URGENT: Need expert advice choosing between 2 diamonds!

[Carlotta]

The Sarin and cert differ on the second stone also....the AGS cert has the girdle at .6-3.5, and the sarin is more like .7-1.3.....
If it matters to your setter, you need to check with the vendor...........

When you pick a stone, are you going to have it sent to an appraiser??? That might help you feel better, to have someone look at it for you/help you look at it.

 

[Mara]

also if the ring is going in an sides exposed kind of tension setting, you may be able to turn the stone to keep it tension set on thicker areas if that is better.

my husband''s stone had a thin-medium girdle...and again it wasn''t an issue. you can also call WF and have brian or someone eyeball the stone and discuss it''s suitability for a tension setting. then i also faxed a copy of the cert itself to my setting company and made sure that they thought the stone was fine as well. good luck!

 

[Rhino]

I''d ditto Mara and Carlotta.

My counsel to anyone considering 2 different cutting styles is to see them both and make an informed decision. View them in as many lighting environments as possible (diffuse daylight is perhaps one of the most popular, natural or simulated) and pick the diamond that pleases your (or perhaps her) eyes most. Your preference may lie with one or the other. You will not know until you see.

With regard to tension mountings companies that manufacturer these generally like the girdles closer to the medium - slightly thick range however girdles down to thin are really just fine. I''ve never heard of a tension mtg. company turn down a stone for digging/painting reasons.

Also bear in mind that there are degrees of digging/painting. It is easier to see in some than in others. Also there are lighting environments in which it is harder to see and others where it is easier to see. In stones with which it is slight it is possible you''d see no difference at all, depends on the degree of digging/painting. I recently got an opinion from the GIA research team on a stone with slight painting and I was told it would not have taken a hit because of how slight it was.

Peace,

 

[Riagain]

Date: 5/20/2006 2:32:10 AM
Author: Mara
''So, because of my setting (i.e., channel/tension set), I probably should NOT consider a ''painted'' (and therefore UNEVEN) girdle, right???''

___________________

Don''t know about this...but my husband has a .38c ACA with a painted girdle in his wedding ring which is titanium tension set and it looks fabulous and was fine to be set.

I''m sorry that the information out there is so confusing Riagain...you will find that there are people who believe one thing and others who disagree with them, it''s rare that people on here all agree about what people''s preferences can be. In the end that''s really what it comes down to, you have a bunch of beautiful stones from beautiful vendors on here and it''s just about your preference on looks or numbers or nuances. In the end regardless of what you buy, if it''s an educated purchase it''s 100000% better than anything you could have gotten at a regular store before finding PS. Good luck!

Yes, it is a little confusing

[I''m glad I only plan on buying an engagement ring ONCE in my lifetime!] but I really appreciate you and the many other knowledgeable posters (e.g., Belle, Carlotta, JulieN, Rhino, etc.) taking the time to help educate me.

My only worry is that I now possess just enough knowledge to be DANGEROUS (i.e., a pain in the a$$ to the PS vendors and my local jeweler)!!!

 

[Riagain]

Date: 5/20/2006 3:33:32 AM
Author: Carlotta
The Sarin and cert differ on the second stone also....the AGS cert has the girdle at .6-3.5, and the sarin is more like .7-1.3.....
If it matters to your setter, you need to check with the vendor...........

When you pick a stone, are you going to have it sent to an appraiser??? That might help you feel better, to have someone look at it for you/help you look at it.

WF says that every loose stone comes with a "Letter of Verification" from an independent appraiser confirming, among other things, "that all measurements match the original grading document from AGS." [See http://www.whiteflash.com/policies/verification.aspx] Is this sufficient or do you think I need more?

 

[belle]

having a full appraisal done is totally up to you. for many first time purchasers it gives a real peace of mind. the letter of verification is just that, it verifies the diamond color, clarity and carat weight and gives a replacement value. it is not a comprehensive appraisal, so if you need an independant appraisal to fell confident in your purchase, you should have one done.

 

[Riagain]

Date: 5/20/2006 12:09:20 PM
Author: Rhino
I''d ditto Mara and Carlotta.

My counsel to anyone considering 2 different cutting styles is to see them both and make an informed decision. View them in as many lighting environments as possible (diffuse daylight is perhaps one of the most popular, natural or simulated) and pick the diamond that pleases your (or perhaps her) eyes most. Your preference may lie with one or the other. You will not know until you see.

With regard to tension mountings companies that manufacturer these generally like the girdles closer to the medium - slightly thick range however girdles down to thin are really just fine. I''ve never heard of a tension mtg. company turn down a stone for digging/painting reasons.

Also bear in mind that there are degrees of digging/painting. It is easier to see in some than in others. Also there are lighting environments in which it is harder to see and others where it is easier to see. In stones with which it is slight it is possible you''d see no difference at all, depends on the degree of digging/painting. I recently got an opinion from the GIA research team on a stone with slight painting and I was told it would not have taken a hit because of how slight it was.

Peace,

Thank you for the VERY helpful posts, Rhino, and for the EXTREMELY informative tutorials on your Website!!!

P.S. -- I sent an email to Tim at GOG and asked him to pass it on to you . . . .

 

[Riagain]

Date: 5/20/2006 11:19:49 PM
Author: belle
having a full appraisal done is totally up to you. for many first time purchasers it gives a real peace of mind. the letter of verification is just that, it verifies the diamond color, clarity and carat weight and gives a replacement value. it is not a comprehensive appraisal, so if you need an independant appraisal to fell confident in your purchase, you should have one done.

Thanks, Belle! Approximately how much should I expect to pay for a "full" appraisal???

 

[JohnQuixote]

Date: 5/19/2006 4:45:01 PM
Author: Rhino

Julie,

Thanks for providing the link. No offense to John but there is data in this article which is faulty or could lead one to a faulty conclusions if they were consulting Gem Advisor files or girdle examples. For the most part the definitions are correct but John's example of a dug out stone actually isn't dug at all. If anything it is slightly painted. The example Garry gives on the 2nd page of that thread is accurate though. Just a heads up for anyone who is trying to learn about this. I applaud John's effort and hope he doesn't take this in the wrong spirit.

Peace,

Which sprit? The ghost of Rhino past, present or future? They're different apparitions.

I see what Rhino was referring to and appreciate the alert. When the thread went up last November we were not using girdle profiles to identify the stone, just showing how a diamond cutter digs and paints (the polish diagrams are simplified too).

Hopefully these posts will banish any confusion.