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help navigating diamond specs

mike12345

Rough_Rock
Joined
Sep 10, 2018
Messages
6
Hello Periscope members,

Hopefully you can give me a hand.

I am reading everything about diamonds, but I still feel like a begginer and I am running out of time for the proposal. For a number of reasons the wedding date is already set!

This said, my budget for a diamond would be around 2000 usd, and it is going to be set in a classic 4 claw solitaire (size 4, my gf has small fingers).

I understand that with diamonds bigger != better, so what characteristics should I be looking into to get the most value?

I was very happy until I started to read about table, depth and so on. How can I maximize the "fire"?

I have seen that princess cuts tend to be cheaper than round ones. Should I avoid them?

Should I avoid IGI and focus only on GIA or AGS certificates?

Lastly, do you know of other reputable sellers in Europe besides BlueNile?

Thanks!
 
First off, breath!

Now let's approach this logically. We are all about the cut here, so all options we present will do the magic fire dance. That said, let's focus on your other criteria:
  • What is both of your color tolerance? Are you wanting a colorless stone, one with a little warmth or something that is truly a colored diamond?
  • What about clarity? I would recommend an eye clean SI1+ stone as it will help you put your dollars into size and/or color.
  • Lastly is there a specific size you are targeting?
  • Are you willing to consider sources outside Europe if you get free shipping? Does your $2,000 budget include or allow for taxes and duties?
Remember diamonds are a zero sum game meaning when you have a set budget, then as you increase one attribute you must decrease another to balance out.

That said, besides cut, what is most important? Size judging by your initial statement?
 
I just wanted to pop in a couple of options real quick.

0.74ct H SI1, $1,870 (56 table, 34.5/40.8, 75 LGF)
https://parcelandstone.com/diamond/Round/0.74-carat-H-color-SI1-clarity-stockNo-100725030778
https://www.adiamor.com/Diamonds/0.74-ct-H-SI1-Excellent-Cut-Round-Diamond/D41020504

It just so happens this stone is listed with two retailers (known as "virtual inventory"). This can work out in your favor as you can ask one or the other to price match, or beat the others price. Parcel & Stone has the better price, but Adiamor shows us a video of the stone (much better than the image).

This stone has a small table, which will increase fire. Also the 34.5 crown & 40.8 pavilion angle combo is gorgeous and will produce lots of fire as well. The 75% lower girdle facets (LGF) means the arrows will be "fat" which is preferred by many here.

WF ACA 0.70 H SI1, $2,540 (55 table, 34.5/40.8, 80 LGF)
https://www.whiteflash.com/loose-diamonds/round-cut-loose-diamond-4001984.htm

If you have some flexibility in your budget, this is a great pick. It's known as a super ideal diamond which has an ideal cut and all performance and symmetry images to confirm it's cream of the crop. The table is just slightly smaller, but has the same crown/pavilion angle combo (which is great BTW). This one has 80% LGF, which means the arrows are a little narrower but still falls within our desired range of 75-80.
 
Where in Europe?
 
Hello,

Thank your for the quick reply.

Europe - I can receive packages in both Portugal and Spain
2000 USD - it's the budget for the stone itself. I'll have to add 21% for VAT and 2.5% for import duties

I'd rather have as much of colourless stone as I could and without any visible inclusions.

As for size, from my research, it seems that 0.5-0.6 carat could be my sweetspot for this budget.
I convinced my GF to try a few stones and 0.5-0.7 worked really well with the size of her fingers.
 
I like the .74 that @sledge suggested, as that will get you more size and keep you within budget.
 
Is H colorless enough? Color sensitivity of you and her play into this in a major way and the reality is it's a very subjective item.

Many find H acceptable. Some prefer G+. A smaller group prefers F+.

You can see we can dip into the 0.70ct range using an H color and eye clean SI1+ clarity. If we go for better color, we will likely sacrifice size to do so.

Are you okay with H, or do you want better color? While I agree your lady has a small finger and that is great for size, I want to make sure we hit what is most important to both of you.
 
Unfortunately I was unable to compare diamond colors in any store around here. So I'll trust the majority.

H should be acceptable. I forgot to mention the setting is white gold.
 
Thank you so much guys!

What about the round vs princess cut?

I am getting a sense that the princess cut is better value. Am I right? I have seen some 0.65 Astor Ideal Princess Cut for 1500 USD.
 
Thank you so much guys!

What about the round vs princess cut?

I am getting a sense that the princess cut is better value. Am I right? I have seen some 0.65 Astor Ideal Princess Cut for 1500 USD.

Princess cuts face up a lot smaller for their carat weight - so while you might be getting a .65 carat princess cut, when you look at the measurements of the stone it will actually face up like a .4 carat round...see example below...a .65 princess cut is roughly 4.6mm (depending on the stone, it will vary since it's a fancy cut).

Look at MEASUREMENTS and NOT carat weight-
Princess cut: https://www.bluenile.com/diamond-de...DiamondDetails&action=newTab&catalogView=true
Round: https://www.bluenile.com/diamond-de...DiamondDetails&action=newTab&catalogView=true

Princess cuts are also not very popular at the moment. If you don't know her preference, I'd go with a round. It's a classic and you could get a much better bang for your money with a round (they face up larger, hide color and inclusions better, and well cut ones are abundant).
 
Thank you so much guys!

What about the round vs princess cut?

I am getting a sense that the princess cut is better value. Am I right? I have seen some 0.65 Astor Ideal Princess Cut for 1500 USD.

What are we calling value? I found you a 0.74ct round for $1,897. It has ideal proportions as evidenced below. However, I noticed it is showing as no longer available. So either you placed on hold, or someone pouched the stone from you.

FYI, converted to 0.65 carats with no adjustments for larger weight it calculates as follows:
  • $1,897 / 0.74cts = $2,563.51 per carat x 0.65cts = $1,666.28

Lastly, as @ac117 pointed out, you get a bigger stone (look at L x W measurements) with a round when comparing the same carat weights.

Capture.PNG
 
No, crown too high. Angles aren't complimentary.
Hello, could you point me towards a good reference on angles ? Thank you
 
Hello, could you point me towards a good reference on angles ? Thank you
The cheat sheet reference range to help you get great light return (or maximise your chances at least) is
54-57 table
60-62.4 depth
34-35 crown
40.6-40.9 pavilion
75-80 LGF
You want to make sure the crown and pavilion compliment each other. 35/40.6 or 34/40.9.
 
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