Need Opinion: 3.01 J Color Diamond

[:)]

Date: 8/26/2008 4:16:39 PM
Author: Lorelei

Date: 8/26/2008 4:14:24 PM
Author:

Date: 8/26/2008 4:10:02 PM
Author: Ellen

Date: 8/26/2008 3:53:59 PM
Author: robh505

Date: 8/26/2008 3:47:59 PM
Author: mercoledi
Looks like it could be a winner. I''m not surprised it costs more, it''s a big jump in size, color and cut! This similar stone at GOG is 47,800.

Wow, what a difference fluorescence makes in the price.

Actually, it''s a lot more than just the flo that is affecting the price. Aside from carat weight, color, and clarity, the two stones don''t have a lot in common. The GOG stone is a H&A cut, along with being an Isee2 branded, which means it''s very tightly cut. Cut grade is Ex, not VG, and the crown and pavilion angles are much more complimentary.

You pointed out the second stone here scores a .06, but it''s not just about the numerical score, in fact, it''s more important where the x falls, which is outside of even GIA EX range.


I''m not saying all this to put down the secomd stone, but I did want to make it clear that we are not comparing apples with apples here. You get what you pay for, and you will pay for a very well cut stone.

Ellen is right (as always!

) - although he is under such a time constraint (and outside return period) this second stone is sooo much better than the first!!

LOL!!!

 

[Lorelei]

Date: 8/26/2008 4:24:52 PM
Author: mercoledi

Date: 8/26/2008 4:20:05 PM
Author: Ellen

Date: 8/26/2008 4:14:28 PM

Author: mercoledi


ETA: Thanks Ellen! I couldn't remember if that was ISee2 or HOF. Pretty stone though.

To be honest, I wouldn't call it pretty.



More like killer.

(the house I grew up in cost less than that)

But yes, killer!

Or, dare we? Kicken?

And way kewl!

LOL!!!!

 

[:)]

Date: 8/26/2008 4:20:05 PM
Author: Ellen

Date: 8/26/2008 4:14:28 PM
Author: mercoledi



The whole price difference can''t be the fluoro, the GOG stone is also a branded diamond though I don''t recognize the symbol. It may be HOF or something. In any case, the price that you''re getting is well below anything that shows up on the price advisor thingy. You''re looking at a nice stone in a rare size.

When you visit it, make sure that it''s eye-clean to your standards. Is there any chance your vendor can give you and IS or ASET image? This new stone is heads and shoulders above the first one. It will look much, much bigger and brighter.


ETA: Thanks Ellen! I couldn''t remember if that was ISee2 or HOF. Pretty stone though.

To be honest, I wouldn''t call it pretty.




More like killer.

 

[Ellen]

Date: 8/26/2008 4:25:47 PM
Author:

Date: 8/26/2008 4:16:39 PM
Author: Lorelei

Date: 8/26/2008 4:14:24 PM
Author:


Ellen is right (as always!

) - although he is under such a time constraint (and outside return period) this second stone is sooo much better than the first!!

LOL!!!

STOP!

You will give me a big head at this rate. And then my studs won''''t look right, and I''ll have to upgrade, for the fourth time!

 

[Ellen]

Date: 8/26/2008 4:26:29 PM
Author: Lorelei

Date: 8/26/2008 4:24:52 PM
Author: mercoledi

Date: 8/26/2008 4:20:05 PM
Author: Ellen

Date: 8/26/2008 4:14:28 PM

Author: mercoledi


ETA: Thanks Ellen! I couldn''t remember if that was ISee2 or HOF. Pretty stone though.

To be honest, I wouldn''t call it pretty.



More like killer.

(the house I grew up in cost less than that)

But yes, killer!

Or, dare we? Kicken?

And way kewl!

LOL!!!!

All of the above!

 

[NeedAssistance1]

Now I''m between a rock and a hard place . . . that is over my budget and he claims that is my only option with the tight time frame.

p.s. this diamond cost twice as much as the row home I grew up in . . . but my girlfriend grew up poor like me (and is now successful), and deserves this diamond and more. . .

 

[mercoledi]

Date: 8/26/2008 4:40:20 PM
Author: NeedAssistance1

p.s. this diamond cost twice as much as the row home I grew up in . . . but my girlfriend grew up poor like me (and is now successful), and deserves this diamond and more. . .

Absolutely! I was referring to the GOG stone and I didn't mean that as a judgement at all, just every once and a while the scale of diamond purchases strikes me!

