EGL USA stone, NEED HELP

[polacytu]

Hi!

I''m getting a ring for my girlfriend and need a little help. We have looked around and went to a local jeweler. This jeweler was a friend of a friend. Looked at some rings and setting and my girlfriend fell in love with a setting, very similar to this one

http://www.uniondiamond.com/jewelry/jewelry.php?item_id=915&action_type_id=2&pic_name=&shape_id=

I got some preliminary prices but did not want to discuss money in front of my girlfriend. I currently am thinking of spending up to $5000 for a ring. After looking around on the web and visiting this chat session, I called the jeweler back and told him that I was looking for a 1 CT, SI1, H, IDEAL CUT ROUND. He was able to locate a ring very similar to what I wanted, here it is

EGL USA
Weight 1.01 ct.
Shape ROUND BRILLIANT
Color H
Clarity SI1
Measurements 6.4 - 6.37 x 4.03 mm
Depth 63.1
Table 58.0
Crown 15.2
Pavilion 44.0
Girdle THIN TO MEDIUM FACETED
Polish VERY GOOD
Symmetry VERY GOOD
Fluorescence NONE
Culet NONE
Cut Grade IDEAL
Lot VJ/5/3/6

After showing him some of the prices online he said that he could sell me this ring for $4,736.25 which includes tax + $200 for the band.


Guys! Girls!

I NEED HELP.

Please let me know what you think of this diamond

 

[strmrdr]

The hca hates it.
5.3 id keep looking.

 

[RockDoc]

This is not an Ideal cut diamond as per AGS''s parameters.

This stone appears a bit deep in the area beneath the girdle ( paviion ) and does not meet the table size requirement of 53-57%.

It could be an AGS 0 cut grade, in that their standards are being changed, but that isn''t "Ideal" per the long time accepted standards.

My suggestion is to ask the jeweler your dealing with to submit the diamond to AGS and if the clarity and color is the same, and the cut grade is 0 then you have a lot more pertinent information upon which to make your decision.

Rockdoc

 

[strmrdr]

I also ran it thru diamcalc which gave it a fair-poor rating for light return.
Pass.

 

[polacytu]

And I thought I found a good one especially since it is rated by the EGL USA. I read somewhere that that one is better. Do you guys have any suggestions on where I should be looking?

Should I buy online? I know her ring size. Do you guys think I should give it a shot and order the whole ring online.

I talked to him and he said that he would be willing to set it with the band for $320.


Do you think that I should just find a different jeweler?

 

[AndyRosse]

EGL USA is definitely more precise compared to EGL Europe. But just because it has an EGL USA report does not mean it is a good stone. There are plenty of GIA, EGL USA, and AGS reports out there for stones that are less than desirable (at least around here).

I would definitely check out some of the online vendors that have great reviews from other PS members. You can look up under RESOURCES and go to Diamond Vendors. Off the top of my head, and these are only my personal suggestions, I would check out www.whiteflash.com and www.goodoldgold.com. There are plenty of others that are highly recommended around here, and I would search around to see what other members have to say.

Good luck!!

 

[strmrdr]

Who grades the diamond has little to do with how the diamond is cut which determins how well it looks.
The exception is that cutters will not usualy send badly cut diamonds to ags but it isnt a hard and fast rule.


EGL usa does a decent job of color and clarity grading according to the pricescope study but because its graded there doesnt tell you anything about the cut quality because well cut and bad cut diamonds are graded by pretty much all the labs.

To be honest that setting is common and should be available from any of the online vendors so id go online and up in cut quality.

 

[polacytu]

I appreciate your feedback. Do you think that I am getting enough if I get a H and SI1... Do you think that I would up that and maybe go with a lower cut?

 

[polacytu]

Certificate: GIA
Shape: Round
Cut: Ideal
Carat: 0.82
Color: G
Clarity: VS2

Diamond Proportions:
Measurements: 6.04-6.02-3.71
Depth Percentage: 61.5 %
Table Percentage: 56 %
Culet: None (Pointed)
Polish: Excellent
Symmetry: Excellent
Fluorescence: None (Inert)

Do you guys think that this one at $3700 is a better buy?

