Hello everyone. We are going to be engaged very soon once we have this diamond picked out. I have searched thoroughly online and eliminated the bad diamonds by using the HCA cut adviser test. I narrowed down my selection of diamonds but am having a TREMENDOUSLY hard time deciding on one of the following. Please assess thoroughly and provide me with your honest feedback. each one has its pros and cons.
General statement about the following diamonds:
- All have"Excellent" cut rating from GIA
- All pass the HCA cut adviser test with total visual performance scores in the excellent range (0 - 2)
- All around the same price more or less ($6000 - $6600)
- All have very good color ratings (G - I)
1.38 I SI1 $6592 7.20 x 7.23 x 4.40 mm
HCA Cut Adviser: X overlaps, Total Visual Performance 0.8
http://www.bluenile.com/round-diamond-1-carat-ideal-cut-i-color-si1-clarity_LD01131430?__fun_frm=b&filter_id=0#grading_report
Largest size & carat weight of the 5 diamonds. Unsure if it is eyeclean as it is from bluenile who typically does not have these diamonds in stock. Great total visual performance score from HCA.
1.30 I VS2 $5846 6.97 x 6.99 x 4.34 mm
HCA Cut Adviser: X overlaps, Total Visual Performance 1.3
http://www.bluenile.com/round-diamond-1-carat-ideal-cut-i-color-vs2-clarity_LD01091919?__fun_frm=b&filter_id=0#grading_report
Out of the 5 diamonds, this seems to have everything I want - decent carat size of at least 1.30, good color rating of I, good clarity grading of at least VS2 (less worry for inclusions compared to SI1 or SI2 since it seems really difficult to buy SI1 or SI2 diamonds from bluenile due to them not having most of these diamonds in house).
*****Concerned that the price is the lowest of the 5 for a diamond that seems to have "the whole package" - is this a red alert??
1.23 H VS2 $6326 6.89 x 6.95 x 4.18 mm
HCA Cut Adviser: X does not overlap, Total Visual Performance 1.2
http://www.bluenile.com/round-diamond-1-carat-ideal-cut-h-color-vs2-clarity_LD01137691?__fun_frm=b&filter_id=0
w/ an H colored diamond, I will have a much whiter diamond and its VS2 clarity rating will help to avoid that uncertainty of whether or not the diamond is eyeclean (hate going through bluenile for SI1 or SI2 diamonds since they can't tell me right on the spot if SI1s or SI2s are eyeclean). However, it is one of the smaller diamonds (I would like to have a diamond of at least 1.25 carats) - is the physical size much smaller than the 1.38 or 1.30 diamond mentioned above?
*****If it was not for the super wide table, I'd pick this diamond in a heartbeat due to its excellent color rating combined with its excellent clarity grade! What challenges, if any, could I face by having a diamond with such a wide table %?
1.26 G-color, SI1 $6,174 6.98 x 6.91 x 4.23 mm
HCA Cut Adviser: X does not overlap, Total Visual Performance 0.8
http://www.bluenile.com/round-diamond-1-carat-ideal-cut-g-color-si1-clarity_LD01023354?__fun_frm=b&filter_id=0#grading_report
A G colored diamond will be significantly whiter, but concerned about the SI1 clarity - not sure if its eyeclean
1.21 G VS2 $6661 6.88 x 6.91 x 4.21 mm
HCA Cut Adviser: X overlaps, Total Visual Performance 1.3
http://www.bluenile.com/round-diamond-1-carat-ideal-cut-g-color-vs2-clarity_LD01136852?__fun_frm=b&filter_id=0#grading_report
this is one of the smallest diamonds of the five listed here at just 1.21 carats. However, its G colored rating combined with its VS2 clarity will ensure I get a very white and clean diamond.
*****Is its physical size much smaller than the 1.38 carat diamond?
*****Can you tell the difference?
Brilliance, size, whiteness, eye clean are all important to me.
What do you think? Are there any for sure winners? Are there any for sure toss outs? The 1.38 I SI1, 1.30 I VS2, and 1.23 H VS2 are my top 3 choices. Some days I lean more towards the 1.23 for its superb whiteness. Other times, I lean towards the 1.38 simply for its bigger physical size and even if this diamond may be eyeclean, I know there will be many inclusions due to its SI1 rating and I wonder if it wil bother me that I have a diamond on my finger with that many inclusions (even though they are inclusions seen under 40x magnification). Often, though, I lean towards the 1.30 for its "safety/completeness" - it's got everything: very good color, good clarity rating, acceptable carat weight and pretty decent physical size. My gut is telling me to lean towards the safe one the 1.30 I VS2. Our budget is around $6500 for the diamond so the 1.21 G VS2 is pushing it just a tad bit but I'd like to know if it is worthy of choice since this is a diamond I wil have to wear forever. Thank you!
