Is it a great deal?

[c-c]

hi, I am a first time buyer, and i wonder if this is a great deal.

Shape: Asscher
Carat weight: 1.03
Color: J
Clarity: SI3

Depth %: 68.9
Table %: 0
Symmetry: N/A
Polish: N/A
Girdle: -
Fluorescence: N/A
Measurements: 5.77-5.63-3.88
price: $1480

or
Carats: 1.26 Laboratory Certification: EGL
Color: F Shape: B
Clarity: I1 Price Per Carat: 1310.40
Depth: 61.40% Table: 58.00%
Girdle: VTN-TN Culet: N
Polish: G Symmetry: G
Fluorescence: N Dimensions: 6.93*7.01*4.28
Total Price: $1,651.00

or

Shape: Round
Carat weight: 1.32
Color: F
Clarity: I2

Depth %: 61.3
Table %: 57
Symmetry: Fair
Polish: Good
Girdle: TN-STK
Fluorescence: F
Measurements: 7.00-7.16-4.34
price: $1446

Thanks

 

[pearcrazy]

An SI3 grade is pretty much like an I1 grade. In a step cut like an Assher the inclusion will be pretty noticable. A J colored Assher is likely to show more yellow than a round. An I1 round may be a good deal if the inclusion is white and positioned so that it may be covered by a prong, you really need to see it. As far as an I2--RUN DON''T WALK AWAY FROM THAT ONE!! There''s always a reason that an F colored diamond is priced so cheap. Like the saying goes, "if it sounds too good to be true...." Hopefully you are dealing with a stone that you can see before you buy, if not then be VERY, VERY careful.

 

[valeria101]

There are some lucky I1-s out there but I somehow doubt they make the vast majority. If it''s not the inclusions, than these stones tend to get even less of the cuter''s attention than usual because the relative price is less.

"Lucky" would mean not too many visible inclusions and hopefully not much where they can be seen: "stuff" under the crown facets tends to be more discrete than under the table, I would say. The Jubilee square cut below really got lucky, for example - it is quite obvious what made it "I1" (at least at this magnification, on a 6mm object the detail will get more discrete), but there''s going to be a prong over that corner. And these stones are brilliant enough to hide imperfections perhaps as well as round diamonds. Step cuts, and fancies with low brilliance and/or large tables would be allot less lucky in this way.

(pricture from Good Old Gold)

Hope this helps. Of course I1 is an attractive price point... but these stones definitely need to be seen. IMO, at least.

"SI3" should be a clenaer I1 by definition, but this doesn''t guarantee much. With I2... well, I don''t know just how lucky you need to get to find a clean piece comparable to I1.

 

[c-c]

how about this one?
Carat Weight: 1.26
Shape: Round
Color Grade: F
Clarity Grade: SI3
Cut: Good
Mesurements: 6.75 X 4.40 mm
price: $1,975.00

 

[valeria101]

Date: 2/15/2005 3:55:36 PM
Author: c-c
how about this one?
Carat Weight: 1.26
price: $1,975.00

How does the clarity plot look like ? Obviously not too stones have the same inclusions. The amout of detail there is nowhere near enough to start guessing how this thing looks: it might be nce, it may have some more than an excuse for the price

You never know...

Lack of black inclusions throughout & clean table & nice cut would make it a good deal to me. But there's no way to know any of that from the stats

Btw... are the clarity enhanced ?

 

[c-c]

thanks a lot for the information!!! by the look of it, my best bet is either the A cut or the B Cut right? do they in a reasonable price range?

Do you think i can get a better price if i go to a local store? or, i should still trying to buy off the internet?

Acturally, this is a gift for my sister. she is leaving to australia next month, and i promised her to get her a ring. my price range is between $1000 -2500. and she said that she will like to have a bigger diamond( not so much on the flawless side, she said she want something nice and like 1 ct or so), so, i got stuck. this is my first time to buy a diamond, so I basically just clueless on the stuff. I have read some info from the internet, but, still i don''t know how to work this. if you guys can help me, That will be great!!!. what is the best value diamond that i can get in this price range? Am i on the right track on the previous diamond search that i found?

i am thinking to get her a band with diamonds with a 1ct diamond set in the middle. what do you think? some people told me that way the diamond will look bigger! don''t know if it''s true though.

