It''s only the beginning; shopping for a square (h&a) type diamond

[RITZ]

Hello everyone,

I been lurking on this sight for quite sometime. I''ve finally got enough courage to start shopping for an engagement ring.

I''ll definitely be going to Italy in Spring ''06 and would like to propose to my girlfriend of 4 years when we are there.

I know she wants a square diamond. Initially she thought she wanted a princess cut, but I showed her some of the Jubilee''s in the Show me the ring forum and she was blown away. I''ve even showed her some of the new Square H&A on GOG. Right she a true lover of the H&A cuts.

I have contacted GOG and have been emailing Tim about some of the Jubilee & Square H&A diamonds they have in stock. As far as budget I would like to stay under or around $8k.

One stone that Tim has emailed me about is the a .90 Jubilee G VVS1 stone which is within my budget. I would like to get your opionions on this stone. I entered the info in the Cut advisor and it stated that the total depth % suggests the girdle is overly thick, it also stated that I may have entered the info in wrong.

Here''s a link to the stone:

http://www.goodoldgold.com/jubilee_0_90ct_g_vvs1.htm


some info provided:

5.67 x 5.69 x 3.87

depth: 68.6
table: 56.6
crown angle: 36.0
pavillon angle: 41.0
girdle: 1.6


Just wanted some opinions on this diamond as I have seen it listed on GOG for quite sometime. I still have plenty time before my intended proposal date. Hopefully my g/f is patient through this holiday season.

 

[Maxine]

Will have to wait for the experts to chime in, but I don''t imagine the HCA works for that shape......I think it only applies to round brilliants.....

 

[MaybeDayze]

HCA is only for rounds. Sadly.

That depth is nice for a Jubilee.
They are often cut much deeper, and face up smaller than this one.
All other stats look pretty good as well. (Table, Crown, Pavillion, Girdle.)
There is not set ideal for the Jubilee yet, so it's tough to compare.
Few stones (other than round) have set ideals, but have ranges instead.

Shopping for branded cuts is tough. They are always pricier. And 8k is QUITE a nice budget.
I suggest you look for something with a lower clarity, in the VS1/2 range.
You'll be able to afford a larger stone, without losing ANYTHING visually.
Also, it does look like there are better optical performers than this particular stone.
(Comparing the b-scope results to others.)

I'm not an expert, just so ya know.

MarLO


Oh*** I think the Square H&As are supposed to be a bit less expensive. And very similar.

 

[burnban35]

Are you considering any of the Square H&A''s on GOG''s website? I''m waiting on my setting for my SQH&A .93 H VS1 we purchased from GOG. I absolutely love it.

I love the brilliance and fire of mine. There are a few that rate higher on the brilliance scope than the jubilee that you are looking at.

Good luck in your purchase. GOG was wonderful to work with.

M.

 

[RITZ]

Thanks for the replies everyone.

In Hawaii there are no local vendors who carry the Jubilee or Square H&A diamonds. We do have a store that carries the Heart on Fire diamonds, but they are priced out of my budget.

My g/f & I are a little worried about purchasing a diamond via an on-line vendor, however I''ve read a lot of good stories from happy buyers on PS.

Not sure how to gauge when a diamond is a real performer. Is it realistic to think that all Jubilees or Square H&A''s will be real good performers? (ie- the wow factor)

 

[MaybeDayze]

Double post, see next entry.

 

[MaybeDayze]

I don't think you should be nervous about shopping with GOG, some of the other reputable online dealers.
They stake their business on their reputations. There are many happy customers here on PS.

Ask Jonathan to look for some more Jubilees and Sq H&As for you in the VS1/2 range, you'll get more for your money. These two cuts can appear quite small due to the depth which they are cut, so you want to try to get as much size as you can.

As far as performance is concerned.
Jonathan uses something called a Brillance Scope, it measures Brillance, Fire, and Scintillation. (Some are sceptical about it's real world applicabity.) These results appear near the bottom of the page for each of this stones. Compare your stone to others of different sizes/colors etc to see how yours compares.

Jon, and the whole GOG staff, are willing to work with you to find the right stone. It can often take some time, and a few tries. I remember one pscoper buying and returning a few stones. Don't worry, they will work with you.

Here is a picture of a Sq H&As next to a jubilee.

Have you considered a Square Radiant?

MarLO


Oh**** Many call the Hearts of Fire - Dream diamond - Wallet on Fire!!! It's super expensive.

 

[noobie]

As an early adopter of the Jubilee, I offer this. They are beautiful stones with great performance. Some things to think about.

Buy by spread and not weight, since the depth can vary a fair bit among stones

Don''t worry about small differences in Brilliance Scope scores. Pick the size (spread) color and clarity that best meets your needs. GOG won''t sell you a dog in these. I had two stones sent to me for inspection. One had better BS score. Was there a difference? Maybe, in some lighting conditions when viewed side by side. Practically, when mounted, there was none. I picked the slighty lower scoring BS one.

Don''t be surprised if it looks sorta round. It essentially is a round with the sides cut square. Many people will mistake it for a round from casual viewing distance.

You do pay a premium for these, but no where near the premium for a HoF Dream. The Dream I looked at was somtheing like 50% more.

Something consider if you like squares are the new AGS0 Princess stones cut by Infinity. They can''t be mistaken for rounds and are amazing!

Lastly, no worries about buiying on-line form GOG. 30 day money back. They''ll take care of you.

 

[ep6585]

I bought a .85 Jubilee from GOG. As noobie stated you should look at the spread and not the weight. When noobie and I were both shopping for Jubilees GOG had several in the .80 to .90 range. The .85 that I bought had the same spread as a .90 that they had and it cost less.

The Square H&A cut typically has a larger depth% which makes for a smaller spread than the same weight Jubilee.

I was very happy with GOG''s service and would buy from them again.

 

[WinkHPD]

As a competitor of GOG I am pleased to tell you that he is one of the good guys and you can buy from him with confidence. He has a strong money back guarantee and he honors it completely.

I have never seen the square H&A but I can tell you that the jubilee is a stone with LOTS of WOW factor! I recommend that you buy the one you are looking at, and simply return it if you do not agree. The Jubilee is a fairly new cut, less than two years old, but it is a BEAUTY!

Wink