Need Help Selecting Ring - Yes Another One

[frosty81]

This is my first pricescope post but for the past 2 years I’ve been visiting and learning a lot. I know more about diamonds than I ever thought I would and I’m thankful for it. This website contains tons of valuable information from some very knowledgeable people. Easily the best website of its kind. So now, it’s time for me to make the purchase. Before a final decision is made, I need help deciding on a diamond. This is my very lengthy but necessary analysis, mostly because I never thought I’d spend this amount of money on a ring. I’m shopping online for an ideal cut, round brilliant, EGL certified diamond. It probably needs to be 1.80ct. - 2ct. What I mean is that the ring is made to hold a 2ct. stone. It’s a Simon G model LP1680. My girlfriend has already picked it out, trust me when I say, “this ring is the one”. I hope I can get away with something slightly smaller without looking too small for the ring.

Why EGL? When compared to GIA I believe the price difference is reflected in the subjective grading standards of color and clarity. For the most part, it evens out except when talking about cut. Most American consumers want to buy a GIA stone and a premium is paid for the ideal cut. Let me explain. When I do custom online searches, I come up with a group of EGL and GIA diamonds within a set price and size range. The EGL ones are 1 to 2 grades better in color and clarity. This makes the size and price very comparable. When I start individually looking at each diamond I see many more ideal cut EGL stones than GIA. Yes, EGL grading reports provide crown and pavilion proportions in % not angle. I am comfortable with this slight discrepancy and cut is one of the most important factors for me. With my specific diamond criteria, I think I can get an overall better diamond at a better price when it’s EGL

I’ve also learned a lot by visiting jewelry stores. I’ve been to everyone single one in and around Austin, TX. There’s no substitute for seeing and comparing diamonds in person and under a loupe. After seeing hundreds of mounted diamonds and dozens of loose, I have a very good idea of what’s acceptable for me. The brick and mortar stores are great for viewing but their prices can’t come close the ones online. Another big savings is if purchased online and out of the state then the state sales tax can be subtracted which is an additional 8.25% in Texas (Sorry WhiteFlash). After all my research I feel very comfortable buying online.

Using pricescope’s custom search https://www.pricescope.com/panning.aspx I have narrowed down the diamonds I would consider buying. With your help, I need to narrow it down to a select few.
Looking For:
Round, EGL (other)
Size 1.80 - 2.25
Price range is $6,000-$8,000
Color D - G but would go with and H if EGL USA
Clarity SI1 - SI2
Depth 58 - 63
Table 53 - 59
From this list, I would like opinions (with consideration I have mentioned) on what the best diamond is. Not all diamonds have viewable certs to run through the HCA. The cut is a very important factor. Thanks

 

[yssie]

Well, you certainly sound like you''re making the informed choice that''s best for you and your intended

Just a suggestion, though: you might want to talk to whoever will be setting the ring to find out what its exact tolerance is, sizewise. I found that the margins can be surprisingly slim, even with prongs - especially prongs that are so integrated into the rest of the head...

 

[Lorelei]

Date: 10/12/2009 6:47:02 PM
Author:frosty81
This is my first pricescope post but for the past 2 years I’ve been visiting and learning a lot. I know more about diamonds than I ever thought I would and I’m thankful for it. This website contains tons of valuable information from some very knowledgeable people. Easily the best website of its kind. So now, it’s time for me to make the purchase. Before a final decision is made, I need help deciding on a diamond. This is my very lengthy but necessary analysis, mostly because I never thought I’d spend this amount of money on a ring. I’m shopping online for an ideal cut, round brilliant, EGL certified diamond. It probably needs to be 1.80ct. - 2ct. What I mean is that the ring is made to hold a 2ct. stone. It’s a Simon G model LP1680. My girlfriend has already picked it out, trust me when I say, “this ring is the one”. I hope I can get away with something slightly smaller without looking too small for the ring.

Why EGL? When compared to GIA I believe the price difference is reflected in the subjective grading standards of color and clarity. For the most part, it evens out except when talking about cut. Most American consumers want to buy a GIA stone and a premium is paid for the ideal cut. Let me explain. When I do custom online searches, I come up with a group of EGL and GIA diamonds within a set price and size range. The EGL ones are 1 to 2 grades better in color and clarity. This makes the size and price very comparable. When I start individually looking at each diamond I see many more ideal cut EGL stones than GIA. Yes, EGL grading reports provide crown and pavilion proportions in % not angle. I am comfortable with this slight discrepancy and cut is one of the most important factors for me. With my specific diamond criteria, I think I can get an overall better diamond at a better price when it’s EGL

I’ve also learned a lot by visiting jewelry stores. I’ve been to everyone single one in and around Austin, TX. There’s no substitute for seeing and comparing diamonds in person and under a loupe. After seeing hundreds of mounted diamonds and dozens of loose, I have a very good idea of what’s acceptable for me. The brick and mortar stores are great for viewing but their prices can’t come close the ones online. Another big savings is if purchased online and out of the state then the state sales tax can be subtracted which is an additional 8.25% in Texas (Sorry WhiteFlash). After all my research I feel very comfortable buying online.

Using pricescope’s custom search https://www.pricescope.com/panning.aspx I have narrowed down the diamonds I would consider buying. With your help, I need to narrow it down to a select few.
Looking For:
Round, EGL (other)
Size 1.80 - 2.25
Price range is $6,000-$8,000
Color D - G but would go with and H if EGL USA
Clarity SI1 - SI2
Depth 58 - 63
Table 53 - 59
From this list, I would like opinions (with consideration I have mentioned) on what the best diamond is. Not all diamonds have viewable certs to run through the HCA. The cut is a very important factor. Thanks

Hi Frosty and welcome!
I just wanted to make a couple of points;

GIA's highest cut grade is Excellent, there is no Ideal GIA cut. Also just because a diamond is advertised as Ideal Cut does not guarantee you a well cut diamond, so evaluate each diamond carefully on its own physical proportions in the first instance ( HCA is very useful for first round rejection).

Also EGL's grading can vary quite a bit in some cases, for example an H SI depending on what EGL lab graded it might actually be J or K colour and I1 clarity, if you compare the prices of GIA graded diamonds of the lower colour and clarity then it doesn't make your EGL graded H SI so much of a deal if in fact it is much lower that stated....

If you do prefer to still buy EGL graded diamonds, make any sale final on the diamond checking out with an independant appraisal,here is the appraiser listing.

 

[HVVS]

What''s already been said about the lenient color and clarity grading, plus EGL stones tend to have tables 58% to maybe 62% for diamonds in that caret size, just to pull numbers out of the air, and I prefer a table no larger than 55% to 57%.% or I tend to think of EGL diamonds as more the "premium cut" that would be downgraded at GIA and never sent to AGS. That doesn''t make them ugly diamonds. It makes them more difficult to evaluate and buy online, imo. Also, for what it''s worth, I spoke with a local jeweler about sending stones out to be "certified." She said EGL has the fstest turnaround time, and GIA might take considerably longer. I''m not sure that means a lot, but I''m seeing pawn shop diamonds with EGL reports here, and I think the color grade was often off by at least one grade. I took a colorless cz and an H color diamond with me to compare to.