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Please Help A Newbie!

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goldilocks

Rough_Rock
Joined
Jun 10, 2003
Messages
4
Hello All! My fiance and I have been to at least 14 shops in the U.S. looking for an engagement ring. We are both tired of looking and have narrowed it down to two stones but have a number of questions that some expert advice would be very welcome in resolving!

I listed the stone characteristics below and I have the following questions:

1) Is EGL USA less reputable as a grader than AGS?
2) Why does the second stone look sparklier when it is a lower quality color and clarity when both stones have an ideal cut?
3) The EGL USA stone was put on what the guy called a Sarin Machine which looked like a microscope attached to a computer. It printed out a computer diagram with the stone characteristics. These differed slightly from the EGL USA certificate that went with the stone. Is this suspicious? Or normal?
4) Are these fair prices for these stones?
5) Which one would you choose? We are looking for maximum sparkle at most reasonable cost but don''t want to buy something cheaper and sparklier (Stone B) if it''s not reputable.

Thanks ever so much for the help!!!!!!!

Stone 1 is Round
Carat: 0.82
Clarity: VS1
Color: F
Cut: Excellent Ideal (AGS rating = 0)
Certified: AGS
Cost: $4000
Dimensions: 6.0-6.03 * 3.72
Crown angle: 34.7
Crown Height: 15.5%
Pavilion angle: 41.1
pavilion depth: 43.4%
culet: ???
table size: 55%
girdle thick: ???? 1.2-2.0 ???
fluorescence: inert

Stone 2 is also Round:
Carat: 0.75
Clarity: S1
Color: H
Proportion Cut Grade: 0
Certified: EGL USA
Cost: $3200
Dimensions: 5.83-5.93 * 3.62
Crown angle: 35.0
Crown Height: 15.2%
Pavilion angle: 40.7
pavilion depth: 43.0%
culet: 1.4 %
table size: 56.7%
girdle thick: 0.0-2.2
fluorescence: none
 

homer_j

Shiny_Rock
Joined
Mar 31, 2003
Messages
234
First off, I'm not an expert, but until you hear from them, maybe I can help.

1. AGS is very consistent, EGL USA does not have quite the bad rap as the international EGL labs. A good appraiser can verify this for you. Concerns with EGL would be in color and clarity grading primarily.

2. Every stone is different, like a fingerprint. It may be more ideal, or clarity or minor facets may all be factors. Be aware of lighting effects and use your eyes to make a final decision.

3. Slight differences are perfectly normal. Could be due to calibration or methodology. Not a problem unless it is noticeably different, say more than 2%, definitely if more than 5%.

4. For a price comparison, check out the pricescope search engine and run a serach for stones with similar specs. If you are looking at retail, non-internet, prices there will be a difference. How much, depends on the service and what you are willing to pay for local service over internet shopping.

5. Without more info, I'd go for #1, based mostly on size. But if #2 looks significantly more impressive and an eye clean SI1, then I would maybe choose that one.
 

Mara

Super_Ideal_Rock
Joined
Oct 30, 2002
Messages
31,003
What is total depth on these stones as a %? I can't find the formula and I'm too lazy to look more deeply. Please post then we can run the stones through the HCA.

Thanks!
 

goldilocks

Rough_Rock
Joined
Jun 10, 2003
Messages
4
Hi again! Thanks for the feedback so far.

Two points: First, we are looking only at retail because we are in rush to get married for family reasons. And also because buying online without seeing it sounds too daunting.

Second:- to mara
the total depth on stone one is 61.9 % i believe.
on stone two it is 61.9 % as well
 

Giangi

Ideal_Rock
Joined
Jan 23, 2003
Messages
2,530
61.8%
2.gif
Looks nice...

61.6%
2.gif
From your Sarin it looks like it has an Extremely Thin to Slightly Thick girdle. Quite a range. Also, such a thin girdle has much more risks to chip...

I prefer #1... Bigger, better quality, better Lab and nicer girdle... Thin to Sl. Thick.
 

Giangi

Ideal_Rock
Joined
Jan 23, 2003
Messages
2,530
Something is wrong here...

(6.01+6.03)/2 = 6.015
3.72/6.015 = 61.8 %

(5.83+5.93)/2 = 5.88
3.62/5.88 = 61.6 %

Hope that helps...
1.gif
 

Mara

Super_Ideal_Rock
Joined
Oct 30, 2002
Messages
31,003
Welllllll.....

using Giangi's #s on the depth....(61.8 for first, 61.6 for second)

the first stone scores a slightly scary 2.7 on the HCA with a spread of VG VG VG VG and no EX's.

the second stone scores a charming 1.3 TIC EX EX EX VG.

from those numbers, that would tell me why you think the second stone looks better to you in person. It appears to be of a better cut than the first stone...regardless of the thinner girdle. Take the HCA with a grain of salt, but it does tend to weed out the duds from the well-performing stones, and the numbers are clear in this case IMO--esp when tied with your gut feel that the second stone looked better.

Keep in mind also that AGS 0 means nothing when it comes to cut. It sounds odd but its true. You may have a better chance of getting a well cut stone in the AGS 0 range, but as you can see from the #'s, that is not the case in this matter. Also, I have seen AGS 1 and 2 stones that perform better than some AGS 0 stones on HCA and in person. So the numbers don't always tell the right story. Use your eyes to make the gut decision!!

If these two stones are your ONLY CHOICES..I'd go with #2. Just be sure the EGL cert is correct, get the stone independently appraised--you don't want to find later that your H SI1 is really an I SI2 or SI3.

Get insurance to cover the ring and your girdle problems are solved. My girdle is a little thin, but we have insurance and I don't worry at all.
 
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