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3.01 Carat- 2.8 HCA Score. Help Please!!

munchee said:
Yes I ended up with Canera Ideal H&A 2.8ct H VS1.
Here’s a comparison 2ct G VS2 GIA 3ex (My SIL’s ring) and my 2.8ct H VS1 CIH.
539032FC-E681-4017-B501-919E14BDBA78.jpeg

imo her stone also have a good performance, for the price that she bought, its a good buy.
I think it came down to if you’re happy with your purchase and if you know thats the best you can get within your budget its all good, super ideal or not.
But if you still having a doubt, keep thinking about if you’re making the best decision, I think you should see more options, until you’re sure you’re making the best decisions. Its not small money, you need to be happy and content, before its too late and nothing you can do about it.
Click to expand...

Yes, hard to order these all since you pay in aDVance— and have to have them allShip at the same
Time to compare!


Yours is gorgeous!! Crazy the difference between 2 and 2.8.

So a Canera Ideal is a a Super Ideal? Where do you look for
Those? I haven’t heard of
canera before— all of this is so new to me!
 
Can you find a shady spot? Under a tree? And video
 
leighton1984 said:
Yes, hard to order these all since you pay in aDVance— and have to have them allShip at the same
Time to compare!


Yours is gorgeous!! Crazy the difference between 2 and 2.8.

So a Canera Ideal is a a Super Ideal? Where do you look for
Those? I haven’t heard of
canera before— all of this is so new to me!
Click to expand...

Its from Victor Canera, I’ve read your thread again and couple people recommended you to go down to his store in LA since its close to you :lol: I think the difference is also because its a Halo. So it looks more like 3ct. VC doesn’t have the size that you’re looking thats why I recommend you to check WF because it has 2 diamonds within the size you’re looking that still within your budget. If you’re ok with the I that you got I think theirs will looks whiter than the I that you got.

I think to know if it has good light performance you need to test it under low light, if its sparkle then its good, most diamond will have fire in direct sunlight
 
munchee said:
Its from Victor Canera, I’ve read your thread again and couple people recommended you to go down to his store in LA since its close to you :lol: I think the difference is also because its a Halo. So it looks more like 3ct. VC doesn’t have the size that you’re looking thats why I recommend you to check WF because it has 2 diamonds within the size you’re looking that still within your budget. If you’re ok with the I that you got I think theirs will looks whiter than the I that you got.

I think to know if it has good light performance you need to test it under low light, if its sparkle then its good, most diamond will have fire in direct sunlight
Click to expand...

Duh- Canera did sound familiar! The one video above is in a room
W no light— the single diamond on my finger... does that spadkle
To you?

Also, how do you know they will be whiter- what helps you know that from looking at the specs? The pavilion angle? Again, sorry if that’s a dumb question!
 
leighton1984 said:
Duh- Canera did sound familiar! The one video above is in a room
W no light— the single diamond on my finger... does that spadkle
To you?

Also, how do you know they will be whiter- what helps you know that from looking at the specs? The pavilion angle? Again, sorry if that’s a dumb question!
Click to expand...

Normally well cut diamond will looks whiter face up.
To my knowing you still need some sort of lighting to test the fire/sparkle. If its in a room with no light source I think you’re testing brilliance. Well cut diamond need less effort to produce sparkle. Thats why in jeweler lighting all diamonds will look good. And thats why @nala asked if you have video in a shady spots. But wait what everyone else said, I’m no expert on this.

aside what we said, how do you feel about it?
 
leighton1984 said:
When you say transparency —- can you expand? When I look at the 3.33 I, I can visibly see black specs or specs on side and top... I can’t really see anything on the 3.03 G— I start to maybe think I do, but also think my head may be seeing things bc I’m trying to see something since it’s a SI1...

Would the feathering and twinning wisps only show up in direct sunlight? What would they look like? Like white inclusions vs the black specs perhaps?

