Help with diamond ring options

[lalantha]

Hi all,

As I''m sure you can see, I''m new to this forum (and site). I did some searches and learned a lot about diamonds - so, let me start by saying thanks to all for their posts here so far.

I''m based in the UK and am coming up to my 10th wedding anniversary and am thinking of buying my wife a diamond solitaire ring. I''m not getting a eternity ring because she tends to like simple/minimalist designs.

I''ve been using Blue Nile to narrow down my choices. This is mainly because I live far away from London, making it hard to visit any large jewelers. I do know about Hatton Garden, but I think I''ll get lost if I try and decide on a ring in one visit - but haven''t ruled visiting out. Using the information I''ve learned on this site (+ others), I''ve decided on something along the lines of:

Link to details on Blue Nile

Size: 0.82
Cut: Signature Ideal
Colour: G
Clarity: VVS2
Depth%: 61.4
Table%: 55
Crown Angel: 34.5 (15.5%)
Pavilion Angle: 40.8 (43%)
Symmetry: Excellent
Polish: Excellent
Girdle: Thin to medium, faceted
Culet: None
Fluorescence: None

I have a number of questions (sorry!), which I''m really hoping you all can help me with. Right, onto the questions:

The ring itself
o Does anyone thing a solitaire ring is a bad idea? She, I think, will wear it on her right hand and she''s right-handed. We have 3 young boys, so she has a fairly active life. I will be going with platinum.

About Blue Nile
o What''s the general opinion of BN these days? I did a search but couldn''t find recent posts about them. I''m using BN because I don''t know of any other decent online retailer in the UK. I don''t particularly want to start importing.

o BN offer a GCAL report which shows pictures of the diamond - is this a reputable report? Should I insist on a Sarin report? For example, I was surprised that the pavilion photograph wasn''t obviously showing Hearts & Arrows (available via link above).

o Is there anyone here who has bought from BN in the UK who could share their experience?

The diamond
o What do you think of the diamond, based on specs?
o The "Cut Advisor" gave it "Excellent" across the board, apart from "Spread" , which was "Very Good". What exactly is "Spread"?
o Is there anything I should be more concerned about? Colour=G for example?
o What does "faceted" on the girdle mean? Is it a bad thing?

The setting
o I am struggling to decide between a 6-prong (Tiffany-like) or 4-prong setting. I am slightly concerned that 6-prongs might be too much metal. But that the same time, I want it to be a secure setting.

o Does anyone here have photographs that show of the BN settings (4-prong or 6-prong). The online depictions are horrible!

o Do you of any other UK-based places I can get a nice setting and have a loose diamond set?

o BTW, I really like what I''ve see of Brian Gavin''s work. I haven''t contacted him/them yet because I''m sure they are based in the US. It seems a shame because I am just nervous about importing something like this.

Tiffany
o The usual question I guess. The only ''reputable'' show I know of in London is Tiffany. Whilst I realise I pay a premium, given the choice of BN or Tiffany, is it worth going to Tiffany for the reassurance of a quality diamond?

Again, apologies for the many questions, but I really want to get this right. We got engaged whilst I was a student and the ring is, well, not that impressive. This is sort of my way of making up for that.

I''m sure I''ll have more based on your replies, but that should do for now. Obviously, I''m open to any other helpful suggestions you may have.

Thanks in advance.

 

[Lorelei]

Date: 6/20/2009 2:53:42 PM
Author:lalantha
Hi all,

As I'm sure you can see, I'm new to this forum (and site). I did some searches and learned a lot about diamonds - so, let me start by saying thanks to all for their posts here so far.

I'm based in the UK and am coming up to my 10th wedding anniversary and am thinking of buying my wife a diamond solitaire ring. I'm not getting a eternity ring because she tends to like simple/minimalist designs.

I've been using Blue Nile to narrow down my choices. This is mainly because I live far away from London, making it hard to visit any large jewelers. I do know about Hatton Garden, but I think I'll get lost if I try and decide on a ring in one visit - but haven't ruled visiting out. Using the information I've learned on this site (+ others), I've decided on something along the lines of:

Link to details on Blue Nile

Size: 0.82
Cut: Signature Ideal
Colour: G
Clarity: VVS2
Depth%: 61.4
Table%: 55
Crown Angel: 34.5 (15.5%)
Pavilion Angle: 40.8 (43%)
Symmetry: Excellent
Polish: Excellent
Girdle: Thin to medium, faceted
Culet: None
Fluorescence: None

I have a number of questions (sorry!), which I'm really hoping you all can help me with. Right, onto the questions:

The ring itself
o Does anyone thing a solitaire ring is a bad idea? She, I think, will wear it on her right hand and she's right-handed. We have 3 young boys, so she has a fairly active life. I will be going with platinum. Personally I love solitaires, or maybe you could consider a bezel setting if your wife is active which would protect the stone maybe a bit more and sit flatter on the hand.

