Need help deciding on this stone - pics included!

[jill_s]

I have spent most of the last few months lurking on here to glean as much info as possible about diamonds. What fun! Our 5-yr anni is in September, and we are planning to do an upgrade. My original ering is 1.37 G SI2 and we purchased pre-PS. It''s not certed (yikes!) and not cut very well either. After researching why my diamond wasn''t as sparkly and brilliant as others, I realized it was because of the cut. I decided that I wanted a well cut stone. I really wanted to go to a 2 ct., but I was trying to go a little easier on the budget. Here''s a stone I found by chance. It was a virtual stone from Whiteflash and I had them call it in. I would LOVE your feedback on it! Does the price seem reasonable? Is there any reason why I shouldn''t buy this stone? Sorta seems too good to be true, but maybe I just got lucky?

1.63 ct
J SI2 (eye clean)
Depth 60.2
Table 57
Crown 35
Pav 40.6
Polish Ex
Sym Ex
Faint Fluor
~$7000

I will try to attach images. Stand by...

 

[jill_s]

Idealscope

 

[jill_s]

40x view

 

[jill_s]

BTW...this scores a 0.8 on the HCA. Is that something I should be concerned about or would I really be able to see a difference between an 0.8 and 1.5 HCA score?

 

[mercoledi]

Under 2 is good, 0.8 is better.

I''m sure someone else will weigh in on the idealscope, but at a glance it looks pretty sharp.

 

[JoeNewbie11]

It looks like a great stone, all the right proportions, great idealscope, and appears eye-clean.

I would only be concerned about the J color. My fiance and I went into a well-known local jeweler to look at color differences of GIA graded-Excellent Cut diamonds and found the J color too yellow when viewing from the side. All lot of poster here always talk about a diamond facing up white; however, we find you view the diamond from all angles and really see a side view of the diamond when it is set in a four prong setting. We found I color was the lowest we could go without seeing yellow when viewed from the side in a tension setting. Make sure you''re OK with a J, especially if the setting can be viewed from the side. Just my opinion.

 

[jill_s]

I have looked at J stones and the color didn''t seem to bother me...thankfully...sure makes the budget go a little further!

 

[shortee78]

Hi, I''m still a newbie so not much advice on your diamond (but from first glance, everything looks great!). I just wanted to ask how the process of getting a virtual diamond sent over to WF went. Did you just find a diamond you were interested in and ask WF to get it in for you? Was it free of charge? Thanks so much in advance!!!

 

[jill_s]

Shortee, to answer your questions (you ask good ones - ones that I just asked WF myself!)...

The process to get a virtual stone is actually pretty easy. I did a little research in advance, though, so I was pretty confident that the stone would be nice once they got it in. You just call WF and tell them the stone you''re looking at. They can tell you if it looks available. If it does look available, then sometimes they can access the cert which they can email right away. WF then calls the other vendor and the other vendor overnights the stone to WF. Once WF receives it, they have someone on staff look at it, take 40X photos, Idealscope, and Sarin reports which they email to you. I told WF yesterday that I wanted them to call in the stone, and I received all the images today.

If the stone is not good (doesn''t meet WF''s approval), then they would tell me and I wouldn''t be charged anything for bringing in the stone. If the stone is good (meets WF''s approval and would thus qualify for their upgrade program) and I decide not to buy it, I''m out $65 for them to send the stone back. If I decide to buy it, then WF eats the $65. It''s really a pretty good program.

My thought was that if WF would recommend the stone and I did my homework to ensure it was likely going to be a good stone, then I didn''t have much to lose.

 

[shortee78]

Date: 6/17/2008 6:33:37 PM
Author: jill_s
Shortee, to answer your questions (you ask good ones - ones that I just asked WF myself!)...


The process to get a virtual stone is actually pretty easy. I did a little research in advance, though, so I was pretty confident that the stone would be nice once they got it in. You just call WF and tell them the stone you''re looking at. They can tell you if it looks available. If it does look available, then sometimes they can access the cert which they can email right away. WF then calls the other vendor and the other vendor overnights the stone to WF. Once WF receives it, they have someone on staff look at it, take 40X photos, Idealscope, and Sarin reports which they email to you. I told WF yesterday that I wanted them to call in the stone, and I received all the images today.