As for your dilemma, does your jeweler have a trade-up policy? Can you propose with the first stone, or even a smaller, better cut stone and trade it toward the second stone later on?

ETA: if you want to go external, this WF stone is promising for about 20K with the PS discount, but I can't vouch for how quickly something like that could be sent out to you.

 

[NeedAssistance1]

Not that I know of. I was not offended in the slightest by the way. . . .

 

[Ellen]

Date: 8/26/2008 4:46:03 PM
Author: NeedAssistance1
Not that I know of. I was not offended in the slightest by the way. . . .

Hmmm. So there''s no upgrade/trade in policy? Have you specifically asked him this?

He should be willing to work with you/make a small concession, considering....

 

[NeedAssistance1]

I haven''t asked him about any trade up policy. He tells me (and I think I believe him), that he is getting the new stone from a cutter, exchanging my stone, and not making $1 off the deal. He told me that he is still having the cutter send him the stone so I can look at it tomorrow, but I told him at $7,000 I can''t do it. . . . we shall see.

 

[oldmancoyote]

Well, it''s always easy to spend other people''s money, but the first stone (3.01 J) sounds far far less appealing than the second (3.13 H), even given the higher price.

The initial $30k are sunk (or at least not easily recoverable). IF - and that''s a big if - you still have trust in the jeweller, then I would have little hesitation in upgrading.

Just my 2¢.

Good luck with the proposal, whatever you decide!

 

[NeverEndingUpgrade]

Date: 8/26/2008 3:43:22 PM
Author: stone_seeker

Date: 8/26/2008 3:38:59 PM
Author: NeverEndingUpgrade
I've heard that flourescence, unless is it very strong, is a non-issue and I have seen some diamonds with flouro that look very cool. The second diamond you mentioned sounds better and I would trade out your diamond if possible, but in the future, I would avoid a jeweler that is selling 'Fair' cut diamonds at any price.

Here is a nice 2.52 I/VS2 from GoodOldGold in your price range that looks good, just as an example:

http://www.goodoldgold.com/diamond/4765/

I have bought both H and I color diamonds from GOG and they both faced up very white and had awesome light return!

good choice. but he would need it set and sent to him by friday. might be tough.

I was just using this as an example of the price of an H&A. However, Jonathan could probably make it happen since it is only Tuesday but the OP has had the diamond for 90 days, so it is unlikely he could return it outright.

ETA--What about a 2 or 2.5 ct.?

 

[Ellen]

Date: 8/26/2008 5:02:28 PM
Author: NeedAssistance1
I haven''t asked him about any trade up policy. He tells me (and I think I believe him), that he is getting the new stone from a cutter, exchanging my stone, and not making $1 off the deal. He told me that he is still having the cutter send him the stone so I can look at it tomorrow, but I told him at $7,000 I can''t do it. . . . we shall see.

You know what? I don''t believe him. Jewelers don''t do deals where they don''t make any money.

Ask if you could exchange the first stone after you propose.

 

[NeedAssistance1]

He said yes, but I don''t want to do that. . . for a multitude of reasons. . .

 

[Ellen]

Date: 8/26/2008 5:22:51 PM
Author: NeedAssistance1
He said yes, but I don''t want to do that. . . for a multitude of reasons. . .

Well, if you don''t want to do that, and you can''t afford the second stone, I''m not sure what other options there are...

 

[robh505]

I assume you''ve asked if you can just return it outright? With the huge jump in diamond prices in mid June, maybe the jeweler would be willing to take it back (probably not likely). Maybe you can offer to pay a 5% restocking fee and move on to someone like Whiteflash or Good old Gold to get a better cut stone? At least that way you''re not another $7000 in the hole (which you already can''t afford) and you still have a stone that isn''t an excellent or ideal cut.

As tough as it is, your girlfriend will probably understand (and may even find it admirable) that while you''re proposing, you''re still in the process of getting the perfect stone. I know it''s not how you envisioned it, but look. You''re dropping $30,000 on a piece of jewerly, and gosh darn it, you want it to be right.

 

[NeedAssistance1]

I''m thinking hard about ponying up the extra money . . . from everyone''s comments this other diamond seems like a great deal (assuming it is pleasing to the eye after I look at it . . . ).

 

[mercoledi]

Think about it seriously and don''t let us sway you too much; it''s not our money. The jump from $30K to $37K is a serious one. While this is an important purchase, it''s never advisable to spend outside of your comfort range.