About Blue Nile
o What's the general opinion of BN these days? I did a search but couldn't find recent posts about them. I'm using BN because I don't know of any other decent online retailer in the UK. I don't particularly want to start importing. BN are a reputable vendor, I followed a friend purchasing from them recently and they had a great experience, the downside is they don't supply images such as ASET, Idealscope and hearts images if you are purchasing h&a that informed buyers want.

o BN offer a GCAL report which shows pictures of the diamond - is this a reputable report? Should I insist on a Sarin report? BN won't supply Sarin. For example, I was surprised that the pavilion photograph wasn't obviously showing Hearts & Arrows (available via link above). BN do not to my knowledge sell any diamonds sold as hearts and arrows. GCAL is reputable, but the photos do not offer enough info in my opinion, in particular clear detailed images of hearts are needed to evaluate a h&a diamond, but like I said I BN do not sell these specifically. If you want a h&a diamond then Brian Gavin or one of the other vendors who sell h&a branded diamonds such as Indira Marchant below are the ones to contact. If you aren't purchasing a diamond sold as h&a then really hearts and arrows images aren't strictly necessary although ASET and or Idealscope are very useful in any case.

o Is there anyone here who has bought from BN in the UK who could share their experience?

The diamond
o What do you think of the diamond, based on specs? Looks promising, the numbers should be pretty ' safe.'
o The 'Cut Advisor' gave it 'Excellent' across the board, apart from 'Spread' , which was 'Very Good'. What exactly is 'Spread'? Spread refers to the face up size of a diamond, you can calculate spread from the diameter measurements in MM. Spread will fall into place and into the desirable range as it should be with a well cut diamond.
Read more here on spread - http://diamonds.pricescope.com/spread.asp Usually only the more shallow depthed diamonds get an Excellent for spread on the HCA.

o Is there anything I should be more concerned about? Colour=G for example? G colour will be very white, also you could lower the clarity to VS comfortably without visual sacrifice if you wished, even some SI clarities can be eyeclean but this is a personal preference, if you prefer VVS then no problem.
o What does 'faceted' on the girdle mean? Is it a bad thing? No, this is usual for a girdle to be faceted, read more here
http://diamonds.pricescope.com/girdle.asp

The setting
o I am struggling to decide between a 6-prong (Tiffany-like) or 4-prong setting. I am slightly concerned that 6-prongs might be too much metal. But that the same time, I want it to be a secure setting. If you are worried about security I would suggest 6 prongs or a bezel setting.

o Does anyone here have photographs that show of the BN settings (4-prong or 6-prong). The online depictions are horrible!

o Do you of any other UK-based places I can get a nice setting and have a loose diamond set?

o BTW, I really like what I've see of Brian Gavin's work. I haven't contacted him/them yet because I'm sure they are based in the US. It seems a shame because I am just nervous about importing something like this. You can work with Brian and Lesley of BGD with confidence, one of our UK PSers have worked with them recently and had an excellent experience! They are based in Houston Texas but are very used to working with us UK buyers!

Tiffany
o The usual question I guess. The only 'reputable' show I know of in London is Tiffany. Whilst I realise I pay a premium, given the choice of BN or Tiffany, is it worth going to Tiffany for the reassurance of a quality diamond? Also try Dr Indira Marchant of www.bestdiamonds.co.uk Indira is based in London, she is a lovely lady and true expert, if you preferred to buy within the UK then I would definitely suggest you try her. Tiffany is certainly an option especially if you think your wife would really value the brand name and blue box, but you are probably aware you will pay a considerable premium for the Tiffany name which you could invest in the diamond and setting instead. But if you think Tiffany is the way to go then of course that is fine, but there are other ways of getting a top quality stone, setting, service and vendor benefits.

Again, apologies for the many questions, but I really want to get this right. We got engaged whilst I was a student and the ring is, well, not that impressive. This is sort of my way of making up for that.

I'm sure I'll have more based on your replies, but that should do for now. Obviously, I'm open to any other helpful suggestions you may have.

Here is a very useful thread on ASET and Idealscope images and their uses.

http://www.highperformancediamonds.com/index.php?page=education-performance

Thanks in advance.

I hope this helps and congratulations on your anniversary! Just ask if you need any more help.

 

[the tree sees]

Sorry for the short response, but I just have to put my two cents in about what wonderful service you''ll get with Brian Gavin--see my comments here. It''s a real thrill to be able to speak with the craftsman himself, which I was able to do on more than one occasion. And Lesley is always available during the week at all times of the day/night. I''m rather far from TX too; a couple thousand more kilometers shouldn''t affect your experience!

I don''t mean to detract from the reputability of the other vendors, just to assuage any concerns you may have about working with BGD.

Best of luck.

