How did I do?

[ringding]

This weekend I traveled to Boston to see a Sox game look for a loose diamond. I went to the Diamond district because i was advised to check out Barmakian Bros. My girlfriend's father and uncle bought their engagement rings there some 20 and 5 years ago, respectively. I had a great experience! Everyone was very nice and not salesy what so ever probably because they dont work on commission. I delt with John who has been a jeweler for 17 yrs with Hannoush and Barmakian. Barmakian does thier own mining so they dont have to pay a middle man.
The ring I bought was as follows:

EGL-USA cert:
1.31 ct round
6.90-6.77 x 4.44mm
depth: 65.3%
table: 56%
crown: 15.4%
pavillion: 44%
girdle: med-thick
color: H
clarity: SI2
flou: none
culet: none
polish: vg
symmetry: vg

They rapport scale shows the diamond at $5250. I paid $3200, and had it appraised at $7200.

Any feedback is helpfull, Thanks in advance!

 

[Lorelei]

Hi ringding and welcome!

I would ask you, do you want opinions because you are unhappy with this diamond and are thinking about returning it?
Did you fall in love with this diamond and did you compare it to any others before you bought it? It is cut very deep to be honest with you and the crown and pavilion angles aren't the best match for each other. The diamond will also look small for the weight due to the depth, girdle and other factors.

If you are happy with it then thats the main thing but to be completely honest you could have found a better cut diamond. Did this one stand out to you compared to the others in the store?

 

[Ellen]

Date: 4/28/2009 12:17:34 PM
Author: Lorelei
Hi ringding and welcome!

I would ask you, do you want opinions because you are unhappy with this diamond and are thinking about returning it?
Did you fall in love with this diamond and did you compare it to any others before you bought it? It is cut very deep to be honest with you and the crown and pavilion angles aren't the best match for each other. The diamond will also look small for the weight due to the depth, girdle and other factors.

If you are happy with it then thats the main thing but to be completely honest you could have found a better cut diamond. Did this one stand out to you compared to the others in the store?

Ditto. And if the diameter is right (6.90x6.77), it's not exactly round either.

I'm sorry, but really, I know you could do better.

 

[ringding]

Thank you for the comments. I posted to get your experienced opinions bc this is my first diamond. I guess I should have researched a little more. But to tell you the truth i found it to be very brilliant compared to the other diamonds in my budget and bc of my novice eye did not notice the things you have listed.

So you think I could have found a better diamond for the same price? And I overpaid for this one or is 3200 fair?

 

[jet2ks]

Date: 4/28/2009 12:47:24 PM
Author: ringding
Thank you for the comments. I posted to get your experienced opinions bc this is my first diamond. I guess I should have researched a little more. But to tell you the truth i found it to be very brilliant compared to the other diamonds in my budget and bc of my novice eye did not notice the things you have listed.

So you think I could have found a better diamond for the same price? And I overpaid for this one or is 3200 fair?

The price is probably fair for the size and cut quality from a brick and mortar store. I know you could have found a better performing diamond for the same price--especially if you went to a PS vendor. What you would notice with an ideal cut stone vs. the one you purchased is how they return light. A better cut will be bright and sparkly, while a deep stone will be darker in the same lighting. You have to be careful in jewelry stores because the lights are specifically designed to make all the diamonds look good. If you take the stones away from the display lighting and over to a window, or even outside you would notice a big difference in appearance between a really well cut diamond and one that is too deep.

 

[Lorelei]

Date: 4/28/2009 12:56:54 PM
Author: jet2ks

Date: 4/28/2009 12:47:24 PM
Author: ringding
Thank you for the comments. I posted to get your experienced opinions bc this is my first diamond. I guess I should have researched a little more. But to tell you the truth i found it to be very brilliant compared to the other diamonds in my budget and bc of my novice eye did not notice the things you have listed.

So you think I could have found a better diamond for the same price? And I overpaid for this one or is 3200 fair?

