First Time Buyer - EGL USA Canada lab

[Cheezoos]

Hi Everyone,

As most people who are buying their first diamond I've been researching like crazy to learn more about the diamond industry and the respective certificates/reports. However at the end of the day I am just a consumer who is taking the advice of the jewelery, the certificate, independent appraiser and most importantly my eye ball.

I think i have found the diamond which is within my price range. I was hoping with the pictures included and the specs what one would generally pay for this diamond? I understand that EGL-USA tends to be cheaper than GIA but when i use the pricescope search it gives me all EGL-International from and from what i'm reading EGL-USA > EGL-International.

The diamond also is a Canadian diamond and comes with a certificate. Also any advice just for a first time buyer would be much appreciated!

Although it says F color from what i'm reading it most likely could be graded a G color if sent to GIA?
Excuse the pictures as i took them myself and they aren't the greatest.

Thanks for taking the time! most appreciated.

EGL-USA certificate
Serial Number starts with CAxxxxxxxx

WEIGHT 1.50CT
Shape and cut
Measurements
ROUND BRILLIANT
7.39 - 7.30 x 4.44 mm
PROPORTIONS
Depth: 60.50%
Table:56%
Crown:16.20%
Pavilion:40.60%
Girdle:THIN FACETED
Culet:NONE

FINISH
Polish:VERY GOOD
symmetry:VERY GOOD
CLARITY GRADE VSl
COLORGRADE F
fluorescence: NONE

 

[centralsquare]

I don't think this looks like a good stone. The cut isn't good and it's hard to say what the F/VS1 would be by GIA/AGS standards. What's your budget? We can find you a better stone.

 

[Cheezoos]

Hi thanks for the quick reply!

Its a shame that the diamond isn't up to spec.

Budget is 15k for diamond.

 

[centralsquare]

Do you know what the preferred specs are? Which color, clarity?

Here is one of similar specs to what you posted: http://www.whiteflash.com/loose-diamonds/round-cut-loose-diamond-2632643.htm

 

[Cheezoos]

I am looking for an F color vs2 or higher.

I understand that EGL-USA from what i'm reading sometimes grades a color higher.

Also how does one convert the percentage to angle for the crown and pavillion.

When i entered the specs into the cut calculator the results were not to buy due to fisheye..

However when reading online it appears that the the two more important factors are the depth and table percentage.

I'm kinda confused....

 

[Cheezoos]

Its weird because i looked up the EGL-USA certificate number of the original and got these values

Depth 60.5%
Table 56%
Crown 16.2%
Pavilion 40.6%
Crown Angle 36.3°
Pavilion Angle 39.3°

however if i put the crown percentage and pavilion i get a bad rating
if i put the crown angle and pavilion angle i get a rating which is very good-excellent
with a total visual performance of 1.5 to excellent...

so..yes i am confused

any ideas why i get different results?

 

[Amys Bling]

Hard to comment on if it's a good deal without knowing what that stone is priced at.

BTW I really like that setting

 

[centralsquare]

No - do you a copy of the certificate you can upload?

 

[Cheezoos]

I don't have a copy yet. I have the certificate number which I looked up on the EGL-USA website details are as follows.

I saw the certificate and stone in person and will get a copy of the cert later. However the online search for EGL-USA gives me this information which is basically everything the certificate should have.


Weight 1.50 CT
Shape ROUND BRILLIANT
Color F
Clarity VS1
Measurements 7.39 x 7.3 x 4.44 mm
Depth 60.5%
Table 56%
Crown 16.2%
Pavilion 40.6%
Crown Angle 36.3°
Pavilion Angle 39.3°
Girdle THIN FACETED
Polish VERY GOOD
Symmetry VERY GOOD
Fluorescence NONE
Culet NONE
Cut Grade N/A
Comments EGL CA92834603D

 

[centralsquare]

So I plugged the details into the HCA and, while it scored a 1.5, this message was generated: "A small amount of tilt will show a fish-eye under the table of this diamond." Perhaps an expert here can further advise.

 

[John P]

I don't have a copy yet. I have the certificate number which I looked up on the EGL-USA website details are as follows.

I saw the certificate and stone in person and will get a copy of the cert later. However the online search for EGL-USA gives me this information which is basically everything the certificate should have.


Weight 1.50 CT
Shape ROUND BRILLIANT
Color F
Clarity VS1
Measurements 7.39 x 7.3 x 4.44 mm
Depth 60.5%
Table 56%
Crown 16.2%
Pavilion 40.6%
Crown Angle 36.3°
Pavilion Angle 39.3°
Girdle THIN FACETED
Polish VERY GOOD
Symmetry VERY GOOD
Fluorescence NONE
Culet NONE
Cut Grade N/A
Comments EGL CA92834603D

You're listing the pavilion angle 2X... I suspect it's 40.6 degrees and the crown angle is 36.3 degrees; with no culet and a 56% table this is the correct averaged-angle for a 16.2% crown height.

That crown configuration could be quite attractive, paired with the 40.6 average pavilion. Depending on specifics it could qualify for AGS0 and GIA EX.

However there is no way to know without data on how much variation there is in the measurements due to cut consistency, or lack thereof. What I mean is this: Most numbers above, like 'crown angle,' are averages of 8 separate measurements. Additionally we have no information on the 16 lower half facets, the 8 star facets and the 16 upper girdle facets. That's 40 facets (of 57) that we have no information about, apart from photo-guesses. It's of particular importance to cut nuts because EGL's labs do not screen for brillianteering issues such as painting or digging, and these take place on the break facets (upper/lower halves).

Because this diamond is precisely at a "magic weight" (1.50 ct) I would give it a thorough exam. The VG finish grades and somewhat out-of-round tend to indicate it wasn't a candidate for the best craftsmanship. It's possible some cutting tricks could have been employed so that it would finish there and not at 1.49 or below... Of course I could be wrong and it finished exactly-as-planned, with those finish issues being a result of the grain of the stone or some other factor. There are many many fantastic stones which do come in right-at a magic weight due to skilled planning and execution. But those typically have no red flags.

Others have already mentioned the most important thing to check-out: EGL's color and clarity grades (and finish for that matter) are not known for being uniform with the strictest standards, or even each other. The US and CA labs do enjoy a stronger reputation than some of the other locations in that regard.

The best thing about your scenario is that you're able to see the diamond with your own eyes and make determinations that no one here can possibly make. All we can do is relay our opinions and experiences.

 

[Cheezoos]

Thanks for all the replies,

Is it possible that the EGL-USA cert made a mistake on the Pavilion and the pavilion angle and that it might actually be reversed?

How did you com to the conclusion that 40.6 is the average? with a crown of 16.2%?

Also when i switch the angle from 39.3 to 40.6.

39.3 angle mentions that a slight fish eye might occur with a TIC of 1.5
40.6 (assuming that the value was wrong) has a tic of 1.9 and no fish eye.