Help me compare 3 stones

[johncapecod]

Apologies for another diamond comparison thread but I'm having the hardest time choosing and I really hope you guys can help. You all have been a big help so far and I just want to make sure I'm getting a good stone for my future wife I know it may be taboo to discuss prices here so instead of posting prices I stated how much more each stone will cost to help put it in perspective on why I'm having such a difficult time choosing.

STONE 1
1.01 G VS2
6.40 - 6.45 X 3.99mm
Cut: EXCELLENT
Polish: VERY GOOD
Symmetry: VERY GOOD
Table: 56%
Depth: 62.1%
Crown angle: 34.5
Pavilion angle: 41
Girdle: Medium-Slightly thick (faceted)
HCA: 1.9 (Light Return: Excellent, Very Good everything else)
COMMENTS: Dual cert; H&A pattern indicated on EGLUSA cert. See this thread for more info.

STONE 2
1.00 F VS1
6.51 - 6.57 x 3.90mm
Cut: VERY GOOD
Polish: EXCELLENT
Symmetry: VERY GOOD
Table: 58%
Depth: 59.7%
Crown Angle: 34
Pavilion Angle: 41
Girdle: Thin-Medium (faceted) 2.5%
HCA: 1.3 (Excellent in all 3 except Scintillation: Very Good)
COMMENTS: cut grade affected by brillianteering. See this thread for more info. This stone is $400 more than Stone 1.

STONE 3
1.01 H VS1
6.39 - 6.44 x 3.97mm
Cut: EXCELLENT
Polish: EXCELLENT
Symmetry: EXCELLENT
Depth: 61.9%
Table: 58%
Crown Angle: 35
Pavilion Angle: 40.8
Girdle: Thin-Slightly Thick (faceted) 4.0%
HCA: 1.8 (Light Return and Spread: Very Good, Fire and Scintillation: Excellent)
COMMENTS: displays H&A pattern. This stone is $930 more than Stone 2 and $1300 more than Stone 1.

So the million-dollar question: Given the information, what would you guys pick and why?


STONE 2


STONE 3

 

[distracts]

Is stone 3 a GIA cert? If so, that is the one I would go with.

 

[johncapecod]

Yes, stone 3 is GIA certified. I think I've taken stone 2 out of the picture. So now it's a matter of justifying an extra $1300 for Stone 3. Based on my research at both B&M and online stores, Stone 3 is a fair price but Stone 1 is a great price. Can anyone else comment?

 

[diamondseeker2006]

Well, my answer hasn't changed since the last thread. The H stone is the best of the three.

 

[distracts]

Definitely stone 3, then.

If you've reading the threads on EGL grading, you know it is unreliable and what you think is a G VS2 could be... anything. People usually say two color grades and one clarity grade off on average, but the problem is that they are unreliable. The stone COULD get the same grading if it was graded by GIA, but it also could be five color grades off. So when viewing it that way, EGL is NEVER a good deal. Yeah, your stone COULD be a G VS2, and the price great... but if it's an I SI2, is the price still good? No, it's not. In that case, you'd be overpaying. So unless you are as good as a professional at grading diamonds, I'd stick to the one with the reliable grading report, that you know is priced right for what it is.

 

[johncapecod]

Hi Distracts, sorry I didn't really make it clear but Stone 1 has dual certs and GIA and EGL both give it a G color rating. That was what I brought up in the other thread I linked.

 

[johncapecod]

Hi diamondseeker,

Actually in the other thread it's a different G VS2 stone I was referring to The one I have here is a better stone than the other (I think) hehe...

 

[johncapecod]

Can anyone tell me why #3 is better than #1? Apart from #3 being a VS1, is it because of the Excellent polish & symmetry rating or is there something in the numbers I'm not seeing?

#1 has a higher color rating and from what I've read, the naked eye wouldn't be able to tell the difference between very good and excellent for polish & symmetry. Even if it did, does that constitute an extra $1300? Both have very similar inclusions but I suspect the #3 was rated VS1 because the inclusions are white and harder to detect (smaller) whereas #1 has black inclusions. Either way both stones have inclusions on the edge where a prong should cover them once mounted.

According to the HCA scores, #1 has better brilliancy which I've read is more important than fire/scintillation. So what gives?

 

[johncapecod]

bump

 

[yssie]

Can anyone tell me why #3 is better than #1? Apart from #3 being a VS1, is it because of the Excellent polish & symmetry rating or is there something in the numbers I'm not seeing?

#1 has a higher color rating and from what I've read, the naked eye wouldn't be able to tell the difference between very good and excellent for polish & symmetry. Even if it did, does that constitute an extra $1300? Both have very similar inclusions but I suspect the #3 was rated VS1 because the inclusions are white and harder to detect (smaller) whereas #1 has black inclusions. Either way both stones have inclusions on the edge where a prong should cover them once mounted.

According to the HCA scores, #1 has better brilliancy which I've read is more important than fire/scintillation. So what gives?

Any pictures of #1? The number tell us nothing about optical symmetry (since we have no idea how EGL determines H&A the designation is meaningless, it's not like HRD's H&A report that clearly outlines the requirements and specifications for H&A)
Optical symmetry is different from physical facet meet symmetry noted on the GIA report - optical symmetry is the symmetry of patterning of the virtual facets (reflections of facets in the stone).. obviously very dependent on getting a photo that's exactly (or almost exactly) face-up, enough tilt will throw off the virtual facet symmetry as seen face-up

HCA is a weeding tool to tell you only whether a stone is likely worth further consideration - don't try to use it as a selection tool, it's not designed to distinguish between the nuances that make or break a selection... brilliance (white light output), fire (coloured light), scintillation (facets turning on/off as you rock the stone) are all important, all things you want to see in your stone in different lighting conditions - also depends on exactly how you define those terms, but to make the point - no, one isn't more important than the other

Thread w/ more on clarity grading [URL='https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/clarity-grading-question.154174/']https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/clarity-grading-question.154174/[/URL]

ETA: brillianteering https://www.pricescope.com/journal/visible_effects_painting_digging_superideal_diamonds