Gabrielle Diamonds

[under_cover]

Hi All,

I''m a longtime lurker, first time poster. First off, thank you for all of our helpful advice on this board. I''ve found it invaluable as first-time diamond buyer.

I''m going to be purchasing a solitaire engagement ring for my girlfriend in the next couple weeks. We''ve done some initial browsing together and she''s sold on the Gabrielle carre cut.

Because the Gabrielle is a branded diamond and less available then other common cuts, I have had a hard time tracking down reliable information on these stones. I have a few questions about the Gabrielle that I''d greatly appreciate your input on ... please excuse how detailed I get and answer whatever you can ...

1) Gabrielle diamonds are not certified by an independent lab such as GIA. Can their clarity and color ratings be trusted? Are they as strict as a GIA certificate would be?

2) My jeweler said he would need to send my stone out to be certified in order to get the surface and angle measurements of the Gabrielle. Are all Gabrielle stones considered to be ideal cut ... or fall within a strict set of angle/surface measurement guidelines? Or can their be a significant differences in these measurements from stone to stone that could greatly affect its appearance and value? If there are significant variations in the stones'' proportions, what is an accepted set of parameters that would define an "ideal" to "decent" Gabrielle cut? I''ve heard that the nature of the Gabrielle cut results in a deeper then normal cut stone. So I worry that even if I got the measurements of a Gabrielle, I wouldn''t get an accurate evaluation by running the normal surface and angle calculations that are designed for a convenional cut.

3) I''m considering a VS1-VS2 stone in the 1.5-2ct range. What''s the lowest you think I could go in color before seeing a noticeable change from colorless in the stone once it''s mounted? Are Gabrielles any more or less forgiving in this department?

4) Gabrielles are sold by a limited number of jewelers. Does anyone know of a competitive and/or well stocked store that is offering these stones?

Thank you everyone for all the great knowledge you''ve contributed to this site. And thank you ahead of time to anyone who can offer some insight on any of my numerous Gabrielle-related questions.

under_cover

 

[Rhino]

Hello undercover,

I've seen the Gabrielle cuts before so I'll do my best to answer your questions. My response will be in bold.

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On 1/15/2004 12:20:13 PM under_cover wrote:











Hi All,

I'm a longtime lurker, first time poster. First off, thank you for all of our helpful advice on this board. I've found it invaluable as first-time diamond buyer.

There's a great crew here with only your best interests in mind. Welcome to the forum!

I'm going to be purchasing a solitaire engagement ring for my girlfriend in the next couple weeks. We've done some initial browsing together and she's sold on the Gabrielle carre cut.

They are pretty stones with a definite different look to them.

Because the Gabrielle is a branded diamond and less available then other common cuts, I have had a hard time tracking down reliable information on these stones. I have a few questions about the Gabrielle that I'd greatly appreciate your input on ... please excuse how detailed I get and answer whatever you can ...

1) Gabrielle diamonds are not certified by an independent lab such as GIA. Can their clarity and color ratings be trusted? Are they as strict as a GIA certificate would be?

Before committing work it out with your jeweler that a qualified professional examine the stone to check for that since they are not accompanied by a recognized lab report. www.consumersgemlab.com, www.sarasotagemlab.com, and www.gemappraisers.com are 3 sites I would recommend researching for this. Even if you pay for the stone first, get it appraised them commit upon the report would be a good idea. Make sure it's backed with full refund.

2) My jeweler said he would need to send my stone out to be certified in order to get the surface and angle measurements of the Gabrielle.

Any of these appraisers will be able to do this for you as well. GIA will not give you all the measurements you may be seeking.

Are all Gabrielle stones considered to be ideal cut ... or fall within a strict set of angle/surface measurement guidelines?

That I could not answer. Also since there are no ideal parameters for fancies it would be wrong for the jeweler to say it was "ideal". If he does then ask... What is your definition of "ideal" then run it by us here.

Or can their be a significant differences in these measurements from stone to stone that could greatly affect its appearance and value?

Possible.

If there are significant variations in the stones' proportions, what is an accepted set of parameters that would define an 'ideal' to 'decent' Gabrielle cut?

