Help Me Choose From 2 Diamond Pairs for Earrings

[Yoshi999]

This is my first post and I would appreciate your advice in choosing loose diamonds for my wife that will be used for earrings. I narrowed it down to 2 different sets and they are both the same price. I wasn't planning on such high color and clarity, but the price was similar to lower grades.

Both sets are 0.9 carats, same price, same diameter, and (with one exception noted later) meet the depth, table, crown and pavilion dimensions I was hoping for in an excellent cut and have no fluorescence.

Pair 1
-Both are D color
-Both are VS1 clarity
-Both are Excellent polish
-Both are Very Good Symmetry
-one has an HCA of 1.6 and the other has an HCA of 2.5

Pair 2
-Both are E color
-Both are VS2 clarity
-Both are Excellent polish
-Both are Very Good Symmetry
-one has an HCA of 1.3 and the other has an HCA of 0.9

The stone with the 2.5 HCA is slightly over in the depth dimension I was hoping for, which is bringing the HCA above 2. My question is whether the higher color and clarity of pair 1 outweighs the lower HCA score. In addition will the difference in the 1.6 and 2.5 HCA score be noticeable?

Thanks for any insight you can provide or let me know if you need more information to help me evaluate.

 

[TweetyBird23]

Hello, Ebookste!

Do you have GIA reports for the stones and a specific budget in mind?

 

[Yoshi999]

Thanks, TweetyBird. Here are links to the GIA reports. I was hoping to keep the budget for the pair below $10,000. Each pair is pricing at about $9,500.

Pair 1, Stone 1:
https://www.gia.edu/report-check?reportno=6275696001

Pair 1, Stone 2:
https://www.gia.edu/report-check?reportno=7263977761

Pair 2, Stone 1:
https://www.gia.edu/report-check?reportno=6275612144

Pair 2, Stone 2:
https://www.gia.edu/report-check?reportno=2286749217