Please give me your input--To keep or return?

[RedButterfly003]

I have been reading this forum for some time now so I feel like I should be able to make this decision on my own, but I just can''t

. I need your help in deciding whether or not this stone is a good value. My boyfriend picked it out as a stone for a custom pendant and we have two weeks to decide whether or not to keep it. What do you think? Here are the specs:

GIA Certified
Round Brilliant
Measurements: 5.80-5.83 x 3.57 mm

Carat Weight: 0.73 carat
Color Grade: D
Clarity Grade: S1
Cut Grade: Excellent

Clarity Characteristics: Crystal
Finish
Polish: Very Good
Symmetry: Very Good
Fluorescence: None


Depth %: 61.4
Table %: 57
Crown Angle: 35
Pavilion Angle: 41
Cutlet: None

HCA SCORE: 2.3

Price Paid: $2,900.00

Overall it''s a pretty stone, but I just want to make sure I can''t get something better or equal for a lower price elsewhere. Also, it bothers me a little bit that the stone doesn''t fall into the Ideal parameters for AGS. Am I just nitpicking or should I look at alternatives?

Please help with feedback, I promise to post pics when the pendant is done.

 

[chrono]

Do you have any Idealscope pictures? This still could be a very pretty stone.

 

[Lorelei]

As you have seen this diamond, do you love it or not? There are always better deals if you look it seems, an AGS0 won't necessarily be more beautiful, if you feel you would be best having the AGS0 title, then that might be the way to go, but do look objectively at the diamond you have in your possession and pay attention to what your own eyes tell you. Also if having a D isn't that important, you could go larger and still have a very white diamond with an F or G, in the end you have to decide what is important to you, to make your whole " package" so to speak.

Chrono, it seems they have the diamond already and are deciding whether to keep it or not...

 

[chrono]

Oh, thanks Lorelei. I must have misunderstood the post. I went back to read it again and see that she has 2 weeks to decide whether to keep it or return it. Well, since you have the diamond in your hand, does it blow you away? If it makes your heart stop, then there's your answer.

 

[Lorelei]

Date: 8/8/2007 1:26:13 PM
Author: Chrono
Oh, thanks Lorelei. I must have misunderstood the post. I went back to read it again and see that she has 2 weeks to decide whether to keep it or return it. Well, since you have the diamond in your hand, does it blow you away? If it makes your heart stop, then there''s your answer.

No worries Chrono!

 

[RedButterfly003]

Thank you for the advice so far!

Since I don''t have any idealscope pictures I was hoping these would help give you an idea about the diamond itself... I hope this works...*crosses fingers*

 

[RedButterfly003]

Another...

 

[RedButterfly003]

...

 

[RedButterfly003]

...

 

[RedButterfly003]

...

 

[RedButterfly003]

...

 

[RedButterfly003]

...

 

[JulieN]

Looks pretty nice. There''s backlighting, so can''t really say anything about leakage. But not everyone wants stones that look textbook under reflectors.

 

[RedButterfly003]

...

 

[RedButterfly003]

...

 

[RedButterfly003]

Ok last one! This is the new stone next to my WF "expert selection" SI2 I Stud. Thoughts??

 

[RedButterfly003]

Anyone??

 

[FireGoddess]

Arrows are narrow. By itself it looks pretty good...next to the ACA, that ACA wins.

Do you have an IS at home?

 

[chrono]

Date: 8/8/2007 4:47:00 PM
Author: FireGoddess
Arrows are narrow. By itself it looks pretty good...next to the ACA, that ACA wins.

Do you have an IS at home?

Since you have an ACA at home, how do YOU feel they compare to one another?

 

[RedButterfly003]

Thanks Firegoddess! Yeah, I was thinking the arrows are a bit narrow too. Plus that Whiteflash stone was a lot cheaper than the D next to it! I don''t have an idealscope at home but I''m heading to a local jeweler this afternoon that I know will let me borrow his

.

 

[RedButterfly003]

This stone looks a like whiter in indoor lighting while the WF ES stone (in the stud setting pictured above) has more contrast, so I am really torn. I like that the D is colorless but the WF stone seems to have brighter flashes overall...Grrr, I hate being so indecisive!

 

[gwendolyn]

I can''t anything from the pictures (my eyes with internet photos are terrible), but it''s an S1 so it''s got visible inclusions, right? Where are they (or it)? That would probably be the main thing I''d be worried about with it (but I''m a n00b compared to most folks here, so please feel free to ignore me

).

 

[MichelleCarmen]

Date: 8/8/2007 5:01:36 PM
Author: gwendolyn
I can''t anything from the pictures (my eyes with internet photos are terrible), but it''s an S1 so it''s got visible inclusions, right? Where are they (or it)? That would probably be the main thing I''d be worried about with it (but I''m a n00b compared to most folks here, so please feel free to ignore me

).

