GIA Triple Ex enough?

[bluebird29]

Hi All,

I’ve read these forum posts for a long time - wildly impressed by everyone’s knowledge! I’m hoping you can put my mind at ease please. We’ve had a rough ride with my engagement ring - too long a story to go into but it has been a less than magical experience. We were about to settle on a ring until we realised that the stone was only a ‘good’ GIA cut. I was heartbroken and said that we needed to change that immediately because I had thought we were buying a triple excellent. Fast forward and we’ve got three new stones to choose from to fit my ring but our budget and the size of the ring we’ve chosen means we’re limited to what can now fit into that ring. It’s complicated but essentially we’re tied into a setting for a 1 carat stone with only a budget for a 0.9 carat. I feel like it’s a disaster.

The proportions of two of the stones are:
Depth: 60%
Table: 59%
Crown: 32.5
Pavilion: 41.2

And the other:
Depth: 59%
Table: 60%
Crown: 32.5
Pavilion: 41

All three have star facets: 50, lower girdle: 75.

I thought the first proportions would score better but the latter seems to get a lower HCA rating. We can not afford a Super ideal cut or specialty cut diamond in the size we need to fit my ring so I’m limited in options. I’m panicking that I will never find the right thing and I think I’ve read so many posts that talk about the beauty (justifiably so) of super ideal cut diamonds that sometimes it feels like everything else will look awful in comparison. Talk about first world problems hey but I’m stuck not knowing what to do? Any advice is welcome, thank you.

 

[jp201845]

Hi All,

I’ve read these forum posts for a long time - wildly impressed by everyone’s knowledge! I’m hoping you can put my mind at ease please. We’ve had a rough ride with my engagement ring - too long a story to go into but it has been a less than magical experience. We were about to settle on a ring until we realised that the stone was only a ‘good’ GIA cut. I was heartbroken and said that we needed to change that immediately because I had thought we were buying a triple excellent. Fast forward and we’ve got three new stones to choose from to fit my ring but our budget and the size of the ring we’ve chosen means we’re limited to what can now fit into that ring. It’s complicated but essentially we’re tied into a setting for a 1 carat stone with only a budget for a 0.9 carat. I feel like it’s a disaster.

The proportions of two of the stones are:
Depth: 60%
Table: 59%
Crown: 32.5
Pavilion: 41.2

And the other:
Depth: 59%
Table: 60%
Crown: 32.5
Pavilion: 41

All three have star facets: 50, lower girdle: 75.

I thought the first proportions would score better but the latter seems to get a lower HCA rating. We can not afford a Super ideal cut or specialty cut diamond in the size we need to fit my ring so I’m limited in options. I’m panicking that I will never find the right thing and I think I’ve read so many posts that talk about the beauty (justifiably so) of super ideal cut diamonds that sometimes it feels like everything else will look awful in comparison. Talk about first world problems hey but I’m stuck not knowing what to do? Any advice is welcome, thank you.

The proportions of the first 2 stones you posted are called 60/60 diamonds. Nothing wrong with them but not considered super ideal. They have a different personality and produce a flash of white light vs flashes of colored light ( fire). Are you ok with more white light and less fire? Are you looking for a more balanced stone that produces white light and fire equally? It is your personal preference that matters. You have come to a very helpful forum with alot of knowledgeable people and experts. Feel free to ask any specific questions and voice any concerns.

 

[bluebird29]

The proportions of the first 2 stones you posted are called 60/60 diamonds. Nothing wrong with them but not considered super ideal. They have a different personality and produce a flash of white light vs flashes of colored light ( fire). Are you ok with more white light and less fire? Are you looking for a more balanced stone that produces white light and fire equally? It is your personal preference that matters. You have come to a very helpful forum with alot of knowledgeable people and experts. Feel free to ask any specific questions and voice any concerns.

Thank you so much for replying. I do like fire but not so much that I want it to overwhelm white light so yes I suppose a more balanced stone would be the ideal. These were the best three we could come by though so I’m wondering if it’s better to sacrifice the fire for a better cut, overall? Going to have another look at them in person next week so will attempt to post some pictures. My jeweller seems to have a fairly small selection of stones to choose from and isn’t terribly happy with me buying one myself and bringing it to her to set. Maybe I would do better getting one online?

 

[lovedogs]

Can you return the setting? I think you need to look online, because your jeweler won't be able to get the quality selection that you will find online. What's your budget, and what's her color tolerance? I think we can definitely find you something, but I worry about the strict size requirements. It would be easier if you could just start over with a new setting and stone.