The price is probably fair for the size and cut quality from a brick and mortar store. I know you could have found a better performing diamond for the same price--especially if you went to a PS vendor. What you would notice with an ideal cut stone vs. the one you purchased is how they return light. A better cut will be bright and sparkly, while a deep stone will be darker in the same lighting. You have to be careful in jewelry stores because the lights are specifically designed to make all the diamonds look good. If you take the stones away from the display lighting and over to a window, or even outside you would notice a big difference in appearance between a really well cut diamond and one that is too deep.

Ditto Jet, well cut diamonds with a GIA or AGS report usually command prices of around 6- 9k of similar size. Jet also gives a good explanation above.

This page explains how the grading labs rank - http://diamonds.pricescope.com/grading.asp

 

[ringding]

that makes sense, the first thing i noticed when I walked in was the lighting and it was soooo hot in there i thought they were trying to make me pass out so they could just take my money right out of my pockets

what is a ps vendor?

 

[Lorelei]

Date: 4/28/2009 1:01:31 PM
Author: ringding
that makes sense, the first thing i noticed when I walked in was the lighting and it was soooo hot in there i thought they were trying to make me pass out so they could just take my money right out of my pockets

what is a ps vendor?

Pricescope vendor.

 

[Ellen]

Is it possible to return it and start over?

 

[ringding]

Thank you!
They have a 14 day return policy so I will do some research and see what I can find for the same price and a better cut.

 

[Lorelei]

Date: 4/28/2009 1:04:32 PM
Author: Ellen
Is it possible to return it and start over?

If so, we could help you find another and give advice on what to look for, proportions and so on even if you prefer to buy from a brick and mortar store rather than online, we can still help if you wish!

 

[jet2ks]

Date: 4/28/2009 1:01:31 PM
Author: ringding
that makes sense, the first thing i noticed when I walked in was the lighting and it was soooo hot in there i thought they were trying to make me pass out so they could just take my money right out of my pockets

what is a ps vendor?

PS vendor=PriceScope vendor. One of the diamond vendors that caters to people from this forum. Many post here and offer discounts to pricescope members. They tend to provide a lot of information on their inventory for internet buyers (though many have storefronts, as well)

 

[ringding]

Lorelei absolutly I would love some help!

 

[Lorelei]

Date: 4/28/2009 1:12:35 PM
Author: ringding
Lorelei absolutly I would love some help!

We are at your service! If you let us know what you are looking for such as the carat size you want, colour, clarity requirements, type of setting and the metal and budget, then we can have a look online and suggest some diamonds which might suit you.

If you prefer to buy from a store we can still help by giving you guidelines on what to look for to get a well cut diamond. Then when you find some you like, you can report back here with the info as you posted above, also you can weed out the lesser performers by using the Holloway Cut Advisor.

The HCA is used as a first round elimination tool, not for selection. How it works, you enter the depth, table, crown and pavilion angle of a diamond into the HCA, then see how it scores. What you are looking for is to score below 2, this lets you know that a diamond is worth further evaluation or not, this is then done with Idealscope or ASET images which some online vendors will provide. It is also useful when in a store, you could if you felt comfortable, ask the seller if you could use his computer and run your contenders through it to see which ones are the best propositions!

So don't worry, if you decide to return the diamond you bought we can help you find a beautiful stone!

 

[ringding]

Well I''m not sure about the setting yet but as for the diamond I would like a round cut, atleast 1ct, color above I, clarity above SI3, vg polish and vg symmetry.
Ideally the most bang for my buck.

 

[purrfectpear]

Total Visual Performance 4.8 - Good - Only if price is your main criterion

That''s how your diamond rated on the HCA tool. 2.0 and under is considered acceptable for consideration.

 

[stone-cold11]

What is your budget?

 

[Lorelei]

Date: 4/28/2009 1:36:14 PM
Author: ringding
Well I'm not sure about the setting yet but as for the diamond I would like a round cut, atleast 1ct, color above I, clarity above SI3, vg polish and vg symmetry.
Ideally the most bang for my buck.

