Help choosing a stone?

[stevieoneder]

I need help picking between these three. Specs are similar among all 3, but one of them is 25% more expensive than the other 2. Can you tell which one?

Which would you go with?

Any suggestions?

 

[Lorelei]

Date: 2/23/2010 9:32:49 AM
Author:stevieoneder
I need help picking between these three. Specs are similar among all 3, but one of them is 25% more expensive than the other 2. Can you tell which one?

Which would you go with?

Any suggestions?

Hi Stevie and welcome!

Can I trouble you to post the;

Colour, clarity and carat of each, the lab report types such as GIA-

depth and table percentages,
girdle thickness
polish and symmetry grades
diameter in MM for each please?

Also if you have the actual photos of the diamonds that would help too please.

 

[stevieoneder]

All are GIA certified.

Here are the specs. I suspect this willl make it easier to detect the more expensive stone, so the reason I was withholding the numbers before is that I was sort of wondering if the more expensive one "looks" more worth it than the others (I'm not hung up on the numbers - I want a good-looking rock!).

Stone 1:

Carat : 1.21
Clarity : VS1
Color : I
Measurements: 5.71 x 5.7 x 4.23
Depth: 74.2
Table: 71%
Girdle: Medium to Slightly Thick (GIA cert says "slightly thick to very thick")
Culet: None
Polish: Very good
Symmetry: Excellent
Fluorescence: N


Stone 2:

Carat : 1.24
Clarity : SI1
Color : I
Measurements: 5.76 x 5.72 x 4.29
Depth: 75
Table: 74%
Girdle: Thick
Culet: None
Polish: Excellent
Symmetry: Very good
Fluorescence: N


Stone 3:

Carat : 1.2
Clarity : VS1
Color : H
Measurements: 5.9 x 5.87 x 4.13
Girdle (according to cert, not listed on site): Very Thick
Depth: 70.4
Table: 67%
Polish: Excellent
Symmetry: Excellent
Fluorescence: M Blue

EDIT: The GIA specs on the girdles differ somewhat from what was listed on the site initially. I've added the correct values.


And the pictures!

 

[stone-cold11]

I like #1 better.

 

[Lorelei]

Thanks Stevie!

I like the first best.

 

[Paul-Antwerp]

Hi Stevie,

You are comparing an I-VS1 with an I-SI1 and a H-VS1. With colour and clarity being the main influence on price, your original question makes no sense.

If we consider the I-SI1 being priced at a factor 100, the I-VS1 would cost 120 and the H-VS1 over 130.

Live long,

 

[stevieoneder]

Paul -

I appreciate the feedback... I guess I''m figuring that with cut being the most important (in my eyes) factor, as judged by light performance (not by numbers), I''d like to buy the best value, or "bang for my buck". I can see where it doesn''t make sense as a question, from a spec-focused question. I think I''m more interested in the aesthetic evaluation.

Your theoretical pricing isn''t too far off. Setting 100 for the I-VS1 (in the middle, pricewise), it''s actually more like the I-SI1 is at 95, and the H-VS1 is at 120. I''m thinking stone #1 represents the greatest value (this isn''t a zero-sum game - money not spent on the stone can be spent elsewhere, but I don''t want to "cheap out" if it means getting an unsatisfactory diamond).

If they''re all "eye clean" (which is most of what matters) and face up "mostly" white (it will be set in white gold), the color and clarity are not as important to me as the in-person wow factor (like Judah said about choosing clarity, "nobody''s going to be following you around with a loupe, and if they are, you should have them arrested").

Can you glean enough info from the images to predict which is the best performer?

 

[Paul-Antwerp]

I am sorry, I am not allowed to comment in the way you ask (forum-rules), and not knowing the exact set-up of the photos, I would even find it difficult if I were allowed.

Live long,

 

[stevieoneder]

I''m not sure I understand how answering the question violates the rules of the board, but thanks anyway. I think I''ve decided to go with number 1. It''s just the first time I''ve ever bought a diamond, so I figured getting some advice from the PSers would help...

 

[stone-cold11]

Paul is a cutter of diamonds and sells his own brand, this forum has a policy on vendors to not comment on his or other vendors stones.

 

[stevieoneder]

Ah, understood! It didn''t occur to me that there could be a problem there... I''d seen his good advice on so many other threads, but didn''t realize that there were rules like that (which do make sense, of course).

 

[Lorelei]

Date: 2/23/2010 8:49:28 PM
Author: stevieoneder
Ah, understood! It didn't occur to me that there could be a problem there... I'd seen his good advice on so many other threads, but didn't realize that there were rules like that (which do make sense, of course).

Yes Paul and any of the other vendors can give general advice but cannot comment on each other's stones.

Here is a link to the Forum Policies which goes into detail, read the section pertaining to trade members.