Young Couple, No Knowledge of Diamonds Bought a Ring...Good or Bad Buy?

[schluzan]

Hi I would really appreciate your input on whether or not I got a good deal on a recent purchase made at Mervis Diamond Importers (tysons corner, va)
My fiance and I are both going into our last year at college and we are happily engaged for a whole week now! Since we are in school and since I plan on going to medical school afterwards, we need to be cautious with our purchases.
We recently purchased a round brilliant 0.60 carat VS2 with an EGL certificate stating the following:

Round Brilliant
0.60 carat

Measurement: 5.55- 5.50 *3.29 mm
Proportions
total depth: 59.5%
table height: 60%
Crown Height: 12%
Pavilion Depth: 44%
Girdle Thickness: Thin, Faceted

Finish
Polish: VERY GOOD
SYMMETRY: VERY GOOD
Cutlet: None

Clarity Grade: VS2
Graining: nil
Color Grade: I

Flourescence: None

we paid $1440 for the diamond

I would appreciate as much input as possible

 

[Mara]

Your diamond scores a 2.0 on the HCA which is in the Excellent range for light return and brilliance/fire of the diamond.

'A score below 2 (Excellent) means you have eliminated known poor performers (more than 95% of all diamonds).'

I ran a quick Pricescope search for round brilliants with similar specs to yours and found the following two diamonds.

0.58ctw
I, VS2
Depth 59.6%
Table 59%
GIA
Very Good Polish
Very Good Symmetry
Medium Blue Fluor
No Culet
5.43x5.47x3.25
$1141-$1250 (different vendors selling same stone)

&

0.6ctw
H, VS2
Depth: 58.9%
Table: 59%
GIA
Excellent Polish
Very Good Symmetry
No Culet
No Fluor
5.540x5.560x3.27
$1616

So in one you have a very similar diamond in color and clarity, but with a medium fluorescence which might bring down the price down a bit. In the second one, you have a better color grade (H vs I) but only by one grade (though some might say that I is where you start to see a slight warmth to the diamonds..), and no fluor so the price is a bit higher.

So from the info above, your diamond scores well on paper for brilliance and fire, and you paid probably a pretty reasonable price, esp if it was brick and mortar. The most important question though is are you happy with your purchase, does the diamond look great?! 'On paper' (or screen?) is all fine and good, but how it looks to your naked eye is even better.

Congrats

 

[schluzan]

Wow! Thank you so much for all of your time. I really really love my fiance with all my heart so the ring is just the icing on the cake. We did buy the ring at a brick and mortar (by this I'm guessing you mean not online). I just saw the ring and loved it so hearing that we got a good deal just makes me feel not so guilty for choosing the diamond I picked (mostly by instinct and partly by some internet research). However, hearing the reassuring words from a person far more experienced is very very wonderful! Prior to this diamond buying experience, I only thought that carat and color mattered (and most stores really only talk about these two), I didn't realize that there is much more to diamonds than first meets the eye. I hope to help any of my future marrying friends in their ventures and guide them to this website.

THANK YOU SO MUCH MARA!!!!

 

[Mara]

I don't know that I'd say I'm 'experienced' as I'm somewhat of a newbie as well, but I've done alot of reading lately and this forum has been invaluable. Thanks for the kind words and have fun with the ring!