Does .87 carat look like 1 carat?

[spartanjd]

I am getting ready to buy an engagement ring, but can''t afford a full 1-carat given the specs I want on the diamond. Would this .87 carat look close enought to a 1-carat in a solitaire setting? Blue Nile Signature Round, .87 carats, AGS Ideal, G, VS1. The specs are Depth - 61%, Table - 56%, Crown Angle - 34.7%, and Pavillion Angle - 40.5%. Help?!

 

[valeria101]

Diameter ?


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Never mind. I found it. BN says 6.13-6.17 mm diameter. Equally ideal 1 carat rounds are supposed to be 6.5mm, but many fall short of that. Even more of the non ideals do (all it takes is 63% or so depth, a large table or a slightly thick girdle ). SO you stone would be as large as lots of rounds a tenth of a carat havier.

Just out of curiosity: look at THIS - it would hardly be possible to see any size difference between the two. I bet the ideal cut would have better life though. A 0.9 ideal is actually larger than the respective 1 carat (This one).

Hope this helps

 

[oldminer]

A poorly made 1 carat diamond often looks smaller than a super cut .87ct diamond. I don't think you will dissappoint the recipient. If you do dissappoint her, then this might be an excellent way to know if your relationship has any chance to make it over the long haul anyway. Give your intended a gift that represents your love, and your budget. It is a good first test of the sincerity of the situation. Don't be afraid....

 

[spartanjd]

The "measurements" on the AGS certification state: 6.13 - 6.17 x 3.75 mm. I am not sure which of the numbers is the diameter, however.

 

[valeria101]

Date: 11/2/2004 12:26:40 PM
Author: spartanjd
The ''measurements'' on the AGS certification state: 6.13 - 6.17 x 3.75 mm. I am not sure which of the numbers is the diameter, however.

AGS certification state: 6.13 (smallest diameter measurement) - 6.17(largest diameter measurement) x 3.75 (depth) mm

The two diameters are never exactly the same - these two numbers are as close as they get. Not surprising for a diamodn with such high symmetry grade.

 

[Mara]

A well-cut 1c stone will have a diameter of around 6.5mm...so yours will not technically appear as a 1c stone, but compared to many of the maul-cut stones out there that people have on...it may look similar to a 1c to many people because of what is peddled out there as 1c stones (steep/deep combos).

 

[phoenixgirl]

I don''t see it listed anymore, so perhaps you already bought it? Either that or someone else did.

If size is of high importance to you, you might want to consider dropping to H or I color and/or VS2 or SI1 clarity. One color and clarity grade will hardly make any difference visually, but then you might be able to get a stone that is a little larger.

 

[aljdewey]

I''m guessing that what you care about is the day-to-day comparative basis....will her ring look as big as others around her?

Yes, it will. Go to some of the chains and look in the their "certified" diamond cases. Most of them have cards that show the dimensions of the stones. You''ll see that many of the 1-ct stones have diameters around 6.17 - 6.25. That''s because they are cut steep and deep.

Your diamond will look every bit as big as those 1-ct stones because it''s better cut, so it shows the weight where you want to see it....in the diameter.

Nice choice.

 

[ame]

My stone is a .86 and looks pretty big next to a 1ct, not far from a 1ct and definitely bigger than a 3/4. Its pretty big lookin''.

 

[Tybee]

Wow,
I just wanted to say thanks all...this has been helpful and informative siince I''ve just realized that we won''t be able to afford a carat either, clearly carat isn''t as important to me as cut, but it would be nice if it did almost look as big.
I learn more and more every day!

 

[aljdewey]

Tybee, if you can give us a budget range, maybe we can help you find the most for your $$ with possible stones.

 

[lunarcamel]

I just proposed with a .8 ideal cut flawless diamond from blue nile Set in plat. it looks stunning and my future wife has had many comments from strangers who''ve seen her ring sparkling from a distance. In my opinion size isn''t so much an issue - cut, color, polish sym are the most important I believe. And if your girlfriend has somewhat small hands then a .80+ diamond will look surprisingly large

 

[Tybee]

Thanks Aljdewey!
I''m actually not supposed to be looking at all, I just can''t help it. I''ve been told that, because of the budget issues, I should just give it a rest...but it''s hard not to look!!!!! And I''ve learned so much just from lurking around Pricescope. Maybe your message is just what I needed. Perhaps I can send the BF this way.

 

[Nicrez]

Lunarcamel:
Hate to admit this, but the most noticeable characteristic to the human eye is size. THEN color, then cut (depending on how BAD or good it is), and THEN clarity. Clarity really is only as important as a reassurance of rarity as well as perceived "perfection", since this stone could easily be replaced by a synthetic, and you would have a tough time identifying it without any characteristics to determine if it's yours or not.

I have an E VVS1, so I am simply saying that the majority of peoplewill vote size over clarity and colorlessness. Rare is the purist who wants a significantly smaller stone over clarity. That's why stones are sold to so many different types.

Different strokes for different folks!

Now me personally, if I was forced to get a round stone, I wouldn't even want a D color stone, it's not quite noticeable when you have an excellent cut... I'd rather take that savings and get a larger one, or just a nicer setting...

me personally, i really like stones under 1ct set in a semi bezel or a simple modern setting. I like some unique tension settings, and you would IDEALLY want something under 1ct for such a thing to look the best...(at least I think so!)

 

[lunarcamel]

Yes - clarity is the least important no doubt. But some people think that bigger is better and when you see a 2 ct diamond on a small hand it looks ridiculous - and even fake depending on how gaudy the ring looks. I see a lot of large tacky rings on this site - and heh everyones got different taste

- but theres no rule on how big a diamond you need to buy. All Im saying is be smart about it - think about your budget and do your homework - and don''t worry about what other people think

 

[JC]

EXCELLENT advice DAVID A.