Is this a good diamond for her?

[glocko]

Hello all,

I've been lurking on here for a few days and learned a lot. I found a diamond I am thinking of purchasing online and would like your advice. First I will tell you what I am looking for, and you can tell me if this would be a good pick, or if there are any specs I can skimp on to lower the cost even more.

I'd like to be as close to $3000 as possible and as close to 1 carat as possible. A little under or over for cost or carat doesn't matter much to me. I'd like the stone to be free from visual defects, and I'm still a little hazy on whether or not SI1 would accomplish this. Some sites say they are free from naked eye defects, others say they may be visible. Hence, I plugged in VS1 and VS2 for my clarity. (If you disagree, please let me know!)

Next, I looked on the color scale and visited a few mall places and noticed that they all pretty much looked the same to me. To be safe, I figured I'd go with G or H (but I am open to I's or even J's if the difference is not that noticeable).

I wanted to try and plug in the numbers in the Holloway Cut calculator but I couldn't find pavilion or crown numbers for this stone. Basically, I don't care about cute designs or perfect symmetry as long as it has good brilliance and does not look dull/cloudy.

So here is what I am eyeballing. Based on what I just described, can any of you tell me if this is a good pick?

Cut: Round Brilliant
Carat: 0.94
Color: H
Clarity: VS2
6.36 X 6.4 X 3.83
Depth: 60%
Table: 60%
Girdle: Thin - Medium
Culet: N
Polish: Very Good
Sym. Very Good
Fluoresence: None

The price was $3060. What do you think (given I am not a perfectionist with regards to this stuff)?

Thank you all for your help. Oh yeah, great site Leonid.

 

[rsilvers]

I think H/VS2 is where you want to be. As long as it is an AGS or GIA H/VS2 as not all labs are as strict. That stone you found looks fine so far, but it ideally would need an HCA score to know that much more sure. AGS stones have cut information. Other stones need a Sarin test. Some online diamond people put that stuff online.

A really high end cut, like an AGS0 H&A at 1 carat with H/VS2 would be over $5,000. I do see plenty of GIA well cut stones online H/VS2 for $3300 to $3500. My advice would be to look for a $3500 GIA one over a $3100 EGL one. I have come to believe that you are not paying a premium so much for the GIA name as you are actually getting what you are paying for.

 

[glocko]

Oops. I forgot to mention that. It is GIA certified.

The site doesn't have sarin test/ HCS score posted.

I wonder if I should just buy it and return it if I don't like it?

 

[rsilvers]

No, ask them if they will have a Sarin done. I have done this and several dealers have faxed me Sarins. If it passes the Sarin/HCA then it seems like a good price.

 

[slmulkey]

I agree, ask the dealer for a sarin report. In my search for a diamond, I found several stones that looked good on cut as far as symetry, table, depth, but turned out to have HCA score in the 2.5-3.0 range. For all I know, they probably looked quite nice. Why take the chance though, when you can eventually find a stone that has an HCA < 2.0, with little or no difference in price?

If the sarin report turns out ok, that price sounds like a good deal to me.

Best of luck!