Please share before and after

[nala]

Before you educated yourself on pricescope, what did you notice about other people's diamonds? I ask this bc my memory is still fresh. I'm not going lie. The first thing I looked for was size and clarity. What caught my eye was how shiny some looked but I didn't understand quite why, so I attributed this phenomenon to the size.
How about you? Do you still remember what your perspective of diamonds was before pricescope?
I think this might be helpful to newbies.

 

[EvangelineG]

I'm brand new to learning about diamonds too. Pre-PS I noticed if diamonds were white and/or sparkly. I presumed the "sparkly" had something to do with clarity, and knew that the whiteness was somehow tied into quality and price. I had heard about the "4 c's" but didn't really know what they were. I did know that size alone did not determine price or quality, and had encountered a couple of huge rocks that looked very yellowish and lacklustre, and presumed they were of inferior quality.

 

[distracts]

Pre-PS I noticed size, the setting, and sparkliness of the overall thing. Didn't notice color unless it was a fancy yellow.

 

[FireMonkey]

Pre-PS I noticed size, the setting, and sparkliness of the overall thing. Didn't notice color unless it was a fancy yellow.

Ditto

 

[the_mother_thing]

Not so much what I noticed but what I (thought I) knew - that modern cuts were all there was ... I didn't know antique, OEC or OMC cuts existed, let alone in the sizes that I see them. But I never really thought about it either. I would think such old cuts may have been damaged or whatever over the years, so not to favor marketing slogans, but it really is somewhat of a testament to "a diamond is forever."

 

[Missy]

I definitely always noticed color, clarity size and overall brightness. I had specific preferences and could tell which diamonds were lively and overall gorgeous and which ones were duds. Even before PS.

There is an owner of a jewelry shop who has amazing jewelry in her store but whose ring which is huge is a dud. Lifeless, dull and without personality. And I always wondered why someone whose shop has unique and lovely jewelry is wearing such a lifeless diamond? It's huge but dead so what's the point? But to each his/her own and if that "rocks" her boat well OK. But if I owned a jewelry shop I would be wearing the largest most lively and well cut diamond I could afford!

So the only thing that has changed from before PS to after PS is now I know why some diamonds outshine others and how one can find the best cut diamond.

 

[maryjane04]

Even now, I notice colour much more readily than size or clarity. I think for me it would be colour first, then size, then clarity because well I don't have hawk eyes and unless I am studying this diamond or diamond ring very closely and it was heavily included with black carbon spots I don't think I would notice that much from a SI1 or SI2 for that matter.

I think also what captures my eyes is the way a diamond sparkles and this has to do with cut. So probably cut, colour, then size and then clarity

 

[Mayk]

Pre PS - Clueless, size, color clarity... That's it. Bought EGL 1.3 G VS1 that wasn't, came back graded J SI1!

Post PS traded in and up....AGS 000. Much more cautious and better informed.

 

[Dancing Fire]

There is an owner of a jewelry shop who has amazing jewelry in her store but whose ring which is huge is a dud. Lifeless, dull and without personality. And I always wondered why someone whose shop has unique and lovely jewelry is wearing such a lifeless diamond? It's huge but dead so what's the point? But to each his/her own and if that "rocks" her boat well OK. But if I owned a jewelry shop I would be wearing the largest most lively and well cut diamond I could afford!

I have always say...size means nothing if IT does not perform .. women don't like the dead the looking ones...

 

[starryeyed]

A LONG time ago, all I noticed was that some women had diamonds that screamed - real eye-catching sparklers - and others waved around huge pieces of frozen spit. Other than that, I didn't notice much.

(Now I noticed everything!)

 

[Missy]

There is an owner of a jewelry shop who has amazing jewelry in her store but whose ring which is huge is a dud. Lifeless, dull and without personality. And I always wondered why someone whose shop has unique and lovely jewelry is wearing such a lifeless diamond? It's huge but dead so what's the point? But to each his/her own and if that "rocks" her boat well OK. But if I owned a jewelry shop I would be wearing the largest most lively and well cut diamond I could afford!

I have always say...size means nothing if it does not perform .. women don't like the dead the looking ones...

LOL this is one truth that is universal.

 

[iluvshinythings]

Before PS, I just noticed size and shape. Sometimes a unique setting would stand out. I wasn't even aware that diamonds weren't supposed to look hazy and milky.

I still don't see color that well but I do notice how much life a diamond has and I'm a complete freak about prongs.

Speaking of frozen spit: When I first started reading PS someone referred to a particular brand of diamond as frozen spit. I thought that was really harsh. Then I happened to be in a jewelry store that had that kind of diamond and couldn't agree more with that assessment.

 

[Tekate]

Before pricescope SIZE SIZE and then color, after pricescope CUT CUT CUT is KING and CUT.

I have a 1.64 'average' diamond H color MRB bought in 1988 AND I now have a 1.33 AVC AGS0 K color from GOG in addition to my engagement ring and I'd take that K over the G anyday, except for the sentimental value. I've been a member for over a year now and bought the cushion and a cute little diamond ring from B2C, the site has allowed WE the consumer to get the best diamond at the best price, to me, there is no excuse to buy a ring from a mall shop or other CHAIN shops located across the USA and world I think... the best consumer is an informed consumer, Jewelers and jewelry stores must change or leave the business.. I love this site ... I love the pix of rings, the stories of the past and how truly nice people help out others and they are not in the business or if they are in the business they are very helpful.. sometimes stone cutters actually post here! I find that so cool.. owners of businesses Rhino or Mr. Wink as two I can think of - there are many others..

Before you educated yourself on pricescope, what did you notice about other people's diamonds? I ask this bc my memory is still fresh. I'm not going lie. The first thing I looked for was size and clarity. What caught my eye was how shiny some looked but I didn't understand quite why, so I attributed this phenomenon to the size.
How about you? Do you still remember what your perspective of diamonds was before pricescope?
I think this might be helpful to newbies.

 

[Calliecake]

From a distance size and color. Once I got closer sparkle. I thought the sparkle factor was all about the clarity. Thought cut just meant the shape of the diamond.

 

[lorrissey]

Before PS, all I noticed was settings. and overall size.

 

[Candygrl]

Size! And what I used to call little black bugs in the stone lol. Never really noticed color unless it was obviously yellow.

 

[Sweet-Tea]

Hi, I am very new to learning about diamonds as I have only been engaged since Valentine's Day. I am embarrassed to say, neither of us did much research prior to finding an engagement ring. I had never even tried them on before the proposal! So, lots of lessons learned since then. I don't think I paid a lot of attention to diamonds before, but I probably noticed size and how much it sparkled. I knew about the 4 C's, but I didn't have much understanding since you really have to see diamonds in person (as in, on your own finger). After doing a lot "stalking" on this site and other blogs, as well as educational material on vendor sites, I have learned that the cut (including facet structure) and brilliance are most important to me. I will be sure to continue reading this site for when I make my next cushion purchase or upgrade as it has been tremendously helpful!

 

[secretagentlaura]

I've always loved ornate or unusual settings/sets, so that was my before, and it's still what catches my eye first. Now I find that there's more that I check out - cut and clarity, but I am still the most interested in the setting.