My Experience and Recommendations on Round Brilliant Diamond purchase

[elizat]

@winnietucker interesting on the L. I have only ever had a very small amount of modern rounds. I had a pair of J color stones. I saw no color. I no longer have those.

In antique stones, L or M is plenty white facing enough for me. I prefer warmer there. I wonder if the modern stones just don't look nice above J/K due to different cut and that's why they aren't carried and/or just consumer preference? You don't see a lot of modern rounds that are lower color for the most part.

 

[Texas Leaguer]

Ooh didn’t know you could request an alert. I’ll email the sales associate I’ve been chatting with.

Could be diamonds that have come back from trade-ups I suppose.

FYI you can use the form at the bottom of this page to set your own automated alert.

Request a Certified Loose Diamond | Whiteflash

Want to get a loose diamond that's not in stock? Just fill in the application and a Whiteflash professional will source the exact diamond for You.

www.whiteflash.com

 

[whitewave]

Not to thread jack but when I asked the sales rep I was told no plans to have any soon. But I didn’t realize that maybe that was a unicorn. Feeling some regret here now... anywhere here’s the screenshot for anyone who’s wondering if I made this up/ am misrememberingI sent it to my husband asking for his opinion a bit back so this is an older screenshot.


Also @whitewave I love that HPD does lower colored diamonds sometimes. But they’re filtering thing on their new website also only goes down to K. Wondering if they plan to stop?

Ooh, those are gorgeous. Lucky person who bought them.

HPD has a button for L today.

 

[Texas Leaguer]

Another possibility is that the prelim grade was K and the lab graded L. Doesn't happen often.

 

[winnietucker]

@winnietucker interesting on the L. I have only ever had a very small amount of modern rounds. I had a pair of J color stones. I saw no color. I no longer have those.

In antique stones, L or M is plenty white facing enough for me. I prefer warmer there. I wonder if the modern stones just don't look nice above J/K due to different cut and that's why they aren't carried and/or just consumer preference? You don't see a lot of modern rounds that are lower color for the most part.

Some of us aren’t color sensitive so lower colored super ideals would be perfect entry points!

Could be diamonds that have come back from trade-ups I suppose.

FYI you can use the form at the bottom of this page to set your own automated alert.

Request a Certified Loose Diamond | Whiteflash

Want to get a loose diamond that's not in stock? Just fill in the application and a Whiteflash professional will source the exact diamond for You.

www.whiteflash.com

Thanks! I set it up for myself. Now I can stop living on your website. I think I check it daily...

Ooh, those are gorgeous. Lucky person who bought them.

HPD has a button for L today.

Ooh good to know. I’ll keep watching their website too.

 

[jbake]

Not to thread jack but when I asked the sales rep I was told no plans to have any soon. But I didn’t realize that maybe that was a unicorn. Feeling some regret here now... anywhere here’s the screenshot for anyone who’s wondering if I made this up/ am misrememberingI sent it to my husband asking for his opinion a bit back so this is an older screenshot.


Also @whitewave I love that HPD does lower colored diamonds sometimes. But they’re filtering thing on their new website also only goes down to K. Wondering if they plan to stop?

Ooh, those are gorgeous. Lucky person who bought them.

HPD has a button for L today.

Hey! These are actually being shipped to me as studs today.

I have never seen a super ideal in person but have been super curious. So when I saw these I waffled for about a day, then requested a hold and a picture. I figured as studs, even if I saw color from the side, on my ears it would be much less noticeable for me (or really anyone else.) Plus, knowing I could upgrade the color if I wanted made it a no lose situation.

Diamond | 0.807 ct L SI1 A CUT ABOVE® Hearts and Arrows Super Ideal Round Cut Loose Diamond AGS Certified | 4329666

This Whiteflash A CUT ABOVE® super ideal cut hearts and arrows 0.807 carat L color SI1 clarity loose diamond is graded by the American Gem Society (AGS) Laboratories. | 4329666

www.whiteflash.com

Diamond | 0.828 ct L SI1 A CUT ABOVE® Hearts and Arrows Super Ideal Round Cut Loose Diamond AGS Certified | 4219800

This Whiteflash A CUT ABOVE® super ideal cut hearts and arrows 0.828 carat L color SI1 clarity loose diamond is graded by the American Gem Society (AGS) Laboratories. | 4219800

www.whiteflash.com

 

[whitewave]

Hey! These are actually being shipped to me as studs today.

