NEED HELP DECIDING BETWEEN THESE 2 DIAMONDS

[tkatuw]

here are the 2 i am down to...numbers are below and the certs are attached (if i can figure it out). any feedback is much appreciated i think these are pretty good prices....do you agree?

DIAMOND #1 (quote: $8900)
1.53 AGS IDEAL cut, E color, SI2, IDEAL Polish, Ideal Symmetry
depth: 61.6%; table: 56.7%; crown angle: 35; pavillion angle: 40.7
inclusions: twinning wisps

gem appraisers score:
http://www.gemappraisers.com/oldcutgrade.asp

Shape: Round ags 1.53
Table % 56.7%
Grade: 1A
Crown Angle 35.0°
Grade: 1B
Crown Height % 15.2%
Grade: 1A
Pavilion Depth % 42.9%
Grade: 1A
Girdle Thickness Slightly thin to Slightly thick
Grade: 1B
Total Depth % 61.70%
Grade: 1A
Polish Excellent / Very Good
Grade: 1A * Not a primary determining factor.
Symmetry Excellent / Very Good
Grade: 1A * Not a primary determining factor.
Final Grade: 1B American Ideal cut


HCA Cut Adviser Score
https://www.pricescope.com/cutadviser.asp
Light Return Excellent
Fire Excellent
Scintillation Excellent
Spread Very Good
Total Visual Performance 1.3 - Excellent



DIAMOND #2 (quote: $8300)
1.51 GIA Excellent cut, F color, SI2, VERY GOOD Polish, VERY GOOD Symmetry
depth: 61.9%; table: 57%; crown angle: 35.5; pavillion angle: 40.8
inclusions: feathers (appariser states it very eyeclean and closer to SI1)

Gem Appraisers Score:
http://www.gemappraisers.com/oldcutgrade.asp
Shape: Round gia 1.51
Table % 57.0%
Grade: 1A
Crown Angle 35.5°
Grade: 2A
Crown Height % 15.5%
Grade: 1A
Pavilion Depth % 43.0%
Grade: 1A
Girdle Thickness Thin to Slightly thick
Grade: 1B
Total Depth % 61.90%
Grade: 1A
Polish Excellent / Very Good
Grade: 1A * Not a primary determining factor.
Symmetry Excellent / Very Good
Grade: 1A * Not a primary determining factor.
Final Grade: 1B American ideal cut


HCA Cut Adviser Score
https://www.pricescope.com/cutadviser.asp
Light Return Very Good
Fire Very Good
Scintillation Very Good
Spread Very Good
Total Visual Performance 2.6 - Very Good

 

[maiyavel]

Definitely #1...

 

[Lorelei]

Welcome,

Without Idealscope images to check for light leakage I prefer the first diamond, check in each case that the diamonds are eyeclean to your standards by checking with the vendor.

 

[tkatuw]

Price on #1 look ok? is that a good deal? i have doen a ton of research and I tended to think so.

what about the twinning wisps? as far as inclusions go-- how do they rank? apparently it is EYE CLEAN but it is an SI2 so i know how that goes.

Thanks in advance for all your help

 

[JulieN]

1.

If you are ever unsure about an inclusion, the search box is your friend.

Also, you can use the Price Comparison (it's under the PRICES tab) to check the prices of other stones with similar characteristics.

 

[Lorelei]

Date: 12/30/2008 4:37:42 PM
Author: tkatuw
Price on #1 look ok? is that a good deal? i have doen a ton of research and I tended to think so.

what about the twinning wisps? as far as inclusions go-- how do they rank? apparently it is EYE CLEAN but it is an SI2 so i know how that goes.

Thanks in advance for all your help

Make sure the twinning wisps aren''t visible to the eye by checking with the vendor.

 

[oldminer]

''Without Idealscope images to check for light leakage I prefer the first diamond, check in each case that the diamonds are eyeclean to your standards by checking with the vendor.''

Can''t agree more on the eye visibility issue. Get the vendor to describe exactly how visible inclusions are to the naked eye.

I have a great affection for the Ideal-Scope, too, but what would lead a person to think there would be any lack of confirmation once the HCA and the AGA have confirmed what seems pretty obvious? It would be a very strange cutting situation where the I-S would show #2 as a superior stone. I know one might create a hypothetical stone design with DiamCalc to describe an unusual facet arrangement, but really, do you "need" and I-S for this sort of distinction to be certain enough to know which one is the very slighly better cut? The I-S is just fine, but how closely can you "grade" with it? It, too, is a screening tool, like HCA or AGA, and not a grading tool.

Price decisions can readily be assisted by using the Pricescope search function. Once you are in the ballpark for the quality and type of stone you are shopping, you have a very good tool for determining the fairness of an asking price. You can''t hope to compare prices as if diamonds were a commodity. They all vary and costs for each one are somewhat inconsistent. Mark-ups on the Pricescope search are very low, so there is little problem in knowing a low and reasonable consumer cost range.

 

[Lorelei]

Date: 12/31/2008 6:21:16 AM
Author: oldminer
'Without Idealscope images to check for light leakage I prefer the first diamond, check in each case that the diamonds are eyeclean to your standards by checking with the vendor.'

Can't agree more on the eye visibility issue. Get the vendor to describe exactly how visible inclusions are to the naked eye.

I have a great affection for the Ideal-Scope, too, but what would lead a person to think there would be any lack of confirmation once the HCA and the AGA have confirmed what seems pretty obvious? It would be a very strange cutting situation where the I-S would show #2 as a superior stone. I know one might create a hypothetical stone design with DiamCalc to describe an unusual facet arrangement, but really, do you 'need' and I-S for this sort of distinction to be certain enough to know which one is the very slighly better cut? The I-S is just fine, but how closely can you 'grade' with it? It, too, is a screening tool, like HCA or AGA, and not a grading tool.

As we are working with SI2 clarities I suggested an Idealscope image in case the first doesn't check out for ' eyecleanliness' and our poster might want to investigate the second further, I probably could have explained this better. The first is obviously the superior cut but depending on what the poster is looking for, IMO an Idealscope would show whether this diamond is worth further consideration should the first one not be suitable.

Happy New Year to you Dave!

 

[Lorelei]

Date: 12/31/2008 6:34:17 AM
Author: Lorelei

Date: 12/31/2008 6:21:16 AM
Author: oldminer
'Without Idealscope images to check for light leakage I prefer the first diamond, check in each case that the diamonds are eyeclean to your standards by checking with the vendor.'

Can't agree more on the eye visibility issue. Get the vendor to describe exactly how visible inclusions are to the naked eye.

I have a great affection for the Ideal-Scope, too, but what would lead a person to think there would be any lack of confirmation once the HCA and the AGA have confirmed what seems pretty obvious? It would be a very strange cutting situation where the I-S would show #2 as a superior stone. I know one might create a hypothetical stone design with DiamCalc to describe an unusual facet arrangement, but really, do you 'need' and I-S for this sort of distinction to be certain enough to know which one is the very slighly better cut? The I-S is just fine, but how closely can you 'grade' with it? It, too, is a screening tool, like HCA or AGA, and not a grading tool.

As we are working with SI2 clarities I suggested an Idealscope image in case the first doesn't check out for ' eyecleanliness' and our poster might want to investigate the second further, I probably could have explained this better. The first is obviously the superior cut but depending on what the poster is looking for, IMO an Idealscope would show whether the second diamond is worth further consideration should the first one not be suitable.

Happy New Year to you Dave!

Arrgh! My brain is not working as it should today, to clarify as in bold above with the second diamond!!