Find your diamond
Find your jewelry
shape
carat
color
clarity

Ok, I think I am going to buy both of these and compare at home!!! Am I crazy!

Status
Not open for further replies. Please create a new topic or request for this thread to be opened.
L

lauraher

Rough_Rock
Joined
Aug 31, 2005
Messages
67
So, I have debating over these two diamonds and now think that I am going to buy both and just compare each one side by side, am I crazy? The one from WF gets a 0.7 HCA, and a 1B, the one from GOG gets a 1.3 HCA and 1A. I really think both are beautiful in regards to the numbers, but would I see a glaring difference when I compare the two? Both are eyeclean, and both face up white. What would you do in my situation? The WF is not sold but on hold for me.

http://www.goodoldgold.com/diamond/2253/

http://www.whiteflash.com/diamonds/diamond_Details.aspx?itemcode=AGS-6550404
 
Can't you just have the vendors ship them to a trusted independent appraiser in your area before buying anything? That way you won't have 40K worth of charges on your cc (assuming that's how you'd pay for it). Plus, returning one of them would be a process. The appraiser would help you determine which is the better stone. You may have to pay the shipping and/or insurance fees for both stones but I think it's totally worth it. I'd just feel freaked out about actually purchasing both stones at once.
 
Date: 7/12/2006 2:26:38 PM
Author: KristyDarling
Can''t you just have the vendors ship them to a trusted independent appraiser in your area before buying anything? That way you won''t have 40K worth of charges on your cc (assuming that''s how you''d pay for it). Plus, returning one of them would be a process. The appraiser would help you determine which is the better stone. You may have to pay the shipping and/or insurance fees for both stones but I think it''s totally worth it. I''d just feel freaked out about actually purchasing both stones at once.
Click to expand...
Yup, good advice. That''s what I would do if I were you.
2.gif
 
Well, that''s exactly what I am doing today, as a matter of fact! But they are both from GOG. So I think it''s a good idea! However, I already told you on your other thread, I honestly think the GOG stone is the better of those two. The pictures are beautiful of it, it has a perfect classic idealscope image, and it is larger than the other stone at 2.18 cts. I wouldn''t need to order both of these to decide.
 
Could I have them sent to an PS appraiser? Or do I have to pick someone in my area, I guess I would if I wanted to actually see the stones. I am just not sure how this process would work. If I do have to choose someone in my area, does anyone know of someone in the San Francisco bay area?
 
I had Whiteflash send my stone to an independent appraiser last week. They will send only to approved appraisers so not just to anyone. You might want to call them and find out which ones are "approved". This gave me great piece of mind as I just purchased the stone today.
 
Date: 7/12/2006 2:42:18 PM
Author: lauraher
Could I have them sent to an PS appraiser? Or do I have to pick someone in my area, I guess I would if I wanted to actually see the stones. I am just not sure how this process would work. If I do have to choose someone in my area, does anyone know of someone in the San Francisco bay area?
Click to expand...

Nancy Stacy in Walnut Creek. Or Cortney Balzan in San Francisco. Nancy is an authority in the field....extremely well-respected and a GIA instructor. It was she who helped me pick out my diamond. Nancy also recommends Cortney, who is another veteran in the field. I''m sure that neither vendor would have a problem with shipping the stones to either appraiser.
 
Nancy Stacyis mentioned here frequently, and seems to enjoy a good reputation. Consider checking with both vendors, to see if they'll articulate.
 
my girlfriend had WF ship the diamond she was considering to Nancy Stacy in WC and she was fabulous...they loved her. we have used her for our purchases as well. goodl luck!
 
So do a lot of you get diamonds appraised, even from companies like WF and GOG, with such good reputations? Or is this the case when one is just trying to decide between one or the other? I feel like this is getting out of control, but I am probably still saving money, and getting better quality, when compared to purchasing from a B&M.

Thanks everyone!

I contacted Nancy and she said she would appraise the stones for me, now I just have to get in contact with WF and GOG.