I have never seen a super ideal in person but have been super curious. So when I saw these I waffled for about a day, then requested a hold and a picture. I figured as studs, even if I saw color from the side, on my ears it would be much less noticeable for me (or really anyone else.) Plus, knowing I could upgrade the color ifI wanted made it a no lose situation.

Diamond | 0.807 ct L SI1 A CUT ABOVE® Hearts and Arrows Super Ideal Round Cut Loose Diamond AGS Certified | 4329666

This Whiteflash A CUT ABOVE® super ideal cut hearts and arrows 0.807 carat L color SI1 clarity loose diamond is graded by the American Gem Society (AGS) Laboratories. | 4329666

www.whiteflash.com

Diamond | 0.828 ct L SI1 A CUT ABOVE® Hearts and Arrows Super Ideal Round Cut Loose Diamond AGS Certified | 4219800

This Whiteflash A CUT ABOVE® super ideal cut hearts and arrows 0.828 carat L color SI1 clarity loose diamond is graded by the American Gem Society (AGS) Laboratories. | 4219800

www.whiteflash.com

Of course, we are going to need 100 pictures on show me the bling! Even though ear photos are so hard to take.....

 

[LLJsmom]

If people are leaving because of experiencing disrespectful communication that should seem to warrant a look inward - not a look at them.

People come to forums for different reasons. Some people want to learn and some want to discuss. If discussion is met with a wall of "you're wrong," then this isn't a forum for discussion, nor a forum for learning; it's a forum for being told.

Well the OP needs to look inward because I find the OP's response, or lack thereof, to my comments disrespectful and invalidating of my experience. And I have learned a lot, over many years and I'm staying. So I'm fine.

 

[sledge]

Hey! These are actually being shipped to me as studs today.

I have never seen a super ideal in person but have been super curious. So when I saw these I waffled for about a day, then requested a hold and a picture. I figured as studs, even if I saw color from the side, on my ears it would be much less noticeable for me (or really anyone else.) Plus, knowing I could upgrade the color ifI wanted made it a no lose situation.

Diamond | 0.807 ct L SI1 A CUT ABOVE® Hearts and Arrows Super Ideal Round Cut Loose Diamond AGS Certified | 4329666

This Whiteflash A CUT ABOVE® super ideal cut hearts and arrows 0.807 carat L color SI1 clarity loose diamond is graded by the American Gem Society (AGS) Laboratories. | 4329666

www.whiteflash.com

Diamond | 0.828 ct L SI1 A CUT ABOVE® Hearts and Arrows Super Ideal Round Cut Loose Diamond AGS Certified | 4219800

This Whiteflash A CUT ABOVE® super ideal cut hearts and arrows 0.828 carat L color SI1 clarity loose diamond is graded by the American Gem Society (AGS) Laboratories. | 4219800

www.whiteflash.com

Awesome stones. Thanks for sharing!

Very interested to see the L color. Looks as if the 0.828 was certified 2/13/2020 and the 0.807 on 11/4/2020.

@Texas Leaguer, when WF takes stones in on trade, do you re-certify them at the lab? Or simply vet/examine and pass along the original cert? I envision you may have different responses based on the age of the certification and if you guys feel the stone condition may have changed in its pre-loved state.

 

[jbake]

Of course, we are going to need 100 pictures on show me the bling! Even though ear photos are so hard to take.....

Haha, for sure! I’ve been trying to get pictures of my current studs for comparison and it is so hard! I will try my best though

 

[LLJsmom]

If people are leaving because of experiencing disrespectful communication that should seem to warrant a look inward - not a look at them.

People come to forums for different reasons. Some people want to learn and some want to discuss. If discussion is met with a wall of "you're wrong," then this isn't a forum for discussion, nor a forum for learning; it's a forum for being told.

