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Best 1.25 - 1.5 carat RB you can find for $8,000?

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Finally!

Finally!

Rough_Rock
Joined
Jul 3, 2008
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70
BF is getting close to making a purchase of a RB center... help!

Can you fill me in on whether Blue Nile''s prices/policies are actually better/worse than those for the same diamonds but purchased through other vendors (especially those with a PS discount?)

He doesn''t care much for message boards so he hasn''t been on PS like I have.

Here''s what I want:

1.25 - 1.5 carat RB
AGS 0 (prefer a light leakage report with it)
Color that would work in 18k white gold that will not have rhodium
Color that would go with G color baguettes
Clarity SI 1 to VS 2
Medium to Strong Blue Fluorescence if possible

What''s the best match you can find for $8,000? I don''t want BF to make a big mistake by purchasing from the wrong vendor, etc. I suspect you folks know exactly where to look, and why to look there. Thanks!
 
Hi welcome to pricescope!

Is the $8000 for the diamond or the total ring?
 
This one might get you everything.
 
https://www.pricescope.com/forum/rockytalky/3-stone-ring-color-of-side-stones-to-coordinate-with-center-t27197.html

Looking through this thread, I am thinking the stone probably should be at least a H colour grade.

http://www.bluenile.com/round-diamond-1-carat-signature-ideal-cut-h-color-si1-clarity_LD01411504?__fun_frm=i&filter_id=0

Found this, slightly above your budget if you do wire. Good hunting :)
 
Date: 9/15/2008 1:08:06 PM
Author: Stone-cold11
https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/3-stone-ring-color-of-side-stones-to-coordinate-with-center.27197/

Looking through this thread, I am thinking the stone probably should be at least a H colour grade.

http://www.bluenile.com/round-diamond-1-carat-signature-ideal-cut-h-color-si1-clarity_LD01411504?__fun_frm=i&filter_id=0

Found this, slightly above your budget if you do wire. Good hunting :)
Click to expand...
That one does seem to be nice.

Maybe nicer than another couple also at GoG, with more info, GIA, and a very slightly smaller...but hard to know.

The thing may be..why is the flor attractive. That drove me to the one I picked.

Do talk with GOG.

Ask them for me if they intend to put prices for their rings on their website.

Regards,
 
Here''s what I want:

1.25 - 1.5 carat RB
AGS 0 (prefer a light leakage report with it)
Color that would work in 18k white gold that will not have rhodium
Color that would go with G color baguettes
Clarity SI 1 to VS 2
Medium to Strong Blue Fluorescence if possible

What''s the best match you can find for $8,000?

Just asking
how about going slightly smaller to a 1.208 ?
 
So it looks like it''s just as OK with you all to buy from BN as from GoG or WF. That''s good news. BF really seems to like BN.

The budget is $8000 (or thereabouts) for just the stone. We''re thinking the custom setting will come in under $2000 (the estimate we received was actually a good bit lower than that, but I''m padding for cost overruns.)

I like blue fluor. To me, any price break that may exist means I can have just a little more sparkly for our money AND have the coolest E-ring in my town.

I liked the GoG 1.31 Ideal I color SI1 Ira suggested. The BN 1.25 Signature Ideal H SI1 with the GCAL has no fluorescence, but I''ve noted it seems rare that they would send an AGS stone for a GCAL if it has fluorescence.

However, I managed to find a 1.24 H SI1 on BN, Signature Ideal, GCAL report, with Med Blue Fluor, for $8023. Do you think the GCAL is worth the extra $ they are asking for it?

There''s also a GIA-Ideal, 1.31, I color, VS2 with excellent polish and symmetry and Med Blue Fluor for around $7600. How can I know if this is one of the "one in ten" GIA Ideals that actually doesn''t return light as well as they say it should based on its proportions?

Any thoughts on which of all these choices - or none of them - is the best?

In what order (starting with MOST important) would YOU list the characteristics, and why?
 
