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Quality or Quantity? Which affects your decision most?

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americanhero

Rough_Rock
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Would you rather have a 1.0ct GIA/G/VS1 or a 2.0ct EGL/I/SI1 for the same price. The question is, quality or quantity?

Obviously, I could give up in color/clarity for size, but is it worth it? I know clarity differences are hard to tell with the naked eye.

What is everyones opinions?
 
I''d choose the 2 carat one. I''m not very sensitive to color. Good luck!
 
Cut quality is the most important factor
 
If I had seen them and the 2. didn''t have a easily seen flaw and the color was miss graded, I would go with it.
cwj
 
Date: 3/24/2008 6:28:33 PM
Author: Maisie
Cut quality is the most important factor
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Ditto!

I'd rather have a larger, well cut AGS or GIA J-K VS1/VS2.

For me quality means cut, and the other factors weigh in later.

But, I do love SIZE, and I would most certainly go down in color to get a larger stone, plus I like warmth. I have eagle eyes, so clarity is important to me as well. VS1, VS2, and eye clean SI1s will do the job.

If you are deciding between 1.0ct GIA/G/VS1 or a 2.0ct EGL/I/SI1, there's got to be a stone out there that will split the difference. Like an AGS or GIA graded 1.2-1.5 I-J eye clean SI1-VS1.

eta: oh, and one more thing, an EGL graded I SI1, may not be and I SI1, it may very well be a J-K SI2, as they are softer on grading. EGL US is better. Just make sure you get what you pay for
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Good Luck!
 
I''d send them both to AGS and see what happens.

If they turn out to be AGSO then the bigger is better for sure!
 
Date: 3/24/2008 6:58:40 PM
Author: lisa1.01fvs1
I''d send them both to AGS and see what happens.

If they turn out to be AGSO then the bigger is better for sure!
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Cut quality aside, sending an EGL I/SI1 to AGS may be asking for disappointment. I''m not saying that EGL certed stones are bad per se, however you have to know what you are getting.

GIA, and AGS diamonds trade for more money than EGL stones, if the vendor thought he could get I/SI1 from either of those labs, he would spend the extra $200 and send it in so that he can sell it for more money.

EGL US is definately better, however it is still not the same thing.
 
Definitely the 2 ct. I have a 2.01 ct G SI1 H&A that''s also EGL satisfied, and I am in love with the stone. I was previously engaged with a 1 ct E SI1 stone, and I like this one just as much. Obviously, you want to do your homework if getting an EGL stone - they get slammed a lot on here for having "softer" grading - but you can also find a great deal in an EGL stone. There are many beautiful ones to be found here on PS.

Plus, no one has EVER asked me, "What lab wrote the cert for your stone?" But I do hear a lot of "2 carats, that''s huge!" There is a good chance that your girl will prefer the 2 ct stone.
 
thanks for everyone''s help!

but is there anyone else on this forum that has the same thinking as me? a smaller but better quality diamond over a bigger but lesser quality? i know no one is going to ask for papers/proof/stats but i don''t know if i could go down in quality to go up in size.
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I think I''m one of the few would take the 1 carat G/VS1 over the 2 carat I/SI1, given they were both equal cuts--in fact, I''d go even smaller for an E or an F. It should be noted that I''m a step-cut kind of gal, so "bling" is not an important criteria for me. I''m very color sensitive, so I wouldn''t be comfortable buying out of the colorless range and my idea of "eye clean" is not the industry standard. I prefer a diamond that is eyeclean from all sides from less than 6 inches away. In fact, I carry a loupe in my purse and when I''m bored I find my inclusion with the loupe--I have a VS2 with a small crystal near the middle of the stone--and then try my hardest to see it with my naked eye after seeing it through the loupe.

If a woman isn''t color or clarity sensitive and her main criteria is size, a 2 carat EGL I/SI1 would be fantastic, but if an inclusion or the color will bother her, then the size of it is irrelevant--it''s just a matter of knowing what SHE wants.
 
to a regular joe schmoe (not expert), can you really tell between a GIA F and G? what about between a GIA G and GIA I/J?
 
Date: 3/24/2008 7:44:27 PM
Author: NewEnglandLady
I think I''m one of the few would take the 1 carat G/VS1 over the 2 carat I/SI1, given they were both equal cuts--in fact, I''d go even smaller for an E or an F. It should be noted that I''m a step-cut kind of gal, so ''bling'' is not an important criteria for me. I''m very color sensitive, so I wouldn''t be comfortable buying out of the colorless range and my idea of ''eye clean'' is not the industry standard. I prefer a diamond that is eyeclean from all sides from less than 6 inches away. In fact, I carry a loupe in my purse and when I''m bored I find my inclusion with the loupe--I have a VS2 with a small crystal near the middle of the stone--and then try my hardest to see it with my naked eye after seeing it through the loupe.

