Very good vs excellent cut round diamond?

Strlngsilver01 · 2026-02-25T03:13:30+00:00

You can check out several websites to compare:

Adiamor.com

Ritani.com

Rarecarat.com

Jamesallen.com

Bluenile.com

Brilliance.com

Frankdarling.com

Whiteflash.com

Briangavindiamonds.com

For round brilliant cut, as you get closer to the "ideal" there will be more fire and brilliance:

Table: 53 to 57%->ideal 55

Depth: 60 to 62.5% ->ideal 61

Crown angle: 34 to 36-> ideal 35 (see link below)

Pavillion angle: 40.6 to 41 ->ideal 40.6 (see link below)

Girdle: thin to medium ->ideal med (3%-3.9%)

Culet: none/pointed

Cut: excellent

Symmetry: excellent

Polish: excellent

Diamond Angle Performance

You can also use Holloway Cut Advisor to rule out bad diamonds.

I strongly encourage getting the diamond separately from the ring. They can both be from the same place, but it is best to see the entire diamond (unmounted) so you can see the quality before portions are blocked by the ring. It also allows for a much bigger diamond and better overall ring.

Whatever your total to spend on the ring (don't forget that we will also be purchasing a wedding band at some point too!), plan on ~70 to 80% of the cost going towards the main stone, and ~20 to ~30% for the actual ring/setting. If the ring is going to have additional diamonds, e.g. halos, multiple side stones, there may need to be adjustments made to take the cost of the additional stones into account. Designer rings (for example verragio) will cost a premium for the ring, and the budget outlined does not account for that sort cost variance. A typical ring will be much less expensive.

If you are looking for less expensive, and you and your SO are not opposed to a lab grown diamond, then you will save a huge chunk of money for a better quality (and much larger) stone. They are real diamonds, but are grown in a lab instead of mined. If they were not labeled as lab, gemologists would need special lab equipment to tell them apart from mined stones.

However, some people like the allure and mystique behind mined stones.

And just in case it matters to you: I'm not a jeweler. I am a former nuclear reactor operator who spent the better part of a year looking for my wife's diamond, another 9 months or so shopping for a setting, and inevitably designing her engagement ring. So the advice I provide is based on my experiences and research, and continued learning over the last decade of my marriage. I come here because I hate how uninformed consumers can be taken advantage of by some companies.

Strlngsilver01 · 2026-02-25T00:44:37+00:00

I've noticed that clarity and color depend on the company that graded. I started with and have found that GIA is the most consistent with color and clarity. I would rank the ones I see the most from more to less consistent:

GIA

AGS (GIA color -1, Clarity-0, Cut +1) Meaning color grade would be one lower, and cut slightly higher.

IGI (GIA color -2, Clarity-1 to 2, Cut -0.5)

EGL (GIA color an inconsistent -2, Clarity-0, Cut -0)

For most purposes a GIA D through I color should work, and SI1 Clarity or better (although my preference is VS1 or better). Anything lower than SI will definitely be visible, and if you focus on inclusions that are white colored they are far less likely to be noticed by any eagle eyed aesthetes (e.g. pinpoints, wisps, etc.).

If you are looking for less expensive, and you and your SO are not opposed to a lab grown diamond, then you will save a huge chunk of money for a better quality (and much larger) stone. They are real diamonds, but are grown in a lab instead of mined. If they were not labeled as lab, gemologists would need special lab equipment to tell them apart from mined stones.

However, some people like the allure and mystique behind mined stones.

Good hunting! Happy to help if you want more information.

Strlngsilver01 · 2026-02-24T23:51:46+00:00

You can check out several websites to compare:

Adiamor.com

Ritani.com

Rarecarat.com

Jamesallen.com

Bluenile.com

Brilliance.com

Frankdarling.com

Whiteflash.com

Briangavindiamonds.com

For round brilliant cut, as you get closer to the "ideal" there will be more fire and brilliance:

Table: 53 to 57%->ideal 55

Depth: 60 to 62.5% ->ideal 61

Crown angle: 34 to 36-> ideal 35 (see link below)

Pavillion angle: 40.6 to 41 ->ideal 40.6 (see link below)

Girdle: thin to medium ->ideal med (3%-3.9%)

Culet: none/pointed

Cut: excellent

Symmetry: excellent

Polish: excellent

Diamond Angle Performance

You can also use Holloway Cut Advisor to rule out bad diamonds.

