Engagement Diamonds

[MBarlow]

Well, I've started looking at diamonds for my pending engagement. I'm currently looking at two diamonds. Here are the specs:Diamond 1
1.01 carat
F color
SI1
6.36-6.43x4.01
Table: 60%
Depth: 62.7%
Pavilion: 45%
Crown: 11%
Polish: Very Good
Symmetry: Good
Girdle: Thin to thick
Culet: Pointed
Flourescence: Faint Blue
Price $4778Diamond 2
1.01 carat
G color
SI1 (Inclusions reflect, according to GIA)
6.4-6.43x3.87
Table: 64%
Depth: 60.33%
Pavilion: 43%
Crown: 12%
Polish: Good w/ slight surface lines
Symmetry: Good
Girdle: Med. to thick
Culet: None
Flourescence: Faint Blue
Price $4333Obviously, the price difference is neglible. I'd like people's thoughts on the better of the two, or if either is an especially good value. I don't necessarily have my heart set on either one, but if the price is right I'd be happy with them (and hopefully my girlfriend would be as well).Any thoughts are greatly appreciated. Thanks.

 

[pricescope]

Hi MBarlow,1.01 carat weight is a dangerous value since cutters often sacrifice the quality of cut to get just in 1+ carat range to get high price per carat.I guess they are round diamonds. Are they graded by EGL? If so, make sure to check them with independent expert.You probably already know that both are not ideal cut stones. The first one with shallow crown should be quite brilliant while the second one has better spread, i.e. looks larger.The price is a few hundreds higher than you can get in the web.It is difficult to say which one is better... I suggest you go with the one you like more.

 

[Garry H (Cut Nut)]

I dont like the make or cut on either of them.
Pay $10 and view them with a www.ideal-scope.com
garry

 

[MBarlow]

Thanks for the input. As I said, I'm not necessarily sold on either one. I've been
looking for better deals on the web (mainly at whiteflash) and I've run into a
problem. On non-H&A diamonds most sites don't give a pavilion or crown
angle. Why is this? Any way I can figure it out on my own? I wasn't thrilled with the Holloway score of either of the two originals I listed. If I can
find a better diamond with comparable specs in the same price range on the web I'll
gladly buy it. Oh, and in regards to the 1.01 carat size issue, you're right Leonid, I am treading on
risky ground. Logically I could argue that I should buy just under 1 carat and save
some dough. Alas, love and logic rarely go hand in hand. It's gotta be at least 1
carat. Cest' la vie.

 

[pricescope]

MBarlow, i know what you mean by love and logic

Myself I go with what I like instead of what's more reasonable

You're right, most vendors do not show crown and pavilion angles. GIA report doesn't give this info neither.Usually you can find crown and pavilion angles on AGS or EGL reports. Some smaller grading labs like AGA also give this information.However, one can request Sarin or Megascope measurements from a vendor or cutter or from independent appraiser like David Atlas (aka Oldminer on this forum).

 

[barry]

MBarlow;We provide detailed Sarin or MegaScope
reports with each SuperbCert.You can easily view these on our web-site.Barry www.superbcert.com ------------------
barry

 

[jamesd]

I'd personally be inclined to look over the GHI SI1/SI2 area and go with H&A or EightStar at whatever size fits the budget.J and K are visibly colored right next to other whiter diamonds but you're not going to be able to see it unless you're comparing directly. Even less of that for GHI colors. What I tend to see is that the lower colors make it easier for me to appreciate the cut when looking very closely, making a sort of advantage for the lower color grades. Not normal reasoning, but that's life and diamond preferences for you.If you're in no great hurry, wait a bit and let time and saving cut out all the compromises you don't like. Then you'll be happier overall as time passes and you live with the diamond. Alternatively, decide on perfection and find a vendor who'll finance it for you. Sounds as though you'd have a pretty major deposit on the way to perfection so it should be doable at reasonable cost and again will eliminate any compromises you're uncomfortable with.

 

[MBarlow]

Thanks for the comments (though I'm still not sure what I'll do). Next question: anyone know of a good appraiser in the Dallas area?Thanks again.

