Wanna help me find a D?

[kenny]

I want to add a colorless round diamond to my Fancy Colored Diamond collection.
For color I want a D grade per GIA or AGS.
Weight 0.20 - 0.24 ct (the average weight of FCDs in the collection)
Clarity IF to VVS2.
HCA under 2.0 and preferably in the middle of both the GIA and AGS top-cut ranges on that HCA graph.

 

[druidtime]

I want to add a colorless round diamond to my Fancy Colored Diamond collection.
For color I want a D grade per GIA or AGS.
Weight 0.20 - 0.24 ct (the average weight of FCDs in the collection)
Clarity IF to VVS2.
HCA under 2.0 and preferably in the middle of both the GIA and AGS top-cut ranges on that HCA graph.

What do you think? I'm no expert with rounds but this one seems nice.

http://www.bluenile.com/diamond-search?saction=PAGE&startIndex=0#diamonds_pid=LD01754856

I think on the GIA certificate it has the maple leaf, so it may be from Canada? I know that it is not a guarantee but thats what it looks to be.

 

[merilenda]

This one is just a liiiiiiiittle bit big, but I'd take it anyway.

http://goodoldgold.com/diamond/7783/

 

[stone-cold11]

This looks good.

http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/D-IF-Ideal-Cut-Round-Diamond-1255494.asp

 

[slg47]

here is one option
http://www.briangavindiamonds.com/diamond/diamond-details/?product_id=31082143

 

[kenny]

Thanks guys for all the good candidates.
I grabbed this one from JA.

Compared to the other listings $590 is a surprisingly-low price but there were no pics or IS pics so we'll see how it looks in person.
I'm a little nervous.
Also you cut expert . . . what might I look for in this non-optimum cut?
Maybe there's nothing wrong with it and the lack of pics is just related to the small size.

 

[stone-cold11]

Look promising from the numbers, might have obstruction issue if the rounding is in the bad direction.

Why not ask for an idealscope image before you buy?

 

[Amys Bling]

Kenny- can't wait to see your skilled photography on this stone!!!

 

[druidtime]

Thanks guys for all the good candidates.
I grabbed this one from JA.

Compared to the other listings $590 is a surprisingly-low price but there were no pics or IS pics so we'll see how it looks in person.
I'm a little nervous.
Also you cut expert . . . what might I look for in this non-optimum cut?
Maybe there's nothing wrong with it and the lack of pics is just related to the small size.

Good deal! $590 USD is pretty hot.

 

[yssie]

Look promising from the numbers, might have obstruction issue if the rounding is in the bad direction.

Why not ask for an idealscope image before you buy?

Kenny - glad to see we haven't lost you completely to the Colour Be All camp

 

[Amys Bling]

Look promising from the numbers, might have obstruction issue if the rounding is in the bad direction.

Why not ask for an idealscope image before you buy?

Kenny - glad to see we haven't lost you completely to the Colour Be All camp

Yssie- I was thinking the same thing

 

[kenny]

Kenny - glad to see we haven't lost you completely to the Colour Be All camp

Well, yes and no.
After all this D is only to help round out a collection of fancy colored diamonds.

One reason to add a colorless is my FCD macro-photography.
The brain tends to adjust to colors, forgive them and pull them towards white.
Including a colorless one gives the eye/brain a place to come back to a known reference in any lighting or white balance situation, regardless of the variations in people's monitors.

I read in Stephen Hofer's 10-pound book about FCDs that he likes to include a colorless diamond in FCD pics for similar reasons.

 

[yssie]

Uh huh. If you say so.


So - do we get a new family portrait soon? I've been looking forward to new pics - I'll have to poke through your posts, I feel like I've missed some. I seem to remember mention of a - unique - violet leap of faith...?


That is a cool book! I got to flip through a friend of a friend's copy - and now that and Hughes' Ruby & Sapphire are on my wish list. Maybe for the anniversary.. though for some unfathomable reason the idea of buying me books on bling seems to irk DH more than the bling itself

 

[TristanC]

Kenny was never in the colour be all camp. All his little FCDs were bought because of their colour, but they have a much better cut than the average FCD out there. He is still firmly a cut person in Addition to a colour be all person. Otherwise he would own that caveman cut violet.

Being more picky is one of the luxuries that having a slightly smaller sized FCD allows. Really nicely coloured and cut large FCDs get even rarer, or really pricey. Usually both.

I am humbly following in this vein - hoping the rest of the market moves in this direction too.

 

[kenny]

Yssie, June 7th a blue and a green were added.
The latest pics are here:
[URL='https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/fancy-colored-diamond-collection.159746/']https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/fancy-colored-diamond-collection.159746/[/URL]

Keep an eye on Amazon for a used copy of Hofer's book.
I did and saved a lot of moolah.
http://www.amazon.com/Collecting-Classifying-Coloured-Diamonds-Illustrated/dp/0965941019/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1308547930&sr=8-1-spell

Yes Tristan, I do try to keep the cut quality up, but it's not easy without the patience of a saint.
The selection of FCDs in any particular color in my size range near 1/4 ct. is just so small.

