Opinions please on this stone.

[Bluehammer]

My search has been for F/G VS2/SI1 around 1.25 carats. I think this expert selection is pretty close to ACA quality, but with the lower price.

http://www.whiteflash.com/round_ideal_cut/Round-Ideal-Cut-cut-diamond-2323728.htm

I have not seen the stone in person, but on paper it looks pretty good. I was hoping to get opinions that address the overall stone (sight unseen of course) and the following factors:

1. The Pav. angles vary by .05.

2. The stone has an HCA of .6, which may or may not be an issue. My understanding from this site is that lower scores could be a benefit in tighter cut stones. Would a .05 Pav. difference be too loose? Is it too shallow of a depth? I assume EX rating for all 4 items on HCA does not always make a good-looking stone, but maybe it does.

3. IS image is dark. Could this be hiding a flaw or simply showing off a "New Line ACA" equivalent image?

4. In the 40x mag. image, there appears to be a little darkness circle under the arrow bases. Could this be an issue (too shallow)or simply the angle of the photo/overhead obstruction?

Bottom line, this stone looks good to ME on paper. I am by no means an expert and I realize I need to see the diamond to make a final selection. This stone was graded in Feb. and has been on the WF site a while. With the way Pricescopers research diamonds, I assume others have seen this stone and passed. The reasons they passed may be why I like it. I don''t know, but knowledge is helpful in all forms. Therefore, I value the community input.

Thank you for your help. I appreciate both good and unfavorable comments. Ultimately, the decision will be mine and I am not sensitive to constructive criticism.

Thanks in advance.

 

[JulieN]

1. by itself, that doesn't really mean anything.
2. https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/stone-with-hca-score-under-1-0-tends-to-have-very-poor-performance-is-this-true.49102/
3. it's the lighting.
4. they're too small to see in real life.

I'm sure the rest of the cavalry will be here soon.

 

[Colored Gemstone Nut]

Date: 8/8/2006 8:38:37 PM
Author:Bluehammer
My search has been for F/G VS2/SI1 around 1.25 carats. I think this expert selection is pretty close to ACA quality, but with the lower price.

http://www.whiteflash.com/round_ideal_cut/Round-Ideal-Cut-cut-diamond-2323728.htm

I have not seen the stone in person, but on paper it looks pretty good. I was hoping to get opinions that address the overall stone (sight unseen of course) and the following factors:

1. The Pav. angles vary by .05.

2. The stone has an HCA of .6, which may or may not be an issue. My understanding from this site is that lower scores could be a benefit in tighter cut stones. Would a .05 Pav. difference be too loose? Is it too shallow of a depth? I assume EX rating for all 4 items on HCA does not always make a good-looking stone, but maybe it does.

3. IS image is dark. Could this be hiding a flaw or simply showing off a ''New Line ACA'' equivalent image?

4. In the 40x mag. image, there appears to be a little darkness circle under the arrow bases. Could this be an issue (too shallow)or simply the angle of the photo/overhead obstruction?

Bottom line, this stone looks good to ME on paper. I am by no means an expert and I realize I need to see the diamond to make a final selection. This stone was graded in Feb. and has been on the WF site a while. With the way Pricescopers research diamonds, I assume others have seen this stone and passed. The reasons they passed may be why I like it. I don''t know, but knowledge is helpful in all forms. Therefore, I value the community input.

Thank you for your help. I appreciate both good and unfavorable comments. Ultimately, the decision will be mine and I am not sensitive to constructive criticism.

Thanks in advance.

BlueHammer: It is impossible to jusge a stone by the numbers, but the information posted on the stone looks excellent.

(1) A .05 variance is a tight stone.
(2) The HCA is to be used as a prelininary tool to root out duds, 4 excellents in the World of HCA is as good as you will get.
(3)The IS looks good. The picture is a little dark ( A lighting Issue ), but overall shows great contrast and I think this was cut to be a Classic ACA not the New Line.
(4) The 40x Image is just that (40x''s). If your peepers are that good when you have the stone in real life, there might be a place for you at GIA as a Diamond Grader.