 

[lalantha]

Wow, Lorelei! Thanks so much for the prompt reply and the useful links. Also, many many thanks for recommending Dr Indira Marchant. Her store is very close to my London-based office and also close to the Tiffany store I was going to visit (I have a meeting on the 1st July). Will definitely get in touch with her.

Date: 6/20/2009 2:56:17 PM
Author: Lorelei
Personally I love solitaires, or maybe you could consider a bezel setting if your wife is active which would protect the stone maybe a bit more and sit flatter on the hand.
Yup something to consider. There''s just something special (for me) about the "classic" setting...


BN are a reputable vendor, I followed a friend purchasing from them recently and they had a great experience, the downside is they don''t supply images such as ASET, Idealscope and hearts images if you are purchasing h&a that informed buyers want.
Thanks. Good to know it''s a reliable option

I wasn''t specifically going for a h&a diamond - it''s probably my misunderstanding, but I thought a well cut diamond would always exhibit h&a properties. So, it was surprising for me that the "Signature Ideal" didn''t.

BN won''t supply Sarin.

GCAL is reputable, but the photos do not offer enough info in my opinion, in particular clear detailed images of hearts are needed to evaluate a h&a diamond, but like I said I BN do not sell these specifically. If you want a h&a diamond then Brian Gavin or one of the other vendors who sell h&a branded diamonds such as Indira Marchant below are the ones to contact. If you aren''t purchasing a diamond sold as h&a then really hearts and arrows images aren''t strictly necessary although ASET and or Idealscope are very useful in any case.
Thanks for the above.

Looks promising, the numbers should be pretty '' safe.''

G colour will be very white, also you could lower the clarity to VS comfortably without visual sacrifice if you wished, even some SI clarities can be eyeclean but this is a personal preference, if you prefer VVS then no problem.
I guess it''s my lack of experience, but I''m concerned about "dropping" grades when doing something like this. That said, VS, from what I''ve seen is not a big drop from VVS.

You can work with Brian and Lesley of BGD with confidence, one of our UK PSers have worked with them recently and had an excellent experience! They are based in Houston Texas but are very used to working with us UK buyers!
Good stuff, I shall get in touch.


Also try Dr Indira Marchant of www.bestdiamonds.co.uk Indira is based in London, she is a lovely lady and true expert, if you preferred to buy within the UK then I would definitely suggest you try her. Tiffany is certainly an option especially if you think your wife would really value the brand name and blue box, but you are probably aware you will pay a considerable premium for the Tiffany name which you could invest in the diamond and setting instead. But if you think Tiffany is the way to go then of course that is fine, but there are other ways of getting a top quality stone, setting, service and vendor benefits.
Yup, I know that I''ll be paying more at Tiffany, but it was a case of their reputation selling themselves I guess. My wife won''t really care that it''s a Tiffany (I think!), she''ll be quite surprised I''m doing this at all (it''s taken a fair bit of secret planning and budgeting on my part). I''ll be getting touch with Indira as recommended first and foremost.

I hope this helps and congratulations on your anniversary! Just ask if you need any more help.

Thanks again.

 

[lalantha]

Thanks! Actually, I had looked at your thread shortly before posting mine. I was "wow-ing" your ring - it''s really beautiful. I''ll get in touch with them and see how things can be worked out.

Date: 6/20/2009 3:43:29 PM
Author: the tree sees
Sorry for the short response, but I just have to put my two cents in about what wonderful service you''ll get with Brian Gavin--see my comments here. It''s a real thrill to be able to speak with the craftsman himself, which I was able to do on more than one occasion. And Lesley is always available during the week at all times of the day/night. I''m rather far from TX too; a couple thousand more kilometers shouldn''t affect your experience!


I don''t mean to detract from the reputability of the other vendors, just to assuage any concerns you may have about working with BGD.


Best of luck.

 

[Lorelei]

Date: 6/20/2009 3:45:12 PM
Author: lalantha
Wow, Lorelei! Thanks so much for the prompt reply and the useful links. Also, many many thanks for recommending Dr Indira Marchant. Her store is very close to my London-based office and also close to the Tiffany store I was going to visit (I have a meeting on the 1st July). Will definitely get in touch with her.

Date: 6/20/2009 2:56:17 PM
Author: Lorelei
Personally I love solitaires, or maybe you could consider a bezel setting if your wife is active which would protect the stone maybe a bit more and sit flatter on the hand.
Yup something to consider. There's just something special (for me) about the 'classic' setting...In that case the classic Tiffany style 4 or 6 prong solitaire is the one to concentrate on.


BN are a reputable vendor, I followed a friend purchasing from them recently and they had a great experience, the downside is they don't supply images such as ASET, Idealscope and hearts images if you are purchasing h&a that informed buyers want.
Thanks. Good to know it's a reliable option It could be.

