Struggling to pick out a diamond

[cdogstu99]

So i had put my engagment shopping on hold for a while, and am now back to try and choose something. I had considered buying online, but I''m convinced that i would rather purchase from a brick and mortar location. So i was shown a ring which i thought seemed like a good deal with following stats:

1.31 CT, G, SI1, Ex/Ex/Ex, 60% Table, 61.6% Depth, 35.5 crown and 41 pavillion. When i typed into the cut adviser it only said this is a fair cut. The price was $6850 for the diamond itself. I was convinced the dealer i went to was a somewhat reputable dealer, but when i asked if this was kind of big for a table they mentioned that 55-65% is ok. Is this correct? Am i getting screwed? I feel like a dummy when it comes to all of this. Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks

 

[Lorelei]

Date: 2/6/2009 3:48:49 PM
Author:cdogstu99
So i had put my engagment shopping on hold for a while, and am now back to try and choose something. I had considered buying online, but I'm convinced that i would rather purchase from a brick and mortar location. So i was shown a ring which i thought seemed like a good deal with following stats:

1.31 CT, G, SI1, Ex/Ex/Ex, 60% Table, 61.6% Depth, 35.5 crown and 41 pavillion. When i typed into the cut adviser it only said this is a fair cut. The price was $6850 for the diamond itself. I was convinced the dealer i went to was a somewhat reputable dealer, but when i asked if this was kind of big for a table they mentioned that 55-65% is ok. Is this correct? Am i getting screwed? I feel like a dummy when it comes to all of this. Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks

The diamond is a steep deep with the angles and it won't be the best performer as a result. The unwanted side effect of this angle combo can be light leakage which can make the diamond look dark in some circumstances and not sparkle as well as it should. So I would pass on that particular diamond.

Here are some numbers you can use to help you find a well cut round diamond.

depth - 60 - 62% - although my personal preference is to allow up to 62.4%
table - 54- 57%
crown angle - 34- 35 degrees
pavilion angle - 40.6- 41 degrees
girdle - avoid extremes, look for thin to slightly thick, thin to medium etc
polish and symmetry - very good and above

note - with crown and pavilion angles at the shallower ends ( CA 34- PA 40.6) and steeper ( CA 35- PA 41) check to make sure these angles complement in that particular diamond - eyeballs, Idealscope, trusted vendor input - check as appropriate!

And from expert John Pollard.

As the above implies, configurations depend on each other. A little give here can still work with a little take there.

With that said, here's a "Cliff's Notes" for staying near Tolkowsky/ideal angles with GIA reports (their numbers are rounded): A crown angle of 34.0, 34.5 or 35.0 is usually safe with a 40.8 pavilion angle. If pavilion angle = 40.6 lean toward a 34.5-35.0 crown. If pavilion angle = 41 lean toward a 34.0-34.5 crown.

GIA "EX" in cut is great at its heart, but it ranges a bit wider than some people prefer, particularly in deep combinations (pavilion > 41 with crown > 35).

Table size is usually preferred as above in the 54- 57% region for those who want a top cut diamond, you can go a little larger up to around 60% if you like a slightly larger table, but the main thing is to look for well balanced crown and pavilion angles and a suitable depth, girdle etc.

If you would rather buy from a jewellery store, ask them to show you some AGS0 cut grade and some GIA Excellents. Note all the proportions of the ones you like and especially with the GIA Ex contenders, run those numbers through the Holloway Cut Advisor to see which ones are worth further consideration. If your jeweller has a computer then if you ask nicely he might let you use it so you could run the HCA there and then!

The thing is, you have been reading up and now know how important cut precision is, but in the non PS world not everyone does realize the significance and what an impact it can make on the beauty of a diamond. Many buyers don't realize how good it can get with a well cut diamond and even on a subconcious level realize * something* is missing such as sparkle, fire and beauty - but they dismiss it because after all " it is a diamond" and focus on other priorities such as size, colour, clarity etc. Same goes for some who sell diamonds, when they are used to clients being more concerned with carat, colour and clarity, then they probably aren't used to working with someone who knows about cut - or even cares for that matter....

