FINAL DECISION - Please Vote!!

[dagger83]

Hi everyone - I am about to make a final decision on the following stones. I''d like to hear what you would think. Please vote!!

Diamond #1
Round Brilliant
8.13 x 8.17 x 4.91
Carat: 2.01
Color: G
Clarity: SI2
Cut: Ex
Polish: Ex
Sym: Ex
Flour: None
Table: 60%
Depth: 60.2%
Crown: 33
Pavillion: 41.2
Girdle: Medium to Slightly thick
Culet: None
Notes: Eye Clean, HCA 2.6

Diamond #2
Round Brilliant
7.82 x 7.65 x 4.92
Carat: 1.91
Color: F
Clarity: SI1
Cut: VG
Polish: VG
Sym: VG
Flour: None
Table: 60%
Depth: 62.8%
Crown: 36
Pavillion: 41.2
Girdle: Slightly thick to Thick
Culet: None
Notes: Eye Clean, HCA 6.1

Diamond #3
Round Brilliant
8.09 x 8.13 x 5.05
Carat: 2.01
Color: F
Clarity: SI1
Cut: Ex
Polish: Ex
Sym: VG
Flour: None
Table: 56%
Depth: 62.3%
Crown: 34.5
Pavillion: 41.4
Girdle: Thin to Medium
Culet: None
Notes: Eye Clean, HCA 4.7

 

[Regular Guy]

#1

But...since you''re including data from HCA, why are you considering these?

 

[stone-cold11]

No contest, stone 1. Why are you considering the rest? And why didn''t you try a get a stone below HCA 2?

 

[dagger83]

Not really sure I understand the importance or significance of the HCA score. Any insight would be helpful. To my eyes, all the stones look beautiful. The things that stick out to me are the table size, crown / pavillion angle, and clarity. The color difference between F and G is not all that noticeable from the top down.

 

[Lorelei]

Have you seen these diamonds in person or are they with an online vendor? If online, I would pass on the second and ask for Idealscope images for the first and third. The HCA works basically that the aim is to score 2 or below then the diamonds that do are then considered worth further evaluation, this you do with Idealscope images and trusted vendor/ appraiser input. It isn't used for selecting diamonds and a lower score under 2 does not mean that diamond is better than one which scores higher. You could find better cut diamonds certainly but it depends on your priorities. Also if you can't examine these stones in person, make sure the SI clarities are eyeclean to your standards by checking carefully with the vendor so he or she can give you an accurate description.

Are these diamonds GIA graded?

 

[stone-cold11]

So these stones you have view them personally or are these online stocks?

Also what kind of budget do you have for the stone?

HCA determines the performance of a round brilliant cut through geometry. Basically anything below a score of 2, with symmetrical diamond, a medium girdle and a vg polish, should perform very well. Then we choose from these candidates by inspecting it visually or through the use of IS, ASET pics to select which one pleases the best.

 

[Regular Guy]

This page summarizes some things on the tutorial and may be helpful.

Color particularly represents shades and are associated with preferences. Clarity is similar, but less so.

From the point of view of this board, and typified by a formula like the HCA, you have go (or at least consider still) & no go...sort of.

Thus our responses...

 

[dagger83]

Yes I have seen them all in person - all are eye clean. I''ve been working with a family jeweler but have done a lot of research online and have found some stones under 2 on the HCA. I guess I never put much emphasis on that though. Color, Carat (around 2) and Eye Clean were my main concerns when working with the jeweler.

 

[Regular Guy]

It''s of course more than reasonable to attend to your own perceptions.

A concern is that store lighting will deceive, and make the not so good looking look pretty good.

I have not seen enough diamonds to draw on personal experience, but I find experts comments convincing...along with my own limited experience, validating the value in regarding the light performance of a well cut diamond.

 

[stone-cold11]

Did you just view them in the store? Store lighting will make less than ideal cuts appear better.

 

[dagger83]

All the feedback has been great so far, I really appreciate it!

I saw them in store and we took them outside and viewed them in natural daylight. Being a first time diamond buyer, it has taken me a while to be able to tell the difference in cut. They all look awesome. Although diamond #2 above - I thought it looked a little different because of the steep angles. Still beautiful.

All the diamonds are GIA certified. Budget for the stone, I guess I have been looking in the 20-25k range. Max pain on the entire ring I''d like to keep below 30k.

 

[stone-cold11]

Err.. is that diffuse daylight or directly under the sun?

 

[nsaids_nurse420]

http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/G-SI1-Ideal-Cut-Round-Diamond-981003.asp?b=16&a=12&c=77&cid=131

this one looks a lot better than the 3 previously posted. have to check to make sure it was eye clean though.

 

[Regular Guy]

Date: 10/1/2008 12:02:39 PM
Author: nsaids_nurse420
http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/G-SI1-Ideal-Cut-Round-Diamond-981003.asp?b=16&a=12&c=77&cid=131

this one looks a lot better than the 3 previously posted. have to check to make sure it was eye clean though.

That one, and this one (that's $27, 5 wire priced) are two you could consider buying, walking into your store with, and deciding on the winner between them.

I take it this is a special ocassion, right?

 

[dagger83]

Wow, that is an incredible stone.

Special occasion, yes, Engagement!

 

[dagger83]

I''m glad that most people agree on Diamond #1, that is what I''ve been thinking all along. For all the advocates of the HCA, do you think the amount of light leakage is discernable to the human eye when looking at a 2.6 score vs. something under 2? Is it only going to be noticeable under a firescope? My point is that I really only care about how it looks to the human eye.

Thanks

 

[Regular Guy]

See Garry's notes here, and elsewhere.

Unlike diamonds getting AGS0, HCA imputes performance based on data which is approximate, but pretty good.

At this point, you're judging, then, based on extrapolating from what you allow that you can't see in person, so this is a challenged concept at the outset.

(edited to add)...too bad you and Snarley can't talk directly to each other. Or, maybe you can...