Diamond avice for a novice

[jhusoxfan]

First of all, hello and thanks. I have read this website a lot lately and the information has been really helpful in helping me narrow down my options.

At this point I really like two diamonds I have found thanks to this website. Both are Hearts and Arrow Ideal Round Cut. The specs for the two are:

#1
Shape: Round
Carat weight: 0.73
Cut: Hearts & Arrows Ideal
Color: D
Clarity: VVS2
Certificate: AGS

Depth: 62%
Table: 55.5%
Polish: Ideal
Symmetry: Ideal
Girdle: Thin to medium
Culet: None
Fluorescence: Neglible
Measurements: 5.76*5.79*3.58

Crown Angle: 34.4°
Crown %: 15.40
Pavillion Angle: 40.9°
Pavillion %: 43.20
Price: $4,400

#2
Shape: Round
Carat weight: 0.71
Cut: Hearts & Arrows Ideal
Color: E
Clarity: VVS2
Certificate: AGS

Depth: 62%
Table: 55.1%
Polish: Ideal
Symmetry: Ideal
Girdle: Thin to medium
Culet: None
Fluorescence: Neglible
Measurements: 5.71*5.74*3.54

Crown Angle: 34.3°
Crown %: 15.50
Pavillion Angle: 40.7°
Pavillion %: 42.80
Price: $3,830


I think I prefer #1 over #2. What do the experts on this forum think?


Also my girlfriend really liked a setting she saw in B&M store. How common is it to buy the stone loose online and then have it set at a B&M? Will this cause any problems? The one problem I can forsee is maybe having to have the stone appraised twice. Once while it is loose to ensure the stone delivered was the one advertised and then again after it has been set. Could someone give me an opinion on this?

 

[jaz464]

Welcome

I will leave the round evaluations to someone else, but I am wondering if you are dead set on such a high clarity. If you or your GF really value that in a diamond that is perfectly fine, but I wanted to make sure you know that you can go much lower and see nothing in the diamond whatsoever. This would enable you to get a bigger diamond for the same amount of $$. Same goes for color. Ideal cut rounds certainly don't have to be D or E to look very white. Just wanted to mention that in case you wanted to go bigger, which many women like to do

Having a diamond set at a place you did not buy it from is certainly possible. You will need to speak with the B&M and ask them about it. Some places will and some will not. I recommend you do not go in there and tell them you have an online diamond you need setting. Just tell them you have a diamond you would like to have set and see what they say. You will want them to take full responsibility for you diamond while they are setting it, in case it were to chip during the process. Get that in writing.

Having said that, it is much easier and less of a headache to have the same jeweler sell you both the diamond and the setting. Do you have a picture or description of the setting? Is it a common brand?

If you like, having the diamond appraised before it is set is not a bad idea, though not entirely necessary if you are dealing with one of the very reliable vendors like WF or GOG. You have all of the important information already for these 2 diamonds.

 

[mtrb]

I second this in regards to clarity. I actually own a VS1 (GIA certed) diamond. I have always thought I could have gone bigger and go down to a VS2 without sacrificing any eye seen inclusions. I think at this point..size may be more important than clarity. to have a VVS stone is just not worth the size difference in my opinion. I would go up in size and lower in clarity.. like VS1-VS2.

 

[StarSpun]

Hello!

I am one that likes smaller sized stones and great clarity....different from the posters above.

While the first one has a D color, the second one scored higher on the Holloway Cut Adviser....but again, you can''t rely totally on that entirely. It''s so slight as well....

Is it possible to see the stones in person? Are the stones with the same vendor?

 

[:)]

The cut advisor is not designed to be used to compare stones to each other (in other words try to pick a better stone based on a certain value if both are under 2) - it is to weed out poor performers. A lower value does not mean it is a better stone - many people actually prefer stones with a value between 1-2. Both are TICs and both fall in the AGS ideal range, although noted #1 got a vg on scintillation whereas #2 got ex. Are they both 000 on the AGS light based reporting document? I do not see a link to take a look at the stones. The cut is very close on the two - have you seen D and E color in person? Could you tell a difference? IS pics would probably help.

 

[jhusoxfan]

Ok I''m going to try and answer all of the questions.

My GF really wants a 3/4 carat high quality stone. (I''ve asked and I''m sure that''s the size stone she really wants) We''ve done some shopping together at B&M stores and the other three C''s in order of importance to her are:

Cut
Color
Clarity

#1 interests me the most since it is slightly larger and has a better color rating although I know the difference betweeen D and E is very small (I couldn''t really notice the difference between those two colors). Although as has been mentioned in the thread #2 rates a little better using the HCA. Both are 000 on the AGS light based report.

As for pictures and AGS reports




#1


#2

 

[jhusoxfan]

I really think I'm going to pull the trigger on Diamond #1 (Click me to see magnified image)


Attached is an idealscope image of the diamond.


I found a setting similar to the setting my girlfriend liked at the B&M store (a knife edge cathedral setting).


So I have to questions:

1.) Do you like the diamond?

2.) For the apprisal, should I bring the diamond as a loose stone or a set ring? I was told I could do it either way. It would be a little easier for me to bring the diamond set in the band. What's your opinion?

Thanks!!

 

[jhusoxfan]

Sorry previoius picture didn''t work.

 

[Arcam]

"Although as has been mentioned in the thread #2 rates a little better using the HCA. Both are 000 on the AGS light based report."

you are using the HCA incorrectly. As stated before, the HCA is a tool to screen out bad performers, not rank them. A 1.0 on the HCA is not necessarily better than a 1.5, even if one has more "Excellent" vs "Very Good" ratings.

 

[JulieN]

it''s gorgeous.