Help evaluate a 7.5 carat stone

[lulu_ma]

If spread (mm) is your #1 priority, we can still help you find the best for your money.

Fingers crossed that you can get the deposit back. Keep us posted. We're here to help and we love to shop for diamonds.

(btw, the top stone in my avatar is a 7.6 ct HRD Antwerp M color. If you have a bit of flexibility on color, your budget is very workable)

 

[elizat]

I echo the above. I would be seeking to undo the deposit asap. You will not be able to sell that down the line for anywhere near what you are paying. Plus, if you want honesty, it's just an unattractive stone. It's big, yes, but it's quite unattractive. The cut is really quite bad and that doesn't even look like an L color to me.

 

[FL_runner]

For 65k I would choose this:

3.704ct J VS2 Super Ideal Hearts & Arrows H&A AGS Loose Diamond | Victor Canera

3.704 Carat J Color VS2 Clarity Super Ideal Hearts & Arrows H&A Round loose natural diamond with Ideal Cut proportions certified by AGS laboratories.

www.victorcanera.com

Or I'd save 30k and buy this plus something else amazing.

Diamond | 3.411 ct K VS1 A CUT ABOVE® Hearts and Arrows Super Ideal Round Cut Loose Diamond AGS Certified | 4524094

This Whiteflash A CUT ABOVE® super ideal cut hearts and arrows 3.411 carat K color VS1 clarity loose diamond is graded by the American Gem Society (AGS) Laboratories. | 4524094

www.whiteflash.com

I agree with you!!!! Makes more sense to go for the biggest Whiteflash stone in the budget and upgrade down the line!

 

[daisygrl]

thank you for all your candid feedback.

Issue now becomes, my husband has already but a deposit on this stone. Is this a bad stone or do I run the risk of something happening to it overtime? Similarly related to its value over time - will it depreciate?

You seem like you really want the stone. You have received a very valuable advise here so it is up to you what you make of it. I would not run from the stone. I would sprint. It is not only poorly cut stone (very), it will look smaller than it is due to it.

Furthermore, GIA states a feather as a main inclusion, which in I2 is a quite a risk of durability over time.

As far as depreciation, all diamond depreciate and do not hold their value. I do not recommend buying diamonds for the sake of reselling them for profit later. It will not happen, especially with this one, being very included, rather poorly cut, and the color is also not desirable. If you only care about the size and nothing else, there are ways to go about it without purchasing this particular stone.

 

[ItsMainelyYou]

OP, I know it can be hard to hear responses you did not expect.

PS really will help you find what you want, and there is no motivation other than to see beautiful rocks go into the world on happy fingers. That's it.
A dealer wants to unload this stone because they know it's a hard sell, so they're going to hard sell you. If they start dancing with the investment and rarity teasers, it's a red flag. A sales pitch.
There's a plethora of major expertise and they know how to get you the best stone for the money. There is a marked difference between a poorly cut 'crystal doorknob' and a well cut stone. A tale of art, science, angles and percentages. PS will massage those numbers in your pricing parameters and find you the absolute best available. PS wants a happy ending of you receiving something spectacular!

 

[Rockdiamond]

Hi all!!!
Alternative viewpoint here:
I love to use analogies.
Let's compare this to buying a house.
But not a cookie cutter row house...an estate.
The considerations are way different.
It's not realistic to use the same parameters we'd use for a 1ct G/SI1 for a stone like this.
Whereas- when someone is looking for advice on how to buy that 1ct G/SI1....yes. The smallest of details count. After all, there are a gazillion of them available.
Not so much for 7 carat diamonds.
This happens a lot with fancy colors...a potential buyer is looking for a Fancy Yellow.
But they've "done the research" so it has to be VVS. Or have EX polish and EX Symmetry.
If we're looking at the RBC 1ct, sure.
But in many cases a Fancy Yellow with merely "good" polish and sym is far more desirable than a second stone rated EX/EX
7ct diamonds are more like fancy colors in this regard.
I wouldn't eliminate a 7ct as easily as a 1ct.
@laviejenrose -to be clear, I'm not suggesting that you go ahead with the purchase.
Based on forum rules I'm not allowed to recommend- or dissuade.
But you've brought up some good points for discussion.
1) Investment value ...NO NO NO NO NO.
Buy a diamond because you love it. If you get into real financial trouble, you can regain some of your investment ( based on historical trends)
A diamond will hold value better than most consumer products...but they are very hard to sell. This is true for a D/Flawless- and even more for diamonds that are imperfect. Someone will want to buy it....but the price might not be so good for you.

