opinions on this cushion

[louis]

hi everyone. i was wondering if i could get some opinions and thoughts on this diamond. i havent decided on whether to buy it yet.
its EGL USA certified

modified brilliant
3.01 ct
G colr
Vs1
8.06x7.76x5.54
depth 71.4%
table 66%
crown 17.8%
pavilion 49.7%
girdle mrdium to very thick
culet none
polish good
symmetry very good
flourescence none

heres some pics

 

[louis]

another pic

 

[Lorelei]

Hi Louis

Its hard to tell anything from the pic as it is so tiny, thanks for posting it though! What I would do if you like this one is to make any sale final on the diamond checking out with an independant appraiser and get it in writing that you can return the diamond if it does not check out to your satisfaction for any reason. Here is a tool you can use to find an appraiser in your area.

https://www.pricescope.com/appr_list.aspx

Have you seen the diamond in person or is it with an online vendor?

 

[louis]

here is another pic. i am deciding on whether to have the jeweler send it to me to look at it in person. was just seeing if there were any redflags as far as the numbers or pics

 

[Lorelei]

Date: 7/13/2009 12:07:22 PM
Author: louis
here is another pic. i am deciding on whether to have the jeweler send it to me to look at it in person. was just seeing if there were any redflags as far as the numbers or pics

It looks beautiful in this pic!!! The only flag I can see is that the girdle has a very thick variance which isn''t ideal, however this needn''t be a deal breaker if the very thick part only covers a small area, get the vendor or an appraiser to check the diamond out to include this. If you like the look of the diamond and it appears to be what you are looking for, make the sale final on an appraisal to make sure it checks out.

 

[Rockdiamond]

Hi Louis,
It does look very pretty in the photo.
One huge red flag is the lack of a GIA report.
If the stone was a J color, this would be far less of a concern.
With a higher quality stone like a G/VS1- in a 3 carat size- there''s potentially a HUGE amount of difference in the value of the stone.
NO dealer will accept the G/VS grade from EGL USA, and pay the same price is a GIA graded G/VS1

If there were a workable formula to discount EGL USA stones consistently, we could use that- but no such thing exists.
The stone could be one grade off- or three grades off. It could even be the correct grade- although based on the difference in selling price, the chances of a correct grade are between slim and none.
But one thing that is certain- if this is a dealer offering you the stone, they are aware of the substandard report.
Have they mentioned this aspect to you?

 

[louis]

yes he has mentioned to me the abililty to get a bigger stone that is not gia cert. he also told me that egl usa was the next best.

 

[Lorelei]

Date: 7/13/2009 4:40:02 PM
Author: louis
yes he has mentioned to me the abililty to get a bigger stone that is not gia cert. he also told me that egl usa was the next best.

EGL USA are said to be the strongest of the EGL labs, if you like the diamond make the sale final on an independant appraisal as noted earlier to make sure the diamond checks out. One further thing to note, should you ever want to sell or trade in the diamond this is hard enough anyway with ones with GIA reports, EGl are more difficult still so if you think you might ever want to trade the diamond in, this is another factor to consider.

 

[Rockdiamond]

Hi Louis,
Based on my experience, there is virtually no chance the diamond will grade G/VS1 by GIA/AGS standards.
If it was actually a G/VS1, then it would have the GIA report, and a much higher price.

Many people have said what Lorelei mentioned- that EGL USA is the best of the non GIA/AGS labs.
However, once we cross the line and go non GIA/AGS, it's such a long slippery slope.

As Lorelei mentioned, many people don't find out till they try and sell that the difference is massive.
As I mentioned, if one is shopping for a lower grade stone, the difference in dollars won't be all that great. For example, an EGL I grade, might come back K color from GIA. The difference in list price there is $10,600 per carat to $7200 per carat for a K/VS1, or a hypothetical difference of $10,200 on the stone.

If, however, the stone you're looking at is an I instead of a G, the difference in price can be far greater in terms of real dollars.
The wholesale price list shows $16,100 per carat for a G/VS1 and $10,600 for an I/VS1. In such a case, the hypothetical difference between the value of the stones is $16,500.
Given the market mechanics ( G color is less likely to be discounted heavily compared to I-J-K), this is a difference in price that will be more indicative of what you'd actually see.

One reason I really stress the importance of sellers giving out this info is that so many seem to try and capitalize on the confusion.

 

[ChunkyCushionLover]

Date: 7/13/2009 12:07:22 PM
Author: louis
here is another pic. i am deciding on whether to have the jeweler send it to me to look at it in person. was just seeing if there were any redflags as far as the numbers or pics

Louis,

We can't help you with just a photograph. Even great closeups which these are not can be very misleading.

1) If you want us to critically discuss optics we would need an ASET image ask the vendor if he can send you one. The numbers in cushion cut diamonds do not tell the whole story on optics nearly as well as in rounds. As already mentioned make sure they have a good return policy and you are prepared to absorb the expense of shipping and insurance both ways. I would expect an EGL stone would likely be 1 or 2 grades lower in colour and 1 grade lower in clarity.

2) This diamond is quite deep and will faceup only as big as some shallower 2.5Ct Cushion Modified Brilliants. I bet mark at ERD could find you a more shallow cushion with great optics that would faceup as large as the one you are considering. I am not sure of your budget but if you tell him he can give you some viable alternatives.

3) I am also not a fan of large tables especially this large 66%. This stone will have a flat top.

4) Here is a Cushion Brilliant with chunky facets you might like (link below) it will be a quite similar size to the one you are considering although a bit more rectangular and you can watch the video to see the optics.

http://www.goodoldgold.com/diamond.php?d=5832&shape=2&ctMin=2.49&ctMax=2.49&resultsColumns=270502287&singleResult=1

I would also strongly suggest you look at this video to see the 2.49 I was talking about and its comparison to other stones.
http://www.vimeo.com/2851059

Good-Luck,

CCL

 

[Upgradable]

I love the look of the stone!!