I wasn't specifically going for a h&a diamond - it's probably my misunderstanding, but I thought a well cut diamond would always exhibit h&a properties. So, it was surprising for me that the 'Signature Ideal' didn't. Some well cut diamonds will show a strong h&a pattern if the optical symmetry and overall cut precision is good ( this is different to lab graded physical symmetry of the diamond). So you could find a stone which isn't an actual h&a but does show a pattern of both hearts and arrows. The proportions are of the utmost importance if you are going to have great light return, beauty and sparkle which will give your wife a beautiful diamond on her finger she will cherish.
This tutorial explains further about hearts and arrows diamonds. http://diamonds.pricescope.com/hna.asp

BN won't supply Sarin.
GCAL is reputable, but the photos do not offer enough info in my opinion, in particular clear detailed images of hearts are needed to evaluate a h&a diamond, but like I said I BN do not sell these specifically. If you want a h&a diamond then Brian Gavin or one of the other vendors who sell h&a branded diamonds such as Indira Marchant below are the ones to contact. If you aren't purchasing a diamond sold as h&a then really hearts and arrows images aren't strictly necessary although ASET and or Idealscope are very useful in any case.
Thanks for the above. Most welcome!

Looks promising, the numbers should be pretty ' safe.'

G colour will be very white, also you could lower the clarity to VS comfortably without visual sacrifice if you wished, even some SI clarities can be eyeclean but this is a personal preference, if you prefer VVS then no problem.
I guess it's my lack of experience, but I'm concerned about 'dropping' grades when doing something like this. That said, VS, from what I've seen is not a big drop from VVS. It really isn't, VS are usually eyeclean in the size you are considering, having said that it never hurts to check when buying online, the trusted vendors are very used to advising in this capacity. Just make your expectations known, if you don't want to see any inclusions from any angle at close scrutiny make sure you tell the vendor that so you are both on the same page.

You can work with Brian and Lesley of BGD with confidence, one of our UK PSers have worked with them recently and had an excellent experience! They are based in Houston Texas but are very used to working with us UK buyers!
Good stuff, I shall get in touch. They will take great care of you, they are smashing to work with!


Also try Dr Indira Marchant of www.bestdiamonds.co.uk Indira is based in London, she is a lovely lady and true expert, if you preferred to buy within the UK then I would definitely suggest you try her. Tiffany is certainly an option especially if you think your wife would really value the brand name and blue box, but you are probably aware you will pay a considerable premium for the Tiffany name which you could invest in the diamond and setting instead. But if you think Tiffany is the way to go then of course that is fine, but there are other ways of getting a top quality stone, setting, service and vendor benefits.
Yup, I know that I'll be paying more at Tiffany, but it was a case of their reputation selling themselves I guess. My wife won't really care that it's a Tiffany (I think!), she'll be quite surprised I'm doing this at all (it's taken a fair bit of secret planning and budgeting on my part). I'll be getting touch with Indira as recommended first and foremost. Indira is also a super lady, she posts here in fact and she is passionate about cut quality and beauty of diamonds. Like many of the trusted vendors in the US, Indira really sees diamonds not only in terms of numbers, proportions and the technical side, but she also is passionate about beauty, which in the end is what it comes down to! Your wife is going to be overjoyed, you will end up with something wonderful whoever you decide to go with!

Indira stocks the lovely Infinity hearts and arrows brand so you could view some of those or contact her in advance, tell her what you are looking for and she could arrange some suitable diamonds for you to view.

I hope this helps and congratulations on your anniversary! Just ask if you need any more help.

Thanks again. Very glad to help!

 

[lalantha]

I have dropped messages to both Indira and Brian.

I''ll let you know how I get on.

Date: 6/20/2009 4:14:24 PM
Author: Lorelei

Date: 6/20/2009 3:45:12 PM

Author: lalantha

Wow, Lorelei! Thanks so much for the prompt reply and the useful links. Also, many many thanks for recommending Dr Indira Marchant. Her store is very close to my London-based office and also close to the Tiffany store I was going to visit (I have a meeting on the 1st July). Will definitely get in touch with her.

Date: 6/20/2009 2:56:17 PM

Author: Lorelei

Personally I love solitaires, or maybe you could consider a bezel setting if your wife is active which would protect the stone maybe a bit more and sit flatter on the hand.

Yup something to consider. There''s just something special (for me) about the ''classic'' setting...In that case the classic Tiffany style 4 or 6 prong solitaire is the one to concentrate on.




BN are a reputable vendor, I followed a friend purchasing from them recently and they had a great experience, the downside is they don''t supply images such as ASET, Idealscope and hearts images if you are purchasing h&a that informed buyers want.

Thanks. Good to know it''s a reliable option It could be.


