Opinions pls - can I find an eye-clean 2.5 carat SI2 diamond

[toblerone]

Hey everyone. After speaking to a couple of online jewelers, I've been given the impression that it is possible to find an eye-clean SI2 diamond that is around 2.5 carats. That is my goal in order to maximize size and stay within budget.

I'm curious as to others opinion about this. I was a little surprised when I received email responses from a couple of shops saying it was indeed possible. This was great news to me, but I would love to hear from any of you with an opinion or who have searched for an eyeclean SI2

Thanks!

 

[yennyfire]

Re: Opinions pls - can I find an eye-clean 2.5 carat SI2 dia

I think it would be one in a million, but if you're willing to be VERY patient, you might get really lucky. As you know, the larger the stone, the easier it is to see inclusions. One caution if this is the route you decide to pursue....make sure that you see the stone in all different kinds of light before you make any purchase and make sure that there is a return window. I purchased a stone a couple of years ago that looked eye clean in the jewelers lighting, but when I got it home, I immediately saw a black carbon spot. I was not able to return the stone and got stuck with a credit...so, be careful.

 

[toblerone]

Re: Opinions pls - can I find an eye-clean 2.5 carat SI2 dia

One in a million? Really?

 

[Karl_K]

Re: Opinions pls - can I find an eye-clean 2.5 carat SI2 dia

Face up yes but they are rare.
From all angles, one in a million.
Usually they are visible from the side if not the top.
This bugs some people and not others.
What often happens is the eye clean ones are snagged up quickly by dealers shopping in person and put in stock.
The ones with visible inclusions often languish on the lists for a long time.
A dealer who buys just off the lists will have a hard time finding one.
A vendor who can call up a trusted supplier or visit one in person might be able to find one at least face up eyeclean.
As mentioned above a return policy is vital.

 

[Imdanny]

Re: Opinions pls - can I find an eye-clean 2.5 carat SI2 dia

It can be done but yes, you're going to have to work very, very hard to find one.

Yssie's is a 2.7 SI2 and it's one of the most beautiful stones I've seen. The inclusions are hidden under two prongs. You can't even see them. The rest of the stone seems to have no clouds. It does have a group of tiny bubbles. They look like tiny (very tiny) bubbles in a glass of champagne. It's a gorgeous stone. I drool over it.

But it's not easy and any vendor who tells you it is is lying. This is something you would need to see in person before buying and I would strongly recommend sending it to a lab yourself or to an appraiser because some inclusions can break the surface or have the potential to break the surface. Also, I'm sorry but most large SI2's look like dog excrement to me. So take your time, do not "trust" the vendor's eye, and make perfectly sure you don't have to pay for it if nor accept a store credit if you don't like it.

 

[MissGotRocks]

Re: Opinions pls - can I find an eye-clean 2.5 carat SI2 dia

Depending on how far up the color chart you're willing to travel, you might be able to come down to an SI1 clarity. You'd have a much easier time finding an eyeclean SI1. You might also consider coming down in size a bit as well to maximize your budget. Having a large, included stone wouldn't mean as much to most folks around here as a smaller, well cut, eye clean stone.

If I were you, I'd call a couple of the PS vendors and tell them what I'm looking for and see what they come up with. Just remember that eyeclean means different things to different people - your version and someone else's might be completely different.

 

[Ravinmad]

Re: Opinions pls - can I find an eye-clean 2.5 carat SI2 dia

http://www.om-barak.com/barak/Output/Certificates/D49484.jpg


This is a stone that is the virtual collection from BGD. No image but I bet if you were serious and asked you might get one. Strong blue Flor thou.

http://www.briangavindiamonds.com/diamonds/diamond-details/2.310-h-si2-round-diamond-gia-31007090

 

[toblerone]

Re: Opinions pls - can I find an eye-clean 2.5 carat SI2 dia

I really appreciate everyone's response.

I know that the response would vary from person to person, but would it be more advisable to hunt for an SI2, I colored diamond, or refine my search to and SI1 stone but go down to J in color?

 

[yssie]

Re: Opinions pls - can I find an eye-clean 2.5 carat SI2 dia

Aww, thank you Danny! It took a while to find - I had a couple of vendors looking, WF pulled this one. The main inclusion is a feather, there's a small crystal (and a couple of clouds but they're insignificant). Both are near the girdle and can be put under prongs - they're still visible from the side but I'm one of those who doesn't care about that, especially since I prefer ornate heads that obstruct the side-view anyway. Loose the stone is *not* clean to my standards, so getting the centerstone oriented a certain way in the setting is super important.

