Opnions on a diamond

[chagall]

I have been looking around for diamonds. So far the best ones I have found so far locally have been this brick and mortar firm that has the following specs.

Caret: 0.91
Color: F
Clarity: SI1
Cut: Ideal
Polish: Ideal
Symetry: Ideal
Price: $5900

Unfortunately, I did not get the other information such as depth. The diamond did seem at the top end of all of the diamonds we saw so far. They stuck it in the isee2 scope and it came back with a 9.1 rating (how good is this by the way?)

A question about shopping. So far I have basically looked for diamonds locally to see what I wanted. After looking around, I realized that I needed an Ideal cut or better. I weren''t sure about H&A vs. not. The chief problem is that I am not quite certain that a H&A diamond is automatically better or sparklier. May be it''s just that H&A is a very loose term and there''s no standard.

I realized that I needed a G or better because this is where it appears to be color-less.

I wasn''t quite certain about clarity rating. Even with the same rating, there were some large differences on how the diamond looked. Some of the SI1 diamond for example look far better than the VS2 diamonds. I am wondering if this is differences in certification: AGS/GIA vs EGL for example.

The next step is shop on the Internet and see how much I am off price-wise. If it''s pretty close, I''ll go with the brick and mortar firm since I am nervous about carrying ariound a huge chunk of stone and having it sent Fedex. How in the world do I compare the diamonds?

I figure I want either a AGS, GIA, or HRD certificate.
If I plug in the numbers into HCA and the numbers are good, will it mean the diamond will be sparkly?
Ditto for Idealscope. If the picture is all red or pink or at most with some small white spots.

Any tips on negtioating prices? How much can I typically negotiate?

 

[Lorelei]

Welcome

I will try to help with some of your questions. Regarding the diamond you are asking about, there isn't enough info to even guess at cut quality, besides depth the crown and pavillion angles are needed - very important! I don't suppose the seller has a Sarin report available on this diamond? The HCA is a tool which helps eliminate diamonds which may not perform as well as others, it isn't really a selection tool but very useful in online purchasing where you are unable to see potential diamonds before you commit. It is best used to weed out lesser performers, not to rely on absolutely as a guide to a diamond's beauty. However a diamond with a great HCA score should have a good chance of being a lovely diamond. I think the differences you are noticing between stones is probably of cut quality, not the clarity differences - most diamonds in these clarities should be eyeclean. This is a good thing as you are learning what appeals to you and makes a beautiful diamond - cut is KEY. This too won't be a difference in certification where beauty is concerned, GIA and AGS are considered to be the industry standards, EGL USA are thought to be more lenient with grading but may carry a lower price tag, you can't tell by looking at a diamond who graded it and judge accordingly, again cut will dictate how it looks. The Idealscope is a useful tool to have with you and can help with your selection. Buying online can be daunting but you can find an incredible diamond whether you decide that a H&A is what you want or a very fine cut non branded cut. Go to Whiteflash's site too under vendors and you will see lots of examples of H&A cuts and info too. Use the tutorials in the knowledge section to read up on the ideal proportions for a great cut and this will help you further. There is a lot to learn before pulling the trigger, look at as many diamonds as you can and above all what your eyes tell you is beautiful which is what matters. The price looks a little high for the one you posted but this is usual for a B&M, if you do consider buying online you can get an independant appraisal during the return period - also online vendors are an expert bunch and will help you every step of the way. Hope this helps but try not to rush into this, learning and comparing pays off in the end. I don't know what the procedure is for negotiating in a store, most online vendors are operating on slim margins anyway but I suppose it is what you feel comfortable with. I don't know if online vendors will negotiate, but I suppose it can depend. Many of your questions can be answered by going to the knowledge section at the top of the page and that should tell you everything you want to know.

 

[Gonzodogg]

Date: 1/23/2006 12:19:20 PM
Author:chagall
I have been looking around for diamonds. So far the best ones I have found so far locally have been this brick and mortar firm that has the following specs.

Caret: 0.91
Color: F
Clarity: SI1
Cut: Ideal
Polish: Ideal
Symetry: Ideal
Price: $5900

A quick search by cut tells me that you are probably paying $500-1000 more at the B&M than you would from a good online vendor.
We do not know a lot about the cut so this is assuming that the stone in the local store really is an "ideal" cut.

good luck in finding the right stone

Mike