Ideal Cut: Right proportion...

[lyhome]

Hi all expert!

Understand that a right proportion of the diamond is very important in determining the total brillance of it. May i know what the range that I should keep within when searching for a ideal round Hearts and Arrow:

1) Table
2) Crown
3) Gridle
4) Depth
5) Pavilion


Also, does a ideal cut H&A mean that it is an AGS Triple 0? If not, isit possible to find a diamond that is an ideal cut H&A with AGS triple 0 grading?

Not sure if I am asking the right question, appreaciate you guys can enlighten me...I am reading and trying to understand more before searching online for my first ever diamond!

Thanks in advance!


Regards,
Lyhome

 

[dockman3]

Hi, and welcome to Pricescope! You are asking exactly the right questions, so don''t worry about it. To give you a quick answer, here''s what I''ve learned:

Table - 54-57%
Crown - 34-35 deg
Girdle - medium to slightly thick
Depth - 60-63% (this is the one I can''t quite remember right now, but its pretty close)
Pavilion - 40.6-41.0 deg

Those should keep you within the ideal range. If you ever want to check a diamond, go to the HCA cut adviser located in the tools section of the website. Any score under 2 is acceptable and worthy of further study.

Ideal cut H&A does not mean AGS000. Many, if not all, AGS000 are H&A, but H&A is a distinct cutting pattern and it is possible to find diamonds that fall within the ideal range that are not H&A. What I''m trying to say is that you pretty much can''t go wrong with AGS000, but GIA Ex-Ex-Ex can also be wonderful stones, but the GIA Ex cut rating is a little bit larger than AGS0 cut rating, so you have to be a bit careful and just check the numbers.

I hope that gives you a good starting point and good luck with your search! If you''ve ever got questions about a diamond, just come on here with the stats and we''ll let you know what we think.

 

[Lorelei]

Date: 8/8/2008 9:11:26 AM
Author: dockman3
Hi, and welcome to Pricescope! You are asking exactly the right questions, so don't worry about it. To give you a quick answer, here's what I've learned:

Table - 54-57%
Crown - 34-35 deg
Girdle - medium to slightly thick
Depth - 60-63% (this is the one I can't quite remember right now, but its pretty close)
Pavilion - 40.6-41.0 deg

Those should keep you within the ideal range. If you ever want to check a diamond, go to the HCA cut adviser located in the tools section of the website. Any score under 2 is acceptable and worthy of further study.

Ideal cut H&A does not mean AGS000. Many, if not all, AGS000 are H&A, but H&A is a distinct cutting pattern and it is possible to find diamonds that fall within the ideal range that are not H&A. What I'm trying to say is that you pretty much can't go wrong with AGS000, but GIA Ex-Ex-Ex can also be wonderful stones, but the GIA Ex cut rating is a little bit larger than AGS0 cut rating, so you have to be a bit careful and just check the numbers.

I hope that gives you a good starting point and good luck with your search! If you've ever got questions about a diamond, just come on here with the stats and we'll let you know what we think.

DM, I would cut off depth at around 62.4% give or take a bit rather than 63%

Also note - with crown and pavilion angles at the shallower ends ( CA 34- PA 40.6) and steeper ( CA 35- PA 41) check to make sure these angles complement in that particular diamond - use your eyes, Idealscope, trusted vendor input - check as appropriate.

Girdle - avoid extremes such as thin to thick for example. Look for thin to medium, slightly thin to slightly thick, medium to slightly thick etc. A common misconception is where a girdle may state very thin, many consumers panic at this, however sometimes it is only a tiny portion of the girdle that is very thin and it may not be of concern at all. An expert vendor or appraiser will be able to advise further if a diamond with a very thin girdle is a potential durability issue.

Polish and symmetry - many look for very good and above in rounds.

Also lyhome, a diamond can exhibit a strong arrow pattern and not be an actual hearts and arrows diamond, it depends on what you want and prefer. You can certainly find H&A AGS0 and we could show you some examples if you would like, give us an idea of budget and your desired parameters, carat, colour and clarity etc.

 

[lyhome]

Hi DM & Lorelei,

Thanks so much for the information! I am so confused with all the information and all the more I read...the more confused I am with all the terms....

