Help needed for WF stones!

[craftholic]

Hi everyone,
I've been looking for a stone for a while, but have been having a tough time finding one that I'm happy with. I've narrowed my search to these two diamonds, based on my budget (under $6000) and my criteria for the 4 Cs. Any advice or opinion on these stones is welcome! Which one of these stones would you recommend? Thank you in advance!

https://www.whiteflash.com/loose-diamonds/compare.aspx?idnos=3500065,3950126

My criteria in order of importance:
1) Carat 0.9
2) Cut Excellent/Ideal
3) Clarity VS1-VS2
4) Color G-H

 

[TreeScientist]

Both of the stones you posted are pretty bad. You could get a much better stone for cheaper. Here are a few examples.

Two .90 carat H/VS1s that are both beautifully cut for around $4300:
https://parcelandstone.com/diamond/...332112851?utm_source=rarecarat&utm_medium=cpc
https://www.adiamor.com/Diamonds/0.90-ct-H-VS1-Affinity-Cut-Round-Diamond/D42132234?rfr=similar

A nice G/VS1 for a little more at $4700:
https://www.adiamor.com/Diamonds/0....9&b=4.724&utm_source=rarecarat&utm_medium=cpc

And a nice F/VS1 for near the top of your budget range at $5100:
https://www.adiamor.com/Diamonds/0....9&b=5.093&utm_source=rarecarat&utm_medium=cpc

 

[sledge]

I'm not a fan of those WF stones. To get the maximum light performance, you can see that high 36.5 crown is creating issues in the ASET and idealscope images.

Rather than focus on carat weight, look at the dimensions. Both these stones measure roughly 6.20mm in diameter.

WF ACA 0.865ct F VS1, $5,401
https://www.whiteflash.com/loose-diamonds/round-cut-loose-diamond-4027064.htm

This stone gets you nearly the same size @ 6.10mm. The 0.10mm size difference won't be detectable with the naked human eye. It gives a color bump to F and also the crown/pavilion angles are more complimentary. As such, it moves into their best A Cut Above (ACA) line vs the lower tiered Premium Select (PS). Lastly, it stays within the same dollar range also.

While not entirely perfect, the ASET is considerably better on this stone than the other two mainly because it has more complimentary angles.

WF ACA 0.911ct H VS2, $6,226
https://www.whiteflash.com/loose-diamonds/round-cut-loose-diamond-4027066.htm

Here you get the 6.20mm diameter and an even more complimentary angle combo as evidenced by the ASET. Look at the video and see the sparkle difference. But this puts you about $200 over your max budget.

 

[HappyNewLife]

ditto what sledge said. you can do better! I'd get an ACA that's within budget. You can always upgrade later!

 

[TreeScientist]

Call me crazy, but I really don't think that there's enough of a difference in these two stones to justify the $2k difference in price. That's 50% more expensive. But please correct me if I'm missing something:

https://parcelandstone.com/diamond/...332112851?utm_source=rarecarat&utm_medium=cpc
https://www.whiteflash.com/loose-diamonds/round-cut-loose-diamond-4027066.htm

 

[TreeScientist]

Also, it's a little more expensive here, but there's a video listed at Adiamor
https://www.adiamor.com/Diamonds/0..../D41925667?rfr=rc&utm_campaign=201809&b=4.398

 

[sledge]

Call me crazy, but I really don't think that there's enough of a difference in these two stones to justify the $2k difference in price. That's 50% more expensive. But please correct me if I'm missing something:

https://parcelandstone.com/diamond/...332112851?utm_source=rarecarat&utm_medium=cpc
https://www.whiteflash.com/loose-diamonds/round-cut-loose-diamond-4027066.htm

We know the WF stone is an ideal cut stone and has certifications and performance images to back up that statement.

We think the GIA stone has the potential to be a good candidate based on angles, etc. We need to verify performance through images (that likely will be unavailable). I would argue that WF customer service & upgrade policies are much better, but not $2k better (at least to me). Also, we know the WF stone has true H&A symmetry which effects light performance.

I do think the GIA stone is worth considering, and doing some more investigation. Especially for a 33% savings.

