Which diamond should I choose?

[gbisset]

Hi,

I''m struggling to pick between the following 2 diamonds...

http://www2.gia.edu/reportcheck/index.cfm?fuseaction=home.showReportVerification&reportno=2106678544&weight=0.80
http://www2.gia.edu/reportcheck/index.cfm?fuseaction=home.showReportVerification&reportno=1116220788&weight=0.82

The larger stone is around £200 more but is it worth it?

I''m worried that the Indented Natural and Cloud characteristics will affect the way the diamond looks. Am I getting too hung up on details that I won''t even notice? I''m aware that there will be no noticeable difference in size betwen the two. I have noticed that the polish and symmetry of the smaller stone are excellent where the larger stone are very good.

Thanks!

 

[BobR]

Date: 1/6/2010 10:00:22 AM
Author:gbisset
Hi,

I''m struggling to pick between the following 2 diamonds...

http://www2.gia.edu/reportcheck/index.cfm?fuseaction=home.showReportVerification&reportno=2106678544&weight=0.80
http://www2.gia.edu/reportcheck/index.cfm?fuseaction=home.showReportVerification&reportno=1116220788&weight=0.82

The larger stone is around £200 more but is it worth it?

I''m worried that the Indented Natural and Cloud characteristics will affect the way the diamond looks. Am I getting too hung up on details that I won''t even notice? I''m aware that there will be no noticeable difference in size betwen the two. I have noticed that the polish and symmetry of the smaller stone are excellent where the larger stone are very good.

Thanks!

I wouldn''t worry about the polsh/symmetry difference. Most people can''t tell the difference and I think the more experienced people here will agree that it makes no noticeable difference to performance.
However the first stone has proportions that most people will be not too keen on. The crown/pavilion angles are what is called here ''steep/deep
The second stone is also only cut grade very good. This is because of the very thin girdle. I''m sure you''ll get more expansive comments from the regulars as to any potential issues with this

 

[stone-cold11]

Definitely the larger stone is the better cut. The smaller stone has a large depth, face up diameter is only that of a 0.75c ideally cut stone, will look darker because the angles are cut such that it lets light pass through the stone instead of reflecting it back to you.

The smaller stone has a V thin in the girdle resulting in the VG in cut grade, check how extensive that is and if it is a cause for concern.

 

[Lorelei]

Date: 1/6/2010 10:00:22 AM
Author:gbisset
Hi,

I'm struggling to pick between the following 2 diamonds...

http://www2.gia.edu/reportcheck/index.cfm?fuseaction=home.showReportVerification&reportno=2106678544&weight=0.80
http://www2.gia.edu/reportcheck/index.cfm?fuseaction=home.showReportVerification&reportno=1116220788&weight=0.82

The larger stone is around £200 more but is it worth it?

I'm worried that the Indented Natural and Cloud characteristics will affect the way the diamond looks. Am I getting too hung up on details that I won't even notice? I'm aware that there will be no noticeable difference in size betwen the two. I have noticed that the polish and symmetry of the smaller stone are excellent where the larger stone are very good.

Thanks!

I wouldn't touch the first diamond, it is too deep physically and what we refer to here as Bob mentions as a steep deep with the crown and pavilion angles. Not only will this diamond look small for the weight it will leak light, making it look dull and lacklustre. The second looks promising but an image such as Idealscope is needed to check this diamond out properly. Bob is right that the very thin girdle could be the cause of the VG cut grade, you would need to ask an expert to check this out to make sure the girdle isn't a potential durability issue, it isn't always the case but best to check. Are these for sale online?

 

[gbisset]

Date: 1/6/2010 10:52:48 AM
Author: Lorelei

Date: 1/6/2010 10:00:22 AM
Author:gbisset
Hi,

I''m struggling to pick between the following 2 diamonds...

http://www2.gia.edu/reportcheck/index.cfm?fuseaction=home.showReportVerification&reportno=2106678544&weight=0.80
http://www2.gia.edu/reportcheck/index.cfm?fuseaction=home.showReportVerification&reportno=1116220788&weight=0.82

The larger stone is around £200 more but is it worth it?

I''m worried that the Indented Natural and Cloud characteristics will affect the way the diamond looks. Am I getting too hung up on details that I won''t even notice? I''m aware that there will be no noticeable difference in size betwen the two. I have noticed that the polish and symmetry of the smaller stone are excellent where the larger stone are very good.

Thanks!