Run them through HCA. You want it to be less than 2. It gets 1.7, so that's cool.

Buying from BN means no upgrade policy. All the other vendors have upgrade policies, though they vary.
 
35.gif

Finally

I found a 1.208 a few days back. (a WF stone)

Would you consider going slightly smaller? (I could maybe hunt it up again)

It was a D SI-1 eye clean with a blue floresence around $7000.
 
Well there''s always something new to learn here, that''s for sure. I don''t know how I could have spent all this time lurking here and missed that handy HCA tool!

My eyes were opened about several stones I had hoped BF would consider, including those I posted earlier. I now understand why you sometimes see a D color SI1 thrown into the H SI1 price range. It''s a dud. Caveat emptor.

I now see that if I''m looking for quality AND a large size stone, all for $8000 or thereabouts, we''ll have to keep watching carefully. I am quite jealous of Anthony187''s find of a 1.5 carat I color SI1 with an excellent HCA score, all for just over $8000, now that I know that that is not common. I''m also impressed with his skill in bringing the price down to his budget. We had no idea you could bargain with online sellers, only with B&M.

I''m obsessed with putting "contenders" through the HCA now. My custom jeweler is supposed to show me a few possibilities in person next week. I will take down the important info and bring it back to pop into the HCA.

It appears that the AGS "Signature Ideal" stones on BN really do have excellent cuts, based on their HCA scores. If the extra cost comes from cut, I''m completely willing to (let BF) pay for that!

As to color, I don''t want to go below I. Early on in this process I really preferred F and didn''t think I''d consider going lower, but when I decided I liked the slightly yellow natural 18k white gold, I bent. But not quite to J. It''s a side view thing.

I am trying to stay on the larger side with the stone because I think the setting I''m having made won''t look as good if the stone diameter is about the same as the setting width (which will be about 6mm.) But, if the right 1.20 came along, we''d certainly consider it. I just found an HCA 1.7 H VS1 with strong blue fluor that happens to be a 1.21 carat, on BN for about $7950. It looks like my options for best quality and fluor will happen around 1.2 - 1.25 carats, unless I get lucky enough to come across a great find like Anthony''s.

Do you think giving up on the fluor would improve my chances at finding a bigger (but still quality) stone in the target price range?
 
Probably not as most of the better stones have these prices is because of the fluor.
 
How about this one? VSB... :P A 1.33c I VS2, 60.9% depth, 55% table, 33° crown angle, 41.2° pavilion angle, scoring a 1.8 on the HCA. I really like VSB, just not that many are around... :p

http://www.bluenile.com/round-diamond-1-carat-ideal-cut-i-color-vs2-clarity_LD01383500?__fun_frm=i&filter_id=0
 
http://www.bluenile.com/round-diamond-1-carat-ideal-cut-i-color-vs2-clarity_LD01402393?__fun_frm=i&filter_id=0

1.24c I VS2, SB Fluor, 61.2% depth, 57% table, 34.5° crown angle, 40.8° pavilion angle for a HCA of 1.3. for only $6671.
 
I don''t really like BN for the fact that you don''t get info on the stones such as IS or ASET images, and their lack of upgrade policy. WF or GOG have lots more info for your to make an informed choice. Also, I have seen a few threads where people have been unhappy with BN''s interpretation of eyeclean (for SI clarity stones).

If you want a super duper cut stone, then I would look at WF or GOG. If you want a great stone and are happy to not have the best of the best, then BN is ok (just cause of the lack of imagery info).
 
It appears that the AGS ''Signature Ideal'' stones on BN really do have excellent cuts, based on their HCA scores. If the extra cost comes from cut, I''m completely willing to (let BF) pay for that!

As to color, I don''t want to go below I. Early on in this process I really preferred F and didn''t think I''d consider going lower, but when I decided I liked the slightly yellow natural 18k white gold, I bent. But not quite to J. It''s a side view thing.

