Opinion on 3 carat Radiant

[enb]

Hello all,

I was wondering if I could get some views about the following stone, which I am considering for purchase:

Shape: Radiant
Weight: 3.03
Cert: EGL - Belgium
Dimensions: 9.39 x 7.38 x 5.13
L to w: 1.27
Depth: 69.5
Table: 65
Pavilion Depth: 57%
Crown Height: 9%
Crown Angle: 25 degrees (estimated by appraiser)
Girdle: medium, polished
Bow tie effect: slightly visible
Clarity SI 1
Color: Cert says I; Appraisal says L-M
Culet: none
Symmetry: Very good
Polish: Very good
Fluor: Faint
Enhancements: none
Internal inclusions: (3) Dark Crystal (one small visible on table)
Appraisal value: 21,500 (although she said that a B&M would have the stone for around 24-27k)

Price is 12,350. ("Wholesale" price--my boyfriend''s family owns a retail business and has access to wholesale vendors).

The above info is from the appraisal by a Graduate Gemologist (GIA). She did not have a Sarin.

The stone seems to have a lot of sparkle, despite the low crown height. The appraiser thought it to be a good cut. She mentioned it was hard to find good depths and tables in Radiants, which seems to be the consensus on PS.

Where the appraisal differs from the cert is on the COLOR. This is my major concern, along with the crown/pavilion. I knew that Belgium certs were softer on color, but has anyone see this much difference? Four grades off is quite a lot. The reason the vendor got the belgium cert was b/c, acc. to him, the EGL-USA would have taken 4-6 weeks and the belgium cert only took a few days.

The stone does have a faint hint of yellow, although it is more noticeable in certain light. The stone will be set in a 2mm pave band, white gold, with pave on the prongs. I am worried about the stone looking noticeably yellow in the setting.

The AGA DIY cut grader graded it to be a 2B.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated...

 

[valeria101]

Date: 7/15/2005 9:15:37 PM
Author:enb

Where the appraisal differs from the cert is on the COLOR. This is my major concern, along with the crown/pavilion. I knew that Belgium certs were softer on color, but has anyone see this much difference?

Yes, it could be so...


The reason the vendor got the belgium cert was b/c, ...

whatever the reason, now you know more about the color and this shoul help comparing prices - isn't that what gradesare all about ?

I am worried about the stone looking noticeably yellow in the setting.

I actuallylike those tinted stones, but this is mostly because I also like yellow gold and bezels...

It is hard to imagine this stone starting with the numbers, because 'raiant cut' can mean a range of different facet styles. I would worry about brilliance and try to figure out whether this particular stone leaves allot to be desired in that department or not. Unless you are a believer in one of the cut grading tools aroud, you could also look at a few (the more the better) radiants of different color grades and sizes just to get an idea about the potential brighteness of the cut. If someone in the family can show you diamonds all for the better - this really gives you some advantage. Few buyers get to see allot of stones either close to their specifications or not.

For 12k, it could be better color, IMO - how about THIS One

Laboratory: GIA
Carat Weight: 2.72
Color: J
Clarity: SI1
Shape: Radiant Depth: 66.4%
Table: 66%
Polish: EX
Symmetry: VG
Culet: N
Girdle: TN-STK
Fluorescence: None
Measurements: 8.91x7.48x4.97

or one like it... J is a long way from L-M

Just my 0.2...

 

[reena]

hm, i might worry about that L-M color in a fancy next to a pave setting... just my .02

 

[moremoremore]

Geez, the stone will definitely look yellow in the setting...and not a good yellow like a fancy yellow. I''d rather havce a smaller stone than a large yellow one. But that''s just me. Too many good stones out there to settle.

 

[Jennifer5973]

I would pass on an L-M radiant, especially in a white metal setting.

 

[enb]

Thanks for the advice.

Question: Should I get a second appraisal? To me, the stone faces up pretty white. Is it possible that it is more like a J-K? That seems to be more typical of what I have read about for EGL belgium certs.