I think overall the stone looks excellent. Whiteflash has strict criteria for marketing their ACA''s. The only reason I see that this was marked as an "Expert Selection" is because the Optical Symmetry is off so slightly. Take a look at the IS and see where the Arrow Shafts and Tips don''t come to a point in a couple places. Very small potatoes though and I think this stone looks like an excellent value.

 

[Bluehammer]

BlueHammer: It is impossible to jusge a stone by the numbers, but the information posted on the stone looks excellent.

(1) A .05 variance is a tight stone.

(2) The HCA is to be used as a prelininary tool to root out duds, 4 excellents in the World of HCA is as good as you will get.

(3)The IS looks good. The picture is a little dark ( A lighting Issue ), but overall shows great contrast and I think this was cut to be a Classic ACA not the New Line.

(4) The 40x Image is just that (40x''s). If your peepers are that good when you have the stone in real life, there might be a place for you at GIA as a Diamond Grader.

I think overall the stone looks excellent. Whiteflash has strict criteria for marketing their ACA''s. The only reason I see that this was marked as an ''Expert Selection'' is because the Optical Symmetry is off so slightly. Take a look at the IS and see where the Arrow Shafts and Tips don''t come to a point in a couple places. Very small potatoes though and I think this stone looks like an excellent value.

[/quote]


Ok, thanks for the info. It is good to know the stone is tight, HCA seems ok, and I am making too much out of a 40x picture that seems ok.

I am, however, curious about the reference to a "Classic Line" type IS image. I prefer broadfire (New Line) over pinfire(Classic Line) style. I thought the New Line cut had less white leakage and more of an even red. Perhaps, I have not done enough research to truely understand the IS image. Could you enlighten me as to why this appears to be more of a Classic Line style?

Thanks!

 

[Colored Gemstone Nut]

Date: 8/8/2006 9:05:35 PM
Author: Bluehammer
BlueHammer: It is impossible to jusge a stone by the numbers, but the information posted on the stone looks excellent.

(1) A .05 variance is a tight stone.

(2) The HCA is to be used as a prelininary tool to root out duds, 4 excellents in the World of HCA is as good as you will get.

(3)The IS looks good. The picture is a little dark ( A lighting Issue ), but overall shows great contrast and I think this was cut to be a Classic ACA not the New Line.

(4) The 40x Image is just that (40x''s). If your peepers are that good when you have the stone in real life, there might be a place for you at GIA as a Diamond Grader.

I think overall the stone looks excellent. Whiteflash has strict criteria for marketing their ACA''s. The only reason I see that this was marked as an ''Expert Selection'' is because the Optical Symmetry is off so slightly. Take a look at the IS and see where the Arrow Shafts and Tips don''t come to a point in a couple places. Very small potatoes though and I think this stone looks like an excellent value.

Ok, thanks for the info. It is good to know the stone is tight, HCA seems ok, and I am making too much out of a 40x picture that seems ok.

I am, however, curious about the reference to a ''Classic Line'' type IS image. I prefer broadfire (New Line) over pinfire(Classic Line) style. I thought the New Line cut had less white leakage and more of an even red. Perhaps, I have not done enough research to truely understand the IS image. Could you enlighten me as to why this appears to be more of a Classic Line style?

Thanks![/quote]Here''s a thread to Check Out: It''s Over in The Glossary

A-Cut-Above "New line" vs. "Classic" Line (A review of the 2 cutting styles)

 

[Bluehammer]

Hey Nut!

I read through the article and still am not able to tell from the IS whether it is New vs Classic. It seems that in the lower right corners there is a slight, whiteness to the arrow tips. Perhaps this is one of the combo ES stones. Probably best for me to just ask WF or better yet, go see the stone.
Also, if you could shed any more light on your experienced IS opinion, I am willing to learn!


Thanks again.

 

[diamondseeker2006]

I think the lighting is just not showing up the areas that normally are white on a classic cut, if it is a classic cut. But it looks really beautiful to me! I think you found a winner! (You ae right that normally a newline is solid red with the darker arrows. A classic usually has some white areas.)

 

[JohnQuixote]

Hi again Blue.

Julie, Josh and DS have provided great input.

Regarding the ideal-scope image in question, that's an Expert Selection diamond so we would not classify it as 'Classic' or 'New Line' as we would an 'A Cut Above.' For the sake of education however, it was brillianteered in an overlapping style but leans toward the way we finish New Line ACA. The photo is somewhat dark (it was done in the old setup) which explains why some of the enthusiasts here wrangled with that question.

