Help finding replacement diamond

[Niamh]

Hi, I''ve been a long time lurker and am finally posting. I lost my wedding set and need to find a replacement diamond. The more I read on this forum the more I realize how much I don''t know. I was wondering how the hca works. Do you want a diamond between 1-2 or is a diamond that scores below 1 better? What is the difference between a branded diamond and a ags 0 diamond?

 

[stone-cold11]

HCA is just a rejection tool to avoid going through a lot of stones, scores below 2 are worthy of further investigation, with an Idealscope/ASET image. If IS/ASET image is already available, it trumps HCA scores.

Branded is a branded stone of the vendor, AGS0 is a cut grade given by AGSL.

 

[Lorelei]

Date: 12/12/2009 4:57:08 PM
Author:Niamh
Hi, I've been a long time lurker and am finally posting. I lost my wedding set and need to find a replacement diamond. The more I read on this forum the more I realize how much I don't know. I was wondering how the hca works. Do you want a diamond between 1-2 or is a diamond that scores below 1 better? What is the difference between a branded diamond and a ags 0 diamond?

Hi Niamh

I am so sorry to hear you lost your wedding set....

The HCA is basically used for rejection, not selection. You use it by entering the 4 values it asks for and look to see which stones score below 2 in the first instance. These are then evaluated with images such as Idealscope and ASET. For the most part, all scores below 2 are considered equal pending further evaluation with images, a lower score isn't better than a higher score. The ' sweet spot' for ring stones is between 1 and 2, scores below 1 can need checking for obstruction ( normally shallower proportioned stones). Diamonds which score between 2 and 3 if they have top symmetry can also be worth consideration especially if you have images as above.

A branded diamond is normally a hearts and arrows stone or other specialty cut. Popular brands here are A Cut Above h&a from Whiteflash, Infinity h&a as sold by highperformancediamonds and niceice, dimendscaasi and so on. These two brands are also of AGS0 cut grade which is awarded by www.agslabs.com

You can also find non branded AGS0 graded diamonds.

 

[Niamh]

Thank you stone-cold and Lorelei. Sorry I haven''t gotten on before now. I ended up with a BGD stone. Thanks for both of your replies.

 

[stone-cold11]

Congrats.

 

[Lorelei]

Date: 1/14/2010 6:43:46 PM
Author: Niamh
Thank you stone-cold and Lorelei. Sorry I haven''t gotten on before now. I ended up with a BGD stone. Thanks for both of your replies.

You are most welcome and I am really happy to hear you have a new beauty to enjoy!