Oval or Radiant for my 3-stone?

[Ice_newbie]

Hi everyone,
I am trying to decide between ovals and radiants for my three stone ring. I am thinking of a 1.75-2 ct center stone.

I am looking for diamonds that will hold their value and appeal for many years. Which shape will have more staying power? I don't want anything that's trendy or might become dated. I do love round brilliants (and have them as my studs), but I would like something slightly more unusual for my ring (and a bit more size for the money as well). I am also looking for diamonds that will "face up" relatively large- I don't like the idea of paying for carat weight that you can't see!

I love rectangular radiants, but as I do more research on that cut, I am becoming concerned that it is very hard to evaluate/compare radiant stones. I am not a diamond expert, and I don't trust my own eye to discern the nuances that distinguish a beautiful radiant cut from a mediocre one. When I compare several radiant stones in person, I don't trust myself to know which ones are better cut, and without hard-and-fast metrics, I'm worried that I might not be getting a good value for the price.

For example, my local (very reputable) jeweler just showed me two candidates for center radiants - one with a depth of 76.8, and the other with a depth of 77.2. Both numbers are so far from the "ideal" depth of 69 that I am worried they are not great quality. The latter has only Good Polish and Good Symmetry, while the former has Excellent polish and Good symmetry. My jeweler assures me they are both beautiful stones, but I like to see Excellents on GIA reports!

My jeweler also tells me that rectangular radiants are relatively tough to come by these days - people apparently generally prefer the more square stones, so our options are more limited. Does anyone know whether that is the case?

I also love oval cuts, and it seems to me that they are somewhat easier to evaluate based on the numbers. I have not yet started to compare oval stones; I have asked my jeweler to order some but am still waiting.

I know that many people in this forum like to use BGD and other internet-based jewelers, but for such a big purchase, I feel much more comfortable with a reputable local jeweler. For either cut, I'd love some advice about what guidelines I should give to my jeweler as she contacts her sources to look for stone sets.

Thanks!

 

[chrono]

You should get a shape that appeals greatly to you because you'll be the one wearing it for many years to come. In terms of popularity, rounds are the bestsellers and never gets dated. If you want something that faces up large, if I'm not mistaken, ovals face up larger than radiants and not only that, radiants also show colour easily so you'll have to amp up the colour scale. With both ovals and radiants, which are classified as fancy cuts, both cannot be evaluated by the numbers alone. You'll have to see it in person and/or use an ASET to help evaluate the performance.

Although there are no hard and fast rule, the numbers are a good start, but the eyes must take it from there.
https://www.pricescope.com/wiki/diamonds/diamond-grading-chart-emerald-radiant
https://www.pricescope.com/wiki/diamonds/diamond-grading-chart-marquis-pear-oval-heart

Depths over 70% is very deep for radiants. It should be around the low to mid 60s. What are the table sizes? How is the pattern?

The advantage of going with PS recommended vendors is that they will test the light performance of stone you are interested in with an ASET so you know it's going to be a sparkler. Not only that, pricing is almost always better than B&M stores.

 

[Ice_newbie]

Thanks chrono. Which of the PS-recommended vendors would be the best resource for ovals and/or radiants? I know that Leon, for example, dislikes radiants.

 

[AprilBaby]

I think ovals will be more classic long term. They make the finger so elegant! I am also biased because I don't like squared stones.

 

[Rosebloom]

GOG has sourced some gorgeous ovals in the past (like Kaleigh's beauty!). I'd probably reach out to them (but they may still be recovering from Sandy for a few days). I agree that with a fancy shape it's even more important to go with a trusted vendor who can help evaluate light performance.

Www.goodoldgold.com

 

[bigdiamondtinygal]

Ovals!

 

[Niel]

If you want something that faces up and looks classic I vote oval all the way!!

My vote for a three stone is an oval with half moon sidestones. SO classic and beautiful. And a lot of bang for the buck

 

[Sopranojla]

I currently have a radiant. My FI picked it out without really knowing what to look for as far as cut and as a result, we ended up with a stone that light leakage. Don't get me wrong, the stone is pretty, but we are going to most likely swap it out when we go back for my wedding band.

The BEST advice I got on here was to purchase an ASET. Because GIA does not have cut grades for fancies, this tool will help you evaluate cut by viewing the stone's light performance. I am somewhat new to all of this, too, but from what I learned, you want to see mostly red and a contrast of blue. Too much green or clear/white is not what you want to see; that means light is escaping out of the side of the stone. Sadly, when I used the ASET (the one I purchased was the multi-colored one for $50.00. See link below) on my stone, I saw mostly white/green with a little bit of red/blue confirming what I already thought was true.

Also, Good Old Gold has some FANTASTIC videos about evaluating radiants and other cuts for light performance. Just go to their website or google Good old gold + radiants and light performance.

Here is the information on how to order and use the ASET:

How to order: http://www.ideal-scope.com/cart_order.asp

How to read: http://www.ideal-scope.com/1.using_reference_chart_ASET.asp

Best of luck to you!!