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2 Carats Under 8K: Doable or Bad Idea?

I placed a call with Martin from USA Certed Diamonds.

Looking at these four:

http://diamonddealfinder.com/enquiry.php?id_field=6974081
http://diamonddealfinder.com/enquiry.php?id_field=6973543
http://diamonddealfinder.com/enquiry.php?id_field=6908075
http://diamonddealfinder.com/enquiry.php?id_field=6908077

Like people have mentioned, the difference in price between 1.9 and 2+ is substantial (maybe 1K in price). Unfortunately there aren't any pictures so need to take a look at them first. Hopefully one of them looks good. Will share when I get them.

If anybody has any advice on where to get the diamond set or has any previous experience with these guys, please let me know. I also see a few from B2C. Has anyone worked with them before?
 
The first 2 are a hot mess. The second 2 are ok. not great - but not bad.
 
mrs-b said:
The first 2 are a hot mess. The second 2 are ok. not great - but not bad.
Click to expand...

For my benefit can you explain to me why the second one is a hot mess? Is it just the color or the inclusion comment? I see a 1.5 on the HCA scale for the second one (also 1.9ct like the first one). The first one is brown which I didn't notice till just now which might be an issue.
 
HDer said:
I placed a call with Martin from USA Certed Diamonds.

Looking at these four:

http://diamonddealfinder.com/enquiry.php?id_field=6974081
http://diamonddealfinder.com/enquiry.php?id_field=6973543
http://diamonddealfinder.com/enquiry.php?id_field=6908075
http://diamonddealfinder.com/enquiry.php?id_field=6908077

Like people have mentioned, the difference in price between 1.9 and 2+ is substantial (maybe 1K in price). Unfortunately there aren't any pictures so need to take a look at them first. Hopefully one of them looks good. Will share when I get them.

If anybody has any advice on where to get the diamond set or has any previous experience with these guys, please let me know. I also see a few from B2C. Has anyone worked with them before?
Click to expand...
I agree: you NEED to SEE these stones up close & personal. Under magnification, and with the naked eye...
Quite honestly, if you're going to drop color to L & M, going with OEC's just doesn't seem so impractical. That's just my humble opinion.
Please keep us posted, once you get to see the diamonds!! :mrgreen2:
 
L and M are not just letters - you really need to see these colors in person to judge if they would fit the bill. They will show some yellow or brown tint for sure. If they are poorly cut, they will show even more color. There is SO much variation in cut quality and color that no one could just randomly say they would be OK with color _ _ _ - fill in the blank. She may think they will be fine but in person she may not feel that way. You are trying to buy a lot of size without a lot of dollars and that usually doesn't work out real well. I would either adjust the budget or adjust the size of the stone. As others have said, a well cut smaller stone in a halo setting can have a big impact.
 
MissGotRocks said:
https://www.pricescope.com/communit...d-engagement-ring-13-000.233285/#post-4205050

This fellow has now updated his listing to say he would probably take 11,500. This is a beautiful 2+ carat stone in a setting. Did you look at this listing? This is one of those deals that doesn't come along every day.
Click to expand...

I did. It's beautiful, and yes, probably a better diamond than what I'm going to be able to afford otherwise. However, the SO doesn't want a preloved stone. She's a bit superstitious about these sorts of things, and while I read the link about how a lot of used stones get recycled into the stream, I'd rather not make her unhappy/hide something from her.
 
Does it positively have to be a round?
 
Niel said:
Does it positively have to be a round?
Click to expand...

No, it doesn't. She mentioned she likes ovals, and I think she also likes (need to double check) princess cuts. However, on James Allen at least, I don't see much selection or any significant discount for ovals or princess cut stones. I would be even more lost in those categories (is there even a HCA rating for those?)
 
HDer said:
I did. It's beautiful, and yes, probably a better diamond than what I'm going to be able to afford otherwise. However, the SO doesn't want a preloved stone. She's a bit superstitious about these sorts of things, and while I read the link about how a lot of used stones get recycled into the stream, I'd rather not make her unhappy/hide something from her.
Click to expand...
I don't know if the ring was ever worn - sometimes these things are offered up for sale before anyone ever became engaged. However, you must do what is right for you.
 
HDer said:
I did. It's beautiful, and yes, probably a better diamond than what I'm going to be able to afford otherwise. However, the SO doesn't want a preloved stone. She's a bit superstitious about these sorts of things, and while I read the link about how a lot of used stones get recycled into the stream, I'd rather not make her unhappy/hide something from her.
Click to expand...

