if you have seen both which do you prefer?

[froufrou]

i am looking for an eye clean F SI2 in .74 ish cts or larger (something w/ 5.85 diam or more - the bigger at that quality that i can find the better) with VG/VG or higher in sym/polish and a great cut which ranks well on HCA and has lots of fire. so far ive found about 4 of them on bluenile and am having BN check for me whether they are eyeclean. later i will post specs i think to ask more questions once i know whether eyeclean or not. w/ G i would have more choices but unfortunately between looking at G and F i think i can tell the difference and it bothers me.

my budget is 2,700 or less (if its less i get to spend more on my wedding band )

i did find an AGS 000 in my range that just got certed a couple months ago that i am asking on eyeclean about. the others were GIA Very good cuts but all were below 2s on HCA''s scale.

 

[Carlotta]

Date: 5/17/2006 10:13:15 PM
Author: froufrou
i am looking for an eye clean F SI2 in .74 ish cts or larger (something w/ 5.85 diam or more - the bigger at that quality that i can find the better) with VG/VG or higher in sym/polish and a great cut which ranks well on HCA and has lots of fire. so far ive found about 4 of them on bluenile and am having BN check for me whether they are eyeclean. later i will post specs i think to ask more questions once i know whether eyeclean or not. w/ G i would have more choices but unfortunately between looking at G and F i think i can tell the difference and it bothers me.

my budget is 2,700 or less (if its less i get to spend more on my wedding band )

i did find an AGS 000 in my range that just got certed a couple months ago that i am asking on eyeclean about. the others were GIA Very good cuts but all were below 2s on HCA''s scale.

Yeah, I see what you mean!! Just did a search here and came up with what you said...or higher prices!!!

 

[JulieN]

Only .72

http://www.jamesallen.com/diamond.asp?cid=131&item=513502

 

[froufrou]

thanks for all the replies everyone i am going to bed now, i''ll check tomorrow to see in case anyone else has more advice

good night all!!!

 

[diamondseeker2006]

Date: 5/17/2006 10:00:01 PM
Author: strmrdr

Date: 5/17/2006 7:50:13 PM
Author: diamondseeker2006
Storm, how about picking a diamond for me?

I want to know if you like a solid red and black IS or whether you like a little contrast (as in WF classic)?


Froufrou, I think your poll needs to be reworded to really work. The way it is worded there is only one correct answer and that would be #1. But as Storm said, the same stone can fall into AGS Ideal or GIA excellent. I ahve a stone here now that is GIA excellent but the numbers are within AGS Ideal, as a matter of fact.

classic style by a wide margin.
with a disclaimer I havent seen a new line ACA but have seen diamonds with simular treatments and didnt like em as well as standard girdle faceted diamonds by a wide margin.

Thanks, Storm! After reading the comments from you and others here and Jonathan''s GOG site on cut, I have decided to stick with classic.

(Froufrou, if you haven''t already, see the GoodOldGold site for fantastic information on cut, color, clarity, etc.!)

 

[froufrou]

diamondseeker: yup, i looked on the GOG site and read up on the 4 Cs like you told me I should thats partly why I decided I wanted F instead of G because the slight yellow on G will bother me, no matter how slight it is!!!

 

[diamondseeker2006]

Date: 5/18/2006 9:00:49 AM
Author: froufrou
diamondseeker: yup, i looked on the GOG site and read up on the 4 Cs like you told me I should thats partly why I decided I wanted F instead of G because the slight yellow on G will bother me, no matter how slight it is!!!

And you know what? I respect that. I have had an F for 29 years and it is a bright, beautiful white (but not an ideal cut). I tried to go to H on this anniversary ring, but my husband and I can both see the tint in the diamond since we are used to seeing F. So even though it is a fantastic, sparkly diamond (which someone will be very lucky to get), I''d rather have G or F. I am hoping for G but I may end up with F again. I had my nails done yesterday and the guy complemented me on my diamond. I still get compliments on it even though it isn''t a great cut, and it''s because of the color. I am going to Tiffany''s Saturday to try on some rings just to be SURE about size and color so I can order the right diamond on my next try! You might want to do that, too! (If you live in the Southeast, you can come join us!)

 

[froufrou]

haha, thanks for the invite, diamondseekr. unfortunately I live in the midwest...i have been to the tiffany''s here in chicago, it is a big tourist attraction on Michigan Avenue. my e-ring is going to be the tiffany classic six prong style but not from tiffanys, im very excited about it...just have to pick out the diamond already!