I am trying to stay on the larger side with the stone because I think the setting I''m having made won''t look as good if the stone diameter is about the same as the setting width (which will be about 6mm.) But, if the right 1.20 came along, we''d certainly consider it. I just found an HCA 1.7 H VS1 with strong blue fluor that happens to be a 1.21 carat, on BN for about $7950. It looks like my options for best quality and fluor will happen around 1.2 - 1.25 carats, unless I get lucky enough to come across a great find like Anthony''s.
Click to expand...
Hi Finally! Just wanted to share my experience with BN -- I have a 1.21 ct Signature Ideal stone from them, and I love it. It''s beautifully cut. BUT I have noticed that not all their Signature Ideal diamonds do well on the HCA -- I saw at least one that scored well over 2.0.

Also, BN is less competitive price-wise than almost all the other online vendors. James Allen especially offers great value for the money -- you have to do more legwork there than you would with GOG or WF, but your chances of picking out a great stone at a great price are higher.

We went with BN because they happened to have exactly what I wanted. HCA numbers for the stone were great, so we decided to take the risk and order (the 30-day return policy really puts your mind at ease). We''re very happy with it and with the customer service generally, but everyone here is right that you will get more information and more customized service at a place like WF or GOG. And finally, I highly recommend sifting through the diamonds at James Allen to see what they have.

If you have already discovered it, the "cut quality search" function on PS is very helpful. Good luck with your search!
 
I now see that if I''m looking for quality AND a large size stone, all for $8000 or thereabouts, we''ll have to keep watching carefully. I am quite jealous of Anthony187''s find of a 1.5 carat I color SI1 with an excellent HCA score, all for just over $8000, now that I know that that is not common. I''m also impressed with his skill in bringing the price down to his budget. We had no idea you could bargain with online sellers, only with B&M.
Click to expand...
Another tip -- BN Signature ideals usually have excellent or ideal polish/symmetry. Most branded ideal cuts have excellent or ideal symmetry/polish, as far as I''m aware. But I''ve read here that you can have a great stone with VG symmetry/polish and you really couldn''t tell the difference.

If you expand your searches to include diamonds with "VG" for symmetry or polish (like the one Anthony187 found), that should help the budget. You might be able to find something larger than 1.2 and within price range.

One place to look would be WF''s "expert selection." You can find some real beauties there that are less expensive than their ACAs.
 
For polish I agree that VG is good enough, but for symmetry, if you want to get a H&A, it will have to be ideal to get it or you will get a crooked jumbled up H&A shape.
 
I''ve narrowed it down to a few contenders.

The biggest is at James Allen:
RB
1.55 ct
I color
SI1 (one short feather or wisp in center, probably hard to see without magnification, I need to ask)
Strong Blue Fluor
HCA = 1.8 (Excellent for Fire, Very Good for others)
$8340 (PS price)

The best performer is an Infinity at NiceIce:
RB
1.32 ct
I color
SI2 (eyeclean - wow, they really go into detail!)
Medium Blue Fluor
HCA = 1
$7545

The best clarity is at Blue Nile:
RB
1.33 ct
I color
VS2 (no actual image, but the plot has almost nothing on it)
Very Strong Blue Fluor
HCA = 1.8 (Excellent for Fire, Very Good for others)
$7786

Which of these three do you feel is the best deal, and why?
 
I''d probably get the Infinity, since it''s eye-clean and looks to be the best cut!
 
The Infinity has a much better cut than the others, so that would be my pick.
 
Aaaargh!

I think I made a hideous error somehow. Please review the diamond below and tell me what you get for an HCA:

http://www.gia.edu/reportcheck/index.cfm?fuseaction=home.showReportVerification&reportno=16288179&weight=1.55

Somehow, when I was researching this and many other diamonds, I recorded this one as having an HCA of 1.8 (see previous post in thread.) I''m pretty sure I must have made a mistake and thought I entered this diamond, when in fact I had entered another...