I thought I read that if they say “not shown” it’s almost not detected to naked eye or of significance? Or is that a false assumption?

Additionally, I think I read that twinning wisps can be white and then hard to detect? I feel like maybe I need to do more research now...

Finally, how much do appraisers typically charge to appraise? And does anyone have anyone they recommend in Orange County— and/or Southern California?

Thank you!
Click to expand...

I mean that when the sun is shining on the stone and it has little inclusions all through it, the combo of fluorescence and all the little inclusions can result in the stone appearing slightly cloudy, not crystal clear.

The inclusions "not shown" means they are not drawn with red marks on the clarity plot. You'd be more scared of the stone if they tried to draw them all in. So they are there and you can't easily see them in normal viewing that is not in bright light or sunlight.

Twining wisps can be good and hard to see. Again, it's the combination of inclusions, fluorescence, and sunlight that can make a stone slightly cloudy looking. This one may not be that way. But I am not sure you can detect it yourself due to lack of experience with diamonds.

Appraisers might charge $100 or so. I would hope not more than $200. I'll check and see if I see appraisers. What city specifically? LA?
 
Leighton - my question is this:

How do you know the G isn't a super ideal?

And - I'll be frank with you here and pls understand that I'd only say this if I respected you -

I dont believe you can see the difference in size between the first diamond and the G. It's less than 1/10 of a mm. Normally, .2mm is the very smallest diff your average diamond lover can see - and even then, NOT in large diamonds. Even I can't see less than 1/10th of a mm difference - and I have a very keen, experienced eye for size. I can see down to .15mm, and oh-so-rarely - 1/10th of a mm. But NEVER less than that. I'm HIGHLY visual and can pick single color grade diffs and tiny size diffs. But - less than 1/10th of a mm in 3ct diamonds - no. That's just not possible. And I'm talking life-long diamond professionals here. They are, to all intents and purposes, the same size. And not only are you not comparing diamonds side to side, you're comparing one in your hand to a memory. So I think it's impossible to get a reasonable comparison.

If that's the case, is there anything you want in your diamond that this doesn't have? And there may be - so don't hold back. You've said you dont want to upgrade, so this is a once in a lifetime opportunity and we need to get it right for you.
 
@munchee Who was the independent appraiser who appraised your VC ring? Can you give the name and contact info here for leighton in case she needs one?
 
diamondseeker2006 said:
@munchee Who was the independent appraiser who appraised your VC ring? Can you give the name and contact info here for leighton in case she needs one?
Click to expand...

I haven’t take it to independent appraiser, maybe I should start looking...
 
munchee said:
I haven’t take it to independent appraiser, maybe I should start looking...
Click to expand...

Oh gosh, I am sorry! Someone else recently needed an appraisal for insurance and used one near Victor's office and I was thinking it was you! Sorry about that. I use sales receipts to insure just a couple of items, so I have not had the need for an appraisal. They usually inflate value which means paying a higher price for insurance, so be sure you tell them you want it valued at your purchase price and furnish that information.

Now I will have to think who it was!

But here is a list of appraisers in CA @leighton1984


Nancy Stacy and Patrick Davis seem familiar.
 
Ok, if you're still wondering in your head, just return the I and get a super ideal and know for sure. In for a penny...

I am assuming the I is a no go since you can clearly see the color difference and you prefer whiter.

It took me 6 months and 4 super ideals...
 
LLJsmom said:
Ok, if you're still wondering in your head, just return the I and get a super ideal and know for sure. In for a penny...

I am assuming the I is a no go since you can clearly see the color difference and you prefer whiter.

It took me 6 months and 4 super ideals...
Click to expand...

@LLJsmom - the issue with that is price. 35k is already substantially above budget, so to switch now to a branded super ideal would mean either extending the budget substantially, or dropping in size or specs.

I wonder how a 3ct H SI1 ACA would go? Whiter than an I, still eye clean... I haven't checked the prices but I'm thinking still substantially above budget. I'm pretty sure I looked at the time, but I'll take another pass at it.
 
