Newbie looking for help comparing two diamonds!

[BeeMan]

Hi everybody, I recently started shopping for an engagement ring, and was fortunate to come across this great community today. I've already spent too much time reading threads here, and it's amazing how helpful and supportive everybody in this community seems to be.

I've had the fortune of getting connected to a diamond dealer, and I'm currently deciding between two different round brilliant stones. I'm hopeful to see how much, if any, of a deal it appears that I may be getting, and to also get an idea of the relative value of the two stones to each other.

Diamond #1:
1.51 ct round brilliant
GIA certified
7.26 x 7.33 x 4.56mm
Color: H
Clarity: SI1
Cut: Very Good

Polish: Good
Symmetry: Very Good
Fluorescence: None

Table: 58.0%
Depth: 62.5%
Crown angle: 35.0
Pavilion angle: 41.4
Culet: none

I could not see any visible inclusions with the naked eye from either the top or the side, and inclusions were not very noticable from the top at a 10x magnification. The price I'm being quoted on this diamond is about $11,000.

Diamond #2
1.66 ct round brilliant
AGS certified (DQR)
7.45 x 7.49 x 4.74mm
Color: 1.0 (F)
Clarity: 6 (SI2)
Cut: not provided on the DQR report

Polish: Excellent
Symmetry: Excellent
Fluorescence: Negligible

Table: 56.9%
Depth: 63.4%
Crown angle: 35.4
Pavilion angle: 41.2
Culet: pointed

With the naked eye, this diamond looks great from a top view, and I couldn't see any inclusions. At 10x, however, the inclusions were very noticeable from the top (feathers, twinning wisps, and small crystals). From a side view, I could see the inclusions easily with the naked eye. I'm being quoted a price of about $11,500 on this diamond.

Comparing the two, the color difference between the two was pretty obvious when the stones were next to each other, but they both looked very good when on their own. I'm planning on putting this on a six-pronged micropave setting, with the stone set down close to the setting rather than in a cathedral setting, and I'm not sure how noticable (if at all) the inclusions on the SI2 will be from the side once it is set.

I'd love to get the opinions of people here on how much value I'm actually getting at these prices, if any, as well as thoughts on the difference between the two stones. Unfortunately, I don't have any images available to post.

Thanks!

 

[centralsquare]

Neither of these has a great cut. As such the first one face up more like a 1.4ct and the second a 1.5ct, so you're paying for weight you can't see. If I were you, I'd drop in color to I and get a better cut. Unless you've looked at diamonds first hand and prefer a less than ideal cut?

 

[Gypsy]

https://www.pricescope.com/tools/hca Run the numbers through this tool. Anything under 2 is a good score. It's a pass fail test, any number under 2 is as good as any other. This is the HCA.


Then compare the price you are being qouted to other diamonds of the same stats: Same lab, same shape, same weight, and same color and clarity. Same HCA range. It will tell you what similar stones are going for so you know just how good a deal you are getting. https://www.pricescope.com/diamond-search-results/

Then you can evaluate for yourself if you are happy with your choices.

 

[farmer gal]

JA will look at three diamonds for you and tell you which on preforms the best. They will also tell you if they are eyelcean. If I were you I would drop in color to get an ideal cut.

http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/J-VS1-Ideal-Cut-Round-Diamond-1373787.asp

http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/I-SI1-Ideal-Cut-Round-Diamond-1314891.asp

http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/H-SI1-Ideal-Cut-Round-Diamond-1393887.asp

 

[BeeMan]

Thanks for the replies everybody. I hadn't realized that neither of these has a good cut, and thought I might actually be getting a good deal. I guess I've showed just how new to all of this I am

 

[Gypsy]

Our job is to give you the tools and information you need to make a good decision. You are on the right path... we'll get you a lovely diamond. But you do need to study up a bit more.

To get you started:

https://www.pricescope.com/wiki/diamonds/diamond-cut/

 

[centralsquare]

Definitely read up, but also go see some diamonds so you can make some definitive decisions about the trade offs. otherwise, you'll just keep looking and looking.

 

[Gypsy]

Definitely read up, but also go see some diamonds so you can make some definitive decisions about the trade offs. otherwise, you'll just keep looking and looking.

Great advice. If you have a Hearts on FIre dealer or Lazare, they have (overpriced) ideal cuts. You can compare those to 'traditional cut' diamonds and see what the difference is. Make sure you view them out of the jeweler's lights. And smudge them with the oils on your hands to see how they perform in real life.