 

[c-c]

• 
  
  
  http://www.abazias.com/database/NewJewelryInfo.asp?stock=R8858
  oh, i forgot, the band is going to cost me about $900. so that left me about $1600 for the diamond. help!!!!!!!
  
  thanks !!!!! here is the link to the band.
  
  http://www.abazias.com/database/NewJewelryInfo.asp?stock=R8858
  
  
  ps. I like the style on the upper right hand corner of the links. what do you think? but i just can't find the right loose diamond to go with the band to looks like that.

  

 

[pearcrazy]

I''m just curious, where are you finding these diamonds? Hopefully not on Ebay!! The prices don''t seem right for that size and color diamond even if it is an SI3 or I1.

 

[valeria101]

That is a pretty typical engagement ring... Is there any reason why the ring should look like an engagement ring ?

I think GIA''s I1 clarity and H-J color would look nice if the cut can carry that away nicely. Also, I mentioned "clarity enhancement" as a sincere sugestiong: those really make great buys. Not all pieces are eye clean, but most are and come at prices comparable with those of the grades before the enhancement.

Abazias lists such diamonds but not separately (meaning you might find one by chance in theor database, but if looking on purose ot''s more effective to just as for one). Other sellers (Nice Ice, God Old Gold) carries them but not listed in their online inventory.
Also, rounds are the most expensive shape per carat - fancy shapes are less. Some fancy shapes (pear and marquize, I think - ovals as well) are both less expensive per carat and larger looking than rounds of the same weight.

This brings the choice down to a fancy shape with clarity enhancement. One with a smaller table would hide inclusions very well and those three shapes come often cut with smaller tables. For such a think I would contact a seller and ask for several choices they would deem clean or "eye clean". It should be feasible to obtain detailed photos of the chosen stone before purchase.

I guess you would find better prices online.

If it needs to be a round diamond or bust, I wold rather look for a stone with good brilliance, J-K color, SI2-I1 clarity and a GIA cert. Perhaps just under a carat (say, 0.9) would fit the bill. Besides better brilliance, "ideal cut" also means the rounds are relatively large for the weight, so the size difference from 90 points to one carat is not allot. Many deep cut 1 carat stones would have the same size down to the tenth of a milmeter (which doesn''t show, btw.). Better brilliance does help stones look larger and quite impressive - especially since the vast majority of lower color/clarity diamonds are not ideals.

It would save some legwork to obtain the diamond from the same place as the ring setting. The type of items described abpve would better come after some chat with the seller. There doesn''t appear to be many choices listed off the bat. I1 or so definitely need to be seen. For starters, the clarity plot would do and pictures should follow, I think.

Hope some of this helps

 

[c-c]

Thanks for the info!!!! As for the style, it doesn''t mean anything, i just like the style, then i showed it to her, and she likes it too. She said it will look good as a right hand ring. As for the other question, i found the loose diamond on the websites like diamonds .com etc. I have go through a lot of website these two days. i found some of the sites on the links of some Independent Diamond Appraisers''s website.

I have request the reports on some of the diamonds, later i will post it here, hope you guys will give me some opinion on it.


another question

i notice that you said something about the cuts, she said something about the asscher and cushion cuts. what about the radiant cuts, it looks like it has the similar shape with the asscher and cushion. hum, i wonder which one will look bigger on the setting

?

i figue i will ask the seller to sent the diamond to the local independent diamond appraiser, and i will ask them to run some test on the diamond, to make sure that it matchs what they said on the site. then i will set up a appointment to look at the diamond.

i wonder what kind of test should i ask them to do? does anyone knows how much will it cost me to do a full test on the product?

btw, thanks on the info, it makes my life easier!!!!!

 

[valeria101]

Date: 2/16/2005 3:49:4 AM
Author: c-c
... she said something about the asscher and cushion cuts. What about the radiant cuts, it looks like it has the similar shape with the asscher and cushion. hum, i wonder which one will look bigger on the setting ?

[...]
i wonder what kind of test should i ask them to do? does anyone knows how much will it cost me to do a full test on the product?

I would compare those shapes (radiant, cushion, asscher) for three qualities: hiding inclusions, brilliance, size (or spread), cost

Asscher (=average, not-branded pieces): not too brilliant, worst of the three at hiidng inclusions, probably a bit more expensive ...

