I want you to picture a diamond with amazing brilliance and fire, absolutely stunning. Now I want you to picture a diamond with a 61% table and a 57.8% depth.
Now imagine they’re the same diamond.
Yup, that’s right. I visited Jonathan’s store, GoodOldGold yesterday and one of the stones on my “to see” list was the one described above.
On paper, it’s table is wider than it’s total depth… but the HCA gives it a very, very respectable 0.9 “BIC” (ex, vg, vg, ex) and it doesn’t disappoint. It stood shoulder to shoulder with several SuperbCerts (with HCA scores of .6 - . ***
Not only was it very, very ‘sparklie’ but it was ‘bigger’ than a 1.24 ct stone normally looks like (esp. if you compare it to a maul-cut deep/heavy cut) –the last figure in the HCA, ‘spread’ does show up in reality and did make the diamond look great.
I can say that whether you’re buying a super-ideal, branded –or- generic H&A, or especially looking for a ‘find’ that, on paper, may not be ‘ideal’ but will look great, you should try the HCA.
The only times I found the HCA to not match the BrillianceScope reading (and more importantly- what I saw in person) was when the symmetry is less than really good. (do I mean less than Good or VeryGood? –I dunno, but on diamonds with higher degrees of variance in the pavilion and crown angles, the HCA was ‘optimistic’- but if you read the HCA notes, it assumes a symmetrical stone- so nothing unexpected).
So, did I go with the 1.24ct AGS2 ‘sleeper’ – nope, I ended up going for a bit bigger rock, but for someone looking for an amazing rock that may someday be recognized for being the performer that it is, go check it out at Jonathan’s site: http://www.goodoldgold.com/1_24ct_h_vs2_ags2.htm
Speaking of Jonathan’s site and store- wow what a blast- I got to look at the 5 stones on my ‘list’ side by side, through a firescope, under a H&A viewer, in the ‘analog’ BrillianceScope, through my loupe, under the ‘jewelers’ spotlights, under fluorescent light, and even in the parking lot under natural light. (even when I though that I’d made up my mind, he brought out a ‘new one’ that he’d just gotten in from Barry that was not yet on the site…
In natural light is where the SuperbCerts stood out. He put upto 4 stones at a time in these ‘temporary’ settings for me to compare them in a ‘faceup/onhand’ position once the ‘on counter’ nit-picking was done.
When you put your back to the sun and looked at the S.C. rocks in the shadow cast by your person, some rox did look ‘brighter’ than others- and later- referring to my notes, those where the ones with the Higher B.Scope “white light” readings and the ones with the lower HCA scores.
Some might say: “ah, you’re splitting hairs on a gnat’s ass” yup, but if I can tell a difference, then so will my soon-to-be fiancé with her better senses!
In closing, by visiting GoodOldGold, I was reassured that the BrillianceScope and the HCA can be indicative of how sparklie and beautiful a symmetrical diamond will look like in person, so if you can’t make it by his store- his website and the info on it- will do you fine. If you are anywere near Eastern Long Island, look Jonathan up, you won’t be disappointed. He is by far the best jeweler I’ve dealt with- up front, informative, consultative, and with a passion for his vocation.
-Hakalugi
PS- sorry, I won’t be posting data/pix/details on my stone until she says “yes”- she’ll be the first to see it. After that, I’ll post the info here for all to see.
***I’m sure someone would ask a follow up, so here’s the info ahead of time- what does “shoulder to shoulder mean”? well under the following light conditions the following was observed:
1) under the jeweler’s spots- the AGS2 with the HCA of .9 look just as good as the superideals- from the TOP- as far as light return goes. There was certainly a greater amount of ‘chaos’ in the AGS2 within the stone- the S.Certs looked more symmetrical internally, with a more consistent light return, the AGS2 had some hot/cold spots - but on the counter- it was very beautiful none-the-less.
2) Under fluorescent lights (with the ‘spot-lights being 10’ away) the S.Certs gave off a bit more color and personality.
3) In the ‘diffused light’ of being in my shadow outside the S.Certs gave a bit more white light
4) In the direct sunlight, the S.Cert gave a bit more white light (but that could be from the exterior of the diamond… as a function of the ‘vg.good’ polish on the 1.24 and the Ex. polish on the 4 S.Certs I compared it to).
Either way the differences were apparent, but varying in degree based on the lighting conditions.
Bottom line: the “AGS2” killed the 5 stones of same color/clarity/width that I looked at via local dealers in Washington DC (that DID have GIA EX/EX ratings and tables/depths in the 56-57/60-62 range) and it’s thousands less $.
IF I would have bought SOLELY from the GIA CERT (“off paper”), I would have picked the ones here in DC. But that would have been my loss. Because based on my eyesight (light return, sparlie-ness, etc) I would have picked the AGS2 over the 5 candidates in DC So what I’m sayin’- if you can’t see them for yourself- you gotta get the ‘other angles’ and run some numbers- as long as it’s symmetrical- the HCA will help you decide
Now imagine they’re the same diamond.
