Is this a good diamond ? - please help the ignorant

[SplinX]

Hi all,

I am new to this business and trying to ensure that I get the most perfect diamond (or close) for an engagement ring.

The details are as follows: (from GIA Certificate)

Round Briliant 0.40 carat, D Color, IF (internally flawless) garding
Proportions
Depth: 60.3 %
Table: 59%
Girdle: thin to medium faceted
Culet: none
Characteristics: none
Fluorescence: none
Comments: Minor details of Polish are present.

Now, ... this all looks good to me, except that I have been told to look for an ''Ideal'' cut to ensure the brightness of the dimaond (somthing to do with reflecting the light properly).

Is there any way I can tell if the cut is Ideal, ... ?
And also, ... any advice on what I should expect to pay for this diamond would be thankfuly welcomed.

Best Regards + Many thanks for your help,
David Mash

 

[phoenixgirl]

It all depends on the cut quality. I see that D IF stones of the same weight are going for between $3700 and $6600 per carat (so multiply by 0.4) to find price equivalents on the internet. Remember, you're likely to pay more at a local store than you would online.

Many people would recommend dropping your color and clarity a bit. Have you compared D and E or D and F stones with your own eyes? What about IF and VS2? Could you tell a difference? F VS2 stones of the same weight are going for $1800 to $3100 per carat, and very few people will be able to tell the difference. This would enable you to get a larger stone. Most women would prefer a larger stone to a smaller one with negligible improvements in color and clarity.

Check out the tutorials on this site and at Good Old Gold, a store that provides all the info you could ever want on their stones.

For the same $2000 you could get at least half a carat, F-G, VS1-VS2 with an ideal cut and the coveted hearts and arrows patterns for the same price as your 0.40 carat D IF with an unknown cut quality.

If you must have D IF, please get a sarin analysis done on the stone and post the results here before making a decision. I would get something that sparkles like these stones:

0.41 E IF H&A

0.37 D VVS2 H & A

0.50 E VVS2 H&A

0.55 D VS1 H&A

0.59 F VS1 H&A

But like I said earlier, I would recommend you not pay a premium for a very slight improvement in color and a non-visible improvement in clarity when you could have an icy white, eye-clean stone that *sparkles*.

 

[strmrdr]

There isnt enough information to say for sure.
The table is on the large side.
Also the polish comment raises some questions.
What is the polish rating on it?
It makes no sence to pay a huge premium for IF if the polish is off.

If it was me id drop down to a f/g/h/i eyeclean si1 and go up in size a lot for the same money.

 

[aljdewey]

By ideal cut, I'm going to assume you mean "does it fall within the parameters that AGS has deemed as ideal cut proportions".......and the answer is no. The table is too large to make it an AGS0 stone.




Even if the table were in range, you need to know the crown and pavilion angles to make any kind of determination on cut.




Yes, cut is very important....it determines the relationship of the facets to one another, and that affects how the light enters/exits the stone. If it's well-cut, the diamond appears much more sparkly because most of the light returns back to the eye.

 

[SplinX]

Wow,

You have all been a great help.
This has made me look at things from a whole new angle.

Since my initial post I have carried out a little more research, and I think that I will now look to get a stone from a dealer that can supply all of the measurements - I hate the fact that something that is detremental to the price of the stone can be hidden.

Being new to this scene - it strikes me as absolute madness that GIA certification is out there - but it does not cover enough attributes to be able to determine the value of a diamond ?!?!?!

I am in the UK, and want to take advantage of the £ - $ exchange rate - currently at nealry $2 to the £1, ... so If anyone out there knows the best place for me to buy a diamond with all details of the diamond viewable online - I would be very greatful.

Thank you all so much for your replies - and thank god for this forum !!!

Best Regards,
David (Diamond newbie)

 

[SplinX]

Hi Aljdewey,

I think I may drop on my 'ideal' preferences for the diamond.
All I really want is to ensure that the Diamond that I am purchasing remotely will look beautiful.

