Please help me choose btw 2 stones

[stroke5]

I''m deciding between the following 2 stones and any input would be appreciated:

From the AGS certs both appear to have clouds under the table.

1.566 WF ACA E SI1 The stone faces up eye clean. WF said it''s hard to find the cloud under magnification even when you know where to find it.
http://www.whiteflash.com/hearts_arrows/A-Cut-Above-H-A-cut-diamond-636604.htm#

1.502 WF ACA F VS2
http://www.whiteflash.com/hearts_arrows/A-Cut-Above-H-A-cut-diamond-1050548.htm#

Just wondering if the VS2 is worth the price jump. Any thoughts?

 

[Lorelei]

Date: 6/18/2008 9:09:57 AM
Author:stroke5
I''m deciding between the following 2 stones and any input would be appreciated:

From the AGS certs both appear to have clouds under the table.

1.566 WF ACA E SI1 The stone faces up eye clean. WF said it''s hard to find the cloud under magnification even when you know where to find it.
http://www.whiteflash.com/hearts_arrows/A-Cut-Above-H-A-cut-diamond-636604.htm#

1.502 WF ACA F VS2
http://www.whiteflash.com/hearts_arrows/A-Cut-Above-H-A-cut-diamond-1050548.htm#

Just wondering if the VS2 is worth the price jump. Any thoughts?

To me personally, VS wouldn''t be worth the price jump, especially if WF have verified the SI is eyeclean, but it depends on what matters to you most. If it was me, I would take the SI and then get a fab setting or pendant or earrings with the money I had saved!

 

[jill_s]

I agree - use the extra $$ to buy a nicer setting or another piece of jewelry!

 

[stroke5]

Yeah I was leaning towards the SI1 myself since it''s eye clean but i don''t know if it will be "mind clean" to my SO. Any opinions on the stones themselves and whether they are good buys?

 

[Cocosgirl]

I think they are both gorgeous and top quality. I too would go with the SI1, at a white hot E color I can''t imagine your SO will be able to see anything. Mindclean is totally different of course, has she said she wants a VS stone?

 

[stroke5]

She hasn''t said outright that she wants a VS stone. I think her primary fear is that the SI1 stone will not look as good in person despite facing up eye clean.

I just found out that you can see the inclusions in the SI1 stone from the sides. Is this something I should be concerned about?

 

[honey22]

If your gf is worried about the inclusions being seen from the side, then I say consider the VS2 stone. It''s not worth saving those extra few dollars if it is going to bug her everytime she notices the inclusion.

That said however, if you can have the stone set as to hide the inclusion with a prong I would go the SI1. If WF says that it''s hard to even find the cloud with magnification, then I would trust them, and it''s sure to be a great SI1.

I think it''s important for a stone to be mind clean as well as eyeclean. If it were me, I freely admit the inclusion from the side would bug me, but there are many that wouldn''t give it a second though. You know your gf better. They both look like great stones.

 

[Lorelei]

Date: 6/18/2008 4:53:23 PM
Author: stroke5
She hasn''t said outright that she wants a VS stone. I think her primary fear is that the SI1 stone will not look as good in person despite facing up eye clean.

I just found out that you can see the inclusions in the SI1 stone from the sides. Is this something I should be concerned about?

It depends on the particular diamond - not all SI clarities will show inclusions from the side. To be safe, tell WF you don''t want to see any inclusions close up from any angle, and they will be able to advise you from there and if this diamond will fit the bill.

 

[stroke5]

Thanks for all the helpful advice. After thinking it over and discussing it I'll probably have another look around.

I happened to find another stone that looked pretty good on paper but the pictures of the patterns look a little skewed/off-center. Any thoughts as to whether it's just how the picture was taken or the cut of the stone itself?

Sorry for all the random newbie questions and thanks for being so patient/helpful.

1.5 D VS2 GIA ex-ex-ex
D: 61
T: 56
CA: 34.5
PA: 40.6

 

[stroke5]

Here''s an excerpt from the cert since I couldn''t get the entire image of the cert to upload

 

[honey22]

That stone looks awesome - and my personal love D VS2! Which vendor is selling it? Do they have a link to an IS image? If it's a branded cut then you probably won't have to worry, but from the numbers and hearts and arrows images it looks great. I would buy that!!!!

I also would have bought one of those ACAs too if eyeclean. Why did you decide against the other ACA? This D would be a lot more expensive I would guess (if truly well cut), but then again I am a D lover so I understand wanting that icy white colour!

ETA - don't worry about the off centre look, sometimes the patterns can look off centre if the camera equipment is not dead centre. The IS image for my stone look wonky but it's an ACA which has ideal symmetry from AGS so it's not a worry at all. This has happened before with other stones we have seen too, I wouldn't worry.

 

[stroke5]

Date: 6/19/2008 6:09:11 PM
Author: honey22
That stone looks awesome - and my personal love D VS2! Which vendor is selling it? Do they have a link to an IS image? If it''s a branded cut then you probably won''t have to worry, but from the numbers and hearts and arrows images it looks great. I would buy that!!!!


I also would have bought one of those ACAs too if eyeclean. Why did you decide against the other ACA? This D would be a lot more expensive I would guess (if truly well cut), but then again I am a D lover so I understand wanting that icy white colour!


ETA - don''t worry about the off centre look, sometimes the patterns can look off centre if the camera equipment is not dead centre. The IS image for my stone look wonky but it''s an ACA which has ideal symmetry from AGS so it''s not a worry at all. This has happened before with other stones we have seen too, I wouldn''t worry.

The stone is from Abazias - I''ve got it on hold and asked for an IS image but I think the pics I attached are the only ones they have from the cutter.

Actually there''s only a slight price difference (~400 credit / 980 wire) between the ACA and this D stone - would that suggest that the D isn''t as well cut as the ACA? or is it just a difference in pricing between vendors?

That slight difference in pricing is why I reserved the D stone as opposed to the F ACA because, like you said, who can pass up an icy white D if the price is comparable. But now I''m curious if the pricing somehow is a reflection of the cutter''s skill (or relative lack thereof).