where''s the OMG drop off point???

[sera]

I am wondering how good I must go to get an above average "OMG your stone is gorgeous!" diamond as opposed to an average "oh that''s nice" maul quality? I know a lot of this is subjective and I must make the personal choice of what I am willing to sacrifice and what I''m not, but I''m just looking for some generalities where I can rule certain things out completely. So is below a Very Good symmetry/polish the drop off point where reactions go from "OMG" to "oh that''s nice"???

Typically, are the diamonds in the mall "good" cuts? Or "fair"? I am thinking that good=average? Or does fair=average? (average being the average IRL person, not average PSer)

Of course I want as good as I can get, but I do have a budget.

I know cut is the most important, but if Very Good is gorgeous I may not need the gorgeous-er Ex cut

So, if I couldn''t afford Excellent Symmetry/Polish I would think a Very Good is still above average? I''ve seen pictures of Asschers with a Very Good Symmetry/Polish that look OMG gorgeous.

Could I go to a "Good" cut with a non-step cut square and still have an above average diamond? My feeling is that I need to go with at least "Very Good" to have an above average stone, am I correct?

Also, on the OGI FireTrace, what is average for B, F and S? Good=average? When I see where the diamonds I am looking at fall on that graph, I''m paranoid when it''s not Ideal... like it will be dull or just kinda sparkly and not OMG gorgeous. But, I am thinking Ex is above avergage also? Is Very Good also above average?

Sorry for so many questions and ramblings, but I''m having a difficult time making some choices.

 

[Skippy123]

cut isn''t the same as symmetry and polish. All three of those things are graded individually. If you are asking if you buy an Excellent cut diamond w/vg polish and symmetry you should be fine, but I wouldn''t settle for vg cut.

 

[surfgirl]

Why do you think you cant get a VG/Ex cut stone at a mall store? Of course you can! You have to know what to ask for, which you do...Now if they cant get you something of that level quality, then of course you should consider other options but have you looked for higher quality cuts at a mall store? Tiffany''s is in my local mall, as is Ben Bridge and both have some very nice higher end cut stones. Of course BBs regular diamonds are so-so, but their Signature cuts are pretty darn nice and sparkly/firey to boot!

 

[gwendolyn]

This probably won''t help much, but I think when you see it, you''ll know. It''ll make your jaw drop the way you want to make others'' fall.

 

[mymodog]

I think it is what is important to you. Excellent cuts will always be nice, but my emerald cut has a very good cut and it is literally the prettiest one I have ever seen because it has a lot of sparkle and flash. The cut is perfect as far as I am concerned. It was cut in 1910 by hand and that ads value to me. Some antique stones are asymmetrical and they have more personality that a dull "perfect" diamond. The Hope diamond is not perfectly symmetrical, but you would have to be a lunatic not to take it over 100 "perfect" diamonds.

 

[musey]

Date: 8/6/2007 7:38:01 PM
Author: mymodog
my emerald cut has a very good cut and it is literally the prettiest one I have ever seen because it has a lot of sparkle and flash.

Do you have a SMTR thread for this emerald? I don''t think I''ve seen it yet!

 

[surfgirl]

Date: 8/6/2007 7:38:01 PM
Author: mymodog
I think it is what is important to you. Excellent cuts will always be nice, but my emerald cut has a very good cut and it is literally the prettiest one I have ever seen because it has a lot of sparkle and flash. The cut is perfect as far as I am concerned. It was cut in 1910 by hand and that ads value to me. Some antique stones are asymmetrical and they have more personality that a dull ''perfect'' diamond. The Hope diamond is not perfectly symmetrical, but you would have to be a lunatic not to take it over 100 ''perfect'' diamonds.

Are you talking about your ring in your avatar? Because all those stones look like Princess cuts, not ECs...?