If the stone is not good (doesn''t meet WF''s approval), then they would tell me and I wouldn''t be charged anything for bringing in the stone. If the stone is good (meets WF''s approval and would thus qualify for their upgrade program) and I decide not to buy it, I''m out $65 for them to send the stone back. If I decide to buy it, then WF eats the $65. It''s really a pretty good program.


My thought was that if WF would recommend the stone and I did my homework to ensure it was likely going to be a good stone, then I didn''t have much to lose.

Wow, thanks for taking the time to thoroughly explain the process. It sure sounds like a low-risk way to have access to the virtual listing of diamonds

Good luck with your diamond journey!!

 

[Shay37]

It looks like your hard work paid off. That stone looks very nice, and an SI2 to boot. Nice job.

shay

 

[jstarfireb]

Looks like you found a great deal! I can''t believe that''s an SI2. I see nothing at all in that 40x photo! Nice find.

 

[jill_s]

Re: the clarity, the cert says that the clarity grade is based on clouds not shown and surface graining. It appears from the pictures that neither of those things are a concern?

 

[purrfectpear]

Date: 6/17/2008 5:46:28 PM
Author: mercoledi
Under 2 is good, 0.8 is better.

I''m sure someone else will weigh in on the idealscope, but at a glance it looks pretty sharp.

Actually that''s not quite correct. Under 2 is good. It doesn''t get "better" from 1.8, to 1.2, to .8, to .6 for example.

The HCA is just a tool to eliminate dogs.

Jill, I love the way that stone looks. I purchased my pear from Whiteflash and believe me they are very honest in their opinions. Every now and then you find a stone that is really a knock out priced less than you expect. I think you found a winner.

 

[jill_s]

I really couldn''t recommend a better place to work with than Whiteflash. Everything I''ve asked, they''ve accomodated and they''ve been super friendly and pleasant to work with. If anyone is thinking of working with them, I highly recommend it! Their service is great and their upgrade policy is second to none!

 

[jill_s]

I decided to pull the trigger. Thanks to everyone who offered reassurance. As I was finalizing things with Chris at WF, he told me that someone else called in today and wanted to purchase the stone if I didn''t want it. I''m guessing that was probably someone who saw my post here, so I''m sorry to disappoint but I''m keeping it! More pics will follow when I receive the ring hopefully next week!

 

[purrfectpear]

Good for you (slaps hand at whoever tried to swipe her diamond)

I know it''s only a picture, but there was just something about it that made me think you are going to

it. Can''t wait to see pics. How are you setting it?

 

[jill_s]

I feel like this is sorta sacrelige, but I''m just putting it in their basic 6-prong tiffany white gold setting. Eventually I want to put it in an eternity-type setting, but I could only negotiate the stone with hubby for the anniv. Maybe for Christmas or my birthday I can swing a new setting?

 

[purrfectpear]

I did the exact same thing with my pear thinking I would decide on a more elaborate setting later. When I started pricing out what I thought I wanted I decided if I was going to blow another $5k, heck I''d just buy a second diamond

I''ve grown rather fond of my simple setting.

 

[Lynn B]

YAY for you!!!

And welcome to the beautifully white, totally eye-clean J/SI2 Club!

Very happy member here myself! I love how much *BANG* for the buck we got!

My AGS-0 2.36 J/SI2 RB

 

[jill_s]

Lynn - I feel so honored that you posted. I have been drooling over both your 1.5 and 2.3 rings. Your SMTR posts are both saved as favorites for *inspiration*! Both settings are divine. Once hubby recovers from this stone purchase, I plan to work on the setting. I''m really excited to join the J SI2 club - what a cost efficient way to go BIGGER!

 

[Lynn B]

Date: 6/18/2008 7:55:57 PM
Author: jill_s
Lynn - I feel so honored that you posted. I have been drooling over both your 1.5 and 2.3 rings. Your SMTR posts are both saved as favorites for *inspiration*! Both settings are divine. Once hubby recovers from this stone purchase, I plan to work on the setting. I''m really excited to join the J SI2 club - what a cost efficient way to go BIGGER!

Awwww, Jill, what a sweet, kind post. Thank you so much!
You made my day!