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ER Diamond: PS Stalker, 1st Time Poster/Buyer...

Tezmac

Rough_Rock
Joined
Sep 29, 2015
Messages
6
Hi All,

I've been hesitant to post here as I'm sure vets get tired of these types of posts. I've been using the stock search tool for a couple weeks now and I think I've found two good candidates around my budget of ~$7.5k for setting in a simple platinum solitaire style ring. I don't have an image of either stone yet, but I've asked for that along with a ASET or Idealscope image as well. Have I over-specified one requirement, such as color, at the expense of something else that'll be much more noticeable in a stone of this size? Would you choose one of these over the other for any reason? Or have I not done my homework properly and I'm barking up the wrong tree? Thanks so much for you help, folks!!

#1 - 1.12kt/Ex/G/VS2/1.1-TIC http://www.gia.edu/cs/Satellite?rep...ename=GIA/Dispatcher&c=Page&cid=1355954554547

Size: 6.64 - 6.68 x 4.10 mm
Depth: 61.6%
Table: 57%
Crown Angle: 34.0°
Crown Height: 14.5%
Pavilion Angle: 40.8°
Pavilion Depth: 43.0%
Star Length: 50%
Lower Half : 75%
Girdle: Medium to Slightly Thick, Faceted, 4.0%
Culet: None
Polish: Excellent
Symmetry: Excellent
Fluorescence: None

#2 - 1.11kt/Ex/G/VS1/1.1-TIC http://www.gia.edu/cs/Satellite?pag...&c=Page&cid=1355954554547&reportno=6202058902

Size: 6.69 - 6.70 x 4.07 mm
Depth: 60.8%
Table: 58%
Crown Angle: 34.0°
Crown Height: 14.5%
Pavilion Angle: 40.8°
Pavilion Depth: 43.0%
Star Length: 50%
Lower Half : 80%
Girdle: Medium, Faceted, 3.5%
Culet : None
Polish: Excellent
Symmetry: Excellent
Fluorescence: None
 

D_

Shiny_Rock
Joined
Apr 14, 2015
Messages
245
Good numbers, Tezmac.
Please post the pictures once you got them and we'll be able to comment further.
 

UrsTx

Brilliant_Rock
Joined
May 27, 2013
Messages
697
I agree with D that the numbers look good. I'm leaning toward the 1.11 just because the spread is an smidge bigger and its a VS1. Are the prices close in range too?
 

Tezmac

Rough_Rock
Joined
Sep 29, 2015
Messages
6
Yeah, the prices were fairly close. I'm leaning toward the 1.11 as well for the same reasons. We'll see how long it takes to get pictures!
 

Diamond_Hawk

Brilliant_Rock
Trade
Joined
Apr 8, 2014
Messages
1,229
Hello Tezmac,

In order to give you further insight, I was trying to view the reports, but I could not get the links to function.

Do you have copies of the report or the GIA lab report number separate from the link?
 

Tezmac

Rough_Rock
Joined
Sep 29, 2015
Messages
6
2106145387 for the first one, 6202058902 for the second one.

That being said, it looks like they're both held by wholesalers and I'm probably not going to be able to get images for either. Back to the drawing board I suppose...
 

Tezmac

Rough_Rock
Joined
Sep 29, 2015
Messages
6
Looks like I'm not going to be able to get images for many of the diamonds that I've narrowed choices down to in the past couple weeks and I'm pretty unwilling to eat a bunch of money on shipping numerous stones back and forth.

Any thoughts on this guy @$7,420?

1.03kt/TH-Ex/G/VS2/1.8-TIChttp://www.jamesallen.com/loose-dia...-g-color-vs2-clarity-excellent-cut-sku-662951
Size: 6.52x6.49x4.02 mm
Depth: 61.8%
Table: 56%
Crown Angle: 34.5°
Crown Height: 15.5%
Pavilion Angle: 41.0°
Pavilion Depth: 43.0%
Star Length: 55%
Lower Half : 80%
Girdle: Medium, Faceted, 3.5%
Culet: None
Polish: Excellent
Symmetry: Excellent
Fluorescence: None

I've I started selecting more "ideal" cut stones around the 1.02-1.03kt range, assuming this gave the gemcutter more leeway in getting things just right. Doing this (of course) results in vendors actually having images of the stones. I've found a couple nice stones at Whiteflash, but I don't know if they warrant paying around $1k more for. Any alternate suggestions before I pull the trigger on this one? Thanks again, as always!!
 

Coralfish

Shiny_Rock
Joined
Mar 7, 2013
Messages
202
Hi Tezmac

Thanks for doing your research and narrowing down your parameters before posting.

