color or clarity??

[JTH]

I am in between two stones that I would like to purchase this week. Please give your opinion...
Diamond One:
Weight: 2.28
Color: J (looks I or better)
Clarity: SI 1 (can't see any inclusions)
Depth: 60.9%
Table: 58%
Cut: Ideal
Symmetry: VG
Polish: VG
Florescence: none
Certificate: GIA
Price: $12,100

Diamond Two:
Weight: 2.23
Color: H
Clarity: SI 2 (white inclusions; one on girdle)
Depth: 60%
Table: 58%
Cut: Ideal
Symmetry: VG
Polish: Good
Florescence: none
Certificate: EGL
Price: $12,350

 

[ame]

Perhaps try a slightly smaller stone to get better both, but I would go with the SI2. Mine is an SI2 and my inclusion is just under the girdle. I had it set under the prong and it looks flawless.

How is the cut? Are they a specific cut? Both ideal?

 

[Regular Guy]

JTH

I'm with Ame: "How is the cut?"

On the chance you don't know the crown and pavillion angles, stop, do not pass go, and determine the HCA (referencing the turotial here). A quick glance suggests that you might go otherwise with either diamond, depending on your preference. But, determining that only one of the two you're considering measuring 0 - 2 on the HCA scale may clarify your question immediately!

Also, if neither does, you may want to reconsider.

Just my 2 cents.

 

[Jennifer5973]

I'd go for the better cut first, and if this is equal, the H. It depends on your tolerance for body color...with a J you might see a little warmth through the pavilion in an open setting...but a well-cut J faces up like an H or even a G since the light return just dazzles you with sparklies...you see nothing but crackling!

so, go for cut, then determine your color prefercne--that's what it is-a preference. A far as SI1 or SI2, in either cae you want it to be very eye-clean to YOU once set. If the SI2 is better stone and you can hide the main flaw under a prong, then do that.

Have you run these stones through the HCA? It's a good starting point to judge cut.

 

[quaeritur]

Do you have crown and pavilion angles? That info would go a long way in determining the quality of the cut... At the very least, diameter and depth dimensions. It's hard to tell from just the info you provided, assuming you're looking for comments on how the stone is likely to perform. If not, I'd personally go with the GIA stone since it sounds like it's more eye-clean. Also, GIA generally seems to have a better reputation than EGL for stricter grading.

 

[msbennie]

I'm with everyone else, go with the diamond with the best cut. However, don't be afraid if it turns out to be the "J". I just purchased one and it's beautiful...it's my icon. Take care and good luck!

 

[JTH]

Thanks for your input. Both diamonds are an ideal cut. I just don't know if I should purchase the GIA J SI1 stone and sacrafice the J color, which looks white next to G and H stones face down; or purchase the EGL H SI2 stone and sacrafice the EGL cert. and clarity. Both have pros and cons. What's your opinion??
Thanks,
Jessica

 

[Regular Guy]

Dear JTH,

Based on the criteria you may prefer be applied, I have no substantive opinion, except to add that I've recently learned you can have greater confidence in the EGL cert than I might have otherwise thought, such that, in comparing apples to apples, you might in good consceience value the EGL H as an I...still on paper better by a grade than the J GIA.

Also, since I understand all ideals are not all the same, my suggestion, since you don't include the details that are routinely included in a question of this nature, is to make sure you do also have reference to the crown and pavillion angles. Sometimes stones that are validly ideals don't have the quality of cut you would really like, and being able to compare an HCA score will at least help you to make this important comparison.

 

[diamonddoll]

Are these round stones? If the inclusion bothers you perhaps it could be hidden by a prong. If you trust the vendor, ask their opionion on this.

 

[Jennifer5973]

I think EGL often gets a bad rap...I know several people with EGL-certed stones and they are awesome--and appraised exactly as depicted. Perhaps overall, the GIA and AGS are stricter but I certainly wouldn't rule a stone out becasue of an EGL cert. If you operate on that premise, you may be avoidiing someperfectly lovely diamonds. Any diamond should be appraised and checked out thoroughly but to make your dilemma a bit less complex, I would eliminate the EGL cert as a prevailing concern.

