Help me pick her stone

[Look4stone]

Title says it all. Know pretty much what I want, but think my local jewelers prices are a little high.

Looking for 1.25-1.35 ct, round, d-g, vs1-si1 (hesitant about the si1), excellent cut polish and symmetry.

so far I've found a 1.36 d si1 ex cut polish and sym that my jeweler has at 10500. And a 1.29 g vs2 triple ex at 9500.

is there a 1.27 ish f,vs1/2 triple ex out there for under 9500?

 

[antelope1]

Try the PS search feature -- your parameters are made for the search feature. =D

Also, ... your local guy? Are those EGL or GIA or AGS cert stones? If GIA / AGS -- those prices are reasonable / good. If EGL, beware the variation in EGL certs. What is labeled SI1 could be I1 (or X-X-X could be G-G-G) if sent to GIA or AGS, so you may not actually get the quality / color / clarity that you're paying for.

 

[Look4stone]

Those are all GIA certified stones.

 

[malnik]

Try this

http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/F-VS2-Ideal-Cut-Round-Diamond-1326702.asp

it's F/VS2/ GIA EXEXEX, $9520 with PS discount.

It has a crystal on the face. GIA graded it VS2 then it must be eye clean.

 

[Look4stone]

Thanks for the feedback. Out of curiosity, what would a stone of this size cost in nyc at the diamond district if I could work out a contingent deal based on third party appraisal?

 

[antelope1]

A lot of the online PS merchants are based in the diamond district. I think you can rely on these merchants more than you could a random store on the street. In terms of margins, an online vendor will usually offer a smaller markup than a B&M store simply because the online vendor has a lower overhead.

There are two types of online vendors -- drop-ship vendors who sell a diamond purely based on the cert quality (they will usually not see the diamond unless you pay for it to be shipped to them from the distributor) and online vendors that maintain an inventory of diamonds in-house (that they can look at and evaluate for you). Drop-ship is the cheapest on average just because they have the lowest overhead on average.

Also, independent appraisers will appraise the diamond for what it is worth in the locale in which they operate (this is an insurance thing). Therefore, having a diamond appraised on 5th Avenue will likely yield a different appraisal value than what you would get if you had it appraised locally (hopefully, the diamond qualities would be the same, but likely the appraisal price would be different).

So my advice? If you're buying a RB (or another shape with a cut grade) online, the best price is what you'll find online -- most likely from a drop-ship merchant.

 

[stone-cold11]

Try this

http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/F-VS2-Ideal-Cut-Round-Diamond-1326702.asp

it's F/VS2/ GIA EXEXEX, $9520 with PS discount.

It has a crystal on the face. GIA graded it VS2 then it must be eye clean.

That is a badly cut stone. Much too dark under the table.

JA is based in NYC.

EDT:
Use this link to weed out bad performer, then request for idealscope image from JA.

 

[Look4stone]

Try this

http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/F-VS2-Ideal-Cut-Round-Diamond-1326702.asp

it's F/VS2/ GIA EXEXEX, $9520 with PS discount.

It has a crystal on the face. GIA graded it VS2 then it must be eye clean.

That is a badly cut stone. Much too dark under the table.

JA is based in NYC.

EDT:
Use this link to weed out bad performer, then request for idealscope image from JA.

See this is what I don't understand... The gia report states that it is an excellent cut, so why the discrepancy?

 

[stone-cold11]

This could be good, ask for an idealscope image and the post it here.

http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/E-VS2-Ideal-Cut-Round-Diamond-1294290.asp?b=16&a=12&c=77&cid=131

Forgot the link to the cut adviser.

https://www.pricescope.com/tools/hca

 

[stone-cold11]

See this is what I don't understand... The gia report states that it is an excellent cut, so why the discrepancy?

Mainly different set of parameters.

Garry Holloway dissect why GIA Ex may not have excellent light return in this article.
https://www.pricescope.com/journal/gia_excellent_cut_grade_case_study

What different parameters shows.
https://www.pricescope.com/journal/laboratory_cut_grades_what_report_doesn’t_show

 

[tyty333]

A few more options...
http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/G-VS2-Ideal-Cut-Round-Diamond-1318829.asp
http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/G-VS1-Ideal-Cut-Round-Diamond-1315654.asp

 

[Look4stone]

Thank you for the links to cut articles. A little surprised about how useless the gia cut grades may be. I requested the ideal scope images and will post them once I get them. Should my local jeweler be able to provide these as well?

 

[stone-cold11]

Not all jewelers has the idealscope but it is cheap and easy to buy one yourself and learn how to use it.

http://www.ideal-scope.com/cart_order.asp

 

[Look4stone]

Additional info:

Of the two stones that are local (will be seeing them tomorrow).

The 1.29 G VS2 comes in at a HCA 2.4

and the 1.36 D SI1 comes in at a HCA 1.7. If this one is eye clean, it might be the ticket...

 

[stone-cold11]

Both could be promising. Can you post the GIA report number?

 

[Look4stone]

Both could be promising. Can you post the GIA report number?

1.29: 2121063227

1.36: 6117786960

1.30: 17252894 (staying away from this one).

 

[stone-cold11]

http://www2.gia.edu/reportcheck/ind...tVerification&reportno=2121063227&weight=1.29

http://www2.gia.edu/reportcheck/ind...tVerification&reportno=6117786960&weight=1.36

http://www2.gia.edu/reportcheck/ind...ortVerification&reportno=17252894&weight=1.30

Yap, 1 & 2 looks promising. Good luck.

 

[Look4stone]

What does "cut grade effected by brillianteering" on the third report, even mean? I googled it but I think I need it in plain english to understand?

 

[stone-cold11]

Not easy to explain. This article should be an interesting read.

https://www.pricescope.com/journal/visible_effects_painting_digging_superideal_diamonds

Basically, painting and digging is brillianteering, not necessarily bad, but GIA for simplicity, just lump all forms above a threshold as bad and gives the stone a downgrade in cut grade.

Some stones, like 8star cut, will never get an Ex in cut grade if sent to GIA.

 

[Garry H (Cut Nut)]

I have not looked at any of the stones, but:
2.4 if the stone has great symmetry and or some crown painting is fine.
Shallow painted stones should be avoided.

 

[Look4stone]

I have not looked at any of the stones, but:
2.4 if the stone has great symmetry and or some crown painting is fine.
Shallow painted stones should be avoided.

The stone with painting actually scored about a5.4 on the hca calculator. The 2.4 did not have the notation on the report.