This is my first purchase of diamond and is very nervous about it. Finally saving enough to get one, so have to be very sure that I am not pulling tigger on the wrong one. Honestly, I am not very sure what I want hence I do not dare to contact any vendors as yet. Do not wish to get them annoyed with my never-ending questions.

I had read that WF and GOG are very reputatable here but they are located very far from me. I am unable to sight the diamonds myself. This is one of my main concern....

I did went to some local jeweler to see some diamonds...

and i am still not very sure how I should go about here..

Aiming for something of excellent cut, excellent total brillance, snow-white or rather colourless, eyeclean (or at least the inclusion should not block the brillance)...carat weight...as big as possible...budget should be 4500+-

 

[Lorelei]

Date: 8/8/2008 11:20:33 AM
Author: lyhome
Hi DM & Lorelei,

Thanks so much for the information! I am so confused with all the information and all the more I read...the more confused I am with all the terms....

This is my first purchase of diamond and is very nervous about it. Finally saving enough to get one, so have to be very sure that I am not pulling tigger on the wrong one. Honestly, I am not very sure what I want hence I do not dare to contact any vendors as yet. Do not wish to get them annoyed with my never-ending questions.

I had read that WF and GOG are very reputatable here but they are located very far from me. I am unable to sight the diamonds myself. This is one of my main concern....

I did went to some local jeweler to see some diamonds...

and i am still not very sure how I should go about here..

Aiming for something of excellent cut, excellent total brillance, snow-white or rather colourless, eyeclean (or at least the inclusion should not block the brillance)...carat weight...as big as possible...budget should be 4500+-

Lyhome, don't worry, we are here to help you! We won't let you buy a bad diamond! If you prefer to buy from a store, then find one you like which can show you some AGS0 cut grade or GIA Excellent, then take note of all the proportions of the diamond as above, then report back and we can help you evaluate each diamond. If you are open to the idea of buying online, we could show you some examples fairly easily of diamonds you might like. Also the trusted PS vendors are there to help and will answer any questions you might have, no need to worry about bothering them, they are glad to help!

Also did you want an actual hearts and arrows diamond? Or just a great cut?

 

[lyhome]

I am buying it online...making me nervous and excited! The diamonds we have here are all very costly and can hardly go far with the budget I have here...

In all honestly, this very first diamond I am getting is for my mother. She has been yearning for one and I think it is time for her to have it! A winner that she can be proud of (as this is also her first diamond), after all these years of hard work

Ideally, I want to get her a super ideal cut Hearts and Arrow of AGS triple 0. Is this call A Cut Above or something along this line?

Erm, arent all great cut considered hearts and arrows? If not, what is the best ideal cut that protray excellent total brilliant? Pardon my ignorance...

 

[dockman3]

I think that''s fantastic that you are buying it for your mother! Anyway, on to the questions...

Buying online is a good way to go, but use your local jeweler to get an idea of what the different colors and clarities look like. Compare a G to a D or and H to an F and see which you like and where your color tolerance is. Once you''ve done that, you can begin your search online.

"A Cut Above" is the brand that WhiteFlash uses for its best cut diamonds. All of the ACA diamonds are H&A by default, so if you want a true H&A pattern, the ACA line is one of the best ways to go.

Hearts and Arrows is a specific cut pattern and not all "ideal" cut diamonds display this pattern. There is a thread going on right now about a technical discussion of hearts and arrows if you really want to get into the nitty gritty details. However, many ideal cut diamonds DO display the H&A pattern. You''re safe getting one of those and the ACA line is a great way to go.

So my advice to you right now is to put together your minimum requirements for you diamonds, (no worse than G VS1, or something like that) and let us know and we''ll begin the hunt for a great diamond for you. Also, feel free to use the cut quality search button at the top of the page. THat will give you only well cut stones from the trusted PS vendors. Pick out a few you might like and let us take a look at them. Good luck with your search and keep us posted!

 

[lyhome]

I had just visited some of our local retailers earlier today... came across brands like Destinee, Hearts on Fire and Brilliant Rose.

The diamonds are lovely but I think my mum prefers Hearts on Fire and Destinee best!

But sad to say, they do not have much variety in terms of colors and clarity here. I was told by the salesman that they do not carry anything beyond VS2 and F for Destinee as anything that go beyond that is not acceptable. They do have up to I and SI1 for Hearts on Fire but it is not recommended as again, it is not common.

F looks good to me and from what I read, if the cut is excellent, a G will appear as a F too?