 

[diamondseeker2006]

If you are near Chicago, you should go visit Dimend Scaasi. They have some nice diamonds and are most helpful. The stone I am looking at now is from them and it is gorgeous (but H). Their settings are not cheap, but they individually cast each one for your size and the diamonds size, so they are very nice quality. You can find their link under Resources/vendors on this site.

 

[froufrou]

aha! i found a diamond which Whiteflash deems as one of their special selections but only gets 3.8 on HCA, here it is

http://www.whiteflash.com/round/Round-cut-diamond-1292134.htm#

it has a GIA report before 2006 so i dont know if GIA would''ve ranked it as excellent.

so what would you say about a diamond like that, if it is expertly recommended but does not have the fabulous HCA score?

Light Return Good
Fire Very Good
Scintillation Good
Spread
or diameter for weight Very Good

 

[froufrou]

thanks. diamondseeker, will dimendscaasi set a diamond in a setting i already own if i buy the diamond from them??

 

[diamondseeker2006]

I am not sure, but I would think so, as long as they thought the setting was acceptable (sturdy, or whatever). They don''t sell many of thier settings without buying the diamond from them, though. But you could always buy the diamond from them and have the seller of the setting set it, too.

 

[diamondseeker2006]

Date: 5/18/2006 9:50:00 AM
Author: froufrou
aha! i found a diamond which Whiteflash deems as one of their special selections but only gets 3.8 on HCA, here it is

http://www.whiteflash.com/round/Round-cut-diamond-1292134.htm#

it has a GIA report before 2006 so i dont know if GIA would''ve ranked it as excellent.

so what would you say about a diamond like that, if it is expertly recommended but does not have the fabulous HCA score?

Light Return Good
Fire Very Good
Scintillation Good
Spread
or diameter for weight Very Good

I''d have more confidence buying anything from WF''s Expert Selection because that means they have chosen it as an in-house diamond and can look at it and describe it to you on the phone. You have to be so careful with SI2''s though. That stone looks very nice to me, but I can see the inclusion on the magnified picture, so you''d have to call and ask if it is eyeclean. If you could go to SI1''s, this would be a slightly easier project!

 

[Carlotta]

That one definitely has a "ring of death"......plus the table is really big......why don''t you CALL several vendors to see if they have anything/are getting anything that you might be interested in????

 

[froufrou]

carlotta: "ring of death"??

i talked to dimend scaasi they said they would get back to me regarding whether they could set a diamond i buy from them without my buying one of their settings. they spent about fifteen minutes explaining to me that their settings are way better though.

the setting problem. with that one jeweler who was weird and accidentaly tried to set the cheaper stone in my setting, i ended up buying the setting from him and not the diamond. thats why ive got this setting. i dont want him to set it for any reason.

i am the most indecisive person ever for diamonds and everything else!

 

[belle]

ff, have you seen well cut (ideal) gia or ags graded ''g'' color stones? i think you would be hard pressed to see the difference between an ags or gia graded ''f'' and a ''g'' color diamond when set. there is a reason that appraisers will only guarantee a diamond within 2 color grades when set.... you can''t see a difference!

 

[diamondseeker2006]

froufrou,

The thing is, you are wanting to find a diamond that is not ideal cut, apparently. And you are on a forum that strongly prefers ideal cut. So you are going to hear negative opinions about every stone you post that does not have an excellent or ideal cut. What I might also suggest if Dimend Scaasi does not work out is to call Jonathan at Good Old Gold and ask him to find you a high performing stone that is not ideal cut. You probably read on his site about how there are some combinations that will perform well but are not ideal. But we could spend years trying to find you one when it would be a much easier process for him to do it since he has all the equipment and knows exactly what to look for. You won''t save a huge amount, though. But only you can decide if it is worth it to sacrifice cut to save a few dollars.

 

[diamondseeker2006]

OH, and I SEE why you aren''t having it set by the jeweler who sold the setting!!!

 

[froufrou]

no, no, i am not trying to find a diamond which is not ideal cut. i would definately like a very well cut diamond...

it is just that i was putting in the specs of "Excellent" cut GIA diamonds into the HCA calculator and getting out results which were often worse than results I would get putting in specs of "Very Good" cut GIA diamonds into the HCA calculator...

that is where i got confused, because if it is Excellent by GIA i would assume it would score below 2 or at least a little above 2 on HCA.