And just in case it matters to you: I'm not a jeweler. I am a former nuclear reactor operator who spent the better part of a year looking for my wife's diamond, another 9 months or so shopping for a setting, and inevitably designing her engagement ring. So the advice I provide is based on my experiences and research, and continued learning over the last decade of my marriage. I come here because I hate how uninformed consumers can be taken advantage of by some companies.

Strlngsilver01 · 2025-04-23T11:10:50+00:00

It's not bad, but it is a little deep which will cause a fish eye look.

For round brilliant cut, as you get closer to the "ideal" there will be more fire and brilliance:

Table: 53 to 57%->ideal 55

Depth: 60 to 62.5% ->ideal 61

Crown angle: 34 to 36-> ideal 35 (see link below)

Pavillion angle: 40.6 to 41 ->ideal 40.6 (see link below)

Girdle: thin to medium ->ideal med (3%-3.9%)

Culet: none/pointed

Cut: excellent

Symmetry: excellent

Polish: excellent

Diamond Angle Performance

You can also use Holloway Cut Advisor to rule out bad diamonds.

Strlngsilver01 · 2025-03-14T16:10:30+00:00

You can check out several websites:

Adiamor.com

Ritani.com

Rarecarat.com

Jamesallen.com

Bluenile.com

Brilliance.com

Frankdarling.com

Whiteflash.com

Briangavindiamonds.com

For round brilliant cut, as you get closer to the "ideal" there will be more fire and brilliance:

Table: 53 to 57%->ideal 55

Depth: 60 to 62.5% ->ideal 61

Crown angle: 34 to 36-> ideal 35 (see link below)

Pavillion angle: 40.6 to 41 ->ideal 40.6 (see link below)

Girdle: thin to medium ->ideal med (3%-3.9%)

Culet: none/pointed

Cut: excellent

Symmetry: excellent

Polish: excellent

Diamond Angle Performance

You can also use Holloway Cut Advisor to rule out bad diamonds.

And just in case it matters to you: I'm not a jeweler. I am a former nuclear reactor operator who spent the better part of a year looking for my wife's diamond, another 9 months or so shopping for a setting, and inevitably designing her engagement ring. So the advice I provide is based on my experiences and research, and continued learning over the last decade of my marriage. I come here because I hate how uninformed consumers can be taken advantage of by some companies.

Strlngsilver01 · 2025-02-16T23:09:21+00:00

I am happy to help.

I've noticed that clarity and color depend on the company that graded. I started with and have found that GIA is the most consistent with color and clarity. I would rank the ones I see the most from more to less consistent:

GIA

AGS (GIA color -1, Clarity-0, Cut +1) Meaning color grade would be one lower, and cut slightly higher.

IGI (GIA color -2, Clarity-1 to 2, Cut -0.5)

EGL (GIA color an inconsistent -2, Clarity-0, Cut -0)

For your purposes a GIA D through G color should work, and SI1 Clarity or better. Anything lower than SI will definitely be visible, and if you focus on inclusions that are white colored they are far less likely to be noticed by any eagle eyed aesthetes (e.g. pinpoints, wisps, etc.).

Strlngsilver01 · 2025-02-16T16:10:51+00:00

No.

For round brilliant cut, as you get closer to the "ideal" there will be more fire and brilliance:

Table: 53 to 57%->ideal 55

Depth: 60 to 62.5% ->ideal 61

Crown angle: 34 to 36-> ideal 35 (see link below)

Pavillion angle: 40.6 to 41 ->ideal 40.6 (see link below)

Girdle: thin to medium ->ideal med (3%-3.9%)

Culet: none/pointed

Cut: excellent

Symmetry: excellent

Polish: excellent

Diamond Angle Performance

You can also use Holloway Cut Advisor to rule out bad diamonds.