Minimum requirements:
1) Colour: G
2) Clarity: Preferably VS2 but do not mind SI1 if its eyeclean and the inclusions do not affect the performance of the diamond
3) Cut: The Best Hearts and Arrow cut available (not sure the right term)

4) Carat weight: At least a 0.8ct

I am searching for the diamond via the method DM had advised. Looking at the table, there is a column that indicate "Spread" and there''s figure like -3,-2,0. May i know what does this mean?

http://www.whiteflash.com/hearts_arrows/A-Cut-Above-H-A-cut-diamond-1158448.htm#
http://www.whiteflash.com/hearts_arrows/A-Cut-Above-H-A-cut-diamond-584871.htm# This is a D color. Meaning this is super snowwhite?

http://www.goodoldgold.com/diamond/4675/ Under the AGS report, under contrast, it indicated 0.11. May i know the meaning of this?

http://www.goodoldgold.com/diamond/4541/
http://www.goodoldgold.com/diamond/4320/
http://www.goodoldgold.com/diamond/4804/ There''s is no AGS report for this.

For HCA, does it mean the lower the HCA figure the better? Meaning 0.8 is a better reading than 1.1?

How do I know which diamond is the best value for money?

 

[Lorelei]

Date: 8/9/2008 8:47:18 AM
Author: lyhome
I had just visited some of our local retailers earlier today... came across brands like Destinee, Hearts on Fire and Brilliant Rose.

The diamonds are lovely but I think my mum prefers Hearts on Fire and Destinee best!

But sad to say, they do not have much variety in terms of colors and clarity here. I was told by the salesman that they do not carry anything beyond VS2 and F for Destinee as anything that go beyond that is not acceptable. They do have up to I and SI1 for Hearts on Fire but it is not recommended as again, it is not common. It is a matter of preference lyhome, some prefer to get an I or J colour to get extra size, others just enjoy the less icy white stones, SI1 clarity if eyeclean can be a good choice to get extra size etc.

F looks good to me and from what I read, if the cut is excellent, a G will appear as a F too? I would say that an excellent cut will show off any colour grade to it's best advantage, generally speaking, a well cut G can look more bright and beautiful than a lesser cut F.

Minimum requirements:
1) Colour: G
2) Clarity: Preferably VS2 but do not mind SI1 if its eyeclean and the inclusions do not affect the performance of the diamond
3) Cut: The Best Hearts and Arrow cut available (not sure the right term)

4) Carat weight: At least a 0.8ct

Your parameters sound fine, sounds like you have researched what you want carefully.

I am searching for the diamond via the method DM had advised. Looking at the table, there is a column that indicate 'Spread' and there's figure like -3,-2,0. May i know what does this mean? Spread means the face up size of the diamond, carat weight doesn't always indicate size, the numbers you mention are spread percentages which mean a diamond may have -3% spread for example from what is considered to be the correct diameter, but with the calibre of diamonds you are considering, these will have a good spread for the weight - no worries. More here in this tutorial - http://diamonds.pricescope.com/spread.asp

http://www.whiteflash.com/hearts_arrows/A-Cut-Above-H-A-cut-diamond-1158448.htm#
http://www.whiteflash.com/hearts_arrows/A-Cut-Above-H-A-cut-diamond-584871.htm# This is a D color. Meaning this is super snowwhite? D will be a colourless diamond, so as near super snow white as you can get! If you want a true hearts and arrows diamond, ACA can be an excellent choice

http://www.goodoldgold.com/diamond/4675/ Under the AGS report, under contrast, it indicated 0.11. May i know the meaning of this? This is nothing to worry about and the 0.11 contrast deduction is apparently unlikely to even be perceivable by the human eye. This is a good thread where this subject has been debated.
https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/question-on-contrast-deduction-on-dqd.83810/

http://www.goodoldgold.com/diamond/4541/
http://www.goodoldgold.com/diamond/4320/
http://www.goodoldgold.com/diamond/4804/ There's is no AGS report for this.

For HCA, does it mean the lower the HCA figure the better? Meaning 0.8 is a better reading than 1.1? No, HCA is an elimination tool and it isn't used to select diamonds. The aim is to find a diamond which scores 2 or below, a lower score does not mean one diamond is better than one with a higher score under 2. Once you find diamonds which score below 2, you then evaluate using Idealscope, trusted vendor input and ultimately your own eyes.

