Recommendation on VVS1 vs VVS2

[acheun06]

Hi Everyone:

Happy New Year. All the best in 2013.
I need some advice on two diamonds that I am researching on.

My First question is, if a VVS1 diamond has Cut - Excellent, Polish - Excellent, Symmetry - Excellent on the GIA report (HCA=1.6). Does it mean it will always look 'Shiny' and brilliance --> The reason I am asking is because I see this diamond on blue nile but they don't provide an Ideal Scope Images, so I can't really see if it is 'Shiny', so can I just based on the specs on GIA ? Will there be cases that Triple-Ex diamond with HCA=1.6 don't look brilliance ?

Also I am decideing on these two diamonds, which one would you recommend ?

Diamond 1:
VVS1
Cut - Excellent
Polish - Excellent
Symmetry - Excellent
HCA = 1.6
Can't see the actual diamond as it is from Blue Nile

Diamond 2:
VVS2
Cut - Excellent
Polish - Excellent
Symmetry - Excellent
HCA = 1.3
From USA Cerfitied Diamond and can view the diamond locally before buying.

Your comments are greatly apprecaited.

Andy

 

[kenny]

VVS1 will not look more brilliant than VVS2.
Both are EXTREMELY clean.

Selecting a well-cut round is an easy two-step process.
1.HCA
2. Idealscope

If HCA is under 2 get Idealscope pic.
This is needed because the crown and pavilion angles you plugged into the HCA were each the AVERAGE of 8 angles around the diamond.
Each angle may be identical (which is good), or each may vary a great deal (which is bad) but AVERAGE out to a good number.
The Idealscope pic will expose this wonkyness.

https://www.pricescope.com/tools/ideal-scope

Compare Idealscope pic to this chart.

 

[acheun06]

Thanks Kenny.

So the Excellent Cut, Polist and Symmetry on GIA don't guarantee the diamond will have Excellent Symmetry and Light return showing on your chart ?

 

[kenny]

Thanks Kenny.

So the Excellent Cut, Polist and Symmetry on GIA don't guarantee the diamond will have Excellent Symmetry and Light return showing on your chart ?

No.
GIA is one of the most respected diamond graders in the world.
Unfortunately they are loosie goosie in their cut grading, and the HCA and Idealscope can find GIA Ex Ex Ex that are worse than others.
This was a business decision that made their customers (diamond sellers) very happy.
If you want the best of the best you must use other tools that have a target with a smaller bullseye.

Think of a knife, it can be sort of sharp or VERY sharp.
When I'm spending my money I want to use the sharpest knife (best cut for light performance) that I can find.

 

[Niel]

VVS1 vs 2 is not goint to makes a difference as to the light return of your diamond. All it really means is how easy it is to see an inclusion in your stone. As long as you stay with a stone that is eye clean. You dont have to worry about clarity markings (many PSers here go down to SI clarity to avoid paying such a high premium for high clarity stones)

As for the HCA calculator. it is a good start when searching for stones. But it alone is not a good way to search. This is why you want to look for stones with pictures, from vendors that will provide you with Idealscope images. Vendors reccomended for that would be whiteflash, brian gavin, or James allen (james allen probably would be the best place to start if you want to look though a lot of diamonds)

Keep in mind i didnt run these though the HCA, but look at these two diaminds both have EX cut and symm, but obviously look different
http://www.jamesallen.com/loose-diamonds-search/?shape=Round#h

this is why you want to look at them before you buy, as well as have a vendor pull them and look at them for you.
This then give you the added benefit of being able to look for lower clarity stones. A vendor will pull a SI1 you like and tell you if it is eye clean or not. And then you end up saving money. Because as long as its eye clean, the higher up in clarity you go, the more you are paying for something you cannot see.

 

[diamondseeker2006]

I am one who also appreciates high clarity, but I will tell you that a VS1 is so clean that you usually cannot see inclusions with a loupe. It is best to buy from vendors who will supply you with magnified images of the diamond as well as idealscope images.

 

[acheun06]

Thanks diamondseeker2006

Based on your experience. Have you seen a GIA Tiple-EX VVS1 diamond that doesn't look shiny or with great 'Fire' ?
If the scale is 1-10 (10 being the most brillance). Have you seen a GIA Tiple-EX VVS1 that is below 8? (if there is no Ideal Scope Image..etc) or Is it possible that GIA Tiple-EX VVS1 will be like 5 or 6 or lower?
I have the assumption that GIA Tiple-EX VVS1 will always look good, so will be betwwen 8-10.Is that incorrect ?

Thanks

Andy

 

[Niel]

I feel like yay are equating high clarity with higher brilliance or fire. Is that the case?

 

[diamondseeker2006]

Andy, clarity really doesn't have anything to do with clarity once you get to VS2 and above. So VVS1 versus VVS2 will not differ at all in brilliance due to clarity. You can have an SI1 stone with greater brilliance than a VVS1 stone because it is more precisely cut.

Yes, I think some GIA XXX stones are better than others. And I can prove it here:

http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/F-VVS2-Excellent-Cut-Round-Diamond-1405709.asp

http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/F-VVS1-Excellent-Cut-Round-Diamond-1512461.asp

So which of these two stones would you rather have (just pretend they are both the same price and clarity for the sake of comparison)? I strongly favor one over the other even though I don't have the opportunity to see them in person. I would still ask for the idealscope image on the stone I favor. This is why I would not buy a GIA XXX without images!

 

[acheun06]

Hi:

I would prefer this one
http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/F-VVS1-Excellent-Cut-Round-Diamond-1512461.asp

It is because it has a better HCA score (1. than the other one, also there are less inclusions.

Not sure if I am correct.

I guess my next question would be, will a triple-Ex diamond with Less than 2 HCA score not look brillant? Or it is always required to see the Ideal Scope Image in order to determine?

 

[JulieN]

Did you know that if you get something bigger, it is going to be more eye-catching and sparkly?
http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/G-VS2-Excellent-Cut-Round-Diamond-1528122.asp

Most of the time I can tell from the picture, I don't need an Ideal Scope.

 

[Niel]

can you see the inclusions of this stone?
http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/G-VS2-Ideal-Cut-Round-Diamond-1395824.asp without the little computer loupe? and thats already extremely magnified.

cut is really the only thing (unless the stone is heavily included) that will effect the the brilliance of the stone.

IF will be eye clean, VVS2 will be eye clan, VS1 will be eye clean, even many SI1 will be eye clean. so paying more for a higher clarity may give you a mind clean feeling, but may not provide much else in terms of how the diamond looks