2) Durability: Any diamond can break- even that D Flawless. Feathers- generally not where a round diamond breaks- but breaking a diamond is generally a freak accident.
Both of these are aspects that an honest dealer is bound to share with you. Of course, that's just my opinion....but now that you're reading this.....

The price would be very difficult for a dealer to gauge without actually examining the diamond first hand.
Prices of stones like this are all over the place.

 

[laviejenrose]

I can’t thank you all enough for all your feedback. This is not what I was hoping to hear but was certainly the goal of coming on a platform like this.

The seller has agreed to refund the deposit (minus a processing fee).

I guess my next question would be how realistic would it be to find a similar size stone with better cut at this price point.

 

[Cerulean]

I can’t thank you all enough for all your feedback. This is not what I was hoping to hear but was certainly the goal of coming on a platform like this.

The seller has agreed to refund the deposit (minus a processing fee).

I guess my next question would be how realistic would it be to find a similar size stone with better cut at this price point.

A nice 7 carat stone will be well beyond 65k - likely well beyond 100k

There is a reason than 7 carat was so “cheap” comparatively. Because frankly there was nothing redeeming about it beyond the size. You dodged a very expensive bullet.

The larger the stone, the more obvious the tint or inclusions will be. There is just more surface area! You may not have been as aware of the tint and inclusions of that stone underneath the dazzling lights of the store, but I’m certain the tint and inclusions would’ve been more obvious to you with time/in other environments

Personally, I wouldn’t go below an I color or SI1 (and even that I’d be wary of) for such a large stone. That is if you want a stone that isn’t visibly tinted or included

If you share your criteria and budget people can help you hunt.

 

[Kim N]

I can’t thank you all enough for all your feedback. This is not what I was hoping to hear but was certainly the goal of coming on a platform like this.

The seller has agreed to refund the deposit (minus a processing fee).

I guess my next question would be how realistic would it be to find a similar size stone with better cut at this price point.

I'm so glad to hear that you're able to get a refund on the deposit.

This is not a super ideal cut, but it'll give you an idea of pricing for an excellent cut stone from a reputable vendor.

5.40 Carat round diamond

5.40 Carat round diamond

www.jamesallen.com

 

[laviejenrose]

I’ll be completely candid in saying, I was never looking for the perfect stone. Carat size is my top priority but not at the expense of the integrity of the stone. I’m not tied to any one clarity or color. Really depends on the stone.

Ideally looking for 7-10 carat round with a solid cut for under 100k.

Do any of the stone experts on this thread have any leads?

 

[Rockdiamond]

I'd caution against using one's own preferences to dictate advice.
For example- when it comes to color- we've had clients who can absolutely see a tint in an H....maybe even a G. And it's a bother to them.
We also have had many clients who actually prefer a J to a D.
Gauging how a clarity grade affects a stone is similar in that some people have much better vision than others. And some I2's are MUCH worse than others.
Same for SI grades as well.

I guess my next question would be how realistic would it be to find a similar size stone with better cut at this price point.

You need to find a dealer who has access to a lot of stones. Based on the market I'm seeing....it will be tough to find a nice looking 7ct for $65k

But it will be necessary to step out of the thought process being used to advise about that 1ct G/SI1.
There are a lot of stones that have aspects that could easily be a cause for concern....yet in that specific case, it's not an issue.
Maybe a stone that "only" gets a "VG" cut grade- or even...a "G" cut grade.
It might fall outside the PS recommended numbers...and yet still be gorgeous.