Regarding your questions about Classic and New Line, if you go to our site, click on Knowledge Base, then click on Whiteflash Product Information there are 2 articles that will help with these very questions:

Q10327 - INFO: Q&A about ACA Classic and New Line
- and -
Q10253 - INFO: What’s the difference between ACA Classic and ACA New Line*

* Colored Gemstone Nut Josh's efforts contributed to that article.

Best regards,

 

[Bluehammer]

Appreciate the input on the IS, Diamonseeker. Any input on the stone overall in terms of shallow, worth a look, etc.?

Anyone else?

Strmdr? JohnQ (of course worth a look)? Oldminer? etc. etc. etc. (the list is endless!!)

 

[Bluehammer]

Date: 8/9/2006 12:13:23 AM
Author: JohnQuixote
Hi again Blue.


Julie, Josh and DS have provided great input.


Regarding the ideal-scope image in question, that''s an Expert Selection diamond so we would not classify it as ''Classic'' or ''New Line'' as we would an ''A Cut Above.'' For the sake of education however, it was brillianteered in an overlapping style but leans toward the way we finish New Line ACA. The photo is somewhat dark (it was done in the old setup) which explains why some of the enthusiasts here wrangled with that question.

Regarding your questions about Classic and New Line, if you go to our site, click on Knowledge Base, then click on Whiteflash Product Information there are 2 articles that will help with these very questions:


Q10327 - INFO: Q&A about ACA Classic and New Line

- and -

Q10253 - INFO: What’s the difference between ACA Classic and ACA New Line*


* Colored Gemstone Nut Josh''s efforts contributed to that article.


Best regards,

Good info John! You just helped me retain my sanity! I thought it leaned towards new line, but I also trust the opinion of those with more experience. I was rapidly beginning to doubt my research.

Thanks.

 

[Kaleigh]

Looks like a winner to me. Have them pull the stone for you and go over it with you. That''s what I love about them. They are very honest, I have bought from them twice. So call them tomorrow, and I''m sure they will put your mind at ease.

 

[strmrdr]

Date: 8/9/2006 12:15:52 AM
Author: Bluehammer
Appreciate the input on the IS, Diamonseeker. Any input on the stone overall in terms of shallow, worth a look, etc.?

Anyone else?

Strmdr? JohnQ (of course worth a look)? Oldminer? etc. etc. etc. (the list is endless!!)

looks like a nice stone I prefere classic style stones but its not that big a deal.
When it comes to painted stones WF does them right so its not that big a deal.
I generaly dont comment on WF painted diamonds and let the WF groupies have at it,,, but my feelings are that a lot of people love em so they cant be that bad but id take a non-painted stone.

But since ya asked thats my 2c.

 

[diamondseeker2006]

The measurements are all great! No worries there. And if you prefer the newline style, then John has confirmed that it is more in that direction. Most of their IS pictures are a little clearer than that one, so it was tricky!

 

[Bluehammer]

Date: 8/9/2006 12:21:17 AM
Author: Kaleigh
Looks like a winner to me. Have them pull the stone for you and go over it with you. That''s what I love about them. They are very honest, I have bought from them twice. So call them tomorrow, and I''m sure they will put your mind at ease.

Thanks for the input. I spoke to Brian Gavin about this stone late last week. He of course said it looked like a good stone. I asked him about a few other stones (all ES) that were G/H, about the same size and clarity. However, I was a little disappointed with the conversaton. I was expecting a compare and contrast session about the finer points of each stone. My expectation was that we would go into some detail.

My conversation was instead summarized as all the stones looked good. This was as if no comparison could be made. When I asked about a similar ACA, he immediately said it was the best. Most of our conversation revolved around him relating how long he had been in the business and that I should trust Whiteflash. I thought I had made my intentions clear and we did talk for about 30 min.

I understand Whiteflash has been very busy and he was preparing for a trip this week. Running a business is tough. But I had hoped he would help me pick a stone instead of recommending them all. The ACA was top pick of course. I did find that he was helpful in letting me know some additional stone were expected to arrive (I appreciated knowing this).

