Emerald Diamond Comparison

[lunatic101]

Hello,

I am planning on buying an engagement ring and I am struggling on which out of the following two to purchase.
Is the price difference between Diamond 1 and Diamond 2 worth it?
It will be only seen my the untrained eye and I am planning on getting a halo setting.

Thanks

Diamond 1:
1.30 Emerald Cut
Price: $8,385.40

Cut: Very Good
Color: G
Clarity: VVS2
Polish: EXcellent
Symmentry: Excellent
Flour: N
Polish Excellent
Symmetry Excellent
Fluorescence None
Table % 61%
Depth % 65.9%
Culet None
Girdle TK to Very Thick
LxW Ratio 1.38
Measurements 7.33mm x 5.30mm x 3.49mm

Diamond 2:
1.31 Emerald Cut
Price: $967.69

Cut: Very Good
Color: F
Clarity: IF
Polish: EXcellent
Symmentry: Very Good
Flour: N
Table % 64%
Depth % 68.4%
Culet None
Girdle Very Thick to Very Thick
LxW Ratio 1.37
Measurements 7.31mm x 5.32mm x 1.37mm

 

[smilligan]

I don't know anything about emerald cuts, but I will say that you probably won't get any responses until you post pictures and/or report at the very least. Where are you buying the diamond from? Have you only looked at one place? Do you have a link to the setting? Going solely on the color/clarity grades, I don't think that the price difference is justified. The difference between VVS2 and IF will be almost impossible to see, even under magnification. And the difference between F and G is also negligible (May be different in step cuts). Is the second price supposed to be $9670.69?

 

[lunatic101]

I don't know anything about emerald cuts, but I will say that you probably won't get any responses until you post pictures and/or report at the very least. Where are you buying the diamond from? Have you only looked at one place? Do you have a link to the setting? Going solely on the color/clarity grades, I don't think that the price difference is justified. The difference between VVS2 and IF will be almost impossible to see, even under magnification. And the difference between F and G is also negligible (May be different in step cuts). Is the second price supposed to be $9670.69?

Thank you for the reply smilligan

This is first time I will be buying a diamond and I was planning on buying it online due to the price differences compared to local jewelers. I chose Ritani.com because they send the engagement ring to a local jeweler where I can see it in person before buying

I have been to local retailers and tried on rings and have concluded that an emerald cut 1.25-1.5 is the most optimal. After that I have been to few online retailers and picked Ritani because I can see it in person before buying.

http://www.gia.edu/cs/Satellite?reportno=2146571387&childpagename=GIA%2FPage%2FReportCheck&pagename=GIA%2FDispatcher&c=Page&cid=1355954554547

http://www.gia.edu/cs/Satellite?reportno=2156461855&childpagename=GIA%2FPage%2FReportCheck&pagename=GIA%2FDispatcher&c=Page&cid=1355954554547

GIA reports but Ritani does not provide the Crown and pavilion angles =S so I have requested to speak to a gemologist to get this information.

The setting im planning on purchasing is
http://www.ritani.com/engagement-rings/french-set-halo-diamond-band-engagement-ring-in-platinum/6464

French-Set Halo Diamond Band Engagement Ring
in Platinum (0.45 CTW)

 

[smilligan]

I also purchased a Ritani setting, but it is a custom design based on one of their three stone rings (I'm waiting for it to come in). I looked through several of the diamonds in their inventory and also went through the virtual gemologist appointment. A few notes - they were extremely pleasant and easy to deal with, and their diamond prices are competitive, but they cannot provide IdealScope/ASET images. I believe that they may be able to give you FireTrace (?) results if you ask, which would be helpful. It is nice that you can see the ring in person before buying. Unfortunately, a hold will be placed for the full amount of the ring as collateral. If you decide that you don't like it, they will release the hold for that amount. Ultimately, I decided to work directly with Ritani to customize the ring and then have a PS recommended jeweler (Pearlman's) order it for me. If you want to see the diamond in person, most of the vendors on PS have very good return policies. In other words, you can purchase multiple stones, have them shipped for inspection, and then send back the ones that you don't like. I'm pretty sure that a non-stock setting (anything ordered/not in inventory) would be non-refundable unless you purchased it directly from Ritani. Because of that, it's good to visit a local jeweler to see the setting you like in person. Just call ahead to make sure that they have one in stock. Also, GIA doesn't provide cut grades for fancy cuts, so I don't believe the crown/pavilion angles will be provided.

