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NARock

Rough_Rock
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Hi All,
I purchased a 2 ct. diamond with the help of all of you and it is beautiful. We got it and it is clear and just wonderful. Problem is I think it may look a bit small on my larger fingers. I wear a 6.5 ring. Here is the link:

http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/G-SI1-Ideal-Cut-Round-Diamond-1260294.asp

I am only looking at it on my hand in the tension setting it comes in but it still looks small on my finger. I am working with a local jeweler to create a custom setting for it that will have a split shank pave set with round diamonds going up the shank.

So since really this is my only shot at getting this new ring for the next 15 years I want to make sure I look at all the possibilities. So I started looking at 2.5 ct. diamonds. To stay within my price range I would have to drop my color to an I. Here is one that I am having them look at to see if it is eyeclean and have requested an idealscope on it.

http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/I-SI1-Ideal-Cut-Round-Diamond-1258693.asp?b=16&a=12&c=77&cid=131

Questions:

Would I notice a huge difference in the two sizes?
Is it worth it to upgrade in size based on these measurements from my first stone?
Would I notice a huge difference in the color? I am in no way a trained professional on diamonds.
Is there another diamond out there in the 2.5 or above range that would be a better fit? We have already spent about $17,800 and I really don''t want to go over $20k.

I just would really appreciate your opinions and suggestions, actually I have come to depend on them.
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Date: 1/16/2010 11:43:23 AM
Author:NARock
Hi All,
I purchased a 2 ct. diamond with the help of all of you and it is beautiful. We got it and it is clear and just wonderful. Problem is I think it may look a bit small on my larger fingers. I wear a 6.5 ring. Here is the link:

http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/G-SI1-Ideal-Cut-Round-Diamond-1260294.asp

I am only looking at it on my hand in the tension setting it comes in but it still looks small on my finger. I am working with a local jeweler to create a custom setting for it that will have a split shank pave set with round diamonds going up the shank.

So since really this is my only shot at getting this new ring for the next 15 years I want to make sure I look at all the possibilities. So I started looking at 2.5 ct. diamonds. To stay within my price range I would have to drop my color to an I. Here is one that I am having them look at to see if it is eyeclean and have requested an idealscope on it.

http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/I-SI1-Ideal-Cut-Round-Diamond-1258693.asp?b=16&a=12&c=77&cid=131

Questions:

Would I notice a huge difference in the two sizes? You would notice a distinct difference for size, the larger you go the less visible size increases are, however the 2.5ct would definitely look larger than the original.
Concerning this new diamond, request an Idealscope image from James Allen, check it is eyeclean and also as it has grade making clouds listed that this isn't impacting performance, one of the gemologists can check for this.

Is it worth it to upgrade in size based on these measurements from my first stone? It would be worth it to me but I can't say if it would be worth it to you....
Would I notice a huge difference in the color? I am in no way a trained professional on diamonds. Any colour difference would probably be very slight, it depends on your personal colour perception and tolerance so someone else can't really answer that one....The diamond should still be very white but perhaps a softer white than your G, you might notice a slight hint of warmth from the side. If you could view some well cut stones of the same size, cut quality and colour grade in person that would give you a better idea. Try Jareds if there is one closeby and view their AGS0 Peerless range, they might have a similar size stone in an I colour you can view.
Is there another diamond out there in the 2.5 or above range that would be a better fit? We have already spent about $17,800 and I really don't want to go over $20k. I can certainly take a look for you!

I just would really appreciate your opinions and suggestions, actually I have come to depend on them.
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Hi NaRock, thoughts are above.
 
Would I notice a huge difference in the two sizes?
Yes, you would. The 2 carat is 8.10mm, the 2.5 carat is 8.7mm. The 0.6mm will be a fairly big different in actual area.


Is it worth it to upgrade in size based on these measurements from my first stone?
If you think your current 2 carat is small now, it''ll probably always seem small. It makes sense, if you have the money now, to upgrade now rather than after you spend money on the setting.


