opinions on this rock, D, I1, 1.01

[pinkflamingo]

http://www.superbcert.com/Shop_By_Product/Diamond_Details.cfm/P/163644/N/1;1






I am a bit concerned about the inclusions- has anyone here ever bought an I1 stone and been happy with the purchase? I am confused whether to get this stone or the one I posted about earlier- the .91 J VS1. Do you think the 1.01 will look significantly bigger? I like that it has D color a lot too- just not crazy about those inclusions!




Opinions??!

 

[valeria101]

There are a few things before looking at the stone:

There is a huge distance from D to J and from VS to I1 ? It sounds like some compromise in the middle (say I-SI1) would not hurt in any way, woudl it?

And.. size is not the same as weight - the diameter of the stone means 'size' and the depth of the cut determines the diameter of the stne for any given weight.

Why jump from J/VS to D/Si ? It makes no sense to me

 

[valeria101]

I certainly see those three spots in the I1. I would not swear that you will end up accepting them, but I also doubt they would be allot of pain for someone expecting some 'activity' in the stone. Basicaly, this is a clean stone aside from the area with the three inclusions (and let's picture a prong set right near them). Not bad!

Between the J/VS and D/I1 sits the I-VS2 as an unremarcable ('cause many go this route) compromise.

For me, the D-I1 would be the best, but I really like interesting inclusions, to the point of definitely prefering them to their absence. Those three might just be included crystals !

Perhaps garnet or who knows what ?... Oh well, I guess I made my point: if you are sure you like the idea, this is it

 

[pinkflamingo]

I understand your confusion. I guess I am confused. I am having a lot of trouble finding a sizable stone for under $4K (my rock budget- not setting.) I would like a stone as close to a carat as possible, as I have very large hands/long fingers. I really like the .91 G/VS1 because of the blue flourescence and very high scores on the brilliancescope. But, if I could get a bigger rock that was very icy white- it seems almost worth it.




I havent found any stones that are I/SI and in my price range and/or large enough for my taste. It seems like there are very few stones that are in the .80-.95 carat range.

 

[pinkflamingo]

I love that diamond you pointed out, but unfortunately it is out of my price range.

Do you think I should just go for a smaller diamond? .75 carat? So I can get the specs I want?

 

[valeria101]

Hmm... You've done it

This guy really is the first diamond that I ever found tempting ever since I joined PS 3000 posts ago

Crazy! The pictures below are, well, picture perfect as far as the cut is concerned - but that is nothing! I need the guy under my dear microscope

NOW!

There is just one thing that makes me worry in the pics - the pot circles green... That should be either some optics gremlin, or the reflection of an inclusion. It would not be good news to have a couple of large inclusions and have them reflected around the stone into 30 more 'avatars'.

Hope there would be more stones for you to choose from...

 

[valeria101]

----------------
On 4/17/2004 2:17:21 PM pinkflamingo wrote:


I understand your confusion. I guess I am confused. I am having a lot of trouble finding a sizable stone for under $4K (my rock budget- not setting.) ----------------

 

[valeria101]

 

[Mara]

Val has set you onto the right track...with her screen shots. Is that stone the I1 (the one with the big black inclusions?) YIKES!




There have been some very happy I1 customers around here...you have to really seek to find but it IS doable. Check out www.dirtcheapdiamonds.com too...CanadianGirl got her F I1 stone there for a bargain and it is eye-clean! Also Patty got an I1 from SC and its eye-clean too! So they are out there.

I would focus on keeping that clarity at SI or I1 and try to get as good of a color as possible without having to compromise too much on size. Some of the WF AGS0 and AGS1 stones in their Expert Selection are amazing! Definitely check those out!




Good luck...

 

[pinkflamingo]

Wow- thank you, val! I found a few in there that look promising.

yay!