Speaking of which, I am uncertain why Parcel & Stone (or their supplier) utilized a brown background to photo the diamond. Was it to mask a brown undertone? Or simply a coincidence that makes the stone look dark? Also, at the top edge of the diamond, something appears to be off -- maybe a chip? Or some line or something in the photo (or fabric that is creating a visual effect of sorts)?

 

[sledge]

Also, it's a little more expensive here, but there's a video listed at Adiamor
https://www.adiamor.com/Diamonds/0..../D41925667?rfr=rc&utm_campaign=201809&b=4.398

You posted this as I was typing. I think the video answers my concerns with the spot I circled in yellow. It appears there are two different backgrounds. It's more evident in the video. Still seems odd, although it's apparent at the top & bottom. The picture is likely just a screen capture of the diamond in a forward facing position.

 

[TreeScientist]

Speaking of which, I am uncertain why Parcel & Stone (or their supplier) utilized a brown background to photo the diamond. Was it to mask a brown undertone? Or simply a coincidence that makes the stone look dark? Also, at the top edge of the diamond, something appears to be off -- maybe a chip? Or some line or something in the photo (or fabric that is creating a visual effect of sorts)?

The video is just cut off at the top. If there was a chip that large, would it earn VS1? Come on, think about it

From the video on Adiamor, it looks like it has a yellow undertone. But that is definitely something I would want to confirm from the supplier, and would be easy to check (Just ask if the stone is listed as no BGM). And it looks like it has a darn near perfect cut, but I would also ask for an IdealScope image to confirm that there isn't any severe painting or digging, which is the only thing that is really difficult to tell from the photo and video alone. But if the stone checks out on these accounts, then I honestly cannot see a reason to pay 50% more for the WF stone.

 

[sledge]

The video is just cut off at the top. If there was a chip that large, would it earn VS1? Come on, think about it

From the video on Adiamor, it looks like it has a yellow undertone. But that is definitely something I would want to confirm from the supplier, and would be easy to check (Just ask if the stone is listed as no BGM). And it looks like it has a darn near perfect cut, but I would also ask for an IdealScope image to confirm that there isn't any severe painting or digging, which is the only thing that is really difficult to tell from the photo and video alone. But if the stone checks out on these accounts, then I honestly cannot see a reason to pay 50% more for the WF stone.

LOL, we keep posting on top of each other.

I don't disagree with you about a chipped diamond getting a VS1 clarity; however, what if it was just out of round. A great clarity out of round, round diamond. Sorry, couldn't resist putting that together. I don't seriously think it's out of round, but until the video was found it was a valid question.

 

[TreeScientist]

And that video is pretty typical for Adiamor/Fourmine/Yadav/P&S/etc. I'm not sure what video technology they utilize, but I must admit that it's pretty terrible for showcasing the beauty of a diamond and allowing you to see the color in the stone. Then again, I'm not really a fan of WhiteFlash videos either because, while they are very pretty, they don't really give a realistic representation of how the diamond looks IRL and they also are terrible for analyzing color differences. I mean, come on, how often are people wearing diamonds standing in a completely pitch black room with a spotlight shining directly on them.

I much prefer James Allen videos, as I think they are the best in the business at showcasing the beauty of a diamond, allowing you to analyze inclusions and color differences, and also giving you an idea of how it will look IRL by zooming out to 1X.

I'll admit, one of the main ways I find diamonds to recommend on this site is by searching on JA using their videos, doing a search for the chosen diamond(s) on RareCarat using the GIA number(s), and then seeing if it's listed for cheaper on one of the other modified drop-shippers (which it usually is).

Guilty as charged haha.

LOL, we keep posting on top of each other.

I don't disagree with you about a chipped diamond getting a VS1 clarity; however, what if it was just out of round. A great clarity out of round, round diamond. Sorry, couldn't resist putting that together. I don't seriously think it's out of round, but until the video was found it was a valid question.

That would be one funky looking round diamond

 

[craftholic]

Thanks for your advice guys! I was mainly looking at WF because they had a setting that I wanted but I think I'll explore JA some more.

 

[diamondseeker2006]

Thanks for your advice guys! I was mainly looking at WF because they had a setting that I wanted but I think I'll explore JA some more.

