GIA vs AGS

[will-i-am]

Thanks to everyone - the knowledge you all contribute has made a dreadful shopping experience into a fun and exciting bargain hunt!

Regarding cut grades, if you had to choose between between a GIA and AGS both with the "H&Y" designation, which would you go for, if the GIA was $500 less?

Specifically, I am trying to choose between the following:

.97 GIA, F, VS2, Triple Excellant, with "H&A" designation on the Cert.
.94 AGS, D, SI1, Triple Ideal, also with "H&A"

As mentioned, the GIA stone is $500 less. Is it worth it to go the "extra mile" and get the AGS? I am reaching capacity as far as budget already. The "D" definitely sounds sexier, however, it is a light carat. I am also leaning towards GIA because 97 points is a rare, value find.

Please let me know what you guys think!

P.S. It seems like everywhere I look for a designer setting, the jeweler wants to rip me on the center stone! Any additional comments on what I should do? I am looking at having to buy a center stone at one place and then buy the setting someplace else (assuming I can even find someone willing to sell me a semi-mount). In then end, I am not getting the added cost benefit and service level of buying everything at one place.

 

[Dancing Fire]

can you post the specs on these two stones along with H&A pics?

 

[Ellen]

Date: 6/25/2008 2:54:39 AM
Author: Dancing Fire
can you post the specs on these two stones along with H&A pics?

Ditto. The grading report does not matter to me, it''s the cut quality. I would go after the best cut, always. One note though, just because the report says H&A on it, that does not mean it''s truly cut to that level. There is no grading for H&A''s.

Also, if you''re unhappy with prices, and worried about getting the stone set somewhere, have you considered looking online? It''s possible you could find both with one vendor, and your problems would be solved. Just a thought!

 

[Indira-London]

Dancing Fire is right, to be able to help you with advice we need to know more information about the two diamonds including if possible the H&A-pictures and preferably idealscope-pictures. The devil as they say is in the detail and there is more to it than just the name of the labs and their grades.

Firstly, if ‘H&A’ is mentioned on the GIA-report, or on the AGS-report for that matter, it means that the cutter (or possibly the seller) put a laser inscription ‘H&A’ on the stone, and the lab is reporting this. It does not necessarily mean that the stone actually is a good example of H&A. For example, anyone can put ‘H&A’ as an inscription. The stone might show 8, 7 or 5 arrows, white or black. ‘H&A’ as a term can be widely abused and stretched. It is only by seeing the pictures can we advise on how good the H&A actually are.

Secondly, grading colour and clarity is not an objective science but is a subjective skill and hence it really depends on the actual stones and your preferences. For instance, I prefer an SI1 with a white inclusion (e.g. crsytal or cloud preferably on the side or back) to a VS2 with a black inclusion in the centre where if deep enough that smaller VS2 black inclusion could be reflected all around the table so that it looks worse when viewed with a loupe of course. At eye-level both stones should look the same.