 

[Mara]

Check these babies out. All of them have great ideal scope images (if they are available) or otherwise great numbers and stone shots. Nice specs and all are pretty large...some of them well into the 1c range. Something like a G SI2 is an EXCELLENT value if the stone is eye clean!! I would much rather do that than a D I1 or a J VS anyday, but there are other options in here too. I am a size gal too so I know how it is to want the biggest but still the best in terms of other specs on a tight budget but as these stones show, you CAN get an excellently cut stone for $4k and you DO have options. Find out about discounts, most vendors will discount slightly if not more for Pscope customers if you mention it and ask for it. I know WhiteFlash can often work within a tight budget, they have come through for me in the past.




Good luck!!






http://www.whiteflash.com/diamonds/diamond_Details.aspx?itemcode=GIA-13013744


$3500 .94 E SI2 with amazing ideal scope image and 0.7 EX on HCA!




http://www.dirtcheapdiamonds.com/diamond_detail.cfm?did=6838725


1.09 G SI2 for $4500 in their signature selection, but you may be able to negotiate that down to your budget




http://www.dirtcheapdiamonds.com/diamond_detail.cfm?did=6950869


1.13 J VS2 for $4600...again find out about a discount, signature selection




http://www.whiteflash.com/round_ideal_cut/Round-Ideal-Cut-cut-diamond-629954.htm


1.06 G SI2 for $4500 with great idealscope image....whiteflash will discount for pricescope customers...find out what this would cost you




http://www.whiteflash.com/round_ideal_cut/Round-Ideal-Cut-cut-diamond-629962.htm


1.0 J VS2 for $4000 on the dot..again, ask about discount. nice image.

 

[pinkflamingo]

Wow- Mara! You found so many!

some of those look really good! About the first one (E SI2), will it make a huge difference that it has good polish and symmetry? I was hoping to get excellent, but I am not sure if the difference is that noticable.




And lastly, do you think this is still a good choice ( the stone I started out with this morning, the G VS1)?







http://www.superbcert.com/Shop_By_Product/Diamond_Details.cfm/P/45720/N/1;1

 

[valeria101]

No.. The G-G finish is not important and will not show. The H&A patterns is the harshest measure of symmetry and facet alignment, not the symetry grades on the cert... The polish grade is really an academic matter, "Good" is already very good indeed with no flaws showing - just one more technicality.

 

[pinkflamingo]

Those are all documents from the original stone, the G VS1.

 

[pinkflamingo]

mara- Thank you for explaining that. I have been ignoring many diamonds because I felt that it was important to have excellent or ideal polish and symmetry.




back to square one!

 

[valeria101]

Here's my winner of the bunch. Just don't look at the botched 'sample' pic of non-ideal rounds used by WF (good shopper deterrent that!). The arrows look reasonable, the respective Iscope is very red, HCA all in place AND the size of this one looks as 1ct as possible. F-VS soudns nice too

If you were looking for D color, J is not going to do the same trick - I supose. F - might.

 

[valeria101]

Hm... teh link beside the stoenyou call G-VS1 leads to a J-VS1 !

 

[pinkflamingo]

Ooh! That one is purdy!

I am not necessarily looking for a D color. I was hoping in that particular stone (or maybe it was the write-up by superbcert) that the icy white color would mask the inclusions.


I would love to go and look at all of these stones in person....sighhhh... It is so hard to find a reputable local jeweler that would have quality examples of color and clarity grades.

Decisions, decisions...

 

[pinkflamingo]

whooops. it is J. I got confused with another stone. Too many rocks! Sorry about that.


I do love the images of it, though.

 

[Shay37]

Wow Pink, that J has medium blue fl. and the B-scope is almost off the charts. If I had the money, that stone would not be on the market.

Vs1 clarity wow wow wow. That is a beauty.

But in all seriousness, you have been given some really great alternatives at very reasonable and competitive prices. If you can't make a decision based on all these choices, maybe talking to the vendors will help. See where these stones are and talk to the people who have them in hand. Most, if not all of them, have a reputation for being able and willing to explain what makes each stone either a buy or a pass based on what you need. That's really what's the most important thing. (what you need and want in a stone) Good luck and happy hunting.

