How much should I rely on the Cut Adviser (on this site) to help me pick my diamond?

[CKinNYC]

Hi there

Just wondering how much I should rely on the cut advisor on this site to pick my diamond for my engagement ring.

I have plugged in the numbers for a few GIA-certified Ex stones (usually a mix of EX and VGs, but some all EX-EX-EX), and some of them have come back as mixes of "Goods" in the cut adviser, with even a "fair" or two thrown in there. Some score about a 3, but others are about a 5.5 - which seems very low to me for a stone with an EX-EX-EX GIA rating.

Could someone please advise? Should the cut advisor always be used as an accurate guide to the performance of the stone?

Thanks so much!

CK

 

[JulieN]

You do not use the HCA to pick stones. You use the HCA to weed out stones.

 

[diamondseeker2006]

What is easier, to me, is just to stick within parameters that are usually going to fall in the ideal range:

table 54-57

depth 60-62

crown angle 34-35

pavilion angle 40.6-41.0

girdle thin, medium, slightly thick

 

[CKinNYC]

Thanks both of you!

So based on what Julie says, is there a certain threshold on the HCA that means I should disregard the stone? 3, 4, ...?

Thanks again

Claire

 

[JulieN]

If it's exactly what you're looking for with regard to carat weight/price/color/clarity, 2.5. If all of the above and your budget is not forgiving and she really insists on nothing less than a 2 ct stone, 3. (you get the idea) You should verify with pics and/or Ideal Scope that it is an attractive stone.

Otherwise, 2 is the usual cutoff. Yes, it is a strict cutoff, and stones in the 2-3 range can still be pretty, but it takes a little more work, since there is higher chance that the stone doesn't pass muster, and then you're back to step 1.