Which diamond of these two to choose?

[patron]

Looking at two diamonds online....I can’t see them in person before ordering, though the site (brilliance.com) has a 30 day return policy which would somewhat protect me if I’m not happy with the diamond.

Im basically playing with a budget of 10-12k, and was hoping to get around 1.5carats that will really pop and standout (solitaire setting). I am between these two diamonds for now and cant figure out which would be best. Any advice would be appreciated. They are roughly the same price and both GIA. I highlighted the parts of each report that I think would be a decision maker/breaker between the two. Or should i go smaller and better quality in one or several of the categories?

1st diamond:
ROUND BRILLIANT $12,150

Measurements 7.20 - 7.23 x 4.59 mm
Carat Weight 1.51 carat
Color Grade G
Clarity Grade VVS2
Cut Grade Very Good
PROPORTIONS

Depth 63.7 %
Table 56 %
Crown Angle 37.0°
Crown Height 16.5%
Pavilion Angle 40.8°
Pavilion Depth 43.0%
Star Length 55%
Lower Half 80%
Girdle Slightly Thick to Thick, Faceted, 4.5%
Culet None
FINISH

Polish Excellent
Symmetry Excellent
FLUORESCENCE

Fluorescence Medium Blue
CLARITY CHARACTERISTICS

Clarity Characteristics Pinpoint, Cloud, Feather, Indented Natural
COMMENTS

Additional pinpoints are not shown.
Additional clouds are not shown.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2nd diamond
ROUND BRILLIANT $11,950

Measurements 7.19 - 7.22 x 4.64 mm
Carat Weight 1.50 carat
Color Grade G
Clarity Grade VS1
Cut Grade Very Good
PROPORTIONS

Depth 64.4 %
Table 55 %
Crown Angle 38.0°
Crown Height 17.5%
Pavilion Angle 40.6°
Pavilion Depth 43.0%
Star Length 55%
Lower Half 80%
Girdle Medium to Slightly Thick, 4.0%
Culet None
FINISH

Polish Very Good
Symmetry Excellent
FLUORESCENCE

Fluorescence Strong Blue
CLARITY CHARACTERISTICS

Clarity Characteristics Crystal, Needle
COMMENTS

Pinpoints are not shown.

 

[Ashleigh]

Both are too depth and hence appear smaller than a true 1.5 ct. Use the HCA under the Tools tab to help you weed out the losers. Try to get a diamond under 2, call it in, run the necessary tests before you decide.

 

[patron]

Just so i make sure i understand the HCA, diamond gives 3.7 and diamond 2 gives 3.2 right? if one would have to choose between the 2, the 3.2 would be more attractive, though it is recommended to try and get below 2.0?

 

[JulieN]

You can't get a G VS1/VVS2 1.5 ct for this price, an ideal cut one would probably be over 15K. If you want to stay above 1.5 cts, you would have to go to H/I SI1 for this budget. If you want to stick with G VS you would be better off going with a 1.3.

 

[patron]

this one has an HCA of 1.1 .... would appear bigger than the other 2? i dont mind reducing carats a bit but was really targetting at least 1.4carats if possible

ROUND BRILLIANT $12,800

Measurements 7.34 - 7.36 x 4.39 mm
Carat Weight 1.44 carat
Color Grade G
Clarity Grade VS2
Cut Grade Excellent
PROPORTIONS

Depth 59.7 %
Table 59 %
Crown Angle 32.5°
Crown Height 13.0%
Pavilion Angle 41.0°
Pavilion Depth 43.5%
Star Length 50%
Lower Half 75%
Girdle Medium, Faceted, 3.5%
Culet None
FINISH

Polish Excellent
Symmetry Excellent
FLUORESCENCE

Fluorescence None
CLARITY CHARACTERISTICS

Clarity Characteristics Cloud, Feather
COMMENTS

Additional clouds are not shown.
Internal graining is not shown.

 

[JulieN]

The step after getting HCA under 2 is to get an Ideal Scope. Unfortunately, Brilliance doesn't provide Ideal Scopes and have passed off another vendor's pictures for their diamond.

This is just gorgeous: http://www.jamesallen.com/loose-diamonds/round-cut/1.55-carat-h-color-si1-clarity-excellent-cut-sku-187789

 

[ecf8503]

Why are you stuck on Brilliance.com? Pretty much every vendor recommended here has a return policy, (JA's is 60 days!), so that's not a good reason to use a vendor that steals photos and can't provide the necessary light performance images.

Do NOT compromise on cut quality - it's what makes the diamond sparkle. And an ideal cut will face up larger and whiter than a less well cut one.

That H from JA is gorgeous (and it scores a 1.5 on the HCA) - put it on hold ASAP and ask for an Idealscope image. Then pick 2 more from JA (they will work up 3 stones) and compare the IS and get a gemologist's opinion.

 

[loves_stones]

I did have a colleague who went to Brilliance last year for his fiancée's ring. I don't know what the specs of his diamond were but he looked pretty happy with it. It looked like a 1.5.. he hadn't wanted to go over $12K on the stone. I visited their site recently because I was looking for ideas for my parents' anniversary, and am thinking of having them upgrade my folks' old set... I checked them out of course.. and so far found good reviews about them on trustpilot and bizrate.

 

[loves_stones]

P.S. The third diamond you posted seems like a good buy. The cut is excellent and there is no fluorescence (most women like little to none of it, but it would still depend on your girl).. It has an ideal girdle and culet (none). And VS2 inclusions are eye-clean, which means you can stare at the diamond and not see them.

 

[ecf8503]

this one has an HCA of 1.1 .... would appear bigger than the other 2? i dont mind reducing carats a bit but was really targetting at least 1.4carats if possible

ROUND BRILLIANT $12,800

Measurements 7.34 - 7.36 x 4.39 mm
Carat Weight 1.44 carat
Color Grade G
Clarity Grade VS2
Cut Grade Excellent
PROPORTIONS

Depth 59.7 %
Table 59 %
Crown Angle 32.5°
Crown Height 13.0%
Pavilion Angle 41.0°
Pavilion Depth 43.5%
Star Length 50%
Lower Half 75%
Girdle Medium, Faceted, 3.5%
Culet None
FINISH

Polish Excellent
Symmetry Excellent
FLUORESCENCE

Fluorescence None
CLARITY CHARACTERISTICS

Clarity Characteristics Cloud, Feather
COMMENTS

Additional clouds are not shown.
Internal graining is not shown.

Is this a GIA stone???? GIA doesn't evaluate light return as AGS does. So an "excellent" cut grade by GIA may still encompass some poor performers unfortunately, which is why we always recommend running the HCA and getting idealscope images on GIA stones.

This one has potential. But it is what is known as a 60/60 stone - https://www.pricescope.com/wiki/diamonds/60-60-proportioned-diamond. That's not a bad thing - but it will have a slightly different look than a traditionally ideal cut stone. It may have a bit less fire (colored light return) due to the large table, but should have nice white light return.

With a VS2 you still need to make sure it is eye clean (especially if this is not a GIA or AGS stone) - there are VS2's with visible inclusions, although it is more rare, and this one even has "additional clouds not shown". Do you have the cert available so you can see where the primary inclusions are?

The next step is to get an idealscope image, but if that's not available then you are basically taking a gamble that this is a nice performer.