Color v clarity

[brellymom]

I realize this is a personal decision, but was curious as to how others might wait in: price being equal, size being important, would you go with an I Si1 3.73 HCA 2.0 or F Si2 3.63 HCA 1.6. Both have crystals, didn't see carbon spots, and I am old enough that I couldn't see much difference in either (old = crappy sight!). I've tended to not go lower than G, So the I is making me nervous. But I am just not sure about the Si2 on the F. Thoughts?

 

[Dancing Fire]

My choice would be a well cut G-H VS stone.

 

[gm89uk]

My inclination would be to go for a better colour. All things being equal, Once the inclusions are eye clean (to yourself) it won't get any cleaner, but you will always see the colour.

 

[kenny]

I realize this is a personal decision, but was curious as to how others might wait in: price being equal, size being important, would you go with an I Si1 3.73 HCA 2.0 or F Si2 3.63 HCA 1.6. Both have crystals, didn't see carbon spots, and I am old enough that I couldn't see much difference in either (old = crappy sight!). I've tended to not go lower than G, So the I is making me nervous. But I am just not sure about the Si2 on the F. Thoughts?

Depends what the Idealsope images look like.
HCA is a rejection tool, not an acceptance tool.

Here's why:
Rounds actually have 8 flat sides.
Two of the numbers you put into the HCA (Crown and Pavilion angles) are each averages of 8 angles around the diamond.
If some individual angles were high but others were low the average might be just right but the diamond would look wonky.

The HCA score cannot reveal this but an Idealscope image can.

 

[adom]

Kenny - so when a grader is determining a diamonds cut grade, do they only work off the average numbers as well. Or would "wonky" get noticed by the grader and therefore, a stone with a good HCA but wonky, would be a lower cut grade and could be culled out by the grade assignment?

 

[kenny]

Kenny - so when a grader is determining a diamonds cut grade, do they only work off the average numbers as well. Or would "wonky" get noticed by the grader and therefore, a stone with a good HCA but wonky, would be a lower cut grade and could be culled out by the grade assignment?

I think I know the right answer but I'm going to let folks answer who know more about exactly how GIA and AGS come up with their cut grades ... especially how AGS and GIA differ in cut grading.

 

[sugarski]

This is a great video to watch to see just how white "near-colorless" diamonds actually look when not being viewed from the side against a stark white background, or right next to a colorless diamond.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vcmSj8dOLRI

Personally, I would never pay a premium for an F color stone; it absolutely would not be worth it to me (as a matter of fact, I do own an F family stone, and in casual observation it looks exactly the same to me as my J earrings- admittedly I am not color-sensitive).

 

[LLJsmom]

I am color sensitive. I own an F. So if all things were equal I would choose the F over the I any day. In your case, given that the F has an HCA 2, and the I has an over 2, I would definitely choose the F. However if I really had a choice I would not buy an SI2. I don't go lower than a VS2, So I would pass on both stones altogether. If you really want to get over the 2.0 mark, consider G-H. Those should not be as pricey as an F.