Your opinion on this cushion cut, for the price...

[tb_ring]

Hi Everyone,

I know most people on this site are quality purists, but my reality as a grad student and my girlfriends expensive tastes are forcing me to compromise. I have been offered this diamond and would like your honest opinions on value for the money:

Cushion cut - Clarity enhanced
2.72 carats
H-I color
SI1 clarity
8.10 x 7.61 x 5.50 mm
"Very good" cut/symmetry
UGL Cert.
$7990

Please let me know what you think... And what questions should I be asking the jeweler?

Thanks,

TB
(confused and hoping to be soon engaged)

 

[Gypsy]

Okay so. It's clarity enhanced. It's 8K. AND it's 2 carats.

Utimately even without the clarity enhanced issue, most would tell you "Not enough information"... no depth, table information. No pictures of the diamond. So, even if it weren't clarity enhanced and from UGL... we couldn't help you much except to tell you to call your jeweler and ask them for more information and some pictures.

Now, it is a UGL graded diamond, and it is clarity enhanced. And it's 2 carats for 8K.

So... of all the things that had to give in this senario. Most would tell you that safety, durability and well... the true value of your purchase shouldn't be the things you sacrifice. Clarity enhanced is a nice way of saying it had huge black cracks in it that affected both it's looks AND it's durability that someone decided to 'fix' (temporarily) with some chemicals. Or someone drilled into it to remove huge black carbon spots. Plus it is not graded by a reputable lab (there are reasons for that) so you can't be sure that what you are getting is what you are paying for interms of it's color and enhanced clarity.

You have a nice budget for a lovely ring and a diamond with a great upgrade policy (so if the size must it can, eventually, be two carats). You can start with a lovely gorgeous one carat cushion easily. H-SI (legitimately). And you will be able to get your full purchase price back when you want to upgrade the diamond, toward another, larger diamond.

And 2 carats and your GF with expensive tastes. If she's demanding 2 carats. Well, on the one hand she deserves what she gets-- whatever that maybe-- if she loves the stone stize more than your future fiscal well being. But on the other... 8 thousand dollars is A LOT for a center stone that has NO resale value, no upgrade policy, compromised durability and ... well, you get the picture. Ask her upfront. Clarity enhanced 2 carat, or natural one carat in a nice setting with an upgrade policy. Let her come on here and and educate herself and she can choose.

If you want it to be a surprise. Get a nice I colored cushion with SI clarity and stick it in an inexpensive halo setting and call it a day. Propose in the 30 return window. And if she says no because it's too small. We'll you've saved yourself money... and learned a lesson for the future. That clarity enhanced diamond or one like it will be waiting there for you, if you opt to return the natural diamond because she only cares about size. And you can always use the setting for a nice colored stone.

 

[Gypsy]

http://www.goodoldgold.com/diamond/6259/ 1.58 carats for 8K. Not clarity enhanced. And has a full upgrade policy. Much better deal, and value.

 

[clgwli]

Personally I would never get a clarity enhanced stone for a ring. I just couldn''t. I have read there are two types of clarity enhancements (laser drilling and fracture filled). I read that fracture filled is not considered permanent and that is enough for me to walk away.

I would keep looking and go down in size before clarity like that.

 

[Dreamer_D]

Ditto everything Gypsy said.

 

[Lorelei]

Date: 1/21/2010 8:14:36 PM
Author: Gypsy
http://www.goodoldgold.com/diamond/6259/ 1.58 carats for 8K. Not clarity enhanced. And has a full upgrade policy. Much better deal, and value.

Date: 1/21/2010 8:00:22 PM
Author: Gypsy

8 thousand dollars is A LOT for a center stone that has NO resale value, no upgrade policy, compromised durability and ... well, you get the picture. Ask her upfront. Clarity enhanced 2 carat, or natural one carat in a nice setting with an upgrade policy. Let her come on here and and educate herself and she can choose.

Ditto Gypsy, I would much rather have the GOG diamond than a clarity enhanced rock of unknown cut and beauty ....