I don't think anyone here can answer this question for you without seeing the diamond live. I test fancies which I would consider having ideal brilliance and can then show a person the numbers of that stone but to predict that without an optical analysis would be short of insane.

I've heard that the nature of the Gabrielle cut results in a deeper then normal cut stone. So I worry that even if I got the measurements of a Gabrielle, I wouldn't get an accurate evaluation by running the normal surface and angle calculations that are designed for a convenional cut.

You are correct. However the Gabrielle that I saw wasn't cut so deep.

3) I'm considering a VS1-VS2 stone in the 1.5-2ct range. What's the lowest you think I could go in color before seeing a noticeable change from colorless in the stone once it's mounted? Are Gabrielles any more or less forgiving in this department?

Less forgiving. I'd stick with H or higher. Get as close to D as the $$$ can afford.

4) Gabrielles are sold by a limited number of jewelers. Does anyone know of a competitive and/or well stocked store that is offering these stones?

Can't help ya there.

Thank you everyone for all the great knowledge you've contributed to this site. And thank you ahead of time to anyone who can offer some insight on any of my numerous Gabrielle-related questions.

under_cover
----------------

If you drop me an email I may be able to share some of the optical results of the stone I tested with you. That is if I have it saved. I'm writing from a remote location at the moment but should be up at our store later.

Peace,
Rhino

 

[under_cover]

Rhino,

Thanks so much for taking the time to reply. This information is very helpful.

I wonder if anyone on this board has seen lab reports on multiple Gabrielle diamonds to determine how much variation there is in the cuts. And if all ... or only a select few ... are really considered premium quality.

 

[starfire]

Hi there,

We sell Gabrielle Diamonds in Singapore. I will try to answer your questions below (in bold):

----------------
On 1/15/2004 12:20:13 PM under_cover wrote:

Hi All,

I'm a longtime lurker, first time poster. First off, thank you for all of our helpful advice on this board. I've found it invaluable as first-time diamond buyer.

I'm going to be purchasing a solitaire engagement ring for my girlfriend in the next couple weeks. We've done some initial browsing together and she's sold on the Gabrielle carre cut.

Because the Gabrielle is a branded diamond and less available then other common cuts, I have had a hard time tracking down reliable information on these stones. I have a few questions about the Gabrielle that I'd greatly appreciate your input on ... please excuse how detailed I get and answer whatever you can ...

1) Gabrielle diamonds are not certified by an independent lab such as GIA. Can their clarity and color ratings be trusted? Are they as strict as a GIA certificate would be?

In Singapore, Gabrielle Diamonds come with the following certificates:

* DPL Certificate - DPL stands for DiamantPrufLabor, and is the German equivalent of HRD. Both HRD and DPL follow the IDC rules of diamond grading. In addition, DPL takes FULL RESPONSIBILITY for correct grading. Their grading can therefore be trusted. (Check any GIA certificate; I am not sure if they come with the FULL RESPONSIBILITY claus - not that I am knocking off GIA, which is still a very important lab)

* Gemprint Certificate - The gemprint certificate is issued by the Gemprint Corporation (see www.gemprint.com). This certificate is unique, and involves firing a laser into the diamond, and taking a "light signature", which is unique to each diamond. This information is saved into a global database, enabling the diamond to be traced to the owner, should it be lost and found. This has proven to be secure enough that some insurance companies will offer an rebate on insurance premiums for the diamonds with Gemprint certificates.

* Personal certificate of ownership from Gabi Tolkowsky

2) My jeweler said he would need to send my stone out to be certified in order to get the surface and angle measurements of the Gabrielle. Are all Gabrielle stones considered to be ideal cut ... or fall within a strict set of angle/surface measurement guidelines? Or can their be a significant differences in these measurements from stone to stone that could greatly affect its appearance and value? If there are significant variations in the stones' proportions, what is an accepted set of parameters that would define an 'ideal' to 'decent' Gabrielle cut? I've heard that the nature of the Gabrielle cut results in a deeper then normal cut stone. So I worry that even if I got the measurements of a Gabrielle, I wouldn't get an accurate evaluation by running the normal surface and angle calculations that are designed for a convenional cut.

