Please help with ER diamond search!

[diamonuk]

Hello Pricescope!

I'd really like some help choosing a round brilliant diamond - my housemate has used this site very recently and I'd really appreciate any suggestions for my own search.

I'm based in the UK, and based on the simplicity of ordering and the transparency of import costs etc, I have a strong preference for using the Blue Nile site. Allowing for UK tax etc, my 'dollars budget' is around $4500-$5000.

I'd like to achieve:

Cut: Excellent/Ideal
Clarity: Eye-clean; would be happy with SI1 or above.
Colour: G-H preferred, but could possibly drop to I.
Carat: 0.9ct or larger.

 

[diamonuk]

Also wondering - are prices likely to be slightly higher over the festive period, and drop back in Jan?

 

[diamondseeker2006]

No, diamond prices generally do not fluctuate due to holidays. I'm going to give you some parameters to start your search, and once you identify a few stones, you can post them and get feedback. On BN, I would only look at stones that have photos posted. Set your search to Ideal-Astor Ideal. Then look for stones that fit within these parameters for potentially best light return and no leakage.

Table: 54-57
Depth: 62-62.3
Crown angle: 34-35 (can be up to 35.5 if the pav angle is 40.6)
Pavilion angle: 40.6-40.9

 

[diamonuk]

Thanks. I'd found this one, though notice by searching the price history it's actually gone up $500 since October...

1.03-Carat Round Cut Diamond | Blue Nile

www.bluenile.com

And had also seen this one:

1.00-Carat Round Cut Diamond | Blue Nile UK

www.bluenile.com

I'm initially searching within the parameters by looking for nice visual symmetry, before clicking on the GIA to check the angles.....is that right or could I be excluding good diamonds because the photos are slightly off-angle?

 

[diamonuk]

Is "Additional clouds are not shown" on an SI1 an automatic fail?

 

[sledge]

Is "Additional clouds are not shown" on an SI1 an automatic fail?

No, it's not an automatic reject.

However, if clouds are the grade setting inclusion in combo with that note then you need to double check to ensure its okay.

There is a very dangerous note you should avoid, and it reads: "Clarity is based on clouds not shown"

That one is almost a guarantee the stone will have a cloudy/hazy/milky appearance.

You can find some eye clean SI1's from virtual inventory suppliers like BN, but don't be afraid to ask them to confirm things for you.

 

[diamonuk]

Thanks Sledge. I've just put this on hold:

1.09-Carat Round Cut Diamond | Blue Nile UK

www.bluenile.com

 

[diamonuk]

@sledge - if you have a chance, what do you think of that last one (1.09ct)? I'm slightly cautious about going down to an I colour, as I initially thought around G....though only based on seeing a friend's ring at colour G. However, based on what I've learned so far, it does seem to be good value for the cut and proportions.

 

[sledge]

@sledge - if you have a chance, what do you think of that last one (1.09ct)? I'm slightly cautious about going down to an I colour, as I initially thought around G....though only based on seeing a friend's ring at colour G. However, based on what I've learned so far, it does seem to be good value for the cut and proportions.

I think the proportions and value is there for the size.

However, we all see and value color differently. I bought my wife a H VS2. It's plenty white most the time. But we both occasionally catch glimpses of the tint. I'm bothered by it way more than she is. That said, if I were re-buying I'd probably be a G+ buyer with a preference for F+.

The trade off is I will sacrifice clarity, size or need to increase my budget. I won't sacrifice cut quality and clarity would only be a strong SI1 that meets my definition of eye clean. So most likely my wallet would be the one taking the brunt of my decision/preference. And I'd be okay with that as I'm okay paying a premium for things that I value, but harsh reality is sometimes that isn't an option or sometimes people don't prioritize the same. Plenty of people choose size over color or clarity. That's cool too but I know me, and my wife.

With color, keep in mind as you go down the scale the variance in each grade grows. There is little variance in E but more in I. So if shopping I then compare to an H and J. Depending on the variance, it may favor one closer than the other. I'd want a strong I (almost H) based on what you've shared this far.

I might add the other 2 stones you found also had very promising proportions.

Have you considered dropping to a near 1 carat stone to avoid magic carat weight price premiums? Something in the 0.90 to 0.99 range maybe? It might help stretch your dollars a little further, and maybe get you in a strong H.

 

[diamonuk]

Hi Sledge, thanks for that - really appreciate it. Absolutely happy to be in the 0.9 to 0.99 range.. just happened that I found ones above this. I’ll try looking again.

 

[diamonuk]

I've had a really good look on BN and cant find anything really good - I may just need to wait until stock replenishes.

Based on the feedback above I'm a bit nervous about Grade I colour so have reverted to F-H.

 

[sledge]

Hey @diamonuk I was thinking about you and your post over the holidays. Sorry I couldn't respond before now in much detail.

I am still a little confused about your budget. You mentioned $4,500 to $5,000 (in dollars, which I inferred to mean USD) but then I saw several of the stones you had listed were in GBP and close to the same threshold.

Google currently shows $1 USD = £ 0.85 GBP. So $5,000 USD = £4,273 GBP

Either way, I was looking on the BN site tonight for UK delivery with max £5,000 GBP. Here's a few stones that are worth considering:

GIA XXX 1.02 H VS2 @ £4,967

1.02-Carat Round Cut Diamond | Blue Nile UK

www.bluenile.com

1.02-Carat Round Cut Diamond | Blue Nile UK

www.bluenile.com

56 table, 61.7 depth, 34.5 crown, 40.8 pavilion & 75 LGF

Great proportions. Pulls a score of HCA score of 1.2 which is to be expected. My concern here is the strong blue flour. The fluor may not be a problem but you need to check to ensure it's not hazy, milky or cloudy as a result.