GIA and AGS are the top two labs so we can take a look at those first, if you would consider J colour that would help the budget and still look white with a great cut - a good bang for the buck colour grade! SI3 also is an EGL only used clarity grade, the other labs go SI2 to I1.

How much do you have to spend on the diamond itself?

 

[ringding]

well money isn''t really an object so i''d consider any price but ideally i''d go with the cheapest one i found. I would consider a J as long as it isn''t obviously yellow.

 

[ringding]

OK guys I''m off to work. Thank you very much for your help! I will be on later after work.

 

[Lorelei]

Date: 4/28/2009 2:08:37 PM
Author: ringding
OK guys I''m off to work. Thank you very much for your help! I will be on later after work.

Ok no problem, see you later! Then we can make some suggestions of diamonds which might suit you.

 

[kcoursolle]

Date: 4/28/2009 2:04:34 PM
Author: ringding
well money isn''t really an object so i''d consider any price but ideally i''d go with the cheapest one i found. I would consider a J as long as it isn''t obviously yellow.

It would be helpful to have a basic budget so we know what to suggest for you. This is an important purchase and it''s one that should be researched and done carefully since she will be wearing it for years to come. The diamond you picked out so far is not well cut and the out of round proportions concern me for appearance.

Stick around and spend some time learning about how important cut quality is for the visual appearance sparkle performance of diamonds. You''ll never consider a poorly-cut diamond again after learning about this.

 

[Ellen]

Date: 4/28/2009 1:36:14 PM
Author: ringding
Well I'm not sure about the setting yet but as for the diamond I would like a round cut, atleast 1ct, color above I, clarity above SI3, vg polish and vg symmetry.
Ideally the most bang for my buck.

How about if we show you some really well cut in this range, and you see if that price is ok. The one thing you need to understand, is that the cut (not the shape) of the diamond is what is most important. It is what will make your eyes light up! And that costs more. So you won't be able to find a great 1 ct for the same amount of money. If you decide you aren't up to spending that much, we can go down in size a tad. Some of these are J's, but in extremely well cut stones, which these all are, it won't look yellow at all. Here's a thread full of J's to give you an idea.

https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/j-color-stones-in-platinum.24731/



Some examples.

This one is great, just under the 1 carat mark, so you aren't paying that premium, but you get the look of a 1 carat! These first two would get a 2% PS discount off the listed price.

http://www.whiteflash.com/round/Round-cut-diamond-2097585.htm#

Here you are at the 1 ct. mark.

http://www.whiteflash.com/round/Round-cut-diamond-2106433.htm#


This would get 5% PS discount discount. Slightly larger.

http://www.whiteflash.com/hearts_arrows/Whiteflash-ACA-cut-diamond-636629.htm#



Bankwire is discount.

http://goodoldgold.com/diamond/5765/

This must be brand new, no pictures yet.

http://goodoldgold.com/diamond/I290906/


So this will give you an idea, see what you think!

 

[Dancing Fire]

Date: 4/28/2009 2:04:34 PM
Author: ringding
well money isn't really an object so i'd consider any price but ideally i'd go with the cheapest one i found. I would consider a J as long as it isn't obviously yellow.

this one.100 % eye clean G SI 1 stone.

http://goodoldgold.com/diamond/4349/

 

[Ellen]

Date: 4/28/2009 7:03:01 PM
Author: Dancing Fire

Date: 4/28/2009 2:04:34 PM
Author: ringding
well money isn''t really an object so i''d consider any price but ideally i''d go with the cheapest one i found. I would consider a J as long as it isn''t obviously yellow.

this one.100 % eye clean G SI 1 stone.

http://goodoldgold.com/diamond/4349/

How do you know that DF, did you ask?

 

[cleve-rocks]

They rapport scale shows the diamond at $5250. I paid $3200, and had it appraised at $7200.