 

[Dancing Fire]

My jeweller seems to have a fairly small selection of stones to choose from and isn’t terribly happy with me buying one myself and bringing it to her to set. Maybe I would do better getting one online?

Yes you would have a lot more choices. What color and clarity are you looking at?

 

[bluebird29]

Unfortunately we can’t return the setting as it has been custom made. Budget is just £3700/£3800 GBP - in the UK which limits us to Blue Nile essentially due to additional import tax and VAT - colour I or H is a happy compromise and all the stones we’ve liked have been good SI1’s or VS2. We both love fluorescence so that may be a way to save money but I don’t want the stone to look milky or hazy. Thank you so much everyone for your assistance so far.

 

[Athena10X]

https://www.bluenile.com/diamond-de...DiamondDetails&action=newTab&catalogView=true

This one has complimentary angles (although GIA averages and rounds), scores a HCA of 1.4 (excellent for light return and fire, very good for scintillation and spread) and I’m thinking .95ct should fit into a 1ct setting. Don’t think BN provides ASET.

This one may be within budget even with VAT
https://www.b2cjewels.com/dd/12182565/1-01-carat-round-diamond-i-color-si1-clarity

More to come.

 

[srke]

Limited to just Blue Nile I cannot see too many options. But even with vat though it might be cheaper to buy from elsewhere.
Are you willing to go down in clarity or colour? Or slightly increase the budget?

Searching just bluenile, there is one that is under budget at 1ct but probably not eye clean
https://www.bluenile.com/uk/diamond...DiamondDetails&action=newTab&catalogView=true

Also if you can go with something a bit smaller, these ones seem fairly clean, even the SI2's inclusions seem mostly clear. And that one is also very under budget.
https://www.bluenile.com/uk/diamond...DiamondDetails&action=newTab&catalogView=true
https://www.bluenile.com/uk/diamond...DiamondDetails&action=newTab&catalogView=true

 

[rockysalamander]

Was the setting so expensive that you really are stuck with it? Can you return the setting and start over?


I flexed your criteria to show you a range of options. Some are above budget or have lower colors.

Great clarity and angles good.
https://enchanteddiamonds.com/v/084858579

Just above budget
https://www.bluenile.com/nl/diamond...AMONDS&track=viewDiamondDetails&action=newTab

This is J color, but really pretty and great angles.
https://www.bluenile.com/nl/diamond...AMONDS&track=viewDiamondDetails&action=newTab

If I did the math correct, you could also look at these and have a much better cut diamond and very generous upgrade.

Below budget, but would allow you a very generous upgrade policy and and get a super ideal.
https://www.whiteflash.com/loose-diamonds/round-cut-loose-diamond-4077119.htm

K color, reaches your size goal.
https://www.whiteflash.com/loose-diamonds/round-cut-loose-diamond-4077124.htm

Inclusion is on the table, but it is clear and not visible at 8-10 inches (WF definition of eyeclean)
https://www.whiteflash.com/loose-diamonds/round-cut-loose-diamond-4077121.htm

 

[OoohShiny]

To throw it out there, and to mention something that we can't discuss in detail in this section of the forum (only the Lab Grown Diamonds section, which you can get to via the link at the top of the forum) you could also consider Man Made Diamonds if you need to hit a certain size but also have a limited budget.

August Vintage Inc. (run by Rhino, a long-time Trade member on here, formerly of Good Old Gold) has a range of MMDs with a focus on good cut quality, and there are also other vendors out there to look at.

AVInc hasn't got anything in H and above around the 1ct/VS2+ criteria at the moment, but you could drop him a line to see if he can get something that would suit.

With a budget of around $4k USD (£3750/1.2 = £3125 without VAT. £3125*1.25 GBP/USD conversion = $3906) I think you should easily be able to hit all the criteria you would prefer.

 

[bluebird29]

Thank you everyone, your suggestions have been so very helpful. Going down to a J colour could be a great option, though I think I'd rather not sacrifice on the clarity. A man-made diamond is a great idea too, though I'm set on GIA or AGS and don't think you can currently get man-made diamonds with those certs? Online it is, I think!

I also found this one:

https://www.bluenile.com/uk/diamond...AMONDS&track=viewDiamondDetails&action=newTab

It looks good but hard to tell? Any feedback would be helpful! Thank you again.

 

[blueMA]

I avoid combining cloud with fluorescence, especially when the cloud is first grade setting on an SI1 - the stone will need to be vetted. The cut looks decent with optical symmetry, but would've preferred the crown lowered to near 34 for the 41 pavilion to minimize the obstruction seen around the middle.