help on these two diamond rings

[selfman2004]

the paramters are from Tiffany Gemo Lab:

carat color clarity symmetry polish depth table crownHeight crownAngle pavilionDepth pavilionAngle girdleThickness girdleFinish culet
0.48 d vvs1 VG VG 59.6 60 13.2 33.6deg 43.5 41.0deg medianToslightThick faceted none
0.5 d vvs1 EX EX 61.6 54 15.8 34.7deg 42.9 40.8deg thinToMedium faceted Vsmall

I did some research on and got some result.

For 0.5 Carat one, I got the HCA result as follows (1.1% as the input for culet percentage):
Light Return Excellent
Fire Excellent
Scintillation Excellent
Spread Very Good

For 0.48 Carat one, I got (0.45% as culet percentage):
Light Return Excellent
Fire Very Good
Scintillation Very Good
Spread Excellent

Which one is better in terms of cutting?

Besides, I have some other questions:
1. How to compare Tiffany Gemo lab with GIA and AGL? How much can we trust the data from Tiffany Gemo Lab, since I was told by a Tiffany staff that Tiffany started to grade the diamond just a year ago? Before that, Tiffany use GIA report.

2. What should I ask for when I buy a ring at tiffany? I know there will be an insurance letter, a grading report. I can also ask for a non-conflict diamond statement from Tiffany. But besides all these, any other documents?

3. I can trade in my current ring towards next Tiffany ring at an aound 90% value of your current ring. I asked where I find or how I determine the number 90%. Are there any Tiffany policies talking about this issue?

Many thanks.

 

[diamondseeker2006]

The .5 stone is definitely the better cut of the two. You can certainly go to F VS1 and get a little larger stone and not be able to visibly tell the difference unless you just want D VVS.

Oh, and at the time you'd be interested in trading, I am sure they would give you a current valuation of your stone at that time. There would be no way to predict that in advance.

 

[selfman2004]

Thanks very much, diamondseeker2006.

My GF likes a small size diamond ring since her finger is very fine, the size is 3 1/4.

In fact, I was told by the staff that you have to buy a diamond ring which is at least twice of the value of your current ring in order to get the 90% trade in price. He told me this 90% figure has been there for 10 years ( the time period when he has been working at tiffany).

R u sure that I can get 100% value for the trade in?

 

[bee*]

I have a tiffany ring also and I was told the same as you in that I can trade it in for an upgrade when I spend double the price of my current ring. They never mentioned anything about 90% though. In terms of their grading, if you read through some of the tiffany posts on PS, it is often said that the tiffany lab are more strict than other labs.

 

[diamondseeker2006]

Wow, she does have tiny fingers! I am sure that stone would be very beautiful on her hand!

 

[dmus]

The .5 is the better cut diamond. Is the 90% or 100% trade in of your puchase price? Not the appreciated value? It''s not a great deal on trade in if after 6 years you trade in and your diamond has doubled in appreciation and they are only giving you half that in a trade in.

 

[selfman2004]

To Bee,
Yes, i realized that Tiffany lab is with higher standard than GIA or AGL after reading the posts here. And you can ask them if you can get 100% value for a trade in. I doubt!


To dmus,
I am not sure if that is purchase price or appreciated value. I assume it is the purchase price. But I have to call them again to ask. If it is the appreciated price, I think we can sell it at a higher price.
I donot understand why a diamond can double in its appreciation. I thought it goes down in appreciation.

 

[Allison D.]

I think the notion of "Tiffany lab being stricter than GIA/AGS" comes mostly from folks who focus on the fact that Tiffany color/clarity cut-offs are I/VS. When people balance that against a J, SI stone from AGS or GIA, I think they mistakenly think "oh, the Tiffany lab must be stricter."

It''s hard to imagine that any retailer-based lab is going to lap AGS somehow in grading stringence.