Your opinion on this stone please

[Azusa]

I have been offered this stone from a very reputable and trusted jeweller. I am a newbie of lab grown diamond and I have just noticed these streaks on the images they supplied to me which upon searching the forum maybe what you experts refer to as graining?

I would like to know if this is something of concern, given I have not a lot of idea whether 1. this is indeed graining and 2.will that affect overall performance of the stone.

your opinions/thoughts/advice much appreciated.

For context - I am not after something of perfection. What I am after is something eye clean, white and sparkly with good symmetry. I have a setting I absolutely love from this vendor so has to buy the stone from them. They have been helpful but I just want to get some unbiased thoughts thats all.

 

[DejaWiz]

Hello, Azusa!
Definitely recommend that you avoid this one due to the ring of leakage under the table and the moderate striations (CVD growth graining) that are easily noticeable in the pictures you've posted.

Why not something along the lines of this clean HPHT with the IGI H&A designation for under $950? Your jeweler may be able to get it for you at a matched price to the lowest advertised price amongst the popular online sellers that have it listed...and there are quite a few similar diamonds around the same price.

Loupe360

loupe360.com

 

[Azusa]

Thank you @DejaWiz!

I have sent an email and ask them about the stone they have offered me and told me that the ‘streaks’ aren’t visible. I will check with them with the stone you suggested.

This is a hand forged piece and the ring is a unique design from this jeweler, the quote I have been given it’s inclusive of the ring (a touch over $6k usd) so I have no idea how much they charged for the stone they offered me.

I know from general consensus here the vendor is very helpful and honest (which they have been helpful so far with interactions with them), but honestly with your feedback I am a bit suprised by them offering me the stone they offered given their expertise.

As an aside. Is hpht better in the size of diamond I am looking at?

Thanks again so much for your help.

 

[Azusa]

and just ETA: when i asked for a quote between 2-2.5ct to 3 ct, I was quoted an additional $750 and given they also need to make a margin, I am not sure out of the quote how much exactly the stone is but if i was to hazard a guess it would be more than $1500

 

[DejaWiz]

Thank you @DejaWiz!

I have sent an email and ask them about the stone they have offered me and told me that the ‘streaks’ aren’t visible. I will check with them with the stone you suggested.

This is a hand forged piece and the ring is a unique design from this jeweler, the quote I have been given it’s inclusive of the ring (a touch over $6k usd) so I have no idea how much they charged for the stone they offered me.

I know from general consensus here the vendor is very helpful and honest (which they have been helpful so far with interactions with them), but honestly with your feedback I am a bit suprised by them offering me the stone they offered given their expertise.

As an aside. Is hpht better in the size of diamond I am looking at?

Thanks again so much for your help.

You're very welcome!
Given the sheer amount of LGDs available throughout the entire planet, I see absolutely no reason to settle for this (what I absolutely consider) lower quality CVD diamond that has a bit of leakage under the table, some minor cut precision issues, and the potentially worrisome stria that may cause light scattering and make the diamond look milky, hazy, or blurry in certain types of lighting.
Clean HPHT will carry a little bit of a price premium, especially one that has higher cut precision and optical performance, but the growth method is a purer approach to synthesize diamonds the same way the earth makes them: with High Pressure and High Temperature.
The only major issues to watch out for with HPHT crystal quality would be weird hues (usually from impurities used as growth accelerants, such as boron), larger metallic inclusions shed from the press/chamber, clouding, and (encountered to a much lesser degree than CVD), graining.

 

[Azusa]

Thanks again @DejaWiz for your very informative reply. When you say to watch out for weird hues is it obvious on photos or videos?

You see I am located overseas and buying pretty much off photos/videos. And that a part of the reason I went with this particular jeweller is that they also vetted the stones they sell, granted I don’t think LGD is their main gig though.

I was looking on loose grown diamonds and looked for similar specs to the one you provided and there are so many comes up in the search even with HPHT. Though there are some doubled the price and I have no idea why.

