I might be new, but...

[Deez]

I've been relying on this website and it's community for almost a year now! It has been instrumental in my basic diamond education, and my progression from that point. For that I am very grateful! I'm still no expert that's for sure, which leads me to my current position...


After months of careful consideration, selection, and contemplation i gave the green light for my jeweller to bring in the setting I chose. More importantly, I am about to pull the trigger on a stone. The stone is as follows:

GIA certified #2136845853

http://www.gia.edu/otmm_wcs_int/proxy-pdf/?ReportNumber=2136845853&url=https://myapps.gia.edu/RptChkClient/reportClient.do?ReportNumber=A11EAC0B82FFAAF238AD720AB895B81F

That's the link to the cert, I also tried to upload a screenshot of it but I'm on my iPad and not sure if that will work.

Regardless, I would really appreciate your opinion on this stone with regards to the following:

- $1500 Setting and this stone for $9500 all-in. Effectively $8000 for the stone. (Less if you consider taxes)
- stone is absolutely eye clean as far as I could manage to see. I looked very hard in different lighting conditions.
- under high magnification, the inclusions are all clear - no black marks.
- HCA score of 3.6. A bit higher than I'd like but I'm aware of this tools subjectivity and variance.


I could really use some input as I'd like to get this all settled. Thank you all!

PS. Go Oilers

 

[SirGuy]

Hi there! Overall it's not a bad stone. You've already done the big part about whether you like it, by looking at it closely in person. If one were just looking at numbers alone, the crown angle is a little steep. An Ideal-Scope or ASET would help to get a better idea about its light performance in different lighting situations.

But it's worth repeating that you don't buy the paper, you buy the stone.

If you're considering alternatives, here is an example of one that's priced similarly. Its spread is a smidge smaller (at 6.3mm) but it's a better cut.

0.94 G VS2, CBI at HPD: http://www.highperformancediamonds.com/index.php?page=view-id-diamond-infinity-new&id=916

That's just the first one that caught my eye in sixty seconds of searching. If you're flexible a little about weight, there are some great other options that really emphasize superb cut and performance.

Hope this helps! I think it's great you're so committed to learning about this stuff and making a properly informed decision.

 

[Dancing Fire]

Deez
My daughter's Ering have the same proportions and it is often referred to as a steep/deep stone here on PS. Her stone is not a dud but it is a little deeper than most of us here would prefer.

 

[Gypsy]

If you are considering buying a with a 3.6 HCA without and without an idealscope image you haven't spent enough time researching. Subjectivity and variance... no. It's not a matter of subjectivity and variance. There are certain angle combos that work for maximizing light performance, and ones that don't. The HCA is meant as a short cut to help you weed through the ones to reject (like those with a 3.6 HCA) and which to investigate further.
Personally if I were spending 8k on a stone, I'd want a better performer.

The entire purpose of faceting a diamond is to reflect light.
How well or how poorly a diamond does this determines how beautiful it is.
How well a diamond performs is determined by the angles and cutting. This is why we say cut is king.
No other factor: not color, not clarity has as much of an impact on the appearance of a diamond as its cut. An ideal H will out white a poorly cut F. And GIA Ex is not enough. And you must stick to GIA and AGS only. EGL is a bad option: [URL='https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/egl-certification-are-any-of-them-ok.142863/']https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/egl-certification-are-any-of-them-ok.142863/[/URL]
So how to we ensure that we have the right angles and cutting to get the light performance we want?
https://www.pricescope.com/wiki/diamonds/diamond-cut
Well one method is to start with a GIA Ex, and then apply the HCA to it. YOU DO NOT USE HCA for AGS0 stones.
https://www.pricescope.com/wiki/diamonds/holloway-cut-advisor
The HCA is a rejection tool. Not a selection tool. It uses 4 data points to make a rudimentary call on how the diamond may perform.
If the diamond passes then you know that you are in the right zone in terms of angles for light performance. Under 2 is a pass. Under 2.5-2.1 is a maybe. 2.6 and over is a no. No score 2 and under is better than any other.
Is that enough? Not really.
So what you need is a way to check actual light performance of your actual stone.
That's what an idealscope image does. https://www.pricescope.com/wiki/diamonds/firescope-idealscope
It shows you how and wear your diamond is reflecting light, how well it is going at it, and where you are losing light return. That is why you won't see us recommending Blue Nile, as they do not provide idealscope images for their diamonds. BGD, James Allen, GOG, HPD, ERD and WF do.