The comment about people being disrespectful really bothers me. People have been continually responding with politeness, honesty and integrity, and constant referencing to actual facts, about stones that are being compared. People have asked honest questions whose answers make a difference to the discussion. If any of that is considered "disrespectful" just because we point out inconsistencies and unresolved issues, then no discussion can be had.

And speaking of disrespectful, I find this comment to @whitewave 's thread below extremely dismissive, and disrespectful. @whitewave was trying to share some information about how GIA grades color, for informational purposes. This is post #3 in the linked thread.

"I guess K color is all we need."

How does GIA grade diamond color? Everything you need to know.

Diamonds are graded un set and upside down in a controlled lighting environment and against a set of master stones. https://www.pricescope.com/education/diamond-color This link contains everything you need to know about diamond color grading.

www.pricescope.com

To me, there is more inward looking the OP must do.

 

[Texas Leaguer]

Awesome stones. Thanks for sharing!

Very interested to see the L color. Looks as if the 0.828 was certified 2/13/2020 and the 0.807 on 11/4/2020.

@Texas Leaguer, when WF takes stones in on trade, do you re-certify them at the lab? Or simply vet/examine and pass along the original cert? I envision you may have different responses based on the age of the certification and if you guys feel the stone condition may have changed in its pre-loved state.

Hi Sledge,
As a rule we re-certify trade-ups at the lab and put them back on the market with their new reports.

The exceptions are returns/exchanges within the 30 day window, or trade-ups that occur very close to the time of purchase. In these cases we verify them to be in original condition with our in-house review team.

 

[sledge]

Hi Sledge,
As a rule we re-certify trade-ups at the lab and put them back on the market with their new reports.

The exceptions are returns/exchanges within the 30 day window, or trade-ups that occur very close to the time of purchase. In these cases we verify them to be in original condition with our in-house review team.

Thanks for the confirmation Bryan!

I think knowing this provides some warm fuzzies to prospective buyers. I know not all vendors go through the expense & hassle to re-certify and sometimes it gets "messy". Just another of many ways that WF goes above & beyond for their clients.

 

[LLJsmom]

The difference is you saw a super ideal (I presume it was ACA from Whiteflash?) and you decided it wasn’t for you.

Perfect. You aren’t guessing about super ideals and you know what you like. You have seen both and you know what your eye goes to more.

OP has never seen a super ideal, and then chooses to dismiss it outright. OP also exaggerated on the price difference.

It’s disingenuous and because its pricescope, Op is going to get called out on that.

Nobody will have a problem with your opinions because you have experienced both and chose non branded non super ideal as the flavor and price you like more and you still have a diamond that is better than the vast majority of people on the street, that is likely gorgeous. It’s wonderful all around.

@elle_chris I think your experience is a great example of choosing what you like, what is right for you and your situation, and you did it with full knowledge. That's the best we can all do in any situation.

@whitewave, that is exactly the issue:
OP has never seen a super ideal, and then chooses to dismiss it outright.

I would even go further to say that people don't need to see a super ideal to decide it's not for them. They could take one look at the price (without doing much research) and decide, "Nah. I won't be able to see the difference. If I did, it sure isn't worth the additional cost." That is totally valid and FINE. I have done that myself multiple times. But to make a statement that people, generally, cannot see a difference is wrong, factually, and it has been proven by many here. And, it is MISLEADING, which is the antithesis of what PS is trying to do, which is educate diamond buyers. And that is my biggest issue.

 

[Texas Leaguer]

Thanks for the confirmation Bryan!

I think knowing this provides some warm fuzzies to prospective buyers. I know not all vendors go through the expense & hassle to re-certify and sometimes it gets "messy". Just another of many ways that WF goes above & beyond for their clients.

Full re-certification assures the customer, but it also reassures us. We have independent verification that we are good to go to give the full 100% stored credit on the trade.

It's rare, but in isolated instances a diamond may have a scratch, a chip, or an abrasion due to wear which needs to be polished out prior to completing the trade and making the trade-in diamond eligible to re-enter the A CUT ABOVE brand.

