Novice Need Help

[akshooty]

Hey,
I am looking for a diamond and need some help.
1. What is the difference between these vendors and are they worth it?
-Tiffany
-Amazon
-BlueNile

2. I have a diamond which I have selected. Can you tell me if it is a good price. There is a GIA rating
http://www.amazon.com/gp/cyo/cyo-state-manager.html/102-6805034-0026563?ie=UTF8&settingASIN=&diamondASIN=B000FJODLS&sequenceStep=step1&ringSize=&pipelineID=cyor&sequenceID=sequence1


Please tell me what you think and if it is work it.

I have looked at a diamond at blueNile and this is what i found
http://www.bluenile.com/diamonds_details.asp?pid=LD00980456&filter_id=1
The GIA rating said that there were some clarity characteristics: Feather and Chips.

Lastly I found this at Tiffany''s for $2960

Shape ROUND Cut BRILLIANT
Weight .44 carat Measurement 4.93 - 4.96 x 3.03 mm

Cut Proportions
Total Depth Percentage 61.3%
("Depth Percentage" is a key gemological computation affecting diamond brilliance.
It is calculated by dividing the total depth of the stone by the average girdle diameter.)

Table Diameter Percentage 56%
("Table Percentage" is a key gemological computation affecting diamond brilliance.
It is calculated by dividing the longest corner to corner table measurement
by the average girdle diameter.)

Crown Angle 34.6°
("Crown Angle" is a key gemological computation affecting diamond brilliance.
It is calculated by measuring the angle created by the bezel facet and the highest girdle plane.)

Pavilion Depth Percentage 43.5%
("Pavilion Depth" is a key gemological computation affecting diamond brilliance.
It is the distance from the lowest girdle plane to the culet expressed as a percentage of the
average girdle diameter.)

Girdle THIN TO MEDIUM
Culet NONE

Presence
Symmetry EXCELLENT Polish EXCELLENT Precision of Cut EXCELLENT

Clarity Grade VS1
Inclusions Visible to Naked Eye NONE Black Inclusions NONE
Enhancements (Besides Cut/Polishing) NONE Pervasive Clouding NONE
Chips NONE Significant Graining NONE
Surface Inclusions NONE Knots NONE
Laser Drill Holes NONE
Cavities on Surface NONE
After Setting Inspection YES

Color Grade H
Fluorescence NONE

Advice?
Thanks
-A

 

[JulieN]

I wouldn't buy those particular stones. You can do better.

http://www.whiteflash.com/hearts_arrows/A-Cut-Above-H-A-cut-diamond-2432858.htm

Just an example of what you can get. This carat point is in huge supply, so you shouldn't have any trouble finding a drop dead beautiful stone with the specs that you want.

 

[Regular Guy]

Akshooty,

Welcome to Pricescope!

I''d suggest you read the tutorial under Knowledge up top. A utility many of us have come to value is the HCA, which helps to evaluate the performance of a diamond in advance of seeing it. Using it to evaluate yours...

Tiffany''s option may for performance may be best, but is only marginally so, scoring a 2, and though you get a great brand, and a pretty reliably nice stone, you''ve paid a premium for that, as you can see.

Amazon, though not known for work in diamonds, probably subs to someone that does. That option scoring an HCA 2.3 (see the detail of the cert embedded to find the crown & pavilion angles) is probably the best value of the ones you''ve selected.

Though BN may hold the most promise for value, the one you selected has problems, showing 5.7 on the HCA, and just within GIA''s not well regarded boundaries of excellent.

Consider a couple of other options. BN has others to consider you might find more favorable. For example, this one at $1797 has lots of good features: it''s .41 E VVS1, notably has a cert from AGS showing it''s been tested for performance characteristics (so I have not run it for performance, they have...oh, well, what they heck, ok, I have run it now, and as could be expected, it''s a 1.2 nicely showing HCA), and is a signature ideal...they thought it so promising they brought it in house...most of their options otherwise, like Amazon''s, would be virtual.

Also, another non-virtual one is from GOG here, a well regarded vendor here.

But, it''s reasonable to like BN, and they have some other slightly larger pricier options to consider. Sticking with AGS0 showing 0 for light performance is frequently regarded as pretty safe, though some will say overkill, with respect to a marginal premium you''re paying for it. But, considering the range you''re already considering, it seems reasonable to me.

Regards,

 

[Regular Guy]

Date: 8/1/2006 3:03:31 AM
Author: JulieN
I wouldn''t buy those particular stones. You can do better.

http://www.whiteflash.com/hearts_arrows/A-Cut-Above-H-A-cut-diamond-2432858.htm

Just an example of what you can get. This carat point is in huge supply, so you shouldn''t have any trouble finding a drop dead beautiful stone with the specs that you want.

Also, yes, JulieN mentions the other vendor frequently noted here, also known for supplying not only well cut diamonds, but ones that are non-virtual...held by their suppliers, in hand for them to look at with you on the phone, etc.

Two others from WF, with options traversing a good range could be from this one down to this one, and others, too. As noted under my signature, a helpful tool for shopping is the search by cut database available here for vendors that choose to populate it. BN doesn''t, I don''t think, participate on that particular db, but they do on others here.