Please help me to select a diamond.

[babieblackcat]

Hi friends,

This is my first post. I have been looking for a round brilliant diamond for the engagement ring. I want a 1.35 - 1.55 carats, E - G color, VS1 - VS2, H&A cut. I search through many of the internet sites and found some diamonds that matched my need. But I am not sure which one of the following diamonds consider the best value for the price.

1.
Price: ~$12500
Size: 1.524 carat
Color: G
Carity: VS2
Cut: Ideal H&A
Polish: Ideal
Symmetry: Ideal
Proportions: Ideal
Fluorescence: Negligible
Total Depth: 61%
Table Size 57%
Crown Angle: 34.6
Pavil Angle 40.9
Measurement: 7.40 - 7.45 x 4.53mm


2.
Price: ~$11300
Size: 1.39 carat
Color: F
Carity: VS1
Cut: Ideal H&A
Polish: Excellent
Symmetry: Excellent
Fluorescence: None
Total Depth: 61.8%
Table Size 56%
Crown Angle: 34.6
Pavil Angle 40.7
Measurement: 7.15 x 7.19 x 4.43mm


3.
Price: ~$13876
Size: 1.564 carat
Color: G
Carity: VVS2
Cut: Ideal H&A
Polish: Ideal
Symmetry: Ideal
Proportions: Ideal
Fluorescence: Negligible
Total Depth: 60.4%
Table Size 56%
Crown Angle: 33.9
Pavil Angle 40.9
Measurement: 7.55 - 7.56 x 4.57mm



I know there might be a big different between the price and size. But in term of the best quality for the price, which one do you like the most and why?
I use the cut adviser to check this diamond and got the No.1 diamond with 1.6 score and the other two got like 1.1. It''s that a big different here for 1.6 and 1.1? It''s that the lower score always the better? Please help me!!! Thanks a lot.

 

[baltneu]

It is a very personal taste call here. I am not sure about #1 and #2, but I would eliminate #3 because it is VVS. I do no think it is worth buying that clarity because in my opinion it does nothing for the brilliance for the naked eye when you look at it. Others more knowledgeable will have to fight it out for #1 or #2.

 

[pqcollectibles]

Actually, #3 represents a good value. Comparable VS1 diamonds currently listed on Price Scope are trading at a similar price/carat to the price you quoted for VVS clarity. That diamond is priced very well.

Provided I had the budget,..... #3 would be my first choice because it's well priced. #1 would be the second choice because it will have a larger visual appearance than #2.

Just my $0.02 worth.

 

[roshita]

If you making a decision based on value then it would be #3, #1, #2 in that order. They are all of good value, relatively. Appreciation may not be based soley on value. For instance, do you appreciate an F color over a G, do you appreciate VVS1 over a VS1 or 2, do you favor size? Actually none of these stones is a bad choice IMO.

 

[valeria101]

This is a tough one...

Prices do seem in line, so, from here on, what is 'good value' depends on what you are looking for.

Given the tight range of cut parameters, clarity and color grades, these three may look very much alike, except for size ! I think there would be some visible difference between the smallest and largest diameter here. If what you want is a larger stone, I would have no second thoughts about getting an SI stone in this color range.

Your choice woudl be easier to understand if the largets stone had the lowest grades, but this is not the case here... and there is no shortage of diamonds, as far as I know.

 

[aljdewey]

All of these stones would be beautiful, it seems, from the numbers.......the hairsplitting should really be done by seeing them.




However, from what you have on paper, I would select in this order: #1, #2, #3. The following is hairsplitting, too, but tells you why. The crown angle on #3 is a bit shallow for my tastes. I'd also prefer not to "overpay" for clarity, so I feel that the VS1 stone doesn't offer as much bang for the buck as stone #1. There wouldn't be ANY visual difference in the clarity between these stones, but there would be a noticeable diameter difference.