Would I notice a huge difference in the color? I am in no way a trained professional on diamonds.
You might. If you can, go see well cut diamonds in person before you make a decision. It would give you a chance to try on diamonds of a similar diameter then too.


Is there another diamond out there in the 2.5 or above range that would be a better fit? We have already spent about $17,800 and I really don''t want to go over $20k.
 
Thank you for your replies. I really can''t tell a difference from in those threads from the H to the I colored stones, they all look good to me.

Lorelei, I really like the J VS1 but when I look the AGS report it looks like it has different numbers for the table and pavillion then what is on the site, can you tell what they are? And would I notice a J color? That one is even bigger and less expensive than the one I posted, all aspects I like. lol
 
Date: 1/16/2010 12:25:03 PM
Author: NARock
Thank you for your replies. I really can't tell a difference from in those threads from the H to the I colored stones, they all look good to me.

Lorelei, I really like the J VS1 but when I look the AGS report it looks like it has different numbers for the table and pavillion then what is on the site, can you tell what they are? And would I notice a J color? That one is even bigger and less expensive than the one I posted, all aspects I like. lol
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I was going back to that to edit when I was doing my final checks to make sure all was in order and yes the numbers given do differ on the report with the depth and table from report to website details, it could be a typo, this happens sometimes when the info is entered on the site, just check with James Allen if you are seriously interested in that one.

Ok, it is a typo, the depth is actually 61.2 and the table is 55%, the details on the website were incorrect. That will be adjusted so contact them if you want more info NArock. As to the J colour, if you could view one of similar size in person that would be the best way. A large J is fine for me but its a personal choice.
 
I went from a 2ct to a 2.50ct and while there is a difference, I don''t think it''s a big one.
I think the setting can make more of a difference in some cases.
 
I would think if your brand new 2 ct is looking small to you, it isn''t gonna grow any over time
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. I''m a size girl, by far and away over color, so personally I would swap the 2 ct G for the 2.5 ct I in a heartbeat. You might consider setting it in a setting which you cannot view it from the side easily, because that''s where you''re most likely to see any color. I''d probably bezel it. Good luck!
 
Ok so my husband and I went to Jareds today to see if we could look at J colored diamonds and to see what the difference would be between a 2ct and a 2.5ct. They didn''t have any J colored diamonds but I did get to see the different sizes. We looked at two diamonds, both IGI, one was a 2ct with the same general dimensions as my current 2ct and one was a 3 ct that had the same general dimensions as the 2.54ct J VS1 that Lorelei found. I wonder about the cut on the 3 ct considering it had the same dimensions as the 2.54ct but I figured it would be better to try and match dimensions rather than carat size to see what they would actually look like on my finger, is that right? I noticed a difference but I want to make sure my thinking is right to go by dimension size and not carat size in this instance? Also, I have tried to find 2 to 3 ct diamonds on this site that are J colored so that I can get a better idea of the the color differense. Can anyone give me any advise on that or is there a thread out there with 2 to 3 ct J colored diamonds? The two we looked at today were IGI and one of them was an i color and it wasn''t cut very good but I still didn''t see a big difference in color. Would and IGI I colored stone be similar to an AGS J colored stone? And the J that I am looking at is an AGS000 would that make the J color less noticable. I looked at the GOG color video and although I could see the difference when you line them all up I don''t think I would be able to notice it by itself and they all looked the same face up to me. And one other question, the 2.54 ct J VS1 has an AGS report dated back in 2007, should that concern me? Could this be a diamond trade up and should I ask for a new AGS report?

Thanks for all your advise!
 