This isn't an ACA, but it's an expert selection in house at WF and it's in budget:

Diamond | 3.024 ct H SI1 Expert Selection Round Cut Loose Diamond AGS Certified | 4193660

This fabulous 3.024 carat Round Ideal cut diamond has a clarity grade of SI1 and color grade of H.It is an excellent choice for engagement rings. | 4193660
www.whiteflash.com

To go to an ACA will put @leighton1984 around 40k, I'm guessing. If budget weren't an issue, this would be the diamond I'd recommend - H color, VS clarity, 3ct ACA, which is the same size as the original diamond, so it's got that 'mind clean for size' thing:

Diamond | 3.072 ct H VS2 A CUT ABOVE® Hearts and Arrows Super Ideal Round Cut Loose Diamond AGS Certified | 4187470

This Whiteflash A CUT ABOVE® super ideal cut hearts and arrows 3.072 carat H color VS2 clarity loose diamond is graded by the American Gem Society (AGS) Laboratories. | 4187470
www.whiteflash.com

But we're talking a *serious* price hike here....
 
Or this

Diamond | 2.968 ct I VS2 A CUT ABOVE® Hearts and Arrows Super Ideal Round Cut Loose Diamond AGS Certified | 4140155

This Whiteflash A CUT ABOVE® super ideal cut hearts and arrows 2.968 carat I color VS2 clarity loose diamond is graded by the American Gem Society (AGS) Laboratories. | 4140155
www.whiteflash.com

It’s got virtually the same dimensions as her 3 carats.
If I had a hard budget constraint of $35k and wanted a 3 carat diamond, it would be hard pressed to do better than this. H/ V2 (even non super ideal but well cut) would be $40k.
 
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marrduk24 said:
Or this

Diamond | 2.968 ct I VS2 A CUT ABOVE® Hearts and Arrows Super Ideal Round Cut Loose Diamond AGS Certified | 4140155

This Whiteflash A CUT ABOVE® super ideal cut hearts and arrows 2.968 carat I color VS2 clarity loose diamond is graded by the American Gem Society (AGS) Laboratories. | 4140155
www.whiteflash.com

It’s got virtually the same dimensions as her 3 carats.
Click to expand...

I already recommended this one in prev page and also

Diamond | 3.058 ct I SI1 A CUT ABOVE® Hearts and Arrows Super Ideal Round Cut Loose Diamond AGS Certified | 4219825

This Whiteflash A CUT ABOVE® super ideal cut hearts and arrows 3.058 carat I color SI1 clarity loose diamond is graded by the American Gem Society (AGS) Laboratories. | 4219825
www.whiteflash.com

What I meant is, since @leighton1984 got 2 diamonds right now, return the I color since she’s not keeping it. And get one of these ACA, then see the difference, if the light performance is similar then she can keep the G with confidence. If ACA is superior she can think over if she wants to choose color over cut. Whatever her decision, it will be made after she’s aware of all of her option and not wondering “if” scenario. Its not too late yet. $35k is a lot of money.... a lot!!!! (For me)=)2 I will not settle before I see all my options.

@mrs-b I also think how much is an ACA H color that’s slightly below 3ct but they don’t have it right now. I remember last month a PSer @Cheriechewy got a 2.9ct H VS2, if you don’t want mind sharing the price here... =)2 usually Si1 is $2000-3500 cheaper than a VS2 so we can use her stone as parameter?
 
Leighton

I did a search for you and found 4 diamonds that are I color, 3 carats and have good proportions. These are all in the US and if you can find a trustworthy jeweler who works on a low/fair margin, these all should be < $35k.

Some of these you may not see online and you may not want to go through the hassle of finding a jeweler who can procure these for you. IDJ is one of the highly recommended jewelers here. Benefit of someone like IDJ is that they can call these on memo for you (maybe not all but most), take Idealscope and ASET images and help you make a decision. That saves you from having to lay out a huge amount of cash to see these diamonds. Downside is if you are not in NY, you have to rely on Idealscope/ ASET images and can’t see the diamonds in person.

