premium justified

[ynoteh]

First I''d like to say thanks for being a great community for diamond information. I have lurked for dome time to educate myself, and am at my final phase of my decision. I have a choice between 2 stones. Both are very beautiful stones, both from same certification company.

#1 - Round, 6.86mm, 1.27ct, SI-1, G, Ideal Cut, Very Good Symmetry, Faint Fluorescence, naturals at girdle/pavillion, No H&A (not all focusing).

#2 - Round, 7.02mm, 1.30ct, VS-2, F, Very Good Cut, Very Good Symmetry, No Fluorescence, H&A pattern showing.

Both Diamonds are very beautiful, no difference in side-by-side comparison besides size (both brilliant diamonds).
The pluses for #1 are Ideal Cut, and $1200 cheaper than #2.
#2 Has 4 pluses: larger, one color higher, one clarity higher and shows H&A + no fluorescence.

Is #2 worth a $1200 premium?
Which one would you go for?

Comments are appreciated these are the final 2 stones I am deciding between.

Thanks in advance

 

[Garry H (Cut Nut)]

If you are spending that sort of money perhaps you should get the table crown and pavilion data for us?

 

[newenglandgemlab]

Which certification company? And ditto on Cut Nut! Cindy

 

[valeria101]

The description of the stones does have some science-fiction touches:
- what is "ideal cut" and "very good cut": as far as I can tell these are grades given by the seller, so he should be able to justify them somehow.

- the H&A patterns is about symmetry and proportions and quite a good indication of a very well cut diamond: why would an "ideal cut" miss it and a less great cut have it right?

- and what is "slightly out of focus" H&A? Are you describing an IdealScope image of some sort? Or this is what the seller told you?


But this is just language. Numbers should be irrelevant if both stones look great. I surely hope these are not the only two diamonds you have ever held and both are just as good or bad, with no opportunity to tell more...

You say that the two stones look the same to you, except for size, and I imagine that the size difference is not all that huge and both diamonds would look about the same on your hand, with the difference in size showing mostly when the two are side by side. If the 10% diference is size makes the difference between buying a setting and attaching a paperclip, than the answer, I hope, is clear (go for the cheapest, this is just a trincket after all). Otherwise, the difference in price is not all that big: so either both stones are good buys or are both not-so-attractively priced and you could find better than both.

 

[godiva]

I vote for number 2!

 

[aljdewey]

I personally suspect that the first stone is not an ideal cut. I have an ideal cut 1.24 stone that measure 6.97 x 7.00. The stone you mention about is .03 cts heavier and is missing about .15 diameter.




Garry's right - it would be most helpful to get crown/pavilion angles on the stones. Also, what kind of inclusions are they on the SI and where are they located in the stone?

 

[ynoteh]

The cut grades are on the certs. not given by the seller.

I looked at them through a hearts & arrows viewer, for the hearts and arrows pattern. #1 had 2 hearts that didn't focus while #2 showed them all.

I trust the seller so that doesn't worry me.

crown/pavillion angles are currently not available.

I don't mind paying a premium if it means something, otherwise valeria101 put it in perspective about paying less and getting a better setting.

I also had the concern about the H&A on the ideal, I guess it's a good thing the very good cut showed H&A.

 

[magna2]

ynoteh,

Whether the price difference is worth paying is really up to you. Based on your limited description, number 2 sounds like a much better diamond. Since we do not know which lab graded the diamonds nor do we know the prices of the diamonds, if is difficult to advise you on the matter.

Perhaps the two diamonds are overly priced in which case the forum members might advise you that neither are worth buying. We just don't have sufficient information. You stated that the certificate annotated the cut quality but you do not have the crown/pavilion information. We can, to a degree, safely assume that neither GIA nor AGS graded the diamonds. I suspect IGI or a lesser lab graded the diamonds. So it brings into question the accuracy of the grading and the value added by your jeweler/seller.

If you trust your dealer as you so claim, why don't you just ask him/her which is the better buy in his/her professional opinion. BTW, the $1200 price difference is on par with differences in both color and clarity.

 

[niceice]

----------------
On 1/23/2004 9:04:35 AM ynoteh wrote:

The cut grades are on the certs. not given by the seller.... crown/pavillion angles are currently not available.----------------

Say what? How can the gemological laboratory state a cut grade without providing the information necessary to support the proportions rating? These obviously are not AGS graded stones... Which lab graded the diamonds?

 

[aljdewey]

----------------
On 1/23/2004 1:19:14 AM ynoteh wrote:





Which one would you go for?

----------------

I would go for neither because there isn't additional information available, and to me, that's critical information to a sale.

However, since you are saying you have faith in your jeweler, perhaps he can give you his opinion.

 

[Nicrez]

If a Diamond is Forever...as they say, maybe it's worth the investment. As I see it, if you had to turn around and sell it (like an investment), which would you have an easier time selling?

I think #2 may be the better investment, considering you get the #s on it, and it works out to be a good stone. VERIFY VERIFY VERIFY...I have learned that here, because i was impressed by sparkle, but now I know that there is much more in a diamond than just what you visually see.

Money is always an issue, but try to bargain him down. Get the good cop/bad cop thing working, if it helps, where a friend sees the stones and either hates #2 or loves it...that's helped me on my search here...They criticize the obvious things, or make them think you can go somewhere else, and you hesistate, saying you want to work with the guy... be honest, say it's just too much, but a reduction could make it possible!

Try!

Good luck and congrats!!!

 

[ynoteh]

Is the hearts and arrows pattern a good indication of a well cut stone.

For price of the diamonds:
#1 - 6650
#2 - 7770


Thanks for the responses.

 

[phoenixgirl]

Yes, having a H&A pattern is a good, but not fool-proof, indication of a good cut, although some are better than others.

I don't know if you'd consider buying online, but I thought this stone looked great and similar to the ones you're considering but with a known (to be good) cut quality:

1.286 G SI1 H&A 7.03mm for $7400

The reason that it is going for more than your G SI1 is its cut.