Shay

 

[Mara]

I like the SC stone and the J...thing is...I wouldn't want to pay for a J VS when I could get a G SI. VS IMO is a waste...esp when coupled with a J. If that was the only option, it'd be different..but it's not. My two cents.

also on the stone Val posted, not really impressed with it. Again if you didn't have other, better options...it would suffice. But you are considering other stones that have better symmetry and light return so why even consider one that doesn't? Some of the WF non-H&A and the signature DCD stones have better arrows...and same/similar HCA scores.




Anyway my bottom line if I were searching would be to get the biggest possible stone of SI or I clarity with a good color, like G or H and focusing on CUT. Barring the G/H..drop to I or maybe J...but I wouldn't overpay for VS UNLESS that was all that was avail.




On your question about G/G vs EX/EX. If you didn't have that idealscope image to show the strong arrows, I would caution against the Good. But those arrows are very visible so I wouldn't worry on this particular stone.




Normally though, there is a reason that G/G is gotten vs EX/EX. Polish may not be as noticeable but symmetry WILL. I owned a Good Symmetry stone and now I own an EX and the difference to me is visible and huge. Mostly because of the arrows. So I would focus more on VG or EX rather than Good unless you can see an IS image like that one where the arrows are very sharp and clear...to me that stone is more than a Good!




Whatever you decide, good lluck!

 

[pinkflamingo]

Hey there-


still looking for the perfect stone. I have been looking through whiteflash, and have been comparing this stone




http://www.whiteflash.com/round_ideal_cut/Round-Ideal-Cut-cut-diamond-548800.htm#


which is a D SI2, same price as the J VS1.




I am not loving the idealscope as much though--------- the J VS1 seems to have much clearer and more pronounced arrows.




Still so much to think about. I know the perfect stone is out there. I still keep on coming back to the J VS1 too- especially because of the Bscope reports.

I need to decide really soon---- I am already married---- but we were in grad school when we got engaged and wanted to wait until we were settled down with real jobs to buy a nice ring. I didnt want some cheapo CZ and we didnt want to take out loans for it. Now, we have some $$ saved up and I need to make up my mind fast before DH decides we should spend the money elsewhere... like on his car.

 

[valeria101]

There are two things that could help make a choice among these...

#1: the Superbcert pictures and those on Whiteflash are not taken in the same conditions. SO the Wf pics need some allowance for photographic technicalities.

#2: Since we are not hunting for the most 'by the book' H&A here, you might want to consider why those arrows are good to have in the first place. This part of the argument is quite well presented in the Iscope "reference chart" where both stones with and without H&A symmetry get top qualification for light return.

It is easy to understand why someone already enchanted by the H&A story would like to see arrows in a diamond, but this is a rather unusual idea, if one takes the "Harts and Arrows" campaign out of the picture.
More generally, one would want the contrast given by black areas in the Iscope picture - so this is why the arrows are good to have. Aside this... who knows? There will always be some to prefer the 'crushed ice' look of a radiant over the clear cut lines of an emerald cut. If the 'crushed ice' look is a merit for radiants, why would it be an absolute evil for rounds?

Any of the stone you have considered (the J, the two Ds) have remarkable brilliance. I surely understand the D-Si/I1 choice.

The E stone I picked is a spready one with more white light flash than fire and brilliance (as those thin arrows say) - probably a compromise between the two stones Mara bought. Actually all components of light return get 'stretched' to accommodate the extra spread.

The D-SI you mention lastly, should have very good scintillation (play of light, if you want) - there are lots of black spots among the arrows. I do prefer it among all other mentioned - because of this property.

However, all these high white/ somewhat included stones are among the best sparklers. Keeping that "white & clean & brilliant" trio in mind, all these three need to comply would be the password "eye clean". They already excel in the color and cut department.

 

[pqcollectibles]

----------------
On 4/17/2004 9:44:03 PM pinkflamingo wrote:


Hey there-

still looking for the perfect stone. I have been looking through whiteflash, and have been comparing this stone


http://www.whiteflash.com/round_ideal_cut/Round-Ideal-Cut-cut-diamond-548800.htm#

which is a D SI2, same price as the J VS1.


