Confused

[Acclaim]

- Sorry for the double post. I posted in a wrong channel last time.

I need some help here. I was at a store looking this diamond

GIA, 1.19, H&A, Table=56, Depth=61, F, VVS1, Faint, EX/EX

which the retailer wants $9,600 for it. I asked the salesman to give me another diamond to compare this one to, and he gave me $6500 1.05 ct E, VS1. For some reason, the cheaper diamond has more fire than the H&A, more expensive one under the pot lights. He explain that it''s not fair to look at these 2 diamonds under the store potlights. He is sure that the H&A will beat the other one under Flouresent light. He also say that the H&A looks good all over while the the other one only has more fire looking down at the table.

I can see that the non-H&A diamond has a wide table and very shallow crown height. The H&A looks more proportional. He will get the sarin report to prove to me that the H&A is cut ideally. In the mean time, Can someone explain to me why a much cheaper diamond has more fire than a ideal cut H&A.

By the way, He is not really pushing me to buy the H&A. He say "buy the other one if you think it has more fire" He tries to explain to me that there are other nice features about the H&A and can''t be judge by looking at it (down at the table) with the store potlights.

Does the different in Color make it look brighter or more brilliance. They don''t look much different. I say 9 for the H&A and 10 for the other diamond. Could it be that I am not experienced enough to tell the different?

Can the expert help me out here.

Thanks,

 

[DiamondExpert]

The color difference has little or nothing to do with the dispersion difference you see in these 2 stones...nor does the fact that one is H&A. H&A has to do with the symmetry of the cut producing the H&A pattern. Finally, the fact that the H&A stone is within the AGS-defined Ideal ranges will not guarantee you a great looking stone.

The other stone probably has a combination of non-ideal crown and pavilion angles which can produce a very bright and lively stone. For example, I have a stone with these proportions - Crown: 12.1%/30.5deg. Pavilion: 44.1%/41.7deg. - and it is just a great looker and performer on the BrillianceScope! You may be in a position to save yourself some real $$$ here...rejoyce!

 

[Acclaim]

Thanks for your comment.

Most people in here mention that cut is very important. Do you suggest that I buy the stone based on the fact that it look lively and brilliant with little attention to its proportions (table, angles, etc..). Everyone loves a brilliant and lively stone. But the problem is that each store have different lighting and some store have extremely strong halogen lights that make any stone look good. I am affraid to buy a stone based on it's in-store look.

Regards,

 

[DiamondExpert]

Don't buy on the "in store" look...that's exactly what they want you to do...view it under all lighting conditions...AND make sure you have an unconditional money back guarantee of at least 10 days.

G

D LUCK!

 

[Acclaim]

Thanks again,

I now have all the angles for the H&A stone:

GIA, 1.21, EX/EX, F, VVS2, Faint

Depth: 61.7
Table: 57.6
Crown Angle: 35.0
Pavillion Angle: 41.1
Girdle: 0.73-1.46 Thin to Medium

It score a 2.9 (Very Good) on HCA and I believe it's a 1B on the AGA scale.

Very Good
Very Good
Good
Very Good

It's kinda disappointing. The vendor claimed that this is one of the ideal-cut H&A diamond out-there. Apparently, it's doesn't have a very good HCA score. Can the expert common on this stone. It's a very good stone or just one of the average stone out-there. Am I expecting too much. That is, Exellence or at least very good for all of the above

 

[NewYorker]

I would bring my dark loupe to the store with my maglite and check them out, then I would take them outside (if they let you) and view them in the daylight. Then I would pick the cheaper one anyway - hee hee. We're talking a big price difference here!

 

[Nate]

I would view them in daylight. The prices seem high, even if it were superdideal cut. Any reason why you didn't go with an internet dealer?

 

[Acclaim]

I don't have any problem buying online. I am totally convinced. However, I live in Canada and the luxury tax, insurance, custom, sales taxes can add a lot of money (30%) to the diamond purchased in the U.S.

 

[Leafs]

Call the vendor you are buying from and ask if they will ship to a P.O. Box. If they will open a P.O. Box in the closest American city you are near. It would be worth the hassle to drive over and pick up the diamond. 30% of the purchase price worth it.