If it was me, with your budget, I would buy an Infinity Diamond, from Wink if I was in the US. I really like the technology and ideals behind Infinity diamonds. Also they have an 80% buyback which is pretty darn high, and lifetime trade up (for another Infinity diamond of greater value).

Wink, or anyone else, should be able to order you a simple platinum solitaire from Stuller and set the diamond in it for around $300.

http://highperformancediamonds.com/shop/?orderby=price

As an example

H VS1 $7725 with wire discount

http://highperformancediamonds.com/shop/diamonds/hpd6811/?shop=yes

If you can go down to J, 1.28 J VS2 $7241 with wire

http://highperformancediamonds.com/shop/diamonds/hpd6984/?shop=yes

And there are others in between.


I am very impressed with the Blue Nile Signature Ideals. You can look at an image of the diamond on the GCAL report, and have a look at the 'hearts and arrows' on the pavillion, as well as the light performance. You can also get their plain platinum solitaire relatively inexpensively. Again there is a range of options, I have picked just a few.


1.21 I SI1 $7030 after wire discount
http://www.bluenile.com/diamond-search?stockno=LD06086678

1.27 I VVS1 $7596
http://www.bluenile.com/diamond-search?stockno=LD06314281

1.01 H VS1 $6642
http://www.bluenile.com/diamond-search?stockno=LD06314254

With blue nile settings, I would avoid the 'classic four or six prong' and go for the 'petite solitaire'. The latter is much nicer for reasons I can go into if you are interested.

Finally, 1.30 G SI1, $7200 with wire transfer, they should be able to make a video for you (they also have a very good tradeup policy on some diamonds, check whether this one's included). They also have a range of AGS Ideal rounds and can shoot comparison videos.

http://www.goodoldgold.com/ecommerce/1.30ct-g-si1-platinum-select-round-ideal-cut-diamond.html
 

Tezmac

Rough_Rock
Joined
Sep 29, 2015
Messages
6
Thanks for all of those details!!!!

Everything seems pretty great with the stone at the first link you provided from HPD! I'd like to stay in the G-H and vs1-vs2 range. That said, I found a similar diamond to the HPD over at Ritani.

https://www.ritani.com/diamonds/round-diamond-1-02-Carat-H-color-AGSL-certified/D-T3YYP8

The ASG numbers look to be the same between the two. The Ritani is 0.03kt lighter, but looks to have less "defects" beneath the table and is ~$500 cheaper. I'm not experienced enough to judge the AGES images, but the HPD stone seems to have a "better" picture. Any thoughts between those two?
 

Coralfish

Shiny_Rock
Joined
Mar 7, 2013
Messages
202
Hi Tezmac,

If it's between the two then hands down I would go for the HPD. For multiple reasons, not least 80% lifetime buyback is pretty significant, normally it's around 70% and even then that often expires after a couple of years. Then you have the 100% tradeup too.

But most of all it's because of the care and precision with which they are planned and cut. Wink said it somewhere on here some years ago about, if a diamond is cut better, and gives you more enjoyment every day, how does that add up over a lifetime of looking at it? Intangibly but definitely, and certainly worth $500... that said, I see no harm in asking whether he can match the price or swing a little, certainly nothing to lose in asking? Perhaps he can throw in the platinum Stuller setting... I wouldn't dare speak for him but no harm in asking.

Here is the general website for Infinity, Wink as linked to above is their US seller
http://www.infinitydiamonds.be/

But the reason I like their setup is because Paul posts here and so does Wink, and so does John Pollard who is part of the Infinity team, and I've never been anything less than 100% impressed with all three over many years of reading their posts.

[URL='https://www.pricescope.com/community/search/']https://www.pricescope.com/community/search/[/URL]

[URL='https://www.pricescope.com/community/search/']https://www.pricescope.com/community/search/[/URL]

Ritani are also a pleasant company to deal with but if it was me I would go with the HPD for the above reasons.
It's just my opinion, so please don't take my word for it - please do a search and have a look at some of the stones people have posted and their own reviews, testimonials and opinions.

Here's a recent thread. Look at those hearts and arrows!!

[URL='https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/my-cut-to-order-crafted-by-infinity-diamond-part-two.208250/']https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/my-cut-to-order-crafted-by-infinity-diamond-part-two.208250/[/URL]

If you are having any other thoughts or questions let us know.
 

Coralfish

Shiny_Rock
Joined
Mar 7, 2013
Messages
202
Oh, how did you feel about the Blue Nile Signature Ideal selection. In your budget and colour/clarity parameters there are around 20 diamonds between 1 carat and 1.13 carats.

You could do worse than this for the $6640 after wire discount, I think it's the one I linked to before. HCA 1.3, it's a very nice diamond. Have a look at the GCAL reports - click on the box next to the GIA report. When plugging numbers into the HCA use the GCAL numbers. You can be picky about the hearts and arrows images as there are quite a few stones to choose from.

http://www.bluenile.com/diamond-search?stockno=LD06314254

If it was me I would still definitely go with the HPD though!
 

