Need advice - $19k budget - Bigger, shinier, better.

[lostandclueless]

Hi everyone, I need some advice. I have a $19k budget. She wants something as big as possible. She's okay with even I color, as long as it's eye clean. She prefers hearts & arrows. I did a search here on PriceScope using the Diamond search and found things that I don't quite understand... The prices vary so much for seemingly the same thing... I need some help.

I'm looking at AGS 103080111015. Looking at the picture, is it not eye clean because there's that spec near the centre?

Another one I see in the results is AGS 104079102001. How is this one? I think looks pretty good, right?

And finally AGS 104079102015. Just want to understand. Looking at the picture of it, it looks like there are a few inclusions that might be more visible, right?

Any help/advice/recommendations would be really appreciated! Thanks in advance!

 

[lostandclueless]

AGS 104080111015







AGS 104079102001







AGS 104079102001

 

[partgypsy]

Not necessarily, it is a VS2, which means it is eyeclean to 99% of the people out there. I like the first 2 they are both good choices (unless she wants to go even bigger in size). The last one, if she is eagle eyed, may or may not see the inclusions.

I'm sure others on here will give more nuanced opinions.

 

[miraj]

Bottom line:

The good news is that all three are very nice, especially with regards to light performance. All three have nice hearts-and-arrows. When it comes to the visibility of inclusion versus price, it is subjective. Ask Whiteflash to send 2 or 3 of the diamonds to an appraiser so you can compare the inclusions in person and determine what is tolerable in your opinion.

Long rambling:

The images on websites are helpful but also scary because they are magnified so inclusions can seem much more apparent than they actually are. Stand back from your screen to get a better sense of what it would look like in person. Hold your finger up until the diamond size is proportionally right. For an 8mm diameter, 10-15 feet back is probably about right.

"Eye clean" is a subjective measure. People with eagle eyes will see things others will not, and if you stare at a diamond long enough you can start to see (or imagine that you see) inclusions. Also "eye clean" usually means as viewed from above, so inclusions may be visible from the side regardless whether it is "eye clean".

Besides the person wearing the diamond, most people will not look at the diamond for a very long time. So unless there are some highly visible inclusions, the degree of cleanliness won't matter to most people. But the person wearing the diamond should be satisfied with the clarity. How good is that person's eyesight, and how much will that person stare at the rock?

Generally speaking, inclusions in a VS2 are very difficult to see with the naked eye. And the clarity grade is supposed to consider the location of the inclusion as well. But it is a good idea to avoid inclusions (especially dark colored crystals) in the center ("under the table"). The price of the diamond will probably already incorporate that factor - inclusions under the table will lower the price.

Diamond prices are also driven by the rarity of the color and clarity stated on the certificate. You will pay significantly more for a VS2 than an otherwise identical SI1. However, each grade is subjective and includes a range of degrees, so a "VS2 that is nearly-SI1" and a "SI1 that is nearly-VS2" would have a pretty big price difference even though the severity of inclusions is nearly the same.

However, when you look at the inclusions on your diamonds, you can see that there are significantly more and larger inclusions on the SI1's than the VS2.

What do you mean "prefers hearts & arrows"? Does it have to be 100% absolutely perfectly cut, or is 99.9% okay too? It sounds like something that shows a high amount of symmetry is preferred, but it doesn't have to be totally perfect. The Expert Selection should be fine - you don't need to pay the ACA premium.

Here is a side-by-side comparison of the three to make it easier for others to research.

HCA scores:

AGS xxx1015 is 1.5-ex-ex-ex-vg

AGS xxx2001 is 1.8-ex-vg-vg-vg

AGS xxx2015 is 1.5-ex-ex-ex-vg

 

[lostandclueless]

Thanks part gypsy and miraj for your response.

I was about to type "One additional question", but who am I kidding. I probably still have a million. So...

Another question: It looks like the inclusions on these diamonds are near the middle (table?) from the certificate. Do you think this would impact the brilliance, fire and scintillation?

 

[RetroTreeGal]

Another question: It looks like the inclusions on these diamonds are near the middle (table?) from the certificate. Do you think this would impact the brilliance, fire and scintillation?

Nope.

 

[Tourmaline]

She's okay with even I color, as long as it's eye clean.

To clarify, "eye clean" refers to clarity, not color.

 

[lostandclueless]

Nope.