 

[Jennifer5973]

Date: 7/15/2005 9:15:37 PM
Author:enb
Hello all,


The stone does have a faint hint of yellow, although it is more noticeable in certain light. The stone will be set in a 2mm pave band, white gold, with pave on the prongs. I am worried about the stone looking noticeably yellow in the setting.

The grade is most important to the price/value of the stone. How does it LOOK to you? it doesn't matter if a lab comes back with a J grade...it is still going to look warm in some lights. Don't "buy the paper"...buy the stone and no piece of paper is going to change what the stone looks like or its warmth.

I have seen J-K radiants and they do not hide warmth like Ideal cut RBS do...they look tinged. If you can live with that, then forget about it and get the stone. But it sounds like you are trying to make a "silk purse out of a sow's ear" and my gut says to pass. I've been there--trust me--it's not a "great deal" if you (or your fiancee) looks at the stone and all she sees is that warmth.

 

[Kaleigh]

I agree with Jenn. In a fancy cut the yellow will show more than in an ideal cut RB. And you are buying the stone not the paper, so It''s really up to you. If it were me, I''d keep looking, IMHO.

 

[allycat0303]

Hi!

I remember that there was a member on PS that had a K RB, and it was very, very pretty. I would ask you what you think of the stone, do you find it yellow? Were you able to place it close to white gold and diamond band and compare the color? Since you will be wearing the stone, it is important that you love it, whether it is a D or a M. So if you threw away the cert, and looked only at the stone, would you buy it?

Maybe you could (if possible) compare it to a J radiant, and see if you can notice a color difference. The 2.74 carat Valaria suggested is still a MASSIVE stone

 

[enb]

I have the stone--I think it looks beautiful. The appraiser I used set it down into a white metal setting, so that I could see what it might look like. We even held it up next to an I and facing up it did not show a huge difference to me. (upside down I could see the difference). It had a *slight* tint of yellow in certain angles--and I did not mind it. It really is a sparkly stone.

According to the appraiser, she thought it might look nice in the vintage-style setting that I chose (2mm pave, with pave on the prongs and with double prongs or ''eagle'' prongs-terminology?) because antique diamonds were often either lower in color and showed a little more color than the modern cuts. Any thoughts on this?

All of this help is GREAT--I am about to drive my fiance nuts about this diamond.

Personally, when comparing a J/K or L/M, I probably would lean towards more bling. If I am going to see color in either one, then the amount of difference probably is not worth going down in size. Of course, if the color starts to bother me, I can trade up with this vendor on very favorable terms (almost 100%).

 

[allycat0303]

Enb: Well if you did the comparision, and it looks beautiful to you, then I would go for it! I think everyone has their personal color/clarity/cut/carat weight that they are comfortable with. As Jennifer said, don't buy the cert. It doesn't really matter what color it is, as long as it is beautiful to you. My boyfriend bought me an H RB. When I recieved the stone, and saw an H (I had previously said I wouldn't go below G) I thought to myself, "I could easily have gone with a J, and been happy" I doubt many people (except on pricescope

) would ask you what the color of your diamond is so go with what looks beautiful to you.

Good luck with your purchase!

 

[valeria101]

Well, if some other appraiser will call it ''K'' this does not change the stone - what you see is what you get. I think it is expensive for L-M/Si1 (with a visible inclusion even!) just because there are stones like that J that cost about the same. I am not much in favor of either ''white'' or ''tinted'' - either type has its charm. The color grades get wider and wider away from the colorless range (there is times more difference between J and K than between D and E) so I would think any J colored diamoond should look sensibly different from L-M color one. Or well, whatever ''sensibly different'' means among diamonds anyway.

If you do not care for the J-K now because of looks alone, than the value does make a difference: 3 carat L SI1 sounds more like 9k than 12 to me. Perhaps not a terrible difference, but some nevertheless. Normally, the actual grade woul make a ifference for an upgrade, but if you are friends with the seller, that doesn''t count, of course.

I do agree that ''old white'' diamonds look great in antique settings. I wouldn''t know to give a reason - this seems so to me even way before I knew anything about how often the grades occur in different styles and what not.

If you lie the stone, you should have it. If there is choice for you - it is always worth looking out for it. Well, at least IMO, that is. There are plenty of diamonds to choose from