Tezmac

Rough_Rock
Joined
Sep 29, 2015
Messages
6
I went through the Blue Nile collection and eliminated the ones with seemingly excessive "defects" under the table with an HCA<2, which yielded me this guy.

Blue Nile - $7,753 - 1.01kt/Sig-Ideal/G/VS1 http://www.bluenile.com/diamond-details/LD06314283

Lumping in the others I've found (just to consolidate the list).

Ritani - $7,640 - 1.02kt/Res-Ideal/H/VS1 https://www.ritani.com/diamonds/round-diamond-1-02-Carat-H-color-AGSL-certified/D-T3YYP8

HPD - $8,131 - 1.05kt/Ideal/H/VS1 http://highperformancediamonds.com/shop/clarity/HPD6811/

James Allen - $7,420 - 1.03kt/TH-Ex/G/VS2 http://www.jamesallen.com/loose-dia...-g-color-vs2-clarity-excellent-cut-sku-662951

It's to the point over the past couple weeks that I think I'm nitpicking down in the bug dust type of details, but maybe not. I'm trying to nitpick what makes any one of these better than another. Looking through the images, they all have some flaws, but I can't make heads nor tails which are worse than others. I'm tempted just to drop the JA from the list only because they don't have GCAL images.
 

Coralfish

Shiny_Rock
Joined
Mar 7, 2013
Messages
202
Tezmac|1444170628|3935551 said:
I went through the Blue Nile collection and eliminated the ones with seemingly excessive "defects" under the table with an HCA<2, which yielded me this guy.

Blue Nile - $7,753 - 1.01kt/Sig-Ideal/G/VS1 http://www.bluenile.com/diamond-details/LD06314283

Lumping in the others I've found (just to consolidate the list).

Ritani - $7,640 - 1.02kt/Res-Ideal/H/VS1 https://www.ritani.com/diamonds/round-diamond-1-02-Carat-H-color-AGSL-certified/D-T3YYP8

HPD - $8,131 - 1.05kt/Ideal/H/VS1 http://highperformancediamonds.com/shop/clarity/HPD6811/

James Allen - $7,420 - 1.03kt/TH-Ex/G/VS2 http://www.jamesallen.com/loose-dia...-g-color-vs2-clarity-excellent-cut-sku-662951

It's to the point over the past couple weeks that I think I'm nitpicking down in the bug dust type of details, but maybe not. I'm trying to nitpick what makes any one of these better than another. Looking through the images, they all have some flaws, but I can't make heads nor tails which are worse than others. I'm tempted just to drop the JA from the list only because they don't have GCAL images.

Hmmn. You're certainly not nitpicking down to the dust, it's a significant purchase so why shouldn't you get the best of the best.
We go into much finer detail here on PS - although a plethora of MRBs yield HCA scores under 2, taste then comes into it when choosing particular crown and pavillion angle combinations, and table percentages. Then there is lower girdle facet length, star facets,

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-9FtRj_IG9Y

http://www.prosumerdiamonds.com/lower-girdles/

... it goes on and on.

Okay, so my opinion would be. The James Allen, I find the G tends towards H in colour. I find the hearts and arrows image a little 'off symmetrical'. The crown and pavillion, table and depth combination is good. This is my second choice.

The Blue Nile you have picked - I have a personal preference for a steeper crown angle than 33.5 degrees, and the hearts and arrows are not as obnoxiously perfect as I would like but they are better than the JA. This is my third choice.

The Ritani - I have just noticed, it is a 60 60 diamond. These are also not to my personal taste. Broadly speaking your tradeoff for less fire is more white light return and larger spread. That is not a good enough payoff for me. You can search pricescope for 60 60 diamonds to get more information. This is my least favourite.

That takes us back to the HPD. Ask Wink if it is a true H (it appears to be). I also like the table %, crown and pavillion angle combination. The cutting simply cannot be improved upon and this is where I believe your investment will yield in enjoyment over the lifetime of the diamond vs the other candidates. Can you do the wire transfer - that will save you a chunk. If not, does it put the diamond out of budget. I know we are not talking inconsiderable amounts of money here. As I say you may be able to negotiate a small discount or get your setting included - always worth asking.

So if it was me, with my own money, I would get the HPD from your shortlist. I would also search PS for CBI, Infinity, HPD and have a good peruse through the threads to feel comfortable if that is the way you want to go. I think you will be very happy indeed with this diamond and with your experience with the seller.

But let me know your thoughts and if you have any more queries, and if you would like me to show you what I mean by Stuller settings.
 
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