More diamond questions in the .25 ct range.

[stepcutgirl]

Ok, so I went to my local jeweler today who I now believe we will be using but haven''t decided for sure yet. I explained to him my concern with non ideal cut stones as my side stones and how my mother and sister both have center stones that are around .25 and .30ct and that both are incredibly dull and lifeless even after a good cleaning and how this is what I do not want. He told me that they are probably I1 or I2 clairity and that is most likely why they do not sparkle. I expressed that I have some diamond knowledge from this site and that it is my understanding that it is cut that makes the difference. He said yes and no, that in the size range I''m looking at for side stones .25 each that cut in the ideal range is unnecessary and that cut in the good or very good range is sufficient. I also said I want G color side stones and he said he thinks g/h is good enough.

Am I being too picky for this size range? Will a cut in the good range and a color of g/h give me plenty of sparkle and still be very white?

 

[yssie]

Possibly - vg is certainly sufficient. Thing is, the price difference between "good" and "excellent" in these sizes is so minimal, why not go for "excellent"?



I'll submit that he might well be right about their sidestones also being uncerted I1 or I2, though - and poorly cut. There's altogether too much of that out there

 

[stepcutgirl]

He did say that he would let me check out and ok or nix the side stones before he set them I'm just concerned about sparkle. He said he thought good or very good g/h si stones would be sufficient.

ETA-He also said that he does not use commercial grade diamonds that he uses stones much better than that. I've spent so much time researching sapphires that I don't know bunches about diamonds.

 

[yssie]

Maybe you could buy your own IS and look at them when they come in, good images would make it much easier to choose without the benefit of a cert or sarin.
http://www.ideal-scope.com/cart_order.asp
I have the $25 one, it's definitely enough for the job

 

[stepcutgirl]

I may do that. I''m just leery of making him feel like I don''t trust him. He seems very knowledgeable and if I see them in outside light in addition to the store lighting and they look pretty sparkly I guess I will know they are ok.

Sparkle and not being able to see a yellow color are what I''m most concerned about. Really with the size and design I''m doing very little if any of the body of the side diamonds will be visible, mostly I will only see the face up of the stones. I know G is ok, and H is only one color grade below...but the wedding band I like the danielle from WF uses f/g color stones. Would there be a difference to the naked eye in f/g and g/h when worn side by side?

 

[yssie]

Date: 4/15/2010 6:05:53 PM
Author: stepcutgirl
I may do that. I'm just leery of making him feel like I don't trust him. He seems very knowledgeable and if I see them in outside light in addition to the store lighting and they look pretty sparkly I guess I will know they are ok.

Sparkle and not being able to see a yellow color are what I'm most concerned about. Really with the size and design I'm doing very little if any of the body of the side diamonds will be visible, mostly I will only see the face up of the stones. I know G is ok, and H is only one color grade below...but the wedding band I like the danielle from WF uses f/g color stones. Would there be a difference to the naked eye in f/g and g/h when worn side by side?

Not a whit to even the most eagle-eyed.

 

[stepcutgirl]

Thanks Yssie!

 

[yssie]

Cheers!



Actually, now that I think about it, the diamonds in the WF Danielle are 1-pointers so they definitely wouldn't show any colour at all - just shimmer

 

[Dreamer_D]

You will have no trouble with G/H compared to little one pointers.

But I am not liking the whole cut grade thing. Are you sure you don''t want to just buy .30ct certed stones from BGD or WF? The price is not huge in terms of the peace of mind it would bring, at least to me. About $1000 for two G/SI1 stones in the .33ct size. Would look killer with your saph.

 

[E B]

I agree with the others- go with the best cut you can find, if only for the mind-cleanliness. I mean, your center is a sapphire cut by Jeff White. Obviously, cut means something to you.

If it costs you an extra couple hundred, I think it's worth it in the long run.

 

[stepcutgirl]

BGD won''t answer my email about buying anything from them and if they did they would charge me an arm and a leg for them. I have been asking them for quotes for a year now and about two months ago they stopped getting back to me and when they did they quoted me severely high.

I will inquire with WF about the stones though.

 

[stepcutgirl]

I did just go do a search on BGD''s site and they do have 2 that would meet my needs for around 800! I will find out the cost of just the setting tomorrow and that might work out just perfect!

 

[CharmyPoo]

Sounds like you are making good progress. However, I have to agree with your jeweler .. I don''t think an ideal cut versus a very good cut makes that much of a difference in that size. I really can''t tell in that size and I have several diamonds in that size range.

 

[stepcutgirl]

Ok, I was able to talk to Lesley and put two .30''s on hold. They are H SI2''s. The SI''s are from clouds and crystals. Do those sound ok?

