Never Bought a diamond.....need advice.

[boilerfan1509]

So i have never bought a diamond before and am in the market for an engagement ring. I have talked to a few people and researched some.....just wouldnt mind some unbias opinion.

Starters....This was my "requirements":

DIAMOND

TOTAL PRICE RANGE: $4,800 or less

Cut: I am looking for and Ideal Cut with an Halloway Cut Advisor (HCA) score of 2 or less based on crown, pavilion, table, and depth dimensions. Ideally, the stone would also display a H&A or near H&A pattern (no brand name required).

Color: H-I (H preferred if the diamond has an EGL certificate)

Clarity: I am looking for the lowest clarity grade that is eye-clean based on your judgment. I expect this to be in the SI1 or SI2 range.

Carat: 1.2 - 1.6 ct

Certifications: I require a certification from one or more of the following labs (AGS, GIA, EGL or EGL-USA). I would prefer not to pay the premium for an actual AGS or GIA cert, which is why the EGL and EGL-USA labs will be acceptable. I trust your eye and judgement to confirm the stone's characteristics.

In summary, I want a diamond ~1.5 ct displaying the highest amount of scintillation, fire, and brilliance possible without paying for things that most people cant see with the naked eye (like higher clarity or color ratings).

DIAMOND/SETTING

TOTAL PACKAGE PRICE (including taxes/shipping): $6000 or Less

I am looking for a Pave (or sidestones) type setting (Central large diamond offset by several smaller diamonds).

METAL: Platinum

OFFSET DIAMONDS: Near Colorless. See above for standards of diamonds I would expect (Clarity SI)

NUMBER of OFFSET DIAMONDS: 10 offset stones minimum



What i have found is the following:

1.59 I Si2 EGL (Israel) certified Round Brilliant Cut Diamond



The diamond is very brilliant and I think it looks pretty clean to my naked eye through the top. It’s actually a very nice SI. At 10 x magnification, the inclusions are transparent and off to the side. The direct center is pretty clean. I don’t see anything black in the diamond with 10x. The inclusions that are off to the side can partially be covered with a prong. The color faces up nice and bright. It has some warmth in the bottom of the stone, but overall a very brilliant and huge sparkly diamond at a great price. I think once its mounted in the ring it will look great. It also has the EGL number laser inscribed on the girdle.



These were comments from a specialist i have been talking to. I can get the diamond for < $5000. Is this a good deal? Am i misunderstanding anything?

From what i have been researching the EGL (Israel) isnt exactly the best certification out there. Am I alright with this one? How do I tell?

 

[slg47]

I would stick with GIA or AGS for accurate grading.

ETA you cannot just assume a EGL "H" will be equivalent to a GIA "I" color...there is no hard and fast rule. I would avoid EGL at all costs unless looking for an antique diamond.

I think with your budget you are looking at closer to a 1 carat stone.

 

[boilerfan1509]

I forgot to attach the HCA score.


Is 1.59 too big for a girl ~5'-9"

 

[stone-cold11]

I would stick with GIA or AGS for accurate grading.

ETA you cannot just assume a EGL "H" will be equivalent to a GIA "I" color...there is no hard and fast rule. I would avoid EGL at all costs unless looking for an antique diamond.

I think with your budget you are looking at closer to a 1 carat stone.

Ditto.

With a price that low, it is probably going to be very soft graded. EGL graded stone is seriously discounted in trade and then sold off to the unsuspecting public as if this will be the same grade it will get if send to GIA/AGS. If this is really the case, do you think any jeweler in their right mind would not mind paying for an fee of around 200 USD to get a GIA grading report and selling the stone for a much higher price.

