H&A . Expert opinion please

[tinhtu]

After 1 month of doing research, looking around, and considering the pro and con b/w local and internet jeweler, I have narrowed down my search for this stone:

H VVS2 H&A

1.24 Cts, GIA

Depth: 61.4%, Table: 57%

Gridle: Medium, Facet

Polish: Excelent

Symetry: Excelent

Fluorescence: None

Price: $8400

Location to buy: local jeweler, 10% of lifetime buy back, trade in will be equal value, (so many people in my community buy from this place, they have only D-H color, F-VS1 stones)

The questions are:

1, Is it a good stone for the price?

2, With the EX symetry, table %, depth%, H&A, can one tell it has a good proportion in cuttting? I have tried to ask for the sarin report but either they don''t have the sarin machine or they did not want to give it???

. What should I asked to get the sarin report without getting them upset?

3, I also saw sone recent graded stones buy GIA in Novemeber, they have on separate report with the crown , pavilion degree and angle. Is it the new grading by GIA as the sale people have said?

Thank you very much in advance,

 

[Regular Guy]

Tinh,

I think it''s reasonable to shop in your community, and the price is reasonable, if it''s well cut, and although that may be likely, and you could get an idealscope to check this, too, if it were me, I wouldn''t go ahead until a) I knew what the return without penalty policy was, b) knew I could take it to an appraiser, who may be at a distance from you, c) who would have the equipment most appraisers don''t have to check those angles, and d) I could decide to return it if it didn''t conform to whatever threshold standards you have, e) which might be 0-2 on the HCA.

Not sure about angering your jeweler. Seems like it could go one of two ways:

1) tell him you want to use him, will work with him to get a diamond that performs to your criteria, showing him Pricescope and the HCA, and you want to gain his cooperation to do so. Pay him the $50, inclusive of shipping, to have it sent to Dave Atlas (or someone else you research and agree to) to get this data. If it fails, tell him you''ll play go fish again.

2) As above, buy it, and go through this process yourself, being prepared to return it if you don''t get your desired score. You may find this approach will work once, as you and he may find it trying to make a second purchase, going through the same process. With option #1, even if you tried 5 times...chances are that by the second time, your jeweler will have gotten it (he won''t want the hassle either), and you''ll quickly come to the one.

Just some ideas.

BTW, not sure about that other report...maybe GIA is starting this early. Wev''e heard it reported their new reports will capture this favored data, and more, after 1/1/06.

 

[belle]

Date: 11/7/2005 2:27:49 AM
Author:tinhtu

Location to buy: local jeweler, 10% of lifetime buy back, trade in will be equal value

i''m not sure exactly what this means.

(so many people in my community buy from this place, they have only D-H color, F-VS1 stones)

they can get any color/combo they want. if you are in the market for something else, just ask. if they are interested in your business, they will oblige.

1, Is it a good stone for the price?

the price seems reasonable

2, With the EX symetry, table %, depth%, H&A, can one tell it has a good proportion in cuttting? I have tried to ask for the sarin report but either they don''t have the sarin machine or they did not want to give it???

. What should I asked to get the sarin report without getting them upset?

the table and depth do look good, which is a start but the real answers lie in the answers you get from a sarin. that said, you can find a very nice diamond using another really good tool...your own eyes.
if you need all of the numbers to feel more comfortable in your purchase, find someone that will help you get them. you are spending a good chunk of change..don''t worry about making them upset.

3, I also saw sone recent graded stones buy GIA in Novemeber, they have on separate report with the crown , pavilion degree and angle. Is it the new grading by GIA as the sale people have said?

interesting. i think we would have heard about gia having their new reports out.

best of luck tinhtu!

 

[tinhtu]

Thank you so much RG and Belle.

So your advice is to ask for sarin report, and have it appraisered.

To RG: "you could get an idealscope to check this"

They provided an idealscope to check on H&A. I found it vey nice and symetrical. The H&A is very defined.

To Belle:
Location to buy: local jeweler, 10% of lifetime buy back, trade in will be equal value
i''m not sure exactly what this means.

This means you can bring the stone back to their store anytime to get back 90% of the price on the receipt; the stone, of course, has to be the same as the GIA report. They will pay 100% for the stone ,if you going to buy more expensive one.

Thanks

 

[belle]

Date: 11/7/2005 11:06:17 AM
Author: tinhtu

So your advice is to ask for sarin report, and have it appraisered.

my advice is to go with a vendor that you trust and is willing to work with you.

 

[Regular Guy]

Almost certainly what you saw was an H&A scope, specifically designed to show you the symmetry aspects of the diamond. This is helpful info, and increases the likelihood for good light performance, you can read more about those symmetry aspects here.

Some say an IS (idealscope) is sufficient, some say eyes are OK...for my money (make that...yours), I''d want access to the details of proportion measurements.

 

[belle]

Date: 11/7/2005 12:06:27 PM
Author: Regular Guy
Almost certainly what you saw was an H&A scope, specifically designed to show you the symmetry aspects of the diamond. This is helpful info, and increases the likelihood for good light performance, you can read more about those symmetry aspects here.

thanks rg, i forgot to mention that earlier. very well said.

 

[tinhtu]

I just call GIA lab, and they confirmed that they have been testing the beta process of the new report in next year with the cut grading. Since October they have given more infomation on round brillion stones such as angles, paviliion etc, so the customer can enter data to the software to determine the cut grading
link : http://facetware.gia.edu/

I think the vendors or retailers should know this. Any one cares to share? Thanks

 

[JohnQuixote]

Date: 11/7/2005 4:07:30 PM
Author: tinhtu
I just call GIA lab, and they confirmed that they have been testing the beta process of the new report in next year with the cut grading. Since October they have given more infomation on round brillion stones such as angles, paviliion etc, so the customer can enter data to the software to determine the cut grading
link : http://facetware.gia.edu/

I think the vendors or retailers should know this. Any one cares to share? Thanks

Tinhtu

There was a thread with discussion about this last August, linked here. GIA cut grading is a big step forward for the age of cut grading in general. Opinions vary about how much latitude GIA's top grade has.

 

[tinhtu]

Finally, I decide to go with this stone:

H VVS2 H&A
1.24 Cts, GIA
Depth: 60.9%, Table: 56.5%
Gridle: Medium, Facet
Polish: Excelent
Symetry: Excelent
Fluorescence: None

addtional info

crown angle: 34
crown depth: 15
pavillion angle: 40.8
Pavilion depth:43.1

Using HCA I got 1.1 and ACA DIY grading I got 1A

Price $8300

Is it the good price?

What is the rapaport for this stone?

Should I get independent appraiser to appraise it or I should wait and send to GIA to get new grading report after 01/01/2006. GIA dated in April 2005?

Thank you

 

[Kaleigh]

The numbers look good. Use the tool at the top of the page to Pricescope your diamond, the answers to your question are there.

Good luck!!!

 

[Regular Guy]

Tinh,

Do you have a story about how you got the sarin numbers afte all?

Sounds like you''ve done very well, and you can compare yourself against this comparable you''d gone toe to toe with for a popular vendor here who sells not locally but nationally.

Some few seek to take their diamonds to GIA or AGS; it''s generally recommended and a good idea to take it at least to an independent appraiser, both before and after setting, and to get documents to use for insuring it (and actually, whatever you get from GIA won''t be a valuation you do typically need for insurance, too!).

Congratulations. By the way, you may want to "share the wealth." The board administrators here do keep a list of local B&Ms who do well by their customers, so you might like to recommend the shop you''ve dealt with, if you''re so inclined.