Help interpreting Idealscope image

[nishu08]

Hi all,

I've received my first Idealscope image from an online vendor on a diamond I was seriously considering for my girlfriend's engagement ring. I need some help interpreting the attached image and was hoping someone here may be able to help me determine if this is a good option or not. This is for a round brilliant 0.82 carat E VVS2 GIA triple-excellent stone with HCA 1.0 score (excellent light return, fire and scintillation, and very good spread). The price is listed at $5.4k.

It seems like it comes up somewhere in the good-ish category, but is far from very good or ideal in terms of the cut/symmetry/light. I'm a bit surprised it doesn't look as good as I had expected since it scored so high on the HCA calculator, but again this is my first time looking at something like this and all I have to go on is the reference chart. What are your thoughts?

Thanks in advance!

 

[Kc10f]

Nishu,

I'm far from an expert like a lot of the others here. They will have a lot more to say but I am almost certain they will ask to see the diamond details. Most will also recommend that you don't need VVS2 and paying a premium for something that's necessary. Of course if it's for personal reasons or beliefs that's different. A lot here tend to like the VS1-SI1 range.

Secondly, from my limited research on ideal scopes it does look like there's some light leakage in the table. Like I mentioned please wait to hear feedback from the more advanced members. I am merely a recent member attempting to echo wha I have learned. Good luck with your diamond search!

 

[nishu08]

Hi KC,

Thanks for the feedback. I had thought of going down to VS1 when I first started looking, but what worried me was that I may come across stones in that clarity grade that may not be totally eye clean, and it's really hard to confirm eye-cleanliness for myself when buying from an online vendor until the stone is already in my possession and I have already paid for it. That's the main reason I've been restricting myself to no lower than VVS2. Does that seem to make sense, or would you still disagree?

From your experience looking at other Idealscopes, is the light leakage under the table very bad? If you had to characterize it as better or worse than average, where would you think it falls? Does the fact that it scores 1.0 on HCA, but looks like this in an Idealscope surprise you? Totally understand that you're also somewhat of a beginner on this stuff like me, but just curious what you think.

Thanks!

 

[farrahlyn]

a VS1 stone is going to be eye clean, it's very safe. VS2 will be eye clean a good bit of the time (you'll still want to verify with the vendor) and SI1 you'll have to go through a few to find eye clean. Don't be afraid to go lower! And don't be afraid to contact the vendor about the stone you're looking at. I know it's scary looking at these largely magnified stones but think about how small these stones are IRL. My stone is an SI1 and it is eye clean. I can only find the (black) carbon spot with a loupe, even when i know where to look. Now if a big, black carbon inclusion is right smack dab in the middle of the table, of course the likelihood of it not being eye clean is very very high. But a little spec? many times not visible. You have to think about how much it is being magnified in these videos/pictures.

As far as the HCA, it's not a selection tool, it is a rejection tool so you'll still want an IS or ASET to confirm light performance.

from the HCA tool:

HCA gets no info on symmetry, polish and minor facets; use it only to reject likely bad performing diamonds to narrow down your final selection. Ideal-Scope images and independent appraisers can help after that.

 

[piano]

From what I can see, it's not bad but not great either.
Don't be fooled by the HCA#, as told, it is a rejection tool, not selection.
HCA takes 4 data points to "sketch" up a stone based on a special formula.
If one variable falls short on one end but other is in opposite, falls off on the other end, it compensates for one each others.

 

[Krod]

Eye clean will depend on your eyes. What is eye clean for some is not eye clean for others. I am able to detect inclusions in VS1, but have yet to find an inclusion on a VVS2 with my bare eye. My advice is to go look at a B&M and have them show you a number of the different level stones. They can also show you the difference between the color tiers as well. Jared to me does on of the best job educating their customers and will do a good job showing you a number of diamonds of varying quality. You can then take that information and shop around.