Been looking for a .9, but is 1.0 ct possible within budget?

[DutchC]

Hi,

I wanted to ask for your opinion. I just submitted an IS at JA for a few diamonds that are G, VS2 clarity, HCA < 2.0 and 0.9 ct. My budget is around $5.5k Is it possible to step up to 1.0 ct without degrading the clarity beyond eye clean (SI1+ I'd prefer) and perhaps H or I color? Is it worth it, or would I have to expand my budget?

These are the .9's I'm currently getting additional info on:

http://www.jamesallen.com/#!/loose-diamonds/Round-cut/0.90-carat-G-color-VS2-clarity-Excellent-cut-sku-156564 (HCA 1.7)
http://www.jamesallen.com/#!/loose-diamonds/Round-cut/0.90-carat-G-color-VS2-clarity-sku-185390


Thanks!

 

[Niel]

Re: Been looking for a .9, but is 1.0 ct possible within bud

well i think you could get an I VS2/SI1, but non of the ones on JA right now seem all that desirable.

If you went to a J (if you were comfortable) that would really make a large impact on the ctw you could afford

http://www.jamesallen.com/#!/loose-diamonds/Round-cut/1.20-carat-J-color-SI1-clarity-sku-183110

ETA that faces up pretty white to me, I know id probably be comfortable with a high J, if it meant more diamond, but it comes down to personal preference. Youd be surprised how many diamonds in real life are J or lower

 

[Christina...]

Re: Been looking for a .9, but is 1.0 ct possible within bud

Have you seen an I or J in person? I think you should take a look before deciding. JA has a great return policy so you could order the stone loose and take a look for yourself if time isn't a factor.

 

[Christina...]

Re: Been looking for a .9, but is 1.0 ct possible within bud

This one would require an idealscope, but depending on how GIA rounded the numbers it could be a good choice.
http://www.jamesallen.com/#!/loose-diamonds/Round-cut/1.02-carat-I-color-SI1-clarity-Excellent-cut-sku-186639

you would need to check to see if it is eye clean..


http://www.jamesallen.com/#!/loose-diamonds/Round-cut/1.02-carat-I-color-VS2-clarity-sku-183095

 

[bunnycat]

Re: Been looking for a .9, but is 1.0 ct possible within bud

I think you could do it, as Christina and Nielseel said and you'll have to drop down a little. I don't know where you are with the number of idealscopes requested and I'd hate for you to have make a choice without getting any feedback on a stone from a gemologist. You only get 3 from JA. I don't know if you can pay for more. This will mean another round of sifting through diamond measurements at the 1ct range.

You could get your own ideascope if you had to make a blind choice and see for yourself and perhaps get an independent appraisal of the stone quality.

I am color sensitive (which means too much tint bothers me) and so a stone with fluorescence can help with the tint and make things face up whiter than actual color.

Brian Gavin has a line that is all fluorescent which takes advantage of the effect. The good part is that most of the legwork has been done. Idealscopes and ASET images are already there for you. Plus, all his stones are AGS0 and have already been vetted for light performance and are cut to ideal proportions, and he has also vetted them so that the fluorescence has no negative effect on the diamond (milkiness).

Bad news is that right now, there's only a few stones in your price range if $5500 is tops. There is a J that I saw in person when I went down there to talk with him and an I also. These are branded cuts and so they are a little more than an unbranded one, but again almost all the variables in it have been taken care of for you in advance and I don't know if you have an interest in switching from your current track but wanted to throw it out there anyway just to look at:

http://www.briangavindiamonds.com/diamonds/diamond-details/1.098-j-si1-round-diamond-ags-bl-104062571018

http://www.briangavindiamonds.com/diamonds/diamond-details/1.016-i-si1-round-diamond-ags-bl-104062571008

 

[DutchC]

Re: Been looking for a .9, but is 1.0 ct possible within bud

Thanks for all the feedback! I currently have committed to 2 JA IS images, so I could do one more (unless you guys think I'll have to get several more). I'll try and go to a jeweler here to look at some GIA I / J colors to see how they look. I like the one's you guys have put forth. If it becomes hard to decide I wonder if it's possible to buy both the best .9 and the best 1.0 and compare them here?

 

[Niel]

Re: Been looking for a .9, but is 1.0 ct possible within bud

Thanks for all the feedback! I currently have committed to 2 JA IS images, so I could do one more (unless you guys think I'll have to get several more). I'll try and go to a jeweler here to look at some GIA I / J colors to see how they look. I like the one's you guys have put forth. If it becomes hard to decide I wonder if it's possible to buy both the best .9 and the best 1.0 and compare them here?

Definitly see how thry look! If you dont mind a j than you cwn really get a lot of stone for your budget. But is def something you should see first.

 

[bunnycat]

Re: Been looking for a .9, but is 1.0 ct possible within bud

Thanks for all the feedback! I currently have committed to 2 JA IS images, so I could do one more (unless you guys think I'll have to get several more). I'll try and go to a jeweler here to look at some GIA I / J colors to see how they look. I like the one's you guys have put forth. If it becomes hard to decide I wonder if it's possible to buy both the best .9 and the best 1.0 and compare them here?

Sure- you can do that! Even from 2 difference vendors, just double check the time limits on the return policies. JA's is probably the most lenient at 60 days. BG is something like 2 weeks.

If you do want to see something like a J, also remember that a well cut stone is going to mask it's color a bit so just going to see a GIA I/J may or may not show you what you want if the cut isn't EX. If you go and look at a so so cut GIA I/J, then that may or may not tell you what you want to know but at least it's a start. It's just something to keep in mind when you go looking.