 

[swingirl]

If you choose to purchase your stone from an internet vendor check this one out. Run it through the HCA and look at all the photos GOG offers. This one is a much nicer cut. 1.34ct H SI2

If you still want to use a local vendor you can buy the stone over the internet but have it set locally.

 

[cdogstu99]

Great advice. Thanks to both of you. I''m now thinking that maybe i should buy the diamond online and maybe send off to Mark Morrell for the setting. One question. Good Old Gold definitely seems a bit pricier than others, but I do recognize their quality of selection. Is the extra money really worth it?

 

[diamondseeker2006]

Date: 2/7/2009 3:43:30 PM
Author: cdogstu99
Great advice. Thanks to both of you. I''m now thinking that maybe i should buy the diamond online and maybe send off to Mark Morrell for the setting. One question. Good Old Gold definitely seems a bit pricier than others, but I do recognize their quality of selection. Is the extra money really worth it?

Good Old Gold may have a slightly higher price on some stones (not all), but they also offer lifetime buyback at 75% of the price paid and a lifetime 100% trade-up policy. Not to mention all the testing they do on the stones and their great selection of top quality stones. In addition, they are a brick and mortar jewelry store, which might give some extra assurance to some people about their long term existence. (Diamond in my avatar is from there, FYI)

 

[Lorelei]

Date: 2/7/2009 3:43:30 PM
Author: cdogstu99
Great advice. Thanks to both of you. I''m now thinking that maybe i should buy the diamond online and maybe send off to Mark Morrell for the setting. One question. Good Old Gold definitely seems a bit pricier than others, but I do recognize their quality of selection. Is the extra money really worth it?

You are very welcome!

GOG have an excellent rep here, DiamondSeeker gives a good overview on their services!

Mark Morrell is one of my favourite jewellery artisans and he does superb work by all accounts, I am sure you would be delighted!

 

[luv2sparkle]

You also cant go wrong with a Whiteflash ACA. When I priced diamonds a year ago what I could get from a B&M store was alot more expensive than what I could
get from Whiteflash. One of my best friends recently got a diamond thru a friend in the business and paid 16K for a 1.5 stone of probably higher color and
maybe clarity, but my J VS2 ACA from whiteflash is so much sparklier the two stones should not even be put side by side. That is my experience but I have to
say, that it holds true with all my other friends as well. My stone was a tad over 10K. It was my first online diamond purchase but it wont be my last.

Dont be afraid to take the plunge online, just do all your research first.

 

[cdogstu99]

Thanks all...what might you say about these stones?

http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/E-SI2-Ideal-Cut-Round-Diamond-1188136.asp?b=16&a=12&c=77&cid=131

http://www.whiteflash.com/round/Round-cut-diamond-1908864.htm#

http://www.whiteflash.com/round/Round-cut-diamond-1883891.htm

 

[cdogstu99]

And maybe one more? Thanks!

http://www.whiteflash.com/round/Round-cut-diamond-1738152.htm#

 

[swingirl]

The Whiteflash stones are not in house so there are no photos of them. WF could call them in for you but they wouldn''t be ACAs although they might be nice. I think you can do better than the JA. The big cloud is a little scary and the numbers are not so good.

Are you trying to find a bigger stone for less money? If you want to do that go down in color not cut.

 

[cdogstu99]

Thanks swing! Hmm, ok, well, i guess it would be nice to get an E color. I''ve seen some versus say a G, and i could tell the difference. But i do want a nice cut, but do you think that my gf will be able to tell difference between an E say and F or a G?

 

[swingirl]

When a stone is set most people cannot tell the difference between the E,F,and G''s. Of course if you line them up most everyone can see the difference. The stones that are cut better sparkle and return a lot of light so you don''t notice color as much. Unless someone is super sensitive to color or just can''t live without a D or E most PSers would say spend your money on the nicest size in the best cut and go for an F, G or H to stay in your budget. There are many of us who actually like the warmth of the lower colors. But cut is king.

A good place to start is to set you budget and then decide what is the most important.

 

[cdogstu99]

Ok i guess maybe i could live with an F. So if my budget is say $7500 for stone alone, what might you go with?