Okay, let me say now that I like both of those stones and I would choose Whiteflash ANY day over James Allen just on the premise that they provide more in terms of imaging and a lifetime trade up policy.

My daughter has a premium select stone from Whiteflash that I personally helped my son-in-law pick out. So I am going to steer you back to WF since they have the setting you want and I think theirs are for the most part higher in quality than JA.

Of these two diamonds, I like the H VS1 the best. It is pretty amazing to see such a good ASET with a 36.5 degree crown angle, and the hearts images are great. I also love the 75 (fatter) lower girdle facets. The big bonus is that it is less than the H VS2!

I do have ACAs myself. But I realize most of us have budgets and you have to balance quality and price. I think these are a good choice, and if you ever wanted to switch it out later for a larger stone or just an ACA, you could. But the images show very nice diamonds. I'd reserve that H VS1 before someone else grabs it.

 

[TreeScientist]

Okay, let me say now that I like both of those stones and I would choose Whiteflash ANY day over James Allen just on the premise that they provide more in terms of imaging and a lifetime trade up policy.

My daughter has a premium select stone from Whiteflash that I personally helped my son-in-law pick out. So I am going to steer you back to WF since they have the setting you want and I think theirs are for the most part higher in quality than JA.

Of these two diamonds, I like the H VS1 the best. It is pretty amazing to see such a good ASET with a 36.5 degree crown angle, and the hearts images are great. I also love the 75 (fatter) lower girdle facets. The big bonus is that it is less than the H VS2!

I do have ACAs myself. But I realize most of us have budgets and you have to balance quality and price. I think these are a good choice, and if you ever wanted to switch it out later for a larger stone or just an ACA, you could. But the images show very nice diamonds. I'd reserve that H VS1 before someone else grabs it.

Wait, are we talking about the same stone? The H VS1 that was posted in the original comparison of the OP? Because that ASET is pretty terrible. There is actual leakage under the table. Not green, but black. That seems pretty unacceptable to me for any diamond, let alone an in-house diamond that you're paying a premium for.

@craftholic, I would personally stay away from James Allen. While their videos are excellent, their prices are not. They have the highest prices among the modified drop-shippers. You can find much cheaper prices on the open market.

I think you might be interested in this diamond. It is a very well cut 0.9 D/VS2. I had posted in in another thread already, but I think the person is not interested in this one (wanted to go bigger), so maybe you could consider it:
https://www.yadavjewelry.com/diamonds/3775627

It's also listed on Adiamor, and they will price match other vendors. They have quite a bit larger selection of settings, so you might want to inquire with them:
https://www.adiamor.com/Diamonds/0.90-ct-D-VS2-Excellent-Cut-Round-Diamond/D42233412

 

[TreeScientist]

If you do decide to go with WF because you like their settings or want to buy into their trade-up program to go larger in the future, I think you should seriously consider dropping down in carat weight a bit to get a better cut stone. This would be an example of a diamond from their Premium Select line that I would consider well cut. Actually, beautifully cut is a better word. If given the choice between a well cut .8 carat and a poorly cut .9 carat, I would choose the .8 carat any day. But that's just me.

https://www.whiteflash.com/loose-diamonds/round-cut-loose-diamond-3950129.htm

I also like this ACA, if you could compromise with SI1 clarity. I trust WhiteFlash when they say a diamond is eye-clean, so you don't need to worry so much about SI1 with them:

https://www.whiteflash.com/loose-diamonds/round-cut-loose-diamond-3982403.htm

But definitely check out the open market too to see what is available (just not James Allen ).

 

[diamondseeker2006]

@TreeScientist Um no, that stone has a minute amount of leakage, to the point that you couldn't possibly see it with the eye. The idealscope is absolutely fine showing it has good light return. I've looked at a lot of diamonds over the past 12 years, and I have even owned a diamond similar to these. So I know what is probably visible and what is not. I never recommend stones outside of the safe measurements unless multiple images are provided, and therefore, I think WF is one of the safest places to buy one.

The .90 H VS1 is better cut than the vast majority of the diamonds actually on people's hands at the moment, so I wouldn't hesitate to recommend it if you think greater size would be important to her. I personally wouldn't go below VS2, but some people prefer greater size, etc. to clarity.

