Proposal Ring - Part 2

[sneggg]

actually theres no such cut as super ideal right ? its the stores's own super ideal benchmarks/QC

 

[ssyap85]

How about IGI cert with HCA 1.3? Does IGI has looser requirement on the cut and colour?

 

[Lurker_13]

How about IGI cert with HCA 1.3? Does IGI has looser requirement on the cut and colour?

If u do a little research, most in the diamond industry will recommend either GIA or AGS certified stones. HCA is only a tool to eliminate non performing diamonds never a grading standard.

 

[zeally]

actually theres no such cut as super ideal right ? its the stores's own super ideal benchmarks/QC

Yes. No labs grades diamond as super ideal. But generally, from the ideal cuts, some shops like Jann Paul selects some stones among these ideal cuts whom they think has exceptional light performance and perfect symmetry and calls them super ideal. Many online retailers do that as well, but there is varying standards. I do not recommend getting these "super ideal" if it is price out of the normal range of prices offered by the shop, unless the shop can demonstrate to me that the difference is significant and very much noticeable to the average eye.

Because most of the time, online retailers especially but brick and mortar shops as well, expects customers to pay a premium over these super ideals as they have been filtered from the average collection as exceptional quality. So they are sort of expected to perform, safe buy etc. I believe this is true in most cases.

However, most of the time, we can get a equivalent stone in their normal collection if we do enough homework at a much reasonable price.

Furthermore, some shops are quite lax in their classifications of super ideals. In fact some shops that I know (not naming them here) actually uses very poor selection tools such as HCA scores to determine super ideals. In these cases, the extra premium that we are paying for these diamonds is definitely not worth the purchase.

 

[zeally]

How about IGI cert with HCA 1.3? Does IGI has looser requirement on the cut and colour?

Yes. Try to get one-two grades higher if it is IGI certified to be on the safer end (IGI E maybe a GIA F/G etc). but again, it is about consistency. This means that there is no guarantee that IGI grades diamonds to be higher grade as compared to GIA/AGSL, there is the possibility that they grades diamonds to be the same grade as GIA/AGSL too. If you can see the diamond under scopes and have other reports to go with it, actually, the certification is just paper. Sometimes, we should trust our eyes more than the cert.

 

[ssyap85]

Thanks for the guidance.

 

[Draculav]

actually theres no such cut as super ideal right ? its the stores's own super ideal benchmarks/QC

Super Ideal Cut is an actual term to describe the cut quality of the diamond. It is not a brandname or randeom term used by stores.

There's many stores offering Ideal cut diamonds, or lesser quality.. but that doesn't mean they are cheaper than a Super ideal cut. For eg. the Ideal cut Destinee have is crazily expensive..

 

[Lurker_13]

IGI vs GIA/AGS if u r interested http://www.diamondreview.com/forum/topic/3169-gia-vs-igi/
Question: If need to go up a grade or two for a IGI stone, wouldn't it be better to get a GIA stone and have more confidence tat i hve a more accurately graded stone?

 

[Lurker_13]

actually theres no such cut as super ideal right ? its the stores's own super ideal benchmarks/QC

Hope this helps: http://www.pricescope.com/forum/rockytalky/super-ideal-cut-what-does-it-mean-t19320.html

 

[UpperCut]

Super Ideal Cut is an actual term to describe the cut quality of the diamond. It is not a brandname or randeom term used by stores.

There's many stores offering Ideal cut diamonds, or lesser quality.. but that doesn't mean they are cheaper than a Super ideal cut. For eg. the Ideal cut Destinee have is crazily expensive..

So far the only recognised cut standards graded by GIA and AGS are Triple Ex and ideal 000 respectively. If you want to go one step further, then gotta depend on the special grades offered by the retailers themselves. (so that they can sell them at a premium too) JP calls them Super Ideal, WF calls it A CUT Above and Vivo Diamond calls them Signature Ideal. Different retailers have different criteria. Some retailers don't even have any fancy diamond cuts beyond those graded by GIA and AGS.

At the end of the day, it's your money and its up to what you want to spend it on. Some people just want the biggest stone that budget allows, some don't mind a smaller stone but wants the best cut and appearance in scope images, others just want the brand name cos it makes them feel good.

 

[Draculav]

So far the only recognised cut standards graded by GIA and AGS are Triple Ex and ideal 000 respectively. If you want to go one step further, then gotta depend on the special grades offered by the retailers themselves. (so that they can sell them at a premium too) JP calls them Super Ideal, WF calls it A CUT Above and Vivo Diamond calls them Signature Ideal. Different retailers have different criteria. Some retailers don't even have any fancy diamond cuts beyond those graded by GIA and AGS.

