Super duper Ideal vs. Size

[PrincessClyde]

For those with limited budgets, but wanting big shiny rocks, how much is it o.k. to compromise on cut to get a larger carat diamond, but still get a nice looking diamond?
I read somewhere on here to go with a little large table so that the diamond may appear larger than it is. But how large is too large?
Any info/advice is appreciated always!!!

 

[Caratz]

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On 11/3/2003 4:07:42 PM PrincessClyde wrote:

For those with limited budgets, but wanting big shiny rocks, how much is it o.k. to compromise on cut to get a larger carat diamond, but still get a nice looking diamond?
I read somewhere on here to go with a little large table so that the diamond may appear larger than it is. But how large is too large?
Any info/advice is appreciated always!!!

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I would not go larger than 61%.

You can still get a superb cut on a diamond with a larger table, but it will have more white light return and less fire. If course, if you go for the larger table, the corresponding specifications for depth, crown and pavilion size and angles will be a little different from the typical "ideal" parameters (that only produce "ideal results" in diamonds with a table between 53-57%).

 

[Mara]

I have a large tabled ring and I love it...but it's not for everyone. You do sacrifice fire when it comes to a larger tabled, more shallow stone...you get more white brilliance, but that may not be everyone's cup of tea. You also get a larger stone.




Finding a larger tabled, shallower stone in my opinion is hard to actually *set out* to do. In many instances of people who come on and post about them...they have just found them, or a jeweler showed them one, or something similar. But if you want to start your search for one...no table larger than 61 or 62, shallower depths are better, mine is a 57% depth and a 61.4% table (rounded to 62%). So something like a larger tabled stone with table at 62% and a depth of 65% is NOT something you want to look at. Don't mix large table with large depth.




Also, you will definitely need to get crown and pavilion angles to try to figure out just how well cut the stone is. Stay away from too shallow crowns (under 30) and pav angle may depend on crown (e.g. 41.4 may work for a crown angle of 30 but if crown angle is 31, 41 pav would be better). Keep in mind that these numbers are FAR FROM IDEAL. A well-cut ideal type stone would have numbers say of crown angle around 34.5 and pav angle of around 40.6. So you are looking for slightly shallower crown (e.g. 31-32) and slightly more steep pavilion depending on crown. Though if you had say...61% table, 57% depth, crown angle of 31 and pav angle of 41...you'd be looking at a great BIC stone (as scored on HCA).




Use the HCA to help you..it scores BIC so you will find out how your stone looks according to the HCA. But use it with a grain of salt. Keep in mind that these types of stones are not ideal. My stone scores a 2.8 on the HCA but when I bought it, before Garry made changes, it was something like 1.5 BIC. But funny, it looks the same now as it did when it was 1.5 on the HCA

So it really is also about the beauty to your eye. If you find a stone, its a shallower and looks bigger, and HCA gives it 2.5 and you love the stone and its cheaper, then it may be the best fit for what you are trying to do. Superideal stones aren't for everyone.




Lastly, get into some stores and try to find some BIC's to look at. I say this because all of this advice is moot if you decide that you don't like the way they look. Ideal type stones have a great balance of fire and white brilliance, the BIC stones have more white brilliance and less on the fire. You may not like the look. You should know this before you really start putting elbow grease into finding a stone.




There is also the option of something like an 'almost ideal' stone to fit your budget. There are AGS 1 or AGS 2's on sites like WhiteFlash that have HCA scores of under 2.0 that should be very lovely & have discounts because they are not considered truly 'ideal'. But their idealscope images look pretty darn good!! And you reap the benefit of the discount but still have a knockout stone that may not display true H&A but who needs to know that? BIC's don't either!




Keep in mind also that a very well cut stone will look larger than a poorly cut stone (unless its a BIC!), so you want to keep cut in mind, regardless of whether or not you go for the super duper cut or BIC....cut is key whether it's a well cut BIC or a well cut AGS 2.

Good luck!

 

[niceice]

The two most important factors that contribute to the visual performance of a diamond are the Crown Angle and the Pavilion Angle with the emphasis being on the pavilion angle from our perspective... Try to keep that somewhere between 40.4 - 40.9 degrees and the odds of finding a nice non-ideal stone improve dramatically.

 

[Mara]

R&T...in a few lines you encapsulated my entire post! I am turning into Tim...if I'm not already there!