What if you find out the history of that ring? Maybe it has no bad vibes attached to it? Not all resale rings are due to a break-up. Also, I can tell you that I sold my engagement ring from my ex-husband last week, and guess what, it will be in someone else's ring any day now, and they will have no idea. There's no way to guarantee that any diamond you buy is newly cut. Even a recent certificate could just mean it's been re-graded, which is common when the buyer wants to make sure it hasn't been damaged, or the original certificate was a lower grade one like EGL or something. It might be worth mentioning these points to her, and also checking with the seller of that ring. It's really stunning and much better than what you could buy "brand new."
 
Remember: you MUST consider the mm dimensions, rather than the carat wt...you may have a 2ct wt stone, but it may not cover a lot of finger space due to poor cut/depth.
 
starrysim said:
What if you find out the history of that ring? Maybe it has no bad vibes attached to it? Not all resale rings are due to a break-up. Also, I can tell you that I sold my engagement ring from my ex-husband last week, and guess what, it will be in someone else's ring any day now, and they will have no idea. There's no way to guarantee that any diamond you buy is newly cut. Even a recent certificate could just mean it's been re-graded, which is common when the buyer wants to make sure it hasn't been damaged, or the original certificate was a lower grade one like EGL or something. It might be worth mentioning these points to her, and also checking with the seller of that ring. It's really stunning and much better than what you could buy "brand new."
Click to expand...

I should have you talk to my g/f. :-)

rockysalamander said:
If the preowned is out, this is a great option posted by @ac117. Did you eliminate this?

https://www.jamesallen.com/loose-di...rat-k-color-vs2-clarity-ideal-cut-sku-3208250
Click to expand...

No, I think it's still a great option, but I'm not ready to buy because I don't have a sense for how much of a difference AGS0/true hearts makes vs. GIA XXX HCA <2 or HCA <3. And plus, the title is "2 carats under 8K" wouldn't want to disappoint y'all. :-)
 
We wouldn't be the ones disappointed - we all know that a well cut two carat stone under 8k is not possible.

AGS does not round numbers on stones but GIA does. There is wider variance in GIA graded stones vs. AGS so you have to go by a case by case basis. There is plenty of info here to be read and I would certainly advise you to do so.
 
"how much of a difference AGS0/true hearts makes vs. GIA XXX HCA <2 or HCA <3."

James Allen's True Hearts generally end up HCA < 2. They are aiming for a "Hearts & Arrows" cut pattern. But, they are really 'near' H&A as they don't meet the strict definition of Hearts & Arrows. This does not tell you anything about performance.

There are modern rounds that are not Hearts & Arrows (or near). They are just called Round Brilliants or Common Round Brilliants (see
).

Nobody on PS is going to recommend anything HCA>2.0

AGS0 is stricter (more narrow) than a GIAXXX. They get you to the starting point for a good diamond to begin your analysis. But, neither of these designations tell you about performance. The HCA is used to see if the angles are complimentary. If they pass that test, then you have to look for performance measures. The ASET and IS are used to evaluate that.

But, you really don't really have the luxury of fussing about AGS0 or GIAXXX because there are so very few options that get anywhere close to your brief and still have the performance we look for.
 
Just caught up on this thread and had to say, the True Hearts @ac117 listed is fantastic! So is the preloved ring by @Austina. Two excellent options.

OP - Your title also asked if 2cts under 8k is a bad idea or not. It's a bad idea. Something to consider, if it's bragging rights that's driving the 2ct mark for you and your SO, the halo setting will have carat weight to contribute. When most people say they have a 2ct ring, they're often talking about total carat weight of the center and setting.

I'd rather say I have a 2ct (tw) ring and have a fabulous center at 1.9 or 1.8ct than a nice setting with a mediocre stone that hits an arbitrary mark no one will appreciate.

But if it's a non negotiable, here are a couple I found that was the "best" at 2ct for under 8k... keep in mind that is with JA giving you the advantage pricing and the wire discount.

https://www.jamesallen.com/loose-di...-j-color-i1-clarity-very-good-cut-sku-3301602

While the HCA is well over 2, I've seen this combo work well in very select stones. As you can also see, it's a train wreck on clarity - you will need to ask the gemologist if there are any durability issues to consider too.

https://www.jamesallen.com/loose-di...k-color-si2-clarity-excellent-cut-sku-3312075

Decent proportions on this one, but it will definitely have visible inclusions. You and SO may not mind them.

I sincerely hope, though, you ignore these and go with the two fantastic choices recommended by the PSers.
 
