I would like to vent a bit, and also hopefully get some advice....

[scott n]

how about this one? how is AGS?

http://www.usacerteddiamonds.com/usagia/polygon_live_feed.html


Round, 2.04ct, I, VS2, AGS

This is a Round, Ideal cut, I color and VS2 clarity diamond.
Total Price 15434.64 USD
Shape Round
Carat Weight 2.04 ct
Lab AGS

8.15 mm 8.24 mm
4.96 mm
60.6 % 59 % Thin to Medium None
Color: I - Near Colorless

I



Color slightly detectable. An excellent value.
Clarity: VS2 - Very slightly included

VS2


Inclusions are not typically visible to the unaided eye. VS2 diamonds contain minor inclusions that range from difficult to somewhat easy to see under 10x magnification.
Cut Grade Ideal
Depth % 60.6 %
Table % 59 %
Symmetry Ideal
Polish Ideal
Girdle Thickness Thin to Medium
Culet Size None
Fluorescence None
Dimensions 8.15x8.24x4.96 mm
L/W Ratio --
Stock Number 294914

 

[scott n]

Going down to I color has opened up a lot more options. Is this a compromise that will be noticed by an untrained eye? Holding them next to each other I had trouble noticing any difference. This one is getting out of my price range, but it looks almost too good to be true...

http://www.whiteflash.com/round_ideal_cut/Round-Ideal-Cut-cut-diamond-2200805.htm#

 

[IceExplorer]

I''ve been following your story...

Congrats on getting your money back!!
I think they felt the wrath of messing with...the wrong cookie!
(I love that nick name)

I''m sure you''re going to feel much better about your purchase after you implement the knowledge and support you gain from the PSers. This site is filled with very knowledgeable people who, for the most, have no financial motivation for the advice they offer.
I feel like I have a diamond library behind me when I walk into the B&M''s to view their specimens, most likely because all members here do.

Good luck with your search!

 

[luckynumber]

DO NOT i repeat DO NOT let wrong cookie go!

You need her in in your life!!

round of applause for wrong cookie

 

[neatfreak]

Date: 1/5/2010 4:42:33 PM
Author: scott n
Going down to I color has opened up a lot more options. Is this a compromise that will be noticed by an untrained eye? Holding them next to each other I had trouble noticing any difference. This one is getting out of my price range, but it looks almost too good to be true...


http://www.whiteflash.com/round_ideal_cut/Round-Ideal-Cut-cut-diamond-2200805.htm#

That one looks like a very nice choice.

 

[cara]

Congrats on getting your money back, and visiting the appraiser in the nick of time!

Color is a personal preference thing. Some people will be sensitive to the color of an I vs. an F and MIND while others will not be able to tell (in well-cut rounds, especially top-down) or be able to tell but not mind. Or they could tell the color difference and do mind, but not enough to PAY for the higher color. For example, I have a 1 ct H SI1 and don''t mind the H at all, but would prefer a VS stone as I can see my stone''s inclusions in the right light and viewing angle. If I were in the market for a 2+ ct stone, I would probably have to swallow my desire for mind-clean and eye-clean both and just look far and wide for a completely eye-clean-to-my-standards SI stone, as the cost jump to VS in that size would be substantial. I also don''t really mind the color of my H enough to pay oodles more for colorless, at least currently. So its really up to you to set your own standards and make your own compromises(*). I will say, that at least on clarity, for most people, once you get to eye-clean plus a little cushion room for mind-clean, that''s enough for them. You don''t need to pay for VVS if VS is sufficient for you to see nothing no-how no-way.

*Make sure you see stones under different lighting conditions to evaluate them. And be aware that cut will help mask body color (at least from above) and some clarity issues to an extent. So don''t look at a poor-cut I and use that to imagine how a well-cut I will look. From the side the color will be similar, but not from above.

 

[vespergirl]

Hey there, sorry that I''m entering this discussion late, but I just wanted to say that I''m glad you got your money back. My husband & I chose our original diamond from a diamond dealer that is very well-respected in our area, but we were told that we were getting an ideal cut stone, which was not true. Unfortunately, we were past the 30 day return period when I discovered Pricescope, but the dealer does have a 100% trade-in policy, so we decided to stay with them when we traded in our stone for something better.

I ended up with a 2.01 ct EGL graded G SI1 H&A stone that I think is more of an H SI2 (we never did get it formally appraised, though). I felt comfortable with it because I loved the stone when I saw it in person & viewed it through an Idealscope. Also, the dealer carries GIA & AGS stones, but because of the B&M mark-up, we could not have afforded one of their AGS graded stones in the 2 ct size range, so after comparing my EGL stone next to their AGS stones, I felt comfortable that I was getting a stone that I liked regardless of the cert.

That said, if we had been able to get our cash back on the original diamond, I probably would have gone with a Pricescope vendor - I would have gotten a better-certed stone for less money, but since we were pretty much locked in with the company we originally bought from, and their prices are comparable to what you find at most B&M stores, we are fine with our choice. However, since you have the option of buying online (something that my husband originally really didn''t want to do), I would definitely go with one of the Pricescope vendors. We have since purchased a diamond eternity band from Whiteflash and a diamond solitaire pendant from James Allen and are very happy with both. In the future, I would only deal with PS vendors after the somewhat disappointing situation with our local diamond dealer.

 

[GearDriven]

I would stop. Take a knee. Take a deep breath. Now that you realize the wealth of information out there, contact the vendors and tell them what you want. See what they can offer you.

Brian Gavin
White Flash
and
Good Old Gold have been great in my search so far. Take a look at the settings you might like. See what stones they have available.

