shape
carat
color
clarity

Which would you choose?

Which would you choose?


  • Total voters
    12

lovedogs

Super_Ideal_Rock
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Jul 31, 2014
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18,031
Both are great, so you can't make a bad choice. I adore CBI stones so I'm partial to them whenever possible, but there is absolutely nothing wrong with ACAs, and many people adore them. These are the two highest regarded brands/cuts on this board, so it's really a matter of personal preference.
 

headlight

Ideal_Rock
Joined
Nov 2, 2003
Messages
3,293
Would it bother you having a VS1 knowing you could’ve had a VVS2?
Someone please correct me if I have this wrong, but it seems that CBI is much more exclusive (as in, not that many of them). If that’s correct, does that make the CBI more desirable to you?
Is the CBI upgrade policy as amazingly good as that of WF? Is that something you could see yourself possibly taking advantage of at some point?
Where are you getting the mounting from?... do both vendors offer the style you want? Is the idea of “one stop shopping” (diamond and mounting all done at same place) appealing to you?
What are the “few key differences”, as you phrased it, that you are contemplating?
 

lovedogs

Super_Ideal_Rock
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Jul 31, 2014
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Would it bother you having a VS1 knowing you could’ve had a VVS2?
Someone please correct me if I have this wrong, but it seems that CBI is much more exclusive (as in, not that many of them). If that’s correct, does that make the CBI more desirable to you?
Is the CBI upgrade policy as amazingly good as that of WF? Is that something you could see yourself possibly taking advantage of at some point?
Where are you getting the mounting from?... do both vendors offer the style you want? Is the idea of “one stop shopping” (diamond and mounting all done at same place) appealing to you?
What are the “few key differences”, as you phrased it, that you are contemplating?
I'm not sure they are more "exclusive" if exclusive means better. But yes, there are less CBIs than ACAs at any given time.

The upgrade policies are identical, and both places offer excellent benches for setting and can do custom work.
 

headlight

Ideal_Rock
Joined
Nov 2, 2003
Messages
3,293
@lovedogs I’m definitely not implying better, just the exclusivity due to there being less of them.
Talk about the best of all worlds!
(Also, would LOVE to see photos of your diamond @lovedogs!)
 

lovedogs

Super_Ideal_Rock
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L

lydial

Guest
Is there anything else about either vendor that appeals to you? They are almost identical. Setting, perhaps? Timeline? I have only purchased from HPD, not WF (yet?), and it was a very good experience.
 

chamois

Brilliant_Rock
Joined
Jul 15, 2008
Messages
586
Both are great choices, you can’t go wrong with either. However, If it were me (I am bias) I would go with the HPD diamond for two reasons, very slightly larger (maybe not discernible side by side) and the smaller table which I prefer. I have had a VVS1 and now I would not pay extra money for something I cannot see.

Please let us know what you decide :wavey:
 

marcy

Super_Ideal_Rock
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Feb 27, 2007
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26,278
Both are gorgeous diamonds. You can’t go wrong with either diamond or either company. I would go with whoever has the ring I wanted to mount it in.

Marcy
 

ac117

Ideal_Rock
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elizat

Ideal_Rock
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Mar 23, 2013
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Both are great choices, you can’t go wrong with either. However, If it were me (I am bias) I would go with the HPD diamond for two reasons, very slightly larger (maybe not discernible side by side) and the smaller table which I prefer. I have had a VVS1 and now I would not pay extra money for something I cannot see.

Please let us know what you decide :wavey:

I have the same thoughts.
 

Mkl91

Rough_Rock
Joined
Aug 11, 2019
Messages
6
Thanks for everyone's input! @ac117 more to filter through and think about -_-
I am leaning towards the first cbi...any last thoughts before I pull the trigger?
 

chamois

Brilliant_Rock
Joined
Jul 15, 2008
Messages
586
Here are my thoughts: do you have to have an F and does it have to be a VS1? Personally, I would go with the largest CBI I could afford with an SI1 clarity and perhaps a G/H colour. It might be a good idea to get Wink to line up three CBI’s the 1.58 F and two other larger stones (within your price range) of G and H colours. This way you’ll have a better idea of the differences in colour (probably minor when all three are together) and which colour you are the most drawn to/happiest with if you decide to go with a larger CBI. I just think it is worth looking at options before making a final choice.

