Diamond with feathers on the girdle? GIA chart inside and questions about how to set it.

[bento]

I posted about this diamond last week, but just got a copy of the GIA certificate and noticed how several feathers are on/near the girdle:
http://antiqueengagementrings.com/shopping/shopexd.asp?id=2306

I read a lot on the forums over the weekend and the real issue seems to be whether or not the feathers are open to the surface. I should receive the diamond on Wednesday and already have an appointment with a local independent appraiser that was listed here on PS to make sure the stone is sound.

I''m going to have the diamond reset from the setting shown, to a temporary white gold one with 6 prongs but I wanted check with you guys first. I saw some PS posts where jewelers recommended putting prongs over feathers to hide them, and some saying that putting a prong on a feather is the worst idea since it makes it more likely to transfer stress directly to that weak point if a prong is hit. Plus I want the appraiser to be able to see the stone accurately. So I''m guessing I should request that the stone be set so that none of the feathers are covered with prongs (if possible)? Or maybe I should ask for it unset?

If my appraiser thinks it''s in good shape, then would a bezel setting be a good idea for the long term? I was lusting over some James Meyer settings, but I called and he''s booked for the rest of the year which is why I was going to have the stone put in a temporary setting for now. Would a full bezel provide protection for all of the feathering on the girdle?

Thanks for helping me make this huge decision! I really appreciate the help.

 

[oldminer]

From the clarity plot and the way it is currently set, I''d guess that these feathers do not pose a major threat to using the diamond any way you would want to. A bezel is fine, but does hide a bit of the stone''s size. It can be slightly dangerous to set a diamond into a bezel due to flaws sometimes, but once set, it is a very durable way to hold the diamond securely and prevents edge damage. Often, I''d recommend a bezel for an already chipped diamond, but rarely for one without any girdle chipping. It is a matter of style and taste, not anything beyond that level of concern unless chips are present and the customer does not want to fix them.

 

[bento]

Thanks for the informative reply, David! That settles a lot of my fears.

I called the appraiser (Stephen Turner of Gemcorp) since he's done a lot of work for my mother-in-law and I trust him. He recommended having the jeweler send the temporary setting and the diamond unset and he will set it for me after the appraisal. This plan of action gives me complete peace of mind since he'll be able to see the diamond completely and set it in a way that's best.