Please help! I need some advice.

[PuppyLove]

My brother went to an appointment I set up today with JamesAllen to look at 3 diamonds. I was hoping there would be a clear winner but there wasn't.

Diamond #1
http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/G-SI1-Premium-Cut-Round-Diamond-1390088.asp
HCA of 1.5
AGA cut of 3A
I realized going into this that it was a shallow cut diamond but still in the VG cut range. The GIA report looked pretty good - only 2 clouds as imprefections but they are in the table area.
THIS one was my brother's and the gemologist's choice of the 3. Naked eye clean and pretty. My brother said standing alone, it was a beautiful diamond but next to the ideal cut ones, you could tell the difference.
Imagescope was better than expected.


Diamond #2
http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/G-SI1-Ideal-Cut-Round-Diamond-1385220.asp
HCA - 1.8
AGA - 1B
Before today, this one was my first choice b/c I thought it was a great balance of what I wanted and cost. I was told by a sales agent that it was "Naked Eye Clean and Magnificent". However, my brother insists he could see the imperfection at the edge of the table with his naked eye. Why would they have told me it was naked eye clean? Maybe it is naked eye clean at 12" vs. my brother looking at it very up close, closer to 3" away?
Imagescope looks good but you can see the imperfection near the table.


Diamond #3
http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/G-SI1-Ideal-Cut-Round-Diamond-1376653.asp
My brother and the gemologist immediately saw imperfections with the naked eye and ruled this one out.
HCA is 1.7
AGA was 1A
Imagescope was not as nice as expected.


My brother's advice was to keep shopping but Diamond #1 would be fine. Would you agree? I am getting frustrated in finding one I like. I did call and ask if I could talk to the gemologist myself but I have not heard back from JA. Thoughts?

 

[nfowife]

I would not buy the first stone. It has a not good idealscope image for sure. I think you need to go back to the drawing board. Perhaps go down to H color so you can try to get a 1.5 VS2 stone that is eye clean? What happened with the ones you were looking at over at WF?

 

[PuppyLove]

They are based in TX and I live in TX so I'd have to pay taxes. The amount of taxes would make me drop quite a bit from what I want.

 

[nfowife]

1) you could have the ring shipped to your brother and then have him ship to you....that would cost about $200 for the shipping to you, but that's less than tax on this size of purchase. Then you could still buy from WF. Just a thought.

2) I would call Mark at ERD and see what he can find in your specs. I got my stone from him and he is great to work with. He's in NY so your brother could go look at stones with him as well (he's in the diamond district). Many PSers have used him. He also does fabulous settings, you can do a search and see his work.

I just don't think the JA one is really an option if you want to get the best stone you can for your money. I know it's frustrating!

 

[stone-cold11]

I would go with #2. It is difficult to stare at a stone 3 inches away. Unless it is a mind clean thing for you. The idealscope image is also badly taken for this, placed far too inside of the scope and the stone was tilted.

#3 idealscope image is good, just that the stone is tilted when the image is taken, you can see the length of the arrow shafts are not even.

 

[tyty333]

I would definitly move down in color/size until I could get a well cut stone. I'm not saying it has to be perfect but that
first stone looks terrible (IMO).