Help evaluating a potentially shallow cut.

[Peter_Franks]

Hi everyone!

Like many on this board before me, I'm looking to take the plunge and purchase the best cut engagement ring diamond that I can find and afford. Wow! I've been amazed at how useful Pricescope and it's affiliated websites are as a resource. Big thanks to everyone who helps make this site so helpful and accessible. Heres my situation:

I've concentrated my search to a bunch of B&M stores so and this is my best candidate so far:

RB GIA Ex/Ex/Ex (scores HCA 1.0 and 1B on the cut class grader):

5.75 - 5.78 x 3.46 mm / 0.70 Carat / F Color / VS2 Clarity
Depth: 60.0%
Table: 59%
Crown: 34.0%
Pavilion: 40.6%
Star: 45%
Lower half: 80%
Girdle: Medium, faceted, 3.5%
Culet: None

From what I've read it seems the potential issues are leakage and obstruction because this C/P angle combo is borderline shallow and also that the table is some ways larger than what many seem to prefer. I'm aware of the potential brilliance vs fire trade off and the spread. I'm OK with these but leakage/obstruction would be a deal breaker.

I'm planning to go look at it again using an idealscope and with multiple light sources/distances. I've done my studying so hopefully I'll get an idea on whether I'm dealing with leakage or obstruction but since I'm still a total novice who knows what I'll think I see. Other tools aren't available to me unless I buy it and get it independently appraised during the returns period.

Does this sound like a good plan? Should I be able to tell with reasonable certainty whether I'm falling on the wrong side of these proportions? Anything else to be concerned about with this diamond? I've read numerous tutorials but any tips for in-showroom assessments would be great!

Thanks in advance for all your help! I'll be happy to share what I see in the IS if I can!

 

[diamondseeker2006]

Good for you for using the idealscope! Hopefully you will be able to detect leakage. You are right that we'd normally prefer closer to a 41 pav angle with a 34 crown angle. But it might be fine!

What is the price?

 

[Peter_Franks]

Thanks for the reply! Luckily the vendor has an IS I can use so it is quite convenient. The price is around $2800 before tax which seems competitive to me. Does that seem fair? I know I've seen much worse quality diamonds priced higher in retail locations. Another incentive to go with this stone is that this particular vendor (which has plenty of PS recommendations) also has a wonderful setting that I'd have to pay a premium on if I wanted to use a stone from elsewhere.

 

[Diamond_Hawk]

The given-proportions are very strong. They will have a terrific HCA. They fall within both AGS0 and GIA EX.

I'm sure you know that GIA numbers, however, are rounded. If it's cut consistently there will no problem with leakage, but the one thing you'll want to look for is issues with obstruction. That could happen if the pavilion is either 40.5 in reality (rounded to 40.6) or if there's inconsistency in the cutting.

That said, your plan sounds wise. Seeing it in-person will be terrific. If you have an idealscope with you, all the better to verify.

 

[Peter_Franks]

Great! Thanks, I'll be sure to check for obstruction as thoroughly as I'm able. And really good tips for checking obstruction? I've seen a dead link to a video in some old posts that I haven't been able to find so if anyone knows where to find that It would be great. I'm going in today so I'll post an update when I can.

Price update: I deducted tax from the wrong number when quoting before so I in fact meant $3080 before tax!

 

[Peter_Franks]

so I was able to take a look at it through the idealscope today. I tried to take a picture, sorry if it's a bit titled but I think it represents pretty well what I saw. How does it look?



As for the head obstruction. I tried really hard to confirm whether or not it's a problem but I guess my eye isn't trained well enough. It did darken, but not significantly in my opinion, at least any more than any of the other stones when I moved it between lighting and at different distances (but the comparisons were to probably inferior stones anyway.) It darkened and reflected a bit of my skin tone when I got in REALLY close, but won't they all do that? Would it be more obvious if it were really going to be a problem? It looks great to me but can I trust my eyes?