The Gabrielle Diamond was designed by Gabi Tolkowsky, because he wanted to fashion a diamond with exceedingly beautiful scintillation. He tells a story in which he told his great uncle, Marcel Tolkowsky, that his formula did not always yield the most fiery diamond. Marcel agreed with him, telling him that his formula was a result of studying only the "whitest" of diamonds, the best of D colours.

To further answer your question, the Gabrielle Diamond is not the same as the "ideal-cut". Rather, it is designed to bring out even more brilliance and scintillation. Without the need for scopes and tools, you will see the difference with your own eyes.

3) I'm considering a VS1-VS2 stone in the 1.5-2ct range. What's the lowest you think I could go in color before seeing a noticeable change from colorless in the stone once it's mounted? Are Gabrielles any more or less forgiving in this department?

I disagree with Rhino, having seen many Gabrielles side-by-side with ideal-cuts. The Gabrielle is pretty forgiving with low colours. Because of the increased scintillation, you will find that the Gabrielles tend to look whiter under most light conditions. And in fact, because of its faceting, you will find that the Gabrielle diamond is also forgiving in terms of clarity. I have seen si2/P1 Gabrielle diamonds, in which you could hardly see the inclusions.

Of course, if you like higher colours and clarity, go for it. But the Gabrielle Diamond can look very beautiful with even low colours like L-M.

The thing is to trust your eyes...

4) Gabrielles are sold by a limited number of jewelers. Does anyone know of a competitive and/or well stocked store that is offering these stones?

If you are in Singapore, check out Charlotte Atelier. If you are in the US, check out www.gabriellediamond.com for a store locator in the US.

Thank you everyone for all the great knowledge you've contributed to this site. And thank you ahead of time to anyone who can offer some insight on any of my numerous Gabrielle-related questions.

under_cover----------------

Stephen Tan
Charlotte Atelier
Singapore

 

[valeria101]

Interesting...

DPL does light return analysis, don't they? Are such reports available (at leats upon request, if not standard) on the Gabrielle?

It would also be useful to know what this guarantee for the greade means... can anyone actually prove them wrong - what would happen if, say, a recertification of a DPL diamond results in different color grade? this does happen to most labs, and this is why their results are not backed up like this - in recognition that diamond grading is not an exact science even at it's best. At least, this is what I know, of course.

 

[EdSkinner]

The Gabrielle cut. Suberi Bros Inc. is the exclusive US distributor. It has 105 facets. The important point is the facets and angles of the facets. Depending on the rough is between 40 & 55%. Prices for Gabriells in sizes from three-eights of a carat to 1 carat are 10% below the Rapaport price list. All This according to Rapaport guide to fancy shapes 2004. I have never seen one. Personally I think that the extra facets is a bunch of hooey. I have seen 144 cuts and they were not as brilliant as an ideal round. About the only thing I saw in those was a brighter ouline around the girdle. These stones had a bowed out pavilion and a heavy crown with steep crown angles. So there was not that much brilliance through the center of the stone. Since the Gabrielle was introduced into the market in 1998, and I haven't seen one, tells me that maybe they are not that popular, at least not in the Philadelphia area. Or that the stone is so fantastic on its own that the customer is so satisfied they wouldn't question it. As for if it is an ideal cut: as long as it is cut to whatever spicifics that Gabi has decided then it is an ideal cut.

 

[Nicrez]

Under_cover, I looked into the Gabi Carre diamond as well, but I called three of the vendors on the site (near me) and neither carried anything over 1ct in higher colors or clarities, and that's Fortunoff in NYC and Long Island! They carry anything!




Honestly, the people who sell them, when I spoke to them where not very excited about my request, and I was looking for a colorless, (VS2 or better) 1.5-2ct stone as well.../idealbb/images/smilies/confused.gif




So, I have never seen one, and I would be VERY curious to see what they look like and how they measure up. I hope all goes well. but I have never heard or seen anyone with one, and no one even heard much about them in the Diamond District. You mention Talkowski and you get, "yes, the Round Brilliant", but nothing on the Carre...?

 

[starfire]

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On 3/12/2004 2:54:10 PM valeria101 wrote:


Interesting...

DPL does light return analysis, don't they? Are such reports available (at leats upon request, if not standard) on the Gabrielle?

