Would Like an Opinion on this Diamond

[patmurray79]

Pricescopers,

I have used your forum the last week to gain some valuable diamond knowledge and would like to hear some feedback on a diamond I''ve found. I definitely weighted cut above clarity and color when I was shopping. I ran it through the HCA on the Pricescope tools page and got a score of 0.9 (Excellent, Excellent, Excellent, Very Good by category), which I think is pretty good. The GIA certificate looks good for clarity, no really visible inclusions, and I don''t think the H color will be an issue once mounted.
My biggest concern is the slightly thin girdle. Blue Nile does not list a girdle percentage, so impossible to know exactly. Should I be worried about this? I would also have liked to see crown height and pavilion depth, but again, not included. I''m sort of partial to Blue Nile because I have found a setting there that I like. Is it a horrible sin to have the ring sent to me mounted, should I get it appraised before I mount everything? Anyway, I''m looking forward to the feedback, thanks in advance. Here''s the info:

http://www.bluenile.com/diamonds_details.asp?__fun_frm=i&track=btntext_viewselect&elem=img&pid=LD01238235&filter_id=0

Stats: Carat weight: 1.02
Cut: Ideal
Color: H
Clarity: SI1
Depth %: 60.4%
Table %: 58%
Crown Angle 35.0
Pavilion Angle 40.6
Symmetry: Excellent
Polish: Excellent
Girdle: Thin to medium, faceted
Culet: None
Fluorescence: None
Measurements: 6.49 x 6.52 x 3.93 mm
Price: About $4900

 

[Ellen]

Hi pat,

The diamond looks promising, but since there''s no other info, I can''t say much more. The girdle is fine at thin.

Because BN doesn''t give the info we like to see, you might want to purchase the stone, have it shipped home and have an independant appraiser take a look. They will get a much better look at it loose. Then if you like it, send it back to be set.

That''s what I would do.

 

[patmurray79]

Ellen,

Thanks so much for the response. So you would be a little leary without having seen those two measurements (Crown height and pavillion depth)? I found a similarly priced ring at Good Old Gold (which seems to be a favorite around here), that lists all the specs, but doesn''t compare quite as well on the HCA.

http://www.goodoldgold.com/diamond/3569/

 

[diamondseeker2006]

Pat, I don''t think the GOG would score less well on the HCA. It is an excellent stone...AGS0, ideal cut, ideal light performance, hearts and arrows! It''s also a highly desirable size just under a carat. I see no negatives unless for some reason it wasn''t eye clean, but it appears to be from the photos.

 

[Ellen]

Well, it''s not that I''d want those numbers as much as the true crown and pavillion angles. GIA rounds those numbers, so sometimes things can be a bit iffy. If BN gave IS pics, I would be more interested in that, but they don''t obviously.

Liike I said, the diamond really does have potential, you just need someone qualified to verify things.

Could you possibly post the link to the GOG stone, I just get a post from somone else here when I try with what you gave me. Or give me the color, clarity and ct. weight and I could find it.

 

[Ellen]

Date: 1/6/2008 6:52:57 PM
Author: diamondseeker2006
Pat, I don''t think the GOG would score less well on the HCA. It is an excellent stone...AGS0, ideal cut, ideal light performance, hearts and arrows! It''s also a highly desirable size just under a carat. I see no negatives unless for some reason it wasn''t eye clean, but it appears to be from the photos.

How''d you get the stone to come up? I just get a post here at PS? lol

 

[diamondseeker2006]

http://www.goodoldgold.com/diamond/3569/

It''s an AGS0. I think Pat is misunderstanding the HCA scores. Scores below 2 are all great. A .9 is NOT better than a 1.6, for example.

 

[Ellen]

Date: 1/6/2008 6:52:57 PM
Author: diamondseeker2006
Pat, I don''t think the GOG would score less well on the HCA. It is an excellent stone...AGS0, ideal cut, ideal light performance, hearts and arrows! It''s also a highly desirable size just under a carat. I see no negatives unless for some reason it wasn''t eye clean, but it appears to be from the photos.

ds is right, this is a great stone.

I would personally pick this stone over the other. It''s also branded, although not advertised, and they cut a great stone. No worries here. However, I don''t think BN will sell a setting by itself, so not sure what you''d do about that.


ds, thanks for the link.

 

[patmurray79]

Thank you both for the help. So under 2.0 on the HCA is good, and once you get there one score is not better than the other, just different? I also understand that the AGS cert has a little bit more precise numbers on the crown and pavilion angles, so you are more certain what you''re getting.

 

[patmurray79]

Ellen could you also explain a little what you mean by branded, but not advertised? Thanks.

 

[Ellen]

Date: 1/6/2008 7:59:23 PM
Author: patmurray79
Thank you both for the help. So under 2.0 on the HCA is good, and once you get there one score is not better than the other, just different? I also understand that the AGS cert has a little bit more precise numbers on the crown and pavilion angles, so you are more certain what you''re getting.

Once you get a score of 2 or under, you then need to go on to get more info about the stone. Scores under 1 can sometimes mean there will be a problem with head shadow as these stones tend to run with shallow numbers. Search for shallow/shallow if you''re interested.


As for being branded, GOG carries stones cut by Isee2. However, Isee2 isn''t real keen on internet advertising, so these stones aren''t listed as branded. They''re advertised just as any other diamond is.

 

[patmurray79]

Ellen,

Thanks again for the info. How were you able to tell that just from the web page?

 

[Ellen]

The branded stones don''t have the grading report on the info page, usually. Once in awhile one slips past and gets put up.

They also tend to cut to a certain crown/pavillion combo that can help tell too.

And you''re welcome!