Could your setting accommodate a smaller, ideal cut stone? Or is the 3ct mark a magic number for you?

 

[NeedAssistance1]

If at all possible, 3 carat is something I wanted to be over. . . I realize many think it is stupid to have artificial cutoffs but it was something that I was shooting for nonetheless.

 

[robh505]

Just remember that carat is a measure of weight. If you''re going to buy a 3 carat diamond, you want one that looks like a 3 carat diamond. What you got with the first choice is a diamond that has extra weight below the top of the diamond, so that while it weighs 3 carats, it doesn''t look 3 carats from the top-down.

 

[NeedAssistance1]

Understood. But you don''t have that opinion about the second diamond correct?

 

[Asscherhalo_lover]

if you can make the extra jump and the second diamond really makes you happy, i would go for it and never look back. it sounds like an amazing stone!

 

[bgray]

Dear NeedAssistance1:

My stone is 4.90. I was dead set on a 5 plus carat stone. But after looking at dozens and dozens and dozens (LOL) seriously-- of stones that were all lovely but mostly deep/ less well cut etc etc--I came across my stone .........that faces up bigger (and is darn near perfectly cut) than every single one of those 5+carat stones.

 

[robh505]

Date: 8/26/2008 6:12:55 PM
Author: NeedAssistance1
Understood. But you don''t have that opinion about the second diamond correct?

There are others on here who are better to opine on that question but I''ll take a quick crack at it. It''s a ''very good'' cut, so chances are you''ve eliminated 80% of the problems that you had with the first stone. I don''t know how to read the HCA color chart...the stone scores well, but it''s out of GIA EX or AGS Ideal range (in all honesty, I don''t know how to interpret that result). Also, it''s got strong blue flourescence, which may or may not be your thing. I''d be sure to take the stone outside on a bright day and see what you think. If you don''t like how it turns purple in the sun, then that''s a problem. I''d do a search of diamond prices and see if it''s a good deal. If you''re prepared to spend the extra money, you''ll definitely get a better cut stone. All that being said, it''s a choice you need to make.

 

[stone_seeker]

Date: 8/26/2008 8:47:04 PM
Author: robh505

Date: 8/26/2008 6:12:55 PM

Author: NeedAssistance1

Understood. But you don''t have that opinion about the second diamond correct?

There are others on here who are better to opine on that question but I''ll take a quick crack at it. It''s a ''very good'' cut, so chances are you''ve eliminated 80% of the problems that you had with the first stone. I don''t know how to read the HCA color chart...the stone scores well, but it''s out of GIA EX or AGS Ideal range (in all honesty, I don''t know how to interpret that result). Also, it''s got strong blue flourescence, which may or may not be your thing. I''d be sure to take the stone outside on a bright day and see what you think. If you don''t like how it turns purple in the sun, then that''s a problem. I''d do a search of diamond prices and see if it''s a good deal. If you''re prepared to spend the extra money, you''ll definitely get a better cut stone. All that being said, it''s a choice you need to make.

Strong Fluor does not mean it turns purple in the sun. it can be notices under a blacklight.

some high color stones (D-F) can sometimes take on an oily look in the sun when they have strong fluor bu they dont turn purple. in your case the fluor can be a benefit in the sun.

 

[Dancing Fire]

Date: 8/26/2008 3:47:59 PM
Author: mercoledi
Looks like it could be a winner. I''m not surprised it costs more, it''s a big jump in size, color and cut! This similar stone at GOG is 47,800.

that''s the one i

 

[:)]

i have no idea why the computer is underlining what I write!! I concur that blue fluoro does not turn a diamond blue or purple in the sunlight. most of the blueness seen is a reflection of the sky.

 

[Kelli]

It''s hard to say on the color, because that is such a personal preference. I would LOVE a J, while others prefer Ds. I would, however, be VERY concerned about the cut. For the beauty of a diamond, cut is THE MOST IMPORTANT THING! You can definitely find a better cut, especially with the help of the people on here. You have a GREAT budget, you should be able to find a KILLER stone.

 

[Kelli]

I''m so sorry I missed all those other posts. My post is WAAAAY late so ignore me. You shouldn''t post while bored with a phone call

 

[hearts-arrows_girl]

Sounds like you have to pick one of these two stones. I vote for the second one. I really want to hear what you think after comparing both stones side by side. I think you will really see a big difference in the Very Good cut stone. I would for sure take both out in the sunlight and see how they both look. And put them both in the shade to compare too. Good luck!