shape
carat
color
clarity

I''m about to pull the trigger please advise!!!!!!

Status
Not open for further replies. Please create a new topic or request for this thread to be opened.

hankae

Rough_Rock
Joined
Jan 10, 2007
Messages
13
I am about to purchase an engagement diamond with the following charachteristics.

Round Brilliant
GIA Certified in September 2006
Laser Inscribed #
1.38 ct
G
VS1
Excellent Cut
T: 55%
D: 62.6%
VG Polish
VG Symmetry
No Flourescence
No Culet

I was quoted a price of $10,750 total. I know there are a lot of factors but would this be considered an bad, average, good or great deal?

Also, is there any premium for having a stone that is Laser inscribed?

Thanks in advance for any help.

Hank
 

JulieN

Super_Ideal_Rock
Premium
Joined
Jul 25, 2005
Messages
13,375
It does not cost much to have it inscribed.


Best to post GIA number so we can check it out.

Price seems normal.
 

wifey2b

Brilliant_Rock
Joined
Aug 3, 2006
Messages
772
As to your posting topic....
Make sure your sights are on the target... make sure of your back stop...squeeze the trigger - not pull...BANG!....Bullseye!
36.gif

Giggle :}
31.gif
 

hankae

Rough_Rock
Joined
Jan 10, 2007
Messages
13
Here is the full report. Thanks for your help.


Report Type: GIA Diamond Grading Report
Date of Issue: September 29, 2006
Round Brilliant
Measurements: 7.11 - 7.17 x 4.47 mm
Carat Weight: 1.38
Color Grade: G
Clarity Grade: VS1
Cut Grade: Excellent
Proportions:
Depth: 62.6 %
Table: 55 %
Crown Angle: 36°
Crown Height: 16.5 %
Pavilion Angle: 41°
Pavilion Depth: 43.5 %
Star length: 55 %
Lower Half: 80 %
Girdle: Thin to Medium, Faceted
Culet: None
Finish:
Polish: Very Good
Symmetry: Very Good
Fluorescence: None


Comments: Pinpoints are not shown.
 

hikerchick

Brilliant_Rock
Joined
Nov 29, 2006
Messages
804
It doesn't score well on the HCA . . . have you seen the diamond in person?
 

hankae

Rough_Rock
Joined
Jan 10, 2007
Messages
13
Yes it looks very nice. What is the HCA?
 

hikerchick

Brilliant_Rock
Joined
Nov 29, 2006
Messages
804
https://www.pricescope.com/cutadviser.asp

HCA is a cut advisor . . . click on the link above and put your numbers in . . .
If it looks great in person you should go with what your heart tells you, however, I think you can get more for your money . . . just my $0.02
 

hankae

Rough_Rock
Joined
Jan 10, 2007
Messages
13
Thanks for the link. That one looks nice as well. Just curious why that particular stone would be better than the one i looked at? That one shows a VG-Cut while the one I saw was is an Excellent-cut. Isn''t cut the most important factor determining price and clarity. Now I''m really confused.
 

Ellen

Super_Ideal_Rock
Joined
Jan 13, 2006
Messages
24,433
Date: 1/10/2007 4:28:29 PM
Author: hankae
Thanks for the link. That one looks nice as well. Just curious why that particular stone would be better than the one i looked at? That one shows a VG-Cut while the one I saw was is an Excellent-cut. Isn''t cut the most important factor determining price and clarity. Now I''m really confused.
Hi hank.

The stone you''re looking at is what is called a steep/deep. The relationship between the crown and pavillion angles need to be complimentary. These aren''t so much. Chances are, there''s light leaking, not a good thing.

John Q. posted this as a guideline for GIA stones, whose numbers are rounded, so you don''t really know what they are without a sarin or something else.


"With that said, here''s a "Cliff''s Notes" for staying near Tolkowsky/ideal angles with GIA reports (their numbers are rounded): A crown angle of 34.0, 34.5 or 35.0 is usually safe with a 40.8 pavilion angle. If pavilion angle = 40.6 lean toward a 34.5-35.0 crown. If pavilion angle = 41 lean toward a 34.0-34.5 crown.

GIA "EX" in cut is great at its heart, but it ranges a bit wider than some people prefer, particularly in deep combinations (pavilion > 41 with crown > 35)."

HTH
 

hikerchick

Brilliant_Rock
Joined
Nov 29, 2006
Messages
804
Date: 1/10/2007 4:28:29 PM
Author: hankae
Thanks for the link. That one looks nice as well. Just curious why that particular stone would be better than the one i looked at? That one shows a VG-Cut while the one I saw was is an Excellent-cut. Isn''t cut the most important factor determining price and clarity. Now I''m really confused.

Someone with a more in depth understanding can explain the cut advisor better than me but overall, it has to do with the crown and pavilion angles and the dpeth and table of the diamond and how these numbers determine how "sparkly" your diamond will be . . . I was in a hurry when I posted the first diamond and posted it based on the HCA alone . . . I should''ve looked at it closer. The second diamond I posted is a H&A ACA diamond from Whiteflash . . . it doesn''t get much better than those.