 

[stepcutgirl]

SO I purchased the two stones from BGD today. It felt so nice to talk to Lesley and I no longer forsee any issue with them in the future. I bought the two H si2 stones from her and when I told my jeweler he asked me why the SI2 rating and I said on the AGS report it shows crystals and inclusions as the flaws and he told me they prob won''t be clear! I''m sure he isn''t happy to be losing the money he would have gotten for sourcing the stones himself...and I asked Lesley and she said these are eye clean...so I don''t think I should be concerned...but is it possible he is right? I will have these stones in hand tomorrow so I will see for myself. His comment has me a little frustrated with him and a little worried. But I don''t think I need to be worried. Frustrating!

 

[stepcutgirl]

one last bump.

 

[Dreamer_D]

At that size it is pretty easy to find eye clean SI2s, compared to in larger sizes. You cannot judge eye cleanliness based on an inclusion plot or based on the type of inclusions, only be actually looking at the diamonds. Brian has been very cautious recently with his purchases for their in house stock, and seems to only be buying diamonds that have white inclusions -- that is what it seems to me from looking at their inventory.

If they say they are eye clean then they are eye clean. BUT when you have them, take them into lots and lots of different lighting environments and inspect them and make sure that you cannot see anything. Do this before you loupe them to look for inclusions

as once you know where the inclusions are is can be like a boogie man.

That said, if you have any doubts then send them back and go up to SI1 instead to make yourself feel safer with the clarity.

And I must say, I am not liking some of the things your jewler has said re: other vendors, buying online etc. I hope that he treats you right and gives you good quality service and setting in the end. Will he insure the diamonds against damage during the setting process? Be aware that when you give him the diamonds he will prbably slam them and talk about how terrible they are

If it was me, I would not work with someone who is so full of BS about online diamonds and who is so eager to hard sell by bashing other vendors.

 

[stepcutgirl]

Thanks Dreamer. I don't think he was trying to be a jerk, I think he may not realize that I have a decent idea about diamonds and feels like I don't know enough to source my own. To his credit I called the culet the CUTLET! LOL. I have been spelling and saying it this way for a year now! Ouch! I had no idea! However...at this point because I have now sourced my own stones he is simply the middle man. TO order from Sholdt you have to go through a jeweler. Since I wanted to see them in person before buying I was able to find my local guy here who agreed to order them. He also works routinely in palladium and that is useful since the ring I am getting is palladium.

Sholdt will set all the stones there so really all my jeweler is doing is facilitating the sale. I'm sure he was not happy when I told him I was sourcing my own stones. I think he thought he was going to make a little more money when he thought he would be sourcing the stones for me. And he would have...had you not talked some sense into me.

 

[Dreamer_D]

Ahhhh... which Sholdt are you getting? I love their designs.

Please let us know what you think of the little diamonds when you get them!

 

[stepcutgirl]

I will let you know about the diamonds! I paid for Sat delivery so I will get them tomorrow! I''m pretty excited. I''m getting the Sholdt semi bezel three stone...but I keep going back to look at their prong set center with semi bezeled sides. I think the three semi''s are the better way to go though.

 

[Cehrabehra]

In that size especially I wouldn''t quibble about g vs h - you won''t even be able to tell the difference... but in cut I wouldn''t budge an inch!

 

[Cehrabehra]

Date: 4/15/2010 6:05:53 PM
Author: stepcutgirl
I may do that. I''m just leery of making him feel like I don''t trust him. He seems very knowledgeable and if I see them in outside light in addition to the store lighting and they look pretty sparkly I guess I will know they are ok.


Sparkle and not being able to see a yellow color are what I''m most concerned about. Really with the size and design I''m doing very little if any of the body of the side diamonds will be visible, mostly I will only see the face up of the stones. I know G is ok, and H is only one color grade below...but the wedding band I like the danielle from WF uses f/g color stones. Would there be a difference to the naked eye in f/g and g/h when worn side by side?

seriously - why SHOULD you trust him? do you know how many people have been conned into accepting subworthy diamonds out of a) ignorance (which you don''t have) or b) unwillingness to question someone else''s judgement/ethics/ignorance?

 

[Dreamer_D]

I prefer the pring center - R164-1 on their website. I think that having the blue center be close to the white diamonds without any metal between will be so stunning.

 

[stepcutgirl]

Date: 4/17/2010 1:35:08 AM
Author: dreamer_d
I prefer the pring center - R164-1 on their website. I think that having the blue center be close to the white diamonds without any metal between will be so stunning.

Yeah, I wasn''t able to see that setting in person and didn''t really give it a thought until i had semi placed my order for the semi semi bezel (he''s waiting on me to see these diamonds and hand them over so he can send all the stones in with the order)and then I saw that one and while I am a semi bezel girl...I do like that one.