Diamond Comparison Question

[myGFchecksPricescope]

Comparison Help

I''ve seen this debated a few times - but I want to see how people tackle this question with the two diamonds listed below.

My priorities:
Ideal cut - emphasis here to try to maximize sparkle, fire, etc
clarity (like to stay at vs2 or above)
color (stay at or above H)
carat ( .95-1.1)

Recently I''ve started looking at H&A. However, the actual hearts and arrows aren''t THAT important to me. I was more using it as a better way to ensure the diamond is cut well and has excellent symmetry and polish. That said, the Hearts and Arrows are "neat" but I doubt I''d break out the pictures of the unmounted stone very often. So here are the specs of two diamonds I''m looking at. What do you think?

H&A
=============
Price: $6,250
Report: AGS
Carat: 1.017
Color: H
Clarity: VS2
Depth: 60.8
Table: 56
Crown Angle: 35
Crown %: 15.3
Pavilion Angle: 40.9
Pavilion %: 43
Girdle: 0.9% to 1.2% Faceted
Polish: Ideal
Symmetry: Ideal
Culet: Pointed
Fluorescence: Negligible
Measurements: 6.50-6.54X3.97


Ideal Cut Round
===============
Price: $6,100
Report: AGS
Shape: Round
Carat: 1.000
Color: G
Clarity: VS2
Depth: 60
Table: 57
crown %: 15
crown angle: 34.9
pav %: 42.9
pav angle: 40.8
Girdle: TN-M (.9% - 1.7%)
Polish: Excellent
Symmetry: Excellent
Culet: None
Fluorescence: Negligible
Measurements: 6.50-6.54X3.95

To me, I would say I''m saving $150 (but really only ~2.5% of price) and going up a color grade. 1.7 point loss no biggie to me. What do you think? I''d love to hear arguments for both diamonds.

 

[valeria101]

Well, why do you care about Ex symmetry and polish so much ?

I somehow got the idea that the H&A pattern was touted as a visual mark of diamonds which have better optics (so that they stand out somehow without extensive comparison with other stones...).

Actually, both your stones should have some H&A pattern - as the RBC model produces that pattern within a wider range of proportions than AGS0 anyway...

 

[hoorray]

I marginally like the second stone better. The crown and pav angle combo is slightly less steep, and it gets all EXs on the HCA. (But they are both under 2, so that might be splitting hairs.) I also like the higher color grade. It would be interesting to see what the internal symmetry of the second stone looks like. Maybe the vendor can send you H&A pics of each to compare.

BTW..since the diameters are identical, you won't see the ct weight difference at all. It is in the girdle and/or depth.

 

[Magnum]

I would lean slightly towards the 2nd stone. As lop pointed out, it's actually the exact same diameter, it has a little better pavilion/crown combo (although both are probably within the same margin of error for a sarin machine), you're getting a G versus an H, and all for $150 cheaper, which should more than cover the cost of a good appraisal. As far as the H&A difference, being an ideal cut stone, there's a good chance that the second stone will display nice arrows. The hearts are the hardest to form (and usually are what disqualify a stone as a true H&A), but are impossible to see once the stone is set, while arrows can be seen even in some non-ideal cut stones, and the effects of the arrows are often seen with the naked eye. The stones are so close that I would ask for idealscope pictures of the two to see if there is any difference, and to see if the second stone does in fact have a nice arrow pattern. Best of luck in your search.

 

[myGFchecksPricescope]

How about this diamond compared with the first (see original post). It’s not an ags000. The report lists Polish Excellent and Symmetry Excellent (not ideal). I assume this is why it missed ags000 - but I could be missing something. From what I've read here, Excellent Polish and Symmetry is fine. Its HCA score is .7 (ex,ex,ex,vg).

Price: $6,550
Report: AGS
Shape: Round Ideal Cut
Carat: 1.015
Color: E
Clarity: VS2
Depth: 61
Table: 56
Crown Angle: 34.6
Crown %: 15.2
Pavilion Angle: 40.6
Pavilion %: 42.7
Girdle: 0.9%-1.7%FACETED
Polish: Excellent
Symmetry: Excellent
Culet: Pointed
Fluorescence: Negligible
Measurements: 6.49-6.53X3.97