Opinion please WF Round ACA 2.077 ct H SI1 H&A

[cachoy]

Hi all,

I posted the other day on a possible BG stone for an engagement ring, and although that was my ideal, this is a little more reasonable. Can I get your expert opinions? My only concern is the SI1 designation, although it's been verified by WF as eye clean by their definition.

http://www.whiteflash.com/loose-diamonds/round-cut-loose-diamond-2962088.htm?source=pricescope

HCA 1.4

ASET

IS

HA


I have it on reserve just in case. There's also another stone I was considering of comparable size, but I VS2. I've read that AGA grades color more loosely than GIA and is on par or stricter on clarity. Would the dropoff from H->I be worse than VS2->SI1? I want to make sure it's eye clean and shows white in most lighting situations, so where should I make the tradeoff?

Second diamond 2.025 ct I VS2 A CUT ABOVE® Hearts and Arrows Super Ideal Round Cut

HCA 1.8, images on link
http://www.whiteflash.com/loose-diamonds/round-cut-loose-diamond-2962087.htm

Thanks,
Curtis

 

[krisjon]

Both will show very white because of the super ideal cut, which helps a lot. What kind of setting are you looking at? The sides of the stone are going to be the only potential place that would reveal any hint of color, if there is any. If you go more open/solitaire, I'd go H. If you go halo or something with more closed sides, then save $ and go I all the way.

 

[c-k]

Both are beautiful, for me it would depend on eye clean of each diamond. I would go with the H SI1 if the stone is eye clean to my definition (can't see any inclusions without a loupe), otherwise I would go with the I VS2 (if eye clean). Both should be very white in a setting.

AGSL is not more loose on color grading, both labs are equal in their grading of color & clarity. AGSL cut grade is by far more strict with AGSL Ideal the best cut.

 

[cachoy]

kris, I plan to go with an infinity twist type setting with the pave, but not a halo.

thanks for the clarification on grading c-k, and i agree with you on the importance of this stone being eye clean.

 

[AprilBaby]

Gorgeous stone!

 

[diamondseeker2006]

ACA's are outstanding stones. Hard decision about the color/clarity combination. I'd ask them to look again and tell me if the SI1 is eyeclean from the sides as well as the top. If it is, I'd probably then go for the higher color. But if not, I'd rather have the VS2 clarity. My personal limit is usually I VS2, but my preference would be H color and VS.

Just so you know, you don't run the HCA on AGS Ideal cut stones. It is mainly for GIA stones in order to find the ones that would fall into the AGS ideal specs. And a 1.4 score is not better than 1.8. The HCA is a screener and stones at 2.0 or less are worth looking at further.

 

[cachoy]

thanks for the advice diamondseeker, and for setting me straight on what the HCA is for

 

[cachoy]

update:

On the advice of a friend I had Liza from WF take another look at the ACA H/SI1 stone to verify that it's eye clean from the top as well as from the side, and she said that's eye clean when viewed from the top, but not from the side. She said it's the same with the I/VS2.

She did say it won't be as noticeable when mounted, so should I be worried at all? I think most people that aren't on PS won't generally look at the ring from all angles.

For reference, I'm considering a 4 prong infinity twist setting with a F/G VS pave melee. Side note, are the pave stones small enough (46 stones ~.28ct) small enough that the color difference between the H center stone and F/G melee will be negligible? I'd hate for the center stone to look warm or dull.

Thanks,
Curtis