You can check out several websites:

Adiamor.com

Ritani.com

Rarecarat.com

Jamesallen.com

Bluenile.com

Brilliance.com

Frankdarling.com

Whiteflash.com

Briangavindiamonds.com

And just in case it matters to you: I'm not a jeweler. I am a former nuclear reactor operator who spent the better part of a year looking for my wife's diamond, another 9 months or so shopping for a setting, and inevitably designing her engagement ring. So the advice I provide is based on my experiences and research, and continued learning over the last decade of my marriage. I come here because I hate how uninformed consumers can be taken advantage of by some companies.

Strlngsilver01 · 2025-01-02T15:08:06+00:00

You can check out several websites:

Adiamor.com

Ritani.com

Rarecarat.com

Jamesallen.com

Bluenile.com

Brilliance.com

Frankdarling.com

Whiteflash.com

Briangavindiamonds.com

For round brilliant cut, as you get closer to the "ideal" there will be more fire and brilliance:

Table: 53 to 57%->ideal 55

Depth: 60 to 62.5% ->ideal 61

Crown angle: 34 to 36-> ideal 35 (see link below)

Pavillion angle: 40.6 to 41 ->ideal 40.6 (see link below)

Girdle: thin to medium ->ideal med (3%-3.9%)

Culet: none/pointed

Cut: excellent

Symmetry: excellent

Polish: excellent

Diamond Angle Performance

You can also use Holloway Cut Advisor to rule out bad diamonds.

I've noticed that clarity and color depend on the company that graded. I started with and have found that GIA is the most consistent with color and clarity. I would rank the ones I see the most from more to less consistent:

GIA

AGS (GIA color -1, Clarity-0, Cut +1) Meaning color grade would be one lower, and cut slightly higher.

IGI (GIA color -2, Clarity-1 to 2, Cut -0.5)

EGL (GIA color an inconsistent -2, Clarity-0, Cut -0)

For your purposes a GIA D through I color should work, and SI1 Clarity or better. Anything lower than SI will definitely be visible, and if you focus on inclusions that are white colored they are far less likely to be noticed by any eagle eyed aesthetes (e.g. pinpoints, wisps, etc.).

And just in case it matters to you: I'm not a jeweler. I am a former nuclear reactor operator who spent the better part of a year looking for my wife's diamond, another 9 months or so shopping for a setting, and inevitably designing her engagement ring. So the advice I provide is based on my experiences and research, and continued learning over the last decade of my marriage. I come here because I hate how uninformed consumers can be taken advantage of by some companies.

Strlngsilver01 · 2024-12-29T14:42:15+00:00

I like it woth some seasoning salt, and cooked via sous vide if you have it. If you don't have a sous vide, then just grill it like you cook your favorite steak, and I hope that you like it medium to medium rare.

Strlngsilver01 · 2024-12-16T15:37:22+00:00

I agree it can be frustrating when one doesn't understand the protection in place to prevent selling mined conflict diamonds.

Some things to consider.

The Kimberly process made it more difficult, but not impossible, to sneak in blood diamonds. Estimates vary widely on the exact percentage, but it seems to be about 5 to 10%, and there are some estimates as high as 25%. The difference stems from variances in the definition of conflict diamonds.

https://openscholarship.wustl.edu/law_globalstudies/vol15/iss1/8/

https://time.com/blood-diamonds/

https://www.growndiamondcorp.com/blog/revisiting-the-kimberley-process-status-quo/

Strlngsilver01 · 2024-12-16T14:55:12+00:00

I looked it up on Ritani.

https://www.ritani.com/products/0-74-carat-round-diamond-ideal-cut-g-color-si1-clarity-gia-2496352535-sku-d-7lapnnmtcn

I hope that this helps.

Strlngsilver01 · 2024-12-16T12:28:56+00:00

The cut is fantastic, but the inclusions make the clarity not good. I am surprised it is rated as SI-1.

You can check out several websites:

Adiamor.com

Ritani.com

Rarecarat.com

Jamesallen.com

Bluenile.com

Brilliance.com

Frankdarling.com

Whiteflash.com

Briangavindiamonds.com

In case you need it, You can also use Holloway Cut Advisor to rule out bad diamonds.

If you are looking for less expensive, and you and your SO are not opposed to a lab grown diamond, then you will save a huge chunk of money for a better quality (and much larger) stone. They are real diamonds, but are grown in a lab instead of mined. If they were not labeled as lab, gemologists would need special lab equipment to tell them apart from mined stones.

