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Search Strategy? Round, 1.3 to 1.5, F or better, VS2 or better

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kenfeyl

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My girlfriend told me to get the best cut possible in my budget with the following specs:

- Round diamond
- Solitaire six-prong setting
- 1.3 to 1.5 carats
- F color or better
- VS2 clarity or better

What I''d like is to get two choices at my two budget levels: $9,000 and $10,000.

I started by using the Pricescope search engine but quickly got frustrated. I entered my specs and then sorted by price. The cheapest 9 or 10 didn''t have certificates online, so I couldn''t get the angles to put into the Holloway Cut Advisor. Then I found one that had a certificate, but Holloway said it was junk. All of the next 9 or 10 had the same problem.

Can anyone help me refine my search strategy? I wish Pricescope could allow you to strain out bad cuts somehow -- it''s so annoying to have to wade through lots of poor cuts. I haven''t even gotten to a well-cut one yet.

And how do I get the details on the ones without certificates online? Do I have to write them to get it? It would be a shame to have them spend all the effort to send it to me, only for Holloway to say it''s a disaster.

Thanks so much! I really do appreciate this great site.
 
Your search-criteria are difficult, because of the following reasons:

- 1.30 to 1.50 actually means 1.30 to 1.49, since 1.50 means a considerable price-jump. Unfortunately, not many stones are cut in that size-area, because the same rough could most probably yield a 1.50 with lower cut-qualiity,
- at the same time, your budget is very tight for the exact combo of size, colour and clarity,

If cut-quality is important to you, which it obviously is, you probably will need to give in on one or more of the other aspects, be it weight, colour or clarity.

Live long,
 
You might try going straight to some PS vendors websites and looking directly at their inventories - most will allow you to sort by cut quality, esp. if that vendor specializes in some branded line of H&A.


As to finding the right stone, though - it really is just what you''re doing - clicking through every stone on the list, comparing numbers and images, and picking the one you like best
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Date: 1/4/2010 3:13:12 PM
Author:kenfeyl
My girlfriend told me to get the best cut possible in my budget with the following specs:

- Round diamond
- Solitaire six-prong setting
- 1.3 to 1.5 carats
- F color or better
- VS2 clarity or better

What I'd like is to get two choices at my two budget levels: $9,000 and $10,000.

I started by using the Pricescope search engine but quickly got frustrated. I entered my specs and then sorted by price. The cheapest 9 or 10 didn't have certificates online, so I couldn't get the angles to put into the Holloway Cut Advisor. Then I found one that had a certificate, but Holloway said it was junk. All of the next 9 or 10 had the same problem.

Can anyone help me refine my search strategy? I wish Pricescope could allow you to strain out bad cuts somehow -- it's so annoying to have to wade through lots of poor cuts. I haven't even gotten to a well-cut one yet.

And how do I get the details on the ones without certificates online? Do I have to write them to get it? It would be a shame to have them spend all the effort to send it to me, only for Holloway to say it's a disaster.

Thanks so much! I really do appreciate this great site.
Click to expand...
Do your search on in-house stones first to see what comes up. These should all have certs.

Edit - use this to find well cut stonesss
https://www.pricescope.com/sift.aspx
 
1.2 G VS2 http://www.whiteflash.com/hearts_arrows/Whiteflash-ACA-cut-diamond-2231147.htm
1.25 F SI1 http://www.whiteflash.com/hearts_arrows/Whiteflash-ACA-cut-diamond-2231146.htm

1.22 F VS1 http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/F-VS1-Ideal-Cut-Round-Diamond-1255546.asp
1.3 F SI1 http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/F-SI1-Ideal-Cut-Round-Diamond-1277468.asp (request IS)


A couple from a quick search of two vendors (ACAs are missing images, probably haven't been uploaded yet).

I agree that your requirements are too constraining - something's going to have to give.
 
I would buy anything until you have at least checked with or talked to Brian or Lesley at Brian Gavin Diamonds. Another excellent vendor is Good Old Gold. Check all the
best vendors then decide.
 
On PS a general rule of thumb to get the best bang for your buck is to go with a G or H color and down to
an eye-clean SI1. G and H will still face up very white. Eye-clean - well means you shouldnt be able to see
anything (you have to verify this with the vendor that it is eye-clean to your standards).

Dropping your color may make a lot more stones available to you. These are a tad over budget. They are VS1 or higher (better)
http://www.whiteflash.com/round_ideal_cut/Round-Ideal-Cut-cut-diamond-2138760.htm
http://www.whiteflash.com/round_ideal_cut/Round-Ideal-Cut-cut-diamond-2138761.htm
http://www.whiteflash.com/hearts_arrows/Whiteflash-ACA-cut-diamond-2199894.htm
 
All I have to say is, wow, wow, wow! Thanks so much for all your thoughtful replies. I'm about to go through them now and look at all the helpful stones you linked. I may follow up with a few more questions shortly.

Yes, I suppose I'm willing to push the budget a little, maybe to $12,000. But if that's not enough, my guess is that I'd give up color first, since my girlfriend claims to be able to see inclusions below VS2. She also claims to be able to see color below F, but my guess is that isn't as serious to her. I've just now left her a message asking if she would compromise on either of those two or the 1.3 size (but fat chance there), but she hasn't gotten back to me yet.
 
Date: 1/4/2010 4:48:15 PM
Author: kenfeyl
All I have to say is, wow, wow, wow! Thanks so much for all your thoughtful replies. I''m about to go through them now and look at all the helpful stones you linked. I may follow up with a few more questions shortly.


Yes, I suppose I''m willing to push the budget a little, maybe to $12,000. But if that''s not enough, my guess is that I''d give up color first, since my girlfriend claims to be able to see inclusions below VS2. She also claims to be able to see color below F, but my guess is that isn''t as serious to her. I''ve just now left her a message asking if she would compromise on either of those two or the 1.3 size (but fat chance there), but she hasn''t gotten back to me yet.
Click to expand...

I''ve been searching for virtually the exact same diamond - thankfully I''m not ready to buy yet or we''d be competing against each other!
3.gif

Wait maybe I should buy early and we can gang up on the dealers!!! LOL
36.gif


I''ve been searching for several months and just recently confirmed something after numerous hours of frustrating research -
For the average purchaser: Diamond pricing is like gasoline pricing - every corner has a different price. There is a rough guideline for ''value'' the rest is a subjective mystery.

Although ''compromising'' your criteria seems difficult, ensure you spend a good deal of time viewing diamonds in person. Reading and searching on the internet vs. spending some time to educate your eye are equally as important.

Personally, I would drop to a F-SI1 eye clean diamond and also look for a G-VS2. I say personally because I have done that exact thing and it has really opened the candidates available to me. I''ve also searched G-SI1 for comparative purposes. Furthermore, take some time to visit a jeweller and see the difference between the different options. I can assure you - with both in front of you, anyone would be very hard pressed to guess which is which.

Also - keep in mind that your 12K can very easily turn into 15k-16k after you choose a settings - something else that I stumbled upon.

Good luck with your search!
 
I am glad you are asking your gf. Tell us what she says.
 
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