I wouldn''t touch the first diamond, it is too deep physically and what we refer to here as Bob mentions as a steep deep with the crown and pavilion angles. Not only will this diamond look small for the weight it will leak light, making it look dull and lacklustre. The second looks promising but an image such as Idealscope is needed to check this diamond out properly. Bob is right that the very thin girdle could be the cause of the VG cut grade, you would need to ask an expert to check this out to make sure the girdle isn''t a potential durability issue, it isn''t always the case but best to check. Are these for sale online?

They have both been offered to me by http://www.samarajames.com/. I don''t think any further information is available.

I would be paying around £3200 for the 0.8 carat and £3400 for the 0.82 carat but these are the prices for the complete ring. I''m not sure of the price they are charging for just the stones.

 

[gbisset]

Ok, from the comments above I got the feeling that I should be pushing for a higher quality cut.

I have asked them to find me a higher quality cut at a similar price range - even if it''s slightly smaller. I''ll post the certificate when I recieve it.

Thanks for all the help so far!!!

 

[stone-cold11]

Nothing is really wrong with the 0.82c except the girdle which may be just a small extent of it and may not be a durability issue at all. GIA Ex cut grade might not be better at all as the lab do allow for some steep/deep proportion to get an Ex cut grade too.

 

[gbisset]

Ok, here''s a 3rd option. It''s a 0.76 carat stone that works out at the same price as the 0.8 carat stone but the cut looks better. Please let me know what you think...

http://www2.gia.edu/reportcheck/index.cfm?fuseaction=home.showReportVerification&reportno=1109578909&weight=0.76

Thank you so much for your help!

 

[IceExplorer]

...

http://www.samarajames.com/. I don't think any further information is available.

I just messed around on that site - I don't know how they do their mark up. They just, what seems to be, add an arbitrary number to increase value when you increase the quality of specifications.

CUT: H&A - To go from an SI2 to an SI1 it costs 108.00
CUT: GOOD- To go from an SI2 to an SI1 it costs 89.00

Is that normal for other sites out there?

gbisset: SORRY I didn't intend to jack your thread. I was just curious.

 

[stone-cold11]

Date: 1/6/2010 1:19:55 PM
Author: gbisset
Ok, here''s a 3rd option. It''s a 0.76 carat stone that works out at the same price as the 0.8 carat stone but the cut looks better. Please let me know what you think...

http://www2.gia.edu/reportcheck/index.cfm?fuseaction=home.showReportVerification&reportno=1109578909&weight=0.76

Thank you so much for your help!

Numbers look good from this one.

 

[gbisset]

Date: 1/6/2010 1:41:25 PM
Author: IceExplorer

...

http://www.samarajames.com/. I don''t think any further information is available.

I just messed around on that site - I don''t know how they do their mark up. They just, what seems to be, add an arbitrary number to increase value when you increase the quality of specifications.

CUT: H&A - To go from an SI2 to an SI1 it costs 108.00
CUT: GOOD- To go from an SI2 to an SI1 it costs 89.00

Is that normal for other sites out there?

gbisset: SORRY I didn''t intend to jack your thread. I was just curious.

Yes, I see what you mean. There are some sites that allow you to select a specific stone and see the prices of them there and then such as Blue Nile and a few others but I''m keen to go with Samara James as I''ve only heard good things about the service they provide.

It seems to be that they have fixed prices for each of the combinations you can select on the site but if you contact them they have a larger range available - e.g. the one I have now been offered is a 0.76 carat

I guess they do it this way to make it easier for someone who''s not so sure of what all the factors mean to find something they''re happy with. From what I know, generally people aren''t so hung up on the finer details out here. I certainly wasn''t aware there was so much involved until I started reading up!

 

[gbisset]

Date: 1/6/2010 1:52:42 PM
Author: Stone-cold11

Date: 1/6/2010 1:19:55 PM
Author: gbisset
Ok, here''s a 3rd option. It''s a 0.76 carat stone that works out at the same price as the 0.8 carat stone but the cut looks better. Please let me know what you think...

http://www2.gia.edu/reportcheck/index.cfm?fuseaction=home.showReportVerification&reportno=1109578909&weight=0.76

Thank you so much for your help!

Numbers look good from this one.

Great, I think I''ll go for it then. Thanks for the advice! Much appreciated

 

[stone-cold11]

Good luck then.

 

[Lorelei]

Date: 1/6/2010 1:19:55 PM
Author: gbisset
Ok, here''s a 3rd option. It''s a 0.76 carat stone that works out at the same price as the 0.8 carat stone but the cut looks better. Please let me know what you think...

http://www2.gia.edu/reportcheck/index.cfm?fuseaction=home.showReportVerification&reportno=1109578909&weight=0.76

Thank you so much for your help!

This one could be a nice diamond.