12 replies to this topic

[mdrd51]

Carat wt: 0.91
Cut: Ideal
Color: G
Clarity: SI2
Depth%: 62.2%
Table%: 57%
Polish: Excellent
Symmetry: Excellent
Girdle: Medium to Slighly Thick
Culet: None
Fluorescene: None
Measurement: 6.17 X 6.21 X 3.85 mm

GIA Report:
Shape & Cutting Style: Round Brilliant
Cut Grade: Excellent
Clarity Characteristics: Crystal
(all other are same as above)

Price: $4259.00

[davidelevi]

Tough to say whether it is a "good" diamond. Diamonds of similar size, colour, clarity and cut grade are for sale on the Diamond Finder for prices between $5400 and just over $3000. The largest cause of the difference is the visibility of the inclusion - which cannot be assessed other than by someone seeing it (the plot on the GIA report - if there is a plot - is not useful). You haven't posted the two parameters which are the best proxies for "cut" either (pavilion and crown angles), which is likely to be the second cause of the differences in price: GIA "excellent" cut covers a lot of ground, and some "excellent" proportion are decidedly more commercially valuable than others.

"Should you buy it?" is a completely different question still!

[mdrd51]

I saw this diamond at Blue Nile. As you may know, they don't provide pavilion and crown angles parameters on their website.

[davidelevi]

Actually, they normally do - there is a scanned copy of the GIA or AGS report available for each BN stone, and the angles are available there...

[mdrd51]

Pavilion = 41 degrees
Crown angle = 35 degrees

[mdrd51]

Actually Pavilion is 43.5%

[davidelevi]

OK - so that puts the stone in the upper reaches as far as cut (and cut-related pricing) is concerned. The key question remains that on the inclusions; BN will never handle the stone physically, but they can ask their supplier (and they have a pretty straightforward return policy) - have you asked them for information on how visible the inclusion is?

[mdrd51]

I had a chat with one of their rep at Blue Nile and this is what she said:

"We've checked with the vault where this diamond is stored in to verify that it is an eye clean diamond. This mean that when you view the diamond through the top from 6-8 inches away for several seconds, you are unable to see any inclusions with the naked eye. It may be the case that you can see those inclusions if you closely scrutinize the diamond."

[davidelevi]

Which gets you nowhere, unfortunately. It's not an unreasonable definition of "eye clean", but is it one that you can live with? Many people are happy as long as the inclusion isn't obvious: at the end of the day, most people don't go around with loupes or even scrutinising their neighbour's ring at close distance. However, some people are bothered by the idea that the inclusion is or may be visible to some eagle-eyed person. Which are you? And perhaps more importantly, which is she?

[mdrd51]

If I say that the inclusions may not bother her; then what is your opinion overall about the diamond and the price?

[denverappraiser]

The pricing question boils down to whether you can get something comparable elsewhere for less. Davide is quite reasonably poking at the 'comparable' part of this quesiton because of the variables that you don't know about exactly what it is. To be fair, there are similar variables at any dealer you choose and you need to take some level of a leap of faith in the dealer about some of this. That's why it's so important to vet the dealer in addition to the claimed specs on the stone. That said, searching for comps on this sort of thing is extremely easy. Start with the 'diamond finder' link at the top of the page and enter your specs. You'll find dozens of stones for sale. If you want to include your local stores as an option, pay them a visit. Bring in a printout of the BN ad and the lab report for the stone you're considering and ask them if they have (or can get) something comparable that you should be considering. In every case, storefront or online, tiny details matter.

[jan]

mdrd51, on 21 February 2012 - 04:28 AM, said:

I had a chat with one of their rep at Blue Nile and this is what she said:

"We've checked with the vault where this diamond is stored in to verify that it is an eye clean diamond. This mean that when you view the diamond through the top from 6-8 inches away for several seconds, you are unable to see any inclusions with the naked eye. It may be the case that you can see those inclusions if you closely scrutinize the diamond."

The cut isn't bad, and the price isn't bad, but I would consider a higher clarity with a slightly lower color as well. Going from a G-H or even I color you probably wouldn't notice and that way you can get a truely eye clean diamond.

[mdrd51]

Thanks everyone for their advice; I bought this diamond.
Thanks again.