How bad is SI1 - SI2?

[brandonb]

I''m in the process of purchasing a diamond for an E-ring and I''m having a hard time balancing size/quality. I know I want a good cut and color, but the easiest two ways to first cut the field down is by carat and clarity. I was wondering, are GIA SI1-2''s generally not that good? Should I step up to a VS1-2 and go down in size some? Can you usually see the inclusions on SI diamonds? I am trying to figure this out and it is pretty difficult because there really aren''t many/any B&M stores here that carry lose stones or many diamonds at all.

Thanks in advance for the help,
-Brandon

 

[bling]

SI1 and SI2 stones can be a great bargain...provided that you do your homework with that particular stone and see exactly what kind of inclusions, and where they are. not all SI stones are created equal. GIA is one of the top graders and are pretty strict. so if they say its a SI1, most likely, it is. on the other hand, if you were to go with another lab, such as EGL or IGI (i think thats the one), they can be more lenient, where it says SI1 but is really an SI2 or lower. so just be careful. many of the vendors here on PS will send you magnified pics of the inclusions and also tell you whether the stone is eye clean. eye clean meaning you cant see the inclusion from about an arms length, but with a loupe, you maybe able to see it. so, do some searching, ask vendors your looking for a good clean SI stone, and you should be able to find one. if you get really lucky, as some on this forum have, can find a realy great SI2 stone and really get a deal! remember, well cut RB stones can help mask inclusions..another super benifit of an ideal stone.
good luck!

 

[hoorray]

Many SI1's are "eye-clean", and some si2's are. Inclusions become more visible as the stone gets larger (2+ ctw or so). The good Internet vendors will tell you if a stone is eye-clean (meaning you can not see the inclusions with normal eyesight, from a normal viewing position, from the top.) You should also ask if they are visible from the sides, and what the color, location, and type of the inclusions are. Most vendors will send you magnified pictures to help "see" the stone while you are in the selection process.

 

[brandonb]

Thanks for the response! One question, whats an RB stone?

Thanks,
-Brandon

 

[brandonb]

Also, if it makes a difference, I'm looking at Princess cut 1.8-2.0 carat stones.

 

[ep6585]

RB is a round brilliant diamond

 

[researcher]

My stone is a 3.22 ct princess cut with an SI1 grading, which, supposedly, should show inclusions more (the size and shape). However, my stone is 100% eye clean--from the table, the sides, and even the pavilion--even when holding the stone really close to my face (and in various lighting). Interestingly, our appraiser said he would have given our stone a VS2 rating, not an SI1. As such, I would think that my stone was borderline VS2/SI1, and, GIA being more strict, decided to label it an SI1. If you can find a similar stone, you're getting a great deal!

 

[pqcollectibles]

Princess diamonds are not as good at "hiding" inclusions as round brilliants. But the keys to inclusions in any diamond are size, type, color, and location.

 

[Rank Amateur]

Looking at SI stones under the 'scope scared me from them, even if they were eye clean!

Like everything with diamonds it's all about personal preference (and available cash

)!

 

[hoorray]

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On 6/22/2004 8:56:57 PM Rank Amateur wrote:

Looking at SI stones under the 'scope scared me from them, even if they were eye clean!

Like everything with diamonds it's all about personal preference (and available cash

)!
----------------

Looking at my VS2 stone was scary at 30x magnification! DH almost backed away at that point, which, in hindsight would have been just stupid. I don't want to tell you how long it took me to find a way to identify my stone through a 10x loop.

Unless it breaks the surface, eye-clean (maybe from more than just the top) is really what counts for how a diamond looks. The rest is mental.

 

[losi999]

I just purchased a 1.5ct SI2 Regent cut and none of the inclusions are visible to the eye. I'm very happy with my purchase and didn't see the reason to spend the extra $ in a stone that had a VS rating. Make sure it's a great cut if your going with an SI stone. The diamond wholesaler should be able to tell you if it is an eyeclean SI stone. FYI....I had it sent to an appraiser to verify the stone was truely eyeclean before the full payment was made.

 

[Daniela]

My advice would be to stay away from dark crystals (clear ones are just fine) and large clouds. Those are the primary inclusions in my SI-1 stone which I am in the process of upgrading to a VS-2 through GOG because the inclusions bug me.

Furthermore, I just want to add that eye-clean to one person does not necessarily mean eye-clean to another. And even the definition of eye-clean seems to vary according to who is giving their definition. For me, eye-clean means you shouldn't be able to see a darn thing in your stone with the naked eye from any angle. Others will call a stone eye-clean if the inclusions aren't readily visible from a twelve-inch viewing distance.

That said, if you look hard, a clean SI can be found. But you'll have to look for it, especially in that size. If you find a VS-2 that you love and has all of the other characteristics you want, then just buy it!

 

[Dancing Fire]

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On 6/22/2004 10:07:13 PM Daniela wrote:

My advice would be to stay away from dark crystals (clear ones are just fine) and large clouds. Those are the primary inclusions in my SI-1 stone which I am in the process of upgrading to a VS-2 through GOG because the inclusions bug me.

