First post! Opinions on this stone would be great!

[wes335]

I am looking at a loose stone and would love some options on it. It is EGL-USA certified (I know, "take EGL grading with a grain of salt"). Below are the specs:

Size: 2 carat
Clarity VS2
Color H
Dimensions: 7 x 6.9 x 4.8 mm
Depth 69.7%
Table 58%
Crown 17%
Pavilion 49.1%
Girdle Thin to Slightly Thick
Polish Excellent
Symmetry Excellent




Is this a decent diamond? You can see a couple inclusions in the stone but noting too severe looking to me. Anything I need to watch out for?

Thanks!!!

 

[Gypsy]

Yeah. You are under estimating the EGL problem. First off, if it is not EGL- USA (or a USA lab like LA or NY) forgetaboutit, period.

But let's assume it is EGL USA. That diamond could easily be a GIA I or J color stone.

Please read: [URL='https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/egl-certification-are-any-of-them-ok.142863/']https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/egl-certification-are-any-of-them-ok.142863/[/URL]

Also:

From another thread comparing an EGL stone and a GIA/AGS one:

[URL='https://www.pricescope.com/forum/posting.php?mode=quote&f=3&p=3608466']https://www.pricescope.com/forum/posting.php?mode=quote&f=3&p=3608466[/URL]

From Todd Grey: "... from a trade perspective experience dictates that the price difference between EGL graded diamonds and those graded by either the GIA or AGS is higher than 15% because of differences in their standards for grading color and clarity... and diamonds tend to sell for what they're worth, as a measured commodity there aren't any "deals" per se, just diamonds which are generally sold for exactly what they are worth, based upon their characteristics...."

If EGL trades at such a High discount. WHY would anyone send their stone to EGL? When they can send it to GIA and get 15% more in price? Easy. EGL is so inaccurate it makes money for unscrupulous jewelers with inferior quality goods.

If you send a stone to the GIA and it comes back a J color. And you send it to EGL and it comes back H color. And you look-- the H color even with the EGL discount makes the diamond seller MORE money.

And is therefore a POOR value for YOU. The consumer.


That said, if you like this particular stone ask for an ASET image.

If they cannot provide one have the stone sent to an INDEPENDENT appraiser before you purchase (the only way we recommend EGL stones). One that can take an ASET image. They can evaluate the color FOR YOU and tell you if it really is an H or if it's something worse. We have people send stones from EGL and had them come back FIVE COLOR GRADES OFF. Seriously.

And they can evaluate the light performance. Because that's what matters. And that's why you need an ASET.

List of Appraisers: https://www.pricescope.com/appraisers

I highly recommend Neal Beaty. I live in CA and ship my stones there for appraisals. He's in CO. But there are local appraisers listed that you can go to.

DO NOT BUY AN EGL STONE WITHOUT AN INDEPENDENT APPRAISAL. A thorough one.

 

[wes335]

It is an EGL-USA certified stone. So with EGL-USA grades, the color is the one that is most likely to be off?

 

[Gypsy]

It is an EGL-USA certified stone. So with EGL-USA grades, the color is the one that is most likely to be off?

One AVERAGE the color is 2 grades off.

That means some are accurate.
Some of five grades off.
Some are one grade off.
Some are four grades off.


And they are AVERAGED.
So it's impossible to tell if yours is five grades off. Or accurate. Or somewhere in the middle.

Which is why they trade at such a discount. Because they are utterly unreliable.

And it's worse the just color. They can be off on the specs as well. Only thing they tend to get right 99% of the time is the clarity.

If you can get a SARIN (stats) of the stone and an ASET (perfomance) and have an Independent (this is key) appraisal of color-- then you are can be properly prepared to buy an EGL Cushion. I would say you could forget about the SARIN is something had to give (though I would want to know the crown height on a cushion with a table that big). But the ASET and the color evaluation against GIA master stones by an independent appraiser is KEY.

 

[wes335]

Can you tell anything from the picture that was provided? I will try to get the seller to send an ASET image.

 

[Gypsy]

I can tell you it's an eyeclean 4 main square cushion. It has some potential, but a flat mug shot image like that one doesn't tell you anything about light performance. So I can't tell you more than that.

What is your budget?