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Help improving diamond choice — pics and certs included

oncrutchesrightnow

Ideal_Rock
Joined
Apr 17, 2006
Messages
2,635
Hi everyone —

I just got a new diamond ring. When I opened the box, instead of an awesome bright shiny diamond, there was a rock with a big dark spot in the middle. I read the info on how ideal cuts look dark in certain light, but still have two problems. First, it doesn’t just happen in sunlight or spotlight. In most lighting conditions if I tip the ring just a little the dark spot appears. So from almost every angle in almost every light there is a lot of darkness. Second, even if it’s true that ideal cuts go dark in certain light I don’t like the effect and want to avoid the mistake in the future as much as possible even with an ideal cut. I shipped the ring back for return today and am hoping for a refund from James Allen soon.

Here are pics and certs of the diamond I just returned plus some diamonds I have that I really like. Can anyone see a pattern in the numbers that will help me pick a diamond more to my tastes? Maybe it was the cut. Maybe it was the setting — this was my first ring with a halo and in rose gold. Maybe it was the fluorescence — usually I like fluorescence but maybe this diamond was one of those that gets milky or the blue fluorescence looks ugly in rose gold. I don’t know but maybe you experts can spot a pattern. If the photos are too much for one post I’ll put more photos in reply posts.

Any input is much appreciated. I’m looking for a 0.7 ct. round brilliant to set in rose gold.


I don’t like (0.70 ct.):


6826E8F8-3656-46E8-B16C-1510CE64BE90.jpeg E0B69D07-43B5-46B9-9062-C933555E86CF.jpeg 556A2288-B9D8-458A-9B7F-A3B7B346CA3E.jpeg 21E36D3D-B080-42D4-A9D4-51750ED3192B.jpeg


I do like (0.45 and 0.53):

BB43FA56-7C05-4FC1-8396-94441EBAD9AB.jpeg 7E1EE342-A346-47D6-B5D6-D2A0289C0DD0.jpeg 6338E8CD-DCF5-431B-9780-1FB7E03074D4.jpeg

06E211A2-EA8C-4838-8B66-BB04D3BB72E2.jpeg 311F4FBF-3BA4-4623-BA51-3301FFE3DC1B.jpeg
 

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tyty333

Super_Ideal_Rock
Premium
Joined
Dec 17, 2008
Messages
27,196
You're picking stones that are nowhere near Ideal. "It" was the cut, not fluorescence (or likely anything else).

I'm going to give you the numbers that we usually stick to.

table - 54-58
depth 60 - 62.3
crown 34-35 degrees
pavilion 40.6 - 41.0 degrees

34 crown pairs best with 41 pavilion as well as vice versa 35 crown pairs with 40.6 pavilion.

Edit...what is your budget for the stone?
 

lovedogs

Super_Ideal_Rock
Premium
Joined
Jul 31, 2014
Messages
18,016
You're picking stones that are nowhere near Ideal. "It" was the cut, not fluorescence (or likely anything else).

I'm going to give you the numbers that we usually stick to.

table - 54-58
depth 60 - 62.3
crown 34-35 degrees
pavilion 40.6 - 41.0 degrees

34 crown pairs best with 41 pavilion as well as vice versa 35 crown pairs with 40.6 pavilion.

Want to second this! The stone you shipped back was poorly cut, so that's why you didn't see the sparkle you were looking for.
 

MsShnooks

Shiny_Rock
Joined
Feb 11, 2020
Messages
168
If you look at the table in the first post of the thread below, it’ll tell you what angles you need for better brightness.

 

anangel

Brilliant_Rock
Joined
Aug 1, 2008
Messages
838
You got some excellent advice already. As you’ve probably noticed, GIA excellent is very broad and unfortunately not all combinations make for a a beautiful diamond.
As a bonus, if you look for diamonds in the stats recommended above, your new diamond will look much bigger even if it’s the same carat weight! Your current diamond is carrying a lot of weight on the bottom, so the face up size is smaller for the carat weight. Further, as you’ve noticed, it’s quite dark- a diamond will edge to edge brightness will visually look larger than it’s dark counterpart.
good luck!
 

oncrutchesrightnow

Ideal_Rock
Joined
Apr 17, 2006
Messages
2,635
Thank you all — I was relying on the ideal/excellent label rather than the numbers. It was also good to hear that the setting and fluorescence didn’t matter. Much appreciated.

