does bad depth offset good color/clarity?

[ritch]

I just purchased a 1.01 ct, E color, VS2 diamond from a wholesaler for $3900. Here are the dimensions.

depth: 70.30%
table: 57.00%
crown: 16.40%
pavillion: 43.80%
girdle: thin to very thick faceted

When compared to the other diamonds I was looking at this one looked really good and since i''m getting a platinum setting the E color makes more of a difference than if I was putting it in a gold setting. I didn''t realize until after already puchasing it that the depth was so bad at 70% (apparently anything over 66% is horrible).

I''m wondering if it I got a raw deal with the depth being so bad, or if I''m making a bigger deal out of this than it really is. I don''t care that i''m not getting as much diameter for the carat size but i''m wondering if the diamond will not look as good when put up against a F or G color SI 1 or 2 with a better cut. Another consideration is that the ring i''m getting has two sidestones and i''m hoping that the light leakage out the side of the center stone could possibly enhance the sidestones.

If anyone could make me feel better about this I would appreciate it. Thanks.

 

[dimonbob]

Is this a round diamond? If it is, I have good news and bad news.
If it is a GIA certified 1.01ct E VS2 for $3900. You got a good price.
If you got a GIA certified 1.01 D Flawless with a 50% depth for $8900 would it be a good deal? The price would be good but neither of these diamonds is going to perform like you would want them to. They are both very white and clean but where is the sparkle?

 

[mdx]

From the numbers you supply I get the idea that the stone could have a diameter as low as 6.00mm , approximately that of a well cut 0.78ct, If that is the case you are effectively buying a diamond that looks like a 0.78 but weights 1.01 carat.

I would call that an expensive, heavy 0.78ct with poor visual performance.

Wayne
Melbourne Diamond Exchange

 

[Richard Sherwood]

Hi Ritch. Rich here.

If the grading is correct, the diamond you purchased is an excellent color and clarity. The cut ranks on the AGA Cut Class Scale as a "4A", or AGS Cut Class Scale as a "7". This is considered a "below average", or "fair" make.

This stone is what we call a "steep and deep" stone, with crown and pavilion angles that are steeper and deeper than the "ideal". This creates an area of light leakage under the table area that appears moderately darker than the surrounding area. Also, as Wayne mentioned, the depth creates a smaller diameter, which is about 31% smaller than that of an "ideal" make, or comparable to about a 3/4 carat.

On the good side, you bought the stone for an excellent price. And sometimes these stones with steep crown angles have a lot of "fire" (dispersive rainbow colored flashes) coming off the crown. They're similar to old cut stones in that respect.

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i'm wondering if the diamond will not look as good
when put up against a F or G color SI 1 or 2 with a
better cut.
-----------

Better cut stones on the sides will outperform the center stone. How much is the question. Perhaps you might consider putting blue sapphires or some other colored stone on the sides, rather than white diamonds. Colored stones on the sides tend to make center diamonds really "pop". You could also put fancy colored diamonds on the side. Fancy yellows next to a nice white stone would put on quite a show, and be very unique.

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i'm hoping that the light leakage out the side of
the center stone could possibly enhance the
sidestones.
-----------

No, it won't. The brilliance of a diamond comes from the light entering it from the crown, not the sides.

-----------
If anyone could make me feel better about this I
would appreciate it.
-----------

I would direct you to your own comment, "When compared to the other diamonds I was looking at this one looked really good..."

If it looked good to you, then it will look good to most people, including your fiancee. Give it to her with pride, and tell her that she gets to enjoy it on her finger for the next seven years, after which you're going to replace it with a bigger one, and make a killer pendant out of the original.