First diamond purchase.

[Ans2k]

Hey everyone. I am planning to get engage soon. A friend of mine has introduced me to this wonder forum. I have looked around the forum to see what I could learn before I engage into my first diamond purchase. I have see quite a few diamonds already. I did see one diamond that I liked online. It is a 1.5 carat, SI1, G, excellent cut. It is also GIA certified. It also scored a 2.7 on the HCA calculator. It has very good fire, light return, spread and scintillation. I was able to look at the diamond in person earlier today. Nothing was too obvious looking from about 2 feet away or at a "normal" viewing distance. But, since I am in the dental field, I am trained to look very closely for anything out of the ordinary. There was a very tiny black mark that didn't reflect light in the same pattern that I would expect. Naturally, I looked under the loupe there was a crystal inclusion. By the way, all these diamond jargon are new to me. But, assumingly it wouldn't be something I wouldn't expect my future fiancé to notice or her friends. The price for this diamond is 10.5k USD. I am wondering if I should still keep looking? I am not attached to this diamond nor do I absolutely love it. Attached is the GIA report. What do you all think?

 

[Ans2k]

Here is a color report. http://www.gia.edu/otmm_wcs_int/proxy-pdf/?ReportNumber=5136993503&url=https://myapps.gia.edu/ReportCheckPOC/pocservlet?ReportNumber=5136993503

 

[SMC]

Hi! The best way to have this forum judge is to get an Idealscope. Can the vendor provide you with one?

More importantly, if that crystal is going to bother you every time you look at the ring, I would look for other options. What's your budget and what are you hoping to get with it? There are people on this forum who are really great with suggesting stones.

 

[Ans2k]

Thanks for the quick response. I'm not sure what ideal scope is but I will ask. My budget is 12k plus or minus 1k. I am looking to get a 1.5 carat with my budget. But I wouldn't mind spending more if there is a noticeable difference. I guess another way of putting it would be I don't want to spend more than I have to if the two diamonds are visually identical to the untrained eye. Also, I have been trained to look for the littlest imperfections and I see imperfections everywhere. It's my job to make someone's teeth look perfect. So everything is somewhat imperfect if I stare everything long enough . What matters most is that my fiancé will be happy with it and not notice the imperfections. Again, thank you for the help. Any help will be appreciated.

Edit: just searched what idealscopee is. I am not sure it is something they offer but I will ask them about it.

 

[SMC]

Thanks for the quick response. I'm not sure what ideal scope is but I will ask. My budget is 12k plus or minus 1k. I am looking to get a 1.5 carat with my budget. But I wouldn't mind spending more if there is a noticeable difference. I guess another way of putting it would be I don't want to spend more than I have to if the two diamonds are visually identical to the untrained eye. Also, I have been trained to look for the littlest imperfections and I see imperfections everywhere. It's my job to make someone's teeth look perfect. So everything is somewhat imperfect if I stare everything long enough . What matters most is that my fiancé will be happy with it and not notice the imperfections. Again, thank you for the help. Any help will be appreciated.

Edit: just searched what idealscopee is. I am not sure it is something they offer but I will ask them about it.

First of all, I think 10.5K is a pretty good price for a GIA XXX stone. I noticed that your stone has strong blue fluorescence which is usually a pretty cool effect (makes the diamond look brighter in the presence of UV light), but I would double check that it doesn't look milky or oily in direct sunlight. I think that you're probably fine as this effect is pretty rare, but I'd check anyway.

Second, if you do decide not go to with that stone, there are a ton of Pricescope vendors that you could consider. If you're looking for guaranteed great performers, I'd look at Brian Gavin's Hearts & Arrows or Blue diamonds or Whiteflash A Cut Above diamonds. Your budget won't get you a 1.5 G colored stone at either of those places though.

I'm not as good as some people in regards to making suggestions, but I looked on James Allen and found these stones: http://www.jamesallen.com/#!/loose-...5.0|DepthTo:62.0|TableFrom:50.0|TableTo:58.0|

The good thing about James Allen is that you can put 3 stones on hold and ask for Idealscopes and a gemologist's opinion on them. The gemologist will confirm if the stones are eye clean and he/she will also rank the stones for you in terms of light performance. Remember to ask for the Pricescope discount (1-5% off the purchase price).

Is your fiancee color sensitive? If not, I think you can safely go with and H or even I color diamond. I have a J, but I am not color sensitive and size was more important to me than color.

 

[Ans2k]

Thanks for the tip. I went back to blue Nile and changed my criteria to a lower color and I was able to find a great diamond in the I color range. But after thinking it over for a while, my setting is in white gold and paved, I am not sure how I would look in a white gold setting. I am unsure of my girlfriend's ability to distinguish color as this is her first diamond jewlery. Her only comparison would be my sister's ring that is I color but in a yellow gold setting.

When we went to go look at rings, she was more concerned about the setting being just right than the diamond. Which was easily taken care of at a custom jewler.

 

[SMC]

Thanks for the tip. I went back to blue Nile and changed my criteria to a lower color and I was able to find a great diamond in the I color range. But after thinking it over for a while, my setting is in white gold and paved, I am not sure how I would look in a white gold setting. I am unsure of my girlfriend's ability to distinguish color as this is her first diamond jewlery. Her only comparison would be my sister's ring that is I color but in a yellow gold setting.

When we went to go look at rings, she was more concerned about the setting being just right than the diamond. Which was easily taken care of at a custom jewler.