How do I know which diamond is the best value for money?

Value for the money is subjective, think of which diamond offers you what you are looking for, for the least amount of money perhaps.

 

[lyhome]

Ohh, I always thought that the lower the HCA reading, the better it is!

If you want a true hearts and arrows diamond, ACA can be an excellent choice.
Meaning that if I focus on WF ACA, I will be pretty safe? How do I differentiate the true hearts and arrows diamonds under GOG inventory?

I am too far away from the online vendors. Hence, I am not able to sight the diamond to make the final decision.

Nonetheless, thanks so much for spending time to answer my queries.

 

[Lorelei]

Date: 8/9/2008 10:15:06 AM
Author: lyhome
Ohh, I always thought that the lower the HCA reading, the better it is!

If you want a true hearts and arrows diamond, ACA can be an excellent choice.
Meaning that if I focus on WF ACA, I will be pretty safe? How do I differentiate the true hearts and arrows diamonds under GOG inventory?

I am too far away from the online vendors. Hence, I am not able to sight the diamond to make the final decision.

Nonetheless, thanks so much for spending time to answer my queries.

No worries, there are many who think that the lower the HCA score the better the diamond, so we have to answer this one a lot that it isn''t so! The WF ACA are generally beautiful diamonds and you should be able to find a great diamond from among them. This thread might be helpful too. https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/true-hearts-is-this-stone-a-true-heart.90360/

I know this is a bit nervewracking, but you are doing great and I know you will end up with a gorgeous diamond!

And you are most welcome!

 

[honey22]

Date: 8/8/2008 9:11:26 AM
Author: dockman3
Hi, and welcome to Pricescope! You are asking exactly the right questions, so don''t worry about it. To give you a quick answer, here''s what I''ve learned:

Table - 54-57%
Crown - 34-35 deg
Girdle - medium to slightly thick
Depth - 60-63% (this is the one I can''t quite remember right now, but its pretty close)
Pavilion - 40.6-41.0 deg

Those should keep you within the ideal range. If you ever want to check a diamond, go to the HCA cut adviser located in the tools section of the website. Any score under 2 is acceptable and worthy of further study.

Ideal cut H&A does not mean AGS000. Many, if not all, AGS000 are H&A, but H&A is a distinct cutting pattern and it is possible to find diamonds that fall within the ideal range that are not H&A. What I''m trying to say is that you pretty much can''t go wrong with AGS000, but GIA Ex-Ex-Ex can also be wonderful stones, but the GIA Ex cut rating is a little bit larger than AGS0 cut rating, so you have to be a bit careful and just check the numbers.

I hope that gives you a good starting point and good luck with your search! If you''ve ever got questions about a diamond, just come on here with the stats and we''ll let you know what we think.

Dockman, I have noticed that you seem to be fussing about girdles a bit. I certainly wouldn''t recommend others to limit their choices of stones with girldes only between this range. There is nothing at all wrong with thin, thin to medium etc. We just want to make sure our newbies are getting all the correct info, and they are not discounting stones un-necessarily.

I asked about girdles long ago when I was a newbie, and Gary, John Pollard and some other experts around here assured me that thin and thin-medium girldes are fine, so just wanted to reassure people who are stressing about their girdles when they don''t need to be.

If you are looking for a really tightly cut true H&A stone, they I don''t think you can go past an ACA from WF. They are simply stunning. Mine keeps me mesmerized all day, I barely get anything done and driving can be a bit hairy.............must learn to concentrate on road and not sparkly light show on the roof!!!!

 

[lyhome]

Thanks for the encouragement and letting me know that I am on the right track. The threadlink is great, and I am trying to digest the information now....

From my reading, does it mean that H&A is just a pattern and does not mean that they are the best performers compared to other diamonds? Other diamonds that do not display H&A can be an ideal cut with AGS000?

I had went into WF website and realised that they have one category named "Expert Selection". Can I assume that all the diamonds under this category are also best performers except for the fact that they do not display the H&A pattern under the scope?

If my assumption is right, that mean that I can find a bigger diamond with the same ideal cut with AGS000 with the budget I have? Instead of paying a prenium for the H&A pattern?

 

[honey22]

Date: 8/9/2008 11:12:53 AM
Author: lyhome
Thanks for the encouragement and letting me know that I am on the right track. The threadlink is great, and I am trying to digest the information now....

