Help me choose! I''m all confused!

[Moss1]

OK, my gal and I have it narrowed down to three stones. One is superior on paper, but it isn''t the one that looks the best to us on side by side comparison. Here are our choices:

Stone #1:
AGS cert Ideal 0
2.01 ct
I SI2
8.13-8.16-4.99 mm
Table 55.1%
Depth 61.2%
Crown angle: 35.0 degrees
Pavilion angle: 40.6 degrees
Culet: pointed
Fluoro: neg
HCA: 0.8
Polish/Symmetry/Proportions: Ideal/Ideal/Ideal
$13,900

Stone #2
EGL cert
2.08 ct
H SI2
8.15-8.10-5.03 mm
Table: 61%
Depth: 61.9%
CH: 15%
Pav Depth: 43%
Culet: none
Fluoro: listed as slight, but looks strong to us with hands on UV light test with dealer
HCA: 4.2
Polish/Symmetry: Very good/Very good
$13,800

Stone #3
EGL (USA) cert
2.17 ct
I SI1
8.36-8.33-5.15 mm
Table: 60.0%
Depth 61.8%
CH: 13.8%
Pav Depth 44.0%
Culet: none
Polish/Symmetry: Good/Good
Fluoro: faint
$14,800

To me, stone #1 is the clear winner on paper. The problem is, stone #2 looked better to us in side by side comparison. Is this because it is an H and because of the fluorescence? Why is the fluorescence listed as slight, but looks very strong to us with UV light? Is stone #1 really the best? If I bought stone #2, would it die in the setting?

My gal is getting impatient (and sort of pissed) by my technical approach. We liked stone #2, but now I''m trying to explain to her that stone #1 is the winner now that I''ve had a chance to run the numbers. What do you all think? What do I do? What do I tell her? The price is not a factor in choosing among these three. Her jewler friend (the one who introduced us to the dealer) would pick stone #3 for herself (she likes size), but agrees that #2 is brighter/whiter side by side. I need help. I''m under a fair amount of pressure here from my gal.

Thank you all in advance for your comments. I really, really appreciate the input.

 

[aljdewey]

Date: 3/28/2006 9:57:56 PM
Author:Moss1

OK, my gal and I have it narrowed down to three stones. One is superior on paper, but it isn't the one that looks the best to us on side by side comparison.

To me, stone #1 is the clear winner on paper. The problem is, stone #2 looked better to us in side by side comparison. Is this because it is an H and because of the fluorescence? Why is the fluorescence listed as slight, but looks very strong to us with UV light? Is stone #1 really the best? If I bought stone #2, would it die in the setting?

My gal is getting impatient (and sort of pissed) by my technical approach. We liked stone #2, but now I'm trying to explain to her that stone #1 is the winner now that I've had a chance to run the numbers. What do you all think? What do I do? What do I tell her? The price is not a factor in choosing among these three. Her jewler friend (the one who introduced us to the dealer) would pick stone #3 for herself (she likes size), but agrees that #2 is brighter/whiter side by side. I need help. I'm under a fair amount of pressure here from my gal.

I think you need to stop "running the numbers". The clear winner SHOULD BE the stone that you both liked best when you looked at them! #2.

Moss, numbers are great for narrowing the field, but they can't tell you what you should like. Only your eyes can do that....and there is just NO substitute for that. Stop being so concerned with what you think you *should* prefer, and pick what you actually DID prefer when you looked at them.

When you didn't have a notion of what you "should" like, you preferred #2. So you should go with that.

Beauty is more than a bunch of numbers. I can tell you all the reasons why my chocolate ice cream is made with higher quality ingredients than the vanilla ice cream, yada, yada.....but if you prefer vanilla, then you should pick vanilla!

 

[belle]

get what she wants.
things would be different if you were picking out the diamond on your own, but she has seen them and is showing a strong preference. you need to get the one that she wants since she will be the one wearing the ring.

 

[Moss1]

Thanks, aljdewey and belle for the no-nonsense feedback. Al, I especially liked the ice cream analogy. Part (most) of my confusion stems from reading so much on this forum about the importance of cut, cut, cut. My worry is that after the stones are set, #2 might not look as good as stone #1. My gal isn''t so much against stone #1, it''s more that she is tired of the process and flip flopping on my part. She would be thrilled with any of them.

Can I hear from those of you who stress the importance of cut (I know you are out there)? Is the HCA score of 0.8 vs 4.2 vs 5.2 significant? Is this one where I''m making a big mistake if I don''t choose stone #1?