Newbie looking to buy a diamond

[hebun]

Hi,

I have been looking for a diamond and I am quite inexperienced at looking and buying one. I have found a diamond that I quite like, it is a 0.83ct, colour D, VVS1 and did the HCA score test which came to a 1. The problem is that I have been told I should be looking at the idealscope images of the diamond to make my final decision. Apparantly, the jeweller said he has tried asking the supplier for the idealscope images but the supplier has refused to do any idealscope images on diamonds under a HCA score of 2 as it would be a waste of their time and it would have 'perfect hearts and arrows' anyway. I am just wondering, how much of a difference does the idealscope images make and how risky would it be for me to buy the diamond without looking at the images.

Hope someone can help me.

Thanks

 

[Dancing Fire]

Hi,

I have been looking for a diamond and I am quite inexperienced at looking and buying one. I have found a diamond that I quite like, it is a 0.83ct, colour D, VVS1 and did the HCA score test which came to a 1. The problem is that I have been told I should be looking at the idealscope images of the diamond to make my final decision. Apparantly, the jeweller said he has tried asking the supplier for the idealscope images but the supplier has refused to do any idealscope images on diamonds under a HCA score of 2 as it would be a waste of their time and it would have 'perfect hearts and arrows' anyway. I am just wondering, how much of a difference does the idealscope images make and how risky would it be for me to buy the diamond without looking at the images.

Hope someone can help me.

Thanks

The jeweler is full of BS. A score of < 2 does not guarantee H&A...

 

[hebun]

That's what I told him too and he was the one who recommended me the HCA tools website in the first place. I told him that it is only used for rejection and does not necessarily mean the diamond is the best one just because it's HCA score is low. So all I am left with is either taking the risk to buy it or wait for another diamond that I might like to come out.

 

[WinkHPD]

I was gong to try to "politely" find a way to tell you what Dancing fire so eloquently said, but he said it so well that there is no need. I was especially happy to see that you already knew this, as it indicates you have indeed been doing your homework.

It sounds from your first post that you are physically seeing the diamond with the jeweler, which is a HUGE plus. You can tell more about the diamond with an Ideal-Scope and an ASET picture, but since you are seeing the diamond in the flesh, why not just contact David Atlas (OldMiner here on Pricescope) and buy one or the other or both in the hand held version made by Garry Holloway in Australia. Then you can look at the images live along with the diamond.

One, it will make you more comfortable in the purchase.

Two, it will blow your jeweler out of the water as he likely will have NEVER had a client come in the door with either of these tools.

Three, it will be just PLAIN FUN!

Wink

 

[OoohShiny]

I was gong to try to "politely" find a way to tell you what Dancing fire so eloquently said, but he said it so well that there is no need. I was especially happy to see that you already knew this, as it indicates you have indeed been doing your homework.

It sounds from your first post that you are physically seeing the diamond with the jeweler, which is a HUGE plus. You can tell more about the diamond with an Ideal-Scope and an ASET picture, but since you are seeing the diamond in the flesh, why not just contact David Atlas (OldMiner here on Pricescope) and buy one or the other or both in the hand held version made by Garry Holloway in Australia. Then you can look at the images live along with the diamond.

One, it will make you more comfortable in the purchase.

Two, it will blow your jeweler out of the water as he likely will have NEVER had a client come in the door with either of these tools.

Three, it will be just PLAIN FUN!

Wink

I've always wondered what would happen in this instance - my (paranoid, low-self-esteem ) gut feeling is that any 'proper' B&M jeweller that one might find in a jewellery district would most probably think 'WTH is this clown doing with some weird things off the internet?'

One would hope that a jeweller wouldn't belittle or laugh at a customer trying to ensure they buy well, but I do wonder how much a jeweller with years of experience would appreciate having stones they are recommending to a customer effectively 'tested', with the inference that they might not be good enough We are an enlightened community, but sadly many jewellers out there are not!

 

[WinkHPD]

I was gong to try to "politely" find a way to tell you what Dancing fire so eloquently said, but he said it so well that there is no need. I was especially happy to see that you already knew this, as it indicates you have indeed been doing your homework.

It sounds from your first post that you are physically seeing the diamond with the jeweler, which is a HUGE plus. You can tell more about the diamond with an Ideal-Scope and an ASET picture, but since you are seeing the diamond in the flesh, why not just contact David Atlas (OldMiner here on Pricescope) and buy one or the other or both in the hand held version made by Garry Holloway in Australia. Then you can look at the images live along with the diamond.

