URGENT!!! Advice needed on two 2-carat diamonds!

[YumCarrots]

Hi all -

We have narrowed down to 2 choices for a 2-carat diamond. Please help us decide which one has a better value for the money. I appreciate any comments and suggestions!

1)

Shape: Round Ideal Cut
Carat: 2.04
Color: H
Clarity: VS2
Depth: 60.8
Table: 56
Crown Angle: 34.7
Crown %: 15.2
Pavilion Angle: 40.9
Pavilion %: 43.1
Girdle: Thin to Medium Faceted
Polish: Excellent
Symmetry: Excellent
Culet: None
Fluorescence: No
Measurements: 8.19 - 8.25 x 5.00
Report: GIA
Price: 21,000


2)

Shape: Round Ideal Cut
Carat: 2.00
Color: H
Clarity: VS1
Depth: 60.3
Table: 58
Crown Angle: 34.3
Pavilion Angle: 41
Girdle: Medium Faceted
Polish: Excellent
Symmetry: Excellent
Culet: None
Fluorescence: No
Report: GIA

Price: 20,000

Thank you sooo much!!!

-- YumCarrots

 

[Kaleigh]

I like the first one better. I like the measurements of the depth and table more so than the second one. They are both nice, so lets see what everyone else says.

 

[valeria101]

Well... the numbers sound good, you know that. And there is some distance between how these "sound" and look in person, as usual.

Now, would you consider D/Si1 ? link I know it is more, but do not know your budget and this thing turned out so darn tempting on the first "reality check" search meant to serve your question !

 

[YumCarrots]

Kaleigh - thank you for your response! Do you think the better measurements of the 1st one is worth $1,000 ? Plus, the 2nd one is VS1 vs. the VS2 for the 1st one.

Sorry... I am just pretty confused...

Thanks for your help!

-- YumCarrots

 

[bluedawg]

Well, with the stats only (no pics of IdealScope, for example) we can go by HCA numbers...

#1)
Light Return Excellent
Fire Very Good
Scintillation Very Good
Spread
or diameter for weight Very Good
Total Visual Performance 1.6 - Excellent
within TIC range


#2)
Light Return Excellent
Fire Very Good
Scintillation Very Good
Spread
or diameter for weight Excellent
Total Visual Performance 1.7 - Excellent
within TIC range


I''d pick #2 for the "excellent grade" for spread! Always nice to have the diamond look as big as possible, and it''s rare to find a diamond that gets an "excellent" in that category.

But have you seen these diamonds in person? Perhaps one woul d"speak to you" more than the other. The specs are pretty close.

 

[YumCarrots]

Valeria101 - Thanks for the link! That stone would be great, except the strong blue fluor. is kinda a turn off for me. Plus, my budget is to stay as close to 20k as possible.

Bluedawg - I have seen both of the stones. They both look amazing!. But I am a newbie in looking at diamonds (just started a few weeks ago), so my eyes probably can''t tell too much differences between them. They both look very sparkly to me!

 

[bluedawg]

Date: 6/10/2005 10:32:16 PM
Author: YumCarrots
Valeria101 - Thanks for the link! That stone would be great, except the strong blue fluor. is kinda a turn off for me. Plus, my budget is to stay as close to 20k as possible.

Bluedawg - I have seen both of the stones. They both look amazing!. But I am a newbie in looking at diamonds (just started a few weeks ago), so my eyes probably can''t tell too much differences between them. They both look very sparkly to me!

Then go for #2! Save yourself a grand that you can put towards the setting/honeymoon/newcookware/etc. The numbers are both so close. And I like that "excellent" spread of #2.
GL!

 

[Kaleigh]

They are both great stones and I think #2 is great also. I think you can''t go wrong either way, IMHO. I guess if I had to choose I would go with #2 and save some money. The numbers are so close, it''s up to you and your eyes.

 

[valeria101]

Date: 6/10/2005 10:22:34 PM
Author: YumCarrots

Do you think the better measurements of the 1st one is worth $1,000 ?

No...it is not.

about VS1 versus VS2, oh well, they are both just as perfectly eye clean so the grades make little difference (except for price, which now turns out to favor the higher clarity anyway). Those grades would simply not be a choice factor for me at all.

 

[valeria101]

Date: 6/10/2005 10:32:16 PM
Author: YumCarrots
Valeria101 - Thanks for the link! That stone would be great, except the strong blue fluor. is kinda a turn off for me. Plus, my budget is to stay as close to 20k as possible.

Well, blue fluorescence would not be all that much (something that needs to be seen to be believed) but the extra 3k are very visible.

For some reason, I woke up stubborn today ! 1.93cts D SI1 H&A, 20k

 

[ALostWooky]

YUMC, From a guys point of view I would go with #2. It is a grand less to start with and it has a bigger table. You did not give the real world demensions of the #2 stone but it would seem as if it were wider because of the bigger table. Since the #2 stone is a vs1, that makes it even a better choice. Kevin

 

[TheDiamondangel]

Which one sings to you? You won't be wearing the cert.

Personally, I would choose the second one. I like the table a tad larger, and the lower price tag.

 

[Jennifer5973]

Date: 6/10/2005 11:36:44 PM
Author: TheDiamondangel
Which one sings to you? You won''t be wearing the cert.

That''s some of the best advice I''ve seen in a looong time.

 

[YumCarrots]

Thanks for all the great inputs! Both are great diamonds... but yes, I can certainly use that extra grand for the wedding ring.

 

[Mara]

I don't really like #2...that 41 pav angle turns me off. There has been alot of discussion re pav angles in the past and that jump up from 40.9 to 41 some say will not make for as beautiful of a diamond. Who really knows.

I also don't like the bigger table with the smaller depth, it will make more a more brilliant white stone and less color/scintillation, I prefer a smaller table with a smaller depth and corresponding pav and crown angles.

But everyone is giving their PREFERENCES. Some prefer bigger tables, others smaller, others spread vs fire etc. In reality, both stones are probably fine, though from the numbers I like the #1 stone better.

However if you have seen both, I don't think you can go wrong since both seem beautiful and there is nothing in the numbers to scream RUN FAST so use your eye to make the final decision.

Oh also you did not post the dimensions of the 2nd stone. That could factor in.

 

[carrot]

If I had a $20K budget for a diamond, I would definitely put a bigger fraction of that money into color and get the best cut I could find in an eye clean D or, reluctantly, an E. Unfortunately, if the clarity is not at least VS1, each stone will need to be examined individually to verify that it is in fact eye clean. With luck, you may find one graded SI1.

Of course none of us can know how others see and perceive color, but to my eyes, there is an obvious reason that D color commands the price it does. Just last week, I had a D stone at home for examination and it was so pure, so clear and the flashes so crisp that such color (or rather lack of it) is definitely worth sacrificing some size to get. You may not see it the same way, but I would suggest at least carefully examining a couple of D stones in person before you make a final decision.

And speaking of size, you could save a good deal of money by buying a diamond slightly under 2 ct. than one slightly over. Based on my research, a very high quality, well cut, 2 ct. stone would run at the very least $30K and probably more. My advice would be to buy the most BEAUTIFULl diamond you can for your budget - and let the size be totally flexible, not a criteria!

Finally, be sure to look at the Idealscope image and a GemEx light analysis before buying any stone, especially in this price bracket! They will give information about light return that is (in my opinion) absolutely essential. Nobody needs a $20K regret.