Totally confused

[vbeach]

I''ve been searching for what seems like forever for diamond. Now I''m just totally confused. I initially looked at Hearts on Fire diamonds.... loved the look but not the price. I have looked at several "ideal" cut diamonds at local jewelrs but they did not seem to sparkle like the Hearts on Fire. I have been looking at the hearts and arrows cut on Whiteflash and found the following http://www.whiteflash.com/diamonds/Compare_Diamonds.aspx?idnos=78253,55894,54707,55236. They all appear to be nice, although I do see a few inclusions in a couple of them. Don''t know if I would be able to see those with just my eye.... which is all I''m really concerned about. I''m really hesitant to purchase a diamond online because I''m really picky and I could so see myself getting and sending back diamond after diamond.... yes I know that''s annoying.... I annoy myself at times!

I could go on and on because I really don''t know what I''m talking about and I really don''t know the questions to ask. All I want is a diamond that sparkles so much you have to wear sunglasses to look at it in the sun

Here''s what I''m looking for;

Round
Ideal cut.... better than ideal if possible!
D to G in color
1.25 carats give or take
SI1

Any suggestions? Is the most brilliant the hearts and arrows cut? Can a GIA ideal or excellent ideal cut stone be just as brilliant? OK, I said I was going to stop rambling....

 

[belle]

the aca's you picked will all rival the hof's. the key to the performance from both lines is the cut. a well cut diamond will outsparkle and outperform the vast majority of stones you will encounter. it is possible to find a perfectly eye clean stone and wf will be completely honest in telling you what you can expect to see as far as inclusions. if you want to be absolutely sure you won't see anything, even under magnification, you are better off looking at vvs clarity. i have a perfectly perfect eyeclean si stone from wf and i could not be happier with it. i would suggest giving them a call for assistance in finding exactly what is right for you.
btw...at first glance, i like the second one best.

(gia does not grade 'ideal' or 'excellent ideal' their highest grade is just 'excellent')

 

[vbeach]

That''s the one I was paying attention to as well! They said it''s new and that they would post pictures asap.

My jeweler said he has a Tolkowsky Ideal cut graded by EGL he wants me to take a look at. This may be too simple of a question..... but is that comparable to an ideal hearts and arrows cut?

 

[belle]

i figured it was new since there was not a idealscope image for it yet. i would seriously consider putting it on hold while you decide. great diamonds have a way of disappearing quickly, especially once they are 'found' and posted for others to see.

not too simple of a question. there is no way to know whether or not the stone is 'hearts and arrows' without actually seeing it. also, what many cutters try to pass off as h&a may not even be close to what a true h&a should look like. as far as being 'ideal' unless the diamond has a grading report from ags stating that it is ideal, such a label is just as ambiguous as the unknown h&a. this is especially true considering egl is one of the lesser known labs. if a cutter has taken the time to cut a top performer, they will at least send it to gia for grading if not the elite ags lab. usually comparing an egl stone to a top graded ideal ags is like comparing apples to oranges.

 

[Regular Guy]

I mentioned this solution before recently, and it did not go over big...so trying again. Seems like clarity is one strong issue for you...also possibly lost opportunity with your local shop having a favorable EGL option. Consider this the $1000 due diligence solution (since that's the greater incremental cost of getting the lowest cost VS2 ACA on the boards today, in comparison to the average price of the 4 you're looking at).

- order up the ACA SI of your choice
- but first ask them, grill them if it's eye clean, and use their expert judgement to minimize your likelihood of needing to return it
- walk it around to your jeweler(s) of choice, and hurry, you've got 10 days.
- return it if you like the other one locally better
- buy the one you like best
- consider adding in, and first investing in a $25 idealscope, to help you do a more studied comparison.

Seems like this should work.

Best wishes!

 

[vbeach]

So I went to see the diamond that the local jeweler wanted me to see. Pretty, but not blown away. He said he could show me an AGS ideal tomorrow.... we''ll see. I put a hold on the one from WF. I really am quite fond of the 1.25 carat size.... is there a huge difference between 1.182 and 1.25, other than the obvious weight? I have a small hand and a somewhat (depending on my Krispy Kreme consumption for the week!) small frame.... I think 2 carats is too big and 1.5 is even a little questionable. There are two settings I''m interested in.... if anyone knows of anything similiar that they think I might be interested in please let me know.... one is the Hearts on Fire Repertoire setting http://heartsonfire.com/JewelryDet.aspx?fr=T&type=6&collID=BRIDAL&coll=Bridal&startrow=10&img=RepR and one from Martin Flyer that is a donut setting. Not able to find a picture of it online. What I love about these are that the band is simple yet still a hint of sparkle and it really accentuates the main diamond. What do you all think?

Please excuse any misspellings..... I had a couple glasses of wine with dinner..... that''s my story and I''m sticking to it!

 

[JulieN]

I don''t like to see space between the halo and the center stone in the direct view, which is a feature of the Repertoire.

 

[vbeach]

I totally agree! When I tried this on it was with a loose stone set on top.... which made it appear that there wouldn''t be a space. I addressed this "unwanted space" issue and the dealer assured me that it wouldn''t be noticeable.... but it''s pretty obvious with the HOF picture. This is why I found the donut setting from Martin Flyer so appealling.... wish I could find a picture on the web of this setting.... looked really good on and no way there would be a space. There is milgraining on the edges which I''m not a huge fan of but it really makes the main stone pop!

 

[Lynn B]

Date: 10/4/2006 9:08:07 PM
Author: vbeach

...Please excuse any misspellings..... I had a couple glasses of wine with dinner..... that''s my story and I''m sticking to it!

LOL!

 

[belle]

there will not be a noticable difference between 1.18 and 1.25.
here is a pic of my 1.22 and the 1.79 i was considering. not even enough difference in that big size jump there for me!

 

[vbeach]

The elusive Marting Flyer setting http://www.solomonbrothers.com/Search/JewelrySearchDetails.asp?sSKU=88375 , what do you all think?

 

[belle]

http://www.whiteflash.com/Engagement-Rings/Styles/Diamond-Settings/Halo-Prong-Ring-by-WF_941.htm did you see the wf version of the halo?

 

[diamondseeker2006]

I also looked at a Hearts of Fire diamond to decide if I liked H&A stones and to have something to compare, and I can tell you without a doubt, you can indeed get an AGS or GIA Hearts and Arrows stone that is as beautiful as the HOF (for a lot less money!). There are many pictures of them on this site that have been posted by happy customers! I''d definitely consider the WF halo setting that Belle posted if you buy a diamond there.

 

[vbeach]

Love the fact that they used the word "blinding" in their description! How obvious is it that I own every type of face cream that says it reduces lines? I should change my user name to vbeach AKA sucker.... hence my need for informative good folks like yourselves to assist me with this purchase!

 

[vbeach]

What are your thoughts of an AGS ideal cut stone compared to a GIA excellent cut stone (with ex polish and symmetry)? Or is it just I''ve got to see in person? I''m going to order one online, I''ve narrowed down to WF and James Allen..... suggestions?