Help with choosing a stone

picky_diamonds · Mar 18, 2025

Hello,

I am thinking between two round lab diamonds and needed some help! I don't have ASET or H&A images, so all I have to go on is the proportions and looks. The color is both D and VS1

Diamond A
Table 56%
Crown angle 34.5
Pavillion angle 40.8
Depth 61.9
Star length 50
lower half 80
Girdle med-slightly thick 4.0%

Diamond B
Table 57%
Crown angle 35
Pavillion angle 40.8
Depth 61.5
Star length 50
Lower half 75
Girdle med-slightly thick 3.5%

Thanks in advance

Also, does GIA not give out pamphlet like certificates for lab diamonds anymore, where they map the inclusions???

MackPUK · Mar 18, 2025

You can look up the certificates for all GCAL/IGI and GIA diamonds online.

Some will show the inclusions on a picture. Some will just state what they are (eg growth remnant which is typical with lab grown).

A VS1 should be eye clean and if it’s a good quality material nice and clean but not all reports will state the growth method so important to look at the pics in all cases.

Have you viewed these options online in loupe360 or viewed the certificates/dossier?

The main proportions look good to my (untrained) eye though. Seem to fall working ideal ranges and good ratio between PA and CA.

Another option to get a high level comparison is to paste the above proportions directly into ChatGPT which will spit out a report of the different factors.

It’s not a replacement for viewing but is a decent atarting point IMO

picky_diamonds · Mar 18, 2025

I saw the dossier online but I was wondering if they give out the physical certificates like the IGI certificates instead of a printout

MackPUK · Mar 18, 2025

I’m not sure about all the labs but have definitely seen statements on some (GIA Dossier reports for example) that say it’s digital only now.

Edited to add - the above statement for GIA seems to apply to stones from 0.15 to 2.99 carats

It appears printed copies are still issued for other labs but I can’t confirm 100%

picky_diamonds · Mar 18, 2025

Thank you!

freddyboston · Mar 18, 2025

One issue these days is a GIA plotted grading report exceeds the cost of the Lab Diamond itself.... % wise makes up most of the final cost ( Rough/ Cut+Polish /Report / Profit Margin?)

Generally most Labs are ideal cut / colorless and VVS + ......at some point there may no longer be a need for $$ 3rd party reports.....

https://www.gia.edu/doc/Lab-Grown__FeeSchedule_Q1_2025_USD.pdf

MackPUK · Mar 18, 2025

Really interesting to see the figures there - and a clear indication of why almost everything is now the Report-Dossier option given its so much cheaper

(Off to see how this might compare with other labs purely for personal interest)

freddyboston · Mar 18, 2025

MackPUK said:
Really interesting to see the figures there - and a clear indication of why almost everything is now the Report-Dossier option given its so much cheaper

(Off to see how this might compare with other labs purely for personal interest)

As a workaround, IGI has established “laboratory setups” inside the factories of high-volume diamond growers, often using the producers' employees and equipment.