Shortlist of stones - but which to choose?!

[HelenB]

Hello

I''m a newbie and so would firstly like to say ''hello'' and also to say what a great resource this has proved to be to someone educating themselves before making a purchase!

Secondly, I''d like to ask if anyone might be kind enough to give me an opinion or two on the shortlist of stones that I have compiled from which I will be selecting one to purchase?

I have done a bit of reading over the past few weeks and have put together this shortlist based on information that I have found online. As far as the proportions of the stones go, I have selected using info that I have found on the very comprehensive NiceIce.com site and so am hoping that one or two of these stones may be as good in reality as they appear on paper!

My specs are:

Round
2 - 2.20 ct
G
VS1-VS2
Polish and symmetry: EX
No fluorescence

I suppose that my main questions are really to do with the inclusions within the VS1-VS2 grades and which would be better to avoid and so on.

Here are the reports for the 9 stones on my shortlist (thank you for your patience:

1. http://www.bluenile.co.uk/certs/154/AGS8442803_zoom.jpeg

2. http://www.bluenile.co.uk/certs/4/GIA14493437_zoom.jpeg

3. http://www.bluenile.co.uk/certs/444/GIA15012420_zoom.jpeg

4. http://www.bluenile.co.uk/certs/2044/GIA15184068_zoom.jpeg

The inclusions on this report are not very clear and so I think that I should probably request another copy of the report. However they only seem to be feathers and pinpoints and so this stone looks less included than one with a clouds perhaps?

5. http://www.bluenile.co.uk/certs/1966/GIA15196660_zoom.jpeg

The cloud mentioned on the report isn''t apparent from the pic but it does seem to contain a lot of feathers. However, they look to be on edge of the stone - are there too many of them though?

6. http://www.bluenile.co.uk/certs/444/GIA14994589_zoom.jpeg

In contrast, this stone seems to have very few inclusions although the cloud is situated towards the centre of the stone. Is this preferable to the more heavily included stone above or does the location of the cloud make it less preferable?

7. http://www.bluenile.co.uk/certs/7/AGS8184802_zoom.jpeg

8. http://www.bluenile.co.uk/certs/418/AGS7028604_zoom.jpeg

9. http://www.bluenile.co.uk/certs/2044/GIA15128619_zoom.jpeg

It looks to me that the AGSL stones are a bit more heavily included than the GIA stones of the same grade - is this a fair assessment from a layperson?!

Anyway, apologies for the length of this first post but any opinions would be much appreciated

Best wishes

Helen

 

[phoenixgirl]

I think more people will check out your stones if they are directly linked (it''s that chain link on the right hand side). Also, please link to the main page for each stone. Usually with BlueNile I can zoom in and see the angles but I can''t do that the way they are linked.

 

[phoenixgirl]

OK, since I couldn't check out the stones you picked I searched in your parameters. Here are some that I would look into:

2.20 G VS1 £15,068 scores 1.2 on the HCA

2.07 G VS2 £11,853 scores 1.0 on the HCA

2.07 G VS2 £12,663 scores 0.7 on the HCA

2.17 G VS2 £13,018 scores 0.7 on the HCA

Good luck!

 

[HelenB]

Aha - sorry about that! Here are the links to the actual pages:




Stone 1

Stone 2

Stone 3

Stone 4

Stone 5

Stone 6

Stone 7

Stone 8

Stone 9

 

[Regular Guy]

HelenB,

Welcome.

Just checking on some basic things...is your selection of BN based on your location? Other vendors frequently mentioned here have some advantages, including: providing additional data, upgrading, stones are not virtual.

Also, good authority suggests that generally, any VS inclusions are largely not visible...such that...news to the contrary would not be expected to be picked up from a picture of the cert...the vendor would have to ask. This, again, somewhat a negative to BN...as mostly they''d then have to call to ask their vendor, presuming they do that.

But, BN is generally well regarded, otherwise, and may provide you some unique benefits for your location.

Best,

 

[phoenixgirl]

Stone 1 -- 1.0 HCA, 2.07 G VS2, 8.24mm diameter, £11,853
I had already linked to it . . . like it!

Stone 2 -- 2.3 HCA, 2.07 G VS2, 8.25mm, £12,874
don't love the crown and pavilion combo, wonder about the inclusion in the table

Stone 3 -- 1.9 HCA, 2.11 G VS2, 8.25mm, £12,958
looks OK, but nothing jumping out about it that's great

Stone 4 -- 1.7 HCA, 2.05 G VS2, 8.24mm, £12,986
Is it incredibly clean for a 2 carat VS2 or are the inclusions not visible on the drawing?

Stone 5 -- 0.7 HCA, 2.17 G VS2, 8.38mm, £13,018
linked it already . . . like it!

Stone 6 -- 1.3 HCA, 2.13 G VS2, 8.34mm, £13,079
like the plot, looks good

Stone 7 -- 1.7 HCA, 2.05 G VS1, 8.21mm, £13,081
good choice if you're worried about clarity

Stone 8 -- 0.6 HCA, 2.10 G VS2, 8.24mm, £13,460
beautiful looking stone but I don't think it's worth extra money since it's on the smaller end diameter and weight wise

Stone 9 -- 2.3 HCA, 2.16 G VS2, 8.35mm, £13,516
same angles as #2


OK, here are my recommendations:

Biggest bang for your buck: stone 1
Biggest wow factor: stone 5
Best clarity: stone 7

 

[jayreneepea]

That''s quite a short list!!

Since Pheonixgirl did all the work and broke it down... I vote for stone #5 -- the wow factor! That you can''t beat a nice G, VS2!

 

[HelenB]

>Welcome.

Thank you very much.


>Just checking on some basic things...is your selection of BN based
>on your location? Other vendors frequently mentioned here have some
>advantages, including: providing additional data, upgrading, stones
>are not virtual.

I am purchasing my stone in the UK and so far have not found a dealer who is prepared to discuss very much detailed information with me. Given that the GIA reports now include more information, I feel fairly secure in the knowledge that based on what I have read, I will be able to select something good and for less than going to a ''bricks and mortar'' location.

>Also, good authority suggests that generally, any VS inclusions are
>largely not visible...such that...news to the contrary would not be
>expected to be picked up from a picture of the cert...the vendor
>would have to ask. This, again, somewhat a negative to BN...as
>mostly they''d then have to call to ask their vendor, presuming they
>do that.

Yes - I would hope that they would not be visible with the VS grading. However, for example, stone no. 5 has multiple feathering (although actually this is the one that I like the best) located on the edges of the stone. This may not be visible to the naked eye but given how feathered it is, could it have an effect on the stability of the stone? And could it cause any weakness when it is mounted?

Thanks for all of the feedback, it''s been useful.

 

[HelenB]

Date: 7/23/2007 4:02:18 PM
Author: jayrenay9
That''s quite a short list!!


>Since Pheonixgirl did all the work and broke it down... I vote for >stone #5 -- the wow factor! That you can''t beat a nice G, VS2!

Number 5 is looking good - isn''t it?