If you have $30K budget, what kind of diamond will you get?

[astar11]

Re: If you have $30K budget, what kind of diamond will you g

looking at this diamond:

http://www.whiteflash.com/loose-diamonds/round-cut-loose-diamond-2645108.htm

is the "green" color on the center going to affect much on the diamond light returns / sparkle?

 

[Niel]

Re: If you have $30K budget, what kind of diamond will you g

looking at this diamond:

http://www.whiteflash.com/loose-diamonds/round-cut-loose-diamond-2645108.htm

is the "green" color on the center going to affect much on the diamond light returns / sparkle?

no that stone would perform masterfully.

 

[Niel]

Re: If you have $30K budget, what kind of diamond will you g

LOL!

She is wrong on many counts.

All else being equal, it is probably easier to sell a diamond in the G-H VS1-VS2 range. But are you really buying a diamond based onresale value? If so, let us talk some sense into you.

Regarding clarity and sparkle. She is flat out wrong. It is very rare for clarity to affect optics/sparkle negatively. You need to be getting into the SI2 range or worse and even then only with some types of inclusions. The concerns you have about structural integrity and clarity are also only a concern with SI2-I1 level, and even then truly unsound diamonds are rare. If they make it off the dop when they are cut, they are pretty sound. If a cutter decides to cut a diamond to GIA Ex or AGS0 grades, you can bet he/she feels pretty good about the structural soundness. Evaluate clarity on a stone by stone basis. But don't worry about it too much. If you are conered, stick with VS2 clarity or better and you are fine.

Cut quality determines sparkle. Full stop.

I would not spend $30k on a diamond, so asking me what I would do is not all that helpful. But if I were looking for a 2ct stone in an MRB I would personally look for a nice BIG H-I color with an nice honest prongable inclusion on the periphery. This is an opinion about clarity I have come to after many years. If I can't see it, I don't care about it. And I don't really give a fig about color anymore.

So how much will you be willing to spend on 2 carat diamond?

Dreamer is an old cutt kind of girl, also some people just are not comfortable wearing or spending 30k on something like that.

 

[diamondseeker2006]

Re: If you have $30K budget, what kind of diamond will you g

looking at this diamond:

http://www.whiteflash.com/loose-diamonds/round-cut-loose-diamond-2645108.htm

is the "green" color on the center going to affect much on the diamond light returns / sparkle?

That is a very top quality diamond, about as good as it gets for cut quality and light performance.

 

[bunnycat]

Re: If you have $30K budget, what kind of diamond will you g

LOL!

She is wrong on many counts.

All else being equal, it is probably easier to sell a diamond in the G-H VS1-VS2 range. But are you really buying a diamond based onresale value? If so, let us talk some sense into you.

Regarding clarity and sparkle. She is flat out wrong. It is very rare for clarity to affect optics/sparkle negatively. You need to be getting into the SI2 range or worse and even then only with some types of inclusions. The concerns you have about structural integrity and clarity are also only a concern with SI2-I1 level, and even then truly unsound diamonds are rare. If they make it off the dop when they are cut, they are pretty sound. If a cutter decides to cut a diamond to GIA Ex or AGS0 grades, you can bet he/she feels pretty good about the structural soundness. Evaluate clarity on a stone by stone basis. But don't worry about it too much. If you are conered, stick with VS2 clarity or better and you are fine.

Cut quality determines sparkle. Full stop.

I would not spend $30k on a diamond, so asking me what I would do is not all that helpful. But if I were looking for a 2ct stone in an MRB I would personally look for a nice BIG H-I color with an nice honest prongable inclusion on the periphery. This is an opinion about clarity I have come to after many years. If I can't see it, I don't care about it. And I don't really give a fig about color anymore.

So how much will you be willing to spend on 2 carat diamond?

There's a lot of different prices you COULD spend on a 2ct stone. The thing you need to ask is what criteria do you have and what portions of that are you willing to give some leeway to? As you can see, the answers vary wildly on what people would do with 30K to spend on a diamond. The question is what do you WANT in a diamond? What are the things the stone must have? Good performance? (That will cost more.) High color? (That will cost more.) High clairty? (That will cost more.) All of these things factor together in the diamond price. We can't tell you which one is more important to you, though most everyone will agree you should never sacrifice on performance (and that means a well cut stone). ALl the rest depends on what you want.

There are a couple of directions you can go.

