Questions about ovals

[kjer2]

I'm looking into buying an oval diamond over the internet had a few questions. My g/f prefers smaller length to width ratios (i.e. 1.25-1.30). Any suggestions as to Table %, Depth %, etc. that will look nice with roughly a 1.5 carat diamond with a smaller l/w ratio? Also, I think I've narrowed my search to 3 diamonds, any comments would be greatly appreciated (especially if anyone thinks one of these would look terrible and/or is a bad deal!)

Carat 1.5
Color I
Clarity VS1
Polish/Symmetry VG/G
Length 8.27
Width 6.58
Height 4.07
Depth 61.9
Table 57
Girdle MED-VTK
Culet S
Price 6,220
GIA cert


Carat 1.55
Color H
Clarity VS1
Polish/Symmetry VG/G
Length 8.53
Width 6.54
Height 4.24
Depth 64.80
Table 55.00
Girdle M-THK, F
Culet NONE
Price 6,854
GIA cert



Carat 1.61
Color I
VS1
Polish/Symmetry VG/G
Length 8.64
Width 6.57
Height 4.16
Depth 63.3
Table 56
Girdle TN-VTK
Culet VS
Price 7,314
GIA cert

 

[phoenixgirl]

This Gem Appraisers website has guidelines for ovals under Cut Grade Charts and Rules. According to the chart, stones #2 and #3 are cut too deep.

You didn''t mention the clarity of the stones . . .

 

[RockDoc]

Personally based on my experience I wouldn''t be considering any of the three stones.

But this is based on numbers, which is a predicition that in a fancy shape in not all that reliable or accurate.

I base my opinion on "height" which I am assuming is crown height. All three are around 8 %. While in some stone 8 % is ok, with others it isn''t, which has to do with the angle relationship between the crown angle, ( which on ovals varies a lot) to the pavilion facet.... In addition there a several pavillion "styles" that are commonly cut. a 4 main, and a 6 main. As cutters experiment with attempting to acheive better looking stones, that can influence new patterns for the pavilion of the stone.

Also you need to know the bowtie affect in this type of stone.. If the diamonds have somewhat deep pavilions, the bowtie can appear over-dark. If they are cut too shallow then you can eliminat the bowtie but brilliance and dispersion are negative affected. There is NO accurate or reliable chart that can accurately give you what you are assuming is happening with the stone.
FANCY CUTS must be seen and examined by someone who really is competent in evaluating them.

Rockdoc

 

[valeria101]

... everything that RocDoc said plus one word against those "very thick" girdles. Perhaps that is no big thing on a stone that has everything else going for it, but given some choice I'd stay away - there's allot of wasted material there.

It might help bring in more choices if you relax clarity down to SI1 - that should have no effect on the look of those stones (VS2 should be just as safe and most SI1 are as well). The cut can have allot more impact on the looks of the stone than clarity: lack of inclusions does not help if the shape and brilliance are not pleasant; on the other hand, cut details can obviate inclusions and often this is done extremely effectively.

Just my 0.2, of course

 

[kjer2]

Do you mind sharing how you arrived at the 8% crown height percentage? The online specs only said:

Length-to-width: 8.53 x 6.54 x 4.24

I assumed the 4.24 was height. I think I may do quite a bit more searching now. A jeweler quoted me a 1.66 oval, I color, 1.28 length-width ratio (unkown other specs) at $7,700. It looked really nice, but I feel like I can be duped in person because they all looked nice. I think I will go back and ask for more details to see if it had any of the problems mentioned (i.e. bowtie, girdle, and small crown %)

RockDoc, Valeria101, and phoenixgirl...Thank you very much for your help! You are awesome!

 

[cflutist]

Date: 4/2/2005 5:59:19 PM
Author: kjer2
Do you mind sharing how you arrived at the 8% crown height percentage? The online specs only said:

Length-to-width: 8.53 x 6.54 x 4.24

I assumed the 4.24 was height. I think I may do quite a bit more searching now. A jeweler quoted me a 1.66 oval, I color, 1.28 length-width ratio (unkown other specs) at $7,700. It looked really nice, but I feel like I can be duped in person because they all looked nice. I think I will go back and ask for more details to see if it had any of the problems mentioned (i.e. bowtie, girdle, and small crown %)

RockDoc, Valeria101, and phoenixgirl...Thank you very much for your help! You are awesome!

The third number is the depth. If you divide 4.24 (d) / 6.54 (w) = 64.8% depth

L:W = 8.53 (l) / 6.54 (w) = 1.30 trade preferences are 1.33 - 1.66.

Are you sure your gf prefers 1.25 - 1.30? When you are outside the norm, sometimes it is difficult to set the
stone in the standard heads and thus you may need a custom head for the ring. Ovals with L:W ratio between 1.10 - 1.25 are considered "fat". I had a 2.05 D-VS2 Oval that had L:W of 1.39 which I liked and even though 1.50 is in the "preferred" range, I thought they were a little to "skinny" for my tastes. It really does boil down to her preference though.

 

[Richard Sherwood]

There's no reference to crown height made in the figures given. The "height" stated in mm's is actually total depth.

I would not knock these stones out of the running. They could be quite nice. Even the deeper stones could be quite nice (a lot of good looking ovals tend to run a touch deep, with thicker girdles), but as stated you wouldn't know until you're able to give it a visual inspection, or have someone do that for you to weed out any problem stones.

 

[RockDoc]

Date: 4/2/2005 5:59:19 PM
Author: kjer2
Do you mind sharing how you arrived at the 8% crown height percentage? The online specs only said:

Length-to-width: 8.53 x 6.54 x 4.24

I assumed the 4.24 was height. I think I may do quite a bit more searching now. A jeweler quoted me a 1.66 oval, I color, 1.28 length-width ratio (unkown other specs) at $7,700. It looked really nice, but I feel like I can be duped in person because they all looked nice. I think I will go back and ask for more details to see if it had any of the problems mentioned (i.e. bowtie, girdle, and small crown %)

RockDoc, Valeria101, and phoenixgirl...Thank you very much for your help! You are awesome!

Oops!

I Apologize since I read the wrong line. However, you do need to know the crown height...

The bowtie is still an important characteristic to know.

Rockdoc