Seeking advice on choosing between 2 diamonds

[I wanna rock!]

Hello,

I am trying to choose between the following 2 diamonds.

ct: 1.17
color: D
clarity: VS1, crystal at 10:00 on girdle facet
GIA: Excellent symmetry and polish, internal and surface graining
optical symmetry: H&A
Depth: 60.9
Table: 55.6 (55.5-55.
crown angle: 34.2 (34.0-34.3)
crown %: 15.1 (15.1-15.3)
pavillion angle: 40.8 (40.7-40.9)
pavillion %: 43.1 (42.9-43.4)

ct: 1.21
color: F
clarity: VS1, 2 pinpoints on table
AGS: Ideal polish, symmetry, and proportions
optical symmetry: H&A
Depth: 60.9
Table: 54.6 (54.3-55.0)
crown angle: 34.8 (34.4 - 35.0)
crown %: 15.7 (15.4 - 15.9)
pavillion angle: 40.8 (40.7 - 41.0)
pavillion %: 43.2 (42.9 - 43.4)

Here are my thoughts. D color diamonds of this size and clarity are rare. So, D over F. However, the rational side of me says you can''t really see the difference between a D and an F. So why D over F? Because you can''t get any better than D. The 1.17 ct D has some internal and surface graining, enough to be noted by GIA. At what point does GIA decide that a diamond has enough graining to warrant mentioning on the cert? Should I be concerned? This is a disadvantage in my mind. The 1.21 ct F has 2 pinpoints on the table. The fact that the pinpoints are on the table is a disadvantage in my mind. Am I correct? The 1.17 ct D has lower variances. This is somewhat of an advantage, but lower variances don''t always equal better light return. (I''ve also learned a lot about the 8 star.) The 1.21 ct F has less leakage around the girdle, thus making it appear larger. The average angle of the upper girdle facets on the 1.17 ct D is about 41 degrees; whereas, the average angle of the upper girdle facets on the 1.21 ct F is about 39 degrees. The 1.17 ct D scores a 1.0 on the HCA and the 1.21 ct F scores a 1.4. The 1.21 ct F has a cert from AGS and is laser inscribed. To me, this is an advantage. I get the feeling that AGS has "stricter standards" than GIA. Comments on this observation?

Sorry this is so long. Just think how Jonathan at GOG feels. I''ve been e-mailing him for weeks!! Both of these stones can be seen at his site. Jonathan, I hope its okay to provide this information in this forum, as this is my first post?

Thank you all in advance for your help. I have had a great time reading ALL the info in these forums and I think I''ve learned A LOT about diamonds. It''s hard choosing without actually seeing the diamonds side by side. I know both are great and rare diamonds. Do you think these minor details I mention will matter????

Bill
(I wanna rock!)

 

[Magnum]

Here are my thoughts. D color diamonds of this size and clarity are rare. So, D over F. However, the rational side of me says you can't really see the difference between a D and an F. So why D over F? Because you can't get any better than D.

It's true that D colored diamonds are rare, and it's also true that you probably wouldn't be able to tell any difference between a D and an F (although side by side you may be able to tell a very slight difference if you're color sensitive). There's also something to be said for knowing you got the best, so if the $700 isn't a factor, I see nothing wrong with wanting a D instead of an F.

The 1.17 ct D has some internal and surface graining, enough to be noted by GIA. At what point does GIA decide that a diamond has enough graining to warrant mentioning on the cert? Should I be concerned? This is a disadvantage in my mind.

I wouldn't be concerned. Jonathan pointed out the one graining line in his magnified pictures, and I highly doubt that it would be visible. GIA may have noted the internal and surface graining because it's noticeable under very high magnification, but is probably just an identifying characteristic. Being a VS1 stone, and more importantly, if Jonathan isn't concerned about it, than I don't see it as a disadvantage.

The 1.21 ct F has 2 pinpoints on the table. The fact that the pinpoints are on the table is a disadvantage in my mind. Am I correct?

