My diamond is too deep! ?

[carolina]

Hello, I am new to the forum, and I have quite an upsetting dilemma.

My fiance presented me with a beautiful .78 carat GIA certified round brilliant solitaire ring in a Tiffany-style six prong setting for Valentine''s Day. I was floored. The ring has a lot of fire and is very sparkly. It looks very pretty to me.

My fiance did a lot of research on the internet, but mostly in comparing diamonds from sites such as Blue Nile, Whiteflash, etc. I knew I would like at least an H color VS2 or better stone with at least a good cut. We are still quite young and are just getting to where we need to be financially, so 3K was our limit as far as spending goes.

Here are the diamond stats:

Measurements: 5.92x5.97x3.70mm
Weight: .78 ct
Depth: 62.2%

Table: 55%
Girdle: T to STK
Cutlet: None

Polish: Very Good
Symmetry: Very Good

Clarity:VS2
Color:H
Fluorescense: None

As it is a GIA report, and not AGS, we do not know crown and pavilion angles, etc. He did not know to ask about a Sarin.

The diamond is laser inscribed by the GIA and has been independently appraised. It does match up with the certificate, which is a real GIA certificate.

Here is the problem: My fiance''s Uncle is telling him that we got a horrible diamond because of its depth. We were not aware so much of the depth issue before he purchased the stone. He is saying we should take it back. I do not want to.

I know it is a little on the deep side, but it is not overly deep, is it? It does not appear dark in the center, and appears to reflect light quite nicely. It has also a lot of fire. I have had many unsolicited compliments on the diamond from strangers as to its shine!

My fiance is very upset and says if I do not like it (I do) he will take it back (30 day return policy). He feels he did a bad job now that his uncle has told us how bad it is. He purchased the stone loose and had it set at the jeweler.

The place he purchased from is a diamond wholesaler. They have been in business here in the Tidewater for over 30 years and are supposedly very reputable. His boss recommended the place, as he buys a lot of high dollar jewelry there for his wife. All diamonds they sell are GIA and AGS certified, and all stones sre loose. He looked at a variety of diamonds, and says this looked nicer to him than one he saw with a depth of just under 61 and a table of 57. He had been looking for weeks.

I do not want to take the diamond back, as I really like it. It makes me so sad. My fiance is very upset. He says if we do not take it back, we can trade up later on. I do not know if I want to do this even, as I would still like to have my original ring!

He paid $2400 for the stone. Is this a bad deal. On sites like Blue nile there is a stone listed as a VG cut with a depth of 62.6 , 58 table. Another stone listed as VG has a 62.9 depth and 57 table. Both these stones list for well over $2400. This is supposedly a reputable online retailer.

Does a depth over 62 automatically make for a poor cut? His uncle says the cut is poor and the girdle should be medium.

My stone appraised (independently) for $3120. That is more than he paid. The in house appraisal was, of course, for much more.

If I do get another stone (he seems set on it) what depth to table ratio should we look for? We will definitely have a Sarin done. Should we get an AGS instead of GIA cert?

I do not feel he got ripped off and don''t care if we get another stone. This is upsetting me, though. I cannot just enjoy my beautiful ring. It makes me sad.

Sorry for rambling...can someone please give me some advice? Thanks so much!

 

[windowshopper]

your stone is a little deep but not at all terrible....................i think you did just fine and your uncle sounds like a many of the pricescope nuts (saying this lovingly of course) that must have a diamond with absolutely perfect specs or they consider it a bad stone.................enjoy your beautiful stone

 

[Lord Summerisle]

Important points to note.

You’re the one whose opinion matters the most. If you love it then that’s all the matters. You mention about it has a lot of fire, and a lot of sparkle.

Below 63% and above *racks brain* umm 59(?)% is considered ‘Ideal’ so no 62.2% is not *too* deep. So you can stop worrying on that one. So long as the angles of the crown and pavilion are right for the depth, then it’ll be a good performer, and you’ve noted that it’s a sparkler and you love it… then the numbers don’t matter. It’s the eyes that count.

