Need Help with Diamond!

[bskaggs]

First off I wanna say how helpful this site and users have been in my quest to find an e-ring. I know more about diamonds than I ever imagined and its mainly because of all the time spent lurking on this site. I''ve spent weeks going to local jewelers and searching internet vendors. I know what I want and here are the specs I''ve been looking for:

-1.3-1.35 ct Round
-AGS0 or GIA EX Cut (prefer AGS 0 but having difficult time locating very many that are in my price range
-SI1 or SI2 (must be eye clean)
-H color or better
-EX/Ideal polish/symmetry
-Holloway cut advisor 2 or lower
-$7500 is my limit and prefer closer to $7000 for the diamond
-setting is going to be Ritani endless love Halo

Here is a diamond that I''m looking at. The specs from the GIA cert:
1.33 GIA
Excellent Cut
SI1 (eye clean)
H
EX polish/symm
2.8 on the Cut advisor: Excellent spread, Very Good Fire, Light Return, Scintillation

Dimensions
7.12-7.16-4.30
59% table
60.2 depth
33.5 crown angle
41.2 pavilion

It looks like a nice diamond but my top priority is to get a diamond that is truely an ideal cut with excellent fire, light return, and scintillation. I know that the cut advisor is not the end all be all, but if I can''t find a AGS-0, I would like to have the GIA EX to fall into the 2.0 or lower range of the cut advisor.

The diamond is located about 2 hours away from me and I was hesitant to make the drive if the diamond wasn''t 2 or lower on the cut advisor. I''m sure that this is a pretty nice diamond, but I guess my question is am I putting to much stock in the cut advisor? It wouldn''t be a big deal if I could easily see the diamond, but all I have right now is a GIA cert and I would need to make a 2 hour drive to see the diamond. Anyone have any opinions on this diamond? Would I be happy with this diamond? Your advice and opinions would be greatly aprreciated.

Thanks!

 

[Lorelei]

Hi bskaggs!

For a 2 hour drive, personally I would keep looking. The table is on the large side, and you could get a tighter and potentially more effective combo with the crown and pavilion angles. Have you not had much luck looking online? I take it from your post that you have looked to see what the online vendors have? The cut advisor is very useful as an elimination tool, but it should not be used to select diamonds. Also once you hit the superideal cut level where you have Idealscope images, hearts and arrows images ( if applicable), ASET images and detailed photos / proven light performance, then the HCA isn't really needed. If you would consider buying online, then we could perhaps offer suggestions.

Here is a good one, you would need to check it is eyeclean.

http://www.goodoldgold.com/diamond/3525/

http://www.goodoldgold.com/diamond/4011/ And another

 

[bskaggs]

Thanks for the reply Lorelei and posting the links for the diamonds on GOG. I''ve actually looked alot on line and I''ve already talked to GOG about those diamonds you listed. I really liked them both but the SI1 was out of my price range and the SI2 was not eye clean. I was told after the lady looked at the SI2 through a loupe, that one crystal was noticeable to the naked eye if you looked very closely. She did say that from a technical stand point that it was eye clean whatever that means.

I''ll continue to shop online and hopefully find the diamond that meets my criteria.

 

[Lorelei]

Date: 4/15/2008 2:46:05 PM
Author: bskaggs
Thanks for the reply Lorelei and posting the links for the diamonds on GOG. I've actually looked alot on line and I've already talked to GOG about those diamonds you listed. I really liked them both but the SI1 was out of my price range and the SI2 was not eye clean. I was told after the lady looked at the SI2 through a loupe, that one crystal was noticeable to the naked eye if you looked very closely. She did say that from a technical stand point that it was eye clean whatever that means.

I'll continue to shop online and hopefully find the diamond that meets my criteria.

Oh thats a shame! The lady at GOG meant from a ' technical stand point' regarding whether that diamond was eyeclean, that it was eyeclean according to the industry definition probably. That basically means it was eyeclean with normal vision in normal light at arms length thereabouts, or words to that effect.

Let us know if we can be of any more help! Also I was wondering, would you consider I or J colour? That may help broaden the options...

If so, here are some to consider if you are open to the idea of slightly lower colour.

http://www.niceice.com/certcopies2008/ags0009472603/index.htm

http://www.goodoldgold.com/diamond/3044/

http://www.goodoldgold.com/diamond/3357/

http://www.goodoldgold.com/diamond/2713/

 

[bskaggs]

Thanks for the links Lorelei!
I do really like the GOG 1.35 diamond but I''m skeptical of it being a J colored diamond. Should I be? I thought H would be as low as I would go for color but maybe I should be more open minded? The diamond is going to be in a Ritani endless love setting with a Halo around it. I believe the Halo''s diamonds are G-H in color. I am skeptical of getting a center diamond color I or J and having it surrounded by a Halo with G-H diamonds in it. What are other people''s thoughts about getting a diamond of I-J color? If its unnoticeable then it wouldn''t bother me.

 

[dmus]

Here''s a few that look good.

BN 1.29 H SI1 $7471

BN 1.28 G SI1 $7016

BN 1.33 H SI1 $7698