Realistic Stone for my budget

[toolsmack2]

Ok so I''ve learned a bunch from this site and others and I''ve been out scoping nearly 20 stones in the past few weeks.

I''ve set my budget and prioritized my C''s. So I would like some advice on what some of you experts thinks of my options.

- I want a super-ideal cut (H&A)

- It has to be eye-clean and I''m leaning towards VS2 just for my own confidence in the clarity.

- I''d like a colorless stone (D-E-F)

- It has to be over a carat and I''d like it to be closer to 1.25

- My budget is $7,000 - $8,500

I''ve realized that I can''t get H&A, D, VS1 and 1.25 all for my budget so i need to compromise on clarity, color and carat.

I''m looking for a real stunner of a stone so would it be better to go with a 1.1 H&A, E, VS2 or a 1.3 H&A, G, SI.

I thought that color and clarity were the key before I discovered Cut, so will the superior cut make up for the lesser color and clarity of the bigger stone?

Thanks.

 

[valeria101]

About the two stones: well, I am quite sure those HCA scores are just as good (a 0.3 diferennce is not suposed to be significant, although the HCA itself is just as good as the measurements you put in, which are approximate averages to start with). E-VS2 versus G-SI (is it SI1 or SI2? is it eye clean to you?)- these should display only minimal if any color diference once set, and surely not top down. Side by side, out of setting, hopefully there is some difference (for the grades' sake). VS2 versus SI: no idea what you can see of the difference there is. VS2 should be eye clean, SI may not but could.

If the choice was between E-SI and G-VS, than I would most likely get the point a see where the dilema is. But for two equally promissing cuts and simmilarly sized stones whch comply with your budget, why go for the one which has both loer color and clarity? Oh, and there is size: I bet that in this case the difference is quite subtle. What are the measurements (just the diameters) ?

 

[Giangi]

G/SI 1 looks great in an ideal cut diamond! As a matter fact, you could go even with I/SI 2 and get a stunning stone!

Look at these stones:

1.20 F/SI 1 H+A
1.23 H/SI 1 H+A
1.21 G/SI 1 H+A
1.72 I/SI 2 H+A
1.206 H/VS 2 A CUT ABOVE H&A

So, as you see, you should be able to find a pretty stone within the price range you've specified!

 

[Hest88]

I'd go for the 1.3. If you want to maximize your dollars, it's all about what you can see. A well-cut G should be very white and no regular person is going to be able to tell it has any color. (Heck, even an expert isn't going to say a G looks yellow.)

Same goes with the lower clarity. As long as it's eye-clean it's not going to affect the visual beauty. The lower clarity will only really matter if you're staring at it under a loupe.

 

[valeria101]

----------------
On 1/7/2004 3:45:57 PM Hest88 wrote:

I'd go for the 1.3. If you want to maximize your dollars, it's all about what you can see. ----------------

What is there to see? Within H&A parameters, a 1.1cts may have as much as 6.8mm diameter and a 1.3 as little as 7mm diameter. Would 0.2mm diference show off that much? It is less than my pencil's tip (of 0.5mm). This is why I asked for more specs above.

Surely I'd go for a more balanced choice (D/E-SI or a G-VS, depending on what one wants more of). The best stone of those two seems to be a third. At least to me it does...

 

[knowverylittle]

You sound to have the same dilemmas I had.

>>I'm looking for a real stunner of a stone so would it be better to go with a 1.1 H&A, E, VS2 or a 1.3 H&A, G, SI.
The key is how you define 'stunner'. If you mean 'impresses friends' go with the bigger stone.
I would much rather do a better color SI1 (say G) rather than a lower colored VS2 (say J/I). It took me a while to come around to this way of thinking as I doubted the SI1 grade - having seen some I am not worried if there is a return policy too.

D and E colors only hide your money and don't make a stone more impressive to the mother-in-law etc. This debate is almost the same as VS1 vs VS2. I understand this and am only considering D or E colors.

There is sense in the H/I color for yet more size but it was not for me.

 

[aljdewey]

Actually, I think this stone is a great fit for your parameters:

1.154, F, SI1, AGS0 (H&A) for $6207 http://www.dirtcheapdiamonds.com/diamond_detail.cfm?did=6859221

It's colorless, great plot (I'd bet almost everything this is eyeclean, but a quick phone call will tell you for sure), the Hearts pattern is spot on, and the numbers are spot-on for superideal proportions. The Image scope looks nice, too, and it scores a 1.4 on the HCA.