(And if you're open to more suggestions...)
What about a yellow (near yellow) stone?? This one is under $7k
http://www.diamondsbylauren.com/index.php/jewelry/200ct-w-x-vvs1-cushion-diamond-gia-r7858

Of course if your GF has indicated a preference for white, round diamond then my suggestions can be ignored.

But when I was looking for engagement rings I wanted something with a personality and style that matched me, not a specific diamond criteria. Which opened up way too many suggestions!

Good luck :)
 
You said you're not necessarily looking for a round shape; your GF also likes oval.
Are you and she aware of the size difference when comparing various diamond shapes of the same weight? For example, a 2 ct princess will look smaller than a 2 ct round. Has the 2 ct weight been assigned top priority in terms of picking a diamond? Is it more important than the shape, appearance on her hand or sparkle and life delivered by the diamond?

Diamonds (of the same shape) that are slightly less than 2 ct, exactly 2 ct, and slightly more than 2 ct in weight can all appear to be the same size.

Do your GF and her friends actually ask to see the AGS or GIA certificate of each other's diamonds to verify the weight and other stats?

I suspect that most people say they have a .5 ct, 1 ct, 1.5 ct, 2 ct, whatever, rather than the exact ct.
Except for here on PS, of course. But this is a special group. ;)2

You might want to consider ordering the James Allen 1.77, unset, check it out and return it if you don't like it.
 
What size halo does she want? A 2 ct round will be around 8mm. Halo will make it wider yet.

And where can you get a halo setting for a mere $300 more than a solitaire? What is the clarity/cut/color of the halo stones? Stones on the band?

Halo settings will set you back a couple grand, so with your stone, you're all in for 10k. Is that what you've found in your searching?

Have you seen a 1.5 or 1.7 center with a halo? They are huge and lovely. You could easily get over 8mm that way.

You can still (as mentioned above) have a "2 carat diamond ring". It doesn't only mean there is a two carat diamond in the center.
 
december-fire said:
You said you're not necessarily looking for a round shape; your GF also likes oval.
Are you and she aware of the size difference when comparing various diamond shapes of the same weight? For example, a 2 ct princess will look smaller than a 2 ct round. Has the 2 ct weight been assigned top priority in terms of picking a diamond? Is it more important than the shape, appearance on her hand or sparkle and life delivered by the diamond?

Diamonds (of the same shape) that are slightly less than 2 ct, exactly 2 ct, and slightly more than 2 ct in weight can all appear to be the same size.

Do your GF and her friends actually ask to see the AGS or GIA certificate of each other's diamonds to verify the weight and other stats?

I suspect that most people say they have a .5 ct, 1 ct, 1.5 ct, 2 ct, whatever, rather than the exact ct.
Except for here on PS, of course. But this is a special group. ;)2

You might want to consider ordering the James Allen 1.77, unset, check it out and return it if you don't like it.
Click to expand...

For what it's worth, she never asked me for a carat size. I'm sure I'd be fine even with a 1.5 or even a 1 carat stone. She did hint that she might want a "really big one, like 2 or 3 carats" in the future if we had more money, so if anything, this is more of a preemptive move to forestall future requests for upgrades. Plus, I like bargain hunting, so it's kind of fun. But yeah, if I strike out on these other ones, I'll probably go with the 1.77 or a stone similar to it.

Also, I just checked the links I put up yesterday in the original post and 2 out of the 3 stones are already sold, so I'm not the only one (gullible enough to be) buying cheaper 2 carat stones.
 
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ringo865 said:
What size halo does she want? A 2 ct round will be around 8mm. Halo will make it wider yet.

And where can you get a halo setting for a mere $300 more than a solitaire? What is the clarity/cut/color of the halo stones? Stones on the band?

Halo settings will set you back a couple grand, so with your stone, you're all in for 10k. Is that what you've found in your searching?

Have you seen a 1.5 or 1.7 center with a halo? They are huge and lovely. You could easily get over 8mm that way.

You can still (as mentioned above) have a "2 carat diamond ring". It doesn't only mean there is a two carat diamond in the center.
Click to expand...

So this is the halo setting we were originally planning on: https://www.jamesallen.com/engageme...-halo-engagement-ring-round-center-item-41414 and this is the solitaire alternative: https://www.jamesallen.com/engageme...fort-fit-solitaire-engagement-ring-item-41238 However, I made the mistake of showing her the other halo settings yesterday, so we might be going for something more expensive. :-)

Yeah, all in, we're probably looking at 10k, which is how much my car cost when I bought it. :-(
 
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