What if a diamond ISN''T excellent according to HCA?

[sunseeker]

Hi! Here''s the specs on the diamond I ran through the cut advisor.

weight: 1.16 ct
shape & cut: round brilliant
measurements: 6.93 - 6.78 x 4.14 mm
depth: 60.7%
table: 59%
crown: 13.9%
pavilion: 43.7%
girdle: medium to thick faceted
culet: none
polish: very good
symmetry: good
clarity: vs2
color: G
fluorescence: none

HCA says: "3.1 - very good - worth buying if the price is right." (Please tell me what price should be "right" and how would I know this anyway???).

This diamond falls in the HCA grading scale of "2-4 very good" which I thought WAS good since the lowest is 8-10 poor.

So, how bad of a thing is it to buy a diamond that ISN''T excellent according to the HCA?

And most importantly, what should I have paid for this diamond? I am especially interested in knowing if the price I paid was good!

I know this question is probably small potatoes compared to the other questions in need of answers since I already did buy the diamond, but I would love to know what the experts think!

Thanks and have a great day!

 

[valeria101]

I know the HCA has a 10 point scale, but % is already considered quite undesirable.

Given that this much discussed tool is only good at sorting out failures, the score only tells me "why not" and indicates that this one better be cheaper than the AGS0 (or those stone labeled H&A). For a given color&clarity&weight type, the price per carat could vary as much as 50% among the stones listed here and on simmilar websites. The nonbranded H&As listed here get somewhere towards the high end of the interval. The stones with depth and tables withing the H&A tollerance interval woudl not usually be the least expensive - there is some discount for the seriously cut impaired. I would like to see the price of this stone in the first 1/3 of the price range.

Also, given the EGL cert, the price would be discounted relative to GIA stones.

 

[hoorray]

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder...

The HCA is a screening tool to help you narrow down your selection by identifying stones with complementary angles and measurements. It's not a guarantee of anything.

Since you have already purchased your stone, what matters is if you love it and think it is beautiful. Your stone may not fit the AGS000 specs exactly, but that doesn't mean it isn't a nice stone. If it is full of sparkle and personality, I would recommend that you don't worry about what could be wrong with it, but instead just wear it and enjoy it!

 

[fire&ice]

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On 4/18/2004 9:30:40 AM sunseeker wrote:

Hi! Here's the specs on the diamond I ran through the cut advisor.

measurements: 6.93 - 6.78 x 4.14 mm
HCA says: '3.1 - very good - worth buying if the price is right.' (Please tell me what price should be 'right' and how would I know this anyway???).

--

Are the measurements (mm) correct?

 

[sunseeker]

Thank you Val & lop for responding to my post!

We understand that I have to love the stone ~ and I do! ~ but it's always nice to know what other people here think of both the stone and price because that's a big part of any purchase!

Thank you also for giving me more information of the use of the HCA. I know most people here would probably insist on the score of "excellent" but I thought a step down to "very good" isn't too shabby.

~ Sun

 

[sunseeker]

Yes, the measurements are taken from my certificate.

???

We were concerned about the table, but my jeweler assured us if I wasn't happy after the setting was done, we could return it (he is wonderful and gave me a 100% cash back guarantee, no questions asked). Looks beautiful and we kept it!

The appraisal I received from my jeweler was WAY higher than we paid so I ran to a GIA gemologist and got another appraisal. Again, higher than we paid!

Any more input? Thanks so much!!!!!

 

[valeria101]

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On 4/18/2004 11:40:21 AM fire&ice wrote:


Are the measurements (mm) correct?


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Yeah... this is what the thick girdle does to a diamond...

 

[fire&ice]

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On 4/18/2004 12:03:21 PM valeria101 wrote:

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On 4/18/2004 11:40:21 AM fire&ice wrote:


Are the measurements (mm) correct?


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Yeah... this is what the thick girdle does to a diamond...

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Ah. I didn't know that. Will it appear as far apart as the mm indicate? Or, just a function of girdle?

 

[valeria101]

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On 4/18/2004 12:32:08 PM fire&ice wrote:
Will it appear as far apart as the mm indicate? Or, just a function of girdle?
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Oh! I didn't know what to talk about: average diameter ('size') or the variation...

I saw the 2% off-roundness, but what this means is not possible to tell (there was a recent post on what of-round rounds could look like, the variations does not mean that this is 'oval'). If the respective lab says "good" symmetry - so would I.

I am not sure wether there is anything very interesting to say about girdle width and symmetry - most likely anything is possible.

 

[Mara]

hmm the diamond seems out of round and the girdle is undesirable AT thick, table is slightly large over an 'ideal' stone, but it does not mean the diamond won't be lovely.




IMO diamonds at 2.5, 3 and maybe even slightly higher can still be pretty to your eye. they ARE diamonds after all. my diamond was something like a 2.8 and it was very pretty..the specs were an AGS9/AGS10 depending on which sarin you believed. it really depends on how strict YOU want to be on your parameters. your eye sees the stone.




imo when the cut advisor says to buy if price is right....I find a similar stone on the Pscope search and try to estimate from there. if you bought at a B&M the price could be higher and since some B&M's don't consider a stone like this non-ideal (they may even sell it as one), your markup may have been more than it should have been. so the range of what you 'should' have paid could be large.

 

[sunseeker]

Well, if my diamond is "out of round" you can't tell (maybe because it's in a setting w/ 6 prongs?). I have been examining it and it seems round to me and everyone else I ask. I would have never even thought it wasn't!

I did a search and compared prices and found the price I paid was less! That took a lot of stress off of me and I feel good about the price we paid. Yay !!

You are right: it IS a diamond and considering all the other numbers and the fact that it's a G vs2, it is beautiful to us and that's all that matters.

Guess I was just getting all caught up in wanting expert approval here. The reading of the posts must be getting to me and making me think perfection is all that matters instead of the love we already have for the diamond and setting. And it does look perfect to us!!!!!

I will put this to rest and be happy

.

Besides, my hubby says if I want, I can upgrade for our 25th in 5 years!!!!

We'll see, instead then may be time to make ANOTHER purchase instead of changing this one!

Again, thank you ALL for your expert advice. I will keep reading AND learning because I have another quest soon: I just turned 40 and need to mark that with another piece of something pretty!!!

~Sunseeker

 

[fire&ice]

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On 4/18/2004 9:50:03 PM sunseeker wrote:

You are right: it IS a diamond and considering all the other numbers and the fact that it's a G vs2, it is beautiful to us and that's all that matters.

all that matters instead of the love we already have for the diamond and setting. And it does look perfect to us!!!!!

I will put this to rest and be happy

.

~Sunseeker

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That's all that matters. Enjoy your diamond. Since the diamond is graded "good" symetry it is not out of round. Again, ENJOY! And, congrats on your 20 years of marriage.