Any feedback is helpfull, Thanks in advance!

I am a newbie too. I just went through the whole situation that you are going through. Save yourself some time and search Whiteflash''s ACA or Expert Selection diamonds. They are pre-selected to be really well cut. Then have the people on this thread help you pick. Or use the diamond search tool on this site and search for Quality over Price. The people on here will help you as much as you want - they will search out stones for you and tell you why they are picking them. It is up to you to decide what you want to pay.

You do need a rough budget. You paid $3,200. If you want a great stone and the same size, expect to pay much more or go smaller in size.

I have found that if you ask this forum for opinions - you will get honest ones. If you have the patience to spend some time on this and you stick to the standards of people on these boards, you will get an amazing stone - good luck!


"Dancing Fire"''s signature says it best: it is always harder to find a "mind clean" stone than an eye clean stone.

 

[rickster123]

I agree with the PS''er comments. Is exactly what this newbie did also. Started at brick and mortar and ended up buying from Whiteflash......That diamond that Ellen posted, WF just under 1 carat, for $3500 ish is exactly what you should consider. Of course I''m biased cos that is what I just bought, today as a matter of fact, J color, ACA, excellent cut, .91 for $3624. Tough to beat, quality diamond at good price. i had the PS''ers evaluate before I bought it. Follow the lead......Good Luck

 

[Dancing Fire]

Date: 4/29/2009 8:25:10 AM
Author: Ellen

Date: 4/28/2009 7:03:01 PM
Author: Dancing Fire

Date: 4/28/2009 2:04:34 PM
Author: ringding
well money isn''t really an object so i''d consider any price but ideally i''d go with the cheapest one i found. I would consider a J as long as it isn''t obviously yellow.

this one.100 % eye clean G SI 1 stone.

http://goodoldgold.com/diamond/4349/

How do you know that DF, did you ask?

no need to Ellen, i can tell by the photos.

 

[Ellen]

Date: 4/29/2009 3:16:00 PM
Author: Dancing Fire

Date: 4/29/2009 8:25:10 AM
Author: Ellen

Date: 4/28/2009 7:03:01 PM
Author: Dancing Fire

Date: 4/28/2009 2:04:34 PM
Author: ringding
well money isn''t really an object so i''d consider any price but ideally i''d go with the cheapest one i found. I would consider a J as long as it isn''t obviously yellow.

this one.100 % eye clean G SI 1 stone.

http://goodoldgold.com/diamond/4349/

How do you know that DF, did you ask?

no need to Ellen, i can tell by the photos.

DF, I love ya, but no, you can''t. I''ve seen stones with NO inclusions showing at 40x, that in reality (posters had them looked at by vendor) were not eyeclean, and vice versa. You just can''t say that. They have to be looked at in person.

You can say you bet they are, but that''s it.

 

[Dancing Fire]

Date: 4/29/2009 3:29:33 PM
Author: Ellen

Date: 4/29/2009 3:16:00 PM
Author: Dancing Fire

Date: 4/29/2009 8:25:10 AM
Author: Ellen

Date: 4/28/2009 7:03:01 PM
Author: Dancing Fire

Date: 4/28/2009 2:04:34 PM
Author: ringding
well money isn''t really an object so i''d consider any price but ideally i''d go with the cheapest one i found. I would consider a J as long as it isn''t obviously yellow.

this one.100 % eye clean G SI 1 stone.

http://goodoldgold.com/diamond/4349/

How do you know that DF, did you ask?

no need to Ellen, i can tell by the photos.

DF, I love ya, but no, you can''t. I''ve seen stones with NO inclusions showing at 40x, that in reality (posters had them looked at by vendor) were not eyeclean, and vice versa. You just can''t say that. They have to be looked at in person.

You can say you bet they are, but that''s it.

of course if i was intrested in this stone then i would ask Jon to check,but i''m 99.99% sure on this one.