help-which do I choose

[ggwhichstoneisforme]

I was hopng someone knowledgeable can help me with the following:
1. I have been dealign with a local dealer who has treated me well in the past, however, this is a biger purchase than I have ever made with him before. He has ordered 2 sets of diamonds for me to choose (based on my parameters that I gave him) for earings that I want to buy my wife for her birthday.
Set1: cw.tw - 1.41, round, SI1/SI2, E/F, $5,100
Set2: cw.tw - 1.51, round, SI1/SI2, G/H, $5,100

To my untrained eye, both are nice. I can see the slightest differecne in color only when I compare them side by side, looking at the side profile only of each stone. Comparing by their face the ddifference is les noticeable.

DO I SACRIFICE COLOR FOR SIZE OR NOT?

Also, he has not given me table size or any specifics onthe cut of each. The diamonds are "certified", but I do not know yet if that means GIA or some other type of cert).

DO I DEMAND SPECIFICS ON CUT? SHOLD HE HAVE THE CAPABILITY TO PROVIDE IF THEY ARE CERTIFIED?

Thanks for your help!

 

[pqcollectibles]

----------------
On 4/2/2004 10:06:40 AM ggwhichstoneisforme wrote:

I was hopng someone knowledgeable can help me with the following:
1. I have been dealign with a local dealer who has treated me well in the past, however, this is a biger purchase than I have ever made with him before. He has ordered 2 sets of diamonds for me to choose (based on my parameters that I gave him) for earings that I want to buy my wife for her birthday.
Set1: cw.tw - 1.41, round, SI1/SI2, E/F, $5,100
Set2: cw.tw - 1.51, round, SI1/SI2, G/H, $5,100

To my untrained eye, both are nice. I can see the slightest differecne in color only when I compare them side by side, looking at the side profile only of each stone. Comparing by their face the ddifference is les noticeable.

DO I SACRIFICE COLOR FOR SIZE OR NOT?

Also, he has not given me table size or any specifics onthe cut of each. The diamonds are 'certified', but I do not know yet if that means GIA or some other type of cert).

DO I DEMAND SPECIFICS ON CUT? SHOLD HE HAVE THE CAPABILITY TO PROVIDE IF THEY ARE CERTIFIED?

Thanks for your help!


----------------

Labs don't Cert stones in a range of color, E/F. It's either E or it's F. Do you mean one diamond is E color and the other is F color?? I personally would want more info on the cut. Those are pretty decent sized diamonds. The more info you have the better. They may not always remain earrings. I have 2 daughters and those stones would make a nice ring for each girl. You never know what the future holds. You also want to be sure you are getting value for the money paid. Gold settings will only run around $100, including setting the diamonds. So you are looking at paying roughly $2500/stone. Cut info will tell you if you are getting $2500 worth of value per stone in your purchase.

You can build your own set out of H&A or Ideal cut stones in that price range. With earrings, you want the diameters of the diamonds to be very close. Here's a pair of fantastic diamonds that I found in a quick search:

http://www.dirtcheapdiamonds.com/diamond_detail.cfm?did=6880268&ref=PS622

http://www.dirtcheapdiamonds.com/diamond_detail.cfm?did=6880265&ref=PS622

A little bit more money than your jeweler is asking, but they are VS clarity. VS is really not necessary for earrings. Clarity costs more than color does. Earrings don't get the same scrutiny a diamond does in a ring, but hopefully you get the idea. $2500 for an unknown cut quality vs $2600 for super ideal cuts.

 

[cmcwill]

It would help if you were able to get the cert, then with the measurements listed there you might be able to discern if these two are cut well. GIA does not report crown and pavillion angle, so ask if your jeweler can either get a sarin report of them, or calculate them himself.

Good luck!
Colleen

 

[ggwhichstoneisforme]

Thank you for the extremely helpful info! I am going to go back to the jeweler and ask some more questions based on the knowledge I've gained. I will also try to get a copy of each cert and then post it to see if you can guide me further.

I also have looked at the stones on the links provided. They are also very nice (thanks!). I guess my other dilema now is do I continue to try to plan a surprise for my wifes birthday which is in just a few days, or do I get her buy in on picking which stone she wants (i.e. something like the VS1's you've shown me over the SI1's my local jewler has.

Thanks again!

Greg

 

[valeria101]

I hope you can get all tose specs in a couple of days. AFster still, you can compare the diamonds at hand with a known H&A (say a branded stone, the jeweler might have) and see wether they are light years away from what an 'ideal' cut can do in th sparkle deprtment

 

[cmcwill]

I think it would be nice to be a surprise...theyre going on her ears, so you won't notice any inclusions from the SI2s that you might in an engagement ring. But you might still want to check online vendors to compare cuts!
Colleen