I am not sure, since I have not requested these reports. But I would imagine so.

It would also be useful to know what this guarantee for the greade means... can anyone actually prove them wrong - what would happen if, say, a recertification of a DPL diamond results in different color grade? this does happen to most labs, and this is why their results are not backed up like this - in recognition that diamond grading is not an exact science even at it's best. At least, this is what I know, of course.

What the grading guarantee says is that they take FULL RESPONSIBILITY for correct grading, provided the grading is also done following IDC rules. Since such a guarantee would open the DPL lab to legal claims if there is faulty grading, I am certain that DPL is pretty meticulous in their grading. I have tested their grading once, by taking a diamond to a well-known Singaporean lab for re-appraisal at our customer's request. The Singaporean lab gave them the same grading as DPL, and remarked that DPL is actually quite strict on their grading.


----------------

Stephen Tan
Charlotte Atelier
Singapore

 

[starfire]

Hi Basett Hound,

You are correct that Suberi Brothers handles the US market exclusively.

I take issue, however, with your statement that "extra facets is a bunch of hooey", considering that you have never even seen the Gabrielle.

Your experience with the 144-faceted stone may not necessarily apply to other special-cuts. Also, enhancing fire and scintillation does not simply mean throwing additional facets haphazardly. The important factor is in the placement of the additional facets.

As a GG, I am sure that you would acknowledge that CUT is the most important C, among the 4 Cs.

If everyone were to think the way you did, the modern brilliant ideal-cut wouldn't have even taken off from the ground 80+ years ago.

We always have a special display in our store, with a gabrielle 1-ct right next to an ideal-cut diamond. Everytime a customer takes a look at that display, it is immediately clear that the Gabrielle has greater fire and scintillation.

Best regards,
Stephen Tan
Charlotte Atelier

----------------
On 3/12/2004 3:33:36 PM Basset Hound wrote:

The Gabrielle cut. Suberi Bros Inc. is the exclusive US distributor. It has 105 facets. The important point is the facets and angles of the facets. Depending on the rough is between 40 & 55%. Prices for Gabriells in sizes from three-eights of a carat to 1 carat are 10% below the Rapaport price list. All This according to Rapaport guide to fancy shapes 2004. I have never seen one. Personally I think that the extra facets is a bunch of hooey. I have seen 144 cuts and they were not as brilliant as an ideal round. About the only thing I saw in those was a brighter ouline around the girdle. These stones had a bowed out pavilion and a heavy crown with steep crown angles. So there was not that much brilliance through the center of the stone. Since the Gabrielle was introduced into the market in 1998, and I haven't seen one, tells me that maybe they are not that popular, at least not in the Philadelphia area. Or that the stone is so fantastic on its own that the customer is so satisfied they wouldn't question it. As for if it is an ideal cut: as long as it is cut to whatever spicifics that Gabi has decided then it is an ideal cut.----------------

 

[starfire]

Hi Nicrez,

I have attached a picture, so you can have a look.

In Singapore, we carry Gabrielle Diamonds up to 1.58ct at the moment. However, we have access to Gabrielle Diamonds up to 4.45ct at this time. Keep in mind that Gabrielle Diamonds are available in round, marquise, oval, radiant, cushion, pear, emerald and heart shapes.

Best regards,
Stephen Tan
Charlotte Atelier
Singapore

----------------
On 3/12/2004 3:41:40 PM Nicrez wrote:


Under_cover, I looked into the Gabi Carre diamond as well, but I called three of the vendors on the site (near me) and neither carried anything over 1ct in higher colors or clarities, and that's Fortunoff in NYC and Long Island! They carry anything!


Honestly, the people who sell them, when I spoke to them where not very excited about my request, and I was looking for a colorless, (VS2 or better) 1.5-2ct stone as well.../idealbb/images/smilies/confused.gif


So, I have never seen one, and I would be VERY curious to see what they look like and how they measure up. I hope all goes well. but I have never heard or seen anyone with one, and no one even heard much about them in the Diamond District. You mention Talkowski and you get, 'yes, the Round Brilliant', but nothing on the Carre...?
----------------

 

[tomatoe]

It would be interesting if I actually had an idealscope to check out the Gabrielle stones available in Sg and to compare my regent side by side with one.