General statement about the following diamonds:
- All have"Excellent" cut rating from GIA
- All pass the HCA cut adviser test with total visual performance scores in the excellent range (0 - 2)
- All around the same price more or less ($6000 - $6600)
- All have very good color ratings (G - I)
1.38 I SI1 $6592 7.20 x 7.23 x 4.40 mm
HCA Cut Adviser: X overlaps, Total Visual Performance 0.8
http://www.bluenile.com/round-diamond-1-carat-ideal-cut-i-color-si1-clarity_LD01131430?__fun_frm=b&filter_id=0#grading_report
Largest size & carat weight of the 5 diamonds. Unsure if it is eyeclean as it is from bluenile who typically does not have these diamonds in stock. Great total visual performance score from HCA.
1.30 I VS2 $5846 6.97 x 6.99 x 4.34 mm
HCA Cut Adviser: X overlaps, Total Visual Performance 1.3
http://www.bluenile.com/round-diamond-1-carat-ideal-cut-i-color-vs2-clarity_LD01091919?__fun_frm=b&filter_id=0#grading_report
Out of the 5 diamonds, this seems to have everything I want - decent carat size of at least 1.30, good color rating of I, good clarity grading of at least VS2 (less worry for inclusions compared to SI1 or SI2 since it seems really difficult to buy SI1 or SI2 diamonds from bluenile due to them not having most of these diamonds in house).
*****Concerned that the price is the lowest of the 5 for a diamond that seems to have "the whole package" - is this a red alert??
1.23 H VS2 $6326 6.89 x 6.95 x 4.18 mm
HCA Cut Adviser: X does not overlap, Total Visual Performance 1.2
http://www.bluenile.com/round-diamond-1-carat-ideal-cut-h-color-vs2-clarity_LD01137691?__fun_frm=b&filter_id=0
w/ an H colored diamond, I will have a much whiter diamond and its VS2 clarity rating will help to avoid that uncertainty of whether or not the diamond is eyeclean (hate going through bluenile for SI1 or SI2 diamonds since they can't tell me right on the spot if SI1s or SI2s are eyeclean). However, it is one of the smaller diamonds (I would like to have a diamond of at least 1.25 carats) - is the physical size much smaller than the 1.38 or 1.30 diamond mentioned above?
*****If it was not for the super wide table, I'd pick this diamond in a heartbeat due to its excellent color rating combined with its excellent clarity grade! What challenges, if any, could I face by having a diamond with such a wide table %?
1.26 G-color, SI1 $6,174 6.98 x 6.91 x 4.23 mm
HCA Cut Adviser: X does not overlap, Total Visual Performance 0.8
http://www.bluenile.com/round-diamond-1-carat-ideal-cut-g-color-si1-clarity_LD01023354?__fun_frm=b&filter_id=0#grading_report
A G colored diamond will be significantly whiter, but concerned about the SI1 clarity - not sure if its eyeclean
1.21 G VS2 $6661 6.88 x 6.91 x 4.21 mm
HCA Cut Adviser: X overlaps, Total Visual Performance 1.3
http://www.bluenile.com/round-diamond-1-carat-ideal-cut-g-color-vs2-clarity_LD01136852?__fun_frm=b&filter_id=0#grading_report
this is one of the smallest diamonds of the five listed here at just 1.21 carats. However, its G colored rating combined with its VS2 clarity will ensure I get a very white and clean diamond.
*****Is its physical size much smaller than the 1.38 carat diamond?
*****Can you tell the difference?
Brilliance, size, whiteness, eye clean are all important to me.
What do you think? Are there any for sure winners? Are there any for sure toss outs? The 1.38 I SI1, 1.30 I VS2, and 1.23 H VS2 are my top 3 choices. Some days I lean more towards the 1.23 for its superb whiteness. Other times, I lean towards the 1.38 simply for its bigger physical size and even if this diamond may be eyeclean, I know there will be many inclusions due to its SI1 rating and I wonder if it wil bother me that I have a diamond on my finger with that many inclusions (even though they are inclusions seen under 40x magnification). Often, though, I lean towards the 1.30 for its "safety/completeness" - it's got everything: very good color, good clarity rating, acceptable carat weight and pretty decent physical size. My gut is telling me to lean towards the safe one the 1.30 I VS2. Our budget is around $6500 for the diamond so the 1.21 G VS2 is pushing it just a tad bit but I'd like to know if it is worthy of choice since this is a diamond I wil have to wear forever. Thank you!
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