In those rare cases we work with the customer, on a pure cost basis, to get the tune-up done so that they can execute their trade. It is usually not very expensive and typically involves very little weight loss.

 

[LLJsmom]

I read through the details of the comments, and there are points with which I agree. However, the following statements are also misleading. It is fine to refer to and compare facts, the various trade up policies, shipping costs, GIA/AGS certs of specific diamonds, cost of specific settings, but to make this blanket statement, phrased to sound like a fact, is also misleading and terribly unfair to all the vendors.

"There are many online vendors such as James Allen, Blue Nile, WhiteFlash, with Clarity, YADAV, Ritani, just to name a few. However, I have found that James Allen pretty consistently provides the best pricing as a whole (especially when you also buy a setting)."

Again, how many stones has the OP compared? It's like comparing apples, oranges, pineapples, strawberries in this basket, bought from your local neighborhood grocer to Safeway to Costco. It's meaningless. Show me the research.

"I also noticed that clarity rating doesn't affect price as much/consistently as color or carat ratings."

 

[sledge]

."I also noticed that clarity rating doesn't affect price as much/consistently as color or carat ratings."

This also bothered me. That is a pretty broad statement, and I may throw together a small sample analysis for fun.

Below is a baseline data set that could be used but I would prefer something better.

A Guide to Round Cut Diamond Prices | PriceScope

Discover retail prices and statistics for Round Diamonds from 15 major vendors. Up to date information with the latest Diamond Prices for Round Shaped Diamonds.

www.pricescope.com

For instance, there is a $1,731 jump from D-IF to D-FL. Yet only a $1,386 jump from E-FL to D-FL. This one example contradicts his statement.

Yet if you look further at the chart a D-VVS1 is more expensive than a D-IF. So going from D-VVS1 to D-FL is only $539 more.

I would expect as you dive further into more common color and clarity purchases these type of inconsistencies would go away as you have a larger data set to base average prices on.

All this once again leading back to the OP’s statement being very broad and likely minimized to a very small & specific data set that may not universally apply to all buyers.

 

[LLJsmom]

This also bothered me. That is a pretty broad statement, and I may throw together a small sample analysis for fun.

Below is a baseline data set that could be used but I would prefer something better.

A Guide to Round Cut Diamond Prices | PriceScope

Discover retail prices and statistics for Round Diamonds from 15 major vendors. Up to date information with the latest Diamond Prices for Round Shaped Diamonds.

www.pricescope.com

For instance, there is a $1,731 jump from D-IF to D-FL. Yet only a $1,386 jump from E-FL to D-FL. This one example contradicts his statement.

Yet if you look further at the chart a D-VVS1 is more expensive than a D-IF. So going from D-VVS1 to D-FL is only $539 more.

I would expect as you dive further into more common color and clarity purchases these type of inconsistencies would go away as you have a larger data set to base average prices on.

All this once again leading back to the OP’s statement being very broad and likely minimized to a very small & specific data set that may not universally apply to all buyers.

That would be very interesting! And it will be very challenging to eliminate other factors, and to be able to argue that it is the clarity difference is the sole driver of the price difference.

 

[Fabulous50]

There is a reason we call it things like the upgrade train.

start with what you can afford since the trade up policy is so generous.

I wore the .56 for a year or two as a solitaire on my 7,25 finger and every time I looked at it, I couldn’t believe how big it looked. Visually, it had the presence of my .75 that I wore for 16 years as an ER.

Since that and another one became side stones, I restarted again with I think a .64 I solitaire.

(I have had 3 surgeries in 7 months and I’m now 6 months out from the last one so I do have anesthesia brain. I think I stated in a different post that the sapphire side stones were E and F but I think it’s either E and G or F and G— sorry for the confusion if anyone caught that).

I am very comfortable for HP diamonds (and if I ever purchase an ACA) with lower clarity, even SI2 because if the stone made it as a HP Diamond or an ACA, that means the inclusions don’t affect the performance. Plus, I don’t like paying for things I can’t see).