My definition of this is a diamond that looks pure, bright and sparkels.
I have been scared by testimonials where people have orded online and ended up wish a misty and rather dull diamond.

With regards to size across the pond :-
I can't speak for everyone here in the UK, but certainly my girlfreinds preference is for rather understated beauty - simpler and more delicate is beatiful.
How does the old saying go ~ size isn't everything.

I will have a search around the online sites you recommended -
Once again - many thanks

 

[aljdewey]

Well, a few parameters to help you out, David:




1) As long as you get a diamond that is EXCEPTIONALLY cut with a decent color/clarity, I can almost PROMISE that it will sparkle like mad!




2) You're looking for a stone under the 1 ct mark.....you would be ABSOLUTELY safe going with G/H and even I without compromising the look of the stone. Since you plan to stay smaller, you shouldn't need to trade off clarity to achieve a size mark, so I'd think you could get a VS2 or an SI1 and it will look CLEAR and beautiful.




3) All of the vendors mentioned previously will provide you with pictures and any other information you need to make a purchase decision. When you've narrowed down to 2 or 3 stones, it would be wise to pick up the phone and SPEAK to the vendors about the stones. That will help you determine your comfort level.




Again, let us know how we can help.

 

[SplinX]

Hey,

How about this then ?

http://www.whiteflash.com/diamonds/Diamond_Details.aspx?idNo=513547

They can put it in a setting for me and ship insured to the UK at no extra cost.

Regards,
David

 

[valeria101]

Right on the spot! This should be a nice stone. I'd like to see some direct analysis of the diamond's appearence (IdealScope pics, at elast a dran picture) but there is nothing in those numbers to testify that this stone is not tops. This sounds like a good deal inside and out.

 

[aljdewey]

David----RIGHT ON THE MONEY! Gorgeous stone! The proportions on this look awesome! I'd ask them to email you an ideal scope image and a picture of the stone....that will let you confirm with your eyes what the numbers say should be beautiful.




Ask them to remove it from their website until they can email the IS image and the pictures....they don't usually get to photograph until later in the evening when things settle down, and "holding" it prevents someone else from buying it online while you're waiting for the pictures.




Whiteflash is exceptional to deal with - I purchased from them, also, and couldn't be happier. I live halfway across the country from them, and yet I had total confidence in them!

 

[SplinX]

Hey All,..

Slight ammendment to my earlier post.
Shipping to the UK was an additional $60 , ... but - check this.

I phoned through (as you guys suggested) and tried to ask as many questions as I could regarding the diamond, and any additional surcharges.
Because I mentioned this forum I got a 5% discount on my order !

Thank you WhiteFlash.com

I will report back to this thread over the next couple of days to let you know my thoughts once I have the diamond in my hands.

A BIG thank you goes out to everyone who replied to my questions

 

[rocks]

before you have them set the diamond for you, i would verify whether or not the package will be subject to VAT or not. stones that are set into jewelry are subject to "duties" when shipped to the us. if the same stones are shipped "loose", they are not.

good luck!

 

[SplinX]

Hey All,

In the end, I bought a very similar diamond to the one I posted a couple o' posts back.
It is one shade more colourful at a 'G', ... but it cam back as being much more of an ideal cut using the tools from this site.

They also had a picture of it there >>
http://www.whiteflash.com/hearts_arrows/A-Cut-Above-H-A-cut-diamond-499831.htm

With regards to shipping duties >
I phoned up my countries customs and excise department that informed me that the duties would be 2.5% whether the stone was set or not.
I also have to add this to the UK's V.A.T @ 17.5%.
This means adding a total of 20% - if it gets stopped on the way

Still - whether it gets stopped or not - I've saved myself 50% off the purchase value in the UK - and barring any nasty surprises - I Couldn't be happier

I will e-mail them now about taking it off of the site, .. but I don't think this will be a problem as they checked the stock whilst I was on the phone, and I already have a confirmation e-mail them.

Best Regards,
David