Find your diamond
Find your jewelry
shape
carat
color
clarity

Strong Blue FL or NONE?

Not something to worry about. The blue wash is beautiful on colourless stones & G is close enough. I can't remember any great video or pictures showing what fluorescence looks like - except in the dark! It is subtle enough - even 'Strong' to make photography difficult.

2p
 
Then,

the diamond search here (see 'Resources') has some intriguing ideas. For example E VS with some fluorescence also: one 1.05 'Strong' WWW & 1.11 'Medium' WWW . The second is deeper cut but just .1 mm smaller diameter, so I am not put off by the depth %, since prices & spread (diameter) vary slightly either way, it doesn't seem worth pinning that number too closely.

There are other D & E up to 1.2 cts, many 60/60. I have picked the ones above for the attractive contrast patern [don't ask me if I would give this up! - today, NOT, not in a modern stone.]

The HCA scores are top for all I have looked at, since this is how I have set the search to begin with.

+1
 
I looooove fluorescence from a nerdy point of view so I'd say go for it! On D/E/Fs, they can look blue to violet in sunlight but I guess it depends how often one goes outdoors with their bling? Or a nightclub!
I don't think you'd notice the fluorescence as much in a G but always best to see it in hand where possible. If you're concerned, then go the H. It's not going to be noticeably less white than the G.
 
Can anyone tell me the HCA scores on these (same two as above). I can't do more then 3 which were done ages ago. .
 
Krista Williams said:
Can anyone tell me the HCA scores on these (same two as above). I can't do more then 3 which were done ages ago. .
Click to expand...

Why not splash out $0.99, or even $1.98 - sure you can afford that if you're diamond hunting!
 
mission1 said:
Why not splash out $0.99, or even $1.98 - sure you can afford that if you're diamond hunting!
Click to expand...

I guess I could but when I was diamond hunting for my original diamond, I'm sure it was unlimited if you had an account....guess I thought maybe others still had free unlimited checks...
 
Last edited:
Krista Williams said:
Can anyone tell me the HCA scores on these (same two as above). I can't do more then 3 which were done ages ago. .
Click to expand...

@sledge has offered this to previous posters. Perhaps he or someone else can chime in.
 
Both stones are worth consideration.

Let's talk proportions for a second. The H stone is quite lovely -- 57 table, 61.7 depth, 34.5 crown, 40.8 pavilion and 75 LGF. This particular crown/pavilion combo is highly sought after by many and is the combo I would prefer if I were buying.

It pulls a 1.3 HCA, which is to be expected.

CaptureH.PNG

The G stone isn't shabby, and still falls within acceptable ranges. I really like the small 55 table, but I find the shallow 34 crown paired with a shallow 40.6 pavilion to be less complimentary than the 34.5/40.8 combo.

I didn't write the HCA, so I don't know all the intricacies of the math it uses but I have noticed shallow crown/shallow pavilion combos tend to yield HCA scores < 1. While anything with an HCA score < 2 is worth consideration, 0-1 is typically recommended for earrings & pendants and 1-2 is best for e-rings. Of course, that doesn't mean it can't work as an e-ring. My wife's own stone pulls an HCA < 1 and is quite beautiful. However, if I were armed with the knowledge then that I currently have today I would have chose a different stone with different proportions that I have learned I like better.

CaptureG.PNG
 
You might find this thread to be an interesting read as it's about fluor.

Should we discourage or recommend FL stones?

Hi everyone! In a recent discussion a poster asked about a stone with fluorescence. There’s a lot of strong opinions on this and a comment was made that implied some participants were doing a disservice by recommending fl stones. I very much disagree with that sentiment but I do find that...
www.pricescope.com

My own opinion is this:

1. Assume any stone with fluor MAY have clarity issues and vet accordingly.

2. Always ensure you are getting a price discount for medium+ levels.

3. Never assume the stone will be magically whiter -- remember, it takes the right type & intensity of light to see any perceived increases and then it's normally minimal.

4. It's possible that the lighting tubes used to grade color may emit enough UV/VV light & intensity for the fluor to get excited and create a whitening effect, thereby, making the stone possibly appear whiter than it really is and consequently getting a better color grade that a stone with no fluor.
 
The H stone has now sold/is on hold - hopefully to the OP!
 
I do have the H stone on hold! I'm going to call soon to make the purchase!!! Thank you for the information!
 