I wasn''t specifically going for a h&a diamond - it''s probably my misunderstanding, but I thought a well cut diamond would always exhibit h&a properties. So, it was surprising for me that the ''Signature Ideal'' didn''t. Some well cut diamonds will show a strong h&a pattern if the optical symmetry and overall cut precision is good ( this is different to lab graded physical symmetry of the diamond). So you could find a stone which isn''t an actual h&a but does show a pattern of both hearts and arrows. The proportions are of the utmost importance if you are going to have great light return, beauty and sparkle which will give your wife a beautiful diamond on her finger she will cherish.

This tutorial explains further about hearts and arrows diamonds. http://diamonds.pricescope.com/hna.asp



BN won''t supply Sarin.

GCAL is reputable, but the photos do not offer enough info in my opinion, in particular clear detailed images of hearts are needed to evaluate a h&a diamond, but like I said I BN do not sell these specifically. If you want a h&a diamond then Brian Gavin or one of the other vendors who sell h&a branded diamonds such as Indira Marchant below are the ones to contact. If you aren''t purchasing a diamond sold as h&a then really hearts and arrows images aren''t strictly necessary although ASET and or Idealscope are very useful in any case.

Thanks for the above. Most welcome!


Looks promising, the numbers should be pretty '' safe.''

G colour will be very white, also you could lower the clarity to VS comfortably without visual sacrifice if you wished, even some SI clarities can be eyeclean but this is a personal preference, if you prefer VVS then no problem.

I guess it''s my lack of experience, but I''m concerned about ''dropping'' grades when doing something like this. That said, VS, from what I''ve seen is not a big drop from VVS. It really isn''t, VS are usually eyeclean in the size you are considering, having said that it never hurts to check when buying online, the trusted vendors are very used to advising in this capacity. Just make your expectations known, if you don''t want to see any inclusions from any angle at close scrutiny make sure you tell the vendor that so you are both on the same page.


You can work with Brian and Lesley of BGD with confidence, one of our UK PSers have worked with them recently and had an excellent experience! They are based in Houston Texas but are very used to working with us UK buyers!

Good stuff, I shall get in touch. They will take great care of you, they are smashing to work with!



Also try Dr Indira Marchant of www.bestdiamonds.co.uk Indira is based in London, she is a lovely lady and true expert, if you preferred to buy within the UK then I would definitely suggest you try her. Tiffany is certainly an option especially if you think your wife would really value the brand name and blue box, but you are probably aware you will pay a considerable premium for the Tiffany name which you could invest in the diamond and setting instead. But if you think Tiffany is the way to go then of course that is fine, but there are other ways of getting a top quality stone, setting, service and vendor benefits.

Yup, I know that I''ll be paying more at Tiffany, but it was a case of their reputation selling themselves I guess. My wife won''t really care that it''s a Tiffany (I think!), she''ll be quite surprised I''m doing this at all (it''s taken a fair bit of secret planning and budgeting on my part). I''ll be getting touch with Indira as recommended first and foremost. Indira is also a super lady, she posts here in fact and she is passionate about cut quality and beauty of diamonds. Like many of the trusted vendors in the US, Indira really sees diamonds not only in terms of numbers, proportions and the technical side, but she also is passionate about beauty, which in the end is what it comes down to! Your wife is going to be overjoyed, you will end up with something wonderful whoever you decide to go with!


Indira stocks the lovely Infinity hearts and arrows brand so you could view some of those or contact her in advance, tell her what you are looking for and she could arrange some suitable diamonds for you to view.


I hope this helps and congratulations on your anniversary! Just ask if you need any more help.

Thanks again. Very glad to help!

 

[Lorelei]

Thats great, keep us posted!

 

[lalantha]

Wow, Lesley from BGD is so nice and helpful. Using my criteria she''s already selected a diamond that may suit.

My only concerns are the colour (G, but I think that''s fine) and the clarity (SI1). Lesley reassures me that it''s something I should "forget about".

but I thought clarity was something that really should be in the VS+ band.

Lorelei - thanks again for convincing me to talk with BGD.

 

[the tree sees]

Lalantha,

Lesley is just the best, isn''t she?

I think G is a great color--if it''s cut well, you probably won''t notice any warmth at all. I just ordered an I stone from BGD. I''m posting something I just wrote to another PSer:

If you want to know more about clarity & color, I recommend Good Old Gold''s tutorials at http://goodoldgold.com/4Cs/. Jonathan at GOG ("Rhino" on this forum) also has some great videos, including two intros to color:

Part I

Part II

As for clarity, as long as Brian assures you it''s eye-clean, you''re good to go!

 

[the tree sees]

Btw, here''s an example of what a color J stone looks like. (The blue is just the reflection of this fellow PSer''s shirt): https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/forgive-me-i-cant-resist-posting-some-pics-usin-my-new-cam.117658/

 

[Lorelei]

Date: 6/21/2009 3:48:10 PM
Author: lalantha

Wow, Lesley from BGD is so nice and helpful. Using my criteria she''s already selected a diamond that may suit.

