Comments/opinion on diamond purchases

[Zeally]

Hi everyone,
Hope you all could provide expertise on this question here.
These diamonds here are GIA triple ex with good HCA scores (<1.5) from my local vendor.
https://myapps.gia.edu/ReportCheckPortal/getReportData.do?&reportno=1139293811&weight=0.51#
https://myapps.gia.edu/ReportCheckPortal/getReportData.do?&reportno=2146873712&weight=0.52
https://myapps.gia.edu/ReportCheckPortal/getReportData.do?&reportno=5146875338&weight=0.55

I have viewed them through a H&A viewer. Arrow patterns are fine, but hearts are slightly less perfect with some occasional clefts in some of the hearts, but there are clearly 8 hearts observed.

The problem is that the jeweller do not carry idealscope/aset scope for me to inspect the light leakages properly. As I have yet to view ideal cut diamonds before, I do not how to compare them physically, although they all look bright when I viewed them.

I am comparing these with a James Allen True Heart and another James Allen ideal cut diamonds with the light analysis diagram printed on their AGSL certs which sort of made me more assured of the quality of these JA diamonds as compared to my local ones. They also promised to get me the idealscope images to compare for the JA diamonds.

The only reason why I am still hesitating is because of price and the hassle of making an online purchase as compared to buying from a online vendor as I have to take into the consideration of the shipping/taxes/exchange rate/admin fess. An estimate of the different in price is about US100 for the best local diamond compared with the worst JA diamond which I have shortlisted. Please advise me on whether if I can trust my local jeweller on those diamonds even without the ASET to believe they are comparable to the JA ones.

Thanks in advance. Sorry for such a long maiden post.

 

[Zeally]

bump. Thanks in advance for replies!

 

[Zeally]

Hello everyone, still looking for answers for the above: Is HCA score and GIA triple ex sufficient to ensure the diamond has minimal light leakages.

 

[delight]

If the difference is only $100 and you the vendor can't show you to scopes, the best way to go ahead is to convince yourself. Buy an idealscope for $50 and use it at the local jeweler. It's a good investment considering that you are adverse to buying online.

 

[luvmysparklies]

I see that you have high clarity for all the stones. I wonder if the clarity can come down for you as a trade off. That way you could buy a diamond in your carat and color range and get it from an online jeweler and use the savings you'd realize by a lower clarity toward the other fees you mentioned. Have you looked at Wink Jones', Brian Gavin's or Good Old Gold's selections? I believe they all have diamonds that are still in the excellent to very good ranges that don't fall into their respective "Premium" lines. Just a thought.

Edited to add: You would be able to get all the scope images to boot.

 

[yssie]

Hello everyone, still looking for answers for the above: Is HCA score and GIA triple ex sufficient to ensure the diamond has minimal light leakages.

Unfortunately without more info we're in the same position you're in, and unable to say anything definitive about the comparisons you're looking to make. However, realistically, in the size you're looking at, and given that you've had the opportunity to play with a H&A scope, etc., whilst GIA + HCA
To answer your question: It's not a failsafe combo because HCA is a weeding tool - it tells you whether a stone is likely worth further investigation. It does not tell you that a stone is a winner or a doozy, or even that a stone is or is not worth further investigation - just whether it is *likely* worth further investigation. The distinction may sound like needless debate over semantics but it's important IMO because it reinforces the idea that you can't use HCA as a selection tool, it's simply not fine-grained enough. The GIA reports have more info, but GIA averages over eight sections of diamond and then rounds, and when you consider that the numbers on the GIA are what you're putting into HCA... and neither GIA nor HCA consider optical symmetry.

Here's an old thread on the topic: [URL='https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/help-gia-excellent-cut-vs-hca.177583/']https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/help-gia-excellent-cut-vs-hca.177583/[/URL]

 

[Zeally]

Thanks everyone for your help. I really appreciate it. The reasons why I picked stones of high clarity is because those are the only ones they have in their price range with the appropriate angles and proportions. I think I will await the scope images from the online vendors before I visit their shop again to take another look at the stones.
Btw, do you think it would be helpful if I choose a stone with fair cut to view as well and compare against the fair stone?

Cheers

 

[yssie]

Thanks everyone for your help. I really appreciate it. The reasons why I picked stones of high clarity is because those are the only ones they have in their price range with the appropriate angles and proportions. I think I will await the scope images from the online vendors before I visit their shop again to take another look at the stones.
Btw, do you think it would be helpful if I choose a stone with fair cut to view as well and compare against the fair stone?

Cheers

Interesting, possibly, but I don't believe it would be particularly useful. If they have a variety of stones in-house by all means compare them but I wouldn't suggest having one brought in specifically for that purpose or anything like that!

If you post the scope pics here when you get them we can tell you more about those stones, at least.


Will this stone be for an engagement ring? If so, do you have some idea of whether your intended values high clarity or would prefer allocating more of the budget to size or colour? J VS1+ is an unusual combination, and VS1+ is unnecessary in this size range unless you want very high clarity for other reasons. If you don't you may want to inquire into whether they're willing to bring in some other stones - in this size range even a few points can make a significant difference in spread, for example.

 

[Zeally]

How about this diamond here in terms of its ASET(attachment), do you think it it comparable to
http://www.whiteflash.com/loose-diamonds/round-cut-loose-diamond-2960098.htm

 

[yssie]

How about this diamond here in terms of its ASET(attachment), do you think it it comparable to
http://www.whiteflash.com/loose-diamonds/round-cut-loose-diamond-2960098.htm

I can't read the report - can you post exact carat weight (x.xxx) and report number?

 

[Zeally]

Thanks Yssie!
The report number is AGS 104065360073, carat size 0.513.

In addition, I saw this particular ASET (attached) which seems different from those that I have seem so far. The centre is red instead of green. Does it mean this stone is particularly bright?

 

[Zeally]

Interesting, possibly, but I don't believe it would be particularly useful. If they have a variety of stones in-house by all means compare them but I wouldn't suggest having one brought in specifically for that purpose or anything like that!

If you post the scope pics here when you get them we can tell you more about those stones, at least.


Will this stone be for an engagement ring? If so, do you have some idea of whether your intended values high clarity or would prefer allocating more of the budget to size or colour? J VS1+ is an unusual combination, and VS1+ is unnecessary in this size range unless you want very high clarity for other reasons. If you don't you may want to inquire into whether they're willing to bring in some other stones - in this size range even a few points can make a significant difference in spread, for example.

They have plenty! Haha! I won't make bring in a lousy stone just for comparison. However, it is just that the sales staff in Singapore shops are not knowledgeable enough to clinch the deals.

Yes. It will be for an engagement ring. However, not much choice with the clarity as they are not willing to bring in specific stones. There are rumours that they are a sub branch of a more establish Jewellery chain which sells budget jewellery and diamonds (fair to VG GIA diamonds are frequently going for massive discounts). This is why I am more cautious at this shop.