3.4ct Pear - does it have a bow tie?

[Ella1989]

Hi everyone,
I fell in love with this diamond online because it had “technically perfect” specs. But I saw it in person today and now having second thoughts (although I’m the most indecisive person in the world so that doesn’t help!)
My main concern is the dark area in the belly. The salesperson said it was “contrast” but I’m worried it’s a bow tie? Not sure how to tell the difference! The aset was taken with an iPhone through the viewfinder so the bright red colors havent translated into the photo.
I have it on hold for 48 hours, and would really appreciate any feedback (be as harsh as you want!) thank you!!

 

[icy_jade]

Looks like a bow tie to me. If you are already having second thoughts now, don’t buy it. It’s a major purchase and it needs to make you happy.

 

[Ella1989]

Looks like a bow tie to me. If you are already having second thoughts now, don’t buy it. It’s a major purchase and it needs to make you happy.

Thanks for your response!
Can I ask how you’re able to determine a bow tie over contrast?
Salesperson showed me an aset explanation on google which said blue was “contrast” and said a bow tie would be black.
I guess I’m in two minds now because I trusted the salesperson, but if they aren’t being forthcoming with this factor, then I won’t trust anything else they say

should also add: the diamond didn’t have the dark patch when held at a distance & when I put it in the mirror and it was reflecting itself.

 

[missy]

It looks like a bow tie to me as well. That would bother me. I dislike bow ties in diamonds. Definitely don’t keep it if it bothers you now. With time it will probably continue to bother you and perhaps with a greater intensity. Once something is noticed and not liked it tends to intensify over time with diamonds. IMO.

To play devils advocate. Even if it isn’t a bow tie if it bothers you it bothers you. Period. It’s not the salesperson’s purchase. It’s yours.

Don’t settle.

 

[tyty333]

Those are facets that have good ligth return that are going dark due to the high-intensity light. Just like if you took a Super Ideal
out in bright sunlight it will go dark.

Not a bow-tie. A lot of people confuse this.

However, if you dont prefer this look you can look for a stone that doesnt have as good light return through the center (more crushed ice like). Usually a 4 main. Harder to find and look different.

 

[Ella1989]

It looks like a bow tie to me as well. That would bother me. I dislike bow ties in diamonds. Definitely don’t keep it if it bothers you now. With time it will probably continue to bother you and perhaps with a greater intensity. Once something is noticed and not liked it tends to intensify over time with diamonds. IMO.

To play devils advocate. Even if it isn’t a bow tie if it bothers you it bothers you. Period. It’s not the salesperson’s purchase. It’s yours.

Don’t settle.

Thanks Missy! You’re right, once you see something you can’t unsee it!

 

[Ella1989]

Those are facets that have good ligth return that are going dark due to the high-intensity light. Just like if you took a Super Ideal
out in bright sunlight it will go dark.

Not a bow-tie. A lot of people confuse this.

However, if you dont prefer this look you can look for a stone that doesnt have as good light return through the center (more crushed ice like). Usually a 4 main. Harder to find and look different.

Thanks for your reply!
I suppose I should go back and take another look in different lighting or natural sunlight. Would “natural” lighting make a big difference to minimizing the dark area? Also what is “4 main”? Excuse my ignorance , I googled the term and it only comes up with the 4 Cs!

 

[missy]

Thanks Missy! You’re right, once you see something you can’t unsee it!

Like you, a long time ago though, I thought I loved modern pear cuts. I quickly realized once I started evaluating them in different environments and different stones that I didn’t love their faceting. For me it was too disorganized and with areas similar to the above stone. Not a bow tie (thanks @tyty333 ) but nonetheless not to my taste.


No right or wrong. It’s what you love and what you appreciate but as important is knowing what you don’t like. Knowing that is everything in finding your HG stone.

 

[tyty333]

Here is a bow-tie. Its a wide facet(s) that stay dark most of the time.


Your dark area (in bright lighting) will reflect light nicely in not so bright lighting. Definitely view the stone in all different kinds of lighting.
This is the issue @Ella1989 . Since most people confuse any dark area with a bow-tie a lot of people could think your stone has a bow-tie
(even though it doesnt). You have to decide if you're ok with that or not.

Sorry...A 4 main stone has 4 main facets on the bottom. It is a different look (I'm not big on them but some people like them because they
do away with the area that might be confused with a bow-tie in certain lighting.

Here is a 4 main. You can see how many "mains" a stone has by looking at the pavilion diagram on the GIA report.

3.03-Carat Pear Shaped Diamond | Blue Nile

www.bluenile.com

4 mains are not my favorite but like I said they tend to get rid of the area of facets that could go dark in bright lighting.
Most pears have 6 or 8 mains.

 

[icy_jade]

Thanks @tyty333 for explaining

@Ella1989 if the visual bugs you now, I’m not sure you can accept it with time. And it’s really too big a purchase not to absolutely be in love with, so bow tie or not, you may want to look some more anyway

 

[LLJsmom]

Yeah, whatever it’s called I don’t like it. Once I see something I can’t unsee it. But only what you think and can/cannot live with matters. However, my experience is if it bothers me now, it won’t go away. Good luck!

 

[Ella1989]

Like you, a long time ago though, I thought I loved modern pear cuts. I quickly realized once I started evaluating them in different environments and different stones that I didn’t love their faceting. For me it was too disorganized and with areas similar to the above stone. Not a bow tie (thanks @tyty333 ) but nonetheless not to my taste.


No right or wrong. It’s what you love and what you appreciate but as important is knowing what you don’t like. Knowing that is everything in finding your HG stone. ❤

Thanks so much for your advice, I really appreciate it!