My only concerns are the colour (G, but I think that''s fine) and the clarity (SI1). Lesley reassures me that it''s something I should ''forget about''.

but I thought clarity was something that really should be in the VS+ band.

Lorelei - thanks again for convincing me to talk with BGD.

You are most welcome, Lesley is wonderful!! NO concerns with G colour, it will be extremely white especially with the cut and SI1 clarity is also absolutely fine! Lesley is so experienced with these clarity grades, if you have discussed with her whether it is eyeclean or not and she says it is according to your standards then you should be good to go.

 

[Indira-London]

Hello Lalantha

I just saw this thread and have looked in my Inbox for any e-mails that arrived yesterday or over the weekend but I am afraid that I have not been able to identify any that could correspond with your query. Hence, I wonder if it is possible for you to re-send your e-mail, preferably mentioning that that you are Lalantha from Pricescope. Of course if you are already progressing well with Lesley and Gavin - they are both great! - then please do not feel obliged to re-send. I just wanted to make sure that you knew that I had not received your email rather than leaving you thinking that I had not responded.

Sorry for any inconvenience.

Best wishes
Indira

 

[Indira-London]

Hello Lalantha

Oops mystery solved - I just looked through my spam filter - there were over 300 junk emails but buried in that pile was your email so will respond to that forthwith! I think that any email with a link - you had kindly put the link to this thread in that email - gets put in the spam folder. Now that I have realised that, I will do a better job of scanning that folder first!

 

[lalantha]

Thanks Jason. Apologies for the late reply, but work kinda gets in the way.

Date: 6/21/2009 3:55:06 PM
Author: the tree sees
Lalantha,


Lesley is just the best, isn''t she?


I think G is a great color--if it''s cut well, you probably won''t notice any warmth at all. I just ordered an I stone from BGD. I''m posting something I just wrote to another PSer:


If you want to know more about clarity & color, I recommend Good Old Gold''s tutorials at http://goodoldgold.com/4Cs/. Jonathan at GOG (''Rhino'' on this forum) also has some great videos, including two intros to color:


Part I


Part II


As for clarity, as long as Brian assures you it''s eye-clean, you''re good to go!

 

[lalantha]

Hi there,

Not a problem, sorry I couldn''t reply earlier. I shall go over your email and get back to you as soon as I can.

Thanks.

Date: 6/22/2009 8:57:21 AM
Author: Indira-London
Hello Lalantha


Oops mystery solved - I just looked through my spam filter - there were over 300 junk emails but buried in that pile was your email so will respond to that forthwith! I think that any email with a link - you had kindly put the link to this thread in that email - gets put in the spam folder. Now that I have realised that, I will do a better job of scanning that folder first!

 

[lalantha]

Well, got a few to choose from - will post some details soon. It''s bedtime story time for the kids.

Date: 6/22/2009 5:19:17 AM
Author: Lorelei

Date: 6/21/2009 3:48:10 PM

Author: lalantha

Wow, Lesley from BGD is so nice and helpful. Using my criteria she''s already selected a diamond that may suit.


My only concerns are the colour (G, but I think that''s fine) and the clarity (SI1). Lesley reassures me that it''s something I should ''forget about''.

but I thought clarity was something that really should be in the VS+ band.


Lorelei - thanks again for convincing me to talk with BGD.

You are most welcome, Lesley is wonderful!! NO concerns with G colour, it will be extremely white especially with the cut and SI1 clarity is also absolutely fine! Lesley is so experienced with these clarity grades, if you have discussed with her whether it is eyeclean or not and she says it is according to your standards then you should be good to go.

 

[the tree sees]

My pleasure! Just trying to offer comparable assistance to what I got when I was first trying to learn more about sparklies.

 

[Lorelei]

Date: 6/22/2009 2:55:53 PM
Author: lalantha

Well, got a few to choose from - will post some details soon. It''s bedtime story time for the kids.

Date: 6/22/2009 5:19:17 AM
Author: Lorelei

Date: 6/21/2009 3:48:10 PM

Author: lalantha

Wow, Lesley from BGD is so nice and helpful. Using my criteria she''s already selected a diamond that may suit.


My only concerns are the colour (G, but I think that''s fine) and the clarity (SI1). Lesley reassures me that it''s something I should ''forget about''.

but I thought clarity was something that really should be in the VS+ band.


Lorelei - thanks again for convincing me to talk with BGD.

You are most welcome, Lesley is wonderful!! NO concerns with G colour, it will be extremely white especially with the cut and SI1 clarity is also absolutely fine! Lesley is so experienced with these clarity grades, if you have discussed with her whether it is eyeclean or not and she says it is according to your standards then you should be good to go.

I am looking forward to the details!!