I think you can go to an I color diamond in a pave setting. Here's a thread that may be useful (also contains links to other threads): [URL='https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/show-me-your-i-color-round-diamonds.151798/']https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/show-me-your-i-color-round-diamonds.151798/[/URL]

 

[Ans2k]

Thank you so much for the link. it conviced me to look for an I color diamond. I went to personally look at the different shades of color of diamonds in the near colorless range. at first glance, they look roughly the same. But as I held them side by side for a good five minutes, I could tell them apart slightly with my cursed trained eye. For roughly the same price as my first choice, just a little cheaper than the first, I found a 1.52 carat, VS1, Excellent cut, and I color. It scored a 1.5 on the HCA calculator. Light return and fire are excellent and scintillation and spread are very good. It is a GIA XXX.


http://www.gia.edu/otmm_wcs_int/proxy-pdf/?ReportNumber=1149368880&url=https://myapps.gia.edu/ReportCheckPOC/pocservlet?ReportNumber=1149368880

Edit: I forgot to add that I placed a I color diamond in the setting I wanted and I could not tell the coloring of the diamond by itself in the paved setting. Again, thank you so much.

 

[SMC]

Thank you so much for the link. it conviced me to look for an I color diamond. I went to personally look at the different shades of color of diamonds in the near colorless range. at first glance, they look roughly the same. But as I held them side by side for a good five minutes, I could tell them apart slightly with my cursed trained eye. For roughly the same price as my first choice, just a little cheaper than the first, I found a 1.52 carat, VS1, Excellent cut, and I color. It scored a 1.5 on the HCA calculator. Light return and fire are excellent and scintillation and spread are very good. It is a GIA XXX.


http://www.gia.edu/otmm_wcs_int/proxy-pdf/?ReportNumber=1149368880&url=https://myapps.gia.edu/ReportCheckPOC/pocservlet?ReportNumber=1149368880

Edit: I forgot to add that I placed a I color diamond in the setting I wanted and I could not tell the coloring of the diamond by itself in the paved setting. Again, thank you so much.

Well, the numbers on this diamond look great and it looks like you've seen it in person. I really like fluorescence. Can you see any inclusions IRL? You shouldn't be able to with a VS1 but your eyes seem sharper than most people's.

Anyway you can get an Idealscope though?

 

[Ans2k]

No, I was not able to see it in person. If everything goes well, I should be able to get it from the stone cutter on Tuesday or Wednesday. Unfornately, I am not able to get an IS from my dealer. I only saw this diamond from a vendor online, but I was able to find the diamond in the diamond trade network and told my dealer. The only problem is that the stone cutter wants the cash up front before he hands it over, sorta what bluenile does, if I am correct. My dealer is trying to work out a deal to see if we can get the diamond in without having to pay anything just to look at it. My dealer doesn't do IS. Also, sorry for my ignorance but what is IRL?

 

[SMC]

No, I was not able to see it in person. If everything goes well, I should be able to get it from the stone cutter on Tuesday or Wednesday. Unfornately, I am not able to get an IS from my dealer. I only saw this diamond from a vendor online, but I was able to find the diamond in the diamond trade network and told my dealer. The only problem is that the stone cutter wants the cash up front before he hands it over, sorta what bluenile does, if I am correct. My dealer is trying to work out a deal to see if we can get the diamond in without having to pay anything just to look at it. My dealer doesn't do IS. Also, sorry for my ignorance but what is IRL?

IRL = in real life. Oh, I assumed that you had looked at the diamond because you said you held them side by side. I only realize now that you were holding up diamonds that were the same colors as the one that you are considering.

Hopefully you won't need to pay anything before viewing it. I'm pretty sure that you won't see inclusions in a VS1, but who knows.

These are the specs that I use (please take this with a grain of salt as I am not an expert and I've gotten grumbles from people who say these parameters are too strict and everyone's preferences are different, blah blah :

(from http://niceice.com/brian-gavin-select-vs-signature-diamonds/)
Total depth between 59 – 61.8% and maybe up to 62%
Table diameter between 53 – 58%
Crown angle between 34.0 – 35.0 degrees and I truly prefer 34.3 – 34.9 degrees
Pavilion angle between 40.5 – 41.0 degrees and I truly prefer 40.6 – 40.9 degrees


And these are the slightly looser guidelines that I took from another way more experienced PS'er, diamondseeker2006:
table: 54-58
depth: 60-62.3
crown angle: 34-35.0
pavilion angle: 40.6-41.0

Sooo, comparing your diamond to these, it looks like yours fits all the requirements besides the table one. I still think that your diamond will be beautiful but I don't know how picky you are about having a diamond that looks good on paper. The more one gets obsessed with the details, the easier it is to drive yourself mad.

 

[Ans2k]

I appalogize. I should have been more clear. Yes, I was comparing the different grades of color. Just like dentistry, it is impossible to tell how a veneer shade will look on its own unless it is compared to teeth you are about to place it near. An I color by itself looks pretty good. On its side, I could tell it is slightly warmer by itself. Bt looking down at it, as if it were mounted, I could not tell what shade it was alone. Yes, hopefully I won't. It is not so much what is on the paper but what I can see. I have to admit, when I first started looking at diamonds, I wanted the best. Then, I saw the prices and had to let it go. the more diamonds I looked the more I was able to formulate my priority list: cut, carat, HCA number, clarity, and last color. But thank you for all the help, sortmon. You have been very helpful. If the feather inclusion isn't as bad as I hope and something I can't see, then I will surely make my purchase.