help with final choice between stones

[sunnyside74]

Hi all,

We would greatly appreciate any help / feedback/thoughts on picking bewteen these stones as we are ready to pull the trigger. Budget was up to 22500 for a 8.4-8.5 mm stone (2.2-2.4 Ct), J or better, VS2 or better, excellent/ideal cut round brilliant stone. I am much more sensitive to clarity defects than color - which is why we didn't just jump and get #2. Also, most sites in my budget don't have IS / ASETs, so I am going on angles & proportions, which is not ideal (but at least they all have a return policy)

1. 2.32 GIA XXX J VS I 8.55 x 8.57 x 5.24 Hca 1.2, AGA 1A, crown/pavillion angles 34.5/40.8, table/depth 56 / 61.2 $20248
(attached is inclusion plot, stone has faint fluourescence)

2. 2.23 AGS 000 J VS2 WF-ACA 8.37x8.41x5.2, HCA 1.6/ AGA 1A, crown/pavillion angles 34.3/41, table/depth 55.3 / 61.9 $22087
i've attached relevant photos/inclusion plot -- spoke with them, and while they say it is eye clean, they do note that one of the feathers does touch the girdle = this worries me (plus, while I know the enlarged photos look scary and don't represent what you would see, but I am concerned with how easy it is to see the feathers under the crown if I would notice them knowing where they are...)

3. 2.41 I VS2 H&A AGS 000 8.58x8.65x5.33 @ ERD, table 55%, depth 61.8, AGS cert not available on the site, have requested cert as well as photos.$23606 is just over budget, but if we think the stone is that much better I could hold off a year on a custom setting and just do a WG tiffany for now.

thank you so much for any input, I have learned so much reading here!

 

[sunnyside74]

the rest of the pictures

 

[RandG]

Sunnyside: I followed your earlier thread. I thought the Blue Nile J stone was not only a little fire ball, but a great value for the money too. Just curious, what made you decide to pass on that one?

 

[sunnyside74]

I have it on hold with the other BN stone... A family friend in NY spoke with the wholesaler and the cavity on the pavillion is visible from the side, while small - which made me a bit nervous. I was hoping to hear from some of the PS folks if I should be worried about such a cavity? I think the 2.32 stone is bascially the same with slight flourescence and no cavity (just a natural at the girdle which is not noticeable)

 

[RandG]

I have it on hold with the other BN stone... A family friend in NY spoke with the wholesaler and the cavity on the pavillion is visible from the side, while small - which made me a bit nervous. I was hoping to hear from some of the PS folks if I should be worried about such a cavity? I think the 2.32 stone is bascially the same with slight flourescence and no cavity (just a natural at the girdle which is not noticeable)

Honestly, I thought that stone was incredible. I would ask the Blue Nile gemologist to review the stone, but I would be very surprised if the cavity was visible or compromising. Very few diamonds are without inclusions, but a VS is a pretty safe bet. Diamonds go through an incredibly difficult journey to get from mine to retail. That tiny cavity has probably been there a very long time, through all kinds of harsh conditions. I would confirm with the gemologist, of course, but I doubt any of the inclusions noted on the report diminish or compromise the integrity of the stone at all.

If you do get insight from the gemologist, I would also ask if the J faces up nice and white.

I think you have several really nice options! Best of luck to you.

 

[sunnyside74]

randg - thanks so much. this is a tough choice since its a big purchase - and doing it sorta blindly online. thanks for the advice.