 

[msbennie]

Go with "J" for the following reasons:

1) Color is not that much difference. Actually, when you get right down to it, there is very little difference colorwise between a GHIJ...they're all considered near colorless. You even make the comment that it looks "I" or better.
2) The "J" has better clariy
3) The "J" has better symmetry and polish
4) The "J" has a GIA cert and although some say that EGL is gaining respect, I would much rather have a GIA or AGS cert
5) If you select the "J" you'll pay somewhat less for a somewhat larger diamond....

Conclusion, Go with the "J" girl!

 

[Dancing Fire]

----------------
On 7/18/2004 9:49:10 PM JTH wrote:

I am in between two stones that I would like to purchase this week. Please give your opinion...
Diamond One:
Weight: 2.28
Color: J (looks I or better)
Clarity: SI 1 (can't see any inclusions)
Depth: 60.9%
Table: 58%
Cut: Ideal
Symmetry: VG
Polish: VG
Florescence: none
Certificate: GIA
Price: $12,100

Diamond Two:
Weight: 2.23
Color: H
Clarity: SI 2 (white inclusions; one on girdle)
Depth: 60%
Table: 58%
Cut: Ideal
Symmetry: VG
Polish: Good
Florescence: none
Certificate: EGL
Price: $12,350----------------

jth,

neither of these stones are in the AGS ideal cut range. the table of 58% is too big, plus the symmetry and the polish is only VG.

 

[msbennie]

Hmmmm...according to the DIY grade calculator....a Table % of 53 - 58% is considered an Ideal Cut grading out at 1A.

 

[questionsRus]

i was of the impression that polish and sym. don't have anything to do with cut rating?

 

[Dancing Fire]

----------------
On 7/20/2004 11:15:16 PM msbennie wrote:

Hmmmm...according to the DIY grade calculator....a Table % of 53 - 58% is considered an Ideal Cut grading out at 1A. ----------------

msbennie
ags 0 cut range for table % is 52.4-57.5,so you will not find an ags cert stone with 58% table graded ideal 0.

 

[Dancing Fire]

----------------
On 7/20/2004 11:42:43 PM questionsRus wrote:

i was of the impression that polish and sym. don't have anything to do with cut rating? ----------------

Q Rus
you can have a stone graded only good /good on the polish and sym. but the stone still can have an ideal proportions. but AGS will not certified a stone ideal 0 cut unless they also grade the sym. and polish "ideal".

 

[msbennie]

msbennie
ags 0 cut range for table % is 52.4-57.5,so you will not find an ags cert stone with 58% table graded ideal 0.



DIAMONDS ARE GUY'S BEST FRIEND

***************************************
I'm not a diamond expert, so I will not debate you on this..but I would like to get others opinion on this.

 

[WinkHPD]

----------------
On 7/20/2004 11:15:16 PM msbennie wrote:

Hmmmm...according to the DIY grade calculator....a Table % of 53 - 58% is considered an Ideal Cut grading out at 1A. ----------------

Gosh I hate initials. What is DIY? and why are they stateing that 58% table is in the ideal range when the rest of the trade is saying either 57% or 57.5% table for ideal?

Just curious.

Wink

 

[WinkHPD]

----------------
On 7/21/2004 1:19:00 AM vtigger86 wrote:

Q Rus
you can have a stone graded only good /good on the polish and sym. but the stone still can have an ideal proportions. but AGS will not certified a stone ideal 0 cut unless they also grade the sym. and polish 'ideal'. ----------------

It may not be an AGS Ideal, but it can still be within ideal proportions and considered an ideal cut with good/good. AGS has inserted further confusion about what is an ideal cut with their nomenclature that has ideal as the top grade and excellent as a second grade whereas GIA has excellent as the top grade. The public rarely has a clue about this, which makes very good sense to me, since this is not what they do for a living.

Wink

 

[Dancing Fire]

----------------
On 7/21/2004 8:14:25 PM Wink wrote:

----------------
On 7/20/2004 11:15:16 PM msbennie wrote:

Hmmmm...according to the DIY grade calculator....a Table % of 53 - 58% is considered an Ideal Cut grading out at 1A. ----------------

Gosh I hate initials. What is DIY? and why are they stateing that 58% table is in the ideal range when the rest of the trade is saying either 57% or 57.5% table for ideal?

Just curious.

Wink----------------

Wink
i think that's david atlas system and his american ideal cut allow's the table up to 58%.

 

[Lynn B]

Wink,

DIY (I assume!) stands for "do it yourself".

But please don't fret, I hate initials, too!

Lynn