- Search for an Ideal/Super Ideal cut diamond with plenty of performance documentation. These are going to be branded cuts like Hearts and Arrows and will command a premium cost.

-Search for an Ideal cut that may not have hearts and arrows symmetry, but is a well cut stone and performs well. It will cost less than a H/A stone, but may take a little longer to find.

Color and clarity you can debate, you'll just have to figure out what is important to you in those aspects. Most people are going to agree that G VS1/2 is going to be a fine compromise on color and clarity that will make most people happy.

 

[bunnycat]

Re: If you have $30K budget, what kind of diamond will you g

looking at this diamond:

http://www.whiteflash.com/loose-diamonds/round-cut-loose-diamond-2645108.htm

is the "green" color on the center going to affect much on the diamond light returns / sparkle?

No- It looks fabulous.

 

[GemFever]

Re: If you have $30K budget, what kind of diamond will you g

Thank you all for your kind response. I learned a lot from all of your responses. Its fun ! .

I wouldn't listen too much to the saleslady. Clarity is important, of course, but it's not as black and white as she said. There are different kind of inclusions, and the key is to find a diamond that is eye-clean (which means you cannot see the inclusions, they are hidden away in places that are hard to find, and can be covered up when set), and one in which the inclusions do not present a risk to the structural integrity of the stone (so no surface-reaching inclusions, etc). When looking at stones, you have to look at the diamond plot to see what inclusions there are, where they are located, etc. If you do this extra work, you could score a beautiful diamond with safe and inconspicuous inclusions for a better price.

Personally, if I had a $30K budget and wanted to get an ideal cut diamond, I would go... maybe G color, VS1-2 clarity. I would definitely not pay for the extra high VVS clarity.

How do you find "where the inclusions" are located if its just based on aset image, and cert image? and how exactly you know about the danger on the structural of the diamond?

A diamond cert usually has an image of a diamond plot (basic outline of a diamond) with the inclusions indicated there (what kind of inclusion, where it is located on the stone -- it's actually drawn in the corresponding location on the plot).

In terms of structural integrity... others have already said, it's probably not something you have to worry about, I'd bet that most ideal-cut stones are structurally sound. If you stick with the VS1-2 range, you're good.

 

[Dreamer_D]

Re: If you have $30K budget, what kind of diamond will you g

LOL!

She is wrong on many counts.

All else being equal, it is probably easier to sell a diamond in the G-H VS1-VS2 range. But are you really buying a diamond based onresale value? If so, let us talk some sense into you.

Regarding clarity and sparkle. She is flat out wrong. It is very rare for clarity to affect optics/sparkle negatively. You need to be getting into the SI2 range or worse and even then only with some types of inclusions. The concerns you have about structural integrity and clarity are also only a concern with SI2-I1 level, and even then truly unsound diamonds are rare. If they make it off the dop when they are cut, they are pretty sound. If a cutter decides to cut a diamond to GIA Ex or AGS0 grades, you can bet he/she feels pretty good about the structural soundness. Evaluate clarity on a stone by stone basis. But don't worry about it too much. If you are conered, stick with VS2 clarity or better and you are fine.

Cut quality determines sparkle. Full stop.

I would not spend $30k on a diamond, so asking me what I would do is not all that helpful. But if I were looking for a 2ct stone in an MRB I would personally look for a nice BIG H-I color with an nice honest prongable inclusion on the periphery. This is an opinion about clarity I have come to after many years. If I can't see it, I don't care about it. And I don't really give a fig about color anymore.

So how much will you be willing to spend on 2 carat diamond?

Dreamer is an old cutt kind of girl, also some people just are not comfortable wearing or spending 30k on something like that.

I do also like modern RBs, but they are very scarce on the secondary market. I almost bought one though before finding my solitaire!

astar11 I would not spend $30k on a diamond. It's not a judgement, its just me! But if I WAS spending $30k (assuming a very different time in my life) I would want something much larger than 2ct. If 2ct was the marker I would get a 1.9ct and save myself $10k. Or I would go much larger, as big as I could get for the full $30k, which would mean dropping color or clarity or shopping on the used market. Size and cut are really all I care about these days.