From my reading, does it mean that H&A is just a pattern and does not mean that they are the best performers compared to other diamonds? Other diamonds that do not display H&A can be an ideal cut with AGS000?

I had went into WF website and realised that they have one category named ''Expert Selection''. Can I assume that all the diamonds under this category are also best performers except for the fact that they do not display the H&A pattern under the scope?

If my assumption is right, that mean that I can find a bigger diamond with the same ideal cut with AGS000 with the budget I have? Instead of paying a prenium for the H&A pattern?

Expert selection is a great value option in my opinion. They are still fabulous ideal cut stones, and many have just missed out on the ACA grade. If you are not super fussy about having the best/needing the prestige of a branded H&A cut, then I would certainly recommend some of these stones.

If you post a budget and size you are looking for, we can suggest some killer stones if you like? We love stone-hunting!!!!

 

[dockman3]

Date: 8/9/2008 11:09:48 AM
Author: honey22

Dockman, I have noticed that you seem to be fussing about girdles a bit. I certainly wouldn''t recommend others to limit their choices of stones with girldes only between this range. There is nothing at all wrong with thin, thin to medium etc. We just want to make sure our newbies are getting all the correct info, and they are not discounting stones un-necessarily.

I asked about girdles long ago when I was a newbie, and Gary, John Pollard and some other experts around here assured me that thin and thin-medium girldes are fine, so just wanted to reassure people who are stressing about their girdles when they don''t need to be.

If you are looking for a really tightly cut true H&A stone, they I don''t think you can go past an ACA from WF. They are simply stunning. Mine keeps me mesmerized all day, I barely get anything done and driving can be a bit hairy.............must learn to concentrate on road and not sparkly light show on the roof!!!!

Honey, point taken about the girdles. I was just responding to what I thought was in the "ideal" range and I was under the impression that med-sl thick is considered to be "ideal" so I put that down. I was just trying to give a concise answer and Lorelei did a great job clarifying for me. I really don''t fuss about the girdle at all usually because it seems to me to be one of the least imoprtant aspects of the cut, unless it is at an extreme.

Lyhome, an ACA from WF is going to be a great diamond, and you can''t really go wrong with those.

 

[Lorelei]

Date: 8/9/2008 11:17:26 AM
Author: honey22

Date: 8/9/2008 11:12:53 AM
Author: lyhome
Thanks for the encouragement and letting me know that I am on the right track. The threadlink is great, and I am trying to digest the information now....

From my reading, does it mean that H&A is just a pattern and does not mean that they are the best performers compared to other diamonds? Other diamonds that do not display H&A can be an ideal cut with AGS000?

I had went into WF website and realised that they have one category named 'Expert Selection'. Can I assume that all the diamonds under this category are also best performers except for the fact that they do not display the H&A pattern under the scope?

If my assumption is right, that mean that I can find a bigger diamond with the same ideal cut with AGS000 with the budget I have? Instead of paying a prenium for the H&A pattern?

Expert selection is a great value option in my opinion. They are still fabulous ideal cut stones, and many have just missed out on the ACA grade. If you are not super fussy about having the best/needing the prestige of a branded H&A cut, then I would certainly recommend some of these stones.

If you post a budget and size you are looking for, we can suggest some killer stones if you like? We love stone-hunting!!!!

Ditto Honey, Expert Selection are handpicked as value for the money diamonds, some may indeed have missed being an ACA by a hair, so it can be well worth looking among them. Non h&a diamonds can also be fabulous performers, to quote one of our experts Garry - light return is the bricks and mortar, hearts and arrows is a coat of paint, the overall proportions of the diamond and the crucial crown and pavilion angles are the main engines driving the light return. You can certainly get both with a hearts and arrows superideal, but non hearts and arrows AGS0 can also be an excellent choice, it depends on what you value most. Here is a tutorial you might find interesting.

https://www.pricescope.com/hearts_indx.asp

DM, glad to help!