OP - I think you'll be searching a long time trying to find a clean 2.5+ SI2 for all the reasons listed, and when you do find one, or find one with prongable inclusions, you're going to pay an almost-SI1 price for it, so it's likely to be more efficient and less stressful to widen the search to include SI1s as well, as MGR suggests.

 

[toblerone]

Re: Opinions pls - can I find an eye-clean 2.5 carat SI2 dia

Just running a quick search and it seems like if I move up to SI1 in clarity, but move down to J from I in color, my price actually drops. I'm a little surprised as I would have thought the clarity weighed more on the price.

Question is of course if I can get away with moving to J

 

[MissGotRocks]

Re: Opinions pls - can I find an eye-clean 2.5 carat SI2 dia

Just running a quick search and it seems like if I move up to SI1 in clarity, but move down to J from I in color, my price actually drops. I'm a little surprised as I would have thought the clarity weighed more on the price.

Question is of course if I can get away with moving to J

That's just strictly personal preference in terms of color. Have you seen well cut J colored stones before? It would be ideal if you could find a jeweler with well cut stones in several different colors to determine where your comfort zone really lies. Some people prefer stones in that color range, some folks have gone to J to maximize size - all depends on what your final goal really is or if size is truly your main criteria. I hope cut quality will be your main criteria with color and clarity following suit!

 

[toblerone]

Re: Opinions pls - can I find an eye-clean 2.5 carat SI2 dia

Yes, cut is something I won't sacrifice. I have been using the HCA tool for every diamond I look at and will be asking for idealscope images prior to purchase.

Just running a quick search and it seems like if I move up to SI1 in clarity, but move down to J from I in color, my price actually drops. I'm a little surprised as I would have thought the clarity weighed more on the price.

Question is of course if I can get away with moving to J

That's just strictly personal preference in terms of color. Have you seen well cut J colored stones before? It would be ideal if you could find a jeweler with well cut stones in several different colors to determine where your comfort zone really lies. Some people prefer stones in that color range, some folks have gone to J to maximize size - all depends on what your final goal really is or if size is truly your main criteria. I hope cut quality will be your main criteria with color and clarity following suit!

 

[diamondseeker2006]

Re: Opinions pls - can I find an eye-clean 2.5 carat SI2 dia

I'd stick with I SI1 as the goal and go down to the size that will meet your budget. a 2.25 ct. stone is still very large. Even with SI1 in that size you'll have to be very careful.

 

[Rockdiamond]

Re: Opinions pls - can I find an eye-clean 2.5 carat SI2 dia

To me, this is a textbook example of why it's very important to buy a diamond from a vendor that can assess it for you.
Saying that eye clean SI2's are one in a million completely overstates the case.
If we're considering newly cut stones coming off the wheel, and accurately graded RBC SI2 in 2.5+-cts- the number of face up eye clean ones might be as high as 60%.
If we include form the side as well, that number probably drops for 30%.

But if we useexisting stones in dealer inventories, the percentage of eye clean SI2's will be smaller- as there is a "culling" that takes place over time. The eye clean ones get sold, the non eye clean ones stick around.

SO- if we want to use percentages, it's a fair bet that any given 2.50ct SI2 GIA graded stone on the web might or might not be eye clean- and given the money involved, it's a safe bet to advise a consumer to avoid SI2 if they can't buy from a vendor who can assess the diamond- and offer a money back guarantee to back it up.

BUT- from my perspective- by giving that advice, we're not spending someone else's money judiciously.
IMO, the smarter advice is to find a vendor who can sort through what's out there, and find one of the many eye clean SI2 diamonds.
Buyers who are not looking for "mind clean" can save a LOT this way.

 

[toblerone]

Re: Opinions pls - can I find an eye-clean 2.5 carat SI2 dia

Lots of useful responses in here, thanks everyone!

 

[vintagelover229]

Re: Opinions pls - can I find an eye-clean 2.5 carat SI2 dia

At one point Phoenix was selling her 2.65 that's set as a pendant but I can't seem to find the listing but it wouldn't hurt to double check and ask. I think she was asking right under 30k for it and it was bought from BGD and is a stunner!

[URL='https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/pics-of-2-656ct-barbara-pendant-5-444ctw-3-stone-ring.163076/']https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/pics-of-2-656ct-barbara-pendant-5-444ctw-3-stone-ring.163076/[/URL]