And futher – a depth over 63% doesn’t automatically mean it’s a poorly cut diamond – just not currently considered ‘ideal’ by the AGS lab – although it would seem AGS (and GIA) are coming to the conclusion that Garry Holloway has come to – that there are excellent performing diamonds that don’t conform to the current ideal standards.

Does this help?

 

[carolina]

Thanks for your reply, windowshopper. I think a lot of consumers buying a diamond for the first time are confused when it comes to total depth. Especially young people with limited budgets.

A lot of sites say a diamond of these proportions is not pretty. I think it is.

I am sure I would be blown away by an excellently cut diamond.

I know one cannot tell except by looking at each diamond, but what are some good specs for a diamond in the .75-.78 range. What is a good table size versus the depth.

My fiance saw that the depth and table fell within the supposed "ideal" range and thought "that''s it!"

At $2400 was this an ok deal?

 

[glitterata]

Uncle is wrong--that isn''t even theoretically too deep. And if it sparkles and you love it, it certainly isn''t too deep in practice. Keep your stone and wear it in health & happiness.

 

[valeria101]

Date: 3/9/2005 9:16:13 AM
Author:carolina

I know it is a little on the deep side, but it is not overly deep, is it ?

No. I don't think anyone would call this "deep". Never heard of it

and even if I had (from Fred): if 61 is perfect and one added % doesn't have any effect at all on either brilliance of size why is it so "terrible "

The price sounds good indeed. At least there's no better by any of the dozen retailers listed on Pricescope's database. AGS0 would have been about 3k allright.

 

[carolina]

Thanks, Lord S.!!! I do like the stone. No one has looked at it and said "OOH that is so ugly. It is too deep. Shoulda got a 61 depth."

Thanks Valeris, for taking the time to check pricescope!!! I will pass the word on to fiance. Glad to know the price sounds good.

Do you think we should take it to the jeweler and have a Sarin done? They do Sarins there. I know they have to take the stone out, so I am a bit nervous. Is that bad for the stone? Will there be any problems in resetting?


Thanks everyone for their helpful replies. Makes me feel a little better. I am the one who has to wear it and I love it. Hopefully this will make my fiance feel a bit better. It is all about how the stone actually looks...and it looks good to my untrained eye!

 

[Patty]

A well cut .75c diamond should measure about 5.8mms across. An .80c stone should measure about 6.0 mms across. Your stone measures very well. And yes, it''s depth is still within the "ideal" paramaters.

You say that it sparkles a lot and your fiance said that this one looked the nicest to him.

Is his uncle a diamond dealer? How does he know about diamond depths and why is he so worried about your stone?

I say you keep your stone and enjoy it and ignore his uncle. Your appraisal shows that you paid a good price and you love the stone and the spirit in which it was given.

Tell the uncle to take a hike.

 

[carolina]

Patty, his uncle is not a diamond dealer, but does know a lot about jewelry and diamonds. He is very wealthy and has purchased a lot of very expensive jewelry for his own wife. I must admit her jewelry is beautiful...the diamonds are very beautiful and are in Tacori settings. He knows jewelery and is very anal about it. He also has a lot more money than we do!

This is perhaps the reason my fiance is so inclined to listen to him. There was never a doubt in his mind until he showed his uncle. He proundly showed him the certificate, thinking he had done well. The man is crude and untactful if you ask me...even if he does mean well.

I think a diamond is symbolic and it would take something away from me to giv ethis back. It is killing me because he is so hurt.

I do not want to wear the ring with the thoughts "oh, I can do better later when we can afford it". I will wear it proudly.

 

[fire&ice]

No, the stone is not too deep. And, with the measurement presented, the stone may be more firey than most diamonds.