 

[lyhome]

Hi Honey, here''s the min requirement with the budget of $4000 to $6000:

1) Colour: G
2) Clarity: Preferably VS2 but do not mind SI1 if its eyeclean and the inclusions do not affect the performance of the diamond
3) Cut: The Best Hearts and Arrow cut available (not sure the right term)

4) Carat weight: At least a 0.8ct

Thanks in advance

 

[Lorelei]

Ly,

if you would consider H colour and SI2 if verified eyeclean, these might be contenders and get you into the 1 carat range.

http://www.whiteflash.com/hearts_arrows/A-Cut-Above-H-A-cut-diamond-46307.htm#

http://www.whiteflash.com/hearts_arrows/A-Cut-Above-H-A-cut-diamond-78273.htm#

 

[lyhome]

style="WIDTH: 96.8%; HEIGHT: 82px">Date: 8/9/2008 1:34:32 PM
Author: Lorelei
Ly,

if you would consider H colour and SI2 if verified eyeclean, these might be contenders and get you into the 1 carat range.

http://www.whiteflash.com/hearts_arrows/A-Cut-Above-H-A-cut-diamond-46307.htm#

http://www.whiteflash.com/hearts_arrows/A-Cut-Above-H-A-cut-diamond-78273.htm#

Thanks so much for the selections!

Honestly I have not seen H colour. Our local retails selling H&A do no encourage getting anything beyond G and VS2. But I don''t think H is an issue as understand that with a good cut, a H colour will appear to be like G.

Please correct me if i am wrong....

Some queries....the AGS certs are dated year 2006...may I know if this is an factor I might need to consider? If not, what is usually the reason for the AGS cert to be dated some time back?

Also, looking at the image pix of 1.125ct. there are some orangy reflects at the rim of the diamond. Does this mean anything? http://www.whiteflash.com/hearts_arrows/A-Cut-Above-H-A-cut-diamond-78273.htm#

 

[Lorelei]

Date: 8/9/2008 2:19:18 PM
Author: lyhome

style="WIDTH: 96.8%; HEIGHT: 82px">Date: 8/9/2008 1:34:32 PM
Author: Lorelei
Ly,

if you would consider H colour and SI2 if verified eyeclean, these might be contenders and get you into the 1 carat range.

http://www.whiteflash.com/hearts_arrows/A-Cut-Above-H-A-cut-diamond-46307.htm#

http://www.whiteflash.com/hearts_arrows/A-Cut-Above-H-A-cut-diamond-78273.htm#

Thanks so much for the selections!

Honestly I have not seen H colour. Our local retails selling H&A do no encourage getting anything beyond G and VS2. But I don't think H is an issue as understand that with a good cut, a H colour will appear to be like G.

Please correct me if i am wrong....

Some queries....the AGS certs are dated year 2006...may I know if this is an factor I might need to consider? If not, what is usually the reason for the AGS cert to be dated some time back?

Also, looking at the image pix of 1.125ct. there are some orangy reflects at the rim of the diamond. Does this mean anything? http://www.whiteflash.com/hearts_arrows/A-Cut-Above-H-A-cut-diamond-78273.htm#

Some stores do try to influence people not to go below certain colour and clarity from what I understand, but it is personal preference and a well cut H will still face up very white! You may not be able to distinguish between reliably lab graded G and H diamonds face up of excellent cut, same size, shape etc.

As to the report, no worries with the date, sometimes diamonds take a while to find a home.

The orange light is probably a reflection or possibly coloured light ( fire) coming off the diamond, no worries!

 

[lyhome]

Thanks Lorelei!

Let me write to WF to ask them abt the inclusions. Apart from this, is there any other question that I should ask?

By the way, do we need insurance for every diamond? As I am not staying in U.S., do I need to check with my local insurer if they are willing to insure the diamond before purchase?

 

[Lorelei]

Date: 8/9/2008 2:43:37 PM
Author: lyhome
Thanks Lorelei!

Let me write to WF to ask them abt the inclusions. Apart from this, is there any other question that I should ask?

By the way, do we need insurance for every diamond? As I am not staying in U.S., do I need to check with my local insurer if they are willing to insure the diamond before purchase?

Check that these diamonds are eyeclean to your standards, for example, if you don't want to see anything at all at close scrutiny, make sure you tell Whiteflash. If both diamonds get the thumbs up, then ask them which might be the best choice for you, which one has the most personality so to speak.

As to insurance, it will be covered by Whiteflash and assuming you have it set by them also, until the time it is delivered to you, so it is then you will need insurance cover. Whiteflash usually include an appraisal you can use for insurance purposes. If you are outside the US, do you know of any companies in your country that would insure it? If your Mom is a homeowner, then it might be possible for her to get a rider on her homeowners policy. Are you in the UK? You mention ' Mum' which makes me wonder!