 

[barry]

There are qualitative differences
in the SI1-2 category.Not all SI's are the same.As they say in real estate,it's
Location, Location, Location.Other factors to consider: color
and density of the imperfections
which may or may not indicate stress
and future potential for breakage
and significant financial loss.Furthermore, Cut is really critical
in evaluating an SI. The fact is that the
better and more "Ideal" the cut,
the more certainty that the imperfections will be "masked" and not "eye-visible".
Imperfections residing on or along
the girdle should definitely trigger
an S.O.S. on your radar screen.In the final analysis, you would be wise
to have an independent appraiser or
very qualified gemologist review
any SI diamond before you purchase.Good Luck!Barry www.superbcert.com ------------------
barry

 

[pricescope]

Hi JamesD and Barry, good points. Thanks!

 

[MBarlow]

Me again. Leonid was kind enough to upload photos of the diamond that I'm considering. Any thoughts on it? As an admitted amateur, the inclusions seem to be centrally located (bad) but very small (good). Am I right? Wrong? A tad neurotic about this? Many thanks.

 

[pricescope]

If inclusions under the table are not visible without a 10x loupe it should be ok.Otherwise, the cut is very nice. Perfect shapes of the Hearts and Arrows.I'm especially impressed by photo made with Ideal-Scope (the red one). It shows virtually no light leakage except tiny Vs at the edge of the diamond, which is ok.

 

[lawmax]

I'm no expert, but you may want to have someone check out that feather (?) at the girdle.

 

[Garry H (Cut Nut)]

The well disseminated inclusions look like they would be harder than one big mark off to the side, which in terms of location, is often easier to see becasue of the 'thing' about not having stuff in the center.
.

 

[MBarlow]

Table 55%
Depth 60.9%
Pavilion 42.9%
Crown Angle 34.8
Polish - Ideal
Girdle - Thin-Med. Faceted
Culet - Pointed
Flourescence - InertThanks for all your comments. You guys rock (ha ha)!

 

[pricescope]

Garry, HCA=1.7 - Excellent - within TIC rangeShouldn't be any leakage under the table, right?

 

[pricescope]

Hey MBarlow

Unfortunately, even GIA-certed SI1 diamonds can have visible inclusions especially if they are large like 1 carat.You might not see it in face up position but from the side or pavilion up. Thus with SI2 you have higher chance to get visible inclusions. You should check every stone separately if you don't want to have visible flaws.But again it's a matter of taste. Maybe an inclusion visible only from pavilion won't bother you in the set diamond.Same thing with E/F vs G/H. G/H is still very white color and you might not see any difference in everyday life especially in mounted diamond.Well cut diamonds can look whiter face up because of the high brilliance. So with ideal cut stone you might even go to I/J and it will still look better than poor cut D color...On the other hand, why do you like H&A diamond? Have you seen them? Maybe they won't impress you or your fiancé at all?Too many factors...

The only way is to see many different diamonds loose and mounted and decide based on your taste.Personally, I would prefer to have balanced properties like G/H-SI1.

 

[MBarlow]

Hey Folks, it's me again. I'm still sifting through my diamond options. I'm considering spending more money to get a H & A diamond (the longer I wait the more I can afford). Without getting into the specifics, one of the diamonds I'm considering is an SI2. For some reason I'm having a hard time with the idea of purchasing an SI2, but I'd be getting a much better cut and color than I could afford otherwise. Are SI2's generally that far away from SI1's? I know my girlfriend, or anyone else for that matter, couldn't tell the difference without a loop. I guess I'd just like everyone's thoughts on the difference. I could either afford a 1 carat, E/F, H&A SI2 or a 1 carat G/H, non H&A VS2/SI1. Comments?

 

[MBarlow]

Hey everybody,Well, I ordered the diamond (that pretty one in the photos above). I should get it sometime today. Does anybody know of a good appraiser in the Dallas area.Thanks.

 

[MBarlow]

Hey all,I had to share a story with you guys. I got the diamond last week that I had ordered from WhiteFlash. I just took it in to a local store to have it mounted. . .it took me a while to find the setting I liked. Anyway, the dealer took the stone to look at for "anything I needed to be aware of before they mounted it." I was waiting for him to try and sell me something else.After looking at it for a few minutes he put it down and said it was a really nice stone. He then asked me what the specifications were. He wouldn't believe me when I told him it was an SI2. He had to look at the certificate. He said it was by far the nicest SI he had seen. Needless to say, he was impressed, and he didn't even bother trying to sell me something else.I'll have the ring next week, and after that I pop the BIG question!Thanks for all your help everyone, especially Lesley/WhiteFlash.M

 

[pricescope]

Hi MBarlow, thanks so much for sharing your story! So nice to hear the happy endings!Did you find an appraiser yet?Congrads with your rock and good luck with the big question!