Budget for stone: $2800
 

MsShnooks

Shiny_Rock
Joined
Feb 11, 2020
Messages
168
With regards to fluorescence, it can make stones appear milky or less transparent in some lights. It can also start glowing in strong daylight. Those things are more likely to happen with strong/very strong fluo, though.
 

lovedogs

Super_Ideal_Rock
Premium
Joined
Jul 31, 2014
Messages
18,016
Thank you all — I was relying on the ideal/excellent label rather than the numbers. It was also good to hear that the setting and fluorescence didn’t matter. Much appreciated.

Budget for stone: $2800

and you are looking for a .7+? What color? Anything G and up will face up quite white in that size unless you are extremely color sensitive. Especially in a rose gold setting I would likely stick with G+ to maximize color and cut. Happy to look for you!
 

daisygrl

Brilliant_Rock
Joined
Dec 30, 2019
Messages
1,002
I am not sure how a stone with the depth of 63.4 could pass for an excellent cut but it did. GIA is very broad and "excellent" can mean a lot of things. :roll: With the clarity of VV2, there is no way you would see any inclusions. It is the cut that makes the diamond not so appealing.

I do not have much time to search but I found this one (although it is a bit smaller but within your budged and beautiful).


I am sure others will chime in as well.
 

oncrutchesrightnow

Ideal_Rock
Joined
Apr 17, 2006
Messages
2,635
Daisygrl + love dogs thanks for the offers to look. I think I got the input necessary — basically don’t go by the cert label, look for the numbers. Lesson learned. Thanks everyone.
 

lovedogs

Super_Ideal_Rock
Premium
Joined
Jul 31, 2014
Messages
18,016
Daisygrl + love dogs thanks for the offers to look. I think I got the input necessary — basically don’t go by the cert label, look for the numbers. Lesson learned. Thanks everyone.

yup. The issue with James allen is that they don't post certificates anymore so you need to ask for them. But you can just ask via chat with the sales associates. I saw a few that look good so I know they exist in your budget and size range :)
 

MsShnooks

Shiny_Rock
Joined
Feb 11, 2020
Messages
168
I am not sure how a stone with the depth of 63.4 could pass for an excellent cut but it did. GIA is very broad and "excellent" can mean a lot of things. :roll: With the clarity of VV2, there is no way you would see any inclusions. It is the cut that makes the diamond not so appealing.

I do not have much time to search but I found this one (although it is a bit smaller but within your budged and beautiful).


I am sure others will chime in as well.

It must be some finer details of the cut as the diamond in my ring is 63.3 with angles of 36.5 and 41 and it’s just as bright as the earrings with the angles that PSers tend to gush over.
 

oncrutchesrightnow

Ideal_Rock
Joined
Apr 17, 2006
Messages
2,635
Update!

After looking up the helpful little table linked by MsShnooks, looking at the numbers from tyty333, and listening to everyone else here, I selected a new stone.

Got a 0.7 ct. D color VVS2 with HCA of 1.3. (For reference the old stone was 4.8.) 57, 62.2, 35.5, 40.6, GIA ex/ex/ex , faint fluorescence.

Got a different setting, too. Size 6.5. JA.

‘Looks lovely! I’m so happy.

Here is the comparison pic:

F12571CF-4B76-4196-BA23-7723372ECCE9.jpeg

Here are the pretty pics:

0EA73D0E-692C-4BCB-9B82-34DBE0534110.jpeg

1D29A107-89DB-41E9-848B-F15C2F71BDA4.jpeg

E1A02E27-ADEB-43F4-87CD-E3DD1AE863A8.jpeg

704702C6-E772-4355-A71B-A7D7D49E350B.jpeg

FBA6FFF2-EFFA-4AA7-B085-E222FED51466.jpeg

Thanks everyone!
 

Kim N

Ideal_Rock
Premium
Joined
Oct 6, 2005
Messages
6,375
Very beautiful!
 
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