Hello everyone!! (and @sledge)
LONG story short, I am upgrading my G SI1 0.76 to a 1.00ct .. the long story part brings up that I am feeling guilty about spending too much so I am sticking under $9000 CDN (my current diamond will trade in at $3221)... I do still have that H diamond above on hold, it is $8514 CDN... I thought I would take a peek to see if I could find anything cheaper (but still excellent quality)... Im not sure how I feel about a J, but what do you all think abotu this diamond? It is just over $7000 CDN





7733116_1.jpgj if 1.03 ASET.jpgCapture.PNG
 
No problem with the cut of the J. I cannot guess what you will make of the tint. Are you in a rush? If there are no time constraints, seeing some diamonds in person will be fun. The color grades in the 'colourless' to 'faint' range are quite subtle, seeing is believing.

I might still advocate for relaxing numbers (within HCA, somewhat beyond local convention) in favor of colour grades, but this is simply because you are starting with 'G'; my favorite range of colour is close to Fancy Ligh Yellow, an acquired taste.
 
Of the three you've shown, I like the H - best proportions, decent color, safe with VS2. It's hard to mess that up.

I personally wouldn't do strong flo (and there's something weird going on with those arrows). J can easily go sideways if you can't see it in person, BN videos are awful to judge color.
 
@TODiamonds, the arrows on the 1.09 G is super fat. Remember that GIA reports LGF's to the nearest 5%. In that case, the stone has a reported value of 75, but the actual values can range from 73-77.

Numerically lower LGF's result in fatter arrows which many prefer. However, I would guess these LGF's are closer to the 73 mark as they appear very fat. I like fat arrows myself but also thought they were a little fat for my own tastes. In addition to being fat/skinny, the lower the number the bigger bolder flashes you also get in indirect/lower light. However, it comes at the expense of pin fire light return in brighter light.

If you've noticed, many H&A stones fall around 77-78 because it's a balance of all characteristics (assuming a stone is well cut and symmetrical). Sometimes you find some 76's and even less so 75's. The difference being with H&A stones, most have AGS certs as opposed to GIA and AGS reports to the nearest 1% so the LGF value is more meaningful on their reports.

The LGF sizes are also reflected in a hearts image of a stone as well. The bottom "V" of the heart will have a much narrower gap on lower LGF stones. That gap grows as the LGF number climbs.

Also the cleft in the top of the heart becomes increasingly larger as the LGF number climbs.

154--4_lh-crown-788082.jpg
154--5_lh-hearts-788082.jpg

Facets Explained: Understanding the Lower Halves

Within robust diamond proportion sets, the lower girdle facets have great influence on the life and character of a diamond, particularly if the diamond has good patterning (optical symmetry or ‘Hearts & Arrows’ diamonds).
www.whiteflash.com


Lastly it appears there may be a small paddle effect going on with some of the arrows. Could be a bad video with light reflecting weird or could be something else. Would want to see an ASET to know more.

First link shows very strong paddles, which the 1.09 G does not exhibit. Second gives a little more detail to the why.

PLEASE lmk what you think of this diamond!!

So this diamond is a K color, but I do not mind the warmth at all. Here is the GIA certificate : http://www.gia.edu/cs/Satellite?reportno=5196164140&childpagename=GIA%2FPage%2FReportCheck&pagename=GIA%2FDispatcher&c=Page&cid=1355954554547 PLEASE lmk what you think? & how I did? .85 Carats...
www.pricescope.com

paddle arrows & obstruction

sorry if this has been answered before, but what is the relationship between arrows that look like paddles and obstruction (if there is any)? are all stones that have arrows that look like paddles necessarily stones w/ obstruction issues (and vice-versa)? does symmetry have anything to do w/...
www.pricescope.com
 
I would go with the 1.05 because I absolutely love longer star facets; it gives the diamond a very unique look. If you have the opportunity to view the diamonds side by side you’ll notice a difference. I have a diamond with a 57 table and 60% stars and I love that look.
 
cj2be said:
I would go with the 1.05 because I absolutely love longer star facets; it gives the diamond a very unique look. If you have the opportunity to view the diamonds side by side you’ll notice a difference. I have a diamond with a 57 table and 60% stars and I love that look.
Click to expand...

Careful.

When analyzing stars, you have to take into account GIA rounding vs actuals along with crown angle, pavilion angle, lower girdles and painting/digging effects.

More info here. One being the thread when @cj2be was asking about her own diamond's stars & lowers. ;)2

Star facet 55%

Hello everyone, Looking to purchase a small stone 0.3, E colour, SI1 but have read differing views. Several mention that a star facet 55% or greater can make the diamond look dark and another article mentions 55% its the "sweet spot" for maximum fire. Any ideas ? Many thanks NP
www.pricescope.com

Stars and lower girdle facets

hello all! I’ve tried to do some research from previous threads to see if I can get an answer to my question but nothing is spot on. I came across this article and I have a question as to its validity: https://www.prosumerdiamonds.com/lower-girdles/ Are 60% stars with 80% lgfs always a deadly...
www.pricescope.com

Star facets percent info ......