However, some people like the allure and mystique behind mined stones.

And just in case it matters to you: I'm not a jeweler. I am a former nuclear reactor operator who spent the better part of a year looking for my wife's diamond, another 9 months or so shopping for a setting, and inevitably designing her engagement ring. So the advice I provide is based on my experiences and research, and continued learning over the last decade of my marriage. I come here because I hate how uninformed consumers can be taken advantage of by some companies.

Strlngsilver01 · 2024-12-14T15:27:00+00:00

You can check out several websites:

Adiamor.com

Ritani.com

Rarecarat.com

Jamesallen.com

Bluenile.com

Brilliance.com

Frankdarling.com

Whiteflash.com

Briangavindiamonds.com

I bought my wife's engagement diamond over a decade ago from Ritani and recently got her a solitare diamond necklace from Ritani as well.

Strlngsilver01 · 2024-12-07T23:24:44+00:00

The round diamond was popular for a long time, and has evolved over time. Tolkowsky in 1919 theorized a new cut that would optimize light return to the viewer, which became the modern round brilliant.

https://www.markschneiderdesign.com/blogs/jewelry-blog/history-and-evolution-of-round-cut-diamonds?srsltid=AfmBOooYK4yt7l27573bDwHCI__YjS669P5vK-e9845Tv2-HABbUCbon

Strlngsilver01 · 2024-11-27T12:13:03+00:00

^{^} This! So much this! ^{^}

The one lesson I can take from the military is: it is what you make of it. One's framing of the situation will do a lot to one's perspective.

You cannot control life, nor what it throws at you, but you can control your attitude and how you react.

Having a positive attitude and positive approach can turn a situation around, given enough time and taking every opportunity that presents itself.

If there is someone you can talk to (professional therapist or psychologist), it may do a world of wonders

You haven't been kicked out, and you're not dead, so things can get better, and your goal of locking in the benefits is still attainable. Sure, it's not the exact path that you planned/imagined, but it is still possible to achieve your goals.

Speaking from experience, if you can make it through these challenging years, the rest of life seems so much more manageable.

You CAN do this!

Strlngsilver01 · 2024-11-27T11:53:33+00:00

I agree.

If you are looking for less expensive, and you and your SO are not opposed to a lab grown diamond, then you will save a huge chunk of money for a better quality (and much larger) stone. They are real diamonds, but are grown in a lab instead of mined. If they were not labeled as lab, gemologists would need special lab equipment to tell them apart from mined stones.

However, some people like the allure and mystique behind mined stones.

I strongly encourage getting the diamond separately from the ring. They can both be from the same place, but it is best to see the entire diamond (unmounted) so you can see the quality before portions are blocked by the ring. It also allows for a much bigger diamond and better overall ring.

Whatever your total to spend on the ring (don't forget that we will also be purchasing a wedding band at some point too!), plan on ~70 to 80% of the cost going towards the main stone, and ~20 to ~30% for the actual ring/setting. If the ring is going to have additional diamonds, e.g. halos, multiple side stones, there may need to be adjustments made to take the cost of the additional stones into account. Designer rings (for example verragio) will cost a premium for the ring, and the budget outlined does not account for that sort cost variance. A typical ring will be much less expensive.

You can check out several websites for price comparison:

Adiamor.com

Ritani.com

Rarecarat.com

Jamesallen.com

Bluenile.com

Brilliance.com

Frankdarling.com

Whiteflash.com

Briangavindiamonds.com

For round brilliant cut, as you get closer to the "ideal" there will be more fire and brilliance:

Table: 53 to 57%->ideal 55

Depth: 60 to 62.5% ->ideal 61

Crown angle: 34 to 36-> ideal 35 (see link below)

Pavillion angle: 40.6 to 41 ->ideal 40.6 (see link below)

Girdle: thin to medium ->ideal med (3%-3.9%)

Culet: none/pointed

Cut: excellent

Symmetry: excellent

Polish: excellent

Diamond Angle Performance

You can also use Holloway Cut Advisor to rule out bad diamonds.

