First Time Buyer, Needs Help Please

[J. Chestnut]

Hey Everyone,

After a bunch of thought, it''s time to finally pop the question to my girlfriend. I''m now at the stage of picking out a diamond. We went to the local high end specialty store and looked at a bunch of nice stones, and figured out what''s important to us. I''m looking for something in the .75-.85ct range, with VS2 clarity and something like E/F color. We don''t need anything larger, due to my girlfriend''s small hands and our active lifestyle. With that said, I''m focusing on cut, color, and clarity to the best that my budget will allow.

I looked at this site a bunch, and decided that I''d like to purchase on the internet, most probably from Whiteflash. With that said, I''ve narrowed down my choices, and I''d like to hear everyone''s input on my possible choices. With that said, I''m looking for a really great stone. I know I''m paying a premium for the ACA stones, and I''m fine with that, but I want a true super ideal. If there exists some gradations in the ACA stones, I''m looking for a STRONG ACA, not a barely ACA (if that makes any sense). I''ve asked my sales person to have Brian Gavin weigh in on the relative merits of the following stones, but I''d like to hear what pricescope has to say.

I''m particular to the second choice, but I have some reservations about it. I''m sure I''m not using the proper verbiage, but if you look at the provided picture, 5 of the 8 arrows appear much darker towards the center portion of the table. In that picture, they are the 5 which are horizontal and below. I''m not sure if that''s a trick of the picture, or if it''s indicative of some lack of symmetry. Also, if you look at the ASET image 5 of the 8 "arrow bodies" are more purple/blue, while the remaining 3 appear more black. Is this an issue?

http://www.whiteflash.com/hearts_arrows/A-Cut-Above-H-A-cut-diamond-1467029.htm
http://www.whiteflash.com/hearts_arrows/A-Cut-Above-H-A-cut-diamond-1445161.htm
http://www.whiteflash.com/hearts_arrows/A-Cut-Above-H-A-cut-diamond-1445164.htm

Thanks in advance everyone. This is a huge decision to me, and I just want to make it right once and for all.
Jacob

 

[Mrs W]

I would buy the second choice bc i like small tables, i do not think there is an issue with the aset

 

[swingirl]

If it were me I'd pick the 0.783 ct because it is the largest. The stones are all cut very close and the ASETS look great. My understanding is that the ASET is measured by the red, green and blue. The darkness of the arrows is due to the camera lighting or angle. Here is a thread about it.

ASET thread

 

[Ellen]

Date: 10/28/2008 4:14:15 AM
Author: swingirl
If it were me I''d pick the 0.783 ct because it is the largest. The stones are all cut very close and the ASETS look great. My understanding is that the ASET is measured by the red, green and blue. The darkness of the arrows is due to the camera lighting or angle. Here is a thread about it.

ASET thread

I agree. It would be splitting hairs to address anything else about the 3, and even then the diameters are very close.

As for the ASET on the second one, the stone looks like it was tilted. It has no issues.