You answered your own question. You "do not want to take it back". Sounds like the case with the uncle is a little knowledge is dangerous. Enjoy your purchase. Let your eyes & the eyes of your fiance be the judge - not some set of numbers.

Best Wishes to you & Congrats to your fiance.

 

[pyramid]

I am just a consumer and maybe you have seen this already but here is the link to the chart about ideal cut from the AGA grading lab owned by Dave Atlas who is an appraiser on this forum

http://diamonds.pricescope.com/round.asp

 

[carolina]

Thanks for the good wishes, fire and ice! I just wish that I could convince my finace that he did fine!

Pyramid, I appreciate you posting that. That helps. I appreciate it a lot!

Take care and thanks all for the help.

I feel that so long as the diamond looks good to me (after all I am the one who has to wear it) it makes me happy.

I guess it must just be something about pride and men when they buy diamonds. At least I know my fiance is concerned that he gets a good stone for me.

I have plenty of friends with HUUUUGE stones that are not nearly as pretty as mine, because they just wanted something big!

I also have friends who were engaged over three years ago and are still paying for the ring.

My fiance did his best. I am glad the proportions are not out of whack. It is ashame, because as beautiful as the stone is to me, I was starting to worry over it. This puts me at ease...hopefully his too! My stone may not be perfect, but I love it.

I wish I had found this place sooner!

 

[solange]

I think your husband''s uncle was very tactless. You are happy with the ring and you say you have gotten compliments on it. You also say your fiance picked it out as being outstanding among the other stones he saw.

Since his uncle has so much experience in buying expensive jewelry, did he offer to take your fiance to his jeweler to find something better for the price? When we first got married, we had very little. We both came from families of very modest means. I had very wealthy relatives and my aunts and cousins always made me feel that what we had, where we lived, etc. were inferior. They simply did not understand what it means to have a limited budget. I fell for it then and always felt that everything I had was not up to their standards. Your fiance should not let his uncle''s opinion get to him just because he is able to afford more at the present time. Your fiance obviously knew what he was doing. He looked around and bought the nicest stone he could afford. He was happy with it and you are happy with it and that is all that counts. His uncle does not have to wear it.

The stone is not too deep and certainly not horrible. In fact it sounds beautiful. If it were slightly shallower, it would not look that much bigger. It sounds as though your fiance did just fine. The mistake was in seeking his uncle''s approval. And although your husband''s uncle buys a lot of expensive jewelry thatdoes not mean that he knows everything.

It would be great if you can get a Sarin on the stone and post it. Perhaps one of the experts who frequently post here can give an opinion that your husband can show to his uncle.

 

[zdrastvootya]

Bah! What''s with these people? For this Uncle to take the joy out of a very special moment for you two is unforgivable. He should be told that you''ll give his advice all due consideration (which of course means to file it somewhere, and forget about it).

The diamond is sparkly and you''re very happy with it. What more is there to say? As far as I''m concerned, the numbers are really a tool for getting a diamond that looks nice. You''ve got one.

My advice: enjoy your new diamond.

Z.

 

[Mara]

his uncle sounds VERY rude. just because he may know more than the average bear about diamonds (and maybe he does or doesn''t, who knows?!) does not mean he has the right to attack your stone, esp since you love it and your fiance is proud of it.

the stone is NOT *deep* by any means, I personally prefer stones with depth under 62%, but I think one of my earrings is 62% depth and it looks just fine, shows beautiful arrows and a great idealscope image, and 62% is still within the ''ideal'' range. There have been some amazing diamonds with 62% depth. Also your table is on the slightly smaller side so as F&I noted, you may even get a tad bit of extra fire from that depth/table combo. Dependign on angles.

If I am searching and feeling particularly anal that is one thing....but your diamond sounds lovely, you love it, your fiance loved it (until now) so tell him to stop listening to the uncle from hell and that you adore your ring and do not want to change it.

you and he are all that matters..good luck!