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Newbie would LOVE opinions on stone

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ringabling

Brilliant_Rock
Joined
Dec 9, 2007
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DH found a loose diamond he''s very interested in.
He originally wanted to get me a nice 2.25-2.5 carat, but I was hoping for a 3 in an f-g color. Today he found a 3.68 and loves it and I''m 98% sure he''ll buy it if I give the okay. . . .
problem is I''m stuck on the color.

The stone is an I SI1, the stone is completely ''eyeclean'' when looking down on it, I found a little ''feather'' when I turned it over but it can be set behind the prong easily, and under a "white light" I didn''t detect too much warmth. But I''m hung up on the stinkin color! I compared it to an G and they looked the same.
The table was nice and big, the stone looked ginormous and sparkled beautifully. . . just can''t get over the color.
Am I being snotty? Do I need to get over it?

here''s the specs
9.51x9.63x6.19
 
To fully evaluate your stone and to give opinions we need more than just the diameter and the color/clarity. We need the table %, depth %, crown/pavillion angles, girdle thickness, and polish/symmetry.
 
Honestly, specs aside, it really comes down to how it looks to you in person. You say you compared it to a G and could see no difference, so if it were me I''d go for it. It''s your personal choice whether you have to have that higher color, and then maybe sacrifice some size. Do you care more about size or color? I had a similar situation with my stone which is an E but it''s SI2. I had always wanted VS or MAYBE SI1 at the lowest, so this was hard for me at first. However, I could only see an inclusion when I looked at the stone through the bottom, and when I look through the table I see nothing. I was able to let it go, but it''s still tough to say SI2 when people ask, but that''s just me. There are a ton of stones on PS that are K, L, M etc...and look gorgeous and white!
 
I can''t tell you, it''s from a local broker and isn''t GIA so I couldn''t readily get that.
I''m educated enough about dimaonds to feel okay buying w/o those specifics so long as I see it in person and can evaluate the proprotion for myself and I felt good about that part.
Its the color.
I was wondering what people thought in general about I''s.
I just went for the 2nd time today to see it again and it was more impressive the 2nd time. It''s so cloudy here today so I couldn''t take it outside, but they use an "outdoor/natural light" lamp to look at it under.
 
Bri, I would have been happy w 3/4 carats less but in a better color. But honestly, compared side by side I don''t notice a big enough difference. I definitely wouldn''t notice if I weren''t able to compare them side by side.
So since I can''t tell the difference in this specific I and their G, I''d love the bigger stone!
 
It sounds to me like you really like this stone, esp since you said it was more impressive the second time you looked at it. Like I said before, if it were me, I'd go with it especially since you seem excited about it.

ETA: I'm sure you already know this, but since a diamond's color is graded through the side it's very common for a "low" color to face up very white. You could have an I like yours that looks no different compared to a G, or you could have a G that looks warmer than you'd expect.
 
I did like it, A LOT.
But want to be sure I''m not smitten by the size.
I am getting hung up on the specs. . I wish I didn''t know anything about the diamond, then I could be more diplomatic.
 
I think that happens a lot...the more knowledge you have, the more critical and picky you become, it definitely happened to me. I almost wish I was ignorant about diamonds because it would make it so much easier to just pick something and love it. On the other hand, it probably is better to be informed so that you know you're not getting ripped off.

ETA: If you didn't know what color it was and you had to guess, what grading would you give it? This might help you make a decision.
 
I know. . . it''s a double edged sword.
Both of us tend to over analyze, wish we could just back off and enjoy some things for face value.

If he bought me this stone as a surprise and hid the specs frm me so I wouldn''t know about them, I''d be head over heels. . . .
When I went back for a 2nd look, I found that it''s only a good cut
7.gif
But compared it to an Ideal G and they were very comparable, even side by side you couldn''t tell a notable difference in color or cut.
Is that very odd?

Jeez, I''m a sucker for the specs being just a little better even though the stone looks beautiful
38.gif
 
If I was looking at it on someone else''s hand I would guess it to be an excellent cut, G color 4 carat.
 
Well, my final vote would be to go for it (probably because I want to see pics
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)!!!
But, you have to make the decision in the end if the specs will drive you crazy. There have been a lot of discussions on here about eye-clean vs mind-clean and that sort of stuff. Some people don''t care as long as it looks good to them, and others can''t get over the mind issue.
Good luck!!!
 
Let''s say tomorrow you found out this stone was no longer available. Would you be crushed??
 
Did you say it''s NOT GIA? Is it AGS? An I rated by non GIA/AGS maybe a lower color...
 
Kaleigh, good question! I''d be sad, but not crushed. I know there''s more out there. . .
is that bad? LOL!

No, it''s IGI. . . I know that''s not favorable.

I have to go see it again, I wish the weather was nicer here, I hate not being able to walk outside w/ it. There is a 30 day full $ back guarantee which makes me feel better. If we set the stone I can scour the net and all of DFW making sure there''s nothing better!
 
I''m answering my own question . . . I have been searching like a fiend this morning for more diamonds. If I KNEW this one was right for me, I wouldn''t be doing this would I?
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Just got off the phone w/ traci @ WF, she''s searching for me. . . DH is going to be sad! I think he was dying to give this to me in teh next couple of days. He doesn''t know I''ve been searching for alternatices
6.gif
 

My first 2ct diamond was a J color, no fl, "Good" cut. In the store it looked fantastic, but when I got it home, it looked nice, but not as much of a knock out as the 1.23 G color med bl fl. excellent cut I had traded it for. I think having NO flourescence and being only a Good cut, the J color stood out more too. It didn't Pop like the better cut one did. I went back and picked out a 2.03ct H color med. bl. fl Excellent cut and am very happy I did. I see alot of large flat looking stones because people chose size over cut. You will look at this stone everyday, in all sorts of light settings. I would go with at least a "Very Good" cut rating. You will be amazed at the extra life it will have. I agree with all that say go in and look at an Excellent cut next to a Good cut, so that you can see what the difference looks like.

 
Date: 12/9/2007 11:11:59 PM
Author: ringabling
I know. . . it''s a double edged sword.
Both of us tend to over analyze, wish we could just back off and enjoy some things for face value.

If he bought me this stone as a surprise and hid the specs frm me so I wouldn''t know about them, I''d be head over heels. . . .
When I went back for a 2nd look, I found that it''s only a good cut
7.gif
But compared it to an Ideal G and they were very comparable, even side by side you couldn''t tell a notable difference in color or cut.
Is that very odd?

Jeez, I''m a sucker for the specs being just a little better even though the stone looks beautiful
38.gif
Yes, it kind of is. Were these both IGI? That may help explain things, as they are said to be more lenient than GIA and AGS. So their Ideal cut may fall far below a true Ideal/EX cut.

Also, I noticed in your first post you mentioned the stone you are/were considering had a "nice big table". While a larger table may help make a stone look bigger, or be bigger, it''s actually kind of counterproductive. You get the bigger look, but you lose some fire and brightness (from leakage). I would much rather have, and would recommend an outstanding cut 1.5, than a Good cut 3+.
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So in reading your latest post about WF looking for you, I think that''s a great idea. Hopefully they can find you a suitable stone! And just tell your guy you are trying to get him the most bang for his buck.
28.gif
 
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