Need Expert Cut Help!

[Smith1942]

Please could one of the resident cut-nuts give me their opinion on the cut of these diamonds? I'm an amateur so I can't tell. Thanks so much!

Here are the cut specs:


Diamond 1
Cert: GIA
Shape: Round
Carat: 0.56
Depth %: 61.8
Table %: 56
Crown Angle: 34.5
Pavilion Angle: 41.0
Polish: Excellent
Symmetry: Excellent
Girdle: Medium
Culet: None
Size: 5.28 x 5.33 x 3.28 mm
HCA Score: 1.8

Diamond 2:
Cert: GIA
Shape: Round
Carat: 0.56
Depth %: 61.4
Table %: 57
Crown Angle: 34.0
Pavilion Angle: 41.0
Polish: Excellent
Symmetry: Excellent
Girdle: Medium
Culet: None
Size: 5.29 x 5.32 x 3.26 mm
HCA Score: 1.4

 

[diamondseeker2006]

The numbers are great! We always say to get an idealscope image since the numbers do not tell all, but I am not sure you can access those?

I will give you the answer to what you are asking in the other thread. Super-ideal means the very highest possible cut precision. It is evidenced by idealscope images that show perfect hearts and perfect arrows and the stones have ideal light performance. This is never something you can assess from the lab report. These stones are not super ideal unless they are listed in BN's Signature line. And the signature line is their own definition of what qualifies for hearts and arrows. I am not sure whether anyone has actually compared theirs to other well known hearts and arrows stones to know if they are as strict as some others. But the fact that these stones are not in that category means they meet ideal cut parameters, but they are not in that top 1% or whatever of perfect hearts and arrows cut precision. If the stones have AGS Ideal cut grading with ideal light performance, they are still top quality stones. They just aren't at the top of the top!

 

[Smith1942]

Thanks DS!

In your experience, is there a discernible difference IRL between the sparkle of the super-ideal top precison stones you have described, and stones with the kind of numbers I posted? Would YOU pay the Signature premium? As I currently own Signatures, I'm nervous about going down in cut, you know?

 

[Christina...]

Not DS, but I'll give you my opinion. HA is about optical symmetry and not light performance. My opinion is that it's nearly impossible for the human eye to see the differences between a true HA stone and an ideal cut stone with tight variances. I personally can't tell the difference between a HA and a near HA and wouldn't pay the premium for it. I think of it as more a mind clean issue, and not one that my mind needs.

 

[Smith1942]

Thanks Christina!

Since I've done all my diamond collecting online, I haven't seen a variety of diamonds IRL. Therefore it's hard to tell if diamonds which are not super-ideal like I'm used to, but still really well-cut, would upset me or not!

 

[Christina...]

The good news is that BN offers a good return policy so you could order them and view them side by side with your Signature stone to see if you can see and appreciate any differences. I think ultimately that may be the only way for you to know for sure.

 

[diamondseeker2006]

I am totally with you on not having local access to a variety of ideal cut diamonds to look at! I agree with Christina that we can't really see the difference with our eyes between an ideal cut and super ideal cut in most cases. Few people in the world probably have even ideal cut for studs! My studs do happen to be WhiteFlash ACA 's which are hearts and arrows stones. I just find them so easy to match up since all ACA's are cut within very tight parameters. Plus I like and have used their upgrade policy!

Really, it is more a mental thing than visual. Both will look great. But to some people, there is just satisfaction knowing they have the very best. And only you know if that aspect is worth enough to pay for it!

 

[Smith1942]

Thanks, diamond gals!

Well, I spoke to Blue Nile and they said that these diamonds fall within the Signature parameters but they just haven't been branded as such, as they are part of the virtual inventory (whereas all Signatures have been bought and cut by BN) and they don't have a GCAL cert like the Signatures do. But in terms of cut and light performance, they assured me there is no real difference between these and the Sigs.

Now I just have to decide if 0.56 carat weight on each ear would be too much! I have quite a thin, narrow face....Quite torn between going for this fabulous upgrade or just being happy with the beautiful diamonds I already have. There is a lovely butterfly brooch in E.B. Horn in Boston, 14k gold with some small diamonds and enamel, I think - I saw it quite a while ago - that I could have instead for a fraction of the price.

My mom was recently diagnosed with terminal breast cancer recurring from 1999, and, call me shallow, but mulling over all these jewellery-related first-world problems certainly helps take my mind off things. Stops me obsessing about dark things and gets me obsessing about wonderful sparkly things instead. I think that's a good thing.