I would say buying 2.97 ACA that @munchee recommended may be the easiest way to buy an exceptional diamond. If you feel more adventurous, have a jeweler you trust look into these 4 for you

Hope this helps.




 
leighton1984 said:
Also, yes a HUGE difference vs original stone. I don’t know if I LOVE it because this is all so hard— especially when you don’t have other better diamonds to compare— but I love it a lot more than the original!!
Also, this was $35,730... which seems to be a very good price for a 3 ct G stone... but again, please give all of your transparent feedback— I want to be confident in next step and you all are pros!!
Click to expand...

What do you perceive as better than original? Why do you love it? Have you tried taking it to every spot in your house to see how it performs and compares to your previous one? I agree that this price is super untouchable for a G 3 carat ACA so don’t be too quick to dismiss it bc in your mind you are obsessed with not knowing and therefore not being able to appreciate what you have. If an I’s tint bothered you—you should accept that you are color sensitive and be honest with yourself about what you are willing to pay to find a good balance. I don’t think you should send this back yet. You’ve only had it a day and you are not at home. Take it home to your favorite spots. See how it performs. Focus only on the G and send back the I.
 
munchee said:
I already recommended this one in prev page and also

Diamond | 3.058 ct I SI1 A CUT ABOVE® Hearts and Arrows Super Ideal Round Cut Loose Diamond AGS Certified | 4219825

This Whiteflash A CUT ABOVE® super ideal cut hearts and arrows 3.058 carat I color SI1 clarity loose diamond is graded by the American Gem Society (AGS) Laboratories. | 4219825
www.whiteflash.com

What I meant is, since @leighton1984 got 2 diamonds right now, return the I color since she’s not keeping it. And get one of these ACA, then see the difference, if the light performance is similar then she can keep the G with confidence. If ACA is superior she can think over if she wants to choose color over cut. Whatever her decision, it will be made after she’s aware of all of her option and not wondering “if” scenario. Its not too late yet. $35k is a lot of money.... a lot!!!! (For me)=)2 I will not settle before I see all my options.

@mrs-b I also think how much is an ACA H color that’s slightly below 3ct but they don’t have it right now. I remember last month a PSer @Cheriechewy got a 2.9ct H VS2, if you don’t want mind sharing the price here... =)2 usually Si1 is $2000-3500 cheaper than a VS2 so we can use her stone as parameter?
Click to expand...

The 2.91 ct H VS2 stone we got was $39,610, just for reference. I personally would recommend making a trip to Victor Canera to view his super ideal diamonds. My first diamond shop visit was with Dan Moran from Diamond Concierge in LA. He showed us a 2.82 GIA H VS2 stone and I thought that was the one so we put a deposit on it. We got out of the building pretty excited then headed to Victor Canera since I had arranged an appt with him to view his super ideal stone, 2.8 I color VS2. I immediately changed my mind after seeing the VC stone but told him I would think about it. After getting back to the hotel, I distinctively remembered how the VC stone was beautifully cut but the GIA stone, I didn't have any visual memory of it.

But since the VC stone was in I color and he didn't have anything else back in December, I started looking elsewhere for super ideal and found Whiteflash. I know diamond searching process is brutal, I had sleepless nights thinking about the diamond I was going to end up with. I hope you will find the diamond of your dreams. @leighton1984
 
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So much input can be overwhelming and go one step at a time.

I think advice many people have given you of returning JA I is a good one.

After that it is upto you if you want to get ACA I 2.96 or not. If you decide to get it and the tint in I still bothers you, then you know I is not for you.

your options then become either keeping G that you have or lowering carat (assuming price is fixed).

