Thoughts on this stone? 1.56 H SI1

[joegolo]

Thanks to all the information on PS I almost feel like I''ve become a quasi diamond expert. I''m getting close to my diamond decision and wanted the community''s opinions.

It''s a James Allen stone with these specs (didn''t post a link because I''ve read about poaching)

:

Shape: Round
Carat weight: 1.56
Cut: Ideal
Color: H
Clarity: SI1
Certificate: GIA

Depth: 61.3%
Table: 57.0%
Crown Angle: 34.5
Pavillion Angle: 40.8
Polish: Excellent
Symmetry: Excellent
Girdle: Medium
Culet: None
Fluorescence: None
Measurements: 7.44*7.51*4.58

Scores 1.3 on the HCA with ex, ex, ex, vg

Priced at $10500 (dropped $250 today compared to previously for some reason), and 9318.10 after PS and bank wire discounts.

Link to GIA cert

Link to image

One concern I have is the number of inclusions shown in the GIA, but I''ve been talking to a SA there and he says, "The diamond in question is a beautifully brilliant, icy white, eye-clean diamond."

Thoughts? Should I ask for an IS image or hold the stone? I''ll probably make one last check at a friend''s family''s jewelry/diamond shop in the LA diamond district this weekend, but everything about this stone sounds fantastic while still sliding under my ~10k budget. It''s not a h&a, but it falls under the 1A cut class. Would this be considered a good value? It comes in at about $5973/carat after the discounts.



Thanks everyone!

Joe

 

[stone-cold11]

Looks good to me. IS if you want to confirm what the numbers are saying.

 

[Ellen]

Hi joe,

From the angles and the diamond image, I don't think an IS is crucial. It looks good, but by all meanss, if it would ease your mind, ask anyway.

If they say it's eyeclean (and you both are on the same page as to what that means to you) and beautiful, I would believe them.

Looks like a great diamond!

 

[Lorelei]

Date: 2/25/2009 2:00:18 PM
Author: Ellen
Hi joe,

From the angles and the diamond image, I don't think an IS is crucial. It looks good, but by all meanss, if it would ease your mind, ask anyway.

If they say it's eyeclean (and you both are on the same page as to what that means to you) and beautiful, I would believe them.

Looks like a great diamond!

Ditto, and it shows great promise! Definitely put it on hold if you are seriously interested in purchase.

 

[joegolo]

Thanks for the input everyone

I''ll go ahead and place this diamond on hold for a few days while I make last considerations. I''ll ask for and see if I can get an IS image just to confirm what looks to be a beautiful diamond. I''ll update everyone when I get it.


Thanks again!
Joe

 

[phildominator]

If it''s on hold, why not get an IS???

Not like you spend $10k everyday!

 

[Lorelei]

Date: 2/25/2009 6:05:54 PM
Author: joegolo
Thanks for the input everyone

I''ll go ahead and place this diamond on hold for a few days while I make last considerations. I''ll ask for and see if I can get an IS image just to confirm what looks to be a beautiful diamond. I''ll update everyone when I get it.


Thanks again!
Joe

Most welcome, keep us posted!

 

[Ellen]

Date: 2/26/2009 5:21:22 AM
Author: Lorelei

Date: 2/25/2009 6:05:54 PM
Author: joegolo
Thanks for the input everyone

I''ll go ahead and place this diamond on hold for a few days while I make last considerations. I''ll ask for and see if I can get an IS image just to confirm what looks to be a beautiful diamond. I''ll update everyone when I get it.


Thanks again!
Joe

Most welcome, keep us posted!

Ditto!

 

[joegolo]

Just got an email from the SA. He says he'll put the diamond on hold for me, but it'll take at least 24 hours to get the IS. Not a problem, I'll be doing my last bit of b&m diamond shopping this weekend so that works out. Will post IS once I get it

Also should I be concerned about the number of inclusions? It seems like there are an awful lot on the top. It'll probably be set in a Memoire style eternity ring.

 

[Ellen]

Great, we''ll be watching for it!

 

[joegolo]

Date: 2/26/2009 5:08:38 PM
Author: Ellen
Great, we''ll be watching for it!

Thanks Ellen

I''m always amazed by how quickly everyone replies and helps out noobs like me.

 

[joegolo]

doh! The SA emailed me back and said that the diamond has been sold, and he''ll look for something similar

sigh, back to the search then I guess. I wonder if it got poached lol. *sigh* thanks for the help though, I''ll post another one when I find it. Gotta push on to make a happy FI hehe.


