Pick a rock... please!

[dazed_confused]

Been lurking here for a while, but finally working up the gumption to pop the question. All I need now is the perfect piece of encouragement for my girl. I've been looking at a few stones and was curious what the experts think. Very different stones, but they each seemed very nice (although there is a bit of room between the prices...)



Rock 1:



GIA Cert
Round Brilliant
7.76 x 7.86 x 4.78
1.75 ct
Depth: 61.2%
Table: 59%

Girdle: Thin - Med, Faceted
Culet: None
Polish: VG
Symmetry: G
Clarity: VS2
Color: E
Fluor: None

Price: $15,800


Rock 2:

GIA Cert
Round Brilliant
7.43 x 7.49 x 4.60
1.56 ct
Depth: 61.7%
Table: 57%
Girdle: Med, faceted
Culet: None
Polish: VG
Symmetry: EX
Clarity: SI1
Color: F
Fluor: None

Price: $11,700


Any thoughts, or at least do the prices seem in line with the quality? Sorry, I don't have angles for the HCA... I really can't decide and thankfully I don't have a girl who is looking for the biggest rock. I just want to give the one with the best sparkle! Should I be worried about the SI1? Or is that still in the "acceptable" range, esp. with the good color levels?



Thanks much in advance!

 

[aljdewey]

It's really tough to give you the best direction without those angles because those *directly* affect sparkle more than any other thing.




However, just based on what you *do* have for info, ........you've said you want the rock with the most sparkle? Of the two, I'd pick #2.




#1 is nice, but it's out of ideal range because the table is too large. It may still be beautiful, and if budget is a factor, this may still be a consideration. But I'd suspect the cut on #2 is better.

 

[diamondsman]

somthing is wrong here,
the 1.75 evs2 is cheaper than the 1.5 fsi1????

it cant be.

I would pick the 1.75 evs2!!!
but i would browse the web first to see if i getting the best deal for my money.

 

[dazed_confused]

Thanks much for the repsonses. It looks like I reversed the prices -- trying to rush, sorry! The 1.56 F SI1 is $11,700, while the 1.75 is $15,800. Given the revised info, what would you recommend?

Is there any way for me to get the angles, or do I have to send one out to an appraiser first?

Sorry if these are very n000b questions, but I want to make sure I am getting the most value here.

 

[magna2]

dazed,

You should call up the vendor and ask for the angles. Now, which of the two is the better deal? I suspect stone no. 2 still represents the better buy; however, might sure that it is eye clean.

 

[fire&ice]

I think it depends on your budget. I'd go with the larger stone if money was no object. But, then I like either tiny little tables or big ones. A 1b/2a cut grade stone is nothing to sneeze at. I would do a price comparision to see if you are paying for super louper duper ideal cut or for a very good make.

Also, my mantra - have you thought about a G/VS2? The value is much better w/ little to no visual compromise as long as the stone have a good make.

 

[canadiangrrl]

Just based on the info you've got, I'd go for the F/SI1, if it were up to me. The other stone is markedly bigger, but it's verging on being out of round. And it's too big for my tastes.

 

[dazed_confused]

----------------
Also, my mantra - have you thought about a G/VS2?

Have not thought about that combo, but I might. I was trying to be in the colorless category, even if its only psycholigcally relevant. Being a novice, I wouldn't be able to spot the difference walking down the street, but I wanted my girl to have the top category in something. Not sure whether to start over. I'll try and get the angles from my guy here and run them through the HCA.

Thanks again for the help!

 

[caratgirl]

I would pick #2 as well, if you are into seeing the arrows in the stone, due to the excellent symmetry. Usually that, in combination with the smaller table, will give it more fire.

 

[Mara]

Not to throw a wrench in the plans, but you want the stone to have life, sparkle and people to admire it? So why not focus on CUT...get those angles!!! Forget F SI vs G VS, you need to get the angles and find out more. To go off the info you have is like not test driving a car before plunking down $11-15k...alot of money!

I like the bigger stone, of course, but the cut may be a little iffy...the second one looks like it has more potential, but who really knows--the angles will tell more.




Good luck!!

 

[dazed_confused]

I just spoke to the dealer I am working with and he said that grading stones (cuts like Ideal, 1a, etc.) are an AGS thing and that GIA does not do this. I asked him to ask the wholesaler for the information, but if he says they don't have it, is my only recourse to get an independent appraiser look at it? I just get the feeling that he doesn't agree with putting those angles into something like the HCA to get a determination on quality of cuts.

Thanks!

 

[aljdewey]

Dazed: I'm running into the exact same thing.........so I share your pain. Unfortunately, GIA will not provide the measurements on their reports (even though they take them), so the vendors don't have them.




That's part of the problem with brokered stones......it's not the vendor who's reluctant to give them to you....and they are often equally frustrated.




That said, you might do better to limit your search to AGS stones which provide that critical info on every report. Also, I'd wholeheartedly agree with what Mara said.....you can give your girl top-of-the-line in CUT.....which is the most important thing anyway. That's what makes a diamond sparkle.


I'd drop down in color/clarity to get the top-shelf cut quality.

 

[DEVO]

For your budget why don't you check out what you can get using the high quality search engine on this site. You will find that for the same price you are getting ideal cut diamonds with similar cts/color/clarity.

 

[canadiangrrl]

Not every wholesaler or vendor has a Sarin or Megascope, unfortunately. If you can't get a Sarin run on your choice, I'd take Al's advice and stick with AGS stones. Their measurements tend to be pretty accurate.

 

[caratgirl]

At the risk of being tarred and feathered, I will relay what many vendors have told me in the past. A GIA EX symmetry stone will very very rarely be a disappointment when the table and depth are within 1A to 1B parameters. If you just look for AGS stones, you will be quite limited in your search. Why don't you choose one of the vendors that can actually see the stone you may want to purchase? They can then advise you.

 

[dazed_confused]

----------------
On 11/25/2003 6:56:55 PM caratgirl wrote:

Why don't you choose one of the vendors that can actually see the stone you may want to purchase? They can then advise you.

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

Not sure about what you are saying here. I may not have made clear in my earlier post, I have seen both the stones I've mentioned above(out of about 5 or so that I compared right next to each other.) Maybe I'm a complete dunce, but it was rather hard getting it down to these two. Looked at them for a while, naked eye, with a loupe and even under a 10-60x microscope. I've just been following this site so much, I've gotten consumed with cut quality, angles, etc. Both stones looked great to me, but I want to make sure I have the most sparkling thing around. It is a large investment and I'm very fortunate to have as much lattitude as I have with price.

I guess I'm also a little bit off track because I made the mistake of going into Tiffany in NYC and looking at a few stones. All were very nice, and the lighting they have there makes them look incredible! I've looked at the two above only under fluorescent light and on a tray as was recommended as the best way to view a diamond. Too much of a perfectionist (some might call it something else...

 

[caratgirl]

Oops, I didn't know that...just get the one that you like better then. Or if you don't trust your judgement, which one does the vendor like best? Or go to an appraiser that can take a look at each one.

 

[Colored Gemstone Nut]

Either way I would get the stone appraised first befor laying out that kind of cash...




Given the 2 original choices I would go with the F-si-1....