--------Expert please help me choose btwn 2 round brilliants: Exclt Cut w/ 1.8 HCA and VG cut w/ .5

[pkwon]

Hello All,

With the help of this forum, I have purchased and have in-hand diamond #1 and this forum also motivated me to keep looking for a better stone. A dealer is asking me to come look at another diamond #2. Diamond #2 is interesting since its has a HCA score of .5, but I''m also cautiously optimistic since it has strong fluoresence.(which i know nothing about)

Please help me to know if I should compromise a cut grade for a higher HCA score. As these two diamonds are priced the same, is #2 a bad deal since its lower in cut grade and shouldn''t strong flouresence discount the price?
If I do look at the diamond and do an eye comparison, are there certain tests that I should do or questions that I should ask?

Thank you



Diamond #1 (sorry i dont'' have an idealscope)
HCA: 1.8

Carat: 1.05
Cut: Excellent
Color: I
Clarity: SI1

Table: 59
Depth: 60.9
Crown: 34
Pav: 41
measurements: 6.53-6.58 x 3.99mm

Diamond #2 - Strong Blue Fluorescence (i hope i uploaded the idealscope image correctly)
HCA: .5

Carat: 1.05
Cut: Very Good
Color: I
Clarity: SI1

Table: 55
Depth: 60.4
Crown: 34.5
Pav: 40.4
Measurements: 6.57-6.64 x 3.99mm

 

[pkwon]

Idealscope of diamond #2 w/ strong fluor.

I hope this works....

 

[jet2ks]

Date: 8/10/2009 9:11:18 AM
Author:pkwon
Hello All,

With the help of this forum, I have purchased and have in-hand diamond #1 and this forum also motivated me to keep looking for a better stone. A dealer is asking me to come look at another diamond #2. Diamond #2 is interesting since its has a HCA score of .5, but I'm also cautiously optimistic since it has strong fluoresence.(which i know nothing about)

Please help me to know if I should compromise a cut grade for a higher HCA score. As these two diamonds are priced the same, is #2 a bad deal since its lower in cut grade and shouldn't strong flouresence discount the price?
If I do look at the diamond and do an eye comparison, are there certain tests that I should do or questions that I should ask?

Thank you

A lower HCA score is not necessarily better. The HCA is designed to help weed out poor performing combinations, not make a final decision. Anything scoring under 2 is worthy of further review, so the .5 score is not "higher" than 1.8

Fluorescence is really a personal like/dislike. Some people like the effect of fluoro, some don't. The only thing to look for on Strong or Very Strong is to make sure the diamond does not have a hazy, oily appearance in normal viewing conditions.

If you have purchased the first diamond (which has great numbers, BTW), have evaluated it in a variety of lighting and like it, I see no reason to keep looking.

EDT: If you do decide to look at the second diamond and can do a side by side comparison, try several things. Evaluate in different lighting conditions, not just display lighting. See if you can look at the stones in daylight (near a window) and in a low light condition, such as holding them under a counter or table. Also, with the shallower pavillion on #2, check it for obstruction. This is where the diamond will darken noticeably when viewed at a close distance. In a normal lighting environment (again, not display lighting) you can check this by moving your head over the stone at a reasonably close viewing distance, about 8-10 inches and see what happens. Finally, make sure both diamonds are scrupulously clean before comparing. Any dirt or oil from your fingers will dramatically affect performance. It is not unknown for a salesperson to casually fingerprint a customer's diamond so that their own stone looks better.

 

[stone-cold11]

Nothing wrong with the lower cut grade of #2. GIA Ex and AGS Id grade are mostly on the higher HCA score typically 1-2. From the Idealscope image of #2, it looks fine.

