Diamond Selection: detailed Qs I could find an answer for

[dudeinlove]

Hey All,

Thanks to the help of the forums I have made some decisions on a setting and I decided on RB over princess.

I am wondering

1) can guess at the chance of a diamond being eyeclean based on image or the 3d models on the new James Allen site? It seems all the images are so blown up that the diamonds will look bad online but how do I know if they might look nice in real life? I am hoping to get an SI1 eye clean diamond.

2) GIA seems to be loser than AGS. But I am not sure if the HCA tool ensures that it falls with AGS guidelines. Should I run the numbers on GIA manually to ensure they are close to AGS per (http://goodoldgold.com/4Cs/NewCutGrading/GIAExAGSIdeal/) and then also check HCA tool before asking for idealshopes, asets, etc?

3) What happens if I pull 3 ASETs from JA and none of them are suitable? I understand you only get three? I don't mind paying for more but is that option?

4) I haven't seen much about uniondiamond but their prices seem great and it appears to be big retailer? Any reason?

5) I don't want to pay the premium for a HA or patterned stone, will i regret it? Can i get an HA or one that looks like HA without buying a branded HA?

Sorry for all the Questions... I still have a couple weeks until I purchase but I want to make sure I am ready to find the perfect stone.

 

[bunnycat]

Re: Diamond Selection: detailed Qs I could find an answer fo

Hey dude (sorry, couldn't help myself! )

I'll try to answer as many of your questions as I can to the best of my own knowledge.

1) I can't tell you if there's any way to know based on the huge blow-up images just how eyeclean something is. A gemologist could confirm a question. Also, some inclusions are better to have than others as they tend to "hide" a little more in the diamond. I must be one of the few who finds the new JA site cumbersome. I'd have rather had some more info on the stones than a pretty rotating picture, like IS images for everything....

2) GIA EX has a broader range than AGS0, and so you can make yourself familiar with the specific ideal cut parameters and use the HCA to weed out the poorer possibilites (things that score over 2). You CAN find good stones on JA and even AGS0 stones easily by limiting your searches to that specific lab, but it's a lot of work, and we can all help out too. Alternatively, some of the others sites post PLENTY of info and you can look there if you prefer and know the legowrk has been done.

3) I have no idea if you can pay for extra IS images. Using the HCA will help narrow the possibility of duds and letting us help also. Post your budget (I can't remember) and what size range you're hoping for then we can start. I'd put likely stones on hold but DON'T ask for an image just yet. You've got 24 hours.

4) DOn't know anything about Uniondiamond

5) You don't have to pay for H/A to get a nicely performing stone, but you WILL have to crunch numbers.

Let us know when you're ready!

ETA- I just saw in your old thread that 15K was your budget. Is that still good? Are you still considering the pave shank solitaire or did you decide halo? I guess what we need to know is how much of that 15K is alotted to the stone?

 

[dudeinlove]

Re: Diamond Selection: detailed Qs I could find an answer fo

Hey dude (sorry, couldn't help myself! )

I'll try to answer as many of your questions as I can to the best of my own knowledge.

Thank you for thoughtful and thorough response. Crunching numbers is no problem. I am so excited about this The proposal isn't until april so I am going to hold off until early feb to purchase (60 day return policy in case she has something else in mind, a few more pay checks etc.).

I agree with you on the new James Allen site.

So more stones will meet GIAs specification, would it be fair to say that a AGS0 will out perform a GIA triple ex more often than not?

 

[bunnycat]

Re: Diamond Selection: detailed Qs I could find an answer fo

Hey dude (sorry, couldn't help myself! )

I'll try to answer as many of your questions as I can to the best of my own knowledge.

Thank you for thoughtful and thorough response. Crunching numbers is no problem. I am so excited about this The proposal isn't until april so I am going to hold off until early feb to purchase (60 day return policy in case she has something else in mind, a few more pay checks etc.).

I agree with you on the new James Allen site.

So more stones will meet GIAs specification, would it be fair to say that a AGS0 will out perform a GIA triple ex more often than not?

One of the gurus might be able to answer that. I just generally try to home in on those ideal parameters regardless of the lab. One other bonus of AGS is that if you find a stone with the Platinum report, it's already had some light performance testing, I think...but an idealscope and gemologist surely isn't a bad idea, and if the inclusions are clouds, making sure that those don't interfere, because I think the report doesn't take stuff like that into considerations, only the cut proportions. (I looked at a stone like that. It had the platinum report, but a great big inclusion that impeded performance in reality.)

 

[bunnycat]

Re: Diamond Selection: detailed Qs I could find an answer fo

Also- when you are ready to start, you probably should start a new thread to the effect of "Looking for RB, XX budget, need help" or something like that and post a couple of the ones you are looking at. That will attract more attention for those who like to search.

This is probably on the smaller side of what you are wanting, but it's a start:

http://www.whiteflash.com/loose-diamonds/round-cut-loose-diamond-2674676.htm

or:

http://www.goodoldgold.com/diamond/9633/
http://www.goodoldgold.com/diamond/9549/