Newbie: Advice on inclusions SI1 stone

[buzzybee]

Hello

I wondered could anyone give me some advice on inclusions on an SI1 marquise stone. I have been told the stone is eye clean. I have seen a picture of the stone magnified and it looks eye clean from the image at whatever magnification. The plot on the certificate looks like there are quite a few inclusions on it though. I don't mind inclusions so much once it is eye clean and I can't see them but I just wondered would these inclusions possibly affect the stone in other ways e.g. brilliance / weaken it.

I sense from the certificate that most of the inclusions are clouds and pinpoints. It also says additional clouds and pinpoints are not shown.

I have attached the certificate as there is a diagram on it at the bottom which shows the plot. I wondered is a busy plot necessarily a bad thing once they can't be seen by the naked eye.

On a separate note I wondered is girdle on a marquise that states slightly thick to very thick faceted on a certificate necessarily very bad?

I greatly appreciate any advice, I am a newbie, very lost and trying to buy a diamond to make someone very happy.

Thanks so much for any help.

 

[treasurehunter]

Symmetry thick to very thick is normal.

Hard to tell without the image but considering its SI1 its unlikely that the inclusions damper brilliance, if you are concerned about light performance a marquise isn't the best performer of light compared to a round obviously. If you like marquise you should put more effort into looking at the cut get an ASET or a photo so we can judge it.

 

[buzzybee]

Hello

Thank you so much for coming back to me so quickly. This is the only picture I have.

Kind regards

 

[treasurehunter]

Looks good , if you like the stone and marquise is what you are going for then it doesn't look to have a problem with the stone .

 

[buzzybee]

Cool, that's positive to hear. Again thanks for your help. Its from an online retailer in US and does sound good to me based on the certificate I attached and the image. But then I get the concern that its almost too good to be true for the price though. Its US $4300 which seems lower in price for a 1 carat than e.g. other options I have seen priced. So I just wondered was I missing something important to look out for.

 

[buzzybee]

Hi Treasurehunter,

Sorry to ask but I'm up against a brick wall here and really need some help and know of no one else to ask. You answered a post of mine there recently, and I really appreciated it, so I thought you might be able to help.

It's just the one question.

I'd be extremely grateful if you could have a these two images and in your opinion which you would consider the better choice. They are both Marquiese diamonds and I have included the relevant details. Or if you didn't feel comfortable picking one over the other maybe you could confirm that they are both good based on the numbers and images.

Thanks so much.

Image 1 is a 1 carat F SI1 inclusions but i am told it 100% eye clean. Inclusion are pinpoints / clouds / needles. Does not seem to have a bow tie. Ratio of 2:1.

Image 2 is a 0.87 carat D VS2. Clarity characteristics is a feather. Bow tie on a scale of 1-10 is a 2 (minimal). Ratio of 1.86.

Both are classed as very good cuts and have GIA certs.

I don't really mind one being slightly smaller over the other. I just wondered if you can detect anything negative from the pictures.

I appreciate all help as I am very new to this and trying to purchase something my fiancee will really like.

 

[Gypsy]

Image 2 above shows a bowtie.

 

[buzzybee]

I saw that alright and raised the issue with the supplier. They said that the Bowtie was minimal to the naked eye. They ranked bowties on a scale of 1 to 10, where 1 is minimal and 10 is maximum and rated this diamond at a 2. I read that minimal bowtie is not too bad, I just don't know. I had really hoped that this one was ok.

The other diamond seems to have a lot of inclusions on it, but then this mightn't be as bad to the naked eye.

Thanks for any advice. I really appreciate it.

 

[Gypsy]

Does the vendor have a good return policy?

I'm not saying it's a bad bowtie. Just that there is one present. If it is minimal and blends well, that's fine.

As for inclusions, as long as no feathers break the surface and it is eyeclean, I don't see the issue.

 

[tyty333]

The first marquise looks nicer to me.

 

[Gypsy]

I agree. I like the first one much better as well. You won't see the inclusions. I think you should go for that one.

 

[buzzybee]

Hi Gypsie and tyty333

Thanks so much for your help. I really appreciate it. Both vendors have a return policy. I'd just like to pick the one that sparkles the most !!! Interesting that you both say the first one as to my very untrained I thought the first one looked duller - but I really don't have a clue.

My concern is picking up on inclusions at some stage because there looks to be so many clouds and pin points on the GIA diagram on the certificate. Is this bad for the diamond in anyway? I think the only thing that is holding me back on the first image is my hang up on these inclusions. Again though I am so new to this and its just perception through lack of knowledge. If they cannot be seen with the naked eye - do they matter?

I just thought it might be better to go with the higher colour and clarity (clarity to be guaranteed to not see inclusions) but if these don't make much of a difference...

I am being told that the black in the picture on the second image is due to a static shot and that if the diamond was to be held and moved that black will move. I wondered did you have any opinion on that at all or even if minus the black you still feel image one is the better of the two.

Again I really appreciate your advice. It's really helping make a decision and I need to make one soon as the reserve on the two diamonds runs out today.

Kind regards

 

[Gypsy]

I only have those two images to go by. And I can't see either in motion.

The photo set ups of the two vendors are very different. And it's not comparing apples to apples.

Of course each vendor will advocate for their stone. They want the sale.

I don't really know what else to tell you.

The SI looks very clean. So clarity will make no difference for me.

And the difference between D and F is so minute that it is completely irrelevant.

Performance is everything.

 

[Sunstorm]

I totally agree with everyone above. Number one seems to be a much better option, even if I do not say cut is everything but it does matter a great deal, I personally cannot stand a bow tie, I do think they really show a lot IRL even to the naked eye, for this reason especially in fancy cuts (where you do see bow tie, windows, etc.) even if the color and clarity are higher and I do personally consider especially color very important, I will go for the lower color and clarity grade if the cut is better. I guess the same would be the case in RB, cut makes a huge difference; in rounds I would say it is like comparing a dead stone to a stone that almost speaks to you but here in marquise and pear especially I find bow ties extremely disturbing and very obvious. SI1 is not necessarily a bad clarity grade; it totally depends on the particular stone and the inclusions or extrenal flaws concerned. While I normally do not like anything lower than a VS2 I see absolutely nothing wrong with this particular stone and the plot is fine as well; not that many inclusions and nothing black, the cloud is not apparent to the naked eye and does not cover too large of an area. I once even considered an I1 fancy cut because the stone was so beautifully cut and the color was high, in that case the cloud was larger but a beautiful cut will hide many flaws. No problems with durability in case of an SI1 either. I personally think F stones are a great value, I do not think it is necessary to go for a D, I generally like E-H with F being the best value in my opinion.

 

[treasurehunter]

Isnt it true that all marquise cuts have some level of bow tie. Its hard to tell from the photos because I think a Bowtie would be more pronounced if the diamond is in the vertical direction when photographed instead of horizontal as more light come into the bow tie from the horizontal direction.