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Should I buy this diamond for an engagement ring?

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Billybobobbrain

Rough_Rock
Joined
Apr 1, 2014
Messages
5
I saw this diamond at a jeweler today. It seems like a good deal, but I'm worried about the crown angle, the total depth, and the girdle, even though it's rated excellent by GIA.

Here are the specs (https://myapps.gia.edu/ReportCheckPortal/getReportData.do?&reportno=5143118627&weight=0.73):
Round Brilliant
Measurements: 5.72 - 5.75 x 3.58 mm
Carat Weight: 0.73 carat
Color Grade: H
Clarity Grade: VS2
Cut Grade: Excellent

Proportions
Depth: 62.4%
Table: 57%
Crown Angle: 35.5°
Crown Height: 15.5%
Pavilion Angle: 41.0°
Pavilion Depth: 43.5%
Star Length: 55%
Lower Half: 80%
Girdle: Medium to Slightly Thick, Faceted (4.0%)
Culet: None

Finish
Polish: Excellent
Symmetry: Excellent
Fluorescence: Faint

First, is it worth buying? Second, is it worth ~$3500?

Thanks for the help!
Josh
 
I'm no expert, but while we are waiting for them to chime in I plugged the numbers into the HCA and it scored a 4. Most people on here would suggest that a stone that scores below a 2 would be worth considering, so this stone would be a pass.

Edit: here is the link to the HCA tool

https://www.pricescope.com/tools/hca
 
Pass.
 
Considering you can get a larger stone, also eye-clean, with a better cut, being two grades better color-wise, for a lower price, I would say no, that is not a good price.

Ask for Pricescope discount, if you decide to go with this stone, for an even better price (plus, no sales tax, if you live outside Texas):

.74ct, F, SI1
http://www.briangavindiamonds.com/diamonds/diamond-details/0.740-f-si1-round-diamond-ags-bl-104067973046


This one is also less expensive than the stone you had linked, and has superior cut and size to the linked stone:

.77ct, H, SI1
http://www.goodoldgold.com/diamond/11601/
 
You can do much better for 3500. What is your budget? Are you willing to go down to eye clean SI1 to increas size/decrease cost/upgrade color?

Here's some options with proven light performance:
http://www.whiteflash.com/loose-diamonds/round-cut-loose-diamond-3045716.htm
Same price - faces up just as large, same VS2 clarity, higher G color, H&A patterning, AGS0 light performance and awesome IS and ASET - can't go wrong.

http://www.whiteflash.com/loose-diamonds/round-cut-loose-diamond-3061811.htm
$400 cheaper, same color and clarity, faces up larger, and proven light performance

http://www.whiteflash.com/loose-diamonds/round-cut-loose-diamond-3034531.htm
Same price but F color, verified eye-clean SI1

http://www.briangavindiamonds.com/d...0.740-f-si1-round-diamond-ags-bl-104067973046
Same as above, larger, but with strong blue fluorescence (which is awesome, and it gives you a discount!), and is larger
 
That's interesting. I figured since GIA gave it an excellent cut grade that it would have ranked better. I'll have to use that calculator in the future.

I've been a little weary of buying online since you're hoping they send you what they say they will. I assume those are legitimate websites linked. I really like the idea of a diamond with blue fluorescence!

My plan is to spend no more than $6000. I am shooting for ~$5000 for the diamond and ~$500 the setting. I think an eye-clean diamond is sufficient too, but I wasn't going to say no to a VS2.

I'm going to pass on the diamond from the store.
 
There's no reason to be wary of a solid vendor. Do searches on here for people's experiences with the vendors we've linked to. I've purchased several times from the vendors on here and everything I've bought has been as ordered or better each time. And when I have appraised the pieces, they have appraised out well.

Here's an entire forum we have devoted to people's purchases: [URL='https://www.pricescope.com/community/forums/show-me-the-bling-rings-earrings-jewelry.8/']https://www.pricescope.com/community/forums/show-me-the-bling-rings-earrings-jewelry.8/[/URL]


You can do better.

GIA Ex is very broad.

The entire purpose of faceting a diamond is to reflect light.
How well or how poorly a diamond does this determines how beautiful it is.
How well a diamond performs is determined by the angles and cutting. This is why we say cut is king.
No other factor: not color, not clarity has as much of an impact on the appearance of a diamond as its cut. An ideal H will out white a poorly cut F. And GIA Ex is not enough.
So how to we ensure that we have the right angles and cutting to get the light performance we want?
https://www.pricescope.com/wiki/diamonds/diamond-cut
Well one method is to start with a GIA Ex, and then apply the HCA to it. YOU DO NOT USE HCA for AGS0 stones.
https://www.pricescope.com/wiki/diamonds/holloway-cut-advisor
The HCA is a rejection tool. Not a selection tool. It uses 4 data points to make a rudimentary call on how the diamond may perform.
If the diamond passes then you know that you are in the right zone in terms of angles for light performance. Under 2 is a pass. Under 2.5-2.1 is a maybe. Over 2.5 is a no. No score under 2 is better than any other.
Is that enough? Not really.
So what you need is a way to check actual light performance of your actual stone.
That's what an idealscope image does. https://www.pricescope.com/wiki/diamonds/firescope-idealscope
It shows you how and wear your diamond is reflecting light, how well it is going at it, and where you are losing light return. That is why you won't see us recommending Blue Nile, as they do not provide idealscope images for their diamonds. Brian Gavin, James Allen and WF, High Performance Diamonds, and Good Old Gold do.

