2 replies to this topic

[rob]

Hello! I have never bought a diamond or researched previously, but I'm ready to pop the big question to my girlfriend and am looking for some help! I came across this site and have found it very useful and wanted an opinion on a situation I ran into.

The other day I went with my girlfriend to look at rings at the Shane Co, because we figured they would have a lot of options to just get an idea of what she would be looking for. I was skeptical of buying from the Shane Co, but was surprised by the helpful service and the diamonds we saw. However, I am no expert and this is where I need advice!

We looked at a lot of diamonds and saw the differences in color and clarity. Some were pretty obvious to distinguish as a good or "less good" diamond, others I couldn't tell any difference without really staring under the 10x glass. One particular diamond we were shown looked better than higher rated diamonds, even diamonds 2x the price at top of the line in color/clarity. It SPARKLED more than anything of the others we looked at. Under the 10x magnifying glass I could see a lot of feathers and see why it was rated lower clarity, but it still looked better than the others to the eye. When we put it next to a VS1/F and could tell the color was a little off, but otherwise I think it looked great.

This diamond's specs:
Round 1.02ct SI2/G. Price was $5900.

My budget is around $10k out the door (diamond + setting) in the 1ct range, so I have some room to go higher on the diamond price. My question is, do I go with this diamond because my GF and I were comfortable with the way it looked and thought it out performed it's rating OR should I shop around and try to find a slightly better rated diamond that is maybe more clear or better color with the same sparkle?

I don't want the "best rated" diamond for investment purposes, resale value or anything like that, I want something that looks great on her hand and shines bright! Thanks for reading

[jan]

First of all, when you say you were looking at a SI2 G 1.02 ct. What kind of lab report did the stone have? You need to stick with a GIA or AGS lab report.
The other day was saw a stone graded by EGL USA that was suppose to be a SI1 F and it would probably have graded out an I1 G if it went to GIA to be graded.
They are the most accurate of labs.
Also the better the cut grade, the better the sparkle. The ultimate is the AGS ideal cut with platinum lab report and hearts and arrows cut. You certainly have a nice budget and can get a wonderful stone for the money.

[GeorgeDI]

I second everything Jan has said and would add one word of caution and that is that you should be aware that there are treated stones out there that look great but are not. There are stores, even chain stores who sell diamonds that have been treated so that you do not see the imperfections. These treatments are not permanent and should be disclosed. By buying a diamond with a GIA or AGS grading report, you will reduce the likelihood of buying such a stone. By seeking the advice of an independent appraiser before you finalize the purchase or within a reasonable return period, you will eliminate this possibility.

Good luck.