Anyway, read the tutorial above to get a better understanding of why the angles and stuff matter . . . I read enough to understand but not explain it to someone else
9.gif


Whatever, you decide . . . I am sure it will be beautiful, but I just wanted you to be aware that the diamond you are considering didn''t score well on the HCA and since you budget is pretty high (in my book) . . . you could get something even better.
 

hikerchick

Brilliant_Rock
Joined
Nov 29, 2006
Messages
804
And that someone who knows more than I is Ellen . . . Thanks Ellen, I never know how to summarize all that stuff about the cut angles. :)
 

hankae

Rough_Rock
Joined
Jan 10, 2007
Messages
13
Thanks for the suggestions, I really appreciate your help. Getting back to the one i saw locally, which looked very nice to me, and what does everyone think of the price?

Thanks
 

Ellen

Super_Ideal_Rock
Joined
Jan 13, 2006
Messages
24,433
Date: 1/10/2007 4:50:33 PM
Author: hikerchick
And that someone who knows more than I is Ellen . . . Thanks Ellen, I never know how to summarize all that stuff about the cut angles. :)
No prob. John''s made it a lot easier.


BTW, if you''re reading John, that small bit of info is one of the single best summaries I''ve gotten off this site.
36.gif
 

Ellen

Super_Ideal_Rock
Joined
Jan 13, 2006
Messages
24,433
Date: 1/10/2007 4:56:53 PM
Author: hankae
Thanks for the suggestions, I really appreciate your help. Getting back to the one i saw locally, which looked very nice to me, and what does everyone think of the price?

Thanks
Well, it''s not a bad price, especially comparing it to what I paid for my GIA 1.4 G VS1.

But, you really do get what you pay for.
2.gif
 

hankae

Rough_Rock
Joined
Jan 10, 2007
Messages
13
Thanks for the reply Ellen. So.....if I want the stone i saw here, despite it''s drawbacks, what is a fair price?
 

Ellen

Super_Ideal_Rock
Joined
Jan 13, 2006
Messages
24,433
Date: 1/10/2007 5:05:26 PM
Author: hankae
Thanks for the reply Ellen. So.....if I want the stone i saw here, despite it''s drawbacks, what is a fair price?
That price is fair.
 

JulieN

Super_Ideal_Rock
Premium
Joined
Jul 25, 2005
Messages
13,375
Date: 1/10/2007 5:05:26 PM
Author: hankae
Thanks for the reply Ellen. So.....if I want the stone i saw here, despite it's drawbacks, what is a fair price?
priceless
41.gif


Sorry, do not mean to make much fun... if that stone were listed on an Internet site, it would probably be there for a long time.

My strategy would be to pick a top cut stone from a vendor specializing in premium cut diamonds and taking it into your store to compare. If you STILL think the 1.38 G VS1 wins, you may return the other one.
 

:)

Brilliant_Rock
Joined
Jul 25, 2006
Messages
1,864
One of the problems is that looking at steep deeps in a store they can look really beautiful with all the special lights. Once set (or even outside of the store lights), it can be another matter - steep deeps tend to leak light at the bottom instead of returning it (as white or colored light) to your eyes so they can look a lot less sparkly when they lose the ability to get extra light from the sides. Often they look better unset, than set, because light can enter from all angles that way without any metal interfering (for example light can enter from the bottom in this scenario, and then exit out the top where your eyes are, appearing more sparkly). A well cut stone does not require for light to enter the sides and bottom of the stone- a well cut stone will simply take light that enters from the top, bounce it around the angles inside, and return it as white light (=brilliance) and bend it into prisms of color (=fire). Beautiful!

Interestingly, steep deeps also have more area for dirt and oil to get stuck on them (diamonds are dirt and oil magnets!!!), so they get dull VERY easily - I had no idea in the beginning how dull diamonds get - it makes them look less sparkly until you clean them! Shallows have less trouble with this, but that is a whole other topic!

Really, there are better options that will look great out there!

Take your time, this is a big purchase - read the tutorials and you will be able to find a killer diamond - there are millions of diamonds out there, one with your name on it, just waiting to be found!
2.gif


I am sorry I don't have the ability to make pics for you - I will try to see if I can find one that someone else has done for you.
 

hankae

Rough_Rock
Joined
Jan 10, 2007
Messages
13
Thanks to everyone for your responses. I will keep looking. So.... now I can see the logic behind GIA having a wide range in rating their EXCELLENT cut diamonds, and I see where the one I was looking at is rated as EXCELLENT but actually does not score high on the HCA Cut advisor. However, I fail to see how a diamond that rates very high on the HCA cut advisor can be rated as only good or very good by GIA. How is that possible???????
 
Status
Not open for further replies. Please create a new topic or request for this thread to be opened.
Be a part of the community Get 3 HCA Results
Top