Diamond Stud advice

[Miller1986]

Hi Folks,

Looking for some basic input/advice on diamond studs.

I have to following two diamonds identified to pair for .6 carat diamond studs.
Diamond 1 is HCA .09 and Diamond 2 is HCA2.3

I realize these are different in terms of performance and diamond 2 is slightly outside of HCA standards-will the differences be noticeable given the smaller size of these studs?

To my untrained diamond 2 looks to have a bit of leakage in the photo but I can’t tell if it to an extent that makes this a hard pass diamond.

I would like to avoid buying preset, if possible, given the lowest guaranteed cut quality is only good.Not looking for super ideal quality, excellent will do. I have $150 credit to use at BN before February so that is my only constraint (beyond budget-looking to keep stones around 800 total).

Any and all input appreciated-Thanks for looking!

Diamond 1

0.30-Carat Round Cut Diamond | Blue Nile

www.bluenile.com

Diamond 2

0.30-Carat Round Cut Diamond | Blue Nile

www.bluenile.com

 

[Garry H (Cut Nut)]

The shallower of the 2 will outperfom in earrings

 

[headlight]

Looks like you bought them, congrats!

 

[bright&shiny]

The shallower of the 2 will outperfom in earrings

Gary - can you clarify the two categories for earrings & pendants. Are the categories ina continuum- as in “More bright” is also more fire? And I assume total depth as a number isn’t so important - more so the table and crown specs.

 

[Garry H (Cut Nut)]

Gary - can you clarify the two categories for earrings & pendants. Shallower diamonds can suffer from head obstruction but return more light from perpendicular rather than a wide fan of light. So in a ring your head will obscure a lot of light. But in earrings and pendants you get to punch anyone in the nose for looking uncomfortably close up! Are the categories ina continuum- as in “More bright” is also more fire? Yes more or less. The left hand side of the chart you will find larger tables and shallower crown angles = less fire. opposite on the right hand side. And I assume total depth as a number isn’t so important - more so the table and crown specs. Clever people can find really nice proportioned deep diamonds that get a lower GIA grade because they have thick girdles and are thence cheaper.

Gary - can you clarify the two categories for earrings & pendants. Shallower diamonds can suffer from head obstruction but return more light from perpendicular rather than a wide fan of light. So in a ring your head will obscure a lot of light. But in earrings and pendants you get to punch anyone in the nose for looking uncomfortably close up! Are the categories in a continuum- as in “More bright” is also more fire? Yes more or less. The left hand side of the chart you will find larger tables and shallower crown angles = less fire. opposite on the right hand side. And I assume total depth as a number isn’t so important - more so the table and crown specs. Clever people can find really nice proportioned deep diamonds that get a lower GIA grade because they have thick girdles and are thence cheaper.

 

[bright&shiny]

Gary - can you clarify the two categories for earrings & pendants. Shallower diamonds can suffer from head obstruction but return more light from perpendicular rather than a wide fan of light. So in a ring your head will obscure a lot of light. But in earrings and pendants you get to punch anyone in the nose for looking uncomfortably close up! Are the categories in a continuum- as in “More bright” is also more fire? Yes more or less. The left hand side of the chart you will find larger tables and shallower crown angles = less fire. opposite on the right hand side. And I assume total depth as a number isn’t so important - more so the table and crown specs. Clever people can find really nice proportioned deep diamonds that get a lower GIA grade because they have thick girdles and are thence cheaper.

Thank you - I love your charts, gifs and the clarification!

 

[Miller1986]

The shallower of the 2 will outperfom in earrings

Thanks for the reply. That is a great little chart, very helpful-thanks again!

 

[Miller1986]

Looks like you bought them, congrats!

I swapped out diamond 2 for a stone I that has near-identical proportions to diamond 1. HCA 0.7 and falls within the guidelines recommended in the chart from Gary. The polish is very good on new diamond 2 but for a small stone in earrings I do not think it will make a difference in real life. Saved a few dollars and it's a nicer diamond.

It was fun to build these. I am excited them in person.

 

[Garry H (Cut Nut)]

I swapped out diamond 2 for a stone I that has near-identical proportions to diamond 1. HCA 0.7 and falls within the guidelines recommended in the chart from Gary. The polish is very good on new diamond 2 but for a small stone in earrings I do not think it will make a difference in real life. Saved a few dollars and it's a nicer diamond.

It was fun to build these. I am excited them in person.

Polish can be one tiny groove or an overall effect. But the downside to poor polish is generally a reduction in fire or colored flashes. Earrings orientation rarely enable you to see fire so no big deal