How to find a beautiful Diamond (for the consumer)

[anamaria]

Hi guys! I've spent the last 5 weeks reading as much as I can on this forum, read everything by Gary and his views on Aset/ideal scope and Im not joking I've viewed every single good old gold youtube video and read details on their website. I must say I've gone from not knowing anything to being totally and utterly enlightened yet thoroughly confused.

I'm from Australia and buying online is out of the option due to exchange rate, customs tax and fees. I could pretty much buy a better diamond here after for less. This is what I've learnt considering I like radiants rounds and ovals and am looking to get sometime in the 1.3-1.5 ct range.

1) difficult to find good quality ovals and radiants. That's why I'm going for rounds. Also I've currently got a 1.21 princess thats only a GIa very good and after PS I can say I've seen the light. Hahahaha.

2) cut is king

3) Happy to go G in color or H (with blue fluroescence medium to strong )

4) H & A are amazing and should be like Marilyn Monroe over a subway vent even though u can't see the pattern from eye view.

5) TOOLS- ASET scope, IS, and a H&A viewer. A lot of mixed information on both. On pricescope they seem to have pros and cons.

6) going for eye clean SI1 over VS2 as I don't need the peace of mind of a VS just eye clean

7) then there's information on crown , pavilion etc... With some guide as to where numbers should be and then the outliers. then there's information to state that the HCA isn't the be all and end all and can actually get rid of some amazing diamonds

great RBs that aren't H & A ( signature brand for tan online store or any B & M store ) are rare and hard to find unless ur someone from Good old gold or WF etc lol

Needless to say while I understand a lot, I'm still not much closer to being able to go somewhere and get the right stone. Would anyone be able to advise

1) a good set of parameters
2) will I find a great stone hat isn't labelled as H & A ? By sifting through GIA XXX and AGS 0? Or is that task going to be months long ?
3) should I walk in with ASET scope, H&A and IS to a jewler ? Lol not joking here I would totally do that
4) if I should just give up and pick any AGS0?


All in all Im trying my best not to overthink things but I am especially because I've got nothing but time to figure this out but I'm almost tempted to throw in the towel.

This is what I eventually want BTW credit to threepwood hope she doesn't mind me drooling over her ring

 

[danielxlin]

One quibble: there are plenty of great round brilliants that are not branded hearts & arrows. Certainly not rare.

 

[anamaria]

One quibble: there are plenty of great round brilliants that are not branded hearts & arrows. Certainly not rare.

by anamaria » 19 Apr 2015 07:36
This is the thing it seems to be hard to guage what is a great diamond thats not H&A. I keep looking to the HCA tool only to real it's not all that great, then research to buy ASET or IS tool and then there's conflicting information on both. Feels like a bottomless pit because I'm not sure exactly what I should be looking for.

 

[pfunk]

One quibble: there are plenty of great round brilliants that are not branded hearts & arrows. Certainly not rare.

I agree with this. There are PLENTY of non branded wonderfully cut round briliants on the market. The ASET and IS tools certainly have their limitations but they can be very useful for helping you locate those very well cut, non h&a, non branded stones.

 

[WinkHPD]

Where in Australia are you located?

If you are in Melbourne you could visit with Garry Holloway at his store. He understands cutting very well and can help you to understand as well.

You wont have to take your ASET or Idealscope to use them at Holloway Jewelers, he has them made and sells them, so he will have some at the store. (I say confidently, as if I actually know what I am talking about...)

Wink

 

[danielxlin]

One quibble: there are plenty of great round brilliants that are not branded hearts & arrows. Certainly not rare.

by anamaria » 19 Apr 2015 07:36
This is the thing it seems to be hard to guage what is a great diamond thats not H&A. I keep looking to the HCA tool only to real it's not all that great, then research to buy ASET or IS tool and then there's conflicting information on both. Feels like a bottomless pit because I'm not sure exactly what I should be looking for.

Best thing to do is to find your Australian version of Good Old Gold or White Flash. Holloway as recommended above or maybe Jogia Diamonds.

You'll have all the tools: 1) your knowledge; 2) the trusted dealer's recommendation; 3) and you can always post stones to Pricescope for opinions.

 

[anamaria]

Where in Australia are you located?

If you are in Melbourne you could visit with Garry Holloway at his store. He understands cutting very well and can help you to understand as well.