 

[TreeScientist]

@TreeScientist Um no, that stone has a minute amount of leakage, to the point that you couldn't possibly see it with the eye. The idealscope is absolutely fine showing it has good light return. I've looked at a lot of diamonds over the past 12 years, and I have even owned a diamond similar to these. So I know what is probably visible and what is not. I never recommend stones outside of the safe measurements unless multiple images are provided, and therefore, I think WF is one of the safest places to buy one.

The .90 H VS1 is better cut than the vast majority of the diamonds actually on people's hands at the moment, so I wouldn't hesitate to recommend it if you think greater size would be important to her. I personally wouldn't go below VS2, but some people prefer greater size, etc. to clarity.

I totally get that it's probably better than a lot of maul store diamonds, but my mentality is, if you're paying a premium for an in-house stone, why would you settle for a mediocre cut? There's plenty of diamonds on the open market that are better cut than that one for cheaper (like the D/VS2 I posted).

And it's not about the 36.5 crown angle, as I agree that if it is cut right, 40.6/36.5 can be an absolutely beautiful diamond. This is a great example again from the Premium Select line:
https://www.whiteflash.com/loose-diamonds/round-cut-loose-diamond-3950128.htm

No leakage under the table, and minimal green (which is to be expected with a CA that high), which would just accentuate the contrast. Now this would be a true fireball with good light return. But that H/VS1, while likely having excellent scintillation, would look way too dark under the table due to the poor light return. You can even see the darkness in the video. I would not call that a minute amount of leakage. Any black under the table in an ASET is in my book unacceptable. There's plenty of other diamonds on the market that don't have leaky tables.

 

[TreeScientist]

I'd reserve that H VS1 before someone else grabs it.

Also, I don't think you need to worry about that. The certificate date is February 2015, so it's been sitting there for quite a while. I wonder why...

 

[craftholic]

Hmm let me give some more info about what I'm looking for. As far as the setting goes, WF has the setting that I want and is able to accommodate an personalized engraving so I'm pretty set on at least having the setting from WF.

As far as the diamond goes, 0.9 carats is a must and the other two biggest criteria are to have a well cut diamond and for the diamond to be eye clean. As far the cut goes, my girlfriend and I are your average people and may not be too keen to the details of the diamond but of course, I'd like to aim as high as my 6k budget allows.

We aren't considering trading up in the future. This will probably be one of the few pieces of jewelry I'll buy for her since she's not much of a jewelry person, but again, I'd like to get her a beautiful diamond. Hopefully that gives you a better idea of what I'm looking for.

 

[Texas Leaguer]

And that video is pretty typical for Adiamor/Fourmine/Yadav/P&S/etc. I'm not sure what video technology they utilize, but I must admit that it's pretty terrible for showcasing the beauty of a diamond and allowing you to see the color in the stone. Then again, I'm not really a fan of WhiteFlash videos either because, while they are very pretty, they don't really give a realistic representation of how the diamond looks IRL and they also are terrible for analyzing color differences. I mean, come on, how often are people wearing diamonds standing in a completely pitch black room with a spotlight shining directly on them.

Tree,
I appreciate that feedback. I think others share your opinion and we have had many internal discussions around the topic.

There was a time before we had video on our diamond detail page when the only way to showcase the actual beauty of our precision cut diamonds was a static 'glamour shot'. And before that the only image (other than IS and ASET) was the somewhat antiseptic arrows shot. So, while we were providing a lot of diagnostics, we were missing the opportunity to also convey visually why elite precision matters to consumers!

We believe that all the information should be evaluated holistically. The lab cert conveys a lot of the major info, including color. Any attempt to analyze color on the web through images or video is fraught with pitfalls. The LP images convey faceting precision and light return information. The video taken in 'fire friendly' light environment showcases the 'potential' for fire ,brilliance and overall beauty. I would add that it is possible to compare WF diamonds against one another using these videos to get a sense of how that potential might differ between diamonds for one reason or another.

Having said all that, we are considering adding an additional video to our detail page captured in a diffuse environment on gray. Since we stock so many diamonds and have a relatively high turnover rate, we often process 50 to 75 diamonds at a time as our production runs come through in bunches. Considering our inspection and review processes, and all the data and imaging that has to be captured and prepared for web for every diamond before it is made available on the site, it is not a casual decision to add another step. But if it adds sufficient value for the consumer, we are inclined to make the investment in time and resources.