But no one but Diamondseeker2006 has given me their opinion, what does everyone else think?
 
Date: 7/12/2006 5:28:07 PM
Author: lauraher
So do a lot of you get diamonds appraised, even from companies like WF and GOG, with such good reputations? Or is this the case when one is just trying to decide between one or the other? I feel like this is getting out of control, but I am probably still saving money, and getting better quality, when compared to purchasing from a B&M.


Thanks everyone!


I contacted Nancy and she said she would appraise the stones for me, now I just have to get in contact with WF and GOG.


But no one but Diamondseeker2006 has given me their opinion, what does everyone else think?
Click to expand...




If you can''t decide between the 2, having them sent to an appraiser is a great idea. That way you can get an expert opinion as to which stone will best suit your needs. I sent my last purchase to Rich Sherwood for a pre-purchase evaluation and it was well worth the money. I knew that the jeweler was reputable and that I wasn''t getting swindled , but I wanted an expert''s eyes to tell me how good the stone really is. Since these stones are from different vendors, this is really the only way to get a side by side comparison.

Personally, I, too, would have a hard time deciding between these two. In terms of cut, they both look great and I would probably need the help of an expert to decide which one is best. The GOG stone is a bit bigger -- how important is that to you? Is one a high I and one a low I? Is one cleaner than the other? Is one more firey and the other more brilliant? I honestly don''t think you can go wrong with either -- they are both top notch stones from excellent vendors. If it truly is a wash at this point, get some expert help!
 
Thanks Demelza,

I think that is what I am going to do, although I hate spending an extra $500, but I think it will give me piece of mind! I wish I could just know one was better, but everything looks so good on paper for both of them. I think I just need to see them with my own two eyes side by side to make a decision. Thanks!
 
I think they are both stunning stones. WF has some others in that range for less money. I assume you''ve considered those?
 
I think you could save the $500 if you just pay for both like I did and then return the one you don''t want.
1.gif
So the appraisal is really up to you! I, personally, do not see a need for an independent appraisal for a GOG or WF stone. Both have certs and will provide you with an insurance appraisal, so the independent appraisal is really an unnecessary in my book, unless there is something questionable about a stone. I don''t think an appraiser can tell you what only your own eyes can tell. In your case as well as mine today, both stones will likely look great, but one is bigger than the other. So do you want the slightly larger one or do you prefer closer to 2 cts.?
 
Hi Diamondseeker2006,

I agree that an appraiser would only give me the numbers and photos that I already have, and after thinking about it, I don''t think that I want to spend 40k, half would have to go on a credit card. In regards to size, either size is fine with me, what I am looking for is a great perfoming diamond that is eyeclean and faces up white. The WF is a new line ACA, but I''ve read and seen that the performance on those is great, the GOG is a H&A with great symmetry. When I originally wanted PS info on the WF stone, many thought it might not have good contrast, but Brian said that it was a beautiful stone. Today I spoke with Jonathan at GOG and he said that his stone perfoms beautifully, with very high light, scintillation, etc, and that it had great numbers, which it does. But does it have better numbers than the WF stone, and is an ACA a better performer than non-branded H&A. I guess my question for some of the experts here is what stone has better numbers, and what stone would be the best purchase based on those numbers? Would you go with HCA .7 1B, or HCA 1.3 1A? AAAARRRRRGGGGHHHHHH!!!
 
laura, I really don''t think one stone is *better* than the other. they probably just have different personalities. that''s why no one is saying choose the first or second. Both are going to be gorgeous. they are so close that size would be the deal breaker for some. others just have a vendor preference. since neither seem to be an issue, having them both sent to an independant appraiser will give you the chance to see both of them and with the help of the appraiser be able to choose which stone speaks to you more
1.gif
 
As we''ve all said, I''m sure they are both great! But most people here do prefer between 1 and 2 on the HCA and 1A for Ideal Cut. But let''s say they both had exactly the same cut numbers...the GOG stone is still larger at 2.18! There is absolutely no advantage to buying the ACA "brand" over the GOG H&A. And you simply cannot go wrong with the classic cut H&A.(I am looking at two gorgeous ones right now!!!)

