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On a tight budget - around $900-1000 for the stone!

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JL2002

Rough_Rock
Joined
May 14, 2009
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like what the title said, on a tight budget, and really hope to get a stone that's best bang for the price. I'm looking for something 'G-I' and 'SI1 or above' probably around .4-.5ct size. I've been searching up http://www.usacerteddiamonds.com because I'm in the Toronto area and would like to see the diamond in person, OR at least a picture on the website. Due to the fact that I haven't looked at the real difference between a D colour stone and a J colour stone, so I really need a little expert advice here. Found something like this for $988cdn:

Weight: 0.51
Cut: Very Good
Color: J
Clarity: VS2
Certification: GIA
Depth %: 63.9
Table %: 56
Symmetry: Excellent
Polish: Excellent
Girdle Thickness: Medium To Slightly Thick
Culet Size: None
Fluorescence Color: -
Dimensions (in mm): 5.09x5.05x3.24

Or is there any thing I should take or give to get the best rock with my current budget? My preference is better colour and 'eye-clean', so I've been reading that SI1 is the lowest I could go in order to be semi-guarantee a eye-clean stone from a GIA certificate of course.
 
Nope, too much depth, the stone probably have a steep pavilion angle that will result in light leakage, making the stone look dead. Also it will result in a smaller face up dimension, you are paying for the weight but not a corresponding increase in face-up size.

Typically, ideal cut face up dimension should be around 5.16mm. For the face-up dimension of 5.07mm, you can buy an ideally cut stone of 0.48c and save on the price from the significant price per carat jump at the 0.5c mark.
 
Date: 5/15/2009 11:12:47 AM
Author:JL2002
like what the title said, on a tight budget, and really hope to get a stone that's best bang for the price. I'm looking for something 'G-I' and 'SI1 or above' probably around .4-.5ct size. I've been searching up http://www.usacerteddiamonds.com because I'm in the Toronto area and would like to see the diamond in person, OR at least a picture on the website. Due to the fact that I haven't looked at the real difference between a D colour stone and a J colour stone, so I really need a little expert advice here. Found something like this for $988cdn:

Weight: 0.51
Cut: Very Good
Nope
Color: J
Clarity: VS2
Certification: GIA
Depth %: 63.9
Nope.
Table %: 56
Symmetry: Excellent
Polish: Excellent
Girdle Thickness: Medium To Slightly Thick
Culet Size: None
Fluorescence Color: -
Dimensions (in mm): 5.09x5.05x3.24
Nope. Should be a little bigger spread....

Or is there any thing I should take or give to get the best rock with my current budget? My preference is better colour and 'eye-clean', so I've been reading that SI1 is the lowest I could go in order to be semi-guarantee a eye-clean stone from a GIA certificate of course.
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HI:

Lets see what else we can find............................but I don't know if I will search on USA certed site--as it is "difficult" (for me) to navigate....

cheers--Sharon
 
I thought I did enough research, but guess not. Thanks a lot for the help!
 
When I was doing my search I had a hard time finding stones in this price range and size. I found that James Allen has a lot of stones in the .40 - .50 range that are good quality and well priced. Pictures of the stones are posted on their website and of course you''ll want to request an Idealscope (if not already posted on their site for the stone). I just bought a beautiful H&A .45 D VS2 stone for $1084. But I''m in the States and I''m not sure which internet companies are the easiest to work with across the border.
 
Another contender?

.52 ct H, SI1 AGS0

It's $1040 with the PS discount, and JA is running a 5 percent off special on H&A stones, so you may want to ask if you can combine the two deals.
 
HI:

Is your budget in Can$$$$$?

cheers--Sharon
 
Date: 5/15/2009 11:12:47 AM
Author:JL2002
like what the title said, on a tight budget, and really hope to get a stone that''s best bang for the price. I''m looking for something ''G-I'' and ''SI1 or above'' probably around .4-.5ct size. I''ve been searching up http://www.usacerteddiamonds.com because I''m in the Toronto area and would like to see the diamond in person, OR at least a picture on the website. Due to the fact that I haven''t looked at the real difference between a D colour stone and a J colour stone, so I really need a little expert advice here. Found something like this for $988cdn:

Weight: 0.51
Cut: Very Good
Color: J
Clarity: VS2
Certification: GIA
Depth %: 63.9
Table %: 56
Symmetry: Excellent
Polish: Excellent
Girdle Thickness: Medium To Slightly Thick
Culet Size: None
Fluorescence Color: -
Dimensions (in mm): 5.09x5.05x3.24

Or is there any thing I should take or give to get the best rock with my current budget? My preference is better colour and ''eye-clean'', so I''ve been reading that SI1 is the lowest I could go in order to be semi-guarantee a eye-clean stone from a GIA certificate of course.
Click to expand...
Definitely pass on this one, the depth is too much alone.
 