 

[Ella1989]

Here is a bow-tie. Its a wide facet(s) that stay dark most of the time.


Your dark area (in bright lighting) will reflect light nicely in not so bright lighting. Definitely view the stone in all different kinds of lighting.
This is the issue @Ella1989 . Since most people confuse any dark area with a bow-tie a lot of people could think your stone has a bow-tie
(even though it doesnt). You have to decide if you're ok with that or not.

Sorry...A 4 main stone has 4 main facets on the bottom. It is a different look (I'm not big on them but some people like them because they
do away with the area that might be confused with a bow-tie in certain lighting.

Here is a 4 main. You can see how many "mains" a stone has by looking at the pavilion diagram on the GIA report.

3.03-Carat Pear Shaped Diamond | Blue Nile

www.bluenile.com

4 mains are not my favorite but like I said they tend to get rid of the area of facets that could go dark in bright lighting.
Most pears have 6 or 8 mains.

Wow Thank you for sharing your expertise! This has been extremely helpful I’ve made another appointment to triple check the diamond in different lighting and will go from there.

 

[Ella1989]

Hi everyone
Thanks for your help!!
I went back and took photos in different lighting. This photo is from outdoors and the dark area is completely gone (as @tyty333 said it would be!)
Pears are very tricky to get right it seems so I appreciate all the advice

 

[Ally T]

Hi everyone
Thanks for your help!!
I went back and took photos in different lighting. This photo is from outdoors and the dark area is completely gone (as @tyty333 said it would be!)
Pears are very tricky to get right it seems so I appreciate all the advice

Gorgeous!

 

[TSe]

Hi everyone
Thanks for your help!!
I went back and took photos in different lighting. This photo is from outdoors and the dark area is completely gone (as @tyty333 said it would be!)
Pears are very tricky to get right it seems so I appreciate all the advice

Little late but SO glad you did this. I had the same trouble when I was picking my pear and different lightings make a world of a difference. And thanks @tyty333 that's so interesting to know about what could have been construed as a bowtie.

Excited to see how you set it! Good luck

 

[Ella1989]

Little late but SO glad you did this. I had the same trouble when I was picking my pear and different lightings make a world of a difference. And thanks @tyty333 that's so interesting to know about what could have been construed as a bowtie.

Excited to see how you set it! Good luck

Thanks! I just read your thread too. If jewelers let everyone take the diamonds outside I think they’d sell a lot more! Did you end up choosing any of the options you posted?

 

[Garry H (Cut Nut)]

From the ASET blue in the image this stone will have a small dark zone on very close up observation, But from the surrounding red - it will flash to bright with the slightest tilting.

https://www.pricescope.com/community/attachments/shallow-girl-gif-gif.777690/

 

[Niel]

I dislike this one.
while all pears are going to have a level of facet variation by their nature this one doesn’t do a good.
when you say perfect specs what are the specs? The price ?

 

[Ella1989]

From the ASET blue in the image this stone will have a small dark zone on very close up observation, But from the surrounding red - it will flash to bright with the slightest tilting.

https://www.pricescope.com/community/attachments/shallow-girl-gif-gif.777690/

Love that gif! Thanks

 

[Ella1989]

I dislike this one.
while all pears are going to have a level of facet variation by their nature this one doesn’t do a good.
when you say perfect specs what are the specs? The price ?

Hi @Niel, do you dislike it from the aset or first few images? It was soo tricky getting a good photo! because I always got a random flash or dark spot. But since I’m never going to stare at it from one angle like a photo I found it performed much better in person (and with natural lighting rather than inside the store which had no windows!)
Perfect specs (totally subjective but what I’m okay with) E colour, VVS2, ex cut and symmetry, length to width ratio etc. Price isn’t perfect haha but reasonable for where I am (Australia).

 

[Garry H (Cut Nut)]

I dislike this one.
while all pears are going to have a level of facet variation by their nature this one doesn’t do a good.
when you say perfect specs what are the specs? The price ?

Easy to say you dislike it Niel, but why don't you like it?
I do not see this as a bad pear at all - and it is very long - if Ella wants a very long pear shape then that makes getting a stone with better light performance than this one very very difficult indeed.

 

[Niel]

Easy to say you dislike it Niel, but why don't you like it?
I do not see this as a bad pear at all - and it is very long - if Ella wants a very long pear shape then that makes getting a stone with better light performance than this one very very difficult indeed.

It is easy to say I dislike it- I’m allowed to do that

 

[TSe]

Thanks! I just read your thread too. If jewelers let everyone take the diamonds outside I think they’d sell a lot more! Did you end up choosing any of the options you posted?

Yes it's actually the last video I posted. What looked like a huge bowtie probably from the lighting and my phone blocking light or perhaps something else. But now can't see it at all if you see my latest mini photo shoot haha

 

[Garry H (Cut Nut)]

It is easy to say I dislike it- I’m allowed to do that

You are indeed.
And I am allowed to call you out

 

[Garry H (Cut Nut)]

Yes it's actually the last video I posted. What looked like a huge bowtie probably from the lighting and my phone blocking light or perhaps something else. But now can't see it at all if you see my latest mini photo shoot haha

Exactly - just like my little girl gif

 

[Ella1989]

Yes it's actually the last video I posted. What looked like a huge bowtie probably from the lighting and my phone blocking light or perhaps something else. But now can't see it at all if you see my latest mini photo shoot haha

I saw your photos of the final ring and it looks so beautiful!! Congratulations

 

[TSe]

I saw your photos of the final ring and it looks so beautiful!! Congratulations

Thank you
When do we see yours?

 

[Ella1989]

Thank you
When do we see yours?

Hopefully before the end of the year!