Does H&A matter as much for a pendant?

[greentea240]

Is it worth getting a H&A diamond for a pendant or just stick with an excellent cut/good HCA score and larger carat size?

How about color/clarity?

Thank you!

 

[WinkHPD]

It depends.

Are you buying this for yourself and good enough is good enough, or are you buying it for someone special and you want the brightest, most sparkly diamond in the biggest size that you can get?

I know from years of experience, that my clients LOVE knowing that they are getting a diamond of incredible cut pedigree for their loved ones.

Over the years, I get further validation from those loved ones who come in or email to tell me how often they are stopped by people who want to comment on the incredible sparkle of their diamond.

So, still, it depends.

What is it you really want?

If spending a little more to get the very best is worth it to you, then by all means, get the diamond that is going to sparkle the most.

If you just want something that is nice, then you can do that too.

Just my thoughts,

Wink

 

[SirGuy]

Well said, Wink, and I agree.

Something else to consider is that diamonds, unlike many other consumer products, are not really consumable. By that, I mean with many other purchasing decisions, we're aware of an eventual deterioration, marginalization, or passing of the initial quality to something less down the line.

A $60 steak might taste better than a $10 steak, but after the meal is over it's gone.

A $60,000 car might get you from A to B in more haste and style than a $25,000 car, but eventually it'll be old and worn out.

The $150 silk necktie looks better than the $30 cotton one, but it won't look as new in even five years of sporadic wear.

This paradigm of (a) diminishing returns and (b) loss over time is true in almost every purchase we make.

A well cut diamond, however, will still be as well cut 20, 50, or 100 years from now.

Your children or grandchildren may wear it one day. If one considers the "upgrade" cost to be spread over years or decades, its worth might be considered differently.

Just my two cents!

 

[solgen]

Diamond market could also crash and it's future value is gone as well. The cut could go out of favor also diminishing the value. Any number of things could happen so I wouldn't buy with the notion that its an appreciating asset even if history seems to point that way.

And let's be honest, in most cases it's not just spending a little money for a better stone. Oftentimes you'll be constrained by a budget so you'll have to sacrifice something. Whether that be cut, carat size, clarity or color is up to you.

 

[pfunk]

Like Wink says, it matters what you think you want/need. If you are set on the mind cleanliness of knowing your diamond is cut to super strict tolerances that most diamonds aren't cut to, even if they are close, then h&a should be important to you. If you want to get a little more size, better color, better clarity, or maybe just save on damage to your pocketbook, then sacrificing h&a is certainly an option. I can tell you that you can get gorgeous, super sparkly diamonds that perform well in all lighting environments without having to have perfect h&a. My fiancee has been wearing her engagement ring (non h&a) for almost a month now and she has been getting compliments from strangers every day on how pretty her diamond is. She tells me stories about how she can hear people whispering to each other about how much it sparkles, which of course makes my day. It just keeps surprising us with different life in different environments. Here is a video I took on my phone the other day in a restaurant..

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k4SjE-kn4x8

The thing is, proponents of superideal h&a will always describe them as the pinnacle of cut and the very best you can get, while everything else is "good enough" or "nice". In my opinion, many of these diamonds that aren't perfect h&a that are being described as "good enough" or "nice" are VERY beautiful diamonds. That is not to take anything away from h&a diamonds, as they should be praised for how beautiful they are. But you will sacrifice somewhere else in order to get them, whether it be carat, clarity, color, or cost. While cut is the driver of diamond beauty, it is not above the other c's in a sense that it can't be compromised on.

 

[egemnoel]

Have a look at this video of a pendant and a Crafted By Infinity Diamond from Wink. I will let you make your own decisions.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dr6t5A-GyMk

 

[marcy]

I agree it depends on what you are looking for. Things I'll wear everyday or frequently; going for the absolute best cut and performance is worth it to me. For an occasional RHR or pendant / earrings then I'll buy something I like.

 

[WinkHPD]

Diamond market could also crash and it's future value is gone as well. The cut could go out of favor also diminishing the value. Any number of things could happen so I wouldn't buy with the notion that its an appreciating asset even if history seems to point that way.

And let's be honest, in most cases it's not just spending a little money for a better stone. Oftentimes you'll be constrained by a budget so you'll have to sacrifice something. Whether that be cut, carat size, clarity or color is up to you.

I like SirGuy's comments on the longevity of a diamond purchase.

Even if you are correct about the value crashing, and I have strong feelings that the probability of that approaching zero, the diamond would still be beautiful without commercial value. The emotional value of having a beautiful diamond will always be there. The sentimental value will often exceed the commercial value in an older diamond, especially should it be passed from generation to generation.

It has always been one of the more gratifying parts of my business to remount a family treasure for someone because the mounting that belonged to (Insert mother, grandmother, great grandmother, father, grandfather, etcetera here) has been worn out by people who loved wearing it.

Yes, diamonds can be expensive, but when given as a token of love and respect, the value in the hearts of the recipients transcends the price. Once passed down a generation or two the value is in tremendous excess of the commercial price that they might bring if sold.

That is indeed a worthy investment for the heart of the giver, as well as for the givee.

Wink

 

[greentea240]

Thank you all so much for your replies.

For a ring or something that people look at closely I would absolutely get a perfectly cut diamond, my question was more if it's as important for pendants (since they're viewed from further away). And whether an si1/si2 when not ok for a ring would be ok for a pendant or should they be held to the same standard regardless of where they're worn?

 

[WinkHPD]

Thank you all so much for your replies.

For a ring or something that people look at closely I would absolutely get a perfectly cut diamond, my question was more if it's as important for pendants (since they're viewed from further away). And whether an si1/si2 when not ok for a ring would be ok for a pendant or should they be held to the same standard regardless of where they're worn?

I am an advocate for cut, so that I will leave for others to discuss.

I am curious why you believe that an SI1 or SI2 would not be ok for a ring? I have sold many for just that purpose, and even some high I1's when people wanted larger size and lower price. Since I regard cutting as THE SINGLE most important of the C's I have no issue at all with lower clarities, whether for ring or pendant.

Wink

 

[ecf8503]

I think you can absolutely go into SI clarity for pendants, and rings if eye clean, and you certainly don't need perfect hearts and arrows, but you do want good light return. IMO, if I can't see it, as with a pendant, it isn't worth perfection - excellent yes, perfect no. If it were for a ring where I'd be looking at it up close a lot then yes I would go for the best. jmho.

 

[chatbandit]

i'm currently planning a pendant as well and am curious about the same issue of diamond quality for ring vs necklace. it just seems like priorities are different given the distance it's viewed from in some ways?

 

[diamondseeker2006]

I would absolutely go for top cut no matter the piece of jewelry, and by top I mean H&A, ideal cut, or GIA XXX that has ideal light return as evidenced by images. pfunk, your diamond is beautiful, and if I recall correctly, it had outstanding images to IS a top cut quality stone. Those are a little harder to find in virtual type inventories as most of the best cut stones are marketed as H&A or AGS ideal cut.

 

[Dancing Fire]

Yes, to some... 3 BGD H&A stones.