SIs don''t necessarily have visable inclusions. Many are eye clean.

 

[MichelleCarmen]

Your stone looks very pretty next to the WF one and it''s SO much brighter & whiter.

Like Lorelei said, you''ll always find other diamonds that will appear to be a better deal, so it should come down to, do you LOVE the stone? Does it look amazing to you? I''m betting it''s gorgeous and will make an ideal pendant

 

[boston_jeff]

Date: 8/8/2007 12:58:58 PM
Author:RedButterfly003
Clarity Characteristics: Crystal Finish

Polish: Very Good

Symmetry: Very Good

Fluorescence: None

*Threadjack*

What does the bolded portion above mean? I have never seen that before.

 

[Julianna]

Date: 8/8/2007 7:02:02 PM
Author: boston_jeff

Date: 8/8/2007 12:58:58 PM
Author:RedButterfly003
Clarity Characteristics: Crystal Finish

Polish: Very Good

Symmetry: Very Good

Fluorescence: None

*Threadjack*

What does the bolded portion above mean? I have never seen that before.

After reading it at least three times, I think it''s maybe Clarity Characteristics: Crystal....and THEN...Finish Polish: Very Good. Which makes only vaguely more sense. I could be wrong.

 

[WorkingHardforSmallRewards]

well, looking at the figures you gave and the pictures it seems like your new diamond has

somewhat long LGF and while certainly not a large table, it is at the top range of those ideal table parameters, each of which will make light qualities more disposed toward white light return rather than broad flashes of fire I believe?

there was a recent thread, a very very lengthy recent thread discussing the issue of light return and the 41/35 combo. It got too complicated for me to speak to but in general it looks like it is a very nice combination and can get top notch light return--and in fact can perform equally as well as an AGS 0 when everything is in order. To check the light leakage though, since you can't tell the angle of every facet the IS image should give a decent Idea. maybe try to take a picture for us if possible? but I bet you can tell by yourself as well. However, even if it does perform exceedingly well and match the ACA in overall light return it should have thinner/smaller burst of fire and more overall white light return right? it seems to me thats what the numbers and the arrows are indicating and what seems to be most people's general observation (though that can be tricky when talking bout fairly significant actual color changes).

So I guess after this diamond passes your IS image test, the question I would be wondering is, since you have an ACA, which type of appearance do you want in a pendant. If there is a noticable difference in fire between the two, and a noticable difference in white light return, then you have to decide if you want to have the broader flashes of fire and less white light return or more white light return and somewhat thinner burst of fire?

Maybe one way to check it out would be to look at them in yoru mirror. That way you can see what they look like at a distance. Hold it up to where your pendant will fall and compare next to the ACA there. Can you really tell any difference from a distance in the mirror? if so, which type of light performance do you really want hanging around your neck?

Those are my thoughts anyway, for whatever its worth.

 

[RedButterfly003]

Wow WorkingHardforSmallRewards thank you for the lengthy post, and according to my jeweler you were pretty right! The D diamond definitely has less of the broad flashes and more narrow flashes, as well as more brightness overall. We set my stone next to a Hearts on Fire of the same size and compared them in three different light settings. Mostly, to my naked eye, I thought the diamonds were equal, but of course the HOF was double the price

.

I also got to look at the diamond through an idealscope and the D has perfect, symmetrical hearts and perfect arrows, just the arrows are more narrow and the hearts have a different shape. Equally symmetrical and identical, just different from the WF ACA. It''s a different style of H&A. So, anyways, after comparing the HOF with my D I decided to keep the D since it performs (in my opinion) just as well and is much more affordable (not to mention higher color grade!).

I''ll keep you posted once the pendant is finished! And thank you for all the feedback!

And btw, my earrings aren''t ACA''s, they are Expert Selection. I''m saving the ACA purchase for the engagement ring

 

[WorkingHardforSmallRewards]

well I am glad you like it! I still say you run a quick mirror test. The first time I checked my diamond out from a distance in the mirror it was pretty eye opening. And since you won't be seeing it as much other people will be, I think its a pretty good comparison test to do

 

[chrono]

Date: 8/8/2007 9:00:37 PM
Author: RedButterfly003
I also got to look at the diamond through an idealscope and the D has perfect, symmetrical hearts and perfect arrows, just the arrows are more narrow and the hearts have a different shape. Equally symmetrical and identical, just different from the WF ACA. It''s a different style of H&A. So, anyways, after comparing the HOF with my D I decided to keep the D since it performs (in my opinion) just as well and is much more affordable (not to mention higher color grade!).
It sounds like what you used is a Hearts & Arrow viewer, not an Idealscope. The H&A viewer checks for optical symmetry. The Idealscope checks for light leakage and gives a different "look".

I''m glad you like the stone even though it is different from your ES stone. It''s good to like a variety of looks. I suppose you are keeping the stone?