To mr. Atlas: I need your help for a purchase

[gstrambi]

Dear mr. Atlas,

I have selected three heart and arrows certified stones from the web to have my engagement ring made.

Their details are:

price: USD 2650
colour: E
clarity: VVS1
carat: 0.536
table: 56%
depth: 60.5%
crown angle: 34.1
pav. angle: 40.8
Holloway adviser: 1

price: USD 2881
colour: E
clarity: VVS1
carat: 0.549
table: 55.3%
depth: 60.8%
crown angle: 34.3
pav. angle: 40.8
Holloway adviser: 1.1

price: USD 3492
colour: D
clarity: VVS1
carat: 0.596
table: 54.7%
depth: 61%
crown angle: 34.3
pav. angle: 40.9
Holloway adviser: 1.3

Certificates of all the stones (GIA and AGS) indicate excellent or ideal simmetry and polish, no fluorescence, and culets pointed.

I need your advisoring on which stone choose (also if the heart and arrows cut is a good idea) and then, once choosen the stone, how to behave on the purchase, since I reside in Italy.

In particular, I would also like the choosen stone to be appraised by you.

I am looking forward your help.

Kind regards.

Gianluigi

 

[Rook]

Well I am not Dave but I would like to give my thoughts. First, you are unlikely to be unhappy with any of these diamonds based on the specs you provided. But, the true test of the diamond is viewing it yourself. I am sure Dave and others will give you opinions on the diamond, but know one will be able to tell which is best with out seeing the diamond first hand.

Second, you could always send all three diamonds to Dave. I beleive he charges around $75USD per stone to compare for two of the diamonds, and $125USD for the third diamond that you finally select and have him appraise. I could be off on the prices though.

Third, are you set on the color range of D-E and the clarity range of VVS1? You could get a much larger diamond in the color range of F-G and VS1-VS2 or even SI1 (if its eyeclean.) I personally don't see the benefit in purchasing D-E color or about a VS1 clarity. To do so you are paying a lot of extra money for benefits you can not see with your untrained naked eye.

Just my opinion but I would think your girl would rather have a larger diamond than knowing the diamond was D/VVS1 when she could not tell the difference from a F/VS2.

 

[oldminer]

Gianluigi;

Rook has given you some good things to think about. I approach these things a bit differently since I rarely question why a person picks a certain quality. That is a reflection of their personality, cultural background, and personal taste. Those are things which I must assume you are a better judge of than I am when it comes to yourself.

I would pick one of the E color stones. Which one really is not much of an issue. They sound like a near identical pair visually. They are similar in price. They are a pair........in essence.

Buying a D color versus an E color is going to cost money. Will you see a difference in wearing it? No. Will you know the stone is E and not D? Yes. Does it matter? This is something YOU must answer. A decision about that sort of selection is much more purely personal than something an appraiser ought to choose.

Ultimately, you are the one who is to be happy about the purchase. Do it right and that may be what happens.

 

[gstrambi]

Thank you all.

Actually, I intended to make a copy of a ring called Minou, by Damiani (an Italian jeweller).

They use stones color G, clarity IF, cut good (not officially certified), 0.5-0.6 carat.

I think I will follow your suggestions.

Thank you again.

Gianluigi