 

[lovedogs]

Significantly better options under 100k:

7.19 Carat Diamond, Round, L Color, SI1, GIA, D118451265

This Round shape, L color,SI1 clarity, and Super Ideal make (cut) certified loose diamond comes with a report from the GIA

www.brilliance.com

7.55 Carat Diamond, Round, L Color, SI1, GIA, D118482587

This Round shape, L color,SI1 clarity, and Super Ideal make (cut) certified loose diamond comes with a report from the GIA

www.brilliance.com

Smaller than you want, but including them anyway:

5.73 Carat Diamond, Round, K Color, VS2, GIA, D118735893

This Round shape, K color,VS2 clarity, and Super Ideal make (cut) certified loose diamond comes with a report from the GIA

www.brilliance.com

5.51 Carat Diamond, Round, M Color, VS1, GIA, D118311172

This Round shape, M color,VS1 clarity, and Super Ideal make (cut) certified loose diamond comes with a report from the GIA

www.brilliance.com

5.15 Carat Diamond, Round, L Color, VS1, GIA, D118733626

This Round shape, L color,VS1 clarity, and Super Ideal make (cut) certified loose diamond comes with a report from the GIA

www.brilliance.com

 

[Cerulean]

I'd caution against using one's own preferences to dictate advice.
For example- when it comes to color- we've had clients who can absolutely see a tint in an H....maybe even a G. And it's a bother to them.
We also have had many clients who actually prefer a J to a D.
Gauging how a clarity grade affects a stone is similar in that some people have much better vision than others. And some I2's are MUCH worse than others.
Same for SI grades as well.



You need to find a dealer who has access to a lot of stones. Based on the market I'm seeing....it will be tough to find a nice looking 7ct for $65k

But it will be necessary to step out of the thought process being used to advise about that 1ct G/SI1.
There are a lot of stones that have aspects that could easily be a cause for concern....yet in that specific case, it's not an issue.
Maybe a stone that "only" gets a "VG" cut grade- or even...a "G" cut grade.
It might fall outside the PS recommended numbers...and yet still be gorgeous.

I think that’s right, but I do think people (myself included) were clear that they were merely expressing preferences.

My actual personal preference is for a very low colored stone and I don’t care about some visible inclusions, but I’m certainly not going to come swinging into this thread with that at the forefront. Because I’m aware that most people don’t want that.

I also think there are “general” guidelines that people who haven’t seen many diamonds might find helpful. Want a white, clean stone? Probably don’t go below an I color, or an SI1. Of course there are exceptions. But it is probably more common for a newbie, including OP, not to be able to discern a “good” I2 from a “bad” I2.

Or, I’ve seen many threads from newer diamond buyers (heck, and even savvy ones) who did not realize that tint bothered them until they see their new stone out in the wild and compared it to others. This is all speculative but there are obvious themes in buyer behavior and preferences. No one is capable of occupying everyone’s point of view, but I think we can certainly take an educated guess and people can establish their own POV and take it from there.

My point is, I don’t think we need to throw the baby out with the bath water…

 

[lulu_ma]

The 7.19 ct that @lovedogs found looks so bright!

Here's another option if you want to go lower color. I can't speak to cut quality because I don't have the cert.

Jewels by Whitney on Instagram: "She's a show stopper! This modern round brilliant ring found its way to me, and I'm so excited it did! The center rock is 6.67 carats, approximately O-P color & VS clarity, 12.40 mm. It is set in a beautifully made

304 likes, 20 comments - jewelsbywhitneyAugust 12, 2022 on : "She's a show stopper! This modern round brilliant ring found its way to me, and I'm so excited it did! The center rock is 6.67 carats, ..."

www.instagram.com

 

[Garnetgirl]

I genuinely wasn’t able to tell the diff in color/sparkle between this and j/k colored stones in a similar size.

It’s the cut that gives the sparkle to a diamond, not the colour. So if two diamonds are of different colour, but all else is equal, they should both sparkle the same amount.

 

[lulu_ma]

Do you definitely want modern round brilliant or would you consider an antique with chunkier facets?

