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autumngems

autumngems

Ideal_Rock
Premium
Joined
Jul 24, 2003
Messages
3,031
prefer AGSHelp me find a diamond
I have been looking and hopefully you all can help

3.0 ct plus
K even take an L if it looks white with flour
no lower than VS2
Best cut
HCA of less than 1.0
9.3mm or better
Medium or strong blue flourescence
Budget 23000
prefer AGS
 
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Why do you need a HCA below 1.0. Anything below 2.0 is a pass as HCA is rather a rejection tool for weeding out the bad options. Just as a side note
 
Dizzie said:
Why do you need a HCA below 1.0. Anything below 2.0 is a pass as HCA is rather a rejection tool for weeding out the bad options. Just as a side note
Click to expand...
This is an excellent point.
If one overly restricts a search- especially in a specific price/color combo, they can easily miss the best candidate....
 
I assumed anything closer to the lower end of scale was better than closer to the higher end of scale. My last one was 0.6
 
autumngems said:
I assumed anything closer to the lower end of scale was better than closer to the higher end of scale. My last one was 0.6
Click to expand...

An HCA score under 1 is best for pendants and ear rings... An engagement ring is best suited with an HCA score 1 - 2
 
autumngems said:
I assumed anything closer to the lower end of scale was better than closer to the higher end of scale. My last one was 0.6
Click to expand...

It is not a linear scale. A .2 and a 1.2 will be different, but in no way can we say a .2 will be better than a 1.2 in every or even most cases.
 
ctsamg said:
It is not a linear scale. A .2 and a 1.2 will be different, but in no way can we say a .2 will be better than a 1.2 in every or even most cases.
Click to expand...
This is important to keep in mind. Some people think that HCA of 1-2 is best for rings, but it's not a universal rule. IMHO, HCA should be used as a rejection tool, not a selection tool. Anything under 2 = consider, anything over 2 = reject. But between .1-1.999 there isn't a "better" or "worse".
 
Autumn,
Since your priority is an AGS graded diamond anyway, the HCA score has little relevance. If you are looking at an AGS Ideal with light performance report, the stone has already been subjected to ray tracing analysis which is well beyond the scope of the HCA tool.

The real value in HCA is ruling out GIA candidates that have basic proportions that are questionable or problematic.
 
Oof, $23k. That's a tight budget for these specs. This is the only diamond I found that looks reasonably decent in that price range:

https://www.fourmine.com/shop/diamond/719501177?

I know what some of you might be thinking "Gasp 40.8/35.5!" but this looks like one of those diamonds that is right on the fringe while still exhibiting excellent light performance without any appreciable leakage. You would need to ask for an IdealScope or ASET image to confirm the light performance though.

Other than that, it's an SI1 that looks reasonably eye clean (better than some of the 3+ carat VS2s I'm seeing...) and doesn't look cloudy in the video.

At a little over $23k, this is probably the best you're going to find unless you drop the requirement of 3+ carats and/or increase the budget.
 
Would like AGS but cant seem to find many of them. So yes I am looking at GIA triple EX as well. I prefer not to go SI as my last one was SI and I have good eye and can seem to see inclusions where others don't.
 
autumngems said:
Would like AGS but cant seem to find many of them. So yes I am looking at GIA triple EX as well. I prefer not to go SI as my last one was SI and I have good eye and can seem to see inclusions where others don't.
Click to expand...

At the 3 carat level, both SI and VS stones have the potential to have eye-visible inclusions. It really comes down to the type of inclusions, color of the inclusions, and the placement. I've seen many VS2s that look worse than SI1s, so you really need to look at each diamond on a case by case basis. Just because you could see inclusions in your last SI1 doesn't mean you'll see inclusions in another SI1. And it also doesn't mean that by stepping up to a VS2 that you'll necessarily be safe either.

With your budget and preferred specs, I think AGS/SuperIdeal diamonds are out of the question. I do think that the stone I posted has potential, but it definitely would need in-person vetting to ensure it meets your standards.

Since you're working with a tight budget and are specifically looking for a lower color stone, I would contact either Yekutiel at ID Jewelry or Jon at August Vintage (Jon just recently started a diamond sourcing service). Either of them should be able to find a few potential options for you. The problem is that most of the online vendors do not list many diamonds below J color on their websites. There's a few K, and it's pretty much impossible to find anything L or below. It's not that they're not out there (they are). It's just that the online vendors don't take the time to list them because they're not all that popular. Working with someone in the trade like IDJ or August Vintage will open up a heck of a lot more options. :)
 
There happen to be quite a few instances when an HCA score closer to 2 is actually even better than one under a 1.0.
 
jp201845 said:
An HCA score under 1 is best for pendants and ear rings... An engagement ring is best suited with an HCA score 1 - 2
Click to expand...
Hi smart PS’ers! can someone explain why this is stated on the HCA, what makes an extra low HCA a better earring or necklace stone, is it more bright white at a distance? Just curious...
 
lydial said:
Hi smart PS’ers! can someone explain why this is stated on the HCA, what makes an extra low HCA a better earring or necklace stone, is it more bright white at a distance? Just curious...
Click to expand...

Hopefully someone will correct me if I’m wrong, but I thought it had to do with viewing distance and light obstruction ... as in pendants and earrings are usually viewed from a greater distance than a ring and these stones would have more light obstruction from the viewer’s head if viewed closer up.

???
 
kmoro said:
Hopefully someone will correct me if I’m wrong, but I thought it had to do with viewing distance and light obstruction ... as in pendants and earrings are usually viewed from a greater distance than a ring and these stones would have more light obstruction from the viewer’s head if viewed closer up.

???
Click to expand...

That's exactly what I was going to say but I'm no expert glad you responded.
 
Yesterday I've noticed this intriguing RBC @dreamer_dachsie bought - it is FAR from the beaten track & evenly bright with much less contrast than usual. I'd wish to see what such a cut does to color - not much would survive the 'bright mode' given enough light. (a summer cut? .)

HCA says VG brighteness, EX spread, never mind the other two things it measures - an extreme.

Neither the HCA nor the H&A were meant for any real color. L is still very little 'color' in real world terms & still beyond the range of these standards.

TBD
 
Last edited:
ss52, I am checking on that one
 
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