Lastly, regarding the HCA score......a lower score isn't necessary a better score. They are all under 2.0 which means they'll all perform beautiful (if they follow their numbers). A 1.1 stone isn't better than a 1.6 stone---it's a slight difference in the contrast of a stone, and that depends on what pleases your eye.

 

[babieblackcat]

Thank you for all the input.
I think the priority for my diamond start with bigger size, and then an Ideal cut, and then the color, and then clarity.
Now, it seems like #1 is a good choice. I want to provide the link for this diamond and see if there is any second thought about this diamond before I make my final decision. The only concern I have is the 1.6 HCA score on this diamond vs 1.1 HCA score on the others. I am not sure if I can tell the different if the HCA score is higher on this diamond.
Anyway, here is the link, any feedback will be very helpful for me.


Diamond #1

 

[valeria101]

Nice find

I would not worry about the HCA: the system does not apear to have been made for such fine choices. For example, the effect of minor facets' cut (which is in no way taken into acount by the HCA) may easily have more impact on the stone's appearence than a variance of 0.4 in the score... The DiamCalc simmulation seems to indicate a stone with strong contrast, I would say.

 

[aljdewey]

BBC----again, please read this carefully: scoring 1.1 on the HCA is not necessarily "better" than scoring 1.6.




You are thinking of this in linear terms.......that if under 2.0 is good, then 1.5 must be better, and 1.0 better still. It doesn't work that way.




A 1.6 is not "better" than a 1.1.....it's a preference thing. Think of it this way: Chocolate is not better than vanilla....nor vanilla than chocolate. It's just a personal preference as to which you like more.




Bottom line......stop fretting about the HCA score. The stone scores beautifully.

 

[babieblackcat]

ok, so I have one stupid question.

Let say I want to buy this diamond. And I also would like to buy their Vatche setting. What should I do next?

#1

Buy the loose diamond. Send it to me and I have it appraised. Then if this is the right one, I send it back and ask them to put the diamond on the setting, and send it back to me.
Pros:
I can have my loose diamond appraised.
cons:
A lot of shipping charges here!!

#2

Ask them to put the stone on my setting. And then send it to me and I have it appraised at 1 piece.
Pros:
Save me some shipping fees.
Cons:
I cannot appraise the loose diamond.
If the diamond is not the right one and I send it back, they will charge me 30% off from the setting price.


#3

Buy the loose diamond. Have it appraise locally. If this is the right one, then buy the setting from them and I will ask some local jewelry to set the stone for me.
Pros:
I can have my loose diamond appraised
Cons:
No warranty from them because I set the diamond in other Jewelry store.
Paid extra price to set the diamond on the ring.


#4
Buy the loose diamond. Have it appraise locally. And then buy the setting in local Jewelry store and ask them to set it up for me.
Pros:
I can have my loose diamond appraised
Cons:
The local Jewelry store setting is OVERPRICED !!!


I think #3 make more sense, but what do people usually do?

 

[aljdewey]

I did this: I called my appraiser (Rich Sherwood) in advance and told him that I wanted to send the loose stone and a setting to him so he could appraise the stone loose. I asked if he could then have the stone set by someone qualified near him for whatever their charge would be, and he said yes.




It was $50 for the setting charge -- well worth it!




I saved in shipping because the vendor paid for shipping from TX to FL. I only paid the $40 for the extra leg of shipping from FL to MA. I had an accurate appraisal because it was done on the loose stone, but was able to wear the finished product immediately on receipt this way.




The only downside was that I didn't get to see the stone loose.....but in reality, not a downside at all. I trusted Rich's assessment of the stone much more than I trust my amateur eyes! If he said I'd be happy, then I knew I would......and I WAS---and then some!




In your scenario #4 above, worthwhile to point out that your local jeweler may not want to bear the risk of setting someone else's loose stone. If you cannot make arrangements similar to mine above, then I'd ship it to your appraiser for appraisal, let him ship it back to vendor for setting, vendors sets it and ships completed ring to you.