 

[crbl999]

Hmm let me give some more info about what I'm looking for. As far as the setting goes, WF has the setting that I want and is able to accommodate an personalized engraving so I'm pretty set on at least having the setting from WF.

As far as the diamond goes, 0.9 carats is a must and the other two biggest criteria are to have a well cut diamond and for the diamond to be eye clean. As far the cut goes, my girlfriend and I are your average people and may not be too keen to the details of the diamond but of course, I'd like to aim as high as my 6k budget allows.

We aren't considering trading up in the future. This will probably be one of the few pieces of jewelry I'll buy for her since she's not much of a jewelry person, but again, I'd like to get her a beautiful diamond. Hopefully that gives you a better idea of what I'm looking for.

These are the two stones I would recommend from WF. I'm somewhat reluctant to post them as they are slightly above your budget. If your budget is truly $6,000, these stones are worth every penny of the slight overage.

.911 H VS2 $6,226
https://www.whiteflash.com/loose-diamonds/round-cut-loose-diamond-4027066.htm

.907 H VS2 $6,132
https://www.whiteflash.com/loose-diamonds/round-cut-loose-diamond-3947635.htm

 

[TreeScientist]

These are the two stones I would recommend from WF. I'm somewhat reluctant to post them as they are slightly above your budget. If your budget is truly $6,000, these stones are worth every penny of the slight overage.

.911 H VS2 $6,226
https://www.whiteflash.com/loose-diamonds/round-cut-loose-diamond-4027066.htm

.907 H VS2 $6,132
https://www.whiteflash.com/loose-diamonds/round-cut-loose-diamond-3947635.htm

I like both of these, particularly the .911 carat. If your budget can stretch to that level, and you really want to go with WF for the setting, that is the one I would go with. Otherwise, if your ceiling is $6k for the diamond and ring, then I would highly suggest you go with the D/VS2 I posted earlier (or the H/VS1 I posted from Parcel and Stone if you don't care about color and want to save even more money). Both are much better cut than the Premium Select .9 carats that you originally posted, and will look much better in person. But you should request IdealScope images for both of them to confirm that the diamond does not have significant crown painting or digging.

 

[mrs-b]

@craftholic -

I like that H VS1 stone you posted. I don't mind a high crown - in fact, I like it. I prefer very clean stones, so VS1 works for me. An H color in a well cut stone is a nice, white stone, without being blindingly white, or looking cold - which your higher grades (D/E) can look, and both the ASET and the idealscope look good to me. And just to add, 6.2mm for a .9ct is the norm. While I find the 62.4 depth on the VS2 a little deep, the 61.9 on the .9ct H VS1 is very good.

There is a difference between a very well cut stone and a perfectly cut stone - not least of which being that people have different preferences. Some people prefer more fire, and some people prefer more white light. It's a personal thing. But to me it's more a question of experience. It's HIGHLY unlikely that an inexperienced eye could see the difference between a very well cut stone and a perfectly cut stone, and once on the hand, even more unlikely. So you need to ask yourself if you need a perfect stone, or just a well cut, beautiful stone which performs well and stays in budget.

If you look on the James Allen website, and also on the Blue Nile website, you'll see that the price for the stone on the WF website is highly competitive - even taking into consideration many of the JA stones being far less well cut. I've bought a number of stones from JA and many from BN, and I'd buy from them again - but only if I knew I was never going to upgrade, or, if I thought I *was* going to upgrade, only so long as I knew I was going to be looking for something double or more the original price (which is the trade up policy for both JA and BN). Keep in mind also, BN has jacked their prices since introducing video, and I no longer consider them price competitive. They have great stock and range - but their prices are no longer the best you can find.

So all that to say, I think the WF .9ct H VS1 is a good, solid, buy and will give you a beautiful diamond and a stunning ring.

Also - please listen to @diamondseeker2006. Her experience is broad and deep and she's been buying diamonds over a period of many, many years. She knows her shizzle.

 

[Siamese Kitty]

Okay, let me say now that I like both of those stones and I would choose Whiteflash ANY day over James Allen just on the premise that they provide more in terms of imaging and a lifetime trade up policy.