For example this one

Loupe360

loupe360.com

Vs this

Loupe360

loupe360.com

The second one is nearly double the price, what would be the reason behind the difference?

 

[DejaWiz]

Thanks again @DejaWiz for your very informative reply. When you say to watch out for weird hues is it obvious on photos or videos?

You see I am located overseas and buying pretty much off photos/videos. And that a part of the reason I went with this particular jeweller is that they also vetted the stones they sell, granted I don’t think LGD is their main gig though.

I was looking on loose grown diamonds and looked for similar specs to the one you provided and there are so many comes up in the search even with HPHT. Though there are some doubled the price and I have no idea why.

For example this one

Loupe360

loupe360.com

Vs this

Loupe360

loupe360.com

The second one is nearly double the price, what would be the reason behind the difference?

Both of those are just fine... normal hues and good looking crystal quality. View from the side profile to soo any weird hues easier.

Pricing difference is likely due to the distributor price tag depending on where/who the finished diamond was sourced from or a potential pricing mistake.

No sense in paying almost double for a lower color grade and potential less cut precision than the D color one you posted.

 

[Azusa]

@DejaWiz haaalllp please.

so vendor sent me a few other options, no specs though all i know is the are E VVS2

#2 https://dnav360.com/vision/Vision360.html?d=741069

#3 https://labgrowns3.s3.ap-southeast-1.amazonaws.com/stoneimages360.html?d=1294247

#4 https://viw-us.s3.amazonaws.com/viewer/index.html?d=2034076-007

Thoughts on the above? I think 3 and 4 looks better than 2 and the original they offered me.

I get the sense that they aren't very keen to take on the ones you suggested/i found for whatever reason... and seem to think that the streaks (graining?) are micro polish lines...

 

[DejaWiz]

@DejaWiz haaalllp please.

so vendor sent me a few other options, no specs though all i know is the are E VVS2

#2 https://dnav360.com/vision/Vision360.html?d=741069

#3 https://labgrowns3.s3.ap-southeast-1.amazonaws.com/stoneimages360.html?d=1294247

#4 https://viw-us.s3.amazonaws.com/viewer/index.html?d=2034076-007

Thoughts on the above? I think 3 and 4 looks better than 2 and the original they offered me.

I get the sense that they aren't very keen to take on the ones you suggested/i found for whatever reason... and seem to think that the streaks (graining?) are micro polish lines...

The streaks appear to be CVD graining - the HPHT options found don't have those streaks, so they are definitely not from "micro polishing lines", in my opinion.
Sorry, but I think your jeweler is operating on the "buy the cheapest and sell it the highest" approach, which is sacrificing the quality of the diamond crystal.
Keep playing hardball - if they want your business then stand firm on getting exactly what *YOU* want, not what they dictate to you.
It's your money that they want in their cash register, after all...how badly do they want it?

 

[Azusa]

Thanks for the advice @DejaWiz, the pickley situation is that I have given half the money as deposit already.

The condition to get to see stone is that they need half the money upfront, and I provided that because they are well known and trusted on here as well. The stones were said to me are vetted in house before I provided the deposit and given their reputation I put a lot of faith in them providing a decent product. And I have indeed gave the go ahead originally with the work on the assumption they wouldn’t give me a sub optimal product, not until I posted here in attempt to get another unbiased opinion then I realised that my assumption is wrong.

The last couple of interactions with them given me the impression that they are avoiding my questions/suggestions of sourcing something I directly asked for which in many ways a bit disappointing.

Now I haven’t been dealing with the jeweler directly but rather the sales team instead. I do have the option of ringing them directly in hope to speak with the jeweler himself.

I will pushback and see what they say, given the $750 jump between 2/2.5 to 3 I have a strong suspicion that I have already been charged a premium on the lab stone already.

 

[Azusa]

Yay good news! The 3.07 is secured thank you @DejaWiz for all your help and advice and patience and everything!

 

[DejaWiz]

Yay good news! The 3.07 is secured thank you @DejaWiz for all your help and advice and patience and everything!

You got the best of the bunch!
Happy for you!!!