Date: 1/17/2010 8:31:51 PM
Author: NARock
Ok so my husband and I went to Jareds today to see if we could look at J colored diamonds and to see what the difference would be between a 2ct and a 2.5ct. They didn't have any J colored diamonds but I did get to see the different sizes. We looked at two diamonds, both IGI, one was a 2ct with the same general dimensions as my current 2ct and one was a 3 ct that had the same general dimensions as the 2.54ct J VS1 that Lorelei found. I wonder about the cut on the 3 ct considering it had the same dimensions as the 2.54ct but I figured it would be better to try and match dimensions rather than carat size to see what they would actually look like on my finger, is that right? A very good idea! Just keep in mind that a poorly cut, deep, leaky stone that's 9mm will look somewhat smaller/less "impressive" than a well cut 9mm stone due to better light return at the edges
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I noticed a difference but I want to make sure my thinking is right to go by dimension size and not carat size in this instance? Also, I have tried to find 2 to 3 ct diamonds on this site that are J colored so that I can get a better idea of the the color differense. Try the "2-3ct centres", "3+ct centres", and "j colour" threads in the SMTR Helpful Threads sticky
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Can anyone give me any advise on that or is there a thread out there with 2 to 3 ct J colored diamonds? The two we looked at today were IGI and one of them was an i color and it wasn't cut very good but I still didn't see a big difference in color. Depends on your tolerance - be sure to compare in different types of lighting. Would and IGI I colored stone be similar to an AGS J colored stone? I'd wager J or K. And the J that I am looking at is an AGS000 would that make the J color less noticable From face up yes, less noticeable, from the side no. If you're sensitive to colour in a J, you'll see tint in some lighting from some angles - no matter how well-cut, it's still a J - and a big J at that, KWIM?. I looked at the GOG color video and although I could see the difference when you line them all up I don't think I would be able to notice it by itself and they all looked the same face up to me. And one other question, the 2.54 ct J VS1 has an AGS report dated back in 2007, should that concern me? Could this be a diamond trade up and should I ask for a new AGS report? it could be a trade-in, if the jeweller is a reputable vendor they will clean and check the stone to make sure it matches the cert, there are no chips/scratches, any minor surface scratches will be buffed out with no effects on weight/dimensions... you probably want to have a stone of that value independently appraised for that additional security, though.

Thanks for all your advise!
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The size difference would be noticeable. If you are already thinking the 2 ct is too small you will probably continue to think that long after you get your ring so going larger now is probably a good idea. As for dropping to a lower color that depends on you; I see color pretty easily so I would rather have a colorless diamond even if I had to go with a smaller size but that is my personal preference. Have fun shopping.
 
Have your owned a diamond before and if so what was its color? I ask because I really feel that you have to live with a diamond of lower color for a while before you really know your color tolerance. I know this is not very helpful when people want to buy online, but especially with a very large diamond, body color will show and you need to embrace it and love it or it will drive you batty
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Hi Dreamer,
I currently own a .92 ct IGI diamond that is H/I color and it is an SI2 and I don''t think it would score very well on the HCA but I am lacking one angle on my report to find out. I have never really noticed any color in it, it has always looked white and sparkly to me until I got the 2 ct. I have it set in yellow gold and my new diamond will be set in white gold. What I would really love to do is see my current G 2ct next to the J 2.54ct. I think I may ask if James Allen will send it to an independent appraiser so that I can compare them side by side. Not sure what James Allen''s policy is on that though.

Thanks
 
Date: 1/18/2010 9:18:51 AM
Author: NARock
Hi Dreamer,
I currently own a .92 ct IGI diamond that is H/I color and it is an SI2 and I don't think it would score very well on the HCA but I am lacking one angle on my report to find out. I have never really noticed any color in it, it has always looked white and sparkly to me until I got the 2 ct. I have it set in yellow gold and my new diamond will be set in white gold. What I would really love to do is see my current G 2ct next to the J 2.54ct. I think I may ask if James Allen will send it to an independent appraiser so that I can compare them side by side. Not sure what James Allen's policy is on that though.

Thanks
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I think JA should be able to do that, though I would think that you'd have to pay the fee to the IA plus shipping and insurance both ways.
 