Let me say that I do think the world of Jon and will recommend him any chance I get. But to be totally neutral, I personally would probably buy that 1.7 H VS2 from WF if I were choosing one of those 4 stones you listed yesterday. So I didn''t want to sound so pro GOG that I don''t consider WF stones, because I would if those were my only choices.
 
Date: 7/12/2006 9:01:28 PM
Author: lauraher
Hi Diamondseeker2006,


I agree that an appraiser would only give me the numbers and photos that I already have, and after thinking about it, I don't think that I want to spend 40k, half would have to go on a credit card. In regards to size, either size is fine with me, what I am looking for is a great perfoming diamond that is eyeclean and faces up white. The WF is a new line ACA, but I've read and seen that the performance on those is great, the GOG is a H&A with great symmetry. When I originally wanted PS info on the WF stone, many thought it might not have good contrast, but Brian said that it was a beautiful stone. Today I spoke with Jonathan at GOG and he said that his stone perfoms beautifully, with very high light, scintillation, etc, and that it had great numbers, which it does. But does it have better numbers than the WF stone, and is an ACA a better performer than non-branded H&A. I guess my question for some of the experts here is what stone has better numbers, and what stone would be the best purchase based on those numbers? Would you go with HCA .7 1B, or HCA 1.3 1A? AAAARRRRRGGGGHHHHHH!!!
Click to expand...

I disagree that an appraiser would "only" give you numbers and photos; well, depending on the appraiser, that is. Rich Sherwood actually EVALUATED the stone I sent him, assessing color (is the stone a high, middle, or low I?), clarity (is it eyeclean? what is the size, nature, and location of the inclusions?), and light performance (are you getting the best performing stone out there based on both objective and subjective measurements?). I realize that not all appraisers do that level of assessment, but it helped me to feel confident that I was getting an amazing stone.

If you simply want to look at the stones and evaluate them for yourself, but don't want to shell out 40k to do so, have them sent to a local approved appraiser like Nancy Stacy. You would then only be responsible for shipping and appraiser fees (not insignificant, I realize).

If you don't want to bother with an appraiser AND you don't want to spend 40k to have both stones sent to you (I wouldn't either!), then just pick one of these based on some criteria or another, have it sent to you, and if it doesn't make your heart sing, send it back.

There is nothing about the numbers that would recommend one stone over the other as far as I can see. I'm not sure what about the WF stone puts it in the 1B category, but it does have a new AGS 0 cert which, to me, means quite a lot! I'm sure either will be stunning from a light performance persepective. The only differences I'd be wondering about are color, clarity, and size.
 
hi Lauraher,

My bf and I had two stones that were VERY close in numbers and specs so we had the two stones (one from Superbcert/Excel and one from WF) sent to a local (approved) appraiser so that he could give us an appraisal on the quality of the stones AND we could look at the two and visually compare with our own eyes to decide which stone we wanted to purchase.

I definitely recommend doing this if you are on the fence on two similar stones because it helps to get the appraiser''s opinion and see for yourself exactly which one you like so that there''s no room for regrets. My two stones ended up being pretty identical in person as far as performance and the size was very very close so we just went with the minutely bigger stone that had the lower color. I thought I''d prefer the higher color but once I saw the two stones in person I realized that I couldn''t tell them apart at all so the lower color on paper didn''t make a difference to me visually. (H vs. I)

My logic is that you are already spending so much on this important purchase-- an appraiser''s fee is totally worth it and you can use that appraisal report for insurance purposes once you make your decision.

DL
 
Id go with the GOG diamond in a heartbeat. Its pretty much everything I prefer in a diamond.
The WF diamond is kewl too just not my preference..
 