Date: 5/15/2009 12:01:51 PM
Author: EBree
Another contender?

.52 ct H, SI1 AGS0

It''s $1040 with the PS discount, and JA is running a 5 percent off special on H&A stones, so you may want to ask if you can combine the two deals.
Click to expand...
I don''t think you can combine them. Another recent poster tried and just got the H&A discount, which made the diamond a few dollars less than the PS price.
 
Consider use for $1000 budget. do I need to add tax on site like jamesallen?
 
Date: 5/15/2009 1:16:19 PM
Author: JL2002
Consider use for $1000 budget. do I need to add tax on site like jamesallen?
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No sales tax, you just have to figure import duties and such.
 
@JL2002

I''m also having a stone brought into Ontario. You do have to pay the taxes (13%)on top of diamond price. Martin will calculate all that for you and you just pay him a final price, which is convenient! Make sure you come to an agreement on being able to return the stone if you don''t like it. It isn''t the normal policy but he will agree to it. You will have to pay for shipping to Canada and back if you don''t like the stone (~ $100 US).

I think going with a VS2 is great, but I am far from an expert. I had a "eye clean" SI1 stone brought in that I could see the inclusion on, so I am biased that way. I just got unlucky, and that is just _my_ experience.

If you are looking for an amazingly cut stone check out some of the most popular vendors here. You will be able to get all the information up front and mitigate your risks.
 
I'd try to find an eye clean SI1 instead of a VS2 if you're on a tight budget. I'd drop symmetry from Excellent to Good and I'd drop polish from Excellent to Very Good. Sometimes fluorescence can lower the cost so I'd go as high as a strong blue but not as high as a very strong blue; medium blue would be great if it lowered the cost enough, it probably will even whiten the colour of the diamond if you have a J.

Two ladies were just showing off their e-rings at a party the other night. I'll tell you, people only spent 1.5 to 2 seconds looking at it before they made their judgment; and from a distance of about 8-10 inches. I was shocked that no one pulled out a loupe or asked for an Ideal-Scope image.
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If that is typical then I think you can lower your standards as I mentioned above without much difference in impact, though it will by definition be a lower standard diamond, and it may be eye-clean but not mind-clean for the wearer.
 
Date: 5/15/2009 12:03:49 PM
Author: canuk-gal
HI:


Is your budget in Can$$$$$?


cheers--Sharon
Click to expand...

$1000 is an approximate, but if I can find something better @ $1300cdn then I'll just wait for another pay day ^_^...But I don't wanna overspend to $2000 for the whole ring because I rather take her on a mini vacation for the extra...

What's a Hearts and Arrows cut by the way? I'm getting soooo overwhelmed looking at all these diamonds and specs now...haha...I want to find one these few days!...
 
I just did two quick searches and it seems you could bump up the colour from a J to an I if you drop the clarity from an VS2 to SI1 and still keep the price the same. Everyone is different, but my own personal opinion is that I''d rather invest more in bumping up the colour, especially from a J. The key will just be to find an eye clean SI1.
 
Date: 5/15/2009 3:40:49 PM
Author: JL2002

What's a Hearts and Arrows cut by the way? I'm getting soooo overwhelmed looking at all these diamonds and specs now...haha...I want to find one these few days!...
Click to expand...

Hearts and arrows are the result of a particularly well-cut, visually balanced round brilliant diamond. You can see the "arrows" on the top of the stone, and some vendors like Whiteflash will show you the "hearts" (example stone). Some vendors brand or name these stones, like Whiteflash and James Allen do, so you know you're getting a very visually balanced diamond, but you should probably still make sure that the numbers make for a good stone.

Good luck!
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ETA: P.S. Your budget is about what ours was when my husband bought my ring. You'll do great!
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Date: 5/15/2009 4:11:21 PM
Author: rubybeth
Date: 5/15/2009 3:40:49 PM

Author: JL2002


What's a Hearts and Arrows cut by the way? I'm getting soooo overwhelmed looking at all these diamonds and specs now...haha...I want to find one these few days!...
Click to expand...


Hearts and arrows are the result of a particularly well-cut, visually balanced round brilliant diamond. You can see the 'arrows' on the top of the stone, and some vendors like Whiteflash will show you the 'hearts' (example stone). Some vendors brand or name these stones, like Whiteflash and James Allen do, so you know you're getting a very visually balanced diamond, but you should probably still make sure that the numbers make for a good stone.


