Raw deal?? Feel sick to my stomach

ZhenyaH · Jul 8, 2003

Hi
I recently got engaged after my fiance and I spent what seemed like a very long time looking for an engagement ring. However, since then, I''ve come to realize the following:
1) Crown angle is too low and hence,
2) Lots of sparkle but less fire
3) One of the two feathers is visible to naked eye
4) Slight discrepancies between GIA certificate an sarin report.

According to GIA certificated dated 27 June 2002:
-Cut-cornered square modified brilliant (box radiant)
-Size: 1.03 carat
-Depth/Table: 56.7% /65%
-Girdle: Thin to slightly thick
-Culet/Fluorescence: None/None
-Polish/Symmetry: Very Good/ Good
-Clarity/Color: SI1 / G

According to Sarin report provided by the store:
-Crown angle/height: 22.5''/7.2% 0.44mm
-Pavilion depth: 45.8% 2.80mm
-Culet: 1% 0.06mm
-Table: 66% 4.06mm
-Depth: 57% 3.49mm

1) Should I be worried about the slight differences in table and culet figures?
2) Did I pay waaay too much at $5250?
3) Of two feathers, one is visible to the naked eye. Doesn''t this automatically disqualify the stone as NOT SI1?
4) Is it possible the feather has gotten larger since the engagement? I.e. could I have enlarged it by accidentally knocking it against something?
5) Low crown angle; the stone is spread cut and therefore does not have a lot of light return? Hence the lack of fire?

I love the man dearly but I feel sick just thinking at the possibility that this stone is not worth what we spent. Please advise!!!

Mara · Jul 8, 2003

Jen, your diamond sounds lovely. Since you already have it, why worry about what you could have done differently? I know...easier said than done, but you are nitpicking small things like the Sarin results (the differences are minimal) and the feather etc. There may always be a more 'desirable' stone out there to compare yours to.

If the feather is visible from the pavilion or anyplace other than the top of the stone, that could be why it was graded SI1. Or maybe it was just a mis-graded SI1. However, with an SI grade it's not *guaranteed* that the stone is eye-clean. GIA is usually strict, so if you are viewing the feather from the side or the pavilion (bottom up or similar), diamonds are clarity graded from top down, not side or bottom view.

My two cents on the shallow crown angle and lack of fire follow. My stone is similar...it's very white brilliant with a larger spread and a very shallow crown angle. Sometimes it bothers me that my stone isnt as fiery as it could be but other times it literally takes my breath away with its white beauty. Then again I know this is not the only stone I will ever have to admire, so I figure I will appreciate it for what it is...and know that later in life, I can have a very fiery stone with less white brilliance in order to even out the scales. The fire vs white is a preference thing....I think once you put your fears aside and really appreciate your stone for what it IS vs what it ISNT...you will be happier.

Unless of course you want to return the stone and start from scratch. Is this even a possibility? If not, then stop worrying! No it does not sound like your fiance got jipped, the price you quoted is a little high but if you bought it at a brick and mortar store, that may explain the markup. The stone is most likely very pretty if you liked it in the first place...remind yourself of that when you start to worry...

My big dollar of advice from a fellow obsessor! Enjoy your stone!!