 

[valeria101]

Thanks for the detailed reply, Starfire!

I know this may be tooooo

much to ask, but would it be at all possible to see an Ideal Scope picture of one of the Gabrielle diamonds, be it round or square?

From the other side of the screen, it is very hard to appreciate the optics of a small, traspernt prism

And, as you must know by now, these red-black-white pictures are already considered acceptably reliable representations of diamons' light return around here. they are bound to be welcome!

I would have mentiond Brilliance Scope (I think this is the tool DPL uses)... Oh well... as you can see, branded cuts are not exactly mainstream around here, but your description of the cut makes me believe the Gabrielles are exceptionally fiery - much like an improved version of the older cuts evolved to still produce fire and scintillation, not necesarily best light return. Quite exciting

 

[Garry H (Cut Nut)]

I would not expect a Garielle diamond to be the greatest performer under cut instruments, but what you are buying is a different thing.
Gabi is a living legend. Perhaps the greatest romantic alive today - certainly he holds that right in the diamond and jewellery world.

The stones are rare because he runs a very small cutting business in Antwerp. There is a rarity factor there.

He cut polished (double handed, not single handed) the De Beers Millenium 100ct D IF holding the stone in his hands.

He is giving a presentation at the Cut Diamond Polishing Conference

Here is a little of his expected talk:

Due to the internet and the multiple publications, our professional language spilled into common knowledge and is employed by the general public as such. Should our professional language adapt itself more towards descriptive senses such as "Rarity", "Beauty", "Dream", "Emotion", "Craftsmanship", "Art".

http://www.cutstudy.com/conference/sample_abstract1.htmI do not Cut a diamond. The word 'Cut' means in English: make an opening or a wound in something, with a sharp tool such as a knife or scissors:- To divide and remove something from something large;- To reduce something by removing material, etc
As a professional diamond-cutter-: I would say: "Divide" a diamond if necessary (cleaving, sawing, lasering).
As a professional diamond-bruter-: I would say: "Fashion" a shape, a form.
As a professional diamond-polisher-: I would say: "Fashion" a shape, a form, and will polish the surface by applying the "Style" of a "design" with precise "facets" or "Mirrors". Should our terminology be "Technical" or should it become more "Descriptive"? Should we have an internal, detailed Technical Diamond Report (for professional use only) and a descriptive external Diamond Report (to the attention of the consumer)?

 

[EdSkinner]

Greetings: As I have stated I have never seen a Gabriel cut. My opinion of the 144 is that the extra facets did not really enhance the cut of the stone. Maybe 105 will, but I just do not see the need to trump 58 facets. But if 105 makes it look more brilliant to you or your customer, by all means buy it and be happy.

 

[Nicrez]

Starfire, thanks for the pictures! LOVELY!!! I was really interested in the Gabi Carre diamond which is shaped square, like a radiant. I will have a radiant solitaire, so I have a very hard time finding a radiant shared prong eternity band...any pictures of that?!

Basset Hound, just a thought, a totally unrelated cut, the Cento (Roberto Coin) has 100 facets, and I am NOT a fan of round stones, despite their optimal cuts and appearances), but the Cento was magnificent. It was an SI1 and an H, I believe and I was stunned. I LOVED IT. The difference I noticed was that the sparkle configuration was totally different than a RB. RB's have big chunky sparkles of brilliance and fire, whereas my tastes being in Radiants with their cracked glass look, lended itself to the Cento, which has smaller more brilliant (yet STILL fiery) sparkles...It was lovely to say the least, and I WISH I had a picture of it in person!!!




Anyone have pictures of these extra faceted stones (well cut versions and not-so-well cut)?

 

[EdSkinner]

Well to coin an old phrase: that is why there is vanilla and chocolate. Also: whatever floats your boat. Anyway you look at it the only people who won't like it is: the woman who doesn't have it, the jeweler who didn't sell it. Enjoy your stone.

 

[starfire]

Hi Valerie101,

I haven't had the opportunity to get a Ideal-scope picture of a Gabrielle. In my experience, once someone sees the Gabrielle next to an ideal-cut diamond, he or she usually is blown away by the difference in scintillation (sparkle) and dispersion. So I haven't ever received a request for this.