Hi PS experts, Please help me understand the minor faucets cutting of this diamond: I''ve got Sarin 3D viewer result with angle info of all the facets, but no star facets percent info. So I am having hard time to interpret the result using the minor facets cutting knowledge I''ve learned from...
www.pricescope.com
 
WOW! There is way more to picking a perfectly cut diamond then I thought.... I didnt know anything about the LGF, or stars..... Do you think the H 1.05 is a great diamond, or should I keep looking? I dont plan on ever upgrading this diamond again (not that I wouldnt love at least a 1.5 carat!!!)

if the crown angle is 34.5, and the pavillion is 40.8, what is the best LFG and stars percentages?
 
IMO, both the 1.05 H VS2 and also the J you linked the proportions and ASET to in post #15 is worth consideration. Both have great proportions and I'm not overly concerned with the stars and LGF's on either stone. The J has the added benefit of an ASET image, but I'd expect the H to have a similar performing ASET.

My worries with the J for you are pretty simplistic....I'm afraid the J color will be too warm, as you currently own a G. But ultimately, only you and your eyes can make that call.

Keep in mind color is a RANGE, meaning you can have lows, highs and medium. So it's possible to look at a J that is almost an I color, and then look at a different J that is almost a K and then a third J that is exactly a J. Also, the further down the color scale you go, the more variance you get in the range meaning there is very little variance in D's whereas a J will have more variance.

If the J is a consideration because of price, I'd strongly recommend you place on-hold and go look at several GIA certified G, H, I & J stones at local jewelers. Get as close to the same size and cut proportions as possible. Most importantly, be sure to look in array of lighting environments including outdoors, under standard office lighting, etc and not just their (overly bright) show room lighting that can make any stone look well cut and white.

It's best if the local jeweler will show you the diamonds "blindly" meaning you don't know which stone is what color so you can't make any preconceived notions.

Remember, color is graded at the labs by using a white background and flipping the diamonds so the table is face down and you analyze the side/pavilion/body of the diamond, where color is most obvious. One thing working in your favor is that a 1 carat stone obviously has less body than say a 2 carat stone, so with less body is less color meaning perhaps you are okay with a lower color in 1 carat than a 2 carat stone. Unfortunately, it also means you had a smaller stone that was a G color and because that smaller stone had a smaller body, it may appear more white than the 1 carat size you are trying to upgrade to.

I think you can see why it's difficult to gauge color online. We all have different visual acuity and preferences. However, I would argue that for many people, color is a very important attribute. You may not notice small carat weight differences (size) but you may notice a few jumps in color more easily depending on you.
 
I was hopeful I could do a screen cap of the G and H stones to show you a side by side comparison of color; however, as you can see the G has a slight blue background, whereas the H has a lighter grey background.

I'm afraid the backgrounds are masking any true color differences.

If you have a video link of the J, we could add that to the mix.


Capture109GvsH.PNG
 
Here is the J.. https://www.bluenile.com/ca/diamond-details/LD12086899
then I added another J...... https://www.bluenile.com/ca/diamond-details/LD13049014

The price is what is attracting me to the J's... Ive been looking at the H for two weeks and constantly still looking for a G in my price range.....I woudl so much prefer a G... so I probably shouldnt go less than an H....

I asked Blue Nile if I could PAY for idealscope or ASET images.... they told me they sent off a request to get these images..... but Im betting they come back and say they cant do that...

In my town, we have Charm Diamond Centres and Peoples.... Charms diamond quality is horrific (my original engagement ring came from there)..... there might be a really fancy jeweler down town... but I am not entirely comfortable going there......
 
Krista Williams said:
Im not sure how I feel about a J, but what do you all think abotu this diamond? It is just over $7000 CDN





7733116_1.jpgj if 1.03 ASET.jpgCapture.PNG
Click to expand...
Very nice stone if you don't mind the J color. I love the proportions. :love:
 
Krista Williams said:
Here is the J.. https://www.bluenile.com/ca/diamond-details/LD12086899
then I added another J...... https://www.bluenile.com/ca/diamond-details/LD13049014

The price is what is attracting me to the J's... Ive been looking at the H for two weeks and constantly still looking for a G in my price range.....I woudl so much prefer a G... so I probably shouldnt go less than an H....

