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Is This A Good Buy? (Poll Inside Thread!)

Should I pull the trigger?

  • Total voters
    4
4

41647Buyer

Rough_Rock
Joined
May 30, 2017
Messages
16
Apologies for the multiple threads this week, but I'm thinking of buying a stone today and I'm having minor heart palpitations at the thought of spending so much money on a piece of jewelry. It would be immensely reassuring if you guys could tell me I'm making the right decision here or, alternatively, talk me off the ledge before I make a huge mistake (with the ring, not the engagement!).

I'm looking to spend $11,000 CDN on a stone (or about $8200 USD), plus another $2,000 or so on a setting (with a local custom jeweler that my SO loves). The setting will be a platinum, 6-prong solitaire. My most important criteria are cut and carat (ideally between 1.6 and 1.8), followed by clarity and colour. I'm not looking for a perfect stone - just something that will look good given the budget, size, etc.. Neither I nor my SO are well-versed in diamonds.

Here's the stone I'm thinking of buying today (for $10,500 CDN or about $8,000 USD):

7.PNG 5.PNG 6.PNG

This stone is an AGS "ideal" cut and has an HCA of 1.1. It's eye-clean (from 6-8 inches), and I'm okay with the small dark inclusions under the table if they're undetectable from that distance. I'm also okay with the J colour as I understand that the medium flouresence will help it appear whiter.

I've searched high-and-low on Blue Nile and James Allen for better deals, and can't seem to find anything that meets my criteria (my preference for the bigger retailers extends from the fact that this stone will be shipped to Canada, and these retailers have established relationships with our customs officials - I don't want to get hit with any unforeseen duties importing a stone).

Thank you!
 
As a trade person I cannot recommend or criticize another vendor's stone, but I can comment on your statement about fluorescence. It is a mistake to make a buying decision based on the assumption that the diamond will look whiter than it's lab grade because of blue fluorescence. More info on the various issues surrounding fluoro here: https://www.pricescope.com/wiki/diamonds/diamond-flourescence
 
He is in Thornhill, Ontario and is a pricescope vendor.
 
Is that a pinpoint reflector in the stone?
 
Gem Queen said:
Is that a pinpoint reflector in the stone?
Click to expand...

Yes, some of the pinpoints appear to reflect within the stone. I assume this is somewhat normal for an SI1.
 
personally I wouldnt spend 8 K on a stone with carbon inclusions on the table. when people ask to see my ring they usually look at my hand pretty close ( or I hand them my ring and they dont hold it 18 inches from their eyes when they are holding it)
I would look for a stone that either the carbon is under the facets or has only white inclusions.
I bought a gorgeous stone a few years back and it had a tiny carbon near the table and even though it is vs2 i can spot the carbon every time i see it unless I am in good lighting. all my diamonds since then - I have bought do not have black spots that are on the top table. that stone was an expensive lesson. My most recent purchase was a 1.63 si1 that has a hca of 1.6 and i made sure the inclusions were NOT carbon and not on the table so i cannot see them even in the WORST lighting

this is one gals opinion though but i wont do a stone with carbon that is on the table. it is just too easy to spot up close.
 
tkyasx78 said:
personally I wouldnt spend 8 K on a stone with carbon inclusions on the table. when people ask to see my ring they usually look at my hand pretty close ( or I hand them my ring and they dont hold it 18 inches from their eyes when they are holding it)
I would look for a stone that either the carbon is under the facets or has only white inclusions.
I bought a gorgeous stone a few years back and it had a tiny carbon near the table and even though it is vs2 i can spot the carbon every time i see it unless I am in good lighting. all my diamonds since then - I have bought do not have black spots that are on the top table. that stone was an expensive lesson. My most recent purchase was a 1.63 si1 that has a hca of 1.6 and i made sure the inclusions were NOT carbon and not on the table so i cannot see them even in the WORST lighting

this is one gals opinion though but i wont do a stone with carbon that is on the table. it is just too easy to spot up close.
Click to expand...

Thanks, tkyasx78. BN insists the stone is eye clean at 6 inches, so I'm not sure how concerned I should be about the dark inclusions. There are two of them, both fairly small, and both at the outer edge of the table (one at 1:00 and the other at 4:00). The larger crystal (8:00) is white/grey.

8.PNG

Given the price point, does the cut quality/HCA score compensate somewhat for the inclusions?
 
BN has a 30 day return policy (must be returned in house on or before 30 days) so you can always return it. You seem sold on this stone.
 
I say, save some more money and get a stone you will love for however long you want. That is a lot of money to spend if you're not absolutely sure. The longer you have it, the easier it will be to see the pinpoints. Believe what I say. Don't throw away good money and wish you would have waited until you found the perfect stone.
 
OP, how do you plan to set it? If in a setting that allows the side view of the diamond, I wouldn't go J color. That said, if in a setting that will only allow face up viewing, a J will be white enough. I had a 2.43 ct J in a halo that looked very white face up... but I wouldn't have liked it in a solitaire due to the side view showing tint.
 
Thanks, everyone. I've decided on another, slightly more expensive VS1 stone. The original stone is available on BN here: https://www.bluenile.com/ca/diamond-details/LD08664809 (I still think it's a good bargain!).

msop04 said:
OP, how do you plan to set it? If in a setting that allows the side view of the diamond, I wouldn't go J color. That said, if in a setting that will only allow face up viewing, a J will be white enough. I had a 2.43 ct J in a halo that looked very white face up... but I wouldn't have liked it in a solitaire due to the side view showing tint.
Click to expand...

Good point. The setting is a solitaire, but the setting covers much of the diamond's side view.
 
41647Buyer said:
This is the side view (with a 1.8 stone):

9.PNG
Click to expand...

That's a very pretty setting! I think you should strongly consider going to an I color though... the side view will be seen in that.
 
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