Need advice on an engagement ring
- Thread starter daisydai
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Tiffany uses their own grading system, which I personally (nor do most in the industry) do not find reputable. Their grading sets their pricing, and if you're watching the hen house, where's the oversight?
As far as which lab is better? GIA and AGS are about on par, they excel at different things. I prefer AGS because they properly grade cut. They're good with color and clarity but GIA is better for color and clarity, IMO, as far as they're the industry standard there, but they suck SUCK suck at cut grading, so if you're looking at a GIA report that says "excellent" cut, take that with a grain of salt because it means jack squat. They've been trying for years to set something decent up, but they have quite a ways to go. So consider GIA and AGS. Depending which vendor, most of the ones I sent you deal with AGS. They're strict on cut quality.
Ideal table, depth and angles for a round are pretty set. But there are no set numbers for any other shape as you can't do those based on numbers. So if you want a round, I can help you with that based on numbers. I have that info posted several times throughout the forum, it is in the Diamond Reference thread here Diamond FAQ/Reference thread
I will be kind of off the radar for the next few days, so I won't be much help in this thread after today, but if you PM me I can assist you with more questions.
From a photo I could give you a guesstimate of carat size only based on a guesstimate of the width of the shank. Cut quality I can't really tell from a photo of a ring, I need much more information than that. I could tell you the shape (ie if it's a cushion, etc.) from that though.
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I need a head on shot. Straight on of the stone. That should give me an idea of the size relative the shank.
But I would suggest you take it for an appraisal. If he has no documentation in their files anywhere, that makes it a little more difficult. Id hope he has the paperwork from when they bought it.
Assuming the shank is around 2.5-3 mm it's probably somewhere between 1.5 and 2cts just based on my guesstimate of the diameter. Like I said, that's only basing it on the diameter to shank ratio. Without actual paperwork, the only way to get as close as possible IS to dismantle the ring, because you can't regrade a diamond (as in send to GIA for a grade) unless the stone is loose. They can give a guesstimate with it set, but it won't be accurate.
I will tell you that 10 years ago when I was looking for a new anniversary diamond, I found a diamond education site that helped me tremendously. After I learned what a well cut diamond was, I did try to look locally, but no one sold anything close to superideal cut diamonds. Ame has listed some good sources, but my diamonds have all come from Good Old Gold and Whiteflash and I have been dealing with them for 10 years now. Whiteflash usually has the greatest selection of ideal cut rounds, and Good Old Gold carries many fancy shape diamonds. Both have done light return testing to show the stones' superior cut and light return. I'll see if I see any good ones to add to the list Ame already posted.
http://www.whiteflash.com/loose-diamonds/round-cut-loose-diamond-3667824.htm (my favorite)
http://www.whiteflash.com/loose-diamonds/round-cut-loose-diamond-3646318.htm
http://www.whiteflash.com/loose-diamonds/round-cut-loose-diamond-3408397.htm
Compare prices between the superideal cut vendors, because have better pricing than others.
Oh, also, Victor Canera has top quality diamonds and is one of the best pave ringmakers in the US.
https://www.victorcanera.com/
http://www.whiteflash.com/loose-diamonds/round-cut-loose-diamond-3646318.htm
http://www.whiteflash.com/loose-diamonds/round-cut-loose-diamond-3408397.htm
Compare prices between the superideal cut vendors, because have better pricing than others.
Oh, also, Victor Canera has top quality diamonds and is one of the best pave ringmakers in the US.
https://www.victorcanera.com/