Also, you will notice I provided two links. Although different LD numbers, the GIA cert number & price for both stones are identical. I am not sure what that is about. It might be worth clarifying with BN.




GIA XXX 1.02 H SI1 @ £4,984

1.02-Carat Round Cut Diamond | Blue Nile UK

www.bluenile.com

57 table, 61.4 depth, 34.5 crown, 40.8 pavilion & 75 LGF

Again, great proportions. And this stone also pulls a 1.2 HCA. Only faint fluor levels on this stone, so less legwork to perform/verify. However, it does have a black crystal around the 3pm position. In the magnified video, it's obvious but it may not be as obvious to the naked eye -- but you will need to confirm.



GIA XXX 1.00 F SI1 @ £4,837

1.00-Carat Round Cut Diamond | Blue Nile UK

www.bluenile.com

55 table, 61.8 depth, 34 crown, 40.6 pavilion & 80 LGF

Proportions are still within ideal territory although it's a shallow 34 crown with a shallow 40.6 pavilion. I'd normally like to see a little steeper pavilion paired with this crown. Because of a shallow crown & pavilion combo it's pulling a 0.7 HCA score which is expected.

I'd love to see a SARIN report on this stone to see all 8 actual crown & pavilion values, but I know that BN will not provide that for you. And you can (and should) ask for an ASET or idealscope, although they typically will not do those either.

There are a few things that stick out to me w/ this stone. It's an F color! No fluor concerns. And the clarity plot is stupid clean for an SI1. The grade setting inclusion is an indented natural. Below is a screen cap identifying where it is on the video. I think this could easily be covered with a prong.

I think this stone offers a really good bang for the buck. If I were buying I'd be willing to buy my own ASET scope and ship this stone in loose for closer examination to see how it fairs with the ASET. If it fails, then send it back for a refund and we'll start over. No real loss. If it passes, you scored a very nice F color eye clean SI1 for budget at the 1 carat size. Win..win..win!

 

[sledge]

Also, I am not sure where you are located in the UK, but there are two dealers that might be of interest for you to visit.

Fortrez in Belgium

Questions about diamonds and jewellery

www.fortrez.com

Best Diamonds in London

Certified Diamonds from Antwerp – Diamond House Jewellery

Diamond House Jewellery is based in Antwerp & London, providing high end diamond jewellery to its customers, with GIA certified diamonds sourced from Antwerp.

www.diamondhousejewellery.com

Both Fortrez and Best/DiamondHouse is owned by the same people. And both are Crafted by Infinity (CBI) dealers. If you aren't aware, CBI is a super ideal diamond provider that frequently makes their stones available through a popular US vendor, High Performance Diamonds (HPD).

The way that CBI works is they are the cutter/manufacturer of the stones. HPD, Fortrez, Best, etc are all their "dealers" and have access to the same diamond inventory. Each dealer may offer slightly different perks on trade-in's, buyback policies, etc so be sure to verify those things if you decide to purchase from one of them. One of the perks of Fortez or Best is they too include VAT.

The point of this is not to necessarily persuade you to buy a super ideal, but to provide you an opportunity to go see some super ideal diamonds in-person. These are cream of the crop in regards to cut. If you have that F stone from BN shipped in I would take that with you and compare against the CBI stones.

Here's a few that may be worth looking at if you decide to visit. Be sure to call and plan ahead so they will be sure to have the stones available for you.

Fortrez | View Diamond

Rob van Beurden handpicks the best cut diamonds including super ideal Crafted By Infinity diamonds.

www.fortrez.com

Fortrez | View Diamond

Rob van Beurden handpicks the best cut diamonds including super ideal Crafted By Infinity diamonds.

www.fortrez.com

Fortrez | View Diamond

Rob van Beurden handpicks the best cut diamonds including super ideal Crafted By Infinity diamonds.

www.fortrez.com

Fortrez | View Diamond

Rob van Beurden handpicks the best cut diamonds including super ideal Crafted By Infinity diamonds.

www.fortrez.com

 

[diamonuk]

@sledge thanks for such an extensive reply - I’ll take a look at those options.

My budget is up to around £5000 for the right stone, with a preference for up to £4500. When I switch between £ and $ on BN there isn’t much difference, so I assume that’s because of the taxes.

 

[diamonuk]

On the last one (SI1, F, 1ct), the GIA says 'clouds not shown'. Is this usually becuase they're too minor to plot, or too extensive to plot?

 

[sledge]

@sledge thanks for such an extensive reply - I’ll take a look at those options.

My budget is up to around £5000 for the right stone, with a preference for up to £4500. When I switch between £ and $ on BN there isn’t much difference, so I assume that’s because of the taxes.

You're very welcome.

And thank you for clarifying.

On the last one (SI1, F, 1ct), the GIA says 'clouds not shown'. Is this usually becuase they're too minor to plot, or too extensive to plot?

Good catch. I also noticed this as the plot looked almost too clean for an SI1. I wanted to make sure it didn't have the "Grading is based on clouds not shown" moniker.

As we discussed earlier, normally you will see, "Additional clouds not shown". When you see this note it means that while there are also other clouds but they are not plotted.

In the case of the F stone, there are NO plotted clouds at all so I believe the wording was adjusted accordingly by striking the term "additional".

As it's a concern, I would also ask BN to confirm so you can rest easy. I believe it's important to feel comfortable with our purchases.