The Idealscope is the 'selection tool'. Not the HCA.
So yes, with a GIA stone you need the idealscope images. Or you can buy an idealscope yourself and take it in to the jeweler you are working with to check the stones yourself. Or if you have a good return policy (full refund minimum 7 days) then you can buy the idealscope, buy the stone, and do it at home.


Now if you want to skip all that... stick to AGS0 stones and then all you have to do is pick color and clarity and you know you have a great performing diamond. Because AGS has already done the checking for you. That's why they trade at a premium.

More on the HCA and why it is a limited tool (again, rejection not selection) but a useful one to help weed out bad angle combos.

The HCA does not take the 40 minor facets into consideration (of 57 total on the diamond). It does not account for cut-consistency. It does not account for 3D optical precision. It does not account for indexing. None of that information is present. The HCA is imagining a "chalk outline" of averaged (sometimes rounded) Table, Crown and Pavilion data, and predicting whether the presumed angles are "safe" or not. That's its intended use, and it's useful in that context; to reject some diamonds - and ID others worth further consideration. It should not be used for selection.

When using GIA reports the output becomes a bit more uncertain: Because of rounding, GIA 57T 34.5C 40.8P could actually be 57T 34.3 40.7 or 57T 34.7C 40.9P. That toggles between HCA 1.3 to 1.8. So a single diamond can vary on the HCA, simply based on how the lab reports the information.

In Context (from a prior thread)

Just imagine that you're trying to get to know someone's looks and personality...

An HCA score is merely like having a chalk outline of the person.
Grading report numbers are like having the person's height, weight and clothing measurements.
An ASET or Ideal-Scope (for RB) image is like having a still photo of the person.
An AGS Platinum "0" in performance is like a panel of judges confirming that the person's personality and looks are solid.
A 3D scan in sophisticated cut-calculation software is like having a video interview with the person.

Eventually, it's a lot of great information. All told it's enough for an experienced cut-specialist to make very detailed performance predictions. But in the end, a live date (dinner & a movie?) will be how you finally judge total personality and looks as you, individually, perceive them.

 

[Gypsy]

You aren't getting that great a deal either. I can beat that price/spec combo easily.

http://www.jamesallen.com/loose-diamonds/round-cut/1.05-carat-g-color-si1-clarity-excellent-cut-sku-354571 G SI1. Hearts and arrows (which your stone is not and that adds to the price of a diamond) Great idealscope posted. AND IT SAVES YOU $200! Also probably eyeclean (ask) I'll tell you right now, I'd buy this.

http://www.jamesallen.com/loose-diamonds/round-cut/1.01-carat-g-color-vs2-clarity-excellent-cut-sku-327659 G VS2, instead of SI1. $300 cheaper. And has great numbers. PLUS JA will provide you with an idealscope image. AND they will give you a 60 day return policy.

http://www.jamesallen.com/loose-diamonds/round-cut/1.00-carat-f-color-vs2-clarity-excellent-cut-sku-314435 F VS2. Lovely numbers. And this one is only 200 more (less with a wire transfer). PLUS JA will provide you with an idealscope image. Just so you know what your budget can get you.

http://www.jamesallen.com/loose-diamonds/round-cut/1.01-carat-g-color-vs2-clarity-excellent-cut-sku-319790 Pretty 60/60 G VS2 $100 less. PLUS JA will provide you with an idealscope image.