Furthermore, I just want to add that eye-clean to one person does not necessarily mean eye-clean to another. And even the definition of eye-clean seems to vary according to who is giving their definition. For me, eye-clean means you shouldn't be able to see a darn thing in your stone with the naked eye from any angle. Others will call a stone eye-clean if the inclusions aren't readily visible from a twelve-inch viewing distance.

That said, if you look hard, a clean SI can be found. But you'll have to look for it, especially in that size. If you find a VS-2 that you love and has all of the other characteristics you want, then just buy it!----------------

daniela,

i know exactly what you mean. i bought a 3.34 ct h SI1 (was really looking for a nice h vs2 2.75 ct range)from GOG. johnathan said it was eye clean. and i look at it i couldn't see anything without a loupe. but from the side, i can see one dark crystal with my naked eye. then i shipped it to dave atlas (chris) said it was eye clean. I have no complain about the stone's performance lots of sparkels. even if i find a h VS 2 stone, what are the chances of finding one that performs just as well with the same combination of proportion and at the right price? it's always harder to satisfy your mind than your eyes,are we expecting too much from an si1 stone?

 

[caratgirl]

it's always harder to satisfy your mind than your eyes,are we expecting too much from an si1 stone?----------------

The above comment is just too true! My husband almost didn't want the VS2 we chose, because of the tiny grouping of pinpoints that was visible through the microscope. I almost can't find them with the 10X loupe...I had an SI2 that just had two inclusions, and the only one that was visible from the side was easily hidden by a prong. It just takes a while to find a cleaner SI1 or SI2 these days, but certainly doable if you have the patience.

 

[valeria101]

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On 6/22/2004 8:56:57 PM Rank Amateur wrote:

Looking at SI stones under the 'scope scared me from them, even if they were eye clean!


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This is an exotic notion to me - everythign looks rugged given the appropriate degree of magnification! Only the first look is a bit intriguing

It doesn't help that the clarity grading standard requires 10X when such magnification is not at all common for most out-of-the-lab usage. Makes sense to have some refference of what exectly that means - and THIS page at NiceIce shows it quite well.

Only one ring design places diamonds under magnification, and even that is not 10X

 

[Daniela]

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On 6/23/2004 12:08:14 AM vtigger86 wrote:

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daniela,


i know exactly what you mean. i bought a 3.34 ct h SI1 (was really looking for a nice h vs2 2.75 ct range)from GOG. johnathan said it was eye clean. and i look at it i couldn't see anything without a loupe. but from the side, i can see one dark crystal with my naked eye. then i shipped it to dave atlas (chris) said it was eye clean. I have no complain about the stone's performance lots of sparkels. even if i find a h VS 2 stone, what are the chances of finding one that performs just as well with the same combination of proportion and at the right price? it's always harder to satisfy your mind than your eyes,are we expecting too much from an si1 stone?----------------

vtigger,

I was orginally shopping for a VS-2 stone, but all the hype on this board about eye-clean SI-1's got me wanting one. Then I learned the hard way that even a so-callled "eye-clean" SI-1 was not for me. I think that good ones are out there, but that they are rare. Now my advice to people who care about whether or not they are going to see inclusions would be not to buy a stone with a dark inclusion that is its primary grader, pretty much without exception unless it can be pronged. I mistakenly thought my inclusions were white, because that's what they look like in the clarity shots under darkfield illumination. I was wrong. I, too, could never complain about the stone's performance: it shines and sparkles beautifully. But I don't care what people say--light return WILL NOT mask inclusions in all situations, particularly in indirect lighting. In some situations, yes, but in all lighting, no.

In some lighting, I can catch the light just right and see the clear crystal inclusion in my stone. I think it's really pretty, and it doesn't bother me a bit. It's the dark ones that I hate.

You're in a particular situation because the selection of stones in that size is very slim. The problem is always a question of budget--there might be an E VS-2 floating around in a 2.75 carat stone or something, but what if you can't afford that "E" colour? You realize that your wallet is really what constrains your choices. I think that you could find another stone that you like in a VS-2 that performs really well, but you might have to wait for it. Heck, I waited for the right ONE carat H VS-2 upgrade to come along, so I can't imagine how hard it is shopping for one that's so much bigger.

The botton line for me is that liking diamonds is mental in a way, to begin with, so I don't really think satisfying your mind is a problem!

Daniela

 

[hoorray]

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On 6/23/2004 9:07:09 AM Daniela wrote:

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On 6/23/2004 12:08:14 AM vtigger86 wrote:

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The botton line for me is that liking diamonds is mental in a way, to begin with, so I don't really think satisfying your mind is a problem!

Daniela ----------------

I agree with this 100%. Everyone deals with the mental part differently, and has to figure out what they will be ok with. Some want the D/IF just for the mental notion of perfection (or at least close to perfection). Some focus more on value and simply want to not be able to see any inclusions. Satisfying the mental part is important, just different than improving the actual appearance of the stone.