I have upgraded the .64 I for the 1.09 K si. As an aside, someone here now owns that .64 I but I can’t remember who (sorry) and I think she made a 5 stone with it.

So one day you may find you can afford a little something, see it and decide if you like it, and then get on the upgrade train.

I love my setting and it is Stuller scroll band with a stuller peg head, so all I do is change out the head, if needed.

Love that idea. I just might take the plunge and buy a stone that I can afford. The curiosity is killing me, ha ha!!! Plus I do seem to be very drawn to this forum and this topic!!

 

[sledge]

That would be very interesting! And it will be very challenging to eliminate other factors, and to be able to argue that it is the clarity difference is the sole driver of the price difference.

Correct.

Imagine how a crazy little thing like a pandemic called COVID could affect the markets.

Or the mere fact natural stones are earth mined and there isn’t a guaranteed quantity of X color or Y clarity. You get what Mother Nature provides you during the mining process.

How about more controllable elements like being able to filter by fluor, downloading different data sets based on time (6 months, 12 months, etc), having the ability to further filter by an HCA score or exact proportions and on and on.

 

[123ducklings]

I believe that many, many people who read PS, whether they ever make an account or post, are young men looking to buy an engagement ring diamond. Let’s step out of ourselves for a moment and imagine this man: He knows about Tiffany (an option he’s probably already eliminated due to price if he’s still searching the internet for info), mall stores, and another popular men’s forum which will advise him to buy the cheapest, biggest simulant he can find. None of those options felt right, so in his efforts to google diamond characteristics and settings he came across PS. He wants to know how to find a big, beautiful diamond. This is about to be one of the largest purchases of his life up to this point, he has saved up a specific budget, and he wants to maximize every penny without the real ability to go much beyond said budget.

The super ideal enthusiasm can be overwhelming. I mean, talk of upgrades?! This man is about to spend what is to him a HUGE amount with the understanding it’s for life. The concept of other diamond jewelry beyond an engagement ring hasn’t really entered his thinking, and to the degree that it has he’s imagining mall store Mother’s Day specials.

For this man, I think the original post is a very approachable and pragmatic place to start his search. Now equipped with this info he’ll be able to buy a lovely diamond, and when finances have matured a bit and a special occasion or anniversary is on the horizon he will remember PS and come back to learn about that super ideal pair of studs with the jumbo backs and great upgrade plan.

 

[whitewave]

Love that idea. I just might take the plunge and buy a stone that I can afford. The curiosity is killing me, ha ha!!! Plus I do seem to be very drawn to this forum and this topic!!

Right, just buy a little one and have them put it in a stuller setting for a ring (like stuller crown or I can’t remember the one everyone love darn it because I have the head on my ring lol. Solsafera is what is in my head and I know that isn’t it. Someone help me out!!)

or put it in a 4 prong basket pendant.

or just keep it loose and buy 4 more over time and then when you have 5 stone, make a 5 stone band! Lots of options!

 

[whitewave]

I believe that many, many people who read PS, whether they ever make an account or post, are young men looking to buy an engagement ring diamond. Let’s step out of ourselves for a moment and imagine this man: He knows about Tiffany (an option he’s probably already eliminated due to price if he’s still searching the internet for info), mall stores, and another popular men’s forum which will advise him to buy the cheapest, biggest simulant he can find. None of those options felt right, so in his efforts to google diamond characteristics and settings he came across PS. He wants to know how to find a big, beautiful diamond. This is about to be one of the largest purchases of his life up to this point, he has saved up a specific budget, and he wants to maximize every penny without the real ability to go much beyond said budget.

The super ideal enthusiasm can be overwhelming. I mean, talk of upgrades?! This man is about to spend what is to him a HUGE amount with the understanding it’s for life. The concept of other diamond jewelry beyond an engagement ring hasn’t really entered his thinking, and to the degree that it has he’s imagining mall store Mother’s Day specials.

