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E-ring Help - Have pictures and reports for days

A

antonc12

Rough_Rock
Joined
Oct 16, 2013
Messages
11
First off, I want to thank everyone on these boards. A lot of my research has started with the great advice that has been provided in this forum. Hoping everyone can keep it going with my turn.

After plugging away online and locally, I have found two local shops that have provided me with some great options.

My setting is between a Pave setting (from Shop A) and a Channel setting (From Shop B). I have considered getting the setting from one and diamond from another if it comes down to it.

Diamond Details

Shop A offers
Shape: Round Brilliant GIA Cert
Carat: 1.21ct
Color: E
Cut: Excellent
Clarity: SI1
Polish: Excellent
Symmetry: Excellent
Measurements: 6.77 x 6.81 x 4.24mm
Table: 57%
Depth: 62.5%
Fluor: Strong Blue (yikes)
Medium to slightly thick - Faceted

In-person and on the Pave setting, looked like this:


Thoughts: Looked great in-person. The inclusions and blemishes were not really as notable to the eye (saw them under an eye-loop) but since the majority are toward the edge, it was better than I thought. Biggest concern is really the fluorescence. Saw it against a white surface and didn't have much effect in the store. I'm wondering if I see it again, what else can I do to make sure I'm seeing what I need to see.

Shop B Offers
#1
Shape: Round Brilliant GIA Cert
Carat: 1.22ct
Color: G
Cut: Excellent
Clarity: SI1
Polish: Excellent
Symmetry: Excellent
Measurements: 6.85 x 6.88 x 4.24mm
Table: 57%
Depth: 61.8%
Fluor: None
Medium to slightly thick - Faceted


#2
Shape: Round Brilliant GIA Cert
Carat: 1.22ct
Color: G
Cut: Very Good
Clarity: VS2
Polish: Good
Symmetry: Very Good
Measurements: 6.89 x 6.94 x 4.21mm
Table: 57%
Depth: 60.9%
Fluor: None
Thin to slightly thick - Faceted
*reached my image limit but have the diagram of inclusions for this one as well (very few in the center, medium cloud towards the edge)*

In-person and on the Channel Setting:


Thoughts: #1's inclusions were visible to the eye and under the loop since it was dead center. Not large but wondering if it's worth saving the money from the jump in clarity to #2. #2, even though cut, polish and sym were not excellent, I was impressed by the table/depth numbers and other grades it received and as you can see from the image, it is quite beautiful.


AND FINALLY
If you have made it this far down, thank you. While I take a breath, my questions are:
1) Is it worth going to see the E again in-person and ask to look at it under different lights?
2) Should the fact that I can see the inclusion in the #1 from Shop B deter me from purchasing it considering the Triple Ex grades it received (and no fluor) or should I just save the extra money to bump to #2's clarity to ease my mind (even though the grades don't match up as well)?

THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU IN ADVANCE for any suggestions to help me base my decision on.

e_option.png

e_color2.jpg

g_option_2.png

g_color1.jpg
 
To answer the questions:
1) Yes, it's always in your best interest to look at a stone from as many types of lighting as you can. I've even heard of some jewelers that agree to bring the stone outside to show you (of course, that depends on the jeweler and I imagine quite rare).

2) For an e-ring, my opinion is that the stone must be eye clean. Period. She'll be looking at the stone for a lifetime more than you will (literally), and I would hate for her eye to be drawn to the inclusion each time. It's very hard to 'un-see' something once you've seen it. Imagine if your car had a scratch somewhere. As soon as you saw that scratch, your eye will be drawn to it every time you look at the car. You don't necessarily need to get a VS2 stone, you can find a SI1 stone that's eye clean. It just so happened that the one you saw wasn't.

Can you post the pavilion and crown angles? Table and depth numbers aren't enough. The second one only got a very good cut rating, which means I think you can do better. There's a reason why it didn't score an excellent cut grade, and it can dramatically affect light performance.

What are the prices for both stones? Are you open to using another vendor if they have a better stone?
 
From the E Diamond (Shop A): $8800


From Shop B:
GSI1 $8900


GVS2 $9600

And inclusion diagram


I'm not necessarily opposed to finding a new vendor. I just know that adding more options to the equation may just make my head spin even more.

e_diamond.png

g_diamond_1.png

g_diamond_2.png

g_option_1.png
 
Are you familiar with the HCA? If not - get familiar. https://www.pricescope.com/tools/hca

A GIA XXX isn't good enough to determine if it is truly well cut and at optimal light performance. The HCA can help you whittle it down a bit (you want a value under 2). Then get an idealscope image on it.

The first 2 stones score 2.7 and 2.6 - worth buying if the price is right. The third stones scores a respectable 1.1. That one is worth looking into further. Despite the G/VG polish and symmetry.

That all said, are you open to buying online? There are spectacular stones out there (we can help you find some), and those settings are fairly generic and easy to find replicas of.
 
Thanks for the suggestion.

Honestly when I've looked at the usual suspects online (BN, JA, WF), none of the ones I have found within my budget match what I've been able to find here.
 
A cursory look at JA, and I can find stones that beat those prices (is tax included yet?), and JA is sort of a middle of the pack vendor, not the cheapest and not the most expensive. But nothing wrong with supporting your local jewelers.

You're looking for a hazy look in fluorescent stones, that you should reject. Fluorescence without haziness is not a detractor, though it does lower the price.
 
Thanks for the reply Julie.

Maybe it's just because of the view that JA is giving me, I'm a little turned off by some of the inclusions I have seen in the stones that look similar. Would you be able to provide a link to one that you have found that you think compares well?
 
Are there any additional comments in the GIA reports for the 2 diamonds?
 
Thanks for the links lovebug.

No additional comments delight, except for "additional clouds are not shown" and "pinpoints not shown"
 
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