WaterMist
Rough_Rock
- Joined
- Aug 13, 2023
- Messages
- 6
This forum (with 7+ years of expertise and postings) was tremendously helpful to me.
I'd like to give back to the community by sharing my research process and pictures of the final product, in case it helps future readers, especially any who may be looking at HCA < 1 or 60/60 stones or shallow crown angles.
Process:
Results:
TL;DR: despite having a slightly big table at 59%, a shallow crown angle at 33.7, and a slightly risky "right on the edge - nearly at the cliff" 40.6 pavilion angle, an "acquired taste" 60/60 leaning shape, with a seemingly controversial HCA score of <1.0... somehow, everything magically came together and worked out beautifully into a glowing star of a diamond. It won't check all the boxes for everyone's preferences, and I'm sure it's not perfect, but it's a 9+/10 stone for me and I'm very happy. All that I read gave me peace and contentment; the stone is eye clean, mind clean, and satisfies my greedy little goblin soul. I'm grateful for the wealth of knowledge and discussions I found in this forum. The journey itself of learning about diamonds has helped me understand and value the final diamond I picked even more, that there is no "better" or "best" diamond, but there are diamonds with different personalities and some combined art+science optimization process to maximize results for the type of diamond desired. I'm unlikely to want to upgrade as I love what I chose and it's perfect. Thanks for reading!
Specs:
IGI grades this IDEAL cut but according to cut estimator, it's just barely outside the GIA EX/AGS Ideal range. No matter, I saw it in person and loved it.
Pictures:
I'd like to give back to the community by sharing my research process and pictures of the final product, in case it helps future readers, especially any who may be looking at HCA < 1 or 60/60 stones or shallow crown angles.
Process:
- I've read thousands of posts on PriceScope, linked websites to GOG/WhiteFlash/IdealScope, YouTube videos, even Reddit/WeddingBee, from Garry to Rhino (GOG) to JannPaul. Everything I read and watched helped educate me on HCA, proportional angles and depth trade offs that combine well together, the history of Tolkowsky, the non-linearity of what works, BIC/TIC/FIC and 60/60 stones, the limitations of the HCA, and even the magical cliff at a pavilion angle of 40.45, etc.
- I was fortunate enough to be able to view and compare multiple LGDs at a local B&M store where I purchased my setting. The HCA scores and my better understanding of angles/depths, plus the "cut is king" mantra, helped rule out many of them, streamlining my decision making process and making it much less overwhelming. Being able to align my visual inspection with the HCA scores also bolstered the connection between my new theoretical knowledge with what I could see in practice.
- Armed with an understanding of how different angles and depths play with one another, I was able to cross check the stones available locally and their prices, with what was available online via the PS search tool. It gave me a sense of how much additional margin the local store was making off me, versus buying online, which in the end I was comfortable with due to the service, warranty, and of course, the ability to see and compare the stones to my heart's content. I compared various sizes, cuts, and grades, of both LGD and natural diamonds.
- Prioritizing cut, the stone that caught my eye in real life, had a < 1 HCA, a shallow crown, large table, an on the cusp pavilion angle, not perfectly the same width and length, among other things that worried me... but I read and researched on.
- I read all the considerations about HCA < 1 being potentially more suitable for pendants or earrings due to viewing distance, and I was able to check for that by looking at the stone under various lighting and viewing distances.
Results:
- With all that I learned, I was able to temper my expectations, understand different diamond personalities, and love my stone for what exactly what she was: a brilliant (rather than fiery) "60/60" leaning cut that still fell within the TIC range to be suitably balanced, with magnificent edge to edge spread that practically glows in the dark, wonderful face up, and laser-like brightness that could blind people halfway across the room.
- To my untrained consumer's eye, there was no darkness that I could discern at any viewing distance and at any angle. The only darkness was in the reflection of the arrows when I was 4 inches away with a giant black macro-lens camera.
- I was worried, but I don't find the crown to be too flat.
- The stone is big, bright, sharp, and very consistent. I have other moody and romantic stones, and this one is not those, which is great.
- I don't hem and haw, don't compare, say wishing for more fire or a taller crown, because I knew what type of stone I bought.
- What I learned helped me be efficient, I did not fall into a loop of analysis paralysis, and gave me the "mind clean" confidence to finalize my decision with no regrets.
- I also have an OEC LGD project in the works which will fulfill all my fiery, chunky, tall crown, floral pastel needs, and complement this brilliance leaning one.
- The certification does not specify if it's HPHT or CVD grown, I'm unsure if there are any graininess, or browning, none I can see or tell.
- No ASET images available.
- In everyday life, I'm unable to discern if there's any light leakage, but I would be open to being educated on this.
- I believe there's more to learn about my stone, and I don't see them as flaws, just more characteristics to understand. I would love for others to provide feedback on things I may have missed from looking at the stone.
TL;DR: despite having a slightly big table at 59%, a shallow crown angle at 33.7, and a slightly risky "right on the edge - nearly at the cliff" 40.6 pavilion angle, an "acquired taste" 60/60 leaning shape, with a seemingly controversial HCA score of <1.0... somehow, everything magically came together and worked out beautifully into a glowing star of a diamond. It won't check all the boxes for everyone's preferences, and I'm sure it's not perfect, but it's a 9+/10 stone for me and I'm very happy. All that I read gave me peace and contentment; the stone is eye clean, mind clean, and satisfies my greedy little goblin soul. I'm grateful for the wealth of knowledge and discussions I found in this forum. The journey itself of learning about diamonds has helped me understand and value the final diamond I picked even more, that there is no "better" or "best" diamond, but there are diamonds with different personalities and some combined art+science optimization process to maximize results for the type of diamond desired. I'm unlikely to want to upgrade as I love what I chose and it's perfect. Thanks for reading!
Specs:
- 1.31 Carat D VVS2 IDEAL/EX/EX/NONE
- 7.06 - 7.12 x 4.25 MM RB
- HCA: 0.9 (EXCELLENT on all factors; within TIC range; faces BIG)
- Table Depth: 59%
- Crown Depth: 59.9%
- Crown Angle: 33.7%
- Pavilion Angle: 40.6%
- Crown Height: 14%
- Girdle: Medium to Slightly Thick Faceted
IGI grades this IDEAL cut but according to cut estimator, it's just barely outside the GIA EX/AGS Ideal range. No matter, I saw it in person and loved it.
Pictures:
Attachments
Last edited:
300x240.png)