 

[laviejenrose]

How do we feel about the following stone:

 

[laviejenrose]

Do you definitely want modern round brilliant or would you consider an antique with chunkier facets?

def modern

 

[lovedogs]

How do we feel about the following stone:

Much better specs. Do you have pics?

 

[lulu_ma]

Oh is this the 2nd stone @lovedogs found you?

What is your ring size?

Here’s a side by side comp on the 7.19 vs. 7.55 ct. Could just be the linked images, but the 7.19 looks like a higher L than the 7.55 to my eye-if that is important to you. Hoever, I don’t know if the 7.19 is eye clean.

 

[laviejenrose]

Yes! Although I’d be hesitant to purchase a stone if this value from an online retailer.

That is such a useful too - may I ask what website you’re using to demo size? My ring size is 5.5

 

[lulu_ma]

Yes! Although I’d be hesitant to purchase a stone if this value from an online retailer.

That is such a useful too - may I ask what website you’re using to demo size? My ring size is 5.5

The website is diamdb.com

Here are the stones on a size 5.5 finger.

 

[laviejenrose]

Much better specs. Do you have pics?

This is the one you linked above. They only have one “ approved” photo

 

[Kim N]

This is the one you linked above. They only have one “ approved” photo

This looks like a really nice stone. Can you ask for an Ideal-Scope or ASET image?

 

[whitewave]

The stone you posted OP is the kind of stone you will never be able to get rid of. The good good good on the certificate tells you how bad it is before seeing it: good isn’t that great. You want excellent excellent excellent (to begin with— so much more to discuss) or at least very good very good very good.


And no, we can’t say whether something structurally would happen or not. Things happen all the time. If you are going to spend this amount of money, you probably need insurance on it.

I would side eye your jeweler choice after he tried to get rid of that diamond on you.

 

[whitewave]

I would run to ask for the deposit back. The cut is terrible and the color definitely looks like an L which is not always a bad thing but coupled with the cut makes it a no go. Not sure what price point you are at for the diamond. However, those specs would never be highly desirable and unless that jeweler would take it back in trade you would have a hard time selling it unless it was deeply discounted.

It has a much larger table than depth and it is .11 out of round in the diameter - and that is just for starters. While clarity plots often look worse than they appear in real life, that plot is just terrible. I understand that you may be excited about the prospect of it and while no one likes to rain on another’s parade, this is the time to be rained on - before you purchase it!

Yea, I thought it looked lop sided. Thanks for pointing that out

 

[whitewave]

You want something that looks like this: https://www.bluenile.com/diamond-details/LD19436812

See the arrows when it turns? Look at the middle of this stone compared to the one you showed us.


But look. It’s your diamond so it’s what you want. The issue is the stone you showed us makes us think your jeweler could be taking advantage of you. On the other hand, you might have an incredibly unrealistic view of size and price and that is the best diamond he could find to fit what you stated you wanted.

Did the diamond you show us make your heart sing and dazzle you with its dance of light play when you were over by the window? You have to look at a diamond in many lighting set ups. And what is his return policy? 55k is a lot to lose if you get home and decide you don’t like it.

 

[whitewave]

Jewels by grace has this one: https://www.jewelsbygrace.com/colle...91ct-old-mine-cut-diamond-solitaire-gia-n-si1


Just showing you so you have things to compare it with

 

[Kaycee2018]

How do we feel about the following stone:

This one looks much more promising. In normal everyday lighting there is little doubt this one will perform better. Granted, its not a “super ideal”, but it is far superior than the original diamond and a huge step in the right direction. Since size is your main priority, I think this one is definitely worth considering.

 

[whitewave]

How do we feel about the following stone:

I’d have to see it because additional cloud and pinpoints on this size and clarity could be a problem. I’d have to go see it in all lighting conditions and see if it sparkles.

Looks like you have some needles or feathers (I can’t tell) on the girdle which might be a structural issue risk. Diamonds are brittle and they can chip and also cleave along fracture lines. With that size, the risk is always there of hitting it just right while wearing it…..