P.S. The lifetime warranty will remain regardless of where you purchase the ring. The only difference is that the return/upgrade policies will be those of the vendor, not Ritani.

 

[chrono]

I can understand the preference for a cooler coloured diamond but would request that you reconsider relaxing the clarity down to VS1/2 since those will be almost always eye clean. Unfortunately, without a picture or video (preferred), there is little anyone can guess as to whether these will be well cut or light leaking diamonds. It is impossible to know by the numbers or GIA lab report alone. Will Ritani provide pictures of the diamond?

 

[lunatic101]

I received an e-mail from Ritani and they are currently photographing the diamonds, and then will e-mail me the pictures.

Regarding the cut, they mention that it is done in house that is accepted widely and that FireTrace and other tests are usually inaccurate for emerald cuts. So I guess I'll wait and see once I get the photographs of the two diamonds.

Thank you for all your replies and feedback

 

[kenny]

I received an e-mail from Ritani and they are currently photographing the diamonds, and then will e-mail me the pictures.

Regarding the cut, they mention that it is done in house that is accepted widely and that FireTrace and other tests are usually inaccurate for emerald cuts. So I guess I'll wait and see once I get the photographs of the two diamonds.

Thank you for all your replies and feedback

Tell them you want ASET pics.
Idealscope pics are adequate for rounds but not for other shapes.

 

[smilligan]

I received an e-mail from Ritani and they are currently photographing the diamonds, and then will e-mail me the pictures.

Regarding the cut, they mention that it is done in house that is accepted widely and that FireTrace and other tests are usually inaccurate for emerald cuts. So I guess I'll wait and see once I get the photographs of the two diamonds.

Thank you for all your replies and feedback

Tell them you want ASET pics.
Idealscope pics are adequate for rounds but not for other shapes.

I don't believe Ritani is able to provide ASET images. Or, at least, that's what I was told. That's why I recommended other options. I have no idea whether or not FireTrace is good/bad for emeralds, but I know that IS is usually best for rounds (but it can be used in other cuts?). Are there any other ways to check light performance in emerald cuts? You can enter the specs into the AGA cut tool and see what it gives you, though I have to admit that I'm not 100% sure of the significance of this.

 

[kenny]

I received an e-mail from Ritani and they are currently photographing the diamonds, and then will e-mail me the pictures.

Regarding the cut, they mention that it is done in house that is accepted widely and that FireTrace and other tests are usually inaccurate for emerald cuts. So I guess I'll wait and see once I get the photographs of the two diamonds.

Thank you for all your replies and feedback

Tell them you want ASET pics.
Idealscope pics are adequate for rounds but not for other shapes.

I don't believe Ritani is able to provide ASET images. Or, at least, that's what I was told. That's why I recommended other options. I have no idea whether or not FireTrace is good/bad for emeralds, but I know that IS is usually best for rounds (but it can be used in other cuts?). Are there any other ways to check light performance in emerald cuts? You can enter the specs into the AGA cut tool and see what it gives you, though I have to admit that I'm not 100% sure of the significance of this.

Then I'd deal with a vendor who does provide ASET pics.
Whiteflash, Goodoldgold and Jamesallen does.
For step cuts I give the edge to Goodoldgold.

 

[chrono]

There are limitations and drawbacks with using ASET, IS, FireTrace, etc but ASET is still the best choice, especially when used together with a video / gemmologist giving their professional opinion.