My daughter has a premium select stone from Whiteflash that I personally helped my son-in-law pick out. So I am going to steer you back to WF since they have the setting you want and I think theirs are for the most part higher in quality than JA.

Of these two diamonds, I like the H VS1 the best. It is pretty amazing to see such a good ASET with a 36.5 degree crown angle, and the hearts images are great. I also love the 75 (fatter) lower girdle facets. The big bonus is that it is less than the H VS2!

I do have ACAs myself. But I realize most of us have budgets and you have to balance quality and price. I think these are a good choice, and if you ever wanted to switch it out later for a larger stone or just an ACA, you could. But the images show very nice diamonds. I'd reserve that H VS1 before someone else grabs it.

I agree with all of this. Just wanted to add that I have an expert selection that missed AGS 000 due to a 1 on polish. It's 100% as nice as my ACAs and those are amazing.

 

[TreeScientist]

So you need to ask yourself if you need a perfect stone, or just a well cut, beautiful stone which performs well and stays in budget.

Exactly. This is the question that everyone needs to ask themselves when purchasing a diamond. If you need a perfect stone, with absolute perfect H&A symmetry and light return, then going with a SuperIdeal is of course the way to go, especially if you don't want to spend the time trying to find one on the open market. Many on this site have gone that route, and are very happy with knowing that they have the absolute best cut available :) (which I would say that 98% of ACAs and 100% of CBIs represent).

But if just a well cut diamond will do, then why on earth would you spend more money on a diamond that is not cut as well? Please, someone explain the logic of recommending this diamond:
[URL]https://www.whiteflash.com/loose-diamonds/round-cut-loose-diamond-3500065.htm[/URL]

over this diamond:
[URL]https://parcelandstone.com/diamond/Round/0.90-carat-H-color-VS1-clarity-stockNo-100332112851[/URL]
[URL]https://www.adiamor.com/Diamonds/0.90-ct-H-VS1-Excellent-Cut-Round-Diamond/D41925667[/URL]

I'm really struggling to come to terms with this one. While the P&S stone may not be a SuperIdeal (we don't have the hearts images to know) it is most certainly better cut than the WF diamond. I honestly could not recommend making the purchase of that WF diamond in good conscience, knowing that there's a much better stone out there for $800 cheaper.

[QUOTE="mrs-b, post: 4414650, member: 71969"][USER=98453]Some people prefer more fire, and some people prefer more white light. It's a personal thing. [/QUOTE]
Yes, this is true. As I said earlier, I have nothing against stones with high CAs, as long as they are well cut and have decent light return. There are definitely high CA stones out there with excellent light return (like the .84 Premium Select I posted earlier as an example), but the .9 H/VS1 is not one of them.[/user]

 

[TreeScientist]

Tree,
I appreciate that feedback. I think others share your opinion and we have had many internal discussions around the topic.

There was a time before we had video on our diamond detail page when the only way to showcase the actual beauty of our precision cut diamonds was a static 'glamour shot'. And before that the only image (other than IS and ASET) was the somewhat antiseptic arrows shot. So, while we were providing a lot of diagnostics, we were missing the opportunity to also convey visually why elite precision matters to consumers!

We believe that all the information should be evaluated holistically. The lab cert conveys a lot of the major info, including color. Any attempt to analyze color on the web through images or video is fraught with pitfalls. The LP images convey faceting precision and light return information. The video taken in 'fire friendly' light environment showcases the 'potential' for fire ,brilliance and overall beauty. I would add that it is possible to compare WF diamonds against one another using these videos to get a sense of how that potential might differ between diamonds for one reason or another.

Having said all that, we are considering adding an additional video to our detail page captured in a diffuse environment on gray. Since we stock so many diamonds and have a relatively high turnover rate, we often process 50 to 75 diamonds at a time as our production runs come through in bunches. Considering our inspection and review processes, and all the data and imaging that has to be captured and prepared for web for every diamond before it is made available on the site, it is not a casual decision to add another step. But if it adds sufficient value for the consumer, we are inclined to make the investment in time and resources.