 

[belle]

Date: 5/18/2006 11:32:22 AM
Author: froufrou
no, no, i am not trying to find a diamond which is not ideal cut. i would definately like a very well cut diamond...

it is just that i was putting in the specs of 'Excellent' cut GIA diamonds into the HCA calculator and getting out results which were often worse than results I would get putting in specs of 'Very Good' cut GIA diamonds into the HCA calculator...

that is where i got confused, because if it is Excellent by GIA i would assume it would score below 2 or at least a little above 2 on HCA.

you are trying to make assumptions using two totally different systems.
gia 'excellent' is a very broad range of stones. you could have one diamond that scores 'excellent' with gia that has a very nice combination of angles (and would get an 'ideal' grade from ags) and another diamond that also scores 'excellent' from gia that has an odd angle combination (and would get as low as an ags4) that looks totally different and not as appealing.
i would trust an hca score and ideal scope image before i would consider only a gia 'excellent' grade

more reading on gia's new system
https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/gia-ex-let-the-buyer-beware.41371/

 

[KristyDarling]

My stone is a 2.8 HCA *and* also classified as an AGS0. Aside from a 35.4 crown angle, everything else is considered ideal. Yes, it''s a slightly deep stone but it outperformed (at least visually) a comparable AGS0 stone with 1.5 HCA. This was my independent appraiser''s opinion and mine as well. It''s a real fireball.

The numbers help, but the diamond does all the talking. I''m a firm believer in going "by the numbers" to help narrow down your selection, but in the end you should just use your eyes. Having the help of an independent appraiser is important, too.

 

[diamondseeker2006]

Date: 5/18/2006 11:32:22 AM
Author: froufrou
no, no, i am not trying to find a diamond which is not ideal cut. i would definately like a very well cut diamond...

it is just that i was putting in the specs of ''Excellent'' cut GIA diamonds into the HCA calculator and getting out results which were often worse than results I would get putting in specs of ''Very Good'' cut GIA diamonds into the HCA calculator...

that is where i got confused, because if it is Excellent by GIA i would assume it would score below 2 or at least a little above 2 on HCA.

Okay, I see. I just haven''t had any GIA excellents score over 2 yet, but some do score outside the AGS Ideal range, and I prefer the stone to fall in both (now that they have converted me to perfectionism around here!). I wouldn''t even get into looking at VG cut stones unless you find them in the WF Expert Selection where you have all the numbers and the IS images to look at. Mara found a great one that way, so that is a possibilty.

Belle is right to go by HCA and Ideal Scope images which you''ll find most easily with GoodOldGold and WF. But Jon would probably be able to find you some great stones to look at if you call and tell him what you want.

 

[Mara]

second the suggestion to CALL the vendors and talk to them, find out what they have, what they are getting in etc.

re: the classic vs painted girdles, i''ve owned pretty much all painted, but i have seen both in person numerous times, side by side, and then also when i didn''t know what we were looking at.

we did a taste test recently and i know GIA says that people ''prefer'' classics but when we were in TX, there were about 5 girls handy and we did a taste test with painted vs classic and in the end no one liked any one particular diamond more. we all chose differently for what appealed to us. i will say also that i remember looking at the diamonds (and we didn''t know this was a painted vs classic taste test) and thinking, how does one choose between 5 exceptional stones. they were all amazing and i would have been proud to own any of them.

so for me, i wouldn''t say i ONLY want classic or i ONLY want new line. i would be more open minded because both types ARE just as beautiful. having seen both. i''d keep more options open that way.

 

[diamondseeker2006]

Mara, it would be TONS easier if we could visit a vendor like WF as you did so we could know our preference for sure! That is the only frustrating thing about this process!

 

[Mara]

honestly DS i think more people should travel for large diamond purchases to see the vendor of choice or visit two in a close proximity or whatever.

the way i looked at it this time around was that i was dropping a serious amount of coin on a diamond that is supposed to last me for another 5-8 years. so why not take the opportunity for a visit, spend the money to fly over, make a small fun trip out of it or whatever because in the long-run doing it in person IS that last step that makes people feel comfortable. so not sure where you are but if you have the option to travel or even drive to see a vendor or two, i would do it. i totally don''t regret it. and i got to see my pal alj and hang out too.