 

[lalantha]

Right, onto some diamonds and more questions (sorry!)

I guess cut is not a concern because it''s a H&A, so it really should be very very good. So, that leaves color and clarity really. The ones within my budget that I''m considering are:

F      VS1     0.752  
 
G      VS1     0.802  
 
H      VS1     0.856  
 
H      VS1     0.816  
 
G      SI1     0.801
 
That is pretty much in my current order of preference, based on my limited knowledge. I guess I might be getting hung up on grades (it''s the only thing I have to go on!). I''m reluctant to go down to an H, but the as Jason showed, even a J with a good cut it won''t really be a problem. That said, I''m wondering if it''s because it''s such a large stone, so it has more light to shine through?

Similarly with the clarity. I know I won''t be able to see the inclusions, but I''ll know they are there. It''s a significant purchase for me and I want to be "sure" of getting something my wife can be proud of. In fairness, I suspect if I don''t tell her about the gradings, then she won''t know any different. So, does it make sense to go for an eye-clean - it feels, for example, like I''m sacrificing quality for a larger stone. Should I be?


The other thing I''m trying to resolve is more of a moral question. Lesley has already given me so much help and I really like the "Truth" setting that I feel I should stick with BGD (I tend to be loyal...). However, Indira also replied to me (promptly, after finding my mail) that I feel I should also visit her. But I don''t want to be unfair to either and waste either of their time. I guess it would be quite foolish to not see Indira as well.


Out of curiosity, a H&A diamond is a H&A diamond, right? What I mean is, is there any significant difference between the BG H&A and the Infinity H&A?


Again, sorry for all the questions, but I really do appreciate all the help I''m getting.

 

[stone-cold11]

Go G SI1...

In terms of clarity, all stone will have inclusions, but the clarity grade is given using a 10X magnification. So if the grading is change by someone arbitrarily to 20X or 30X, even most IF graded stone will not remains as IF and forget about at the atomic lattice scale, there will be holes everywhere... So it is just a arbitrary grade set by GIA, eye-clean is eye-clean, especially if it does not interfere with the optical performance.

Give BestDiamond a try since you will be able to see the diamond and setting personally instead. The vendors understand shoppers.

H&A are almost the same, both will have great optical performance and optical symm, maybe just slightly different flavor. I think infinity have usually smaller girdle facets resulting in chunkier flashes than BGD. Might be wrong, need to check out BGD's diamond stats. Scratch that, numbers seems similar to me.

 

[the tree sees]

Lalantha,

Are all these stones from BGD? I wouldn''t jump to the conclusion that all H&As are created equal--not by a long shot! While "perfect hearts" indicates excellent symmetry, you need to see ASET & IS images for the stones that you decide are serious contenders, to examine optical performance. I would venture to say that anything BGD is offering is likely to be exquisitely cut and have great light return. However, they''re by no means all the same, so you might wish to compare images (or post them and have us compare!

). Lesley was happy to send me a number of images of the stones Brian recommended for my budget and other specifications. I ended up going with the one Brian recommended most strongly for me.

As for color, I think the contrary of what you said is true. Although I leave it to the prosumers to correct me if I''m wrong, I believe that the larger the stone, the more likely you are to see color. Ask Lesley or Brian to give you an honest assessment of how the stone faces up if you''re worried about color, but I''d say that a G-H should be terrific!

Clarity will be a matter of personal preference. If Lesley or Brian tells you that a stone is perfectly eye-clean, then based on their reputation, you can believe them. But some members in this forum will talk about "mind cleanliness." I don''t know what that term might mean to you.

Which vendor you choose to use will also be a personal decision. Although I''m obviously biased toward BGD, having worked with them, I don''t think you should feel as though you can''t shop around. Based on Lorelei''s recommendation, I''m sure Indira does phenomenal work...

One factor that might help you make a decision: participants in this forum often recommend that, when torn between two stones at two different vendors, you should go with the vendor who also has the ring you like, since that saves you some hassle and frees you of any anxiety about who would bear the responsibility if the diamond got chipped while being set.

Best,

 

[lalantha]

Thanks! I''m getting the idea on not getting too hung up on the inclusions. You points on the grading is very good - well put.

I''ve asked to see Indira on the 1st - seeing these diamonds (or close to) will be something of an experience for me.

Date: 6/22/2009 4:10:44 PM
Author: Stone-cold11
Go G SI1...


In terms of clarity, all stone will have inclusions, but the clarity grade is given using a 10X magnification. So if the grading is change by someone arbitrarily to 20X or 30X, even most IF graded stone will not remains as IF and forget about at the atomic lattice scale, there will be holes everywhere... So it is just a arbitrary grade set by GIA, eye-clean is eye-clean, especially if it does not interfere with the optical performance.


Give BestDiamond a try since you will be able to see the diamond and setting personally instead. The vendors understand shoppers.