You wont have to take your ASET or Idealscope to use them at Holloway Jewelers, he has them made and sells them, so he will have some at the store. (I say confidently, as if I actually know what I am talking about...)

Wink

I live two states North of melbourne so quite a distance away . There pretty much isn't anything in the state I live that's similar to GOG or WF which is why I'm trying to learn as much as I can so I can do it on my own because you will almost always get screwed over by someone in Queensland if you say 1ct VS2 G colour RB good quality they'll just whip out first thing they have on hand.

 

[anamaria]

One quibble: there are plenty of great round brilliants that are not branded hearts & arrows. Certainly not rare.

by anamaria » 19 Apr 2015 07:36
This is the thing it seems to be hard to guage what is a great diamond thats not H&A. I keep looking to the HCA tool only to real it's not all that great, then research to buy ASET or IS tool and then there's conflicting information on both. Feels like a bottomless pit because I'm not sure exactly what I should be looking for.

Best thing to do is to find your Australian version of Good Old Gold or White Flash. Holloway as recommended above or maybe Jogia Diamonds.

You'll have all the tools: 1) your knowledge; 2) the trusted dealer's recommendation; 3) and you can always post stones to Pricescope for opinions.

I haven't actually purchased any of the tools because I wasn't sure which ones I should get why. How not to weed out some great diamonds in the process.

And yeah wish I had those two versions there's literally only one place that's online in Australia and that's jogia...I was just hoping to either be able to do it on my own with some advice or have more than one online place in Australia that actually knows what they are doing rather than posting mere GIa certificates and no pics etc.

 

[KobiD]

Where in Australia are you located?

If you are in Melbourne you could visit with Garry Holloway at his store. He understands cutting very well and can help you to understand as well.

You wont have to take your ASET or Idealscope to use them at Holloway Jewelers, he has them made and sells them, so he will have some at the store. (I say confidently, as if I actually know what I am talking about...)

Wink

I contacted Holloways with intention to buy an ASET/IS and was told otherwise. They sent me a link to the US distributer (even though I specifically asked for information on an Australian source to avoid international postage). I gave up after a few emails, and have formed an opinion of the business which I won't share publically through respect to Garry.

Jogia seem ok, but it will take a while and some communication to get where you want to be. They will call diamonds in (internationally) and act as a broker until they source one you are happy with. Their signature line are big dollars, but for me I found the lack of settings the biggest shortfall.

I'm also in Australia, and I went with James Allen just as the dollar was crashing heavily. GST+a weak dollar meant it wasn't a steal, but I also believe I got a lot more value this way than going through any local stores. I am in a regional area though (FNQ), so may be different in the big smoke.

 

[arkieb1]

Where in Australia are you? Jogia can call in diamonds but their settings are expensive and average in quality for what you get compared to overseas places. Getting a specialty cut here might not be that simple none will have ASETs and a lot of stones here are average to below average examples in regard to cut quality. If you value cut even with our woeful current exchange rate places like James Allen, Blue Nile and so on will still possibly be around the same price even after the taxes, duties and shipping and the 25% more for the currency conversion.

What size, colour, clarity and budget do you have that is the best place to start. So far we know you want a radiant, round or oval 1.30 to 1.50 carats G to H (I'd leave the strong blue fluorescence alone unless you get help or you know what you are doing, it can make stones cheaper and sometimes whiter - it can also make them milky and less brilliant too)... Eyeclean SI1 to VS2..... what is your overall budget for the stone?

 

[hiratop]

4) H & A are amazing and should be like Marilyn Monroe over a subway vent even though u can't see the pattern from eye view.

Pattern is visible with suitable lighting. All depends on lighting and position of stone relative to head.

 

[tyty333]

Are you willing to buy on-line? I know we have lots of Aussies that buy on-line but I know it can be a pain with importing.
We can recommend stones for you that are well cut and fit your specs.

I will throw these numbers out. They can eliminate some good stones but should help you to only look at stones that are
decent.

depth 60-62.3%
table 54-58%
crown 34-35 degrees
pavilion 40.6- 41 degrees

stay away from gridles that go very thin to very thick.

Or you can request a jeweler to bring in only AGS000 stones. Tell them that you want to see arrows. Hearts are not visible but
you should be able to see arrows up close in good lighting. Doesnt mean it's an H&A stone (that would take an H&A viewer) but
a stone that is closer to H&A.