 

[Lorelei]

Date: 8/10/2009 9:26:22 AM
Author: jet2ks

Date: 8/10/2009 9:11:18 AM
Author:pkwon
Hello All,

With the help of this forum, I have purchased and have in-hand diamond #1 and this forum also motivated me to keep looking for a better stone. A dealer is asking me to come look at another diamond #2. Diamond #2 is interesting since its has a HCA score of .5, but I''m also cautiously optimistic since it has strong fluoresence.(which i know nothing about)

Please help me to know if I should compromise a cut grade for a higher HCA score. As these two diamonds are priced the same, is #2 a bad deal since its lower in cut grade and shouldn''t strong flouresence discount the price?
If I do look at the diamond and do an eye comparison, are there certain tests that I should do or questions that I should ask?

Thank you

A lower HCA score is not necessarily better. The HCA is designed to help weed out poor performing combinations, not make a final decision. Anything scoring under 2 is worthy of further review, so the .5 score is not ''higher'' than 1.8

Fluorescence is really a personal like/dislike. Some people like the effect of fluoro, some don''t. The only thing to look for on Strong or Very Strong is to make sure the diamond does not have a hazy, oily appearance in normal viewing conditions.

If you have purchased the first diamond (which has great numbers, BTW), have evaluated it in a variety of lighting and like it, I see no reason to keep looking.

EDT: If you do decide to look at the second diamond and can do a side by side comparison, try several things. Evaluate in different lighting conditions, not just display lighting. See if you can look at the stones in daylight (near a window) and in a low light condition, such as holding them under a counter or table. Also, with the shallower pavillion on #2, check it for obstruction. This is where the diamond will darken noticeably when viewed at a close distance. In a normal lighting environment (again, not display lighting) you can check this by moving your head over the stone at a reasonably close viewing distance, about 8-10 inches and see what happens. Finally, make sure both diamonds are scrupulously clean before comparing. Any dirt or oil from your fingers will dramatically affect performance. It is not unknown for a salesperson to casually fingerprint a customer''s diamond so that their own stone looks better.

Ditto Jet.

 

[pkwon]

Thank you everyone. I went to the jewelry store to compare the diamonds and I am still having trouble making a decision.
I tested in different lighting conditions Moving them from side to side and near and far. and these are me findings using my eyes from 2-24 inches.

Diamond 1 seems to be a better cut since up close I can see arrows through the table. and when I move the diamond from side to side I can see the light reflect from lines from arrows.
There is also a feather that is on the corner of the table that I can see using a microscope. Should I worry about chipping?

Diamond 2. Looked brighter in close and far range. I couldn''t see arrows up close Or through the table like diamond 1 because the brightness and light reflection was more like a beam from the table of the diamond. Is this a good thing? I don''t think this one looked oily or milky either.
I can also see carbon from 2 inches away from the top and side.

Sorry if I''m not making sense but
From the numbers described above are my observations in line? And is it now just coming down to personal preference?
Please help me.

 

[jet2ks]

Date: 8/12/2009 8:02:24 AM
Author: pkwon
Thank you everyone. I went to the jewelry store to compare the diamonds and I am still having trouble making a decision.
I tested in different lighting conditions Moving them from side to side and near and far. and these are me findings using my eyes from 2-24 inches.

Diamond 1 seems to be a better cut since up close I can see arrows through the table. and when I move the diamond from side to side I can see the light reflect from lines from arrows.
There is also a feather that is on the corner of the table that I can see using a microscope. Should I worry about chipping?

Diamond 2. Looked brighter in close and far range. I couldn't see arrows up close Or through the table like diamond 1 because the brightness and light reflection was more like a beam from the table of the diamond. Is this a good thing? I don't think this one looked oily or milky either.
I can also see carbon from 2 inches away from the top and side.

Sorry if I'm not making sense but
From the numbers described above are my observations in line? And is it now just coming down to personal preference?
Please help me.

Very much so. By the numbers, the second diamond should tend a little more toward brilliance (white light) and the first is a little more balance of brlliance and fire. So it will come down to preference. Sounds like you did a great job of looking at both diamonds critically.

The feather in #1 shouldn't be an issue, the diamond has already gone through more stress in the cutting and polishing than anything you will ever do. Personally, not being eye-clean by seeing the carbon in #2 would make me choose the first.