 

[strmrdr]

Date: 7/16/2005 6:45:37 PM
Author: polacytu
Certificate: GIA

Shape: Round

Cut: Ideal

Carat: 0.82

Color: G

Clarity: VS2



Diamond Proportions:

Measurements: 6.04-6.02-3.71

Depth Percentage: 61.5 %

Table Percentage: 56 %

Culet: None (Pointed)

Polish: Excellent

Symmetry: Excellent

Fluorescence: None (Inert)


Do you guys think that this one at $3700 is a better buy?

not enough info.

as too your other question H/si1 is one of my favorite combos as is I/si1 in super-ideals.

 

[strmrdr]

Something hot like this puppy should be in your budget with the setting included.

http://www.goodoldgold.com/0_90ct_i_vs1_h%26a1.htm

 

[strmrdr]

slightly bigger and just as hot and within your budget barely might be a hundred over with setting.

http://www.goodoldgold.com/0_95ct_i_vs1_h%26a.htm

 

[Lynn B]

If you don''t have an aversion to shopping online (which I got over REAL quick once I learned what great stones were available and at wonderfully competitive prices!) -- then start shopping PS vendors. Generally, you will get much more information than from the B&Ms.

Have you read the tutorials here on PS? Read back through older threads? There''s a lot to learn to buy a killer diamond... but you have come to the right place.

Oh, and one last thing... do not, I repeat DO NOT "go lower" on cut!!!! Cut is the most important "C"... it is what makes a diamond beautiful and what makes it "sparkle"! You can probably go far lower on color and clarity than you think. Well-cut diamonds face up beautifully white - I know this because I have a J that face up, and side-by-side, I cannot see any difference between it an a G. Regarding clarity - if a diamond is eye-clean, then it''s eye-clean... and many of the SI diamonds (even SI2s) sold by our vendors here are totally eye-clean. You can save a LOT of money by choosing a "lower" color grade or clarity... money that can be spent on a LARGER stone (no girl ever minds that!

) or the setting, or the honeymoon, or... or... or... well, you get my point!

Lynn

 

[strmrdr]

nice es from whiteflash in your range:
http://www.whiteflash.com/diamonds/diamond_Details.aspx?itemcode=GIA-14324509#

Ask about the PS discount if you inquire about it.

 

[polacytu]

I really appreciate all the great advice you guys have been providing me. I think that the diamonds you have suggested all look very good. I didn''t realize that one can go to I or J and even Si2 and still get a great diamond. The H&A setup looks pretty cool as well.

I almost feel that the more I know the more I realize I still need to do.

Thanks for the advice on the dealers. Is whiteflash the only one that provides a discount for PS?

What do you guys think of uniondiamond?. I ask because I have seen some good ratings for them alsewhere.

Thanks so much

I trully appreciate all the help

 

[Lynn B]

Date: 7/16/2005 9:52:45 PM
Author: polacytu
I really appreciate all the great advice you guys have been providing me. I think that the diamonds you have suggested all look very good. I didn''t realize that one can go to I or J and even Si2 and still get a great diamond. The H&A setup looks pretty cool as well.

I almost feel that the more I know the more I realize I still need to do.

Thanks for the advice on the dealers. Is whiteflash the only one that provides a discount for PS?

What do you guys think of uniondiamond?. I ask because I have seen some good ratings for them alsewhere.

Thanks so much

I trully appreciate all the help

Most B&Ms stress "color" and "clarity" - and really skip over "cut". The mediocre I''s and J''s you see in those stores are NOT reflective of what well-cut stones look like! Ditto with the SI clarity... in the B&Ms I have looked in, SI stones had black boulders in them! I am here to tell you that my SI2 is totally eye-clean, even at close-up SCRUTINY!

And to answer your other question... I don''t know about other vendors and a PS discount... but remember, it''s the bottom line price that counts. A diamond from a vendor that is less expensive to start with may cost you less than a comparable stone "after a discount"!

Lynn

 

[strmrdr]

Date: 7/16/2005 9:52:45 PM
Author: polacytu
I really appreciate all the great advice you guys have been providing me. I think that the diamonds you have suggested all look very good. I didn''t realize that one can go to I or J and even Si2 and still get a great diamond. The H&A setup looks pretty cool as well.


