Decision time is nearing and could use some feedback

[cubic_zirconia]

Hi all,

In my previous post, I received a lot of great feedback as I shared where I was in my diamond stone search. Thank you for that. (I'll preface this post by saying that I have not been able to make the time to look at diamonds in person per the suggestions from that post so I'm still entering into this discussion with very little experience in this regard )

Since then, the diamond I was originally considering (1.37 F/VVS1 for $17,299/$16,781 wired) has been purchased:
https://www.whiteflash.com/loose-diamonds/round-cut-loose-diamond-4123867.htm

Here are the ones I'm considering now:

Diamond comparison | Compare Diamonds to choose and buy the best one

Whiteflash gives you an excellent opportunity to compare diamonds to make a great deal. With diamond’s parameters provided, you can compare any detail.

www.whiteflash.com

• The 1.4/F/VS1 is at the upper bound of the price range of "I'd rather not but if I need a ring ASAP, then so be it." It was suggested as an alternative in my original post.
• The 1.441/H/VVS1 hits that "I really like that price point" but I'm not sure if I want to go past G color.
• The 1.487/F/VS2 is the top contender.

Looking at the specs between the last two, I noticed that the crown angles are closer to the boundaries of Whiteflash's super ideal specs (34.9 vs 34.2) while the pavilion angle remains the same at 40.7. I only know what little I've read about the inverse relationship of these angles and their effect on brilliance and fire so I assume that even at tenths of a fraction there should be some difference even if an untrained eye can't tell in the day-to-day?

Any comments from the pundits of these forums about the diamonds in consideration? I've asked Whiteflash for comparison photos of the last two diamonds. I can save quite a bit of money if I can convince myself that H can fall into my preference of "mind clean."

My preferences are kind of narrow:

• Size: 1.3ct - 1.4ct
• Color: F-G, maybe H...
• Clarity: VVS2-VS2
• Cut: ACA Whiteflash

 

[Snowdrop13]

I don’t mean to muddy the waters but I’m interested why you’re choosing between an F and an H? What about this, G VS2, which to me is a good sweet spot- white colour, eye clean clarity,

Diamond | 1.453 ct G VS2 A CUT ABOVE® Hearts and Arrows Super Ideal Round Cut Loose Diamond AGS Certified | 3587737

This Whiteflash A CUT ABOVE® super ideal cut hearts and arrows 1.453 carat G color VS2 clarity loose diamond is graded by the American Gem Society (AGS) Laboratories. | 3587737

www.whiteflash.com

as far as I’m concerned, you will get great performance from any ACA, it’s probably not worth agonising over the minutiae of all the angles!

 

[cubic_zirconia]

Actually I had that one on my wishlist as well and had to remember why that wasn't in the comparison above.

In part because of my lack of experience with looking at diamonds in real life across the clarity spectrum, I tend to be "scared" when I see inclusions under the table so that's why the 1.453 G/VS2 wasn't under consideration compared to the other two.

It's a nice price though, so it has me reconsidering.

 

[KKJohnson]

I would go with the largest 1.48 F, I love the tiny table

This one I might consider as well but the F is still my fav

Diamond | 1.533 ct G VS2 A CUT ABOVE® Hearts and Arrows Super Ideal Round Cut Loose Diamond AGS Certified | 4150885

This Whiteflash A CUT ABOVE® super ideal cut hearts and arrows 1.533 carat G color VS2 clarity loose diamond is graded by the American Gem Society (AGS) Laboratories. | 4150885

www.whiteflash.com

 

[JaneDough]

Hi all,

In my previous post, I received a lot of great feedback as I shared where I was in my diamond stone search. Thank you for that. (I'll preface this post by saying that I have not been able to make the time to look at diamonds in person per the suggestions from that post so I'm still entering into this discussion with very little experience in this regard )

Since then, the diamond I was originally considering (1.37 F/VVS1 for $17,299/$16,781 wired) has been purchased:
https://www.whiteflash.com/loose-diamonds/round-cut-loose-diamond-4123867.htm

Here are the ones I'm considering now:

Diamond comparison | Compare Diamonds to choose and buy the best one

Whiteflash gives you an excellent opportunity to compare diamonds to make a great deal. With diamond’s parameters provided, you can compare any detail.

www.whiteflash.com

• The 1.4/F/VS1 is at the upper bound of the price range of "I'd rather not but if I need a ring ASAP, then so be it." It was suggested as an alternative in my original post.
• The 1.441/H/VVS1 hits that "I really like that price point" but I'm not sure if I want to go past G color.
• The 1.487/F/VS2 is the top contender.

Looking at the specs between the last two, I noticed that the crown angles are closer to the boundaries of Whiteflash's super ideal specs (34.9 vs 34.2) while the pavilion angle remains the same at 40.7. I only know what little I've read about the inverse relationship of these angles and their effect on brilliance and fire so I assume that even at tenths of a fraction there should be some difference even if an untrained eye can't tell in the day-to-day?

Any comments from the pundits of these forums about the diamonds in consideration? I've asked Whiteflash for comparison photos of the last two diamonds. I can save quite a bit of money if I can convince myself that H can fall into my preference of "mind clean."

