Cut vs Color; Which diamond would you choose?

[tweep0]

Hey everyone!

I've got a cut vs. color predicament.

I've narrowed my search to two stones. Both are 2Ct SI1 F Ideal cut stones and both are eye clean. If you ask them what they would be graded if they were GIA, they tell you a different grade (at least they're honest).

Stone 1
EGL International
Weight: 2.02Ct
Size: 8.11 - 8.15 x 5.02
Color: F (dealer says it's likely a GIA I)
Clarity SI1 (Dealer says it's likely an eye clean GIA SI2)
Cut: Ideal (HLA 2.3, AGS 000)
Table: 57.1
Depth: 61.5
Crown Angle: 34.1%
Crown Height: 14.8%
Pavillion Angle: 41.1%
Pavillion Depth: 43.2%
Grdle: medium
Symmetry: EX
Polish: EX
Culet: .2% (very thin)
Fluorescence: None

Stone 2:
(Costs $650 dollars more)
EGL-USA
Weight: 2.01Ct
Size: 8.09 - 8.15 x 4.98
Color: F (dealer says it's likely a GIA G)
Clarity: SI1 (Dealer says it's likely an eye clean GIA SI2)
Cut: Ideal Plus (HLA 2.3; AGS 0 in all except table and crown height)
Table: 58
Depth: 61.3
Crown Angle: 34
Crown Height: 14,3
Pavillion Angle: 41.1
Pavillion Depth: 43.5
Grdle: thin to medium
Symmetry: EX
Polish: EX
Culet: None
Fluorescence: None

So the biggest differences are:

Color: (according to the diamond cutter) its I vs G
Cut: not sure about this one. both have same HLA scores, but stone 1 fits AGS specifications perfectly.

Any help would be VERY helpful?

Also, I've been on the diamond search for the last 2 months and I must say, PS is a FANTASTIC resource!! Thanks to the entire community for making this work!!

 

[stone-cold11]

I would go with the EGL-USA stone, both numbers are promising.. Assuming both are eye-clean.

 

[Paul-Antwerp]

Stone, just wondering, what do you base your advice upon?

 

[stone-cold11]

If choosing from these 2 from the numbers, they are the same right?

 

[antelope1]

The %s are similar, but the color is 2 grades different. $600 more for 2 color grades at 2cts doesn't seem right to me -- there is something else going on. What would be really helpful is a side-by-side photo or video of the diamonds in question. Even accounting for the lower color diamond being better cut, there should be a bigger price difference, IMO. It could be that the lower color is much better cut (or is H&A or something), or that it's a H/I rather than an I/J kind of color.

If you want to be safe, I'd ask the vendor if you can pay for the GIA cert for the one that you actually want to buy. If it comes back as a J color, you know you're getting hosed on Diamond #1. If it's an I color, the price could be ok (if it really is better cut than Diamond #2). If it comes back an H, I'd think seriously about getting it.

 

[tweep0]

Great responses!

So both diamonds are H&A according to the cert (not sure how much that means coming from an EGL)

With respect to color, its hard to know how accurate the diamond cutters are being when they say their GIA color grade. Stone #1 they say it's an I color and faces up as an H. Stone 2 is and G (but i wouldn't be suprised if my independant appraisal came back as an H). I think i can safely say that there is likely at least a one color grade difference between the 2 diamonds.

I think, for me, the more important question is the cut. I can easily justify paying $600 for an increase in color grade of 1 (maybe 2). But am I losing a significant amount in the cut? Based on HLA they are equivalent. Based on AGS, stone 1 is slighly better. I can't compare GIA because I don't have star and botom half measurements.

Thoughts?

 

[antelope1]

If you really want to compare the cut, and both claim to be H&A diamonds, then you should ask for an IdealScope (to see the arrows) and a hearts image to see the hearts.

 

[tweep0]

Interesting... so based on the measurements alone, you can't really say which diamond is better or if one would look any different to teh naked eye?

 

[antelope1]

Exactly. HCA (just based on the numbers) weeds out rejects -- but you have to look at the final choices (or get photos, ASET, or IdealScope) to do the final selection.

I wouldn't buy such a big diamond without seeing some images of some sort.

 

[tweep0]

Thanks!

I was actually walking by Tiffany's and took a look inside. Spoke to a salesman (also a GIA gemologist) and talked about the color grading and he thinks that a G-I colors are easily noticeable too and advised me to get D-F. I looked at a few and looking at a side profile, i could see the difference even even with a G. The reality is no one compares engagement rings side by side and we usually look at the diamond from the face so this is likely just a marketing ploy, but I think he convinced me to go with the 2nd stone. I'll wait for images / idealscope before my decision though.