2 ct to 2.5 ct is not a *huge* size change, but noticable. For the two diamonds you are looking at, the diameter goes from about 8.1 mm to 8.7 mm. That''s 0.6 mm wider diameter. Another way to think about it, you get a 15% increase in face up area with the larger stone.

Will *you* notice the color difference? Don''t know. Some people are color insensitive. I would probably notice the color difference. G''s are pretty close to colorless and I''s are going to show some body color, especially if you can see a side view in the setting you are considering. But it is a personal choice. Some people will see the color difference but not mind it, and be willing to trade the lower color for size bump. Some people actually prefer the lower color, lucky them!

Just be careful about dropping too much in color with a larger stone, if you are not sure on your tolerance level - the body color is going to look more saturated in the larger stones.
 
Hi,

If this is your one shot at a new diamond to enjoy for the next 15 years, then for sure upgrade. You should be able to notice a size increase between a 2 and a 2.5 ct.

The one thing though is that I do not think you'll get an accurate feel of diamond color by looking on your computer. Everyones monitors are different and each shot posted has different lighting, different cameras, etc. Kind of one of those where you need to look in real life and also not just under the guise of jewelry store lighting (or in photos!)
 
I recently went from a 1.9 K to a 2.4 J stone. I can tell the size difference, although it's not an overly huge difference (I wanted it to be a bigger difference than it was). Like you, however, this new 2.4 J stone is my *forever* (or at least for a really long time!) stone, so I pushed for as big as my budget could afford. I looked at I colored stones in the 2.5 range and I couldn't see a bit of color, even from the sides (it was already mounted in a solitaire setting), which told me that I wasn't that color-sensitive. With my new J, on some occasions I can see just a hint of color (usually I see it when in a yellow or beige colored room), but I'm overall very pleased with my stone. And my new J is definitely less tinted than my previous K.

I would suggest thinking about the 4 C's and their order of preference for you. For me it was carat, cut, color and then clarity. That's how I ended up with a 2.4ct. non-H&A ideal cut J eye-clean SI2. That was my perfect compromise. Once you have figured out your preference, then you can decide if a larger J is more important to you than a smaller I.

Good luck, keep us posted on what you decide!

P.S. I also wear a size 6.5. It's a bummer that so many PS ladies have smaller hands, it really does start to warp your perception of how big a diamond should look on your hand!
 

Ok PSers, I need your advise. I finally got the idealscopes for the 2 different diamonds I am thinking about upgrading to. Please give me your opinions. First let me show you again my current diamond that I bought from JA.


http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/G-SI1-Ideal-Cut-Round-Diamond-1260294.asp


It was about $17,750 and it is completely eyeclean and the appr. thought it even looked like a VS2.


Now, here is the one that is an I colour and it is an SI1 that is eyeclean. It scored a 1.8 on the HCA.

http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/I-SI1-Ideal-Cut-Round-Diamond-1258693.asp

Here are the gemologists comments on it.

"The 2.5ct I SI1 is a great SI1, the feathers are all white and not eye visible. You will not see anything once the diamond is mounted. It has an excellent cut, very brilliant and fiery. This also the whitest of the three diamonds. The cloudiness you see on the website is the image and does not properly reflect the actual appearance of the diamond."

It is about $2500 more than my current one.




2.5 ISI1.JPG
 
Here is the other one I was looking at, thanks Lorelei! It is a 2.54 J VS1 and it scored an HCA 1.2. Iti s an AGS000. It is actually less than the original one by about $500. I kindof feel like they aren''t crazy about me trading mine in for this one because it is less but maybe I am just reading to much into it.

http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/J-VS1-Ideal-Cut-Round-Diamond-1179574.asp

Here are the gemologist comments on it.

''Finally, the 2.54 J SI1 has an excellent cut, very brilliant, just slightly yellower than the I SI1. This diamond appears slightly bigger than the other two when viewed in person.''