For this man, I think the original post is a very approachable and pragmatic place to start his search. Now equipped with this info he’ll be able to buy a lovely diamond, and when finances have matured a bit and a special occasion or anniversary is on the horizon he will remember PS and come back to learn about that super ideal pair of studs with the jumbo backs and great upgrade plan.

Definitely.

I have also been thinking about the possible age differences from this post because I’m at the point in life where I want heirloom quality stones and I want to just call up Melissa or Becca or Lesley and tell them to pull me one.

and, yes, after 16 years of marriage my husband was very disheartened that I was trading up from what we bought when our net worth was for sure in the negative.

 

[yssie]

I believe that many, many people who read PS, whether they ever make an account or post, are young men looking to buy an engagement ring diamond. Let’s step out of ourselves for a moment and imagine this man: He knows about Tiffany (an option he’s probably already eliminated due to price if he’s still searching the internet for info), mall stores, and another popular men’s forum which will advise him to buy the cheapest, biggest simulant he can find. None of those options felt right, so in his efforts to google diamond characteristics and settings he came across PS. He wants to know how to find a big, beautiful diamond. This is about to be one of the largest purchases of his life up to this point, he has saved up a specific budget, and he wants to maximize every penny without the real ability to go much beyond said budget.

The super ideal enthusiasm can be overwhelming. I mean, talk of upgrades?! This man is about to spend what is to him a HUGE amount with the understanding it’s for life. The concept of other diamond jewelry beyond an engagement ring hasn’t really entered his thinking, and to the degree that it has he’s imagining mall store Mother’s Day specials.

For this man, I think the original post is a very approachable and pragmatic place to start his search. Now equipped with this info he’ll be able to buy a lovely diamond, and when finances have matured a bit and a special occasion or anniversary is on the horizon he will remember PS and come back to learn about that super ideal pair of studs with the jumbo backs and great upgrade plan.

Brava, @123ducklings.

You have identified PS’ biggest failing. To someone who isn’t already part of the community, who doesn’t already know enough to be able to sort through advise he receives to pave his own path - PS is an extremely unapproachable learning venue. That’s not the fault of this one thread, or any other one thread, by any means. It’s the bigger ecosystem that we’re all so familiar with now... We can’t remember what it was like to be new.

The vast majority of visitors are young men who fit your description to a T. They will never make an account. They will never start a thread. They will never ask their own questions. A more hand-held experience - that doesn’t rely on being willing to brave the hordes - is going to be critical in converting those men from casual lookie-loos into consumers and recommenders.

 

[bludiva]

I believe that many, many people who read PS, whether they ever make an account or post, are young men looking to buy an engagement ring diamond. Let’s step out of ourselves for a moment and imagine this man: He knows about Tiffany (an option he’s probably already eliminated due to price if he’s still searching the internet for info), mall stores, and another popular men’s forum which will advise him to buy the cheapest, biggest simulant he can find. None of those options felt right, so in his efforts to google diamond characteristics and settings he came across PS. He wants to know how to find a big, beautiful diamond. This is about to be one of the largest purchases of his life up to this point, he has saved up a specific budget, and he wants to maximize every penny without the real ability to go much beyond said budget.

The super ideal enthusiasm can be overwhelming. I mean, talk of upgrades?! This man is about to spend what is to him a HUGE amount with the understanding it’s for life. The concept of other diamond jewelry beyond an engagement ring hasn’t really entered his thinking, and to the degree that it has he’s imagining mall store Mother’s Day specials.

For this man, I think the original post is a very approachable and pragmatic place to start his search. Now equipped with this info he’ll be able to buy a lovely diamond, and when finances have matured a bit and a special occasion or anniversary is on the horizon he will remember PS and come back to learn about that super ideal pair of studs with the jumbo backs and great upgrade plan.

i think this is a really good perspective to keep in mind. the OP is likely trying to help someone who is in their shoes, facing an important and potentially stressful purchase, make the most of a resource that can be full of lingo, insider references, etc. it's good to have multiple POVs represented.