 

[ecf8503]

Re: If you have $30K budget, what kind of diamond will you g

Regarding clarity and sparkle. She is flat out wrong. It is very rare for clarity to affect optics/sparkle negatively. You need to be getting into the SI2 range or worse and even then only with some types of inclusions. The concerns you have about structural integrity and clarity are also only a concern with SI2-I1 level, and even then truly unsound diamonds are rare. If they make it off the dop when they are cut, they are pretty sound. If a cutter decides to cut a diamond to GIA Ex or AGS0 grades, you can bet he/she feels pretty good about the structural soundness. Evaluate clarity on a stone by stone basis. But don't worry about it too much. If you are conered, stick with VS2 clarity or better and you are fine.

Cut quality determines sparkle. Full stop.

Every step up in clarity = big increase in $$$. Hence sellers (esp local B&M's, in my area anyway) push you to it... it puts more cash in their pocket.

Here's one example (just 0.02ct difference in wt, same color, but one is a VS1, the other a VS2... $1,500 difference in price):

http://www.goodoldgold.com/diamond/9893/
http://www.goodoldgold.com/diamond/9889/

 

[Niel]

Re: If you have $30K budget, what kind of diamond will you g

I agree with dreamer seeing how much old cuts go on the second hand market, and being a bit of a size whore, I would but and old cut stone and go biiig. Color is a subjective thing. In another thread a PSer was sure she wanted a j or higher, and ended up with an O. I would maybe even see how your girlfriend feels about it, showed her some true old cuts. Personally I know a well cut 4ct o old cut round or emerald cut I would take every single time over a h or higher. Even if it was a D IF, at the end of the day you don't wear the cert.

 

[Dreamer_D]

Re: If you have $30K budget, what kind of diamond will you g

On the primary market, old cuts cost the same as MRBs. The only reason they seem "cheaper" is that many choose lower colors in old cuts that they would not consider in a modern round. Also, you can still find many old cuts with nice cut quality on the secondary market. It is very difficult to find exceptionally cut MRBs on the secondary market, unless you buy from another PSer.

 

[Laila619]

Re: If you have $30K budget, what kind of diamond will you g

Holy cow, 2 carats are going for 30k now?! Where have I been?

 

[Dreamer_D]

Re: If you have $30K budget, what kind of diamond will you g

Holy cow, 2 carats are going for 30k now?! Where have I been?

I am pretty shocked too, but I think perhaps its F VS1 type of stones?

 

[diamondseeker2006]

Re: If you have $30K budget, what kind of diamond will you g

Holy cow, 2 carats are going for 30k now?! Where have I been?

I am pretty shocked too, but I think perhaps its F VS1 type of stones?

Nope, superideals are at $30k in the H VS1 and G VS2 range. Prices increased a huge amount in 2011.

 

[Dancing Fire]

Re: If you have $30K budget, what kind of diamond will you g

[quote="ecf8503|1363022166|

http://www.goodoldgold.com/diamond/9889/[/quote]


that is a beautiful stone...

 

[jmarshall]

Re: If you have $30K budget, what kind of diamond will you g

If I had a 30 thousand dollar budget for myself, my dream stone would be a Rolex. Or omega.

 

[Niel]

Re: If you have $30K budget, what kind of diamond will you g

[quote="ecf8503|1363022166|

http://www.goodoldgold.com/diamond/9889/

that is a beautiful stone... [/quote]

Haha I'd pick the j! Pop a 2.2 ct ACR in front of her and shell pass out ( at least that's what I'd do )

 

[astar11]

Re: If you have $30K budget, what kind of diamond will you g

So there are 2 types of pictures on the cert.
1. Has rectangle square on the middle (left)
2. Is more like heart and arrow (right)

Whats the difference?

 

[astar11]

Re: If you have $30K budget, what kind of diamond will you g

Holy cow, 2 carats are going for 30k now?! Where have I been?

I am pretty shocked too, but I think perhaps its F VS1 type of stones?

Nope, superideals are at $30k in the H VS1 and G VS2 range. Prices increased a huge amount in 2011.

I saw 2.3 carat F VVS1 for $70k. How much was it 2 carat in 2011?

 

[Dancing Fire]

Re: If you have $30K budget, what kind of diamond will you g

Holy cow, 2 carats are going for 30k now?! Where have I been?

I am pretty shocked too, but I think perhaps its F VS1 type of stones?

Nope, superideals are at $30k in the H VS1 and G VS2 range. Prices increased a huge amount in 2011.

I saw 2.3 carat F VVS1 for $70k. How much was it 2 carat in 2011?

forgot what it was in 2011,but i have a 10 yrs old Rap sheet in front of me ...a 2ct F VVS1 was $15,200 per ct. in 2003.