Thinking of buying this - comments appreciated!

[tedfox]

Hi there - I'm new here but the forum has been a great source of knowledge!
I'm thinking of buying this diamond as an engagement ring and was just wondering if anyone had any comments good or bad on this rock. It's a 1.52, D, VS2, Triple Ex diamond with the following proportions.

For a VS2 I think it looks pretty clean! However i was a little worried about the rather long feather/needle inclusion - do you think that this should be of any concern, aesthetically or structurally/durability wise in the long run?

Any comments would be greatly appreciated! Thank you so much!

 

[skypie]

The inclusions are not problematic imo. However, the angles are not great 36 crown and 62.6 depth...classic steep/deep won't have ideal light performance.

You could easily find a stone with better angles.

 

[tedfox]

Thanks for your reply! I put the numbers into HCA and it returned 1.8 (I know HCA should be taken with a grain of salt) but I also read that the steep crown angle is offset by the shallow pavilion angle - would you agree? It also falls into “ideal” according to the AGS proportions chart. I’ve seen quite a few stones and this was the best so far...

 

[skypie]

The HCA merely tells you the stone is worthy of further consideration.

Most PSers would prefer a max crown angle of 35.5 with a 40.6 pavilion angle, so 36 is a bit too high.

If you have seen the stone and like it, you should get it. However, the light performance will probably not be as good as a stone with better crown angles and depth percentages. If possible, find a similar stone with superideal angles and compare side by side to see which you prefer.

Alternatively if you have IS or ASET images you should post them so we can see if there is light leakage.

 

[MissGotRocks]

Steep/deep generally refers to steep crown and steep pavilion angles. While the crown angle is out of the ideal range, some folks actually prefer the higher crown angle with the lower pavilion angle. However, the depth coupled with the slightly thick girdle would probably reduce the overall diameter of the stone.
I don't know what size the stone is but I would keep looking if it were me - if you tell us what size you are looking for and budget, we can try to help find some alternatives.

 

[JDDN]

I think it has potential. How about asking for an ASET and looking at the light performance as well as your own eyes.

+1 to MGR. Steep Deeps are stones that have high crown angles paired with steep pavilion angles. For example a CA of 36 and a PA of 41. This stone actually has complimentary CA and PA angles and it could be okay.

 

[tedfox]

Thanks guys! Would you consider this a steep/deep? It does have a steep crown angle but relatively shallower pavilion angle to offset right? (maybe i'm trying to convince myself...
I guess if the crown angle was just a *little* shallower at 35.5 I would pull the trigger... It's a bit harder for me as I'm out in Asia and I'm not really considering buy a stone online. I've been to various dealers/stores and seen quite many stones, this one is probably the best so far.
I did see it in person and it did seem much 'clearer' to me than a similar Triple Ex 1.5ct side by side - the other one was a little 'cloudy' in a sense.
I'm looking for a 1.5ct, D, VS1 or better

 

[TreeScientist]

I think it looks like a great diamond if the price is right. 36.0 CA can work well with 40.6 PA. In fact, WhiteFlash (a popular online vendor here) has many diamonds with these exact angles in their premium select line that have wonderful IdealScope and ASET images.

I would not worry about feathers in a VS2 diamonds. At the VS level, inclusions should not pose a durability risk at all.

I would ask the vendor for ASET and IdealScope images to confirm the performance.

What is the price on this diamond? We can let you know if the price is good or if you should keep looking.

P.S. @MissGotRocks is correct. This is not a steep/deep. Steep/deep would be a 36 CA with a 41 PA. Just so that we're all on the same page regarding terminology.

 

[JDDN]

No it's not a steep/deep stone. You would need a steep pavilion angle (TreeScientist, MGR and I detailed what a steep/deep is) paired with a high crown angle. Yes, you are correct, the shallower PA compliments the higher CA.

If you saw this stone in person and you liked what you saw in several lighting environments (not just under jewelers lighting) then it's probably a nice stone. Just make sure the price is comparable to others of similar specs.

 

[yssie]

Don’t get bogged down by the idea of meeting numeric pressure-points. You aren’t “compromising” or “settling” by choosing a stone with a 36 crown, and it wouldn’t be an “easy trigger” with a 35.5 crown.

Diamonds sparkle because of the way they handle light - every single one of those 58 facets has a part to play, and how they play together is the most important consideration. The numbers you see posted here are general guidelines - they’re recommended to newcomers as a starting point because odds of finding a beautiful stone increase in this range... but a stone that meets them is not guaranteed to be more beautiful than a stone with proportions that fall outside those parameters. It depends on the specifics of the stone in question.

Ditto @MissGotRocks and @JDDN - there’s not much more we can tell you without further info. Can you post the rest of the report, and do you have any (clear, face-up) photos?

 

[tedfox]

hi guys - thanks again for your comments. the GIA report link is https://www.gia.edu/report-check?reportno=5256824280

i don't really have ASET scope images - only pictures I took myself under closer and direct LED lighting - as below. Not sure how useful they are.

 

[tedfox]

I’ve also looked at another stone which I think has much better angles - as below. This one however is actually more expensive than the above mentioned 1.52ct - and it’s actually smaller too (1.41ct).

Here are the specs:
1.41ct D VS1
Table 57
CA 34.5
PA 40.8
total depth 61.8%

HCA score of 1.4

Any thoughts on the two? The 1.41 is actually 3.7k usd more expensive than the 1.52 (partly because the 2 stores that sell them are located in different countries).

I like the 1.41 more and I know that it’s going to be more sparkly - but I can’t seem to justify paying MORE for a SMALLER stone....

 

[JDDN]

The 1.41 appears to be a hearts and arrows diamond. It has a really nice ASET and IS. Is it a branded stone? The price increase will likely be due in part to the fact that the vendor is providing you with an ASET and IS images and if it's a branded stone then that will increase the cost as well.

I mean the 3.7K USD is a big difference price wise. I think it comes down to whether or not you personally see much a difference performance wise of the stone and whether or not you value the second diamond to the point of paying $3.7K more for it. Will you want to use upgrade perks in the future? That can help you determine as well.