I did buy one FCD with horrid cut but TDF Orangy-Pink color, and have no regrets.
I also deeply regret returning a deep blue emerald cut.

You'd wait for years for FCDs that perfectly meets all your desires to float down the river.
Meanwhile prices creep up and up.

 

[kenny]

Look promising from the numbers, might have obstruction issue if the rounding is in the bad direction.

Why not ask for an idealscope image before you buy?

I'm not competent to read IS pics.
I've bought two rounds, an ACA and a Solasfera.
With both I depended on the brand's cut reputation and have been happy.
On both their IS pics looked like the Excellent in the Reference Chart below.

The diamond is on hold.
How does this IS image look?



Nothing on the IS Reference Chart looks similar . . .



Again, the HCA:

 

[yssie]

picture perfect IS

 

[MustangGal]

I almost said you needed a little D IF to go with your family in your last shots when you were asking for color suggestions. He'd belong in there a bit better than the big 'ol asscher in the middle

 

[kenny]

picture perfect IS

Yes, even the watermelon seeds are astonishingly similar.

But is that darkness under the table of no concern?
Stonecold mentioned the possibility of obstruction.

 

[stone-cold11]

Nice, no obstruction, just standard arrows patterning.

 

[kenny]

I almost said you needed a little D IF to go with your family in your last shots when you were asking for color suggestions. He'd belong in there a bit better than the big 'ol asscher in the middle

Great minds think alike.

I'll have to toss out that big old asscher.

 

[stone-cold11]

I will take the asscher if you want to throw it.

 

[kenny]

I will take the asscher if you want to throw it.

Aww, Stone-cold11 I'm so sorry, but the trash truck just came and carried it away.

Oh well easy come, easy go.

 

[yssie]

I assure you, I am a far worthier candidate than SC. If he gets his paws on it we might never see it again! (PS earrings? )



In any case - no. Obstruction, etc. can be a problem when you have just the numbers on the report that don't give you all the info you want - I know I use this comparison a lot, but here it is again

both 33.5/40.6/58 by the report

 

[kenny]

I assure you, I am a far worthier candidate than SC. If he gets his paws on it we might never see it again! (PS earrings? )



In any case - no. Obstruction, etc. can be a problem when you have just the numbers on the report that don't give you all the info you want - I know I use this comparison a lot, but here it is again

both 33.5/40.6/58 by the report

Yssie, that's a great example of why the numbers (and a good HCA score) is not enough.
But what does obstruction look like in an IS?
I thought the arrows themselves were the result of obstruction, an clearly acceptable degree of obstruction.

Your upper Idealscope pic just looks like horrid symmetry.

BTW I pulled the trigger and my little DIF will be here tomorrow so I hope to get some new pics up soon though my workload is heavy right now.

I've always wanted a diamond with perfect clarity and color per GIA, and with perfect cut.
I think I'm the worst snob on PS.
Too bad it's not 2.10 ct instead of 0.21 ct.

So far Jamesallen has been super-duper-groovy.

 

[yssie]

Congrats

I left out the explanation quote -

the top stone was my second stone. Optical symmetry wasn't actually nearly as bad as it looks on first glance - no H&A, but no trainwreck either - most of what you're seeing is over-obstruction thanks to shallower pav. It had major obstruction problems - paddles, blacks around the arrow shafts, the works. All that extra black in the IS pic that's not arrow shaft or arrow head, or reflections through the stars or blacks by the arrow shafts - the black areas clearly outlined in the bottom IS pic of the other stone w/ acceptable obstruction as you say - that's all over-obstruction, result of facets returning the black of the 'obstructing' eyepiece of the IS directly above them instead of the preferable red that is at a slight angle..

Darkening was very clear IRL when I leaned over it to admire it, and those facets reflected my dark skin and hair, but from an arms' length it was a non-issue - which is pretty typical, even of such a bad case, I think.




Extreme examples -
http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/F-VS2-Premium-Cut-Round-Diamond-1247419.asp
http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/I-VS1-Premium-Cut-Round-Diamond-1384960.asp

Edited*

 

[kenny]

Congrats

I left out the explanation quote -

the top stone was my second stone. Optical symmetry wasn't actually nearly as bad as it looks on first glance - no H&A, but no trainwreck either - most of what you're seeing is over-obstruction thanks to shallower pav. It had major obstruction problems - paddles, blacks around the arrow shafts, the works. All that extra black in the IS pic that's not arrow shaft or arrow head, or reflections through the stars or blacks by the arrow shafts - the black areas clearly outlined in the bottom IS pic of the other stone w/ acceptable obstruction as you say - that's all over-obstruction, result of facets returning the black of the 'obstructing' eyepiece of the IS directly above them instead of the preferable red that is at a slight angle..

Darkening was very clear IRL when I leaned over it to admire it, and those facets reflected my dark skin and hair, but from an arms' length it was a non-issue - which is pretty typical, even of such a bad case, I think.




Extreme examples -
http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/F-VS2-Premium-Cut-Round-Diamond-1247419.asp
http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/I-VS1-Premium-Cut-Round-Diamond-1384960.asp

Edited*

Thanks Yssie.
Garry should add an obstruction example to his Reference Chart.