Joe

 

[Ellen]

Date: 2/26/2009 6:00:09 PM
Author: joegolo
doh! The SA emailed me back and said that the diamond has been sold, and he''ll look for something similar

sigh, back to the search then I guess. I wonder if it got poached lol. *sigh* thanks for the help though, I''ll post another one when I find it. Gotta push on to make a happy FI hehe.


Joe

Oh no! Hadn''t you put it on hold yesterday?

Well, I''m sure they''ll find something else. I can look around too if you''d like?

 

[joegolo]

Date: 2/26/2009 6:24:52 PM
Author: Ellen

Date: 2/26/2009 6:00:09 PM

Author: joegolo

doh! The SA emailed me back and said that the diamond has been sold, and he''ll look for something similar

sigh, back to the search then I guess. I wonder if it got poached lol. *sigh* thanks for the help though, I''ll post another one when I find it. Gotta push on to make a happy FI hehe.



Joe

Oh no! Hadn''t you put it on hold yesterday?

Well, I''m sure they''ll find something else. I can look around too if you''d like?

Hey Ellen,

Well, I emailed them yesterday (when it was available), but the SA didn''t get back to me until today afternoon. He said he would put it on hold, I just needed to give him a phone number and he''d get me the IS image in a day or so. He then emailed me back later ask which diamond, and later said it had been sold =\. I guess I should''ve called instead of emailing. Things happen, the diamond is gone now. It''s too bad because I really loved how that one was sounding. If you see anything with similar specs please let me know

. After reading all the information on here my priorities on the C''s are Cut, Carat, Color, and Clarity. Finally deciding on [super]ideal (but doesn''t have to be h&a) with low 1.x HCA scores, ~1.5 ct, G-H color, VS1-SI1 (as long as it''s eye clean) for under or around $10k after PS/bank wire discounts. I notice that USA CERTED shows a lot of diamonds on their search, but they most don''t have the same detailed information that other vendors seem to have. Hopefully there''s something else in James Allen''s inventory that matches up with it, but I''ll continue looking.

 

[silverbuggy]

joegolo, i don''t know how JA works, but if it''s similar to BN where they let customers hold diamond for 48 hours, then there''s a possibility that diamond will become available if the other person backs out! so if i were you, i would keep checking back to see if the status on the diamond changes. good luck! i''m a newbie too.

 

[joegolo]

Date: 2/26/2009 11:27:42 PM
Author: silverbuggy
joegolo, i don''t know how JA works, but if it''s similar to BN where they let customers hold diamond for 48 hours, then there''s a possibility that diamond will become available if the other person backs out! so if i were you, i would keep checking back to see if the status on the diamond changes. good luck! i''m a newbie too.

Thanks! You must''ve been good luck silverbuggy. I got an email from the SA stating that the stone had NOT been sold (must''ve been some confusion, or like you said a hold and then someone changed their mind?), but he''s going to place it on hold for me, and I just went ahead and requested the IS and Sarin images. Will post an update when I get them

Maybe that means this is meant to be I should be able to make my final decision after seeing some more diamonds in person this weekend, and after I get the information from JA.

 

[Lorelei]

Thats great news, silverbuggy DID bring you luck!!

 

[Ellen]

Date: 2/27/2009 11:57:59 AM
Author: joegolo



Thanks! You must''ve been good luck silverbuggy. I got an email from the SA stating that the stone had NOT been sold (must''ve been some confusion, or like you said a hold and then someone changed their mind?), but he''s going to place it on hold for me, and I just went ahead and requested the IS and Sarin images. Will post an update when I get them

Maybe that means this is meant to be I should be able to make my final decision after seeing some more diamonds in person this weekend, and after I get the information from JA.

Well,

Maybe it is meant to be!

 

[joegolo]

Wow, received the Sarin and IS sooner than the SA expected! Here''s what he had to say in the first email:

Joe,

I have placed a request for the Idealscope image and Sarin report, both should be available by Monday. I would like to inform you that the Sarin information has been recorded by GIA and is available on the report. The pavilion angle is an amazing 40.8 and the crown angle is 34.4, the Sarin we provide might not be as accurate as the GIA information. As for my recommendation of this diamond, the Image is great and it looks good on paper. I would however like to see how it performs in an IS image and get my gemologists professional opinion before I make my final decision as well. It is one thing to read about the diamonds attributes, and quite another to experience it in person. So for now, have a great weekend, and I will have everything you need by the beginning of next week.

