Diamond Choices and Research

[bonbon22]

Hi All,

I've done a lot of diamond research, but there are still a lot of things that I don't quite understand well. I've been doing most of my browsing through Blue Nile. Below are links to 2 diamonds that I'm interested in. One is an H VS2 (.7 HCA) and the other is a G SI1 (1.5 HCA).

http://www.bluenile.com/build-your-own-diamond-ring?builder=BYOR&forceStep=DIAMONDS_STEP&pid=LD02897486#DIAMONDS_STEP|LD02897486

http://www.bluenile.com/build-your-own-diamond-ring?builder=BYOR&forceStep=DIAMONDS_STEP&pid=LD02805807#DIAMONDS_STEP|LD02805807

These diamonds are both similarly priced, but pretty different measurements. What would make one diamond better than the other, and for what reasons? Are additional clouds/pinpoints not being show an issue?

Thanks so much for your expertise and time!

 

[dbanner8732]

Pavilion and crown angles are important. This affects the diamonds light leakage dramatically.

Are you buying this diamond as an engagement ring?

 

[bonbon22]

Yes, this will be an engagement ring. Both diamonds are supposed to be Ideal cut, but what factors do I need to delve deeper into? Is the 33 angle crown extremely superior to the 35 angle crown?

 

[dbanner8732]

Here is a tool that someone showed me on here that really is a good guide I think.

https://www.pricescope.com/tools/hca

Just go here and type in all of your data. It is hard to answer your question about those angles because it depends on the pavilion angles too. It's all about how they work together and sometimes cancel each other out in good ways and how they can sometimes mess each other up. ( I know... pretty pathetic wording)

I would use this tool. I first had a diamond picked out that scored 3.9 (very good) it was a 1.12 carat round cut

Picked out a diamond 1.07 carats same exact table and depth percentages (somehow) and a different pavilion and crown degree combination and it scored a 1.8. Graded as excellent. Anything between 0-2 is I guess the best range. I dropped .05 carats for the same price and a better diamond (I hope-- I havent bought it yet).

To be honest, my lady would probably have no clue what the difference was between the stones. She's no diamond fanatic. But I am born with this crazy obsession to analyze and criticize until the exact thing I want is the end result... Real pain in my own ass but I usually have the feeling that "I've done all I could" and that makes me sleep better at night. It's a disease. Anything else you have questions about?

 

[bonbon22]

Yep, you sound exactly like me! I've been frantically googling everything possible about diamonds the last few weeks. There are so many ifs, ands, and buts.

Thanks a lot for your help!

 

[TC1987]

[URL='https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/preferred-specs-cheat-sheet-for-rounds.88548/']https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/preferred-specs-cheat-sheet-for-rounds.88548/[/URL]
[URL='https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/help-me-narrow-my-search-cut-specs-table-crown-depth-etc.131374/#post-2319317#p2319317']https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/help-me-narrow-my-search-cut-specs-table-crown-depth-etc.131374/#post-2319317#p2319317[/URL]
^ There is a preferred set of dimension ranges that provide the best combinations of crown and pavilion angles, for round diamonds. It's listed in those threads that I linked to.

If you use the diamond search tool on here, and look at in-house diamonds, it gives the HCA rating with the rest of the diamond's info. HCA is Holloway Cut Adviser. Look at 2 or under for a gauge for top light performance.

 

[TC1987]

You guys should also go over to NiceIce.com and read through Todd's information. Those dimensions are what he used, as a buyer for Nice Ice, to screen out stones that definitely he didn't want to buy. He used to sell diamonds on that site, but apparently doesn't anymore.

 

[diamondseeker2006]

I agree that the G stone is the better cut one from the numbers. I prefer the higher crown angle. But I would prefer to buy from a vendor who provides pictures at least. The inclusions are right in the center and it is questionable to me whether it would really be eyeclean.

 

[bonbon22]

Thanks so much for your help. I've tried going to local places to look at diamonds and certificates, but there hasn't been one place that was a pleasure to deal with. I will try contacting Blue Nile for actual pictures of the diamonds.

The link to the "cheat sheet" for rounds is awesome! Thanks so much!

 

[oryan_dunn]

To be honest, my lady would probably have no clue what the difference was between the stones. She's no diamond fanatic. But I am born with this crazy obsession to analyze and criticize until the exact thing I want is the end result... Real pain in my own a$$ but I usually have the feeling that "I've done all I could" and that makes me sleep better at night. It's a disease.

+1 same here. I'm an engineer, and a bit OCD about things like this. I figure I should invest as much time researching for this purchase as I did my $300 tablet, or my $2k HDTV, etc.

My lady is the same way and pretty down-to-earth. She's even hinted that lately she doesn't even need a diamond or a fancy ring, but she'll get a really nice one, since she deserves it (for having to put up with me for the past 6 years).