There's also an 1.32, H, VS1 here for $7792, but it's GIA graded, so you'd need to get the numbers on it.

I also do like the 1.20 stone that Giangi pointed out.

 

[toolsmack2]

Thanks for the input thus far.

I didn't have specific stones in mind when I posed the question, I guess it all boiled down to sacrificing Color and clarity for a couple carat points. You all seem to say it's not noticeable between a 1.1c and a 1.3c but there sure seems to be a price difference.

And that price difference is what led me to ask if a smaller E/VS2 would compare with a slightly larger G/SI1 given that the SI1 was eye-clean.

The prices are similar and it sounds like people are saying to go with the smaller better quality stone but it is so hard to pass up being able to say 1 1/4 carats instead of 1.1 c for as long as I want to brag about this stone

 

[valeria101]

Oups! that's a whole new "C" for me: if the thing looks just as big as a 1 ct and weighs (and costs) like a 1.25, I would have never thought there is some value added in this

Why H&A and not a 1.5 then? How many people would even know what H&A diamonds are... and surely claiming "this is a 1.5 cts" sounds even better. Weird stuff this. It did not jump at me that you are after max size from that post (since E-VS would be the choice of a quality nerd, and G-SI is sometimes touted as the best equivalent one's eyes can see without GIA's help). You can probably get cut quality way better than commercial without making all the lightscope blush. Or, given that I color is what "commercial white" suposedly is, why not go for it for size's sake? Well, this also depends on what people have around you, but why not?

Do you have a cts. weight target? This sounds like a delicate balancing act already

 

[aljdewey]

I see now.....but this is a different question than you first posed. The first one you asked was which was more STUNNING.....(I'm looking for a real stunner of a stone so would it be better to go with a 1.1 H&A, E, VS2 or a 1.3 H&A, G, SI.) I would have answered this question "Take the 1.3 if....IF....the price jump (if any) is reasonable." Why--because there's not a discernable VISUAL (not economic, but visual) sacrifice between an E and a G...or between a VS2 and SI1.

But now your question has changed. (You all seem to say it's not noticeable between a 1.1c and a 1.3c but there sure seems to be a price difference.) This now isn't about a trade off between sacrificicing COLOR/CLARITY for size...but whether it's noticeable enough to PAY more.

Yes, there is typically a price jump at the 1.25 mark.....for the very reason you pointed out - you can say its a one-and-a-quarter carat. So it stands to reason that the best values are typically found in the 1.20 to 1.24 range....juuuuuust under the mark it looks just like a 1.25 but doesn't take the "mark premium" hit on pricing.

The problem, Tool, is that there aren't many stones in that range SIMPLY because most cutters will cut the stone a little deeper (making it less ideal) to get to the 1.25 mark and get a higher price-per-carat.

Now it also matters what you value...what you think your tolerances are...in terms of color and clarity. Me personally.....I would totally drop from an F to an H if it meant going from 1.10 to 1.30. But at that size, I don't think I've be comfortable dropping from a G to an I, so I'd prefer the smaller G. To me, I start seeing tint in I colors, and to have to sacrifice THAT much wouldn't then be worth the extra carat weight.

Budget also matters. If I only had $3500, it might be worth it to me to consider I stones to get to the carat threshold. But if my budget was $6500 and getting a 1.5 required me to drop to an I....I think I'd rather sacrifice a bit of weight to preserve the better H color. So it depends on your preferences.

Same on clarity. I'd happily drop from a VS1 to an SI1 to get a bigger weight....but I wouldn't likely drop from an SI1 to an I1 (unless I KNEW it was completely eyeclean) to get the bigger weight. So, you need to know what YOUR tolerances are.

The thing is, there are many variables, which is why buying a diamond depends on the factors of each individual purchase. With your budget and your weight desires, I'd look in the F/G/H color range and in the VS2/SI1 or even eyeclean SI2 range (I own an eyeclean SI2). Look at what that gives you for results, and then you'll start figuring out where you're most comfortable making your tradeoffs.

 

[valeria101]

Thanks Aljdewey !
I would have never guessed why is that piece of chart between 1 and 1.25 cts so jumpy!