 

[lyhome]

I am residing in Singapore

I am not sure of any insurance company here... erm I think I can give a few agencies here a call to enquire. To check if there''s an minimum criteria for it to be insured.

Side track, during my trip to the retailer selling Hearts on Fire, the saleman quoted me close to $11,000 for a 0.678ct F VS1. Its a killer!

He mentioned that this is a well-known brand with excellent standing in the States as the cut is superior. Is this true or just some selling tactics?

 

[Lorelei]

Date: 8/9/2008 3:26:11 PM
Author: lyhome
I am residing in Singapore

I am not sure of any insurance company here... erm I think I can give a few agencies here a call to enquire. To check if there''s an minimum criteria for it to be insured.

Side track, during my trip to the retailer selling Hearts on Fire, the saleman quoted me close to $11,000 for a 0.678ct F VS1. Its a killer!

He mentioned that this is a well-known brand with excellent standing in the States as the cut is superior. Is this true or just some selling tactics?

HoF are a brand name hearts and arrows diamond which are indeed popular in the States, but from all I have read, they are expensive. A Cut Above are considered to be comparable to these by all accounts and the prices you can easily compare!

I know one of our other Singapore PSers was here a few days ago, maybe he will see this thread and help us out on insurance companies for you - fingers crossed he will see it!

 

[honey22]

Date: 8/9/2008 12:28:08 PM
Author: lyhome
Hi Honey, here''s the min requirement with the budget of $4000 to $6000:

1) Colour: G
2) Clarity: Preferably VS2 but do not mind SI1 if its eyeclean and the inclusions do not affect the performance of the diamond
3) Cut: The Best Hearts and Arrow cut available (not sure the right term)

4) Carat weight: At least a 0.8ct

Thanks in advance

Hi lyhome! Sorry I missed this post, it was 1am when I posted last night, and I crawled off to bed to catch some ZZZ (i am an Aussie and most of the action around here happens when I am asleep).

I would ditto any stones Lorelei suggests, she is lady that knows her stuff!

 

[honey22]

Date: 8/9/2008 11:27:43 AM
Author: dockman3

Date: 8/9/2008 11:09:48 AM
Author: honey22

Dockman, I have noticed that you seem to be fussing about girdles a bit. I certainly wouldn''t recommend others to limit their choices of stones with girldes only between this range. There is nothing at all wrong with thin, thin to medium etc. We just want to make sure our newbies are getting all the correct info, and they are not discounting stones un-necessarily.

I asked about girdles long ago when I was a newbie, and Gary, John Pollard and some other experts around here assured me that thin and thin-medium girldes are fine, so just wanted to reassure people who are stressing about their girdles when they don''t need to be.

If you are looking for a really tightly cut true H&A stone, they I don''t think you can go past an ACA from WF. They are simply stunning. Mine keeps me mesmerized all day, I barely get anything done and driving can be a bit hairy.............must learn to concentrate on road and not sparkly light show on the roof!!!!

Honey, point taken about the girdles. I was just responding to what I thought was in the ''ideal'' range and I was under the impression that med-sl thick is considered to be ''ideal'' so I put that down. I was just trying to give a concise answer and Lorelei did a great job clarifying for me. I really don''t fuss about the girdle at all usually because it seems to me to be one of the least imoprtant aspects of the cut, unless it is at an extreme.

Lyhome, an ACA from WF is going to be a great diamond, and you can''t really go wrong with those.

It''s all good, I was hoping that you weren''t restricting yourself to stones with these parameters

There is some somewhat opposite school of thinking I guess you could call it. That having a girlde of sl-thick could hide weight unncessarily, and should be avoided. I think this is probably overkill too to avoid these stones too. There is very little difference between them, and I could see that someone would panic about their girdles unnecessarily.

I only thought to post about it, as when I was newer around here, I saw a comment like yours, took it to mean I can''t have any other girlde, and I totally had a panic attack about the stone I was considering as it had a thin girdle. I remember being stressed about it, and subsequently reassured so I thought I would add to the info you gave. No offence meant, hope you didn''t take it that way. I have noticed you are doing a great job around here helping others. I see your posts more and more often, and think it''s so great so we can start out totally new at this, and within a matter of months are helping others find great stones. It just makes me all warm and fuzzy inside.