I think adding an additional gray background, Segoma Imaging-style video is an excellent idea, and would be a welcome addition to the WF website. Heck, it might even save you and your sales associates some time, as you wouldn't need to respond to so many "Can you take a photo of these 3 G-colored diamonds together?"-type requests.

 

[crbl999]

These are the two stones I would recommend from WF. I'm somewhat reluctant to post them as they are slightly above your budget. If your budget is truly $6,000, these stones are worth every penny of the slight overage.

.911 H VS2 $6,226
https://www.whiteflash.com/loose-diamonds/round-cut-loose-diamond-4027066.htm

.907 H VS2 $6,132
https://www.whiteflash.com/loose-diamonds/round-cut-loose-diamond-3947635.htm

@craftholic If $6,000 is your total budget, IMO this is the best option with the potential (GIA rounding) for near super ideal proportions.

.9 G VS1 $4,630
https://www.adiamor.com/Diamonds/0....Cut-Round-Diamond/D42134719?&refer=pricescope

 

[TreeScientist]

@craftholic If $6,000 is your total budget, IMO this is the best option with the potential (GIA rounding) for near super ideal proportions.

.9 G VS1 $4,630
https://www.adiamor.com/Diamonds/0....Cut-Round-Diamond/D42134719?&refer=pricescope

I like that diamond, but I would disagree about the potential for SuperIdeal proportions. Here's a little trick for getting around that pesky GIA-rounding for the pavilion angle. For an MRB without a cutlet, a diamond with a pavilion angle of EXACTLY 40.6 would have a pavilion depth % of 42.8%, which would be rounded up to 43.0% (GIA rounds pavilion depth to the nearest .5).

Thus, for GIA diamonds with 40.6 pavilion angle and 42.5% pavilion depth, this means that the average pavilion angle for the 8 lower half facets is somewhere between 40.5 and 40.6. For 40.6 PA and 43.0% depth, then the average PA would fall somewhere between 40.6-40.7.

The diamond you listed has a GIA pavilion depth of 42.5%, which means average PA is somewhere between 40.5-40.6. That would not be SuperIdeal territory, and may introduce some obstruction upon close viewing if one or a few of the individual pavilion mains fell below 40.45 degrees. For GIA diamonds, I try to stick with 43.0 pavilion depth for 40.6 pavilion angle stones, as the average of 40.6-40.7 is more in line with AGS Ideal specs and is very unlikely to suffer from any obstruction issues.

 

[diamondseeker2006]

There is nothing "mediocre" about the Whiteflash .90 H VS1. It is a very nice, excellent cut stone with great light return. Not as perfect as an ACA but likely better than the vast majority diamonds found at the better, non-mall jewelry stores. I looked at high end jewelers in the nearest large city when I first began my (anniversary) diamond search 12 years ago, and none had ACA level stones, and there were none that even met the cut quality of this .90 H VS1. I did my best to buy locally, but they didn't stock the best of the GIA Excellent range and some even carried EGL. While I might not like every premium select stone enough to recommend it, I think this one looks beautiful.

 

[crbl999]

I like that diamond, but I would disagree about the potential for SuperIdeal proportions. Here's a little trick for getting around that pesky GIA-rounding for the pavilion angle. For an MRB without a cutlet, a diamond with a pavilion angle of EXACTLY 40.6 would have a pavilion depth % of 42.8%, which would be rounded up to 43.0% (GIA rounds pavilion depth to the nearest .5).

Thus, for GIA diamonds with 40.6 pavilion angle and 42.5% pavilion depth, this means that the average pavilion angle for the 8 lower half facets is somewhere between 40.5 and 40.6. For 40.6 PA and 43.0% depth, then the average PA would fall somewhere between 40.6-40.7.

The diamond you listed has a GIA pavilion depth of 42.5%, which means average PA is somewhere between 40.5-40.6. That would not be SuperIdeal territory, and may introduce some obstruction upon close viewing if one or a few of the individual pavilion mains fell below 40.45 degrees. For GIA diamonds, I try to stick with 43.0 pavilion depth for 40.6 pavilion angle stones, as the average of 40.6-40.7 is more in line with AGS Ideal specs and is very unlikely to suffer from any obstruction issues.

Thanks for explaining that. Makes perfect sense now. I didn't realize how much the rounding can affect performance.