If a woman isn''t color or clarity sensitive and her main criteria is size, a 2 carat EGL I/SI1 would be fantastic, but if an inclusion or the color will bother her, then the size of it is irrelevant--it''s just a matter of knowing what SHE wants.
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I''m with NEL. I would choose the 1 ct. G/VS1 over the 2 ct. I/SI1. I am color sensitive, and love the idea that a stone is totally "mind clean." However, I would see what your gf values / prefers and then go from there. Are you able to look at both stones side by side?
 
I have only compared colors in step cuts, but I saw a big difference between an F and an H (GIA)--but step cuts show their color more. A good friend of mine has a well cut G and I don''t see any color in her stone. I also have a G-color eternity band and see no color, but obviously very small stones hide color. I have seen a couple of I colors in person (round brilliants at Tiffany) and could see a tinge of color from the side, even if they face up white. It wouldn''t bother most, but just some.
 
i really want to stay with a G colored stone, but i was just wondering if i should go up to an F or if it would not make a difference. thanks NEL!
 
A well cut G will look better than a poorly cut F. G's a fantastic, very white color. For most PS'ers, all color/clarity preferences aside, CUT is king.
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"Quality" to me has much more to do with CUT and therefore performance than color/clarity alone. I realize color/clarity are what effect PRICE, but cut is what is going to make the WOW factor. Go with a very well cut stone in whatever color/clarity you want and you're going to have a nicer looking stone than most you'll encounter in everyday life.
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Date: 3/24/2008 8:14:00 PM
Author: Jenn5504
A well cut G will look better than a poorly cut F. G''s a fantastic, very white color. For most PS''ers, all color/clarity preferences aside, CUT is king.
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''Quality'' to me has much more to do with CUT and therefore performance than color/clarity alone. I realize color/clarity are what effect PRICE, but cut is what is going to make the WOW factor. Go with a very well cut stone in whatever color/clarity you want and you''re going to have a nicer looking stone than most you''ll encounter in everyday life.
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jenn, how do i find out how good the "cut" is. from my understanding, it is from the numbers/percentages given on the report/diagram, right?
 
An idealscope image would help tremendously. But not all vendors are going to provide that. Start with running the #''s through the HCA to weed out bad performing stones. Depth, table, crown & pavilion angles/% are going to be necessary for this.
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Date: 3/24/2008 7:38:31 PM
Author: americanhero
thanks for everyone's help!


but is there anyone else on this forum that has the same thinking as me? a smaller but better quality diamond over a bigger but lesser quality? i know no one is going to ask for papers/proof/stats but i don't know if i could go down in quality to go up in size.
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It depends on your definition of "quality."

To me, cut is the main determining factor when it comes to quality, and I would most certainly do a smaller well cut stone over a large poorly cut stone.

But Color is different. It's subjective. To me, a well cut J or K is quality.

What is the cut quality of the stones you're looking at?

And really, there is a big divide with those two stones. Would you consider splitting the difference? Or does it have to be one or the other?

Can you get the numbers of your chosen stones?
 
I would pick an ideal cut over a poorly cut stone of any carat, each time.
 
My personal limit is G-H color and VS clarity, so if the 1 carat stone was ideal cut and G VS1, then I''d choose it over the other stone assuming it was not ideal cut and probably lower than I SI, too.
 
To find a great stone, use this search tool, put in Excellent-excellent for cut, check only GIA and AGS for labs, enter your color, size and clarity range and you'll come up with mostly great stones.

https://www.pricescope.com/sift.aspx

You'll see at the 1 ct range that VS1 will add $1000 over the cost of VS2 in G color.
 
Date: 3/24/2008 6:41:19 PM
Author: cwj
If I had seen them and the 2. didn''t have a easily seen flaw and the color was miss graded, I would go with it.
cwj
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I meant to type wasn''t miss graded.
 
I would go for better quality over size.
 
After cut, I would go with higher color and clarity before size. I''ve had three upgrades so far and my husband is still wanting me to get a bigger size stone, even knowing that he and I would not drop in color or clarity. I know that I am in the minority here, but I have not changed my mind in twenty five years, so it''s safe to say that I never will - and I do not regret it. I have a habit of louping my diamond while I''m sitting on the couch watching TV. I love looking at the arrows and deep inside it, so it has to be very clean. I don''t like looking at spots or a cluster of clouds. Before you think I''m nuts - I louped my mother''s ring last month and found one of her prongs missing.

Everybody has their own opinions. Just do what matters the most to you! Good Luck!
 
My sweet spot is H, VS1, .6 (or higher in each category). Don't know why, that's just how I feel. Of course, assuming the best cut.
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So in your example I would choose the smaller stone.

For the record, I could go down to VS2 and down to I. But I'd rather not. I know others feel differently. That's what's great! We all have to make these calculations for ourselves and there can't be a wrong answer as long as you are happy.
 
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