I asked Blue Nile if I could PAY for idealscope or ASET images.... they told me they sent off a request to get these images..... but Im betting they come back and say they cant do that...

In my town, we have Charm Diamond Centres and Peoples.... Charms diamond quality is horrific (my original engagement ring came from there)..... there might be a really fancy jeweler down town... but I am not entirely comfortable going there......
Click to expand...


How did you get an ASET of the 1.03 J IF from BN in post #15 above? Did you find on a different site?

The other 1.02 J you added has VVS2 clarity w/ good looking proportions -- 56 table, 61.9 depth, 34.5 crown, 40.8 depth & 75 LGF's.

Being budget conscience, are you aware that VVS and IF clarity stones push your price higher but don't really give you a clarity bump that your eyes can appreciate? Remember, clarity is graded with a 10x scope. Most people will struggle to identify inclusions on a good eye clean SI1, and even fewer with a nice VS2 -- especially in the 1 carat range.

You may be < $6k CAN if you were to find a J VS2 or J SI1 stone.

Kudos to you for keeping the pressure on BN to provide ASET's. Let us know how it works out.

Lastly I can understand why you may not want to go back to Charm. I'm not familiar with them, but it sounds like they left a bad taste in your mouth and looking online they look similar to a mall store like Jared's, Kay's, etc. However, since they are the only store in town, maybe you can stand to go in long enough to do your color eval and then walk away afterwards. I'm definitely NOT suggesting you buy from them. Just a local source is your best best for comparing colors is all.

Oh yeah, here is a side by side of the two J stones added. Amazing -- FOUR different background colors making a comparison pretty useless IMO.

InkedCapture109GvsHvsJIFvsJVVS_LI.jpg
 
sledge said:
How did you get an ASET of the 1.03 J IF from BN in post #15 above? Did you find on a different site?

InkedCapture109GvsHvsJIFvsJVVS_LI.jpg
Click to expand...

I DID find it on another website.... somehow I found a site that you can look up diamonds on... not many have shown up on other websites but I have found a few, with some really nice videos....

The J 1.03 looks good in the comparison but seriously, whats the deal with the backgrounds....
I WAS looking for VS1, but when I was out of options I stopped putting a filter on the clarity.. which is how I found the VVS2 and IF.

My current G is an SI1 and I love it.... but I haven't been able to find a nice G SI1.....

I think I will go check out Charm tonight, but can I really compare what their poor quality cut J's would look like compared to the J's I have mentioned above? If I am not mistaken my original engagement ring is a good cut, I I3 (an appraiser came to the mall, and he said it was a G).
 
I hear you. Sometimes it can be tough to find a certain color/clarity combo when you start narrowing down other characteristics like table, depth, crown, pavilion, etc.

And harsh reality is that sometimes you pay a few hundred bucks for more clarity than you originally wanted, but that higher clarity stone is what checked ALL the boxes so in that sense it's money well spent.

I haven't done a search for you yet. I will see if I can find anything else.

Am I correct to assume you have the trade-in for your current stone secure w/ BN? Or have you sold outright somewhere else, and have cash so we can open up the search to other vendors?

As far as Charm goes....if they aren't GIA or AGS certified stones, don't waste your time. And try to use this general criteria for sorting out any stones they have available:
  • 54-57 table
  • 60-62.4 depth
  • 34-35 crown (maybe 35.5, but only if paired with 40.6 pavilion)
  • 40.6-40.9 pavilion (maybe 41, but only if paired with 34 crown)
  • 75-80 LGF
  • Thin to slightly thick girdle
  • Inverse relationship between crown & pavilion angle, meaning steep crown/shallow pavilion or vice versa
That general criteria should net a reasonably decent cut stone that will likely score 0-2 HCA and is worth at least considering.

Remember though, for judging color we want to flip upside down and view the body of the stones against each other. Preferably against a white piece of paper to neutralize background effects. As such the cut quality will matter less.

However, a well cut stone will appear different in the face up position because light will enter the stone, bounce around and return properly creating edge to edge brightness. Consequently ideal cut stones look bigger and whiter than poorly cut stones. The difference gets even more obvious as light sources minimize.

I really like this video as it really highlights the effect:

 
Both of those look super-clean for VS2s (to my eyes) - the twinning wisps seem to be invisible on the video, and the first one has the inclusion under the star facets and near the edge, which should mean it can be hidden under a prong, leaving a totally clean under-the-table area!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
GET 3 FREE HCA RESULTS JOIN THE FORUM. ASK FOR HELP
Jewelry Blog
PriceScope-Concierge-Ad
Find prime cuts.
Top