What do you think of this diamond?

[Passapint]

OK, so I have lurked for a while and now need advice. I have been looking for a radiant cut diamond in the 1.5 carat range. My jeweler has found two for me that are nice, but I need advice. My girlfriend is a teacher and will bang around a bit. I will put the diamond in a upswept cathedral setting in platinum. Both diamonds are cut-cornered rectangular modified brilliants. Both are amazing. #1 just looks bigger (see dimensions below) and brighter (because of the faceting). But, it has a natural that is bigger and closer to being in a problematic spot. How much does that effect the overall value of the stone? Also, how much do I have to worry about the stone cracking there? I love the stone otherwise. #1 is about $2000 more than #2.
GIA reports:

#1
Measurements: 7.70 x 6.45 x 3.91 mm
Weight: 1.53
Depth 60.6%
Table 65%
Girdle Extremely Thin to Thick
Culet None
Polish Good
Symmetry Good
Clarity Grade VS2
Color Grade D
Flourescence None
Feather
Indented Natural (It has an indented natural at the tip of one of the cut corners on the longer side of the diamond. It is on the girdle. My Jeweler has told me that the girdle for mounting is fine. It has an extra facet as well)

Extra Facet

#2
Measurements: 7.21 x 5.91 x 4.04 mm
Weight: 1.52
Depth 68.4%
Table 70%
Girdle Very Thick
Culet None
Polish Very Good
Symmetry Good
Clarity Grade SI1
Color Grade D
Flourescence None
Crystal
Feather
Indented Natural (very small, bottom of diamond. Not able to be seen at all really)
Extra Facet

What should I know about all of this?

 

[belle]

welcome to ps passapint

what a cool name!

the price difference is probably due to the fact that the second stone, for the same carat weight, is much smaller. i would consider having the ''extremely thin'' girdle and the natural on it checked out by an independent appraiser if you want to be safe. or, you could just set it in the ring and make sure it is well insured!

 

[tomoko]

I like your choices in color and clarity but give a thought on gridle.

The thick gridle will make the stone look smaller and I have seen white lines that seem un polished.
I have also heard very thin gridles are prone to chip. I know diamonds are one of the hardest stuff on earth but some say to get away from those.

 

[Passapint]

The girdle is supposed to be fine for mounting. I have seen the stone and don''t see any white lines. I will clearly have it appraised and insured (I live in NYC!). I think it being GIA as a natural gives me some comfort, and that natural is the only spot where the girdle is extremely thin, but I don''t know, I am just trusting my guy (as I am sure I should). My girlfriend is a teacher, so she will abuse it a bit, but not too bad. The person I am using says it should be fine, but I wonder what an expert would say. The thick girdle seems about right on this cut, but I am clearly not an expert. I would put it in a Lucida looking setting, but my girlfriend has petite hands, so going that direction won''t work...

 

[kcoursolle]

I like the cut on number one better than number two, but the extremely thin girdle scares me! I would consider putting in a bezel and then I wouldn''t worry about it as much. You could take it to be independently appriased to see if they say it is a durability issue. The price difference makes sense to me and might be worth it since number one will appear substantially larger.

 

[Passapint]

Thanks for the info. I am not sure I would want a bezel. It''s an engagement ring and I want her to be able to show it off. It won''t be set high, but it has to be above a bezel I think. The thin girdle scares me too, but I it won''t be at the prong. It is only in the one spot at the indented natural. Does that change things?