Help!!!

[Eileenwalsh]

Hi everyone

I'm about to put a deposit on a diamond in antwerp without viewing it! As it's Christmas in a few weeks and work is hectic, I may not take the trip if I could get something at home (Ireland).

ok so this is the competition:

1.40, VG/VG/EX, G, Si1 (HRD Cert), spread 7.11mm - circa €8,500/9,000 (ANTWERP) - HCA Calculater = 5.4 (good but only if price is nb) this one looks to be eye clean.

1.35, excellent cut, G Si1 (GIA Cert), spread 7.02mm - €11,500 - HCA Calculater - 2.7 (worth buying if the price is right. this one looks to be eye clean.

1.36 very good cut, si1, F (HRD Cert), spread 7.27 - €9,500 - HCA - can't tell yet as I don't have the spec.

as I'm due to make the deposit on No. 1 today, I'd appreciate any advice!

Many thanks
Eileen

 

[kalomeli]

I'm not a real diamond expert myself unlike many people here but as far as I've understood HCA is a rejection tool and you do not what to go below 2. Remember cut is the most important factor to make your diamond sparkle! Also you'll want to stick to GIA/AGS for diamond lab as the other labs may be inconsistent in their opinions at times...

I did a super-quick search on JA with your specs... F-H VS2-SI1 and only their True Hearts or ideal cuts.
http://www.jamesallen.com/loose-dia...0&PriceTo=12000&Sort=Carat desc ,DefaultOrder

Ordering online from States will likely save you a big bunch of euros - believe me I know. I'm live in Finland!

 

[ecf8503]

... but as far as I've understood HCA is a rejection tool and you do not what to go below 2. Remember cut is the most important factor to make your diamond sparkle! Also you'll want to stick to GIA/AGS for diamond lab as the other labs may be inconsistent in their opinions at times...

You WANT to be below 2 ideally - anything between 2 and 3 may warrant further investigation in some cases (i.e. get an idealscope image - for any stone, especially those under 2, which are most likely to have the better light performance, but there are the rare GIA's that score between 2 and 3 that are nice).

An AGS 0 grade in light performance trumps HCA, so if you find an AGS 0 stone you don't need to run the HCA as it's already been proven to have ideal light performance.

Stick with GIA and AGS - other labs (EGL, HRD, for example) may look like good deals but they grade softer - an E color EGL may actually be an H color GIA, etc. So you really aren't getting any savings.

I don't like the sounds of any of the stones you have posted. Run far away from those with the really high HCA's - they won't perform well. The 2.7 *might* warrant further investigation (idealscope images). I would never put that much money down on anything without knowing I'm buying the best I possibly could, and CUT QUALITY IS KING.

 

[bagelboy]

Welcome to Pricescope, I would not suggest buying any of the diamonds you have listed. What most people do not know about diamonds is that their cut determines how much sparkle they give off. The HCA calculator just gives you a basic idea of their light performance. You want to find diamonds between zero and two on that scale. A diamond that scores 5.4 is a poorly performing diamond. I would highly suggest that you click on the resource tab above and find a pricescope vendor to source your diamond. I would choose a diamond graded by AGS or GIA labs and using idealscope images. Even GIA excellent grade has better performing diamonds in that grade. I would suggest buying the best performing diamond for your budget, some of these vendors have very nice trade up policies. so you can upgrade into bigger, higher color different shape or whatever much later when you may have more money for that. Good luck hunting! If you can give us your budget and specs, some of the ladies here may help you find your diamond when they are done with their shopping.

 

[heididdl]

Welcome to Pricescope, I would not suggest buying any of the diamonds you have listed. What most people do not know about diamonds is that their cut determines how much sparkle they give off. The HCA calculator just gives you a basic idea of their light performance. You want to find diamonds between zero and two on that scale. A diamond that scores 5.4 is a poorly performing diamond. I would highly suggest that you click on the resource tab above and find a pricescope vendor to source your diamond. I would choose a diamond graded by AGS or GIA labs and using idealscope images. Even GIA excellent grade has better performing diamonds in that grade. I would suggest buying the best performing diamond for your budget, some of these vendors have very nice trade up policies. so you can upgrade into bigger, higher color different shape or whatever much later when you may have more money for that. Good luck hunting! If you can give us your budget and specs, some of the ladies here may help you find your diamond when they are done with their shopping.

I would have written the same thing