Princess Looks Great, but Rates AGA-3A! Help!

[TooMuchInformation]

For the record. I''m always this indecisive.

I''m *possibly* going to be purchasing a diamond this week; I have a refundable deposit down on the following Princess from GoodOldGold:

http://www.goodoldgold.com/princess_0_98ct_f_vs2.htm

Jonathan has given me excellent service, and considering that I''ve never so much as spoken to him on the phone, I have a lot of trust for him and his company, however, I''m still hesitant on making the final decision on this stone.

I have a few things that are haunting me:

1) It''s certified by GemScan, which appears to be reputable, but not of the same caliper as GIA or one of the other big name labs (though I suppose this really doesn''t matter if I get the stone appriased by someone like David Atlas).

2) Although the stone looks great on the LightScope, the actual numbers for the cut are less than desirable:

Cut: Princess
Weight: 0.98 carats
Table % 67.7 Grade: 1A
Crown Height % 15.9 Grade: 3B
Girdle Thickness Slightly thin to Medium Grade: 1A
Total Depth % 76.3 Grade: 2B
Polish / Symmetry Excellent Grade: 1A * Not a primary determining factor.
Final Grade: 3A

So, it''s just got a large crown and is somewhat deep. No big deal. Then why does this AGA rating have to come and slap me in the face with a 3A rating?

I''ve put weeks of research into my decision, yet I still have a small "jumping off the edge of a cliff" feeling with this.

(not pertaining to the vendor at *all*, just the stone). So, what are peoples thoughts on this:

What does AGA-3A *really* mean? Seeing this on an appraisal paper might bother me. I want everything to be perfect for my wife to be, and I wouldn''t mind waiting a few weeks, if it''s really important, for another stone with a better raiting to come along *if* it really matters.

I have decided that I''m going to get this appraised by David Atlas, does anyone have any experience with him providing qualitative feedback with regards to his "personal" opinion of the performance of the stone?

 

[Fancy]

My ring is an overall 3A, and it's outstanding! I don't put too much weight in the fancy shape grading becaue I really think you have to judge each stone on its own, and you really have to see it to know if it's a stunner ior a dead stone. The numbers don't really tell you if it's a winner when it comes to fancies. We had ny ring brought to an independent appraiser and before we got there, we told him the numbers, and he said he didn't think it would be a great preformer -- well, when he saw it, he was amazed!

Go by what you see!

 

[TooMuchInformation]

Wow people respond quickly!

Fancy, do you personally own a ring with a Princess cut stone? What sort is it, and when did you get it? I'm glad to hear that you're really happy with your's, and it does help put me at ease with my current plan of action.

I must say. If the AGA rating simply didn't exist, I'd probably be able to get to sleep at the moment, but I suppose that all this work will pay off when I get to surprise my wife-to-be with something that I spent my heart and soul looking into.

Thanks!

 

[Fancy]

I have a fancy but it is a pear shape .. the AGA grading system is not meant to be what the grading system is for the rounds .. you just can't plug in numbers and predict how a stone will preform when it's a fancy. It is meant as a guide .. for me, the numbers simply didn't match up with the incredible preformance of my stone, even though it would be considered a "3A".

Get it appraised, and you should have an opinion you feel comfortable with, without having to rely on the inexact system for fancies.

I should also add, that if you eye is "WOWed" by the stone, you have got a winner, as long as you are paying the right price for the stone.

Just my 02c.

 

[TooMuchInformation]

More great news.

I have no problem with the stone being a 3A, because I'm not so much into having the perfect "specs" (I'm getting a .98ct, which you can't even call a Carat! ), as much as getting a rock that (as some one put it) my wife-to-be and all her friends and all her friends boyfriends will ogle over, so again, this news is comforting.

My eyes are very much "WOWed" by the stone, but I've only seen it through .JPEG, which, needless to say, is anything but a fair look at it.

Thanks again for your feedback.

 

[canadiangrrl]

TMI, I have never purchased from GOG, but I know that Jonathan is extremely discriminating about the stones he sells. Purchasing a diamond online does require a leap of faith on the part of the consumer, but you're going with a vendor who is known for the quality of diamonds he sells, and an appraiser with a stellar reputation. I wouldn't worry too much.

 

[fuffi]

If your stone looks really great to you, I wouldn't let the numbers worry you. The cut of my princess is probably 2B, yet it has more fire than the vast majority of RB's I see around. In the end you need to judge it with your own eyes and be happy with it.

I've seen your princess on GOG's site before and was struck by how fabulous it looks! I don't think you'll regret it. Please let us know the outcome.

Good luck!

 

[diamondlil]

TMI,


I have a 2B fancy (pear) diamond. I did not find Pricescope until shortly AFTER I had made my purchase. I was thrilled with my beautiful stone UNTIL I read all the AGA criteria and realized it was a 2B -- talk about buyer's remorse! I was sleepless for days before I questioned the experts here for feedback. Thankfully, I got a similar response to what you are receiving. My mind was eased once I came to realize that even at less-than-ideal proportions, my stone is much more beautiful than the vast majority of stones I see on women's fingers!!! And it was at a price I could afford, in the color I soooooo desired, and eye clean.




Specifications aside, if it's a beautiful stone to your eyes and you feel you are paying a reasonable price for it, don't lose any more sleep. Your wife-to-be will be thrilled with your efforts!




Can't wait to see pictures!




Diamondlil

 

[TooMuchInformation]

Thanks everyone for your great feedback! It sure makes me feel more comfortable, and I'm really excited to start proceeding with the purchase.

Now I just have to choose a band! (You'll probably see another thread on this!)

 

[oldminer]

The AGA system works, but it was not created to cause consumer nightmares. Fancy shaped diamonds are far miosre subjective in nature. What do YOU prefer? There are fewer absolutes with fancy shapes.

However, the AGA system points out "cutting" shortcomings in fancy shapes that dealers rarely discuss. A stone that is overly deep simply looks smaller than it should for the weight. A stone that is too thin, may look big, but it will be lower in brilliancy, probably show more windowing, and may have weakness in the girdle making it more likely to chip.

There are countless combinations of cut that may look good to consumers, but they may well have "faults" that dealers can discern. I want consumers to get the best stone for their money with the least faults. The AGA systme puts you on the right decision making path. It is never a substitute for finally buying a diamond you love but it is a big help to selecting one you prefer because you have the important facts.

Don't lose sleep over it. Learn and enjoy the process of buying a well cut diamond.

 

[TooMuchInformation]

Thanks for your response, David.

From what I've been able to read and hear from people on this forum, I understand that I might be have a great diamond here, that will perform very well. The only issue that I can see from what I keep hearing is that this stone might look a bit smaller than another 0.98ct Princess with less Depth, which could still be just as brilliant if cut correctly.

So, ultimately, I don't think that I so much mind if I loose a few .'s of a mm on the stone; I've looked at it's measurements, and it's still very much similar to the other sizes of equal weight stones that I've seen.

I'd like to thank everyone again for contributing to this thread!