Please give me your opinion on this stone. Other options?

[diamondbuyer7]

Please help me in evaluating this stone: http://www.whiteflash.com/hearts_arrows/A-Cut-Above-H-A-cut-diamond-1090857.htm


DIAMONDS DETAILS



1.231 ct I VS2 A Cut Above H&A
$7,605.00 Reserved



Item Code: AGS-9743101

. Report: AGS
. Shape: A Cut Above H&A
. Carat: 1.231
. Depth %: 60.5
. Table %: 55.3
. Crown Angle: 34.8
. Crown %: 15.1
. Star : 53
. Pavilion Angle: 40.7
. Pavilion %: 42.8
. Lower Girdle %: 76
. Girdle: Thin to Medium Faceted
. Measurements: 6.96-6.98X4.22
. Light Performance: 0
. Polish: Ideal
. Symmetry: Ideal
. Culet: Pointed
. Fluorescence: Negligible


The two most important things to me are cut and clarity. I have primarily looked at eye clean SI1 stones, but have the reassurance with this one that it is eye clean (up close and from sides). The cert looks very clean. After much research, I really like the AGS0 stones.

A few questions/concerns;

I was originally looking at stones closer to 1.5ct. In going from 1.5 down to 1.231, is it going to be REALLY noticeable?

There are lots of AGS0 stones on the market that are not "A Cut Above". Is the price premium for the ACA worth it?

Color is still a concern for me. Is I color going to show some yellow? (My understanding is the better the cut, the less you notice the color?) Would it be worth it to hold out/pay the extra for G or H color?

Can you refer me to any other comparable stones that you may think are a better fit/value? (eye clean SI1 or VS2)

I am considering the WF sleek line setting. I''ve been told it really makes the stone stand out (and look big). My GF wears very simple, classic looking jewelry (she loves James Avery - if you know who they are.) Do you think this ring would be a good fit? It comes in either a 4-prong or 6-prong. What are the pros/cons? It seems the 6 prong would be more secure, but the 4 prong is a little "cleaner".


I would prefer to buy soon, but am not in a huge rush. If I had my choice, I would probably prefer a stone closer to the 1.3ct - 1.4ct range with G or H in color. But, I may be holding out for a little extra size and color that would not be noticed. Whiteflash says they will not have a new batch of ACA''s in until October. Could wait that long, but would prefer not to.

I would really appreciate any and all help here!! I am near the point of analysis paralysis and need input! Thanks in advance!!

 

[dockman3]

Hi there. Wow, that''s a lot of questions, but I''ll see what I can do...

The diamond itself is gorgeous. Any ACA from WF is going to be a good stone, so I''m not worried about that.

The change from 1.5 to 1.23 will be noticeable if the two are placed side by side. Otherwise, you''ll never notice that difference on a finger.

I don''t own an ACA or an AGS0, so I can''t tell you if the premium is worth it, but WF is a spectacular company, so many people on this site would say that it is worth it 100%.

An I color is where some people generally start to be able to pick up some color, but you are right that a well cut stone will mask that. It should still face up very white and there are plenty of people here with J or K stones that look absolutely fantastic! Personally, I would hold out for the higher color, but I am a bit more color sensitive than most and my personal limit is G. But it really is up to you. If you don''t know your color tolerance, go to your local store and look at different colors in person to see where you can tell a difference.

I haven''t looked for other stones yet, but the one you have looks great. Use the cut quality search button towards the top of the page for some more options.

The WF sleek line is a very classic and classy look and I''m sure she will love it. There are also many pictures of that setting here and a quick search will find some for you.

The 6 prong is the classic "Tiffany" style basket whereas 4-prong is bit more "modern" for lack of a better word. The 6-prong is more secure, yes, but it is also more metal. The 4-prong is also very secure, but there are people that say 4-prong tend to make round diamonds look square when 6-prong make it look very round and even a bit bigger maybe. Its really just a personal preference.

As for buying now as opposed to waiting, the prices are only going to go up, so buying now is a good idea. However, don''t settle for something that you aren''t completely in love with. This is a huge purchase, so you want to make it a good one. If that means waiting, then I say wait, but if you absolutely love this stone, then go for it.

I''m sure other people will be by with other advice, but I hope this helped a bit. Good luck with your search and keep us posted!