Thanks RetroTreeGal. But could you help this lostandclueless soul try to understand why not? I mean, for example, the first diamond, the 1.998ct one, there's a spec right in the middle. It makes me guess that would impact how the light gets bounced out, therefore, impacting the brilliance/scintillation, no? Should we just be looking at the ideal scope image to look for the amount of red? Or is there a good article to read to explain this? I found a couple here https://www.pricescope.com/communit...ly-affect-brilliance-fire-scintilation.44522/ & https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/does-the-clarity-affect-the-brilliance.14392/. One says as long as SI1 or better, it'll be okay. The other says location and orientation of feathering matters and to stay away from black spots.)

 

[lostandclueless]

She's okay with even I color, as long as it's eye clean.

To clarify, "eye clean" refers to clarity, not color.

Thanks for making sure I understand. With a name like lostandclueless, everyone should not assume I understand what I'm talking about. But in this case, it's just by bad typing. I should've separated those two points. She wants eye clean for clarity and has mentioned SI1 is okay too. And for color, even I color is okay too.

 

[Tourmaline]

Ok, glad you do understand about color versus clarity. Also, we all have our own sweet spot for clarity. I can see inclusions with just my eyes in most VS2 and under stones.

 

[miraj]

Another question: It looks like the inclusions on these diamonds are near the middle (table?) from the certificate. Do you think this would impact the brilliance, fire and scintillation?

Nope.

Thanks RetroTreeGal. But could you help this lostandclueless soul try to understand why not?

I think a more accurate answer is "Yes it will impact the brilliance and affect the fire and scintillation, but probably not in a noticeable way". When there is something blocking light from reflecting back to your eye (like a black crystal) then the brilliance is decreased. And that same inclusion can also block light that is prisming (fire) or that would light a different fascet (scintillation). But compared to the total amount of light that is reflecting around in the diamond, the blocked light is probably insignificant for an SI1 level of inclusion.

 

[ecf8503]

Remember these images are greatly magnified - even small inclusions look huge.

I looked up the 1.998 stone - it says right on the page it is eye-clean, and I tend to believe them. It's a gorgeous stone, in a very very hard to find weight - BUY IT NOW before someone else does!

 

[vintagelover229]

Does phoenix have anything on the market currently? here is her thread, but you can get more bang for your buck buying preowned from her-she's got some stunners of stones too, so it's not like your taking a hit on quality!

[URL='https://www.pricescope.com/forum/preloved-ps-jewels/feelers-3-02ct-f-vs2-2-656ct-h-si2-in-emilya-1-52ct-g-si1-t216883.html']https://www.pricescope.com/forum/preloved-ps-jewels/feelers-3-02ct-f-vs2-2-656ct-h-si2-in-emilya-1-52ct-g-si1-t216883.html[/URL]

You can reach her here if she has anything suitable -she's been having issues getting emails from LT so I'd post to her thread too if you do reach out to her
http://loupetroop.com/listings/loose-stones-diamond/loose-multi-coloured-diamonds

 

[vintagelover229]

Does it have to be a round? Lots of stunning antique stones fit that budget

(I know this is J, but can't hurt to look)

http://www.jewelsbygrace.com/loose-diamonds/1-ct-to-2-00/2-00ct-antique-cushion-cut-diamond-gia-j-si1#.VjeM2CWP87w

This is a stunning pear shape
http://www.jewelsbygrace.com/loose-diamonds/2-01-to-3-00/2-01ct-antique-pear-shape-diamond-gia-g-vs1#.VjeM9SWP87w

http://www.jewelsbygrace.com/loose-diamonds/2-01-to-3-00/2-05ct-antique-cushion-cut-diamond-gia-j-si2#.VjeM7yWP87w

This stunning tranny is almost 2 carats!

http://www.jewelsbygrace.com/loose-diamonds/2-01-to-3-00/2-42ct-transitional-cut-diamond-gia-j-vs2#.VjeNVSWP87w

This comes with a setting
http://www.jewelsbygrace.com/rings/2-13ct-round-brilliant-cut-diamond-ring-gia-ex-ex-ex-i-vs1#.VjeNgSWP87w

A unique oval ring
http://www.jewelsbygrace.com/rings/2-12ct-antique-oval-diamond-emerald-halo-ring-gia-i-vs2#.VjeNoCWP87w

And I realize this is K but this ring would BLOW any woman away, its a hand forged Leon Mege with french cuts AND 2.64 carats!


http://www.jewelsbygrace.com/rings/2-64ct-old-european-cut-diamond-tapered-french-cut-setting-by-leon-mege#.VjeNpiWP87w

 

[lostandclueless]

I sincerely want to thank everyone for all your help. This has been a big purchase and probably one of the most stressful decisions of my life! =P Can't wait to get it and see her reaction! Hope it'll be a positive one!