No, I don't think's it's a disadvantage. VS1 pinpoints should be hard to see even under magnification, no matter where they are. Now, if you had SI2 inclusions, it might make a difference if they are under the table, but I don't see it as a disadvantage here, at all.

The 1.17 ct D has lower variances. This is somewhat of an advantage, but lower variances don't always equal better light return.

It's true that tighter variances don't always equal better light performance, but in this case, I think they may be an indirect reason why the D VS1 does have better light return, and in my opinion, the reason I would pick it over the F VS1. Where the tighter variances may play a role are the superior brilliancescope pictures of the D VS1. Whle the two stones have similar bar graph scores on the BS machine, in my opinion, you can see a difference in the cut of the stones if you look at the pictures. The D VS1 has as good if not better overall light return of the F VS1, but the real difference is the "optical symmetry" that the D VS1 display (which could be partially due to the tighter variances). if you look at the pictures, when the arrow tips or shafts light up, in the D VS1 stone, all eight light up at the same time, whereas in the F VS1, only a couple light up in each picture. This, to me, suggests that the D VS1 was cut with a higher level of precision, and that the D VS1 has better optical symmetry.

(I've also learned a lot about the 8 star.) The 1.21 ct F has less leakage around the girdle, thus making it appear larger.

While it's true the F VS1 has better "edge to edge" light return similar to an eightstar, there's debate over whether or not it makes the stone look bigger, and if it does, I don't think it would be that noticeable in this case. Some people actually argue that a little bit of light leakage around the edge is actually more beautiful because it adds to the contrast of the stone.

The average angle of the upper girdle facets on the 1.17 ct D is about 41 degrees; whereas, the average angle of the upper girdle facets on the 1.21 ct F is about 39 degrees.

Not sure what effect these differences have, but if they did make any difference, Jonathan may be able to point it out in the BS pictures or IS picture.

The 1.17 ct D scores a 1.0 on the HCA and the 1.21 ct F scores a 1.4.

Not really an issue in my opinion. You already have more cut information than most people even know exists, so I would look at that information, vice a prediction that the HCA makes with incomplete information. In my opinion, while the HCA is useful as an initial sorting tool, once you have all this other information about the cut, you're past the practical usefullness of the HCA.

The 1.21 ct F has a cert from AGS and is laser inscribed. To me, this is an advantage. I get the feeling that AGS has "stricter standards" than GIA. Comments on this observation?

If you are relying on an AGS cert for cut information that a GIA cert does not provide, than I do think it can be an advantage. However, in this case you already have all the cut info you need on both stones. Most people agree that they are equally strict in their grading. And while the AGS is highly respected and well-known in the diamond trade, from my experience, if you ask the average person on the street, the GIA is more well-known and respected than any other diamond lab.

So, between these two stones the only difference, besides the slightly better color and slightly higher price, is the better optical properties of the D VS1 as shown in the BS pictures. is this going to be noticeable to the naked eye? Maybe, maybe not. But if I were looking for something to differentiate between the cut of the two, that's what I would look at, and why i would pick the D VS1.

 

[I wanna rock!]

Thanks for your opinion, Magnum. I took a look at the brilliancescope pictures and I do see the difference between the 1.17 ct D and the 1.21 ct F. I agree that the 1.17 ct D appears to have better light return. Another piece of information I can use to make my decision.

 

[Dancing Fire]

Magnum,
Your quote from the above message:
"if you look at the pictures, when the arrow tips or shafts light up, in the D VS1 stone, all eight light up at the same time, whereas in the F VS1, only a couple light up in each picture. This, to me, suggests that the D VS1 was cut with a higher level of precision, and that the D VS1 has better optical symmetry."

I noticed if you look at the Bscope Light View #2, the ones that has the big explosion look are the ones that gets the higher scores compared to the ones with just the arrows lighting up. One thing I noticed for sure is to look for all 5 views to have different looks to it. In other words, the ones with low scores are the ones that have two or three views with similar looks to each other.