Hi Strmrdr,

Why do you prefer the GOG stone, what qualities does it have that make it your preference? It only scored on the med/high border for bright(white) light on the gemex report, does that mean it will not face up as white as the WF stone? I have read that stones on the lower end of the HCA can lose a bit of contrast and my be better suited for things other than rings. Also Jonathan said that his stone was cut to almost ideal proportions, there were some questions on the angles of the WF stone. It seems as if a lot more prefer the GOG stone, I am leaning in that direction as well, but I may talk to someone over at GOG again today to make sure that it is a face up white stone.

Thanks
 
I was hoping Storm would come by here, because he is super picky on the numbers and I thought he'd say the GOG stone was the better of these two. But as far as face-up whiteness goes, I'd think these would be about the same. The WF stone doesn't have a Gemex, so there's no way you can compare that particular measure.
 
I suspect that the reason some people don't like the WF stone as much is the 40.6 pavilion angle. That is what is making the HCA score a bit lower than you'd like it to be. Bump it up to a 40.7 and it scores a 1. I wouldn't put too much stock in the HCA score at this point since Brian has assured you there's no reason to be concerned about contrast. If you trust his opinion, that trumps any HCA score. But if that is still going to bug you and you can use it as one way to differentiate between these stones, then, by all means, do so. At this point, it's all about splitting hairs as these are both beautifully cut stones. From my perspective, there are certain aspects of each stone that I may prefer, but, in the end, you can only choose one. If you can just pick one and spare yourself the expense of having both stones inspected, that's great. If you will always wonder, was the other stone better in some way, then send them to an appraiser. You can drive yourself nuts here, but the honest truth is that none of us can tell you what to do based on these numbers alone, except to say that you really can't make a mistake.

ETA I really think that we do ourselves a disservice here on PS by acting like the tiniest nuances in already superideal cut stones is going to make an enormous difference in performance. I do not believe that one stone is "better" than the other -- they are slightly different. You may prefer one over the other for whatever reason, but one isn't objectively "better". If I were you, I'd be more concerned with color, clarity, and size as a way to differentiate between these guys. We could pick apart these stones till there's nothing left, but you need to find some way to make peace with this purchase. Good luck! (Oh, and this is coming from someone who has driven herself and others crazy by becoming a professional hairsplitter!)
 
The only thing I have to laugh about here is that I have two stones I am comparing with virtually equal numbers except size, and about 100% of the replies have encouraged me to get the larger stone! That''s why I am wondering why you aren''t getting the same advice I am!
 
Date: 7/13/2006 12:14:23 PM
Author: diamondseeker2006
The only thing I have to laugh about here is that I have two stones I am comparing with virtually equal numbers except size, and about 100% of the replies have encouraged me to get the larger stone! That''s why I am wondering why you aren''t getting the same advice I am!
Click to expand...

ok, i''ll vote for the bigger one
9.gif
 
what is price diffference?

honestly they both are going to be exceptional stones BUT they may have different personalities because the cuts are different on each of them. the 34.2 and 40.8 combination on one and the 40.6 and 34.7 combination on another combined with the differences in table and depth from each stone, will most likely yield slight variations in the two stones and how they appear to you. will one appear better looking? maybe. maybe not.

i would have them both sent to an independent appraiser so you can see them in person without having to pay for them outright. then let your eyes and the eyes of the appraiser help you out. i can definitely recommend nancy stacy..but she is booked out 2 weeks in advance typically so if you want to use her, schedule her now.

anyway good luck. in the end numbers only get you so far especially when choosing between two exceptionally cut stones. both of them have elements i don''t absolutely LOVE to them, but they both look like they''d be eye poppers, fine hair-splitting aside. the IS image on the WF stone is exceptional but i like the extra size on the GOG stone of course. but crown angle at 34.2 is a little different for me. anyway, let us know what you do.
 
Status
Not open for further replies. Please create a new topic or request for this thread to be opened.
GET 3 FREE HCA RESULTS JOIN THE FORUM. ASK FOR HELP
Jewelry Blog
PriceScope-Concierge-Ad
Find prime cuts.
Top