The Diamond district in NY is a great place to look at stones. But I wouldn''t really buy from any of them without researching your alternative options. If you order from any of the out of state vendors, you will likely save sales tax. Which is teetering around 9% if I remember. If quality is a concern - especially in the cut department - then I think you would be hard pressed to find the selection of quality diamonds available from the merchants here in the City. It might be good to color shop and determine what looks white to you and what looks "not quite right". Your problem with your G diamond was the inclusions, so that means G works for you and in a well cut, maybe even H will? I have an uncanny eye for color so I''m not so fortunate to save a few more $ in the color dept Take a look at a hearts on fire and compare it to a similar sized "normal" ideal...then imagine even more of that brilliance and you are seeing what White Flash ACA/Brian Gavin/Good old Gold produces.

The other thing I have found is the location of the inclusion is more important than the rating. It could be tucked in an area where you won''t see it, especially once set.

If you want a giant rock -- great -- but I''d strongly consider looking at the 1.5 to 1.7 carat range diamonds that Brian Gavin has right now. His new website isn''t up yet but talking with Lesley and him is a great experience. I wish I had moved past the fact that his website is sparse right now and contacted him before I bought my first ring (looked clean from the top and all the pictures...but from the side the crystal inclusion popped up and saddening given that we like very open settings...time to start all over again...

Learn what the different things you see in an ASET mean and why particular parts are particular colors and how those colors match up to ideal scope images. Just take your time and don''t rush Avoid another mistake...she already said yes

Finally, talk it over with her. My fiance, bless her heart, doesn''t like that big of a stone, but loves great cut and color performance. As in, when I start getting up around a carat she says it''s too big. So it''s important to know what your Fiance says she likes, since it doesn''t seem like she''s a woman I would enjoy crossing

Hope that helps...

 

[Dreamer_D]

I`m glad you got your money back! Happy hunting

 

[scott n]

Alright here goes. time to make you guys proud...

i went into this not knowing that different companies certifications were not standardized and now i know so much more than i ever thought existed. things like you can narrow down diamonds by searching for specifice measurements that will narrow down your search, but that is just the start!

here is the process i used. i looked for a diamond that had depth between 59-62, table 55-59, SI1 clarity, h or better color and the best possible cut. since there were 15+ that were 2+ cts within my criteria i decided to rule out any with flour. this brought me down to 8 choices. this is when i found out that a lot of these were exact matches and was able to find out that multiple places list the same diamond. now i am down to 3. Only to find out 2 are no longer available leaving me this one -

http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/H-SI1-Ideal-Cut-Round-Diamond-1266086.asp

ct: 2.09
price: $17,080 – PS - $16,140
cut: Ideal
color: H
clarity: SI1
symmetry: Excellent
polish: Excellent
depth: 61.8
table: 57
fluorescence: None
girdle: - -
culet: None
measurements: 8.24*8.17*5.07 - - Ideal Proportions – 30 day inspection


this was also listed on whiteflash so i called them and they were VERY helpful. the pointed out that this one has a pavilion of 41.2 and that would perhaps make this a bit less ideal. they explained the range of that and showed me anotehr tool on the procescope site that I can plug in numbers and get a cut score. i put this in and it got very good for everything and a total score of 3.5.

they suggested another choice that did not come up on my screening because it is "i" color. their in house specialist took a look at it and said it could very well screen out at an h if reevaluated. they even offered to pay to ship it to an appraiser local to me to have them compare it to other stones i am considering. WOW. that is nice. this new diamond is actually a 1.4 when evaluated on that same scale.
http://www.whiteflash.com/hearts_arrows/Whiteflash-ACA-cut-diamond-2133622.htm#


2.042 ct I SI1 Whiteflash ACA

Price $17,509.00
Wire Price $17,158.82

. Report: AGS
. Shape: Whiteflash ACA
. Carat: 2.042
. Depth %: 61.7
. Table %: 56.2
. Crown Angle: 34.8
. Crown %: 15.3
. Star : 53
. Pavilion Angle: 40.8
. Pavilion %: 43.1
. Lower Girdle %: 77
. Girdle: Thin to Medium Faceted
. Measurements: 8.14-8.16X5.03
. Light Performance: 0
. Polish: Ideal
. Symmetry: Ideal
. Culet: Pointed
. Fluorescence: Negligible

I think i am at the point that either of these would be amazing, but I want to make sure i chose correctly. i think i am leaning toward the slightly lower cut (is 3.5 to 1.9 on that scale a big deal?) and keeping at H color.

 

[Cehrabehra]

hello You are lucky you did that in time! good for you!!

I would caution to NOT skimp on cut - have the I ACA from WF sent to the appraiser AND have another stone with higher color and less cut as you said sent and see which is more important to you - the better cut with more sparkle or the color.

 

[Hest88]

Scott, the difference b/t a potential 3.5 on the HCA and 1.9 is a huge deal. I''ve seen a well-cut I side by side with a well-cut F and the difference when face up is less dramatic than you''d think. If you have the time, see if you have a local jeweler that carries Hearts on Fire (purely because it''s easier to find a HoF vendor than others) and have them show you different colors. A well cut round masks color really well, and the better cut is really worth it.

That said, you do have to make sure you''re not someone really color-sensitive, or someone who dislikes the idea of a lower color enough so that it makes a difference to you.

 

[Dreamer_D]

The HCA is a rejection tool, it means you reject anything scoring over a 2. A 3.5 is a clear reject in my book unless an idealscope shows it to be better. Side by side you will not see a difference between and H and an I, but you will see a difference in cut.

I really like Swingirl''s suggestion of having 2 diamonds sent to the appriaser. You will know which you prefer pretty quickly