Bottom line, I left a bit more convinced that I simply have to look at the stones myself. I almost thought of flying to Houston. This is also why I am polling the PS community for their on paper opinions. Just trying to add to my knowledge.

Thanks again for all input.

 

[belle]

sorry to hear of your dissapointment bluehammer. i think part of the problem is, most people don''t realize how amazing and very similar diamonds are at this level. there really isn''t much dicernable difference to the naked eye and well, what can you say when there is so little difference? that is why you hear people saying ''pick the one that speaks to you''. there is usually something, even on paper, that sets one diamond apart from another. the bottom line is, you really can''t go wrong with top cut stones.
best of luck in finding what works for you.

 

[dhog]

you can trust Brian

see my thread below

we have made 5 purchases from
his company so far.

https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/aca-vs-hearts-on-fire-side-by-side-comparison.38689/

 

[pahoyafan]

Bluehammer, I was in the same spot you are now about 6 months ago. I narrowed it down to a handful of ACA stones and spoke to Brian about them over the phone. Once we got through my comfort levels with color and clarity, I narrowed it down to a few stones. I told him to pick the most beautiful stone, but he told me it was like picking between a ferrari and a porsche. I ended up opting for the biggest stone and have no regrets. My girl gets stopped atleast once a day and is told how beautiful or how blinding her stone is. I know how you feel though, as I really debated flying out to Houston from Pennsylvania to eyeball the stones myself. The only thing I am still curious about is seeing a new line next to a classic line. Believe it or not, I tell her that I would like to upgrade to a 2+Ct stone in the future, and she actually argues with me because she loves her current diamond so much. It's a new line ACA (F, SI2). Like Belle said, when you throw a bunch of high quality diamonds together (such as their ACA stones), it would be so hard to pick just one out of the bunch.

 

[JohnQuixote]

I understand where Bluehammer is coming from. Seeing the interest he’s rapidly developing I'm glad he’s considering a trip. Gee, it reminds me of another poster who got the diamond itch and HAD to travel to see such diamonds for himself…

Blue, there's not an easy way to convey what the experienced posters are telling you until you've gone through the process. The top vendors here provide an abundance of data… Any professional will tell you that once a diamond is within an acknowledged premium range the nuances of its specific appeal depend entirely on individual human taste and preference. To make such fine judgments, beauty can only be in the eyes of the beholder. We have the utmost respect for that.

Knowing him as I do, I assure you Brian was shooting straight. If he told you all the diamonds you were considering looked good and the ACA stood out I'd take that to the bank.

A comparison; if you had a sommelier line up several bottles of premium wine, it would be impossible for him to tell you which vintage will best suit your own palate. He can recommend which are most premium - and eliminate the ones that are not in their league - but there is no way he can know which single bottle will cause you to smack your lips a-plenty

(now I need a glass of vino).

We respect the client’s right to discovery. If you can travel, by all means see a collection of superideals in person. If you can’t, don't worry... There are many here to assist you with your 'DOCD' (thanks, Dr. Rod

). They will help you find a 'mind clean' selection.

 

[Bluehammer]

Thanks for all the info from all. I am glad to hear that others also experienced the "Ferrari comparison" as well. I do not mean to paint the picture that my experience was bad, it was good. It was just different than what I expected.

My experience mostly confirmed that I should not get bogged down in the numbers. If there is no clear cut winner from an experts eyes then my eyes will be no different.

Thanks.

 

[diamondseeker2006]

Date: 8/9/2006 8:46:43 AM
Author: Bluehammer
Thanks for all the info from all. I am glad to hear that others also experienced the ''Ferrari comparison'' as well. I do not mean to paint the picture that my experience was bad, it was good. It was just different than what I expected.

My experience mostly confirmed that I should not get bogged down in the numbers. If there is no clear cut winner from an experts eyes then my eyes will be no different.

Thanks.

I totally agree with this. I ended up ordering two diamonds just so I''d have the feeling that I had compared two stones. They both looked great even though there were tiny differences in measurements. I ended up choosing the larger stone solely because of the size. We debate numbers here back and forth, but in reality, we probably would not be able to visually identify the stones that matched the numbers if they were all the same size and color! As a matter of fact, most of us wouldn''t be able to tell the ACA from the ES stone!