Possible upgrade option; would it be the answer?

[anika]

Hi everyone,
I know I have posted about my upgrade options in the past. I have a 1.23FSI RB. I am colour sensitive so want to stick to an F-G.
I bought my stone two years ago at a very good price when exchange rates were much more favourable. I have two options for upgrade
1. Go to same jeweller - who will trade in at bought price but only offer a 1.5 GSI2 at $4340 more
2. Alternate jeweller whom I trust offers to buy my stone at a cheaper price then what I paid but will give me a 1.65FSI1 (GIA even H&A) for $4000 more- no obligation to buy once stone is ordered and can be independantly tested. I could even go 1.7 for a few hundred dollars more. The jeweller did say this is a favour to me and I know hes not dodgy- I''m just one of his diamond mad customers that he enjoys talking to! He has an in house gemologist who would look critique the specs before ordering.

Obviously option 2 looks better. Now you may say those incremental prices are ridiculous for the size jump but they are the reality of buying a stone 2 years ago and today''s prices in New Zealand where I live. I compared a 1.65 of equal quality on PS and that was $12000.

I only have these two options for trade in or to wait but then who knows what will happen with price. Its even hard to try stones on of this size; most shops here don''t carry them. I am hoping to get 7.6mm at least (current stone 6.85mm). I decided not to go for 1.4ct as I probably would not see the size jump and these stones are so hard to get here. Its all about being satisfied! I don''t think I could go beyond 1.7ct- this is large enought for me.

So is there a noticeable jump in 7.6-7.7mm and 6.85mm? Anybody able to draw this for me on a size 6 finger?
Any tips for ordering the diamond from option 2? Anything else?

Thanks, appreciate the advice from you serial upgraders

and anyone else!
Anika

 

[Mara]

anika, what does your hubby say?

with vendor #2 do you have the option for trade in in the future at what you are paying for the upgrade today? that is a key component since i think you want larger in the future?

i''d take option 2 and get the 1.65 or 1.7c stone.

for comparison you can look up my old threads...i have a size 6 finger.

i had a 1.29c stone with a 7.10mm diameter (actually surprisingly .25mm more than your 1.23c stone? is yours deep?) and went to the 1.6c with a 7.6mm. there was definitely a difference and if you can get 7.7mm or 7.775, for a few hundred more and are already paying $4k, go for the 1.7c.

i wouldn''t go to 1.5 as i just don''t think it''s enough of a jump if you can go to 1.7c for not too much more.

 

[diamondseeker2006]

Mara, most of the 1.23-1.25 ideal cuts I've seen were around 6.9-7.0mm. I'm not seeing 7.1mm until I get to 1.3 or more. My minimum is 7.1mm, so that's why I've been looking at that size. So I think her stone probably isn't deep.

I agree that 1.5 isn't enough difference from a 1.23. 1.6-1.7 will be noticeable.

 

[anika]

Hi there,
My current stone is not deep; its well cut but probably not at the spready end of the range.
In terms of hubby; we have not talked $

but I managed after some, actually a bottle of wine and dinner on his birthday to get him accustomed to the idea of an upgrade. All those tips were very handy that you guys gave me.
I wish I could see the visual difference side by side.

Thanks Anika

 

[upgrading mama]

I agree that going up to 1.5 for that much money, wouldn''t be worth it to me.

IF you are confident in jeweler #2, then I would say go for #2.

 

[Mara]

here is the comparison that WF sent me between my old 1.60 and my even older 1.29. that 1.26 is really a 1.29, it''s just mislabeled.

anyway...your difference will be even visually larger. because my 1.29 was 7.1mm and the 1.60 was 7.6mm.

so if you are looking at going from 6.85mm to 7.7mm then it will be MUCH larger visually than these two compared, and you can see the visual difference quite well here just between the 1.29 and the 1.60.

i also have some hand comparison shots that val put together for me to show my 1.29 on my hand then my 1.60 so i will see if i can dig thatout of the old thread later after i get back from dinner. hopefully this helps for now. the visual difference for yours will be much larger.

 

[anika]

Thanks Mara! That is a sizeable difference. So my difference would be about 0.7mm to 0.8mm vs you were showing 0.5mm.
can you tell me- is there a rough difference in mm from a 1.65 to 1.7 ct? Its so hard to know what the acceptable range is.
Also do you think prices will be even higher next year? I would have liked more time to save....

Anika

 

[Mara]

It depends on the stone as to how large the spread is. If you get a 1.65 that has a 60.5 depth it will show larger than a 1.65 that has a 61.9 depth...same with a 1.7c etc. I prefer 60.5-60.8ish anyway because they show larger face up than 61-62.

I do think that prices will continue to rise...they have for the last 2 years or so and I wish I had been more prepared 2 years ago to jump to the size I have now, it would have been definitely cheaper, maybe I could have even gotten a larger stone for the cash. So I''d say do it if you can (and hubby agrees) and REALLY make it count for $4k. I don''t think that 1.23 to 1.5c is enough of a jump...take it as high as you can afford now and just do it right so it will last you for a while.

 

[diamondseeker2006]

Here''s a picture I got from GOG a few months ago when trying to figure out sizes.

 

[Stone Hunter]

WOW diamondseeker2006 and Mara thanks for the photos. It really helps.

If you are going for size I would go with option #2. It is more for the money.