 

[Lorelei]

Date: 8/14/2008 10:09:59 AM
Author:diamondbuyer7



Please help me in evaluating this stone: http://www.whiteflash.com/hearts_arrows/A-Cut-Above-H-A-cut-diamond-1090857.htm


DIAMONDS DETAILS






1.231 ct I VS2 A Cut Above H&A
$7,605.00 Reserved



Item Code: AGS-9743101




. Report: AGS
. Shape: A Cut Above H&A
. Carat: 1.231
. Depth %: 60.5
. Table %: 55.3
. Crown Angle: 34.8
. Crown %: 15.1
. Star : 53
. Pavilion Angle: 40.7
. Pavilion %: 42.8
. Lower Girdle %: 76
. Girdle: Thin to Medium Faceted
. Measurements: 6.96-6.98X4.22
. Light Performance: 0
. Polish: Ideal
. Symmetry: Ideal
. Culet: Pointed
. Fluorescence: Negligible


The two most important things to me are cut and clarity. I have primarily looked at eye clean SI1 stones, but have the reassurance with this one that it is eye clean (up close and from sides). The cert looks very clean. After much research, I really like the AGS0 stones.

A few questions/concerns;

I was originally looking at stones closer to 1.5ct. In going from 1.5 down to 1.231, is it going to be REALLY noticeable? The 1.2 diamond will be smaller, but with a fabulous cut like that, the diamond will look incredible. Especially compared to a 1.5 diamond of mediocre cut, the 1.2 would blow that right out of the water!

There are lots of AGS0 stones on the market that are not 'A Cut Above'. Is the price premium for the ACA worth it? It depends on what you value more. Generally an AGS0 will be an excellently performing stone and some may even show an arrow pattern in some lights, although these may not be an example of a true hearts and arrows diamond. Some prefer the pedigree of the ACA and knowing they have an undisputed H&A stone, others just want a fabulous cut and are not bothered about H&A.

Color is still a concern for me. Is I color going to show some yellow? (My understanding is the better the cut, the less you notice the color?) Would it be worth it to hold out/pay the extra for G or H color? Again that depends whether it is worth it to you to get a higher colour, but an I colour in that diamond will not be yellow. Some say an I is where the lay person may begin to perceive a hint of warmth in a diamond, especially from the side, but with a cut of that calibre, an I will still face up plenty white in my opinion. See if you can check out some I colour in person with similar cut quality, shape, size and lab grade.

Can you refer me to any other comparable stones that you may think are a better fit/value? (eye clean SI1 or VS2)

I am considering the WF sleek line setting. I've been told it really makes the stone stand out (and look big). My GF wears very simple, classic looking jewelry (she loves James Avery - if you know who they are.) Do you think this ring would be a good fit? It comes in either a 4-prong or 6-prong. What are the pros/cons? It seems the 6 prong would be more secure, but the 4 prong is a little 'cleaner'. This is again a matter of taste, 6 prongs are said to be more secure and make the diamond look rounder, some prefer 4 to show off the diamond better.


I would prefer to buy soon, but am not in a huge rush. If I had my choice, I would probably prefer a stone closer to the 1.3ct - 1.4ct range with G or H in color. But, I may be holding out for a little extra size and color that would not be noticed. Whiteflash says they will not have a new batch of ACA's in until October. Could wait that long, but would prefer not to.

I would really appreciate any and all help here!! I am near the point of analysis paralysis and need input! Thanks in advance!!

 

[Deelight]

The 1.3ct-1.4ct range is really hard as it is just under a magic carat weight. When my FF got my diamond we were looking for something in between the 1.4ct-1.49ct as a 1.5ct in the specs I wanted was out of budget we had a choice of 1 diamond (which was called in) within our really tight specs which was 1.37ct I was really hoping for something closer the the 1.45ct range but this one was perfect and exceeded my minimum millimeter range.

When I asked Sarah at GOG about the size difference between a 1.37ct and a 1.5ct I was told that yes there is a difference but for the extra amount it wasn''t worth it.

If you really want something larger I would suggest opening your search to other vendors, I did and found what I want or you could stay with what you have it looks like a beauty and still a very nice size, it really depends on how much that extra carat weight and colour is worth to you.