Why is this diamond rated a GIA Very Good cut?

[DiamondDude82]

Hi everyone,

I'm hoping you can help explain to me why this round diamond was graded as a GIA Very Good cut? I've seen it in person and it has great hearts and arrows, so I was surprised that it was ranked as very good. The only thing I can think of is the extra facet. Please enlighten me. Thanks!

CTW: 1.51
Measurements: 7.29 - 7.32 x 4.53
Color grade: F
Clarity grade: SI1
Cut Grade: Very Good
Polish: Excellent
Symmetry: Very Good
Fluorescence: Faint

Table: 58%
Depth: 62%
Crown angle: 35
Pavilion angle: 41

 

[yssie]

Thick girdle.
EX range thin-slthk.
GIA measures girdle at valleys http://www.diamondcut.gia.edu/pdfs/booklet_finish_culet_girdle.pdf -- extra facet could contribute

 

[DiamondDude82]

So is this not a good buy when taking into consideration the other dimensions?

 

[yssie]

Where did I say that?
You saw it, you liked it, hopefully you compared it to some other stones of similar size and colour to ensure you had some idea of what you were actually looking at... an overly thick girdle is not something I would ever seek out but it's not a deal-breaker if the stone is otherwise nice and is priced well. What's the price?

 

[DiamondDude82]

It's 14.1k. The main issue is that I have a nearly identical stone (see measurements below), that is a face up clean SI1, but when I tilt the stone if I really look for it I can see one of the twinning whisps in the table. I took it to a jeweler who has recommended the stone at the beginning of this thread (his stone) over the one below. I'm pretty torn because they are essentially the same price. On the one hand I don't want to be sacrificing spread because of a thick girdle, on the other I don't want her to be able to see a whisp in the table (again I couldn't see it until after he showed me).

http://www.bluenile.com/round-diamond-1-carat-ideal-cut-f-color-si1-clarity_LD03233727
1.51ct, F, SI1
HCA: 0.9
Table: 58%
Depth: 61.2%
Crown angle: 34.5
Pavilion angle: 40.6
Lower girdle facet length: 80%
Girdle: Med-Slightly thick (faceted) 4%

 

[yssie]

It's 14.1k. The main issue is that I have a nearly identical stone (see measurements below), that is a face up clean SI1, but when I tilt the stone if I really look for it I can see one of the twinning whisps in the table. I took it to a jeweler who has recommended the stone at the beginning of this thread (his stone) over the one below. I'm pretty torn because they are essentially the same price. On the one hand I don't want to be sacrificing spread because of a thick girdle, on the other I don't want her to be able to see a whisp in the table (again I couldn't see it until after he showed me).

http://www.bluenile.com/round-diamond-1-carat-ideal-cut-f-color-si1-clarity_LD03233727
1.51ct, F, SI1
HCA: 0.9
Table: 58%
Depth: 61.2%
Crown angle: 34.5
Pavilion angle: 40.6
Lower girdle facet length: 80%
Girdle: Med-Slightly thick (faceted) 4%

Sorry, I am rereading my earlier post and I didn't express myself clearly - spread sacrifice in your jeweller's stone is a total non-issue, and the "thick" girdle isn't close to "overly thick" - but I wouldn't seek it out because regardless of how we nitpick the nitty gritty, a GIA EX is worth more than a GIA VG and I would never recommend paying an EX price for a VG-graded stone even if the VG graded stone is perfectly lovely.

Not that I'm recommending the BN one if it's not 'mind-clean' for you - it's been my experience that the things that bother you will always continue to bother you

Does your jeweller have any other promising stones that he can price out for you?

 

[DiamondDude82]

Wow, what a revelation. Thank you. I decided to check PS to see what similar diamonds are selling for and I found the exact one that was recommended to me by the jeweler: http://www.b2cjewels.com/dd-3579122-1.51-carat-Round-diamond-F-color-SI1-Clarity.aspx?sku=3579122&utm_source=pricescope.com&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=pricescope.com..

Now I know that I'm over paying by 1k. I understand that jewelers need to make money, but I feel like part of the point of PS is to educate people so that they can get the most for their dollar.

The BN diamond is mind clean for me, honestly I still can't really see the flaw.

Thanks again!

 

[yssie]

Wow, what a revelation. Thank you. I decided to check PS to see what similar diamonds are selling for and I found the exact one that was recommended to me by the jeweler: http://www.b2cjewels.com/dd-3579122-1.51-carat-Round-diamond-F-color-SI1-Clarity.aspx?sku=3579122&utm_source=pricescope.com&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=pricescope.com........

Now I know that I'm over paying by 1k. I understand that jewelers need to make money, but I feel like part of the point of PS is to educate people so that they can get the most for their dollar.

The BN diamond is mind clean for me, honestly I still can't really see the flaw.

Thanks again!

Well... and this will seem like a bit of a flip flop, but it isn't really... there are very good reasons to buy a stone from someone local rather than a drop-shipper with questionable customer service like B2C - beginning a relationship with a vendor from whom you plan to make other purchases or have other work done, not needing to send your ring out for plating/polishing/prongwork/sizing/repairs, local establishments may give you a package discount if you buy both stone and setting from them, or Ering and w-band... and a local vendor who puts time, effort, and money into maintaining a physical showroom and building relationships with customers is always going to charge more for those services than a e-dropshipper.

It just depends on what you value. BN is a reputable online outfit and it sounds like your local vendor found you a nice stone and paid to have it shipped out for you to look at. For me whether or not buying that VG from your local guy is a "good buy" depends on those other intangibles as well - will he offer any trade-in or upgrade policies? Give you a good combo price on a setting you like, or the wedding band? Polish/clean/plate at no charge?

 

[DiamondDude82]

All good points. This all started when I went in to ask him to make me a custom setting. I still plan to have him make me a custom setting, but I'd rather pay him for that craftsmanship than pay 1.4k more for a diamond. I won't be getting the diamond from B2C as I know that they do have customer service issues, and I'm not ruling out buying items from him in the future (I've bought some from him in the past as well). The issue for me is that it's not the final over all cost that matters as much to me as that I am getting what I am paying for. I still trust him and know that he needs to make money. What is a typical markup for a jeweler on a diamond?

 

[yssie]

The issue for me is that it's not the final over all cost that matters as much to me as that I am getting what I am paying for. I still trust him and know that he needs to make money. What is a typical markup for a jeweler on a diamond?

Yup. That "did I make a good buy, ultimately" question is the only one we care about - it's not how much each individual part costs by itself but whether the total cost is fair for the goods and services you get - and of course since people value goods and services differently, people will feel differently about that final dollar amount...

Typical markup - depends on too many other things to try to guess without any knowledge of said other things. I'll leave that to the industry folks.

 

[DiamondDude82]

So what would be a fair price for the VG cut stone?

 

[yssie]

So what would be a fair price for the VG cut stone?

This is precisely my point... I CAN'T tell you what a "fair price" would be, and neither can anyone else, because we don't know
A) what your jeweller is offering in addition to the stone, and
B) whether you value any of your jeweller's other offerings.

If you want to know what a GIA VG costs sans any context you can easily go back to BN and find some GIA VGs, and know what price BN charges for those goods and the services they offer. You already know what B2C thinks is a fair price - and that's for the stone in a vacuum, no additional benefits.
Which still doesn't tell you how to value/price the services your jeweller may or may not offer and the benefits of buying locally.

 

[DiamondDude82]

I think I understand now. Thanks so much for taking the time to explain it all to me!