At that time people can help you with other options.

when I looked for a well cut H/ SI1 that’s around 2.9 to 3 carats and in your budget, I only saw one option.

there are many more I options, and I shared 4 with you. But I agree with everyone else that for I color ACA may be your best bet.
 
I hope I don’t overwhelm you here. I still think you should see a super ideal stone. In fact, now that you have 2 stones in your possession, I would take them and compare to a super ideal stone or two. I previously suggested going to Victor Canera because his line of stones (Victor Canera Ideal Hearts or CIH) are super ideal stones. I agree with others that you must be sure before you make your purchase. Why don’t you take one or both of the stones you have and go to Victor Canera and compare in person. In fact, I’m working with Victor on something and he just mentioned that he is cutting 2 new stones in the 3 carat range. Right now, according to his webpage, he has a 2.824, I, VS2 that fits your budget. If it were me, I would take the 2 stones you have and make an appointment with Victor and compare. I don’t see any downside to doing this. Then, you pick the stone that you like best.

ETA: ha ha. As soon as I sent this message, Victor called me to discuss my project (The man must work 7 days a week). I told him- ”Victor I was just talking about you on PS”. It is none of my business, but I did ask if he would mind if a PSer brought a stone or two in to his store to compare to his stones and he said no problem. This is exactly what I did, I had purchased a stone from a vendor online and wasn’t sure about the color. I live within 30 minutes of downtown LA, so I went to Victor to see different stones and for me, it was a good experience.

Best of luck to you and I’m confident you will pick the best stone for you, no matter the vendor.
 
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@leighton1984 I don't mean to muddy the waters but I love this story. You have lot of PS experts helping you. But if you would like to get a larger size, take a look at this thread.

Decision time!! Which would you choose - ACA 3 carat!

I’ll get a video from Whiteflash Monday comparing my current stone with these two beauties! Liza said if you had these apart you probably wouldn’t notice much difference if looking at them independently. Which would you choose? Better color / smaller stone / tiny visible flaws or worse color...
www.pricescope.com

The OP ended up with a gorgeous 9.4 x 9.42 x 5.80 J SI1 ACA that faced up prettier than a I color ACA for less than $30K
 
lulu_ma said:
@leighton1984 I don't mean to muddy the waters but I love this story. You have lot of PS experts helping you. But if you would like to get a larger size, take a look at this thread.

Decision time!! Which would you choose - ACA 3 carat!

I’ll get a video from Whiteflash Monday comparing my current stone with these two beauties! Liza said if you had these apart you probably wouldn’t notice much difference if looking at them independently. Which would you choose? Better color / smaller stone / tiny visible flaws or worse color...
www.pricescope.com

The OP ended up with a gorgeous 9.4 x 9.42 x 5.80 J SI1 ACA that faced up prettier than a I color ACA for less than $30K
Click to expand...

I am the poster from that thread and was just catching up on this thread. The I stone in my video is one people are recommending here so will be good for OP to review the video. The J stone I selected was $38k, though, not under $30k, unfortunately!!! (I had a trade in of $11k so my out of pocket was under $30k but stone itself was $4k more than the 2.96 I).

Best of luck, OP, 3 more weeks until my ring is done - I am still anxious about the color as selected so jealous that you have beautiful stones in your possession that you can compare! Stressful but fun :)
 
@lavalle218 oops. Sorry, I must have clicked on the wrong link! Anyways, I love your diamond and can't wait to see a finger shot!
 
OP

advice from @NicoleNeedsHelp to visit Victor is a fantastic one. That would help you decide if a super-ideal I works for you or not. If it does, that’s great. You could buy from either Victor or WF.

if you can’t visit Victor, WF has an option of shipping the diamond to one of the many appraisers. You can get it shipped to a near by appraiser and take your G there too.

Assuming after this research you conclude I tint bothers you and you want to be at H or above, you really don’t have very many options for a 3 carat H or G. The G you have is sort of an outlier.

Here is the only H that I found that meets the criteria

 
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