Question between two diamonds

[skeletor5]

Hi everybody,

I recently started shopping for an engagement ring and came across this forum thankfully. Just reading through all these posts has helped me learn so much and have a good idea looking for diamonds.

I've been searching around

Diamond #1:
1.67 ct round brilliant
GIA certified
7.54 - 7.57 x 4.71mm
Color: H
Clarity: SI1
Cut: Excellent

Polish: Very Good
Symmetry: Excellent
Fluorescence: None

Table: 59.0%
Depth: 62.4%
Crown angle: 35.5
Pavilion angle: 41.2
Culet: none

I could not see any visible inclusions with the naked eye from either the top or the side, and inclusions were not very noticable from the top at a 10x magnification. The price for this diamond is $16,000.

Diamond #2
1.60 ct round brilliant
GIA certified
Color: H
Clarity: SI1
Cut: Excellent

Polish: Excellent
Symmetry: Excellent
Fluorescence: None

Table: 57%
Depth: 62.0%
Crown angle: 35.5
Pavilion angle: 40.8

I have not seen this diamond in person yet but I'm wondering if I should bother bringing it in to look at. The inclusions are apparently clear and not in the table. It is a top SI1. The price is $17,550.

These two diamonds are from different jewelers. I put the dimensions in the HCA estimator and diamond #1 came out at 4.9 and diamond #2 came out at 2.7. So neither is ideally the best, but I have seen diamond #1 in person and it doesn't look visibly bad. It had lots of fire, brilliance, scintillation, and "sparkle".

I unfortunately don't have any images to post but diamond #1, looking under an idealscope, has perfect hearts and arrows. Hopefully I can get some opinions on the two and basically whether or not the XXX with slightly better proportions is worth an extra $1,500. I am leaning towards no.

Also would it be worth while to wait and try to find a diamond that is less than 2 on HCA? Does it make that much of a difference?

Thanks!

 

[farmer gal]

For the amount of money I would want the best I could get. Here are some options if you don't mind buying online.

WF

http://www.whiteflash.com/loose-diamonds/round-cut-loose-diamond-2561977.htm


BGD blue, it will appear whiter because of the flourescence

http://www.briangavindiamonds.com/diamond/diamond-detail/?product_id=BLAGS-104052029013

Call for pricescope discount

 

[Amys Bling]

Personally if I was spending 16,000 plus on a stone I would seek out ideal cut stones.

 

[yssie]

Post GIA report numbers, or lgf%?

Of the two prefer the numbers on #2... but that's not much to go on, given how much we *don't* know about what's hidden in the averaged, rounded numbers on the GIA report. More info, scans, pics would give a better idea. Whether or not the difference in numbers between the two translates into a visible - or largely visible - difference to your eyes is something we can't tell you, I'm afraid! All I can say is that I personally have no doubt that I would note differences in both appearance and performance between the two if I had both in-hand.

It sounds like you are in the (enviable) position of seeing the stones before you buy. Definitely have the other called in, and compare both in different types of light, and against other similarly sized stones of different proportions your jeweller may have in stock - in direct sunlight by a window, under the spotlights in the counters, in the diffuse office lights in the back. Get them dirty by smudging your fingers all over and then compare again. See which stands out to you, and if that's the latter, you can make a fully informed decision on whether or not it's worth the extra to you.

Would need H&A scope to see the hearts - IS is a different tool.