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Opinions of pending purchase (~1.5 carat, colorless, high cut quality)

1468clement

Rough_Rock
Joined
Apr 20, 2017
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8
I have narrowed down my search recently and realize quality matters much more than size. Now, I am trying to find a eye clean diamond around 1.5 carts, for around $15k, which is colorless, HCA <2, and exhibits no fluorescence. I would like the best cut quality I can get. I could increase my budget for an exceptional stone. My search seems to have led me to Whiteflash and Brian Gavin stones. The inventory is a bit small, but I have come up with the following contenders.

Can anyone offer any feedback, or maybe point me to any additional diamonds?

Thanks!

http://www.briangavindiamonds.com/d...ls/1.441-d-si1-round-diamond-ags-104080668002
https://www.whiteflash.com/loose-diamonds/round-cut-loose-diamond-3172036.htm
https://www.whiteflash.com/loose-diamonds/round-cut-loose-diamond-3753623.htm
https://www.whiteflash.com/loose-diamonds/round-cut-loose-diamond-3774790.htm
 
All of the diamonds you have selected are beautiful. The real difference is in terms of the precision of cut between the BGD Signature and WF ACA vs the WF Expert Selection stones.

And between the BGD Signature and WF ACA, I note that the inclusions under the table are similar but different. The BGD stone has what appears to be black inclusions under the table whereas the WF ACA's inclusions are white. Both should be eye clean though at say a 10-12" viewing distance.

Is the mystical 1.5ct weight important to you? Or is mind clean re: clarity more important?
 
All of the diamonds you have selected are beautiful. The real difference is in terms of the precision of cut between the BGD Signature and WF ACA vs the WF Expert Selection stones.

And between the BGD Signature and WF ACA, I note that the inclusions under the table are similar but different. The BGD stone has what appears to be black inclusions under the table whereas the WF ACA's inclusions are white. Both should be eye clean though at say a 10-12" viewing distance.

Is the mystical 1.5ct weight important to you? Or is mind clean re: clarity more important?

Thanks for the help.

The 1.5 was more of a starting point. I would go a bit smaller to find something perfect. It will be mounted in a 6 prong solitaire, if that could help mask any inclusions.
 
I find the F/Si1 ACA to be a good value. I would call WF and talk to them about the stone. Find out if you can see anything in it at any distance and
go from there. It's a 1.47 which is pretty darn close to 1.5 in my book!
 
I find the F/Si1 ACA to be a good value. I would call WF and talk to them about the stone. Find out if you can see anything in it at any distance and
go from there. It's a 1.47 which is pretty darn close to 1.5 in my book!

That was my first choice, but its actually reserved now.

Am i pushing too far into the cut quality spectrum for what I am really looking for?

I have gone into a few local jewelry stores, and all have a great selection of ok diamonds. Most of the ones I was shown meet the rough criteria, but score above 2 on the HCA.
 
That was my first choice, but its actually reserved now.

Am i pushing too far into the cut quality spectrum for what I am really looking for?

I have gone into a few local jewelry stores, and all have a great selection of ok diamonds. Most of the ones I was shown meet the rough criteria, but score above 2 on the HCA.

It comes down to whether the stones offered by a local B&M jeweller are cost competitive against what you can find online.

If your local ones are finding you GIA 1.5ct Triple Excellents that have ok proportions but are over 2 on the HCA (and they can't or won't provide you with IS and/or ASET imagery to determine light performance) and are charging you more than an online vendor (who may or may not have a B&M store) who will provide stones with the full spectrum of analysis tools to determine light performance and which are cut to the best quality on the market today for less than the B&M vendor, which is the better value option?

Yes, that was a bit of a rhetorical question. It's the latter of course. UNLESS your local jewellers are willing to source a stone for you with top quality optics and proportions and the price is cost competitive with an online vendor.

The online search can be a pain (particularly when you link to stones for us to comment on only to find them snatched up shortly thereafter), but it will be worth it in the end. We're here to help you out in the search for the best stone within your budget that WILL perform better than what the usual B&M store can provide you with.
 
One of the stones a local B&M offered was GIA 2236164406. 1.7, F, SI1, XXX, HCA of 5... But it was <$17000 mounted on a platinum 6 prong all said and done. I could not really see the inclusions, but the HCA score bothered me after all the research I have done.

They also had GIA 7221039979, 1.51 F, SI1, XXX, with an HCA of 2.1 with the same price.
 
The first stone they offered to you, the angles aren't that complementary and it is a tad deep. Plus the report also mentions the presence of twinning wisps which may negatively impact light performance depending on where they are located and how they look.

The second stone is insane with a 62% table and 60.2% depth. The table percentage is already well above what we usually recommend and the HCA for that stone is telling as there is only an outline of GIA excellent ranges but no AGS Ideal outlined areas which is an indication that the light performance of the stone is likely to be sub-par.

You've said you want colourless so I'm presuming only D-F stones but would you also consider G?

What about this one from whiteflash?
https://www.whiteflash.com/loose-diamonds/round-cut-loose-diamond-3802450.htm - 1.40 G VS2 Expert Selection

From Good Old Gold
https://www.goodoldgold.com/diamond...S-G-SI1-diamond-stock-13338-cert-104073831009 - 1.52 G SI1 Ascendancy H&A

https://www.goodoldgold.com/diamond...S-G-VS1-diamond-stock-15880-cert-104084513009 - 1.58 G VS1 Ascendancy H&A
 
I was considering G, but then my girlfriend went looking herself, and could see a difference with mounted colorless stones. She could not see much difference between clarity grades.

The 1.4 from whiteflash is very nice. I don't mind going smaller if I can get everything else I want.

I will have to do some research ok Good Old Gold.

How often do inventories update on these sites?
 
Hopefully your girlfriend was looking at colourless stones that have been graded by GIA and/or AGS as some of the other labs are looser with their colour (and clarity) grading standards.

If she's very colour sensitive, then staying in the D-F range might be a good idea though if you can find a G that is on the borderline of F, that would be a good "bargain".

I understand that inventories should update almost daily (at worst) or even near instantaneously (at best).
 
Yes, she was looking at GIA stones.
 
I was out of the country for a long weekend, and sadly, most of my top choices have been sold.

Can anyone offer any commentary on this stone? I am primarily concerned its a level below in cut quality than Whiteflash ACA, or Brian Gavin. Its more than I initially desired to spend. Other than that, most of the other ones under consideration are in the 1.3 carat range.

https://www.whiteflash.com/loose-diamonds/round-cut-loose-diamond-3172036.htm
 
The other thing about your GF looking at G colored stones is if there were not well cut they may not be returning bright light like WF stones.

The H&As are a little off...I would call WF and ask about the stone. Ask them if that dark facet is always dark.

You could ask them to compare/contrast with the G below.

Nice G...you can ask if its a high G
https://www.whiteflash.com/loose-diamonds/round-cut-loose-diamond-3833682.htm
 
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