I thought the Sarin report was supposed to be more accurate than the GIA due to rounding? Is a pavillion of 40.8 very impressive?

Here''s his second email:

Joe,

The Idealscope image and Sarin report were available sooner than originally anticipated. As you can see from the Idealscope image there is very little light leakage, making this stone optimal in terms of performance. I think this is a great diamond, and definitely full of fire, brilliance and scintillation. I am still going to have it reviewed by my gemologist, but the credits keep getting better for this stone.

Have a great weekend.

I''m pretty excited

I''ve attached the IS image. I''ll attach the Sarin report to the next post since it looks like one attachment per post.

 

[Ellen]

Date: 2/27/2009 3:08:39 PM
Author: joegolo
Wow, received the Sarin and IS sooner than the SA expected! Here's what he had to say in the first email:




I thought the Sarin report was supposed to be more accurate than the GIA due to rounding? Is a pavillion of 40.8 very impressive?

Here's his second email:




I'm pretty excited

I've attached the IS image. I'll attach the Sarin report to the next post since it looks like one attachment per post.

It is, not sure why he said that. A 40.8 pavilion angle (coupled with a good crown, which it is), is very nice. Right in the sweet spot.

The IS looks fabu! The stone is a tad tilted in the pic, but it's going to be a beautiful stone. Yay!!

 

[Lorelei]

GIA round the numbers however there can be variances with Sarin figures due to the skill of the operator, calibration of the machine etc and various other reasons. So the images are extremely useful such as Idealscope, and this one looks good!

 

[Ellen]

Date: 2/27/2009 3:13:41 PM
Author: Lorelei
GIA round the numbers however there can be variances with Sarin figures due to the skill of the operator, calibration of the machine etc and various other reasons. So the images are extremely useful such as Idealscope, and this one looks good!

I don''t think a GIA report would ever be MORE accurate than a Sarin though, do you? That''s the way I read what JA insinuated was possible....

 

[joegolo]

Here we go, had some trouble getting the report uploaded hehe. It looks like the Sarin figures are slightly different than the GIA. Any idea why he highlighted the crown angle? Some of the previous Sarin reports I''ve looked at on the forums had letter grades, have they changed to 0-10 like AGS?

 

[Ellen]

Not sure why he highlighted, but everything is within acceptable range, supported by a nice IS. It''s a great looking diamond.

 

[joegolo]

Date: 2/27/2009 3:13:08 PM
Author: Ellen

Date: 2/27/2009 3:08:39 PM

Author: joegolo

Wow, received the Sarin and IS sooner than the SA expected! Here''s what he had to say in the first email:





I thought the Sarin report was supposed to be more accurate than the GIA due to rounding? Is a pavillion of 40.8 very impressive?


Here''s his second email:





I''m pretty excited

I''ve attached the IS image. I''ll attach the Sarin report to the next post since it looks like one attachment per post.

It is, not sure why he said that. A 40.8 pavilion angle (coupled with a good crown, which it is), is very nice. Right in the sweet spot.

The IS looks fabu! The stone is a tad tilted in the pic, but it''s going to be a beautiful stone. Yay!!

Ah... is that why I see more light leakage at the top compared to the bottom? I was wondering about that.

 

[Ellen]

Date: 2/27/2009 3:24:30 PM
Author: joegolo


Ah... is that why I see more light leakage at the top compared to the bottom? I was wondering about that.

Yes. No worries!

 

[Lorelei]

Those lighter areas are not going to be perceptible to the human eye so I wouldn't worry.

 

[silverbuggy]

awww this is all awesome to hear! good for you joegolo nice to hear i''m bringing luck!

 

[YoungPapa]

Date: 2/27/2009 3:08:39 PM
Author: joegolo

I thought the Sarin report was supposed to be more accurate than the GIA due to rounding? Is a pavillion of 40.8 very impressive?

Joe,

I think what your SA was trying to say is that our sarin (which is actually not a sarin but an OGI) has had some calibration issues recently and we''ve seen numbers that didn''t match up with the AGS or GIA reports. This can be confusing, especially when customers are relying on this information to make a purchase decision. I *believe* the issue has been mostly resolved and the numbers on this report were pretty close to what we saw on the GIA.

All the best,

 

[Lorelei]

Thanks Jim for the clarification!