 

[Fabulous50]

Right, just buy a little one and have them put it in a stuller setting for a ring (like stuller crown or I can’t remember the one everyone love darn it because I have the head on my ring lol. Solsafera is what is in my head and I know that isn’t it. Someone help me out!!)

or put it in a 4 prong basket pendant.

or just keep it loose and buy 4 more over time and then when you have 5 stone, make a 5 stone band! Lots of options!

Love those options. Also could eventually repurpose down the road for earrings for my daughter when she is old enough.

 

[AllAboardTheBlingTrain]

Brava, @123ducklings.

You have identified PS’ biggest failing. To someone who isn’t already part of the community, who doesn’t already know enough to be able to sort through advise he receives to pave his own path - PS is an extremely unapproachable learning venue. That’s not the fault of this one thread, or any other one thread, by any means. It’s the bigger ecosystem that we’re all so familiar with now... We can’t remember what it was like to be new.

The vast majority of visitors are young men who fit your description to a T. They will never make an account. They will never start a thread. They will never ask their own questions. A more hand-held experience - that doesn’t rely on being willing to brave the hordes - is going to be critical in converting those men from casual lookie-loos into consumers and recommenders.

To add to this point @yssie - and I feel like I remember this conversation coming up some time maybe 7-8 months ago - perhaps we could create a discussion thread putting in all the info a typical visitor to PS - the type @123ducklings identified - would need and sticky it to the top of Rocky Talky.

I think Garry’s recommended RBC table should be on there, maybe with some added recommendations on depth from some of the more knowledgeable “prosumers”. A quick explanation on the relationship between crown/pavillion angles. A link to the PS search and a recommendation to set HCA score to “excellent”. Maybe some of the Good old Gold videos on diamond colour, an explanation of clarity characteristics to avoid / how to define eye clean.

After that an explanation on super ideals, with the pros (optical symmetry, perfectly vetted, upgrade programme) and cons (a very specific “look” that some people might not enjoy in their diamonds, a price premium of xx%) etc.

A well balanced and measured thread like that would be a huge help to most first time visitors and we could still encourage them to post specific stones etc for the community to check out. I don’t mind taking a crack at putting it together, though I’m not that knowledgeable so definitely I will need more people to weigh in to correct me where I’m going wrong.

 

[OECfan]

This is my experience....I am a diamond lover, but not someone who analyzes the numbers in details or is chasing the perfect cut.

GIA XXX does not always offer optimum light performance even though it's been given a "top grade". Some people (including a jeweler I deal with) do not believe in "ideal cuts" and believes that a GIA triple X is the absolute best you can get and if you get a triple X, you'll have the best performance there is.

There are enough YouTube videos out there showing that some of these branded ideal cuts often (just being safe to not say "always", because I'm sure there are GIA XXX that perform as well as a branded ideal cut out there) perform better than XXX stones. I love watching Jonathan's old GOG videos, and Jann Paul Diamonds does comparisons like this as well.

With all of what I said above, do you think all this would matter to my DH if we weren't married yet and he was scouring the internet forums on ideas of what do buy me? Probably not. Just like as a regular non-car person, driving a high performance vehicle doesn't make a difference for me - my vehicle's primary purpose is getting from point A to B. I want decent fuel economy, a decent looking exterior, a comfortable interior. I don't need it to be a vehicle with top engine performance, luxurious interiors, premium branding....

I won't fault people for being pragmatic and buying a decent diamond for decent $$. But I also won't go as far as calling super-ideals and hearts & arrows JUST a marketing ploy.

 

[Patty]

Right, just buy a little one and have them put it in a stuller setting for a ring (like stuller crown or I can’t remember the one everyone love darn it because I have the head on my ring lol. Solsafera is what is in my head and I know that isn’t it. Someone help me out!!)

or put it in a 4 prong basket pendant.

or just keep it loose and buy 4 more over time and then when you have 5 stone, make a 5 stone band! Lots of options!

The Stuller Solstice?

 

[flyingpig]

Going back to OP's first post and FYI for future newbies reading this thread, relying on JA's videos alone for purchasing decision for MRBs is not recommended. Even well trained gemologist trade members can get this wrong. Always get the IS image to assess the cut quality. If you cannot, post the link here and get others' opinions.