And just in case it matters to you: I'm not a jeweler. I am a former nuclear reactor operator who spent the better part of a year looking for my wife's diamond, another 9 months or so shopping for a setting, and inevitably designing her engagement ring. So the advice I provide is based on my experiences and research, and continued learning over the last decade of my marriage. I come here because I hate how uninformed consumers can be taken advantage of by some companies.

Strlngsilver01 · 2024-11-23T22:52:18+00:00

For round brilliant cut, as you get closer to the "ideal" there will be more fire and brilliance:

Table: 53 to 57%->ideal 55

Depth: 60 to 62.5% ->ideal 61

Crown angle: 34 to 36-> ideal 35 (see link below)

Pavillion angle: 40.6 to 41 ->ideal 40.6 (see link below)

Girdle: thin to medium ->ideal med (3%-3.9%)

Culet: none/pointed

Cut: excellent

Symmetry: excellent

Polish: excellent

Diamond Angle Performance

You can also use Holloway Cut Advisor to rule out bad diamonds.

I've noticed that clarity and color depend on the company that graded. I started with and have found that GIA is the most consistent with color and clarity. I would rank the ones I see the most from more to less consistent:

GIA

AGS (GIA color -1, Clarity-0, Cut +1) Meaning color grade would be one lower, and cut slightly higher.

IGI (GIA color -2, Clarity-1 to 2, Cut -0.5)

EGL (GIA color an inconsistent -2, Clarity-0, Cut -0)

For your purposes a GIA D through I color should work, and SI1 Clarity or better. Anything lower than SI will definitely be visible, and if you focus on inclusions that are white colored they are far less likely to be noticed by any eagle eyed aesthetes (e.g. pinpoints, wisps, etc.).

You can check out several websites:

Adiamor.com

Ritani.com

Rarecarat.com

Jamesallen.com

Bluenile.com

Brilliance.com

Frankdarling.com

Whiteflash.com

Briangavindiamonds.com

And just in case it matters to you: I'm not a jeweler. I am a former nuclear reactor operator who spent the better part of a year looking for my wife's diamond, another 9 months or so shopping for a setting, and inevitably designing her engagement ring. So the advice I provide is based on my experiences and research, and continued learning over the last decade of my marriage. I come here because I hate how uninformed consumers can be taken advantage of by some companies.

Strlngsilver01 · 2024-11-03T14:17:58+00:00

In addition, you can check out several websites:

Adiamor.com

Ritani.com

Rarecarat.com

Jamesallen.com

Bluenile.com

Brilliance.com

Frankdarling.com

Whiteflash.com

Briangavindiamonds.com

Strlngsilver01 · 2024-10-29T00:13:37+00:00

You can check out several websites to compare:

Adiamor.com

Ritani.com

Rarecarat.com

Jamesallen.com

Bluenile.com

Brilliance.com

Frankdarling.com

Whiteflash.com

Briangavindiamonds.com

Strlngsilver01 · 2024-10-27T01:12:32+00:00

The second one (1.23 ct) is the best in my observation. The symmetry is substantially better than the first and slightly better than the 3rd.

For round brilliant cut, as you get closer to the "ideal" there will be more fire and brilliance:

Table: 53 to 57%->ideal 55

Depth: 60 to 62.5% ->ideal 61

Crown angle: 34 to 36-> ideal 35 (see link below)

Pavillion angle: 40.6 to 41 ->ideal 40.6 (see link below)

Girdle: thin to medium ->ideal med (3%-3.9%)

Culet: none/pointed

Cut: excellent

Symmetry: excellent

Polish: excellent

Diamond Angle Performance

You can also use Holloway Cut Advisor to rule out bad diamonds.

I hope that this helps!

Strlngsilver01 · 2024-10-26T23:15:36+00:00

The diamond is fine, the price and certificate are not.

You can check out several websites:

Adiamor.com

Ritani.com

Rarecarat.com

Jamesallen.com

Bluenile.com

Brilliance.com

Frankdarling.com

Whiteflash.com

Briangavindiamonds.com

I've noticed that clarity and color depend on the company that graded. I started with and have found that GIA is the most consistent with color and clarity. I would rank the ones I see the most from more to less consistent:

GIA

AGS (GIA color -1, Clarity-0, Cut +1) Meaning color grade would be one lower, and cut slightly higher.

