Found a Diamond

[Marcus]

I purchased a diamond yesterday in NYC and am curious what you think. Prior to seeing the diamond I had the dealer run what I believe is a Sarin Report. However, the numbers on the report differ slightly from the GIA cert and I am not positive of the accuracy of the numbers.

The specs are:
1.71 Carats
Color H
Clarity VS2
Meas. 7.66-7.77 X4.71
Depth: 61%
Table: 60%
Girdle: Thin to slightly Thick, faceted
Culet: None
Polish and Symmetry: Good
Crown: 35.5 deg; 13.9%
Pavil: 41.4 deg; 43.8%
Culet: None
Price: $10,300

The stats on the Holloway Cut Advisor were pretty atrocious, but it looked good in the store. As I said above, I don''t know how accurate the machine was that they used to analyze the stone, because it had a 62% table; 0.8% culet ; 1.72 carats.

 

[Mara]

Yikes that stone is scary on the HCA. I would never pay money for something that the HCA rates as POOR. It's a tool that one should not use as strictly as a bible..but it does give you an idea of what not to buy...this stone would be one of them it looks like.




When you note that the stone looks good in the store..keep in mind that the lights in the store are meant to make ANY stone look good. Have you see it in regular light? Fluor lights? Sunlight? Other types of everyday light? I bet it won't look as good.




If the $10k is your budget and you want the biggest stone possible for the $$...get something like a 1.7 I SI1 or similar...and make sure it's well cut. It will face up whiter than a non-well cut H most likely..and an SI1 as long as the inclusions are not visible saves you some $$.

 

[aljdewey]

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On 10/3/2003 2:38:47 PM Marcus wrote:











I purchased a diamond yesterday in NYC and am curious what you think----------------

What do I think? I think you got hosed. I think you should take advantage of your return policy.

For $10K, you could get a STUNNING, well-cut H, VS2 1.5 ct diamond that is only slightly smaller in diameter (7.33mm instead of 7.66mm). I think you're paying for weight that you cannot see (meaning the diamond looks smaller than a 1.72 ct diamond should look like).

This diamond looked good in the store? They ALL look good in the store...it's called "lighting". Take it outside and see what happens.

This is a classic steep/deep combo that I'd wager probably has the ole' ring of death.

The only way this stone would seem like a "win" would be for someone whose *only* criteria was carat weight. That's it.

Sorry to be so blunt, but come on.....5.6 with fair/poor gradings? No one should spend 10K and get only that.

 

[magna2]

Marcus,

You stated that the diamond looked good in the store - how does it look to you now, regardless of what the HCA is saying? Are there redeeming value to the diamond?

But I have to say that I am with Mara and Aljdewey that this one is probably not a winner and am sorry to say that you got taken to the cleaner since you have already purchased. If there is a return policy on the diamond, I recommend that you do so without haste.

The quality of your diamond does not warrant a $5600+/carat price. There are much better bargains to be had.

 

[Mara]

Also I wanted to point out that sometimes Sarin machines are not accurately calibrated which could account for some differences, though many of the numbers are 'averages' so you don't see alot of Sarins being EXACTLY like the cert anyway..what you are really looking for are large glaring differences.




The culet being a little off is not a big deal at all...the carat weight is not a big deal, but the table is kind of a large difference. Not really being sure which is right..I would tend to take the GIA # as the one to use since it IS on the cert. But even if you modify the table to 62% in the HCA--it does not help the score any--in fact it makes it significantly worse.




Sorry!