She messed up on the SI1 part. I have still not seen a J in person so I am torn. This is the one that I would really like if it didn''t look to yellow. Please give me any and all advise. The customer service rep told me the gemologist said to go with the I colour one but he didn''t put that in the email.

Idealscope:



2.54 JVS1.JPG
 
ETA: Nice IS pics.


I'd go with the I. You're used to a sizable G, and if you're worried about colour the less the difference between old and new the better.





The size difference will be unnoticeable when set.
 
Both IS looks good.

A thing to note is that the bigger the stone, the more likely it will show some color, so up to you to do the balancing act and decide which is your sweet spot.
 
I may be reading this wrong but...........

Do you have $20K more to spend on this diamond with the trade or are you looking to trade your 2.0 for a 2.5 and spend approx. $3K?

Just curious.
 
Sorry, I guess I wasn''t very clear before. I bought a 2 ct and have not yet had it set. It looked a little small on my 6.5 size finger in the tension set they sent it in so I am debating on going bigger. I still have a week or so to return it. I would return it and pay the $2,500 extra for the I 2.5ct or get money back if I went with the J 2.54ct.

Yssie, you said the size difference would be unnoticeable when set, do you mean between the 2 ct I have now and the 2.5 ct I am looking at? The dimensions show about .6mm, you don''t think that would be noticable?

So tonight hubby and I went out and tried to find a J diamond in this city, it was not easy. One store had one J diamond that was in the 2 ct range. It was from HDR out of Antwerp(?). Has anyone ever heard of them? The J was not bad but I wonder if it was more like a K because I have never heard of HDR before. Also, it was not a great cut, bad stats, but I could see the yellow. So my thinking is I could tell with it but when I saw a GIA I colour I couldn''t really tell and it didn''t look bad. Would a J from AGS look like an I from GIA?

But, both diamonds look like they are cut good based on the idealscopes, right?
 
AGS color/clarity grading is on par with GIA.

HRD is quite a good lab in Europe but stones that make it across the Atlantic with that lab report seems to be the worst of the lot.
 
Me personally, I would feel more comfortable with the I color. I value color over clarity and I don''t like to see tint in my diamonds, even if a beige or yellow room. Is it worth the extra $2500? To me, if I were spending as much as you are spending already, the extra 10% is worth it.

The other option is what you suggested, having them both sent to an appraiser near you to view. It may be the case that the J will float your boat in person, so it is worth it. Plus it is fun to see diamonds in person and play with them.
 
Ok, so I am now leaning towards the 2.5 I SI1. It is a few thousand more but we have already spent a a ton so what''s a bit more, lol. Anyway I want to make sure that I am not missing anything important based on the report, picture, idealscope and gemologists comments. This is probably overkill but I am trying to be cautious before I move up in size. So here is the details again, please let me know if I have missed anything that I should think about or ask the gemologists about. You all are a world of help and knowledge!!!!!!

http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/I-SI1-Ideal-Cut-Round-Diamond-1258693.asp

HCA 1.8

Gemologists comments:
The 2.5ct I SI1 is a great SI1, the feathers are all white and not eye visible. You will not see anything once the diamond is mounted. It has an excellent cut, very brilliant and fiery. This also the whitest of the three diamonds. The cloudiness you see on the website is the image and does not properly reflect the actual appearance of the diamond.
And finally the idealscope again:


2.5 ISI1 diamond.JPG
 
It looks nice! There is some leakage-looking areas under the table, but it looks like the diamond was tilted a little when photographed so I don''t think it is a real issue.
 
that will be one gorgeous rock:-)
 
Ok, so I had the gemologist compare the 2 ct G SI1 that is eyeclean with the 2.5 ct I SI1. My big concern was going down to an I colour when the G looked so white and nice. She said that the G was a low G and the I looks like a high I and she sent pictures. The size difference is obvious but can you tell a big difference in the colour? Need your opinions.

Thanks!

image001[2].jpg
 
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