Please opine on whether this stone is worth buying

[newbie10]

Thanks for all the knowledge on this forum. It''s been very helpful.

I''d appreciate if you could give me your opinions on whether this stone is a good purchase at this price:

shape: Round Brilliant (GIA certified)
basic specs: 1.73, G, SI1 (trusted vendor informs me that stone is eye-clean; I''m unable to make the trip to inspect in person)
cut: ex-ex-ex
measurements: 7.68x7.74x4.78
depth: 62
table: 56
girdle: medium-slightly thick
crown: 34.5
pavillion: 41

cost: $13,800

I''ve searched for many stones online and this appears to be the best value i can come up with combined with the fact that the jeweler was highly recommended by a friend.

While I''d love to go closer to 2.00 carats, I''m starting to think an extra 0.2 carats isn''t going to make much of a difference if I set the stone in a nice platinum pave setting (which the extra couple of $Gs i save by not going for a bigger stone will help me accomplish).

I''d appreciate any input/advice.

 

[Lorelei]

Date: 1/30/2009 10:47:07 AM
Author:newbie10
Thanks for all the knowledge on this forum. It's been very helpful.

I'd appreciate if you could give me your opinions on whether this stone is a good purchase at this price:

shape: Round Brilliant (GIA certified)
basic specs: 1.73, G, SI1 (trusted vendor informs me that stone is eye-clean; I'm unable to make the trip to inspect in person)
cut: ex-ex-ex
measurements: 7.68x7.74x4.78
depth: 62
table: 56
girdle: medium-slightly thick
crown: 34.5
pavillion: 41

cost: $13,800

I've searched for many stones online and this appears to be the best value i can come up with combined with the fact that the jeweler was highly recommended by a friend.

While I'd love to go closer to 2.00 carats, I'm starting to think an extra 0.2 carats isn't going to make much of a difference if I set the stone in a nice platinum pave setting (which the extra couple of $Gs i save by not going for a bigger stone will help me accomplish).

I'd appreciate any input/advice.

Hi and welcome!

The diamond has good potential, an Idealscope image would be great but as I understand the diamond is with a jeweller, that might not be a possibility. If you wished you could drop the colour a little to GIA/ AGS graded H or even I to try to get a bit closer to 2 cts, but this is a personal preference of course and the diamond you posted is definitely a worthy contender. Just make absolutely sure the diamond is eyeclean to your standards, for example if you don't want to see any visible inclusions from any angle at close scrutiny, then make sure you tell the seller that so that you are on the same page.

 

[newbie10]

Thanks a bunch for the reply.

I''ve tried looking for larger carat H stones, but most of the ones I find are either $1k-$1.5k more expensive and only marginally larger (i.e., 0.1 carats or so heavier) or are lower in cut quality. I''d like to not dip below H in color, even though i realize that''s mainly a result of me convincing myself I can tell the difference. Having a G color on the other hand makes me feel pretty safe.

Is it worth going down to "very good" in polish and/or symmetry in the GIA standard?

Also. I forgot to mention that the stone doesn''t have any flourence or culet. I asked the jeweler and he said there aren''t any visible inclusions on the stone at all. Since he came highly recommended and is mentioned on this site a good amount, I''m going to trust him on it.

Also, as I only have two weeks to have a ring ready, I don''t want to run the risk of letting this stone slip from my fingers and paying more for something of equal or lesser quality.

Do you think it''s worth looking around more given my tight time frame?

 

[Lorelei]

Date: 1/30/2009 11:31:55 AM
Author: newbie10
Thanks a bunch for the reply.

I've tried looking for larger carat H stones, but most of the ones I find are either $1k-$1.5k more expensive and only marginally larger (i.e., 0.1 carats or so heavier) or are lower in cut quality. I'd like to not dip below H in color, even though i realize that's mainly a result of me convincing myself I can tell the difference. Having a G color on the other hand makes me feel pretty safe.

Is it worth going down to 'very good' in polish and/or symmetry in the GIA standard?

Also. I forgot to mention that the stone doesn't have any flourence or culet. I asked the jeweler and he said there aren't any visible inclusions on the stone at all. Since he came highly recommended and is mentioned on this site a good amount, I'm going to trust him on it.

Also, as I only have two weeks to have a ring ready, I don't want to run the risk of letting this stone slip from my fingers and paying more for something of equal or lesser quality.

Do you think it's worth looking around more given my tight time frame?

The overall proportions of the diamond are what are critical for the beauty and sparkle, so you wouldn't really benefit in dropping to VG symmetry and polish as these are details of finish and don't as such influence light return, and it is said good and above for both look the same to the naked untrained eye anyway. No fluorescence and culet is fine also.

It is hard to know what to say due to your time constraints, but I would consider this diamond on the basis of the info we have and that you haven't seen it in person. It should be a lovely diamond but actually seeing it in person or at least images are the proof of the pudding so to speak! Does the seller have a return policy? I doubt you will need it but it is good to have as reassurance.

 

[newbie10]

Thanks for the advice!

I found another Round Brilliant and would appreciate your opinion on if it''s worth spending the extra money on this stone instead of the one I listed above.

Assuming both stones are equally eye-clean (i.e., no visible blemishes on either)

2.02, G, SI2, triple-ex GIA certified

depth: 62.2
table: 56
crown: 36
pavillion: 40.6
girdle: medium
flourence: no
culet: no
measurements: 8.04 x 8.12 x 5.03

price: $17.7k

Do you think it''s worth spending an extra $4k on this stone?

 

[Lorelei]

Date: 1/30/2009 12:49:13 PM
Author: newbie10
Thanks for the advice!

I found another Round Brilliant and would appreciate your opinion on if it's worth spending the extra money on this stone instead of the one I listed above.

Assuming both stones are equally eye-clean (i.e., no visible blemishes on either)

2.02, G, SI2, triple-ex GIA certified

depth: 62.2
table: 56
crown: 36
pavillion: 40.6
girdle: medium
flourence: no
culet: no
measurements: 8.04 x 8.12 x 5.03

price: $17.7k

Do you think it's worth spending an extra $4k on this stone?

This one also looks good and well worth considering to get to 2 carats - but check carefully that it is eyeclean to your standards being an SI2 clarity. Is this diamond with the same seller or online?

And you are most welcome, I am always glad to help!

 

[newbie10]

Thank you, Lorelei.

It''s with a different jeweller, but one who comes just as highly recommended... and I mistakenly wrote in SI2... the clarity is actually SI1 and the seller says it''s totally eye-clean.

Do you think the price jump is appropriate for the jump in carat?

Do the proportions ( c&p angles, table, depth) look right?

 

[Lorelei]

Date: 1/30/2009 1:33:11 PM
Author: newbie10
Thank you, Lorelei.

It's with a different jeweller, but one who comes just as highly recommended... and I mistakenly wrote in SI2... the clarity is actually SI1 and the seller says it's totally eye-clean.

Do you think the price jump is appropriate for the jump in carat?

Do the proportions ( c&p angles, table, depth) look right?

I will see what I can do to check some prices for you, as to the proportions the diamond has very good ones, in fact it comes under Garry Holloway's fiery ideal cut range ( FIC) which basically means it might show a bit of extra fire if the lighting is right. And it also falls within both the AGS and GIA bullseye region on the Holloway Cut Advisor. I just did used the Pricescope your Diamond tool above and ran a search for similar, if you do the same entering 2 - 2.2 cts of the same colour and clarity with GIA reports and search all diamonds, you will see prices of similar, so it looks to be a decent price.

As a comparison this diamond is more expensive and is from the virtual listing.

http://www.whiteflash.com/round/Round-cut-diamond-1857256.htm