The Idealscope is the 'selection tool'. Not the HCA.
So yes, with a GIA stone you need the idealscope images. Or you can buy an idealscope yourself and take it in to the jeweler you are working with to check the stones yourself. Or if you have a good return policy (full refund minimum 7 days) then you can buy the idealscope, buy the stone, and do it at home.


Now if you want to skip all that... stick to AGS0 stones and then all you have to do is pick color and clarity and you know you have a great performing diamond. Because AGS has already done the checking for you. That's why they trade at a premium.
 
What I'd buy:
http://www.whiteflash.com/loose-diamonds/round-cut-loose-diamond-3063766.htm Just shy of a carat, will look like most one carat diamonds out there (because it is ideal cut and faces up correctly, unlike most diamonds out there). 4,612 (PRICE IS GREAT put on hold ASAP) Ask if it is eyeclean.

And then I'd get a nicer setting for it than you had planned. Both of these will be comfortable to wear and will showcase that diamond best:
http://www.whiteflash.com/engagement-rings/solitaire/legato-sleek-line-solitaire-engagement-ring-728.htm (first choice)
or
http://www.whiteflash.com/engagement-rings/solitaire/comfort-fit-surprise-diamond-ring-183.htm

Under budget.

Seriously. Put that stone on hold. NOW.

If that one isn't eyeclean, go for this one; http://www.whiteflash.com/loose-diamonds/round-cut-loose-diamond-3063768.htm or this one: http://www.whiteflash.com/loose-diamonds/round-cut-loose-diamond-3063722.htm
 
Billybobobbrain|1396391048|3645378 said:
That's interesting. I figured since GIA gave it an excellent cut grade that it would have ranked better. I'll have to use that calculator in the future.

I've been a little weary of buying online since you're hoping they send you what they say they will. I assume those are legitimate websites linked. I really like the idea of a diamond with blue fluorescence!

My plan is to spend no more than $6000. I am shooting for ~$5000 for the diamond and ~$500 the setting. I think an eye-clean diamond is sufficient too, but I wasn't going to say no to a VS2.

I'm going to pass on the diamond from the store.
Click to expand...

The recommended PS vendors have sterling reputations, as any negative experience would quickly disseminate to the online public such as this forum and hurt their business, so you have nothing to worry about. Not only are they recommended for being trustworthy, but they are recommended because in general they carry some of the best quality (read, best cut stones) available, and their in-house inventory is larger than almost any store you'd go to in-person.

Now if you have a $5000 budget, you can get a very nice stone. Go bigger! She won't complain :) Gypsy gave some great options.

Here's some other options in that range:
0.891 F SI1
http://www.briangavindiamonds.com/d...ls/0.891-f-si1-round-diamond-ags-104069795040
Slightly over your budget after price scope discount, but guaranteed sparkler. Ask if eye-clean, but looking at the cert and the video, it looks like it is.

0.831 H SI1
http://www.briangavindiamonds.com/d...ls/0.831-h-si1-round-diamond-ags-104069795014
ask if eye clean

.891 F SI1
http://www.whiteflash.com/loose-diamonds/round-cut-loose-diamond-3063761.htm

.777 F SI1 with blue fluor
http://www.briangavindiamonds.com/d...0.777-f-vs2-round-diamond-ags-bl-104069795002
Larger option than before with blue fluor! Def. eye clean, VS2 clarity, and 1000 under budget after PS discount.
 
Second one.
 
Am I going to notice much in the color difference by going with the H instead of the G? Also the Ideal-scope shows a little more black in the stars of the first one. I thought that was supposed to make it have better fire/scintillation?
 
Those two could be sidestones in the same ring, in terms of color.

It is important to remember is that color is graded FACE DOWN. Where there is NO light return. Not face up where there is light return and refraction. You wear diamonds set. FACE UP.

Within one color grade, even the labs can't agree on the color grades of stones and something could be a "high" H or a "low" E. So... no. Not really. Within 2 color grades it is hard. Not impossible. But very hard. And it gets harder once set. If you are talking ideal rounds, or any stone with ideal light return and no sharp corners it gets harder still because the ideal light return masks body color.

Generally we say to be conservative stay above H.

If you are talking fancy shapes without ideal light return (because there is no 'ideal' for EC's Radiant, etc) it's a bit different.

This is how I think of it.

Ever gotten one of those HUGE paint fan decks? Where there are literally 100s of colors of whites? And when they are RIGHT next to each other you can TOTALLY tell that one is bluer/colder and one is a bit warmer and which one is one is TOTALLY warmer. One there's one that's slightly greener. One that's slightly pinker? But really. They are all white?

Then you pick one after agonizing over this white or that white and when it's on the walls and people are like: Oh. You painted again. And it's STILL white. Great.

And you're all... BUT it's BLUE white. Or it's a WARM white now. It used to be ____ white. It's TOTALLY different.

It's like that. You are talking about shades of white. D is colder... J is warmer. But it's all white.

YES. If you have an accurately graded E and an H THAT HAVE THE SAME PERFORMANCE side by side you are going to be able to tell them apart when you compare them. Just like you would be able to tell if you painted your walls a warm white, but painted the crown molding a cold/straight white. But both are STILL white. The shade difference is obvious only because of the proximity. And your lady will wear the diamond on her hand by itseld... not next to a D or an E. And if there are sidestones you are going to be within 2 colors, which is what we recommend.


I want you notice all the qualifiers thought. I'm talking about stones with the SAME performance. An ideal H will out white an F that has compromised light performance from a poor cut.

NOTHING impacts the appearance of a diamond as much as cut. CUT is king.
 
That was a fantastic analogy! I think I will go with the second one as you suggested. I'm going to be happy either one.
 
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