I had JA call in this stone and do an idealscope, based on my mistaken HCA.
32.gif
I am mortified.
 
Date: 9/24/2008 11:44:58 AM
Author: Finally!
Aaaargh!

I think I made a hideous error somehow. Please review the diamond below and tell me what you get for an HCA:

http://www.gia.edu/reportcheck/index.cfm?fuseaction=home.showReportVerification&reportno=16288179&weight=1.55

Somehow, when I was researching this and many other diamonds, I recorded this one as having an HCA of 1.8 (see previous post in thread.) I''m pretty sure I must have made a mistake and thought I entered this diamond, when in fact I had entered another...

I had JA call in this stone and do an idealscope, based on my mistaken HCA.
32.gif
I am mortified.
Click to expand...
I''d feel comforable saying no to that one.

Sorry.
 
Date: 9/18/2008 2:52:46 AM
Author: Finally!
I've narrowed it down to a few contenders.


The biggest is at James Allen:

RB
1.55 ct
I color
SI1 (one short feather or wisp in center, probably hard to see without magnification, I need to ask)
Strong Blue Fluor
HCA = 1.8 (Excellent for Fire, Very Good for others)

$8340 (PS price)
Click to expand...

This diamond actually scored a 5.7 on the HCA. Here's the Idealscope image for it. I'm sorry about the gigantic picture - I have tried to remove it and replace it with a smaller version but I'm on a Mac and so I don't appear to have that functionality. I've tried to do it in two different browsers.
7.gif


1104460 - Ideal Scope.JPG
 
I have resized the Idealscope image for that stone, and have placed next to it the Idealscope of the ideal-cut diamond from this thread. I figure that perhaps at least other newbies can learn from my "near-dud experience":

5.7 HCA score on the left

1.1 HCA score on the right

I think this illustrates really well why cut is the most important factor. That stone on the left is just... yuck.

1104460 - Ideal Scope - small.jpg
 
yap. :P
 
Thanks, Breann. That's a nice-looking stone, for sure. I'm trying to get fluor, though, and get as close to 1.5 ct as I can, while still getting a great cut. I know, it's a tall order... but I may have found one this time.

The numbers on this one are really interesting:

1.51 ct.
Medium Blue Fluor
I
SI1

OK, now the following is NOT a mistake:

Depth: 59.7
Table: 60

Interesting, huh?

Crown: 34
Pavilion: 40.6
Culet: 0

According to my (sometimes questionable!) HCA analysis, it scores a 1.3, and rates "Excellent" in all four categories (including the elusive "Spread"!)

Diameter: 7.44 - 7.47
Depth: 4.45
Girdle: Medium to Slightly Thick

I calculate it's spread as 59.7. I guess if the girdle were a little thinner, it would spread even better?

Polish: Ex
Symmetry: Ex

The plot is below.

1) Is that feather a structural concern?
2) What might this stone look like in comparison to other stones of the same carat weight?
3) Is there any way to gauge symmetry from the data given above? GIA grades this stone's cut only "very good."
4) They are asking $8800 (about $5820/carat.) Thoughts on that price for this stone?

bn_stone.jpg
 
Looks good on the numbers. Probably the low price is because of the GIA grading it as a very good cut only, it''s table is larger than usual which is probably the cause of it. It is within the AGS ideal cut criteria though so I am willing to go with that, if there is a good return policy... :P If they sent it to AGS, it will probably be a 9-10k stone?

1) Feather usually is not. Seems like it is only visible on the pavilion. Maybe get it appraise?

2) It will probably look slightly bigger in size because of its shallower depth, bigger table. Maybe you should not let people look at the stone from too close, might block the light return for this stone as it looks like a stone in between younger and older people rings.

3) No way to obtain anymore info from the data given about symmetry though. At least IMHO...

4) Looks like a steal if you can stomach point 2. That said, I said before it is in AGS criteria, so I would give it a try if return policy allows it... :P
 
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