 

[lyhome]

Date: 8/9/2008 7:45:10 PM
Author: honey22

Date: 8/9/2008 11:27:43 AM
Author: dockman3

Date: 8/9/2008 11:09:48 AM
Author: honey22

Dockman, I have noticed that you seem to be fussing about girdles a bit. I certainly wouldn''t recommend others to limit their choices of stones with girldes only between this range. There is nothing at all wrong with thin, thin to medium etc. We just want to make sure our newbies are getting all the correct info, and they are not discounting stones un-necessarily.

I asked about girdles long ago when I was a newbie, and Gary, John Pollard and some other experts around here assured me that thin and thin-medium girldes are fine, so just wanted to reassure people who are stressing about their girdles when they don''t need to be.

If you are looking for a really tightly cut true H&A stone, they I don''t think you can go past an ACA from WF. They are simply stunning. Mine keeps me mesmerized all day, I barely get anything done and driving can be a bit hairy.............must learn to concentrate on road and not sparkly light show on the roof!!!!

Honey, point taken about the girdles. I was just responding to what I thought was in the ''ideal'' range and I was under the impression that med-sl thick is considered to be ''ideal'' so I put that down. I was just trying to give a concise answer and Lorelei did a great job clarifying for me. I really don''t fuss about the girdle at all usually because it seems to me to be one of the least imoprtant aspects of the cut, unless it is at an extreme.

Lyhome, an ACA from WF is going to be a great diamond, and you can''t really go wrong with those.

It''s all good, I was hoping that you weren''t restricting yourself to stones with these parameters

There is some somewhat opposite school of thinking I guess you could call it. That having a girlde of sl-thick could hide weight unncessarily, and should be avoided. I think this is probably overkill too to avoid these stones too. There is very little difference between them, and I could see that someone would panic about their girdles unnecessarily.

I only thought to post about it, as when I was newer around here, I saw a comment like yours, took it to mean I can''t have any other girlde, and I totally had a panic attack about the stone I was considering as it had a thin girdle. I remember being stressed about it, and subsequently reassured so I thought I would add to the info you gave. No offence meant, hope you didn''t take it that way. I have noticed you are doing a great job around here helping others. I see your posts more and more often, and think it''s so great so we can start out totally new at this, and within a matter of months are helping others find great stones. It just makes me all warm and fuzzy inside.

Yesh!! Hope that I will be able to help others in due time too!!

Waiting for WF''s reply... nervous nervous...

Anyone heard about Amore diamonds? I had just went to another retail that carry Amore diamonds and mentioned that they are true Hearts and Arrows. Prices are more competitive too.

But I am persistent to get IT online....

 

[Lorelei]

Here is some info on Amore - http://www.mor-brothers.com/amore.html

Hang in there for the WF reply, you should hear soon I would have thought!

 

[lyhome]

Thanks for the link!

It''s 58 facets, meaning the additional cut is at the culet? Ermm, is there such certificate as Amore certificate? If I read correctly, Amore diamonds are graded by Amore certs and how is this comparable to AGS certs? I am partial to AGS certs as they seem to be stricter in their grading.

I came across this website: http://www.abazias.com/ Any buying experience from this website to share? I think they sell Amore diamonds online?

Amore diamonds are better quality than WF ACA? In terms of cut...

 

[Lorelei]

Date: 8/10/2008 6:51:48 AM
Author: lyhome
Thanks for the link!

It''s 58 facets, meaning the additional cut is at the culet? Ermm, is there such certificate as Amore certificate? If I read correctly, Amore diamonds are graded by Amore certs and how is this comparable to AGS certs? I am partial to AGS certs as they seem to be stricter in their grading.

I came across this website: http://www.abazias.com/ Any buying experience from this website to share? I think they sell Amore diamonds online?

Amore diamonds are better quality than WF ACA? In terms of cut...

I would imagine the culet is the reason why 58 facets are noted. I don''t know much about the Amore diamonds, or how the grading compares to AGS, but as AGS are so well known and considered to be reliable, I would tend to stick with that. As to whether Amore are better cut than ACA, I don''t know enough about them to judge, but I do know some ACA''s are superb!!

Abazias, you can do a search to read up on posters experiences with them.