Good luck!
1.gif


How Do I learn the 'good' numbers? is there a tutorial fornthis?

One more questions, where do I find tutorial on all these numers you'll all talking about? I'm not sure which numbers I really should be looking for, for a specific diamond...I'm probably going to pull an all nighter to digest all the info you all gave me thanks again!


ETA: P.S. Your budget is about what ours was when my husband bought my ring. You'll do great!
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Click to expand...
 
Date: 5/15/2009 4:49:55 PM
Author: JL2002

One more questions, where do I find tutorial on all these numers you'll all talking about? I'm not sure which numbers I really should be looking for, for a specific diamond...I'm probably going to pull an all nighter to digest all the info you all gave me thanks again!
Click to expand...

For the numbers, easiest way is to use the HCA, https://www.pricescope.com/cutadviser.asp. Try and stay in the overlap of the two region is the safest but not necessary the best value. Use it as a rejection tool, scores <2 are good candidates, not as a selection tool. With these candidates, an IdealScope (IS) image is need for further selection based on light return and symm. Here is a tutorial on how to interpret IS/ASET image. http://www.highperformancediamonds.com/index.php?page=education-performance

Numbers we are concern with are the depth and table %, crown and pavilion angles, basically input for the cut adviser.
 
How do I know what are good numbers? Any tutorial for these? Thanks again!
 
Date: 5/15/2009 5:14:14 PM
Author: JL2002
How do I know what are good numbers? Any tutorial for these? Thanks again!
Click to expand...

Nope, no fix numbers, depends on the interactions of the table size, crown and pavilion angles. So play with the numbers as input for the cut adviser.

My personal range, depth between 58-63%, table from 54-61%. Some prefer smaller table and depth , table less than 58% and depth 62.7%. Crown and pavilion angles are on a sliding scale, higher the crown the shallower the pavilion angles and vice versa. Usually CA of 33.5 is good with PA of at most 41 and slide down to CA of 35 is good with a PA 40.7. Just in rough.
 
I''m looking at the one EBree is found, heck I might even purchase that one because the number and the specs seems pretty good for the price. The cutadvisor asked for the cutlet% though, where do I find that?
 
Culet is the pointy end of the stone, looked at the diagram with the dimension. It says pointed so culet is 0%.
 
Date: 5/15/2009 5:14:14 PM
Author: JL2002
How do I know what are good numbers? Any tutorial for these? Thanks again!
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Here you go, this should help you - some numbers some of us use as a guide to find a well cut round diamond.

depth - 60 - 62% - although my personal preference is to allow up to 62.4%
table - 54- 57%
crown angle - 34- 35 degrees
pavilion angle - 40.6- 41 degrees
girdle - avoid extremes, look for thin to slightly thick, thin to medium etc
polish and symmetry - very good and above


note - with crown and pavilion angles at the shallower ends ( CA 34- PA 40.6) and steeper ( CA 35- PA 41) check to make sure these angles complement in that particular diamond - eyeballs, Idealscope, trusted vendor input - check as appropriate!

From expert John Pollard.

As the above implies, configurations depend on each other. A little give here can still work with a little take there.



With that said, here's a "Cliff's Notes" for staying near Tolkowsky/ideal angles with GIA reports (their numbers are rounded): A crown angle of 34.0, 34.5 or 35.0 is usually safe with a 40.8 pavilion angle. If pavilion angle = 40.6 lean toward a 34.5-35.0 crown. If pavilion angle = 41 lean toward a 34.0-34.5 crown.



GIA "EX" in cut is great at its heart, but it ranges a bit wider than some people prefer, particularly in deep combinations (pavilion > 41 with crown > 35).
 
Any suggestion which stone to get??
 
Both looks good to me from the numbers, can you request the IS image?

But the 0.52 H SI1 is not linked to the correct stone but to the 0.54 I SI1.
 
0.52 H-SI1

didn't realize it was linked to a wrong one, Does I colour and H colour really make a big difference? Since it's like a $100 difference between the 0.54 and 0.52...

I requested the IS image on the 0.54 and 0.57, but haven't received them yet, guess they're not going to send it over the weekend... =<
 
Date: 5/16/2009 9:53:32 PM
Author: JL2002
0.52 H-SI1

didn''t realize it was linked to a wrong one, Does I colour and H colour really make a big difference? Since it''s like a $100 difference between the 0.54 and 0.52...

I requested the IS image on the 0.54 and 0.57, but haven''t received them yet, guess they''re not going to send it over the weekend... =<
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ya, the color grade can result in a price jump. Not that I can see the difference in color, H/I are both good for me.
 
The diamonds look good, make sure they are eyeclean to your standards by checking with the vendor.
 
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