Deciding on 2 diamonds finally... Could you please help??

[pppi]

Hi, this is going to be my first diamond purchase so i am kinda nervous...

I have finally decided on the following 2 BN diamonds:

http://www.bluenile.com/diamonds_details.asp?__fun_frm=i&pid=LD00434294&filter_id=1
I have asked the BN representative to put this on hold for me till tonight... It''s AGSL 0 grade and its HCA score is 1.1 or 1.2 so i think it should be decent. What I am worried about are its inclusions. If you look at the bottom view of the diamond on the AGSL report, (as the rep told me) the inclusion on the left lower corner is a natural. There is also a small feather on the right side on the same diagram, which the rep told me was inside the diamond (he actually had someone to look at it under microscope).
Should I worry much about the natural and the feather?

http://www.bluenile.com/diamonds_details.asp?__fun_frm=i&pid=LD00404947&filter_id=1
This is one of their signature ideal diamonds. I know this is going to be a beautiful one, but does it worth the price premium? (about 1300$ difference).

Please let me know what you think. I have to make a decision tonight... Thanks everyone!!


Best Regards,
Sean

ps. If I end up purchasing the first one, who would be an ideal appraiser that I should go to see in New York City area? Can they produce a similiar document like BlueNile does for their signature diamonds (they all have an additional GCAL report that measures optical brilliance and symmetry).

 

[pinkflamingo]

the first one is way too deep, it will appear smaller than an ideally cut diamond.
i would not worry about a VS1 showing inclusions.
Both diamonds listed does not have enough info listed to make a decision-

This looks better to me- more info including idealscopes- and they are around the same price.

G VS1

and also this one

F VS1

 

[pppi]

Thank you very much, pinkflamingo.

Unfortunately I am not very comfortable buying from Whiteflash because they don''t offer the same 30-day inspection period as BN does. But thank you for the recommendations anyway!!

So will the extra depth affect light performance at all? I tried to put a shallower depth in HCA and it came back with almost the same number??

I think i am OK with the smaller looking diamond, my gf has petite fingers anyway. However i just need to make sure the extra depth won''t affect light performance.

What other information do you think is still needed to make a decision? I thought they had everything? including the crown/pavilion angles....

Anyone else please comment on the inclusions in the first diamond??

Thanks all.

 

[Sundial]

Date: 6/20/2006 8:06:34 PM
Author: pppi

Thank you very much, pinkflamingo.

Unfortunately I am not very comfortable buying from Whiteflash because they don''t offer the same 30-day inspection period as BN does. But thank you for the recommendations anyway!!

So will the extra depth affect light performance at all? I tried to put a shallower depth in HCA and it came back with almost the same number??

I think i am OK with the smaller looking diamond, my gf has petite fingers anyway. However i just need to make sure the extra depth won''t affect light performance.

What other information do you think is still needed to make a decision? I thought they had everything? including the crown/pavilion angles....

Anyone else please comment on the inclusions in the first diamond??

Thanks all.

That first stone is a little deep, but it shouldn''t effect the light performance of the diamond. It will just mean that the stone has a slightly smaller spread than a diamond that is less deep. I am no expert on naturals, but I wouldn''t think you would have a problem with inclusions on a VS1 stone.

 

[diamondseeker2006]

I''d think they''d both be nice, but the second one does appear to have better numbers. They are close to the same diameter, so you don ''t lose too much size on the slightly deeper stone. I''m not sure I''d be willing to pay the difference for the higher priced one, but I might drop to a G VS1 with more perfect numbers if it was me.

 

[pppi]

Date: 6/21/2006 12:27:14 AM
Author: diamondseeker2006
I''d think they''d both be nice, but the second one does appear to have better numbers. They are close to the same diameter, so you don ''t lose too much size on the slightly deeper stone. I''m not sure I''d be willing to pay the difference for the higher priced one, but I might drop to a G VS1 with more perfect numbers if it was me.

The stone is 6.44 - 6.50 X 4.03 mm and has a 62.3% depth.
Let''s suppose the ideal depth is 61%.

(62.3% - 61%) X 6.50 = 1.3% X 6.50 = 0.0845 mm

We are talking about roughly one tenth of a millimeter here. I agree with you, diamondseeker2006, that the price difference is way too much.

Do any of you ever think that maybe the jewelers are over-emphasizing the numbers (including crown/pavilion angles) to inflate their prices?

Anybody have experience on natural and feather inclusions that can help me? Luckily I had my rep to hold the stone for me so that I can have more time to think it over.

Thanks everyone for your input.

 

[diamondseeker2006]

I am also searching for VS1, and from everything I have been told, you don''t have to worry about VS1 inclusions. They are difficult to even see with a 10X loupe usually. That''s why I want VS1 or above so I don''t have to worry about the inclusions!

 

[pppi]

Date: 6/21/2006 9:54:08 AM
Author: diamondseeker2006
I am also searching for VS1, and from everything I have been told, you don''t have to worry about VS1 inclusions. They are difficult to even see with a 10X loupe usually. That''s why I want VS1 or above so I don''t have to worry about the inclusions!

I think it depends on what types of inclusions though... please check this out:

http://www.niceice.com/diamond_clarity_characteristics.htm

 

[diamondseeker2006]

I see your point. This is where you are at a disadvantage because if one of the vendors like GOG, WF, or JA had this stone in-house, they could look at it under magnification and tell you what the reality is. With that uncertainty, I''d be inclined to go with the other stone. It is worth it to me to have peace of mind. But on the other hand, if you have plenty of time, you could order the other one and take it to an appraiser and return it if the inclusions are a problem. It''s just a matter of how much trouble you''re willing to go to to save some money. I have actually returned two stones and have about reached my limit!

 

[pppi]

Date: 6/21/2006 11:59:28 AM
Author: diamondseeker2006
I see your point. This is where you are at a disadvantage because if one of the vendors like GOG, WF, or JA had this stone in-house, they could look at it under magnification and tell you what the reality is. With that uncertainty, I''d be inclined to go with the other stone. It is worth it to me to have peace of mind. But on the other hand, if you have plenty of time, you could order the other one and take it to an appraiser and return it if the inclusions are a problem. It''s just a matter of how much trouble you''re willing to go to to save some money. I have actually returned two stones and have about reached my limit!

Actually BN have this in-house too, and the rep did ask someone to take a look at it for me (see my original post). They said it''s not a problem at all. But I am just not sure how biased their statements were. Also, the natural looks much bigger than most of the pictures I have seen so far.

Anyway I guess I will order the cheaper one and have an appraiser check it out for me. I just cannot justify the the extra 1300$ for the "supposedly better" stone.

As I have asked earlier, does anyone have recommendations on appraisers in NYC area?

 

[diamondseeker2006]

Start a new post for the appraiser question. Surely there are some in your area. Please let us know how the stone turns out!