My preferences are kind of narrow:

• Size: 1.3ct - 1.4ct
• Color: F-G, maybe H...
• Clarity: VVS2-VS2
• Cut: ACA Whiteflash

My H looks really clear/ white and it’s set in yellow gold. I did not want yellow tint in my diamond either. My colleague has a F but GIA and she’s remarked my diamond appears brighter and more sparkly. People have guessed my stone color to be an F. I requested a lot of photographs of the diamond before I ordered though just to be sure...

 

[Lvoeshinythings]

I looked at all three videos and like your main contender, the 1.487.

ACA diamonds are all wonderful (I have 3) and you can’t go wrong as long as you get your desired color and determine if the clarity of your chosen stone is ok per the video they have.

 

[rockysalamander]

My H looks really clear/ white and it’s set in yellow gold. I did not want yellow tint in my diamond either. My colleague has a F but GIA and she’s remarked my diamond appears brighter and more sparkly. People have guessed my stone color to be an F. I requested a lot of photographs of the diamond before I ordered though just to be sure...

Sparkly is a function of cut, not color. You probably have a better cut diamond than your colleague. Win for you, but not down to the color rating.

 

[cubic_zirconia]

I would go with the largest 1.48 F, I love the tiny table

The tiny table is indicated by the 54.2%?

I thought steeper crown angles lead to smaller tables and 34.2 isn’t considered steep but on the shallower end (of the super ideal spectrum)?

Also doesn’t a smaller table lead to a smaller looking diamond? I would think the preferences would be for larger table sizes within the super ideal range like 58%.

 

[Dancing Fire]

Also doesn’t a smaller table lead to a smaller looking diamond? I would think the preferences would be for larger table sizes within the super ideal range like 58%.

Table size have nothing to do with its diameter.

 

[JaneDough]

Sparkly is a function of cut, not color. You probably have a better cut diamond than your colleague. Win for you, but not down to the color rating.

Yup I know! Just wanted to pass on to OP the type of things my colleagues seem to notice first in a well cut diamond even if it’s not in the D-F range.

 

[KKJohnson]

Also doesn’t a smaller table lead to a smaller looking diamond? I would think the preferences would be for larger table sizes within the super ideal range like 58%.

Super Ideal Range can have larger tables but 58

Understanding Table Size of a Round Brilliant Diamond

The table width is the octagonal shape on top of the diamonds known as the top facet and is denoted as a % of the diameter. In other words, […]

www.pricescope.com

 

[cubic_zirconia]

Super Ideal Range can have larger tables but 58

Oh interesting. Whiteflash includes 58 for its super ideal range.

A CUT ABOVE® Diamonds Specifications and Qualifications

Uncover the diamond specifications and qualifications that make up the Whiteflash A CUT ABOVE® diamonds. The most carefully crafted diamonds in the world.

www.whiteflash.com

 

[KKJohnson]

Oh interesting. Whiteflash includes 58 for its super ideal range.

A CUT ABOVE® Diamonds Specifications and Qualifications

Uncover the diamond specifications and qualifications that make up the Whiteflash A CUT ABOVE® diamonds. The most carefully crafted diamonds in the world.

www.whiteflash.com

I don’t think my full post went through, I had also said that 58 isn’t the rule. Table size is just a preference

 

[OoohShiny]

Table size and crown angle have an effect on the amount of coloured fire a diamond produces (assuming well-matched pavilion angles) because smaller table and/or a higher crown means larger facets between the table and the girdle, which are the facets that split white light being returned from the pavilion into rainbow 'fans', and when your pupil sees only part of a fan, you will see the colours (fire)

That is why a lot of PS members like small table / high crown combinations - coloured fire is intriguing to look at and catches the eye, even from across the room!


One/both are not absolutely essential, though, if I understand things correctly - I believe that CBI stones are cut to maximise light path accuracy as it travels through the stone, which means an increase in coloured fire is possible with even 'average' size tables and crown heights?

@John Pollard has explained this previously but I'm afraid I don't have the post to hand!

 

[cubic_zirconia]

One/both are not absolutely essential, though, if I understand things correctly - I believe that CBI stones are cut to maximise light path accuracy as it travels through the stone, which means an increase in coloured fire is possible with even 'average' size tables and crown heights?

@John Pollard has explained this previously but I'm afraid I don't have the post to hand!

Funny enough in my unrelated research, I think I might have actually come across that post without specifically looking for it:

CBI fire

So, I bought a CBI diamond with the following dimensions: Table 57% Crown Angle 34.5 degrees Crown Percentage 14.8% Pavilion Angle 40.8 degrees Pavilion Percentage 43.1% Depth 61.5% Star 51 Lower Girdle Facet 77 It’s beautiful, of course, but I still wonder about FIRE. When I was initially...

www.pricescope.com

I can’t say I fully understand it . But as an untrained & uninformed consumer, sometimes a little assurance from experts is all one needs to achieve “mind cleanness,” i.e. specifically that diamonds with even minute differences within the super ideal range can still exhibit similar characteristics in terms of brilliance and fire (might be using those terms incorrectly) if they are cut well.

In other words, I might not have to fret if I’m giving up a discernible amount of fire because one of the diamonds in my list has a not-steep 34.2 crown angle.