Any Brilliance.com Reviews?

Getting Tripped Up On Advanced Criteria and Subtleties! My Head Is Spinning!

Q:

Hi Liz,

I’m looking for some diamond guidance. Here are my requirements:

Budget: $15-17,000
Color: D-F?
Clarity: VVS2
Carat 1.5?
Setting: Classic; emphasis on single stone

Getting tripped up on all of the advance criteria and the subtleties. My head is spinning. I’ve looked at Blue Nile and the other diamond websites you’ve referenced. Suggestions to help me narrow the field?

Thanks,

Marc

A:

Hi Marc,

Thanks for letting me know your diamond budget and requirements.

Four Prong Platinum Solitiare Engagement Ring from Brian Gavin Diamonds $675.00

Here is what I suggest. A classic four or six prong platinum solitaire setting will cost around $1000.00. Therefore you are left with a generous diamond budget.

Colorless diamonds (D, E, and F) will cost a premium. VVS1-VVS2 will cost a premium. I suggest getting the most bang for your buck by lowering your color grade requirement to near-colorless (G/H/I) and lowering your clarity grade to an eye-clean stone (this can be as low as SI1) in order to enable you to get the carat weight close to 1.50ct. A diamond’s clarity grade has nothing to do with overall brilliance or sparkle. “Brilliance/bling/sparkle” all come from how well the diamond is actually cut. Therefore I would suggest you focus on an Excellent (GIA) Ideal (AGS) cut grade stone. Keep in mind that these two labs grade their top cuts differently with AGS being a bit more discerning and having tighter parameters. This is why the connoisseur diamond vendors (Brian Gavin Diamonds) sell AGS ideal cut stones.

So for you, I recommend this 1.55ct I VS1 for $15,831.00: http://www.briangavindiamonds.com/diamonds/diamond-details/1.551-i-vs1-round-diamond-ags-104063639020

This is a hearts and arrows AGS triple 0 (ideal light performance, polish and symmetry) from Brian Gavin Diamonds. This diamond is perfectly eye-clean and has gorgeous light reflection. Absolutely stunning.

Please let me know what you think.

Regards,

Liz

What About Some Brilliance.com Reviews?

Q:

Hi Liz,

Thanks for your advice.

I also stumbled on a website called Brilliance and was wondering what you thought of this internet dealer and this specific diamond:

http://www.brilliance.com/diamonds/1.53-carat-round-g-color-vs1-clarity-super-ideal-cut-gia-certified-loose-diamond-D12747033

It says it is a Super Ideal Cut with clarity of VS1 with no fluorescence. The price of $15,263 seems several hundred dollars less than the Brian Gavin diamond and is color graded G instead of I. It is 1.53 ct instead of 1.551 but the cut, color grade and lack of fluorescence makes it appear a better buy. Does this make sense to you. Appreciate your thoughts.

Best,

Marc

A:

Hi Marc,

The diamond you have chosen from Brilliance has no actual magnified picture of the diamond (the picture on the website is a stock/sample image). There is also no light reflector images (ASET/ideal-scope) to show how the stone reflects light from within it’s facets. Again, this is important because buying a stone from the numbers listed on a GIA report alone is like buying blind. You simply need more information in order to accurately determine how well a diamond is cut. In addition, the proportions listed on this 1.53ct GIA report are not ideal in this case. I don’t recommend this diamond at all.

Liz

Be very careful of diamond websites selling diamonds with stock pictures and images. For example, this 1.53ct diamond from Brilliance.com has a ‘sample’ image and even a ‘sample diamond video’! There is absolutely no point to this!

Marc’s 1.551ct I VS1 Signature Hearts and Arrows from Brian Gavin Diamonds

Q:

Hi Liz,

I ordered the 1.551ct I VS1 from Brian Gavin Diamonds and it arrived on Thursday. It looked fantastic and my fiance loved it. The ring is perfect and she’s happy so I am too! I want to thank you again for your support, direction and most helpful guidance.

Best,

Marc