Cushion and rad: about the same. The cut can be very similar actually: some cushions are slightly modified radiants ! Neither name reffers to a precise cut pattern - there are versions of either and some of these versions are darn close.

Between radaint and cushion I would look for stones with thin girdle (thin or thin-medium or at most medium on the lab report), and depth close to 60% (max 65% - if possible). Inclusions are more visible right under the table (well, most of the times - nothing is for sure unless you see the diamond, and that is not an options yet), so smaller tables (at least below 75% if not close to 60% as well) would be nice.

Girdle thickness eats up more material than a bit more depth - I would look to keep it up to medium first (and lots of cushions have it thick) first and then look at size (diameter on cert), clarity (not grade, the actual look of those inclusions) and cost. It is not feasible to guess if any of the major inclusions are black on a lab report - however, regardless of size those would be more visible. Diamonds of loer clarity grades get discounted for lesser visual clarity...

I would really ask for a clarity enhanced one. Does it sound that bad to you ? See this

BTW. the respective website and DiamondsByLauren.com (related company) are worth a browse. They have good feedback around here.

Hope this helps

About tests: ''guess clarity and size are the impoartant part here. If you can find a piece listed with "fair" symmetry or polish - that just needs to be seen. Most likely the scary words on the lab report mean little in person, and the price might come down - fr example. Aside this, it would be nice to get a diamond with good light return (=sparkle, or whatever you want to call the intricate optical effects diamonds produce) . There are several tools to show this (Ideal Scope = the only you can use as well, see ideal-scope.com; BrillianceScope... and others). Each appraiser might have one or none. Chances are that whatever tool your appraiser uses, someone on this forum would know to comment on the results

- each such tool tells a slightly different thing, but any is allot better than none, IMO.

 

[c-c]

I noticed that you have said something about the clarity enhanced diamond. what is the down side of this kind of treatment? Can you tell be just looking at it?

i found one clarity enhance diamond is

color: H
clarity : I2

i wonder if the diamond is clarity enhanced, does the I2 still matters?

btw, its a 2 ct, and the price is $1500. ( how is the price?

)

Thanks for the reply !!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[pqcollectibles]

Date: 2/17/2005 4:27:52 AM
Author: c-c
I noticed that you have said something about the clarity enhanced diamond. what is the down side of this kind of treatment? Can you tell be just looking at it?

i found one clarity enhance diamond is

color: H
clarity : I2

i wonder if the diamond is clarity enhanced, does the I2 still matters?

btw, its a 2 ct, and the price is $1500. ( how is the price?

)

Thanks for the reply !!!!!!!!!!!!

Here''s a thread that talks about clarity enhancement:

https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/your-opinion-about-clarity-enhanced-diamond-confused.5018/

As you''ll read, the current clarity grade of the diamond was assigned after the enhancement was performered. If it''s an I2 now, what was the real clarity before treatment?? This diamond was probably right on the verge of no longer being a jewelry grade diamond and was probably much better suited for the industrial grade market.

Here''s a link to a thread where the SI3 grade is disgussed by an appraiser:

https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/diamond-grading-is-it-a-science.10337/

Although AGS and GIA do not recognize SI3, the grade is used in the trade. Diamonds that aren''t quite bad enough to rate an I1 grade but not clean enough to be called SI2 fall into the SI3 category. It''s really about the pricing of the diamond. A SI3 stone will fetch more than an I1.

Based on the info and the pricing of the diamonds you''ve posted, I gather you have an limited budget and you are trying to get the most for your money. Larger carat weight, poorly cut diamonds will certainly give you size, but they will not give you sparklies. And in the case of the CE I2, you may get into issues with structural integrity. One little ding and that diamond could fall into pieces. Forget to inform a jeweler that does work on the ring, the stone gets torched or acid washed, and the clarity enhancement is gone.

I would suggest you look for a better quality, smaller diamond within your price point. If you work with a Vendor that offers life-time upgrades, you can always get a bigger diamond when you have more money to work with.

 

[c-c]

thanks for all the information!

at the end, i bought a pair of earrings instead. My sister is happy, and i am happy!!

Thank you, ! you guys are the best!