For your example, a GIA/AGS graded stone of 1.55-1.65c I SI2 will be priced at around 8-11k. That is almost double the selling price of your EGL Israel. Do you think your jeweler is a Santa Claus?

https://www.pricescope.com/diamond-search-results/32294

Look at this thread.
https://www.pricescope.com/forum/topic162154.html

 

[LGK]

Yeah, that stone is probably WAY lower than "I" color. If you have seen it and are fine with the color- which could very well be K or even lower- why not just shop for a lower color GIA or AGL certed stone? That way you know what you're paying for at least. Most EGL stones are priced pretty much at market value for what their "real" color and clarity is; the fact that this one is so discounted is a very good clue that it's not an I or an SI2.

 

[Gypsy]

I'm thinking K SI2. You can't tell much from pics, but... it looks like it has a great deal of body color to me. If you can get it independently appraised after you buy it, and with a full return policy in the event it appraises more than one color or clarity grade below what is stated on the certificate... and you want to take a chance, then okay, take the chance, get it appraised and see if you got a 'deal' or not.

You usually get exactly what you pay for. There is nothing wrong with a K stone, I have on in my pendant. Love it. But you have to understand what it is you are really buying, not what the very unreliable certification is claiming to sell you.

 

[boilerfan1509]

Ok....so i was right in feeling sketchy about the "great deal I found". Other than Pricescope......are there other suggestions for buying engagement rings. I have looked at Union Diamond, James Allen, and few others. I do want to note that i requested a sarin report....and it came back that this seller doesnt have one of those machines and could not provide me with one.

Am i right in my understanding to look for the following:

Color: H or I (because anything greater is really undetectable with the naked eye)
Clarity: SI1 or SI2 (because anything greater is only detectable with 10x magnification...meaning will be eye clean)
Cut: Ideal
Carat: ~1 to 1.2ct

The only thing it seems i was missing was the cert. I had heard that EGL was respectable but similar. It now appears that it is not.

What would you recommend?

Get the ring....get it appraised and if it is more than 2 (1 color & 1 clarity....or 2 of one) lower than what is shown and it is appraised for less then send back with 30 day return policy.

or

Start looking for a new diamond? (if this....any help where to begin, because i feel like i would be starting from scratch)

 

[slg47]

Ok....so i was right in feeling sketchy about the "great deal I found". Other than Pricescope......are there other suggestions for buying engagement rings. I have looked at Union Diamond, James Allen, and few others. I do want to note that i requested a sarin report....and it came back that this seller doesnt have one of those machines and could not provide me with one.

Am i right in my understanding to look for the following:

Color: H or I (because anything greater is really undetectable with the naked eye)
Clarity: SI1 or SI2 (because anything greater is only detectable with 10x magnification...meaning will be eye clean)
Cut: Ideal
Carat: ~1 to 1.2ct

The only thing it seems i was missing was the cert. I had heard that EGL was respectable but similar. It now appears that it is not.

What would you recommend?

Get the ring....get it appraised and if it is more than 2 (1 color & 1 clarity....or 2 of one) lower than what is shown and it is appraised for less then send back with 30 day return policy.

or

Start looking for a new diamond? (if this....any help where to begin, because i feel like i would be starting from scratch)

SI1 and SI2 are not necessarily eye-clean. you should ask the vendor. i would start over with GIA/AGS only.

http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/K-SI1-Ideal-Cut-Round-Diamond-1388921.asp
http://www.goodoldgold.com/diamond/8341/

 

[Dreamer_D]

EGL is not a deal at all. The diamond would likely sell for the *same* price or *less* if it had a GIA or AGS lab report. So you can sort of use reverse methods to determine what that diamond might have been graded by those labs by looking at what color/clarity combos would sell for Just under $5000 at around 1.6ct.

The answer? A 1.6ct graded by GIA will be L/M color and Si2/I1 clarity to sell for that price. So that is my guess about the true color/clarity of the stone you are considering.

EGL tricks consumers into thinking they are getting a deal or a bargain. You are not, you are paying in most cases more than the diamond would sell for with a GIA report. So don't be fooled. Look for GIA or AGS stones. It will not be 1.6ct unless you can stumble on an eye clean well cut L/M color and SI2/I1 clarity stone.