Something wrong with these Hearts?

[Lorelei]

Date: 3/5/2010 8:49:27 AM
Author: BRS
Here is the BG Hearts image.

Excellent image.

 

[stone-cold11]

yap, hearts image looks good.

So you will have to decide what is more important to you.

 

[Lula]

Ditto Storm and Lorelei''s commnts. The Brian Gavin diamond looks great, too, and has remarkably similar numbers to the other stone!

Here''s what I would consider if I were in your situation:

1. The first diamond looks good, is $200 less expensive, and is being sold as a H&A diamond, even though it''s not quite there as far as symmetry. This bothers me -- if a diamond is marketed as H&A, it should be H&A. But, as mentioned earlier in this thread, your eye will see this miniscule difference, so if the $200 price difference would make a big difference to your budget, then it is a great choice.

2. Make sure you look at both companies return polices AND their upgrade policies. Nobody ever thinks they want to upgrade; nobody ever thinks they will need to return a diamond after they''ve done all this research -- well, life happens, and it''s better to be safe than sorry. Good return and upgrade policies are worth their weight in diamonds

3. Also take a look at the vendors'' buy-back policies. Several vendors on this site offer excellent buy-back guarantees, i.e., if you need to sell your stone, for whatever reason, the will guarantee to buy it back from you for a certain percentage of the original sales price. Again, no one goes into a diamond buying transaction thinking they will ever need to sell their diamond! But, again, life happens, and you want to be protected here, because if you do any research into selling a diamond on your own (through Craigslist, ebay, local jeweler) you will see that diamonds are not investments and have a worse resale value than my husband''s Toyota car does right now.

4, And, finally, make sure you can find a setting that you like through the vendors. It''s much easier to buy your stone and setting from the same vendor.

5. Come back and post pictures after you get the diamond/ring!

 

[Paul-Antwerp]

Date: 3/5/2010 5:18:30 AM
Author: Stone-cold11
hearts image?

faceted or bruted girdle is a matter of preference, some like it finished some don''t.

Until 10 years ago, I would have agreed that faceted or bruted is a matter of preference. Nowadays however, a cutter is frowned upon if his well-cut rounds have a bruted girdle.

Sorry to go OT for a second.

Live long,

 

[stone-cold11]

Paul, is there some advantage to having the girdle polish?

 

[Dancing Fire]

Date: 3/5/2010 9:24:15 AM
Author: sarap333
Here's what I would consider if I were in your situation:

1. The first diamond looks good, is $200 less expensive, and is being sold as a H&A diamond, even though it's not quite there as far as symmetry. This bothers me -- if a diamond is marketed as H&A, it should be H&A. But, as mentioned earlier in this thread, your eye will see this miniscule difference, so if the $200 price difference would make a big difference to your budget, then it is a great choice.

i don't see a problem with those hearts. all 8 are the same size and look identical. most likely #1 stone has a longer LGF like 78-80% ?

 

[Rhino]

Agree DF.

Just looking at the Hearts images of both diamonds one is not better than the other nor is one lacking in optical symmetry. Both images show comparable levels of craftsmanship. I''d be curious to see arrows imagery as well before a final judgment was made concerning H&A overall. Hearts is only one part of the equation.

 

[Dancing Fire]

Date: 3/5/2010 11:09:40 PM
Author: Rhino
Agree DF.

Just looking at the Hearts images of both diamonds one is not better than the other nor is one lacking in optical symmetry. Both images show comparable levels of craftsmanship. I''d be curious to see arrows imagery as well before a final judgment was made concerning H&A overall. Hearts is only one part of the equation.

Jon...my guess #1 stone will have skinnier arrows?

 

[BRS]

Don''t the idealscope images show the arrows? Should I ask the vendors for additional images?

 

[Dreamer_D]

Date: 3/6/2010 1:06:04 AM
Author: BRS
Don''t the idealscope images show the arrows? Should I ask the vendors for additional images?

People are arguing over the finest details of cut here

. These are two winning stones. I think that you should decide based on the policies of the vendor and also the quality of the workmanship you can expect in the setting. For $200, I would personally go with BGD because they are better in the policy dept. than JA and they do amazing finishes on their settings, which is very important to the finished piece. Plus they wil ltake stunning glamourous photos of your ring, and your gf may like having those! Sounds silly, but when it comes down to it, such things do matter.

 

[Gypsy]

We are splitting hairs. It sounds to me like the $200 is a consideration for you as is the clarity rating. At this point, I''d just consider which stone is going to be the most ''mindclean'' to you. With such an important purchase, of course you have to make compromises, but there are ones that we feel comfortable with and ones that we don''t. Ultimately what factors are going to weigh more heavily for you are going to be your decision... whether it is the price difference, the vendor policies, the clarity rating, or the metalwork and bench reputations of the jewelers. Go with what is mindclean for you and please post pictures for us in Show me the Ring. Congrats!