Opinions on this ACA from WF

[Arnold]

Hi all!

I've been researching diamonds the best I could the past few weeks and have been trying to look for triple excellent / AGS 000 cut stones graded by GIA or AGS. After a semi-intensive search, I settled on this ACA from WF https://www.whiteflash.com/loose-diamonds/round-cut-loose-diamond-3833741.htm?source=pricescope .

I set a budget of 15k Canadian, so with the exchange and taxes I should be good. Cut and carat correspond to what I was looking for but I had to sacrifice in color and clarity to be within my budget.

The inclusions are twinning wisps that are translucent or white according to the rep and the feathers don't seem to affect the integrity. And from all the pics, everything looks ok to me.

Any opinions would be appreciated before I take the plunge, thanks!

 

[Suspenders83]

Hi!

Looks gorgeous to me. I recently bought a stone that is actually very similar to this one. It has twinning wisps and surface graining.

I've spent a lot of time staring at it and for the love of me, I can't detect colour (I-colour stone), nor see any imperfections.

There are much better pro-sumers on here who helped me determine if it's a good stone, but it does look beautiful Actually, I think this might have been one that I was contemplating, too. LoL!

 

[tyty333]

Beautiful stone! I hardly consider an H/SI ACA a sacrifice! Their stones are pre-vetted so you just cant go wrong with an ACA. Please post
pictures when you get it...what setting did you go with?

 

[Arnold]

Thanks for the feedback! Looks like I jumped on it right on time :p

When I say sacrifice, it's because in the beginning my GF wanted GIA D/E, 1.3 CT, Triple Excellent and VVS1 + as minimum requirements. In her mind those grades meant everything and to me as well until I educated myself a bit more on everything else. It's still a little hard to explain to her how a lower grade doesn't necessarily mean a worse looking diamond so hopefully this stone will please her!

We found a setting locally, I don't know if the particular style has a name but it has 3 rows of little diamonds that go down halfway in the middle and on the sides.

 

[Gussie]

I love the look of a 3 row pave but please be aware that you have to be careful with it. The tiny prongs can be damaged and stones can be lost. I recently got a 3 row pave and I am treating it so gently that it is getting on my nerves! I feel like I have to take it off for everything I do.

 

[gm89uk]

Colour is colour, doesn't affect sparkle, inclusions are invisible up until they are visible. Even when they're visible, they mostly don't affect sparkle. Sparkle is cut, a D/IF rough diamond is dull and only sparkles after it is cut. From this extreme example it is obvious nothing but cut is what leads to sparkle. Here you are not compromising the most important thing. Get her the stone and ask her to guess the specs...

 

[diamondseeker2006]

I love the ACA!

BUT, you need to have a serious talk with her and tell her that her choice is a D-F, VS1+ 1 ct stone or a 1.3 ct H SI1 stone. Or you could go in the middle and get around a 1.15 G VS2, maybe. She needs to know that cut has the most affect on a diamond's beauty. She seriously needs to understand that you can't get what she is wanting within your budget, and only she can say whether the smaller stone or the larger stone with lower specs will please her more. The proposal is not a good time to surprise her with lower specs than she is expecting.

 

[tanalasta]

Agree with the above. It is very, very important to get something the "receiver" wants. You may like to research and believe in all your heart you're doing the right thing, but if it's not what she wants, it won't be perfect in her eyes. If she's got her eyes set on a colourless stone, I would not commit unless you know she will be happy with an 'H'.

I know in some cultures and beliefs, an H wouldn't be considered a quality stone. Especially if her siblings/family/other friends have high colours. It's all about perception, even though we all know that an F and G ACA are going to be impossible to differentiate in normal light without having them side to side.

 

[Arnold]

Thank you all, appreciate the suggestions!
We're Asian and it's true that D or E are considered to be a quality stone in the culture but it seems to be more the mindset of the older generations.
At the beginning, I went into a local jeweler without knowing anything except for the 4 Cs that I wanted. Eventually the guy proposed a GIA Triple Excellent, D, VVS2, 1.34ct for $17,000 CAD all-in. He didn't have it on hand but he was recommended by a few coworkers so I blindly gave him the green light. I told her about my choice and she was pleased as well since it met her requirements at the time. Only afterwards did I start doing some research and requested the GIA report along with any available pictures (https://www.gia.edu/report-check?reportno=2256038972). You can tell from the pic that it isn't a well cut diamond to begin with and should have been rejected with a HCA score of 2.7.
I spoke to her about this diamond and how by comparison it should sparkle more than the D, VVS2, the importance of getting the right cut and other factors that make a diamond beautiful. She trusts my decision and is on-board with deviating lower for color and clarity. Although I made it sound like she's super picky, it was more the influence from her family and friends that made her want those specs initially.

 

[diamondseeker2006]

That diamond isn't bad other than the depth is greater than I'd want since that can make the stone face up slightly smaller than it would otherwise.

I would not go below VS2 considering the cultural expectations. I'd probably try for G color as well.

 

[Dancing Fire]

Arnold
Would your GF mind owning a VSB stone? Did you know that a VSB stone should price lower than a non fluor stone?

 

[Arnold]

Arnold
Would your GF mind owning a VSB stone? Did you know that a VSB stone should price lower than a non fluor stone?

Hi Dancing Fire,
I don't think she'd mind as long as it didn't have any negative impact and I was aware that they are priced lower.
Anyways, I decided to go with the one in the topic and I'm just waiting for the wire transfer to clear now.
Everyone on this forum really helped me decide!