shape
carat
color
clarity

HELP! Which diamond to choose?

gotg

Rough_Rock
Joined
Feb 13, 2020
Messages
10
Hi All!

Please help me choose a diamond! Or help narrow it down :)

I've enlisted help from a diamondspro person who recommended these options below. I just wanted some more opinions from you guys since I've really enjoyed reading all the honest feedback/advice on this forum. How do I narrow this down to one when they all look kind of alike? Is ~$1000 worth the extra 0.1 carat? Oh and the diamond will be on this 6-prong pave setting:
1581653696993.png

www.jamesallen.com/loose-diamonds/round-cut/1.70-carat-g-color-vs2-clarity-excellent-cut-sku-5023353?a_aid=dmnd1357&chan=je
www.jamesallen.com/loose-diamonds/round-cut/1.70-carat-g-color-vs2-clarity-excellent-cut-sku-7703137?a_aid=dmnd1357&chan=je

www.jamesallen.com/loose-diamonds/round-cut/1.81-carat-g-color-vs2-clarity-excellent-cut-sku-5627051?a_aid=dmnd1357&chan=je
https://www.jamesallen.com/loose-di...g-color-vs1-clarity-excellent-cut-sku-8009066 - we found this one and she approved lol

Initially, I wanted 1.8ish carat, but I think our budget allows for something closer to 1.7. The person who was helping me also showed us an option for a 1.65 carate that would be similar to a 1.7 in size (see below):
www.jamesallen.com/loose-diamonds/round-cut/1.65-carat-g-color-vs2-clarity-excellent-cut-sku-5627404?a_aid=dmnd1357&chan=je. - similar size to the second link above.

I know it comes down to personal preference, but I would really appreciate to hear your thoughts! Thanks!
 

lovedogs

Super_Ideal_Rock
Premium
Joined
Jul 31, 2014
Messages
18,030
Unfortunately JA no longer shows their certificates. Do you have access to those and can you post them?
 

gotg

Rough_Rock
Joined
Feb 13, 2020
Messages
10
Unfortunately JA no longer shows their certificates. Do you have access to those and can you post them?

Here ya go!

SKU 5627404 - 1.65 carat
5627404.jpg

SKU 7703137 - 1.7 carat (comparable size to 1.65)
7703137.jpg

SKU 5023353 - 1.7 carat

5023353.jpg

SKU 8009066 - 1.8 carat

8009066.jpg

Please disregard the 1.81 carat one, that one is out of our budget. I've decided to look at another one instead:

927192.jpg

Thanks for your help!
 

headlight

Ideal_Rock
Joined
Nov 2, 2003
Messages
3,293
If you have the choice to get the AGS0 then that should be your diamond. You know without question the cut is top quality. No need to waste your time on the GIA stones. Search over.
 

sledge

Ideal_Rock
Premium
Joined
Apr 23, 2018
Messages
5,791
If you have the choice to get the AGS0 then that should be your diamond. You know without question the cut is top quality. No need to waste your time on the GIA stones. Search over.

Normally, I would agree. But did you look at the JA video? Screen cap of the head on shot. No clear arrow patterns. Not sure if this is the right pic or not, but I think it is. Notice the super skinny arrows (81 LGF)? I think whoever is picking prefers longer LGF's as they all tend to trend that way.


CaptureJA.PNG
 

headlight

Ideal_Rock
Joined
Nov 2, 2003
Messages
3,293
I did not look at the image you posted. I just said AGS because that’s what everyone here says to go with and GIA stones are dismissed from the get go. Supporting the suggestion of a GIA stone is an exhaustive battle here.
 

sledge

Ideal_Rock
Premium
Joined
Apr 23, 2018
Messages
5,791
Looking at the price of the JA stones, you are in the $16-18k range it appears.

For that kind of money, I would go with an eye clean SI1 and throw my other money into cut and/or color.

Below is one such alternative.

1.723 F SI1 @ $17,876 wire

Gorgeous proportions. AGS000 certification. True hearts & arrow (H&A) stone. All the light performance & symmetry images to prove she's a fireball of awesomeness.

Lifetime upgrade -- simply spend $1 and get full credit of original stone -- no other strings. JA requires you spend 2x the original amount, which makes upgrading tough.

You are dropping a little in clarity, but the stone is still eye clean. You get a color bump to F, and the cut is top notch. For roughly the same dollars.

CaptureWF-F1.PNG

1581666690482.png
 

sledge

Ideal_Rock
Premium
Joined
Apr 23, 2018
Messages
5,791
I did not look at the image you posted. I just said AGS because that’s what everyone here says to go with and GIA stones are dismissed from the get go. Supporting the suggestion of a GIA stone is an exhaustive battle here.

I get that. I am not opposed to GIA but because of their funky rounding & averaging and the fact most vendors carrying GIA stones don't do advanced images, it makes choosing them more risky for the buyer. Certainly there are times and situations where it makes sense. And without doubt, there are some great GIA stones. You just have to work harder to find them.

I can't speak for everyone else, but when I look at GIA or AGS I am actually looking at the data and trying to analyze if it makes sense or not. For instance, I think that report shows stars at 58 (kind of blurry and can't tell if 53 or 58 ) and with those 81 stars I'm thinking that combo isn't playing nicely with the rest of the proportions and causing the weird effect.