I will see what I can do...

However, as Cut Nut implies correctly, the Gabrielle was not designed to look nice under an ideal-scope. In order for the scintillation to be so beautiful, it implies that light must be able to enter and leave the diamond from a wide range of angles than an ideal-cut.

So the Gabrielle was designed to look beautiful to the naked eye. You do not need to carry an ideal-scope, or any instruments, to appreciate the beauty.

Gabi is a living legend, and a romantic. And because he operates a small cutting business, the Gabrielle is rare, compared to the proliferation of ideal-cuts (branded or otherwise).

Best regards,
Stephen Tan
Charlotte Atelier
Singapore

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On 3/13/2004 5:19:37 AM valeria101 wrote:

Thanks for the detailed reply, Starfire!

I know this may be tooooo

much to ask, but would it be at all possible to see an Ideal Scope picture of one of the Gabrielle diamonds, be it round or square?

From the other side of the screen, it is very hard to appreciate the optics of a small, traspernt prism

And, as you must know by now, these red-black-white pictures are already considered acceptably reliable representations of diamons' light return around here. they are bound to be welcome!

I would have mentiond Brilliance Scope (I think this is the tool DPL uses)... Oh well... as you can see, branded cuts are not exactly mainstream around here, but your description of the cut makes me believe the Gabrielles are exceptionally fiery - much like an improved version of the older cuts evolved to still produce fire and scintillation, not necesarily best light return. Quite exciting

----------------

 

[valeria101]

Thank you for the very detailed answer! For someone who like old cuts and prefers fire and scintillation over light return, this should be great news and it is

'Fiery' ideal cuts are few and far between, and your answer confirms my impression that even they are not trully cut for fire...

 

[sharonzhere]

under-cover,

I don't know where you are, but I'm in Southern California. We came *this close* to buying a Gabrielle diamond. However, we wound up walking home with a near-perfect Tiffany.

Traditional Jewelers in Newport Beach, CA in the Fashion Island shopping center (it's an upscale outdoor mall) has a very large Gabrielle selection, in the size range you are looking at. They also have a very impressive selection of settings were most brick and mortars don't. I'm very very picky about settings (one of the reasons we bought at Tiffany) and I would have bought a setting from this store.

I just recently threw away their business card but the person we spoke with was named Marie Lavalee (or something very close to that) and she was very informed on the Gabrielle cut.

These diamonds truly are very unique and held up against an ideal cut diamond of the same size and quality you will see a significant difference with the naked eye. She held them up for us both up close, through the scope, and far away and there is a definite wow factor from all distances. There is a markup for that fire, though, so don't expect to get one for a deal.

HTH!

 

[noobie]

" I haven't had the opportunity to get a Ideal-scope picture of a Gabrielle. In my experience, once someone sees the Gabrielle next to an ideal-cut diamond, he or she usually is blown away by the difference in scintillation (sparkle) and dispersion. So I haven't ever received a request for this."

Well I got the chance to look at my first Gabrielle diamond last weekend. We were walking by a nice store and they were in the window, so I just had to take a look. The store claimed to sell many Gabrielles, so many that Gabi actually called them. At first glance, they are very interesting. They gave me a loose 1.21 carat SI1 I to look at and these are my thoughts:

- The spread is less than an ideal round. The salesperson said that in general they were cut deeper than ideal rounds. The 1.21 looked slightly bigger than a well cut 1 carat to me. I didn't have the specs though. I should have asked.

- It has lots of fire. Many small flashes which gave it a unique look. I think this is what intially catches people's attention.

- It was in a holder with a mirror base, to give it more brilliance I guess. When I looked in the center of the stone, it seemd to have a darker core, but you could see the sparkles of fire in it. I would describe it as contrast. It was definitely less brilliant to my eyes than a ideal round. The sales person admitted that it was less brilliant than rounds and then blamed it on the clarity. An SI1 affects brilliance I asked?

- The I color looked a little warm to me. It could have been the lights in the store or the extra flashes of colored light. However I held an H round next to it and the H looked much more than one color grade higher, so with my limited experience I have to agree with Rhino on color. I agree with Stephan that the cut would hide inclusions better, there's lots going on in there.