I almost feel that the more I know the more I realize I still need to do.


Thanks for the advice on the dealers. Is whiteflash the only one that provides a discount for PS?


What do you guys think of uniondiamond?. I ask because I have seen some good ratings for them alsewhere.


Thanks so much


I trully appreciate all the help

The head guy at uniondiamond ticked me off a long while back when a client of theirs had a problem and they handled it badly.
Maybe they have improved maybe not I cant say.

As far as discounts go some vendors publish higher prices then give various discounts, others publish higher prices and expect everyone to haggle on price and are willing to move on it, others publish the lowest price they feel they can offer it at and wont move much if at all from that point.
Its the bottom line price that counts not the discount.

As far as clarity eyeclean is eyeclean and that is as far down as si2 in some cases but more often down to si1.
Personaly I start seeing color in some J diamonds even ideal cuts in some lighting conditions face up.
J is a very wide range and there are low J''s and high J''s.
I color im comfortable with in super-ideal round diamonds and H in fancy cuts.
But everyones eyes vary as does the persons color tolerance.

 

[polacytu]

Do you guys use the cut quality search here on PS page to locate the best diamonds?


Should I use that exclusively?

 

[strmrdr]

Date: 7/17/2005 1:20:15 PM
Author: polacytu
Do you guys use the cut quality search here on PS page to locate the best diamonds?



Should I use that exclusively?

In general yes its what I use.
I also check
www.goodoldgold.com


www.diamondexpert.com

www.winkjones.com

Not all of goodoldgold''s diamonds show up on the search engine lately and the other 2 dont put their''s on it at all.

 

[Lynn B]

Date: 7/17/2005 1:20:15 PM
Author: polacytu
Do you guys use the cut quality search here on PS page to locate the best diamonds?


Should I use that exclusively?

It''s a very helpful tool... but for whatever reason, not all of "the best" diamond "candidates" show up there. It''s a great starting place, but you might miss something if you don''t check out each vendor''s specific website, too.

Lynn

 

[Regular Guy]

Date: 7/17/2005 1:20:15 PM
Author: polacytu
Do you guys use the cut quality search here on PS page to locate the best diamonds?


Should I use that exclusively?

Funny you should ask; see the link below my signature for my thinking on that.

Storm...have you "lightened up your avatar?

Regards,

 

[strmrdr]

Date: 7/17/2005 5:11:17 PM
Author: Regular Guy

Date: 7/17/2005 1:20:15 PM


Storm...have you 'lightened up your avatar?


Regards,

different picture from a totaly different part of the US.

 

[polacytu]

Spoke to Gary from diamondexpert. He suggested the following diamond in the infinity brand

Shape: Round Brilliant
Weight: 0.82 ct.
Color: H
Clarity: SI1 (Slightly Included) Depth: 60.9 %
Table: 57.0 %
Per Carat: $ 3,895.00
Total Cost: $ 3,193.90
Detailed information: Culet: Pointed
Polish: IDEAL
Symmetry: IDEAL
Fluorescence: Negligible Girdle: 1.3-1.8% Faceted
Crown: 34.2deg/14.9%
Pavilion: 40.7deg/42.8%
Dimensions: 6.04x6.06x3.69mm

The cert states that Additional Clouds are not shown. What do you guys think of this one?

 

[strmrdr]

Date: 7/18/2005 12:58:40 PM
Author: polacytu
Spoke to Gary from diamondexpert. He suggested the following diamond in the infinity brand


Shape: Round Brilliant

Weight: 0.82 ct.

Color: H

Clarity: SI1 (Slightly Included) Depth: 60.9 %

Table: 57.0 %

Per Carat: $ 3,895.00

Total Cost: $ 3,193.90

Detailed information: Culet: Pointed

Polish: IDEAL

Symmetry: IDEAL

Fluorescence: Negligible Girdle: 1.3-1.8% Faceted

Crown: 34.2deg/14.9%

Pavilion: 40.7deg/42.8%

Dimensions: 6.04x6.06x3.69mm


The cert states that Additional Clouds are not shown. What do you guys think of this one?

sounds sweet I like the infinity brand diamonds and Gary rocks.
Have him eyeball the diamond and make sure its eyeclean.