H&A are almost the same, both will have great optical performance and optical symm, maybe just slightly different flavor. I think infinity have usually smaller girdle facets resulting in chunkier flashes than BGD. Might be wrong, need to check out BGD''s diamond stats. Scratch that, numbers seems similar to me.

 

[the tree sees]

Let us know how it goes!

 

[Lorelei]

If all of the above suggested by Lesley are Brian Gavin Signature h&a then they should all be top notch cut which I would expect have been cut to Brian's specifications and standards and approved by him. For us to get a comparison of each we need Idealscope and ASET images as Jason noted. Really it isn't possible for consumers to speculate as to the differences between Infinity and BG Signature Ideals, the BG are a new line plus we are only consumers and haven't seen these diamonds to compare, nor do we have the expertise to speculate on any differences, or the pros and cons between them. Suffice to say both Infinity and BG h&a are among the finest cut diamonds in the world.

As for clarity, it depends on you, if you would prefer VS then go with that if you feel that is a better representation of the emotion you feel as you gift this diamond to your wife.

As to who to go with, whether BGD or Dr Marchant, really it comes down to who has what you want at the time you want it. If BGD have the setting you prefer, go with them. If you would rather view in person and choose from there, then Dr Marchant is the one to go with. Or visit with Indira and decide from there once you have compared both vendors offerings. There isn't a right or wrong answer, and you certainly can't go wrong with either!

 

[lalantha]

Thanks Jason.

Yup, all the stones are from BDG - I''ll try post the ASET images shortly.

Good point about the ring - one interesting this about Indira (Best Diamonds) is that they seem to make settings to order. So, it''s going to be tricky to decide on a setting up-front. Have to say the "Truth" setting (same as yours I believe) has really taken my eye!

Date: 6/22/2009 4:15:40 PM
Author: the tree sees
Lalantha,


Are all these stones from BGD? I wouldn''t jump to the conclusion that all H&As are created equal--not by a long shot! While ''perfect hearts'' indicates excellent symmetry, you need to see ASET & IS images for the stones that you decide are serious contenders, to examine optical performance. I would venture to say that anything BGD is offering is likely to be exquisitely cut and have great light return. However, they''re by no means all the same, so you might wish to compare images (or post them and have us compare!

). Lesley was happy to send me a number of images of the stones Brian recommended for my budget and other specifications. I ended up going with the one Brian recommended most strongly for me.


As for color, I think the contrary of what you said is true. Although I leave it to the prosumers to correct me if I''m wrong, I believe that the larger the stone, the more likely you are to see color. Ask Lesley or Brian to give you an honest assessment of how the stone faces up if you''re worried about color, but I''d say that a G-H should be terrific!


Clarity will be a matter of personal preference. If Lesley or Brian tells you that a stone is perfectly eye-clean, then based on their reputation, you can believe them. But some members in this forum will talk about ''mind cleanliness.'' I don''t know what that term might mean to you.


Which vendor you choose to use will also be a personal decision. Although I''m obviously biased toward BGD, having worked with them, I don''t think you should feel as though you can''t shop around. Based on Lorelei''s recommendation, I''m sure Indira does phenomenal work...


One factor that might help you make a decision: participants in this forum often recommend that, when torn between two stones at two different vendors, you should go with the vendor who also has the ring you like, since that saves you some hassle and frees you of any anxiety about who would bear the responsibility if the diamond got chipped while being set.


Best,

 

[Lorelei]

Date: 6/22/2009 4:15:40 PM
Author: the tree sees
Lalantha,


As for color, I think the contrary of what you said is true. Although I leave it to the prosumers to correct me if I''m wrong, I believe that the larger the stone, the more likely you are to see color. This is correct Jason, also with top cut diamonds we are discussing often a fabulous cut will help a diamond face up a little whiter.

 

[the tree sees]

It''s a spectacular setting, isn''t it? There was a thread on it earlier, apart from here. Very cool.

Don''t feel like you have to buy the setting with the stone--I''ve even read of some ppl buying the stone and proposing with a temporary setting, to purchase the final one with their SOs. But it seems like being able to purchase them both at the same time makes the process flow even more smoothly.

 

[lalantha]

G VS1 0.802 


 

[Lorelei]

Date: 6/22/2009 4:47:09 PM
Author: the tree sees
It''s a spectacular setting, isn''t it? There was a thread on it earlier, apart from here. Very cool.

Don''t feel like you have to buy the setting with the stone--I''ve even read of some ppl buying the stone and proposing with a temporary setting, to purchase the final one with their SOs. But it seems like being able to purchase them both at the same time makes the process flow even more smoothly.

Just something to bear in mind, sometimes if you purchase a diamond from one vendor and ask another to set it, the diamond may not be covered against damage should anything happen to it, this is rare especially in round diamonds but always best to check if one is in this situation.