- Price? They wanted about 8 grand for this diamond. Not knowing where their prices were, I asked in comparsion to ideal rounds. Was it 1 grade higher (eg, get a grade less in the Gabrielle for the same price)? She said the premium was slightly more. On PS an round would be about 6 grand.

Bottom line: I didn't care for it that much over an ideal round. At first glance, it looks great and is in fact very interesting. After looking at it and playing with it for a while, I decided I prefered ideal rounds. YMMV. However I can appreciate how some may find the diamond very appealing. I just prefer the balance of brilliance fire and scintillation in a round.

 

[kevinng]

I just went to Charlotte Atelier today, and Stephen was excellent. If you want good service from a Jeweller in Singapore, I believe you can trust him to serve you.

My main interest in the trip was to view the Gabrielle diamonds. I do like them very much. There's a lot of scintillation and fire in the Gabrielle. Probably because of the number of facets it has. Apparently it has 2 crowns, but I did not look at it that closely because my lunch hour wasn't that long. However, I must emphasise that the Gabrielle diamond is very different from a H&A diamond.

Stephen did a Pepsi challenge of the Gabrielle with an 'ideal' diamond. However, from what I can see with my layman eyes, the 'ideal' diamond was not all that 'ideal'. Light return of the 'ideal' diamond was somewhat poor, especially under the table. (It was also not a H&A.) So, it was not a fair test and I ignored it.

If you ask me if the Gabrielle diamond is superior to a well cut H&A (based on the cutting style alone), I think not. All I can say is that they are different. They are cut for different effects. So, it really depends on which effect you like.

The Gabrielle appears to have higher scintillation and fire. However, if you observe closely, each 'explosion' of light is smaller and more delicate. For the well cut H&A, like the one I bought for my finace, the frequency of 'explosion' of light is lower, but each explosion is bigger. Simply because each facet is much larger.

So which cut looks better? I believe they will each look better under different conditions.

Which cut hides the colour of the diamond better? I think that whether it is a Gabrielle or a H&A. As long as a diamond is well cut, with high light return, the colour is well hidden if viewed from the crown. I don't think one cut is better than the other in this regard. Personally, I like good colour because I like the diamond set higher, so the pavilion is visible. Poor colour is visible from the pavilion for both cut patterns, in broad daylight. If you want to save money on colour, I think it makes sense to set it well to hide the pavilion, and get a diamond with a good cut. It does not mean that if you get a Gabrielle (or a well cut H&A), your colour problems are over.

Which diamond hides inclusions better? Personally, I think the Gabrielle hides inclusions better. This is because the cuts are so numerous and intricate, it's more difficult to detect the inclusion in the complex web of cuts (and hence light) with the naked eye. It is easier to spot a visible inclusion in a H&A because the cuts are cleaner.

So... which do I like better? I like both the Gabrielle and the H&A cuts for their own merits. But how much more would I be willing to pay for the rarer Gabrielle? Well... that is another question.

 

[Dancing Fire]

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On 7/2/2004 3:33:15 AM kevinng wrote:

I just went to Charlotte Atelier today, and Stephen was excellent. If you want good service from a Jeweller in Singapore, I believe you can trust him to serve you.

My main interest in the trip was to view the Gabrielle diamonds. I do like them very much. There's a lot of scintillation and fire in the Gabrielle. Probably because of the number of facets it has. Apparently it has 2 crowns, but I did not look at it that closely because my lunch hour wasn't that long. However, I must emphasise that the Gabrielle diamond is very different from a H&A diamond.

Stephen did a Pepsi challenge of the Gabrielle with an 'ideal' diamond. However, from what I can see with my layman eyes, the 'ideal' diamond was not all that 'ideal'. Light return of the 'ideal' diamond was somewhat poor, especially under the table. (It was also not a H&A.) So, it was not a fair test and I ignored it.

If you ask me if the Gabrielle diamond is superior to a well cut H&A (based on the cutting style alone), I think not. All I can say is that they are different. They are cut for different effects. So, it really depends on which effect you like.

