies that allow you 100% of the price you paid toward a new diamond if you trade in your stone. That is a much wiser way to spend money.

Hear hear!!

 

[purplesilk]

[URL='https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/pics-what-happened-to-my-clarity-enhanced-diamond.168193/']https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/pics-what-happened-to-my-clarity-enhanced-diamond.168193/[/URL]

 

[soxfan]

Nope. No way. No how. Not in a box and not with a fox. If I were on a strict budget, I'd go down in color and clarity, and I'd go with a very good cut over excellent. I am CERTAIN that the members on this forum can find you a natural stone within your budget, and you wouldn't have to worry about it turning into the one in that picture!!

 

[msop04]

Just another option as your SO doesn't seem that interested in a diamond for an ering if she will wear it as a necklace, but how about getting her an eternity band as an ering?? I know some other nurses on her were proposed to with eternity bands and for their wedding/ anniversary they just added additional eternities for a beautiful stack. Still blingy but functional so they could wear to work. Just something to think about....

This is a wonderful option. Then, later on down the road, you can buy a solitaire if she still wants one.

 

[msop04]

But no, it is a very big waste of money to get a CE stone. I'd vastly rather have an ideal cut 1 ct diamond than a CE stone of any size. In fact, I would far rather have a lab created stone or stimulant over a CE diamond. It's too much like throwing money away. If your financial situation changes later and she would like a larger diamond, vendors such as Good Old Gold and WhiteFlash have upgrade policies that allow you 100% of the price you paid toward a new diamond if you trade in your stone. That is a much wiser way to spend money.

Hear hear!!

+1

 

[msop04]

https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/pics-what-happened-to-my-clarity-enhanced-diamond.168193/

Wow. That's... bad.
Thanks for posting this, purplesilk. I had never seen the "long-term effects" of CE -- that photo is enough to make me NEVER think of doing this! Yuck!

 

[MustangGal]

I had a CE diamond, 1ct oval. After 6 months of wear I bumped my hand on a metal filing cabinet and cracked the diamond right along the line that had been filled. I'm all about a good deal, and wouldn't have an issue with a CE stone for a pendant (what my diamond is now mounted in) or earrings. Just stay away from a ring. I know she won't be wearing it all the time, but it doesn't take much depending on why/where the stone was filled.

Laser drilling I'm not as concerned with, GIA will grade those, it's permanent, and I don't believe it's as much of an issue with the structure of the diamond. The fracture filled ones are exactly that, diamonds with cracks that reach the surface.

 

[astar11]

go through the blog for abc show on clarity enhanced diamond. Then you'll understand why YOU SHOULD NOT get it !

 

[Niel]

OP I understand the want to get the most bang foe your buck! I really do, but this is cuttingthe wrong corners.

Go for a k-l range, I'd one way to do it. Those will still be white enough for most anyone who isn't in the business or a diamond enthusiast.

Go eBay hunting. It takes some time but you can find something nice. And I think sense the cut of a CE diamond isn't usually the best anyway, you aren't gaining anything much by buying one brand new.

I'll be back with some eBay finds, see what I can find.

I agree an eternity will look much better on a necklace than a solitaire.

 

[mdg228]

If you suggest going the synthetic route, where can I purchase a lab-created diamond? And what is the cost savings compared to white flash or blue nile?

Thanks!