I am not loving the idealscope as much though--------- the J VS1 seems to have much clearer and more pronounced arrows.


Still so much to think about. I know the perfect stone is out there. I still keep on coming back to the J VS1 too- especially because of the Bscope reports.

I need to decide really soon---- I am already married---- but we were in grad school when we got engaged and wanted to wait until we were settled down with real jobs to buy a nice ring. I didnt want some cheapo CZ and we didnt want to take out loans for it. Now, we have some $$ saved up and I need to make up my mind fast before DH decides we should spend the money elsewhere... like on his car.

----------------

You are comparing apples to oranges, sorta, as well. The WF stone is an Ideal and the SC stone is a Super Ideal. There's a pricing premium for the Cut of the J. Also, clarity costs more than color so the VS clarity compensates for the color difference. Do you prefer a higher color.

As for higher color masking inclusions,.... it will really depend on the inclusions. If you have dark colored inclusions, then a higher color will highlight them somewhat more dramatically. The WF diamond has wispy inclusions. AlJDewey has a diamond with white, wispy inclusions and cannot see them. With a VS1, it's unlikely you'll see any inclusions in the J.

Seems that this would basically be a trade-off and come down to personal tastes. Your comment about higher color masking inclusions indicates the thought of inclusions might bother you. Some folks would go for the color, and other folks need to know that they cannot find the inclusions readily.

I have a 1.25 carat J, VS2, set in platinum and no one knows the color unless I tell them. I just hear Ooooo's and Aaahhh's. I went with my stone because I could get a bigger, VS, J for less money than a smaller, SI1, H. Part of masking the color is the great cut. Also, color tends to face up whiter when set than standing alone. With some blue flour, like the one you are considering, a J can be absolutely beautiful.

Tough choice! Both are probably great diamonds!

 

[Patty]

A couple of things: I love the idea of going lower on just one of the 4 "C"s. I love my I1 stone. A correction though, Mara...It is not really eye-clean. I can see the inclusion at certain angles and in certain lights. I do not regret buying an I1 for a moment though and would do so again in a heartbeat. It's amazing how much larger you can go with an I1 and the cut and sparkle and color and size are what the people notice!

The next thing is...I want that .91, J color VS1 at Superbcert!! It would be perfect in my wedding ring but I can't afford it right now.

The plot is sooo clean. You could look at that baby from the side all day long and never see anything in it. The J color saves you a lot of money PLUS it's got medium florescence so it will face up very white.

I know that the best value for your money is an SI stone in the color of H or I, but I'm always drawn to the I1s and Js and Ks. I like the idea of compromising on just one area but that's just me.

 

[Shay37]

Pink, I found another SuperbCert. It is on page 5 of the search on Barry's site. It is a J SI1. Under darkfield illumination at 20x magnification, I had a hard time seeing the inclusion. I believe the stone is 1.02 ct. or 1.03 ct. The B-scope has to be seen to be believed. It is $4095.00. I can't link this one cause I don't know how to do it. It is on the next page after the .91 J VS1 you saw. Check it out. It should face up super white with that kind of B-scope. It is only $95.00 over your stated budget. Hope this helps.

Shay

 

[Patty]

HERE is a link to the stone Shay is talking about.

 

[pinkflamingo]

Wow- that stone is off the charts!!!

very impressive, but...




I think we are going to stick with only the J VS1 diamond- I spoke to Barry this morning and I am convinced this is "the one!" I am a little obsessed with the med. blue flourescence part. Plus, it is less expensive and I think it will be just perfect.




We are going to go see it on wednesday!

 

[pqcollectibles]

Can't wait to hear what you think when you see it in person.

Are you having SC ship to a local appraiser for preview?? Inquiring minds wanna know!!

You must report back your thoughts!!

Good Luck!!

 

[Shay37]

Pink, I don't think you can go wrong with that one. Like I said, if I had the money, it would be mine. that J VS1 with med. blue fl. is a stunner and very reasonably priced! Let us know.

Patty, thanks for posting that link for me. I guess I need to read up on how to post links. LOL

Shay