The Gabrielle appears to have higher scintillation and fire. However, if you observe closely, each 'explosion' of light is smaller and more delicate. For the well cut H&A, like the one I bought for my finace, the frequency of 'explosion' of light is lower, but each explosion is bigger. Simply because each facet is much larger.

So which cut looks better? I believe they will each look better under different conditions.

Which cut hides the colour of the diamond better? I think that whether it is a Gabrielle or a H&A. As long as a diamond is well cut, with high light return, the colour is well hidden if viewed from the crown. I don't think one cut is better than the other in this regard. Personally, I like good colour because I like the diamond set higher, so the pavilion is visible. Poor colour is visible from the pavilion for both cut patterns, in broad daylight. If you want to save money on colour, I think it makes sense to set it well to hide the pavilion, and get a diamond with a good cut. It does not mean that if you get a Gabrielle (or a well cut H&A), your colour problems are over.

Which diamond hides inclusions better? Personally, I think the Gabrielle hides inclusions better. This is because the cuts are so numerous and intricate, it's more difficult to detect the inclusion in the complex web of cuts (and hence light) with the naked eye. It is easier to spot a visible inclusion in a H&A because the cuts are cleaner.

So... which do I like better? I like both the Gabrielle and the H&A cuts for their own merits. But how much more would I be willing to pay for the rarer Gabrielle? Well... that is another question.

----------------

Kevinng
I think the answer its the same when compare a top ideal cut H&A to an 8* cut they both have their own merits.

 

[kevinng]

Hmmm... maybe I should go take a look at the 8* one day.

 

[starfire]

Hi Kevin,

Thank you for your kind comments here, and in our store today. It was a pleasure meeting you today.

You are right. The Gabrielle Diamond shows a lot of scintillation and fire because of the 48 additional facets compared to a brilliant-cut diamond, and this is quite apparent to the naked eye without the need for instruments and tools.

Because of the facet arrangement of the Gabrielle Diamond, we have found that even P1 clarity diamonds CAN look beautiful. This would probably not have been possible with a brilliant-cut diamond.

However, as you have seen today with the 1.30ct J-P1 Gabrielle, it was extremely difficult to spot the inclusion with the naked eye. Theoretically, it should have been screaming out at you in a brilliant-cut diamond.

With Gabrielle, you no longer need to get a very high clarity diamond, since it will make little difference to your eyes. (Of course, for self-satisfaction, you may still choose to do so).

The customer is then able to purchase a larger diamond with a better colour that STILL looks beautiful for the same price, if he is willing to compromise on the clarity. So in fact, you might actually end up spending less instead of more, even though the Gabrielle IS a premium cut.

We believe that this is a very important benefit of the Gabrielle-cut, in addition to its beauty.

What we try to do is to keep one of the 4Cs constant - CUT Quality - and make the purchase process easier for the customer by having one less variable to worry about.

Sure, the customer may end up spending a little less than he would elsewhere, but we are happy as long as the customer is happy with the diamond. That's all that matters!


Best regards,
Stephen Tan
Charlotte Atelier

 

[kevinng]

That is right. The J-P1 diamond's inclusion was not obvious at all. It was a very nice diamond, and it would have made a very nice pendant.

 

[Carre Girl]

Hello everyone,





I just saw this thread. I have a 3 stone Gabrielle Carre diamond engagement ring & will have a 5 stone carre wedding band. I love my diamonds. The fire is amazing. I wish I had some better pictures. I'll have to get more when I go in to have the band made.





I agree with everyone that says that the diamonds stand out next to others. They are just beautiful. Completely worth it. Expensive though, yes.. Someone mentioned that. But not drastically so.





I wish I had all the specs for you but I'll give you what I have. I'm currently out of the country & I cannot remember the exact colors & clarity.





Center stone = 2.52 carats
Side stones = .83 & .85 carats


Total = 4.2 carats





The band will be (5) .25 carat carre diamonds. Gabi will be cutting them especially for me because normally the carre is no smaller than .50 carats.





Again, wish I had some pictures for you. You will not be disappointed if you purchase Gabrielle diamonds. I'm sure you will be thrilled with them.

 

[njc]

WOWZA!!! Those are beautiful!

Wondering how i could get the BF to get me one of those...