Or you could just stick with a branded stone...but I think you said you didnt want to do that.

If you look at stones locally, post reports, pictures and idealscope images if you can get them and get some feedback from
PSers. You could look for stones on line then see if a local jeweler can call them in for you (someone already mentioned this).

 

[arkieb1]

I forgot to mention you know we have an Aussie branch of Blue Nile here now too? I think they have an office or desk in Sydney but they can call in and ship to you anything in Aussie dollars that people here find and suggest from the US version of Blue Nile.

They list diamonds in Aussie prices and they already factor in the tax so you can see final prices;

http://www.bluenile.com/au/

 

[anamaria]

Where in Australia are you? Jogia can call in diamonds but their settings are expensive and average in quality for what you get compared to overseas places. Getting a specialty cut here might not be that simple none will have ASETs and a lot of stones here are average to below average examples in regard to cut quality. If you value cut even with our woeful current exchange rate places like James Allen, Blue Nile and so on will still possibly be around the same price even after the taxes, duties and shipping and the 25% more for the currency conversion.

What size, colour, clarity and budget do you have that is the best place to start. So far we know you want a radiant, round or oval 1.30 to 1.50 carats G to H (I'd leave the strong blue fluorescence alone unless you get help or you know what you are doing, it can make stones cheaper and sometimes whiter - it can also make them milky and less brilliant too)... Eyeclean SI1 to VS2..... what is your overall budget for the stone?[/quote
Hi!

Okay so I definitely want to do a Round I've decided and I think your advice is on the money I should find what I want and post it here so people can advise which ones to choose.

So I spoke to Yogesh at Jogia Diamonds. I have to say of all the people I spoke to I never felt so “bad” after speaking to someone. I already have an engagement ring this will be an upgrade. I got the first one when I was 21 and that’s 7 years ago now. I already now my diamond is not of good quality. Hence the upgrade.

When I got the call I was advised my diamond is very poor quality (I already know this) but then proceeded to harp on about how poor it is. Yogesh told me GIA XXX is um. BS? Don’t know If I can say that word on PS. Lol. He then proceeded to tell me his wife would never have anything other than an AGS Ideal graded diamond. When saying I was looking at G/H he said that H they don’t stock in the signature collection because it affects the diamond brilliance.

I then said well actually I’ve watched a lot of youtube videos especially from GOG that show if the cut is amazing, not only can the diamond face up as good as a F/G but it doesn’t have any impact on sparkle. He then proceeded to tell me that what I said wasn’t true and became very….um passionate about stating otherwise and that he’s never heard of GOG and thinks that PS and jewellers like GOG are providing misleading information to consumers who “like me” think they know what they are talking about and have it all wrong.

I told him that I wanted an eye clean si1 but I wanted it to be my version of eye clean which was if I found the inclusion with a loupe, once removed I’d find it hard to see. He then said “I don’t know where you learned that definition from but that’s not what eye clean means” which I had to say again…”my view of eye clean I know what the definition is”.

I just found him to be very um full on , rude and as if he spoke down to me. Not everyone can afford to have AGS0 diamonds like your wife, nor can they all afford to have perfect D colour diamonds. Ugh

Anyway I think I'll try to look online and post different ones for advice. again much appreciated

 

[anamaria]

Are you willing to buy on-line? I know we have lots of Aussies that buy on-line but I know it can be a pain with importing.
We can recommend stones for you that are well cut and fit your specs.

I will throw these numbers out. They can eliminate some good stones but should help you to only look at stones that are
decent.

depth 60-62.3%
table 54-58%
crown 34-35 degrees
pavilion 40.6- 41 degrees

stay away from gridles that go very thin to very thick.

Or you can request a jeweler to bring in only AGS000 stones. Tell them that you want to see arrows. Hearts are not visible but
you should be able to see arrows up close in good lighting. Doesnt mean it's an H&A stone (that would take an H&A viewer) but
a stone that is closer to H&A.

Or you could just stick with a branded stone...but I think you said you didnt want to do that.

If you look at stones locally, post reports, pictures and idealscope images if you can get them and get some feedback from
PSers. You could look for stones on line then see if a local jeweler can call them in for you (someone already mentioned this).

Thank you for that I think that's what I'll do really appreciate your advice!