At the end of the day, it's your money and its up to what you want to spend it on. Some people just want the biggest stone that budget allows, some don't mind a smaller stone but wants the best cut and appearance in scope images, others just want the brand name cos it makes them feel good.

Yup.. I'll only trust GIA or AGS.. The problem is like you said.. different retailers have different criteria, calling their own diamonds "Ideal", etc and have different standards.. So now, the word "Ideal" can almost mean anything and you can't just trust what the SA says about their diamond. It's best to do your own research to make sure you are getting what they claim you are getting.

WF labels their Super Ideal to be A Cut Above.. I looked through some of them and can see some which I think shouldn't be classified as a Super Ideal or A Cut above. Like this one shows digging on the girdle which is a fail for a Super Ideal in my opinion.

 

[collomack]

Hi all, after much consideration I finally decided to make a trip down to JP yesterday and following diamond caught my eye. Can I trouble bros here for an advise?

Round Brilliant

0.534 cts, G, VS2

Measurements 5.22 - 5.26 x 3.22 mm

Cut Grade: AGS Ideal 0
Light performance: AGS Ideal 0
Polish: AGS Ideal 0
Symmetry: AGS Ideal 0

HCA score: 1.2

Many thanks in advance!

Cheers,

 

[hollander]

When we said Ideal, it is most common to see GIA 3X and AGS 000, but if we apply Super Ideal, ACA, BG Signature, we are filtering the Ideal diamonds in consideration with a lot of aspects.

Ideal is good enough but we want the best. ;-)

 

[Lurker_13]

Hi all, after much consideration I finally decided to make a trip down to JP yesterday and following diamond caught my eye. Can I trouble bros here for an advise?

Round Brilliant

0.534 cts, G, VS2

Measurements 5.22 - 5.26 x 3.22 mm

Cut Grade: AGS Ideal 0
Light performance: AGS Ideal 0
Polish: AGS Ideal 0
Symmetry: AGS Ideal 0

HCA score: 1.2

Many thanks in advance!

Cheers,

Think we really need to put up a sticky note liaoz... will need more info than this bro and scope images...

 

[bedposthalo]

Hi all, after much consideration I finally decided to make a trip down to JP yesterday and following diamond caught my eye. Can I trouble bros here for an advise?

Round Brilliant

0.534 cts, G, VS2

Measurements 5.22 - 5.26 x 3.22 mm

Cut Grade: AGS Ideal 0
Light performance: AGS Ideal 0
Polish: AGS Ideal 0
Symmetry: AGS Ideal 0

HCA score: 1.2

Many thanks in advance!

Cheers,

Think we really need to put up a sticky note liaoz... will need more info than this bro and scope images...

Need more info bro! Scope images will be helpful..

Anyway, you can't go wrong with JP.. they already filter their stuff for you.

 

[saintgtril]

What do you people think of this diamond?

Hi all,

This is my very first time getting a diamond and i am not certain if i am getting something that is worth its price. What do the experts think of its grade? Any comments, analysis or thoughts will be very much appreciated!

Diamond type: Super Ideal Cut
0.551 F VS2
AGS 104063713024

Damage: $3900 (include GST)!

 

[Lurker_13]

Bro, looks like a nice stone.

 

[UpperCut]

Think we really need to put up a sticky note liaoz... will need more info than this bro and scope images...

As they always say..NPNT

 

[UpperCut]

Hi all,

This is my very first time getting a diamond and i am not certain if i am getting something that is worth its price. What do the experts think of its grade? Any comments, analysis or thoughts will be very much appreciated!

Diamond type: Super Ideal Cut
0.551 F VS2
AGS 104063713024

Damage: $3900 (include GST)!

I would be expecting a little less particles even for a VS2.
You might wanna have a relook at the diamond itself to make sure the particles cannot be seen with the naked eye

 

[Seraphic]

Hi all, please help to give your comments on below two diamonds. i am choosing it for my engagement ring! Thanks Both Super Ideal Cut , E , VS2,.. just different in carat size. Thanks

Depth 61.8 %
Table 56 %
Crown Angle 34.5°
Crown Height 15.0%
Pavilion Angle 40.8°
Pavilion Depth 43.0%
Star Length 50%
Lower Half 80%
Girdle Medium to Slightly Thick, Faceted, 3.5%
Culet None
Fluorescence None
Clarity characteristics Crystal, Cloud

Depth 60.7 %
Table 56 %
Crown Angle 34.0°
Crown Height 15.0%
Pavilion Angle 40.6°
Pavilion Depth 43.0%
Star Length 55%
Lower Half 75%
Girdle Thin to Medium, Faceted, 3.0%
Culet None
Fluorescence None
clarity characteristics Crystal, Cloud, Needle, Feather