On the plus side for AGS, at least on the newer certified stones and when the correct report type is purchased, they come with a computer generated ASET that helps determine light performance. JA never provides ASET's, except on fancies. On rounds, it's IS images only, upon request and you are capped at 3. So you get a free peak at what to expect on light performance on that particular stone, which shows good light return. They did some manipulation of the girdle which is why you see green splotches on the edge, but overall a decent looking ASET. That's why I was surprised to see such a blah real life image.
 

gotg

Rough_Rock
Joined
Feb 13, 2020
Messages
10
So none of those diamonds I posted are good?
 

lovedogs

Super_Ideal_Rock
Premium
Joined
Jul 31, 2014
Messages
18,030
I get that. I am not opposed to GIA but because of their funky rounding & averaging and the fact most vendors carrying GIA stones don't do advanced images, it makes choosing them more risky for the buyer. Certainly there are times and situations where it makes sense. And without doubt, there are some great GIA stones. You just have to work harder to find them.

I can't speak for everyone else, but when I look at GIA or AGS I am actually looking at the data and trying to analyze if it makes sense or not. For instance, I think that report shows stars at 58 (kind of blurry and can't tell if 53 or 58 ) and with those 81 stars I'm thinking that combo isn't playing nicely with the rest of the proportions and causing the weird effect.

On the plus side for AGS, at least on the newer certified stones and when the correct report type is purchased, they come with a computer generated ASET that helps determine light performance. JA never provides ASET's, except on fancies. On rounds, it's IS images only, upon request and you are capped at 3. So you get a free peak at what to expect on light performance on that particular stone, which shows good light return. They did some manipulation of the girdle which is why you see green splotches on the edge, but overall a decent looking ASET. That's why I was surprised to see such a blah real life image.

Agreed. I really dont like that AGS 0 stone. Not a huge fan of any of them to be honest. OP did you run the gia ones through the HCA calculator?
 

daisygrl

Brilliant_Rock
Joined
Dec 30, 2019
Messages
1,002
I get that. I am not opposed to GIA but because of their funky rounding & averaging and the fact most vendors carrying GIA stones don't do advanced images, it makes choosing them more risky for the buyer. Certainly there are times and situations where it makes sense. And without doubt, there are some great GIA stones. You just have to work harder to find them.

I can't speak for everyone else, but when I look at GIA or AGS I am actually looking at the data and trying to analyze if it makes sense or not. For instance, I think that report shows stars at 58 (kind of blurry and can't tell if 53 or 58 ) and with those 81 stars I'm thinking that combo isn't playing nicely with the rest of the proportions and causing the weird effect.

On the plus side for AGS, at least on the newer certified stones and when the correct report type is purchased, they come with a computer generated ASET that helps determine light performance. JA never provides ASET's, except on fancies. On rounds, it's IS images only, upon request and you are capped at 3. So you get a free peak at what to expect on light performance on that particular stone, which shows good light return. They did some manipulation of the girdle which is why you see green splotches on the edge, but overall a decent looking ASET. That's why I was surprised to see such a blah real life image.

I have always wondered what the difference is between GIA vs AGS... I understand that GIA round up the numbers and all. But, aside from pricescope, why do most vendors, including DK in LA, prefer GIA? One reason offered to me was that AGS goes one grade down with color (so when GIA grades it as H, AGS would grade it as G...etc). Would GIA with a full Sarin report be as good as AGS with a full Sarin report or vice versa?
 
Last edited:

lovedogs

Super_Ideal_Rock
Premium
Joined
Jul 31, 2014
Messages
18,030
I have always wondered what the difference is between GIA vs AGS... I understand that GIA round up the numbers and all. But, aside from pricescope, why do most vendors, including DK in LA prefer GIA? One reason offered to me was that AGS goes one grade down with color (so when GIA grades it as H, AGS would grade it as G...etc). Would GIA with a full Sarin report be as good as AGS with a full Sarin report or vice versa?

Most people have a slight preference, but will work with both. AGS is much stricter on cut than GIA--most AGS 000 stones are very well cut, whereas a ton of GIA XXX are horrible. And it's not entirely true that AGS is "softer" on color than GIA--that's debatable. I prefer AGS because of the strictness on cut, but both labs are great, so it's not a huge deal one way or the other. But one reason I like AGS (along with strictness on cut) is that the lab reports have the image scanned of the stone, whereas GIA you need more info (like an IS or ASET).
 

gotg

Rough_Rock
Joined
Feb 13, 2020
Messages
10
Agreed. I really dont like that AGS 0 stone. Not a huge fan of any of them to be honest. OP did you run the gia ones through the HCA calculator?

A5DA1DAC-D00F-4B02-9CAC-FC8BC466F36E.jpeg

If I have to redo the search, any tips on how to filter to look for better diamonds?
 

gotg

Rough_Rock
Joined
Feb 13, 2020
Messages
10
Thank you for all the responses so far and for sharing your wealth of knowledge! I still get so lost when you guys speak hearts and arrows but appreciate having you guys analyze all the stones for me.
 

OoohShiny

Ideal_Rock
Premium
Joined
Apr 25, 2014
Messages
8,228
A5DA1DAC-D00F-4B02-9CAC-FC8BC466F36E.jpeg

If I have to redo the search, any tips on how to filter to look for better diamonds?

HCA scores up to mid-2s (ish) should still be fine - they just need more careful assessment of the angles etc.
 
Be a part of the community Get 3 HCA Results
Top