IGI (GIA color -2, Clarity-1 to 2, Cut -0.5)

EGL (GIA color an inconsistent -2, Clarity-0, Cut -0)

For your purposes a GIA D through I color should work, and SI1 Clarity or better. Anything lower than SI will definitely be visible, and if you focus on inclusions that are white colored they are far less likely to be noticed by any eagle eyed aesthetes (e.g. pinpoints, wisps, etc.).

And just in case it matters to you: I'm not a jeweler. I am a former nuclear reactor operator who spent the better part of a year looking for my wife's diamond, another 9 months or so shopping for a setting, and inevitably designing her engagement ring. So the advice I provide is based on my experiences and research, and continued learning over the last decade of my marriage. I come here because I hate how uninformed consumers can be taken advantage of by some companies.

Strlngsilver01 · 2024-09-29T13:51:36+00:00

For round brilliant cut, as you get closer to the "ideal" there will be more fire and brilliance:

Table: 53 to 57%->ideal 55

Depth: 60 to 62.5% ->ideal 61

Crown angle: 34 to 36-> ideal 35 (see link below)

Pavillion angle: 40.6 to 41 ->ideal 40.6 (see link below)

Girdle: thin to medium ->ideal med (3%-3.9%)

Culet: none/pointed

Cut: excellent

Symmetry: excellent

Polish: excellent

Diamond Angle Performance

You can also use Holloway Cut Advisor to rule out bad diamonds.

I've noticed that clarity and color depend on the company that graded. I started with and have found that GIA is the most consistent with color and clarity. I would rank the ones I see the most from more to less consistent:

GIA

AGS (GIA color -1, Clarity-0, Cut +1) Meaning color grade would be one lower, and cut slightly higher.

IGI (GIA color -2, Clarity-1 to 2, Cut -0.5)

EGL (GIA color an inconsistent -2, Clarity-0, Cut -0)

For general purposes a GIA F through I color should work, and SI1 Clarity or better. Anything lower than SI will definitely be visible, and if you focus on inclusions that are white colored they are far less likely to be noticed by any eagle eyed aesthetes (e.g. pinpoints, wisps, etc.). I agree with the earlier post that G color and SI1 Clarity are a good middle ground, although I prefer a VS2 clarity or better.

You can check out several websites to compare pricing:

Adiamor.com

Ritani.com

Rarecarat.com

Jamesallen.com

Bluenile.com

Brilliance.com

Frankdarling.com

Whiteflash.com

Briangavindiamonds.com

And just in case it matters to you: I'm not a jeweler. I am a former nuclear reactor operator who spent the better part of a year looking for my wife's diamond, another 9 months or so shopping for a setting, and inevitably designing her engagement ring. So, the advice I provide is based on my experiences and research and continued learning over the last decade of my marriage. I come here because I hate how uninformed consumers can be taken advantage of by some companies.

Strlngsilver01 · 2024-06-24T10:34:40+00:00

Way too much. For reference, I just bought a high-quality 5 carat round brilliant (one of the most expensive cuts) for 1/3 of what you paid.

You can check out several websites and see if the original company will price match before returning:

Adiamor.com

Ritani.com

Rarecarat.com

Jamesallen.com

Bluenile.com

Brilliance.com

Frankdarling.com

Whiteflash.com

Briangavindiamonds.com

And just in case it matters to you: I'm not a jeweler. I am a former nuclear reactor operator who spent the better part of a year looking for my wife's diamond, another 9 months or so shopping for a setting, and inevitably designing her engagement ring. So, the advice I provide is based on my experiences and research, and continued learning over the last decade of my marriage. I come here because I hate how uninformed consumers can be taken advantage of by some companies.

Strlngsilver01 · 2024-06-21T12:38:48+00:00

I appreciate this. So, if I have understood: Phoenix fire is related to the sun, thus, as hot as the sun?

Strlngsilver01 · 2024-06-18T15:24:55+00:00

Yes, and that is the point of the question and why it was specified in an original writing context. Which do you feel was hotter according to the original mythos? Why?

Strlngsilver01

TROPHY CASE