Quality tradeoffs

[lumbus]

After reading some tutorials it is clear to me that the cut is a very important factor for the visual appearance of a stone. I have a budget of about $3,500 and was hoping to find a diamond between 0.9 and 1 ct (to fit a specific ring). It seems that to get under 2 in the cut advisor, I often have to settle for J color and SI2 clarity. Is that too much to sacrifice for the "perfect" cut?

Looking at diamonds with AGS certificates greatly simplifies cut evaluation. Does it make sense to concentrate on AGS stones with my budget and size requirements? They seem to start at much higher prices than the GIA stones.

Also, the cut advisor doesn''t take any parameters relating to girdle thickness and symmetry. I assume the symmetry must be quite good for a good cut advisor score to mean anything? What about girdle, does it affect the looks much if the girdle is uneven? I often see diamonds with thin-slthk and similar girdles. What is a good mm value for a medium girdle? Is a faceted girdle a bad thing?

Thank you very much for any advice!

 

[Mara]

It seems that to get under 2 in the cut advisor, I often have to settle for J color and SI2 clarity. Is that too much to sacrifice for the "perfect" cut?

--I see a stone at GOG on the Cut Quality search that is .94c J SI1 H&A with excellent HCA score for $3200. That isn't so bad. Yes you may have to get a J color, but you may be able to find an I SI2 or similar if your requirement is carat weight. Are you sacrificing too much? It's your choice and only you can make it. However, I will note that a well-cut J stone will face up whiter than a non-well cut J or even possibly a non-well cut I stone. If you find an SI1 or SI2 that is eye-clean, no one knows its SI and you save some $$. I would try to find an I SI or similar, and see what the vendors can do for you. You may have to go on the low end of the .90...but you'd get a great cut stone. I also saw a .87c G SI for $3500 on GOG's brokered area too. Can your setting accomodate that? In the end it's your decision, what's most important to you? Keep in mind also that a non-well cut stone will have funky diameters...so you may find one that says its 1c but it has the diameter of a .92c. That means you are paying extra for diameter you don't see (maybe in a thick girdle), and your stone looks smaller. No fun.

Does it make sense to concentrate on AGS stones with my budget and size requirements?

--You can concentrate on this or you can use GIA certs and make sure that the vendor you use can get you Sarin data from a report in order to get the crown and pav angles. I wouldn't buy a stone without a Sarin--today there are too many stones out there and vendors that WILL get them or already have them...shop smart.

I assume the symmetry must be quite good for a good cut advisor score to mean anything?

--On the HCA score it assumes that the stone has a very good polish and ideal symmetry. (HCA Notes: The result is for a symmetrical diamond with a medium girdle and very good polish). Since most of the well-cut stones you'd find out there will have VG VG at least (if not EX or ID) then you should be fine as long as you focus on cut.

What about girdle, does it affect the looks much if the girdle is uneven? I often see diamonds with thin-slthk and similar girdles.

--This is very typical and should not necessarily reflect badly on the stone. Most stones are something like slightly thin-slightly thick. It's rare from what I have seen of certs to just find a girdle that is even all the way around and/or is medium all the way around.

What is a good mm value for a medium girdle?

--I'm not sure about good mm but as I noted earlier...it's not unusual to have wavy girdle. You don't see that in real life..the girdle is so small on a stone. Unless the girdle is VERY THICK (which you do see) or VERY THIN (which you'd not see at all!) chances are your range will be good. I'd suggest a basic range along the lines of slightly thin-slightly thick...most stones would fall that range. Stay away from Thin or Very Thin unless the 'thin' is a very tiny spot on the girdle. Otherwise if the entire girdle is thin, it could cause the stone to chip easier. On the very thick side, you will lose carat weight in a thick girdle...thats not where you want it, you can't see it!

Is a faceted girdle a bad thing?

--No, in fact most modern cut stones would have faceted girdles. Alot of the older cut stones do not have faceted girdles, the girdle looks a little frosty/milky...not unattractive, but most of what is cut today is faceted. I personally think that faceted looks better because then the stone looks more uniform. However, again, the girdle is so small that you can't really see much of what goes on there unless you loupe the stone.

Good luck!

 

[lumbus]

Thank you very much for the help, Mara! Thanks for the stone suggestions too. I had poked around on GOG, I thought, but had failed to find the H&A search engine.

 

[pqcollectibles]

Hi Lumbus!

I have personally seen a 0.85 ct, J, H&A side by side with a 0.766 ct, H, H&A. They were A Cut Above from White Flash. Face up, NO DIFFERENCE! Both were blazing white and sparkly. No yellowish tinge what so ever in J! Even mock set against white gold and platinum. CUT really does make a difference.

I would not hesitate going for a 1 ct J color, 100% eye clean SI1, true H&A diamond! People won't believe you if you tell them it's J color.