One, it will make you more comfortable in the purchase.

Two, it will blow your jeweler out of the water as he likely will have NEVER had a client come in the door with either of these tools.

Three, it will be just PLAIN FUN!

Wink

I've always wondered what would happen in this instance - my (paranoid, low-self-esteem ) gut feeling is that any 'proper' B&M jeweller that one might find in a jewellery district would most probably think 'WTH is this clown doing with some weird things off the internet?'

One would hope that a jeweller wouldn't belittle or laugh at a customer trying to ensure they buy well, but I do wonder how much a jeweller with years of experience would appreciate having stones they are recommending to a customer effectively 'tested', with the inference that they might not be good enough We are an enlightened community, but sadly many jewellers out there are not!

I am always surprised and disappointed at how few of my fellow jewelers actually keep up with the industry that they are working in. The fact that this jeweler recommended the HCA is an indication that perhaps he is not a troglodyte. He sounds like the kind of jeweler who might well enjoy seeing the tools and learning about them himself, and they are so inexpensive that there is no reason not for him to have one or two available to his clients and staff.

Wink

 

[hebun]

I was gong to try to "politely" find a way to tell you what Dancing fire so eloquently said, but he said it so well that there is no need. I was especially happy to see that you already knew this, as it indicates you have indeed been doing your homework.

It sounds from your first post that you are physically seeing the diamond with the jeweler, which is a HUGE plus. You can tell more about the diamond with an Ideal-Scope and an ASET picture, but since you are seeing the diamond in the flesh, why not just contact David Atlas (OldMiner here on Pricescope) and buy one or the other or both in the hand held version made by Garry Holloway in Australia. Then you can look at the images live along with the diamond.

One, it will make you more comfortable in the purchase.

Two, it will blow your jeweler out of the water as he likely will have NEVER had a client come in the door with either of these tools.

Three, it will be just PLAIN FUN!

Wink

Actually no sorry, I should have mention this, I have not seen the diamond physically. I am from Australia and the jeweler says I cannot even view the diamond physically unless I agree to purchase the diamond first from them to import it in from the US. But in saying that, I am liking the idea to purchase the tools and agree to purchase the diamond as they did say there is a 100% refund policy if I am not satisfied.

 

[OoohShiny]

I am confused.

They say they won't bring the diamond in unless you pay for it in full, but if you do pay for it in full they are happy to give all your money back if you don't like it?

That makes no sense - either of those options leaves them with a stone they apparently don't want and no money in their pocket if you change your mind, so why allow one but not the other?

All I can think is they would make it very difficult to get your money back once it's in their pocket, so I would be very wary of buying from them.


If I understand things correctly, if you have a GIA or AGS report number any of the recommended vendors should be able to call it in and let you buy it for a no obligation, money-back (less shipping) period - that seems to me to be a much more preferable option! Either that or you ask some very blunt questions as to how it works for them - if they only are paying for shipping upfront on a sale-or-return basis you could offer to pay the shipping costs as a 'non-refundable deposit', although if you do then purchase it I would hope you get everything you've deposited taken off the price.


Just my crazy thoughts for late on a Satirday night!

 

[hebun]

yes, that are my thoughts exactly.

At the moment, I am having second thoughts whether I do need a D colour with VVS1 clarity. Was thinking that dropping down the specs where it is not noticeable to the naked eye and try to look for ones that have a big diameter or just save the money. I know that D to F colour are generally quite similar and very hard to tell the difference but in terms of clarity, I am not sure where I should drop it down to. What should I do...haha i keep going around in circles.

Btw, thanks for all the help so far!

 

[hebun]

Hi,

I decided to try another place and found two diamonds that I thought could be better for my budget just by a little.

0.91ct diamond, colour E, vs2, excellent cut, polish and symmetry, hca of 1.4.
Depth: 59.8%
Table: 60%
Crown angle: 33
Pavilion angle: 40.8
Cutlet: 0

 

[hebun]

The second one is a 0.76ct diamond, colour D, vvs2, excellent cut, polish and symmetry, hca of 1.4.

Depth: 59.6%
Table: 60%
Crown angle: 32.5
Pavilion angle: 41
Cutlet: 0



Which looks like the better diamond?

Thanks!