Yup, that’s right. I visited Jonathan’s store, GoodOldGold yesterday and one of the stones on my “to see” list was the one described above.
On paper, it’s table is wider than it’s total depth… but the HCA gives it a very, very respectable 0.9 “BIC” (ex, vg, vg, ex) and it doesn’t disappoint. It stood shoulder to shoulder with several SuperbCerts (with HCA scores of .6 - . ***
Not only was it very, very ‘sparklie’ but it was ‘bigger’ than a 1.24 ct stone normally looks like (esp. if you compare it to a maul-cut deep/heavy cut) –the last figure in the HCA, ‘spread’ does show up in reality and did make the diamond look great.
I can say that whether you’re buying a super-ideal, branded –or- generic H&A, or especially looking for a ‘find’ that, on paper, may not be ‘ideal’ but will look great, you should try the HCA.
The only times I found the HCA to not match the BrillianceScope reading (and more importantly- what I saw in person) was when the symmetry is less than really good. (do I mean less than Good or VeryGood? –I dunno, but on diamonds with higher degrees of variance in the pavilion and crown angles, the HCA was ‘optimistic’- but if you read the HCA notes, it assumes a symmetrical stone- so nothing unexpected).
So, did I go with the 1.24ct AGS2 ‘sleeper’ – nope, I ended up going for a bit bigger rock, but for someone looking for an amazing rock that may someday be recognized for being the performer that it is, go check it out at Jonathan’s site: http://www.goodoldgold.com/1_24ct_h_vs2_ags2.htm
Speaking of Jonathan’s site and store- wow what a blast- I got to look at the 5 stones on my ‘list’ side by side, through a firescope, under a H&A viewer, in the ‘analog’ BrillianceScope, through my loupe, under the ‘jewelers’ spotlights, under fluorescent light, and even in the parking lot under natural light. (even when I though that I’d made up my mind, he brought out a ‘new one’ that he’d just gotten in from Barry that was not yet on the site…
In natural light is where the SuperbCerts stood out. He put upto 4 stones at a time in these ‘temporary’ settings for me to compare them in a ‘faceup/onhand’ position once the ‘on counter’ nit-picking was done.
When you put your back to the sun and looked at the S.C. rocks in the shadow cast by your person, some rox did look ‘brighter’ than others- and later- referring to my notes, those where the ones with the Higher B.Scope “white light” readings and the ones with the lower HCA scores.
Some might say: “ah, you’re splitting hairs on a gnat’s ass” yup, but if I can tell a difference, then so will my soon-to-be fiancé with her better senses!
In closing, by visiting GoodOldGold, I was reassured that the BrillianceScope and the HCA can be indicative of how sparklie and beautiful a symmetrical diamond will look like in person, so if you can’t make it by his store- his website and the info on it- will do you fine. If you are anywere near Eastern Long Island, look Jonathan up, you won’t be disappointed. He is by far the best jeweler I’ve dealt with- up front, informative, consultative, and with a passion for his vocation.
-Hakalugi
PS- sorry, I won’t be posting data/pix/details on my stone until she says “yes”- she’ll be the first to see it. After that, I’ll post the info here for all to see.
***I’m sure someone would ask a follow up, so here’s the info ahead of time- what does “shoulder to shoulder mean”? well under the following light conditions the following was observed:
1) under the jeweler’s spots- the AGS2 with the HCA of .9 look just as good as the superideals- from the TOP- as far as light return goes. There was certainly a greater amount of ‘chaos’ in the AGS2 within the stone- the S.Certs looked more symmetrical internally, with a more consistent light return, the AGS2 had some hot/cold spots - but on the counter- it was very beautiful none-the-less.
2) Under fluorescent lights (with the ‘spot-lights being 10’ away) the S.Certs gave off a bit more color and personality.
3) In the ‘diffused light’ of being in my shadow outside the S.Certs gave a bit more white light
4) In the direct sunlight, the S.Cert gave a bit more white light (but that could be from the exterior of the diamond… as a function of the ‘vg.good’ polish on the 1.24 and the Ex. polish on the 4 S.Certs I compared it to).
Either way the differences were apparent, but varying in degree based on the lighting conditions.
Bottom line: the “AGS2” killed the 5 stones of same color/clarity/width that I looked at via local dealers in Washington DC (that DID have GIA EX/EX ratings and tables/depths in the 56-57/60-62 range) and it’s thousands less $.
IF I would have bought SOLELY from the GIA CERT (“off paper”), I would have picked the ones here in DC. But that would have been my loss. Because based on my eyesight (light return, sparlie-ness, etc) I would have picked the AGS2 over the 5 candidates in DC So what I’m sayin’- if you can’t see them for yourself- you gotta get the ‘other angles’ and run some numbers- as long as it’s symmetrical- the HCA will help you decide