Good luck :appl:
 

OdetteOdile

Brilliant_Rock
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Aug 8, 2019
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1,581
I just want to say, I am totally jealous you are looking at these two awesome stones! A 1.5 carat super ideal in a lovely color is something I would just love to have. I think you just can't go wrong!
 

cflutist

Ideal_Rock
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Jul 12, 2004
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4,052
Both are highly respected companies and both are great diamonds.
However, HPD has an 80% buyback policy for life while WF has a 70% buyback policy for 1 year.
I own 5 CBI diamonds because @Wink has been my personal jeweler since 2004 and I just love their Uber bench now.

20190904_135809.jpg

20190904_135843.jpg
 

sledge

Ideal_Rock
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Apr 23, 2018
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5,791
Two very gorgeous stones. Proportions are near identical. Very doubtful you'd be able to discern the small variation in table size, but from a mind clean perspective I like the smaller table.

That said, you compared the HPD wire price vs the WF normal price. Not much variance, but WF wire is $19,567 so a little cheaper for VVS2 and essentially the same specs.

In regards to upgrades, etc -- someone earlier mentioned the fact there are fewer CBI's. This could be a good or bad thing depending how you view it, and what your future upgrade plans include. You are starting at a decent size, and as carats increase then available stock (from any vendor) decreases. WF seems to have a deeper inventory of larger stones than some of their competitors. So unless you want to do a custom cut later, this may play into the equation.

My last thoughts are the HPD 80% buyback is hard to beat. Of course there are terms that this is limited to the original purchaser (husband or wife), and isn't transferable to heirs. Also, not many people will look to sell their stone back except in unique situations, but it is a nice bonus.

I personally like the larger 1.736 F VS1 that @ac117 posted up thread, but that is an ES and not ACA. While I don't foresee that as a huge ordeal, it has to be considered as part of the price difference. Specs are lovely though -- 55 table, 34.9 crown, 40.7 pavilion. :love:
 

Starfacet

Ideal_Rock
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tyty333

Super_Ideal_Rock
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Dec 17, 2008
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I personally like the larger 1.736 F VS1 that @ac117 posted up thread, but that is an ES and not ACA. While I don't foresee that as a huge ordeal, it has to be considered as part of the price difference. Specs are lovely though -- 55 table, 34.9 crown, 40.7 pavilion. :love:

This one makes my heart thud!
 

RunningwithScissors

Ideal_Rock
Joined
Apr 29, 2019
Messages
3,699
If it were me, I'd stay within the colorless range, and NOT go below an F, especially without knowing your (or your intended's) color sensitivity AND not without seeing the diamonds in person (a video/photo line up is NOT the same). Just my 2 cents.
 

Starfacet

Ideal_Rock
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Since both are from the same great vendor, I'd personally go with the bigger one, but color sensitivity is something that only the wearer can determine.

G is a pretty safe color for most people, IMO. Maybe @hypermom woud like to chime in as she just got a gorgeous G color CBI. I got to try on her ring in July and the stone was very white. Oh, and even SI2 clarity CBIs are super eye-clean, so no worries about the VS2.
 
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lovedogs

Super_Ideal_Rock
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Exactly. With HPD, clarity isn't a concern at all, even in SI1/2. so I'd get a vs2 bigger stone, especially since G looks white to almost everyone.
 

cflutist

Ideal_Rock
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4,052
Both CBIs are primo stones.
The VS2 is very clean, there are some VS2 with more/larger clarity characteristics than the stone under consideration.
For myself, I would pick the F-VS1 for mind clean reasons only (I have 2.79 F-VS1 and 2.18 E-VS1 CBIs). For you and everyone else out there (except @RunningwithScissors) you would be perfectly happy with the G-VS2.
 
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hypermom

Shiny_Rock
Joined
Feb 19, 2013
Messages
473
Mine's a G VS1, which I was happy about because I do like higher clarity. I wish you could see both to decide! I'd probably go with the G myself as it's a good size increase.
 

hypermom

Shiny_Rock
Joined
Feb 19, 2013
Messages
473
Here's a shot I got at sunrise recently:

sunrise.jpg
 

chamois

Brilliant_Rock
Joined
Jul 15, 2008
Messages
586
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