BG Black Diamond choice

[idecas]

Currently looking at Diamonds at BG
I currently have this one in queue
https://www.briangavindiamonds.com/...und-bkags-104102258020?variant=40218293338173
But I saw this one

1.06 E VVS2 Signature Round

Brian Gavin Diamonds

www.briangavindiamonds.com

I havnt seen a asset scope didnt show the center as a solid red. This one has some green in it.
Im wondering will the bottom one shine more or does it cause a situation where it doesnt have as much contrast.

 

[Kim N]

I like the bigger one. The center being red, green, or both is due to the pavilion angle, nothing to do with the overall performance of the diamond. Both diamonds will perform beautifully.

 

[momofive]

I'm not an expert, but I am drawn to the 1.06 in all lighting conditions, but you probably can't go wrong with any BG Black diamond. Wait for the pros to chime in.

 

[idecas]

Ty for the info about the center. One thing im just noticing is the smaller one has more contrast. Its eye appealing in this close up and I feel like I should make the trip to see them as I live a few hours away

 

[Kim N]

Ty for the info about the center. One thing im just noticing is the smaller one has more contrast. Its eye appealing in this close up and I feel like I should make the trip to see them as I live a few hours away

In person is definitely the best way to choose a diamond! You're lucky you live so close.

 

[tyty333]

Currently looking at Diamonds at BG
I currently have this one in queue
https://www.briangavindiamonds.com/...und-bkags-104102258020?variant=40218293338173
But I saw this one

1.06 E VVS2 Signature Round

Brian Gavin Diamonds

www.briangavindiamonds.com

I havnt seen a asset scope didnt show the center as a solid red. This one has some green in it.
Im wondering will the bottom one shine more or does it cause a situation where it doesnt have as much contrast.

Excellent idea to see in person if possible.

Are you tied to BG?

You might also look at Whiteflash while you're in the area. They are in Sugarland. They have quite a few that are in the range
you are looking at.

Round Cut Loose Diamonds for Sale | Buy Loose Diamonds

Whiteflash have the highest quality round cut loose diamonds available, in stock and ready to ship immediately. Order your dream diamond and setting today.

www.whiteflash.com

Just FYI between the 2 BG stones. Really depends on what you/your GF values more...size or rarity in color/clarity. You can ask
for side-by-side pictures of the two stones and see which one stands out to you more.

 

[idecas]

I did go to whiteflash before but went with BG and their customization process as the settings they have align with the style my gf likes and I like. I am looking for more dainty elegant designs. When we went to whiteflash there were 1.3 carrot and 1.5 carrot present for aprox size of 7mm and 7.3 mm. Honestly when I was there looking at the ACA i couldnt tell any real differences from eye level. Most noticeable was g -> I color difference which was very faint for me and my gf couldnt even tell.

The feedback was 1.3 and 1.5 felt too big and she wanted something more proportionate to her finger ( size 6.5 - 6.75 )
I initially wanted to keep 7 for round number sakes.
When we tried a 1.16 carrot 6.82 she liked it but thought it was a little too big. I think the base 1 carrot 6.4mm is too small so that 6.6.6.7 will be sweet spot for ratio.

Also I am looking to add either a sidestone to complement it for the setting.


TLDR is she will be happy with having a pretty diamond on her hand on a comfortable ring that is elegant that she can wear everyday. I wanna make sure its the best performative it can be while keeping that feel which is why I was curious about that ASET image.

 

[idecas]

Also where did you get that tool anyways? I am trying to find a proper web tool that I can use to orate what im thinking in designing the setting. Right now im just going through the CAD process with BG

 

[sledge]

Before you do anything else go put that BGD Black 1.06 E/VVS2 on reserve! If timing was different I would be upgrading my wife’s stone (BGD Blue) to this one! Very, very nice find!

This stone has near perfect Tolk dimensions. A small 54.4 table and 76 LGF’s for fat arrows. This one gets me revved up and will be very firey and a total sparkle bomb!



As noted the red & green you are seeing in the middle of the ASET is called “table reflection”. It’s the area I circled in yellow below. As already eluded to it has a difference of colors due to the pavilion angle of the diamond.

To understand that better you need to understand that the ASET scope identifies light entering above 45 degrees as red and light below 45 degrees as green.

Elaborating further on the pavilion angle, at 40.76 the reflection draws light from the point where red & green meet. So pavilion angles 40.75 or less will draw light at less than 45 degrees and reflect as green. On the flip side, pavilion angles 40.77 and above will draw light above degrees and reflect as red.

When you see alternating red & green colored table reflections it means you have pavilion angles that meet both conditions. Some 40.77 and above and some 40.75 and below.

Taking it back to the lab report and one of the reasons I posted a picture of the proportions above is the lab report shows a pavilion angle of 40.8. It’s easy to think they should all show red based on what I said above. However, you have to take into account that each round diamond has 8 pavilion facets. Yet on the lab report you see only 1 value. In the case of AGS (which applies here) all 8 pavilions are measured and averaged. Like any average you will have higher and lower numbers. Apparently a few of the actual pavilion angles are 40.75 and below as they are reflecting as green.

This does NOT have an adverse effect on light performance. As already stated, this is an exceptionally great stone. Many search for such perfection. It’s got great color and clarity to boot! Hands down this is a stone I would personally buy!

Hope this helps!

 

[sledge]

I got excited and failed to talk about contrast. In the ASET images, blue is contrast. Red and green identify light return. So this stone will not have weird or unusual contrast.

I did mention the 76 LGF’s earlier. Numerically smaller LGF = fatter arrows. And fatter arrows do provide slightly different contrast ratios.

However the other BGD stone had 77 LGF’s which isn’t significantly different. Yet it has a larger table. When LGF’s are the same size, but a larger table exists the arrows look more skinny. Just as a stone with same sized LGF’s but smaller table will appear to have slightly fatter arrows.

In the case of these two stones, the 1.06 has a smaller table and numerically smaller LGF’s (fatter arrows) so the difference is compounded by two factors.

Why talk so much about this? You asked about contrast. Arrows show up as blue (contrast) so the 1.06 will have a different contrast ratio but not for the reasons you initially asked about.

Overall both stones will be well balanced. However nuanced eyes will likely detect these differences. If you look at them in person see if you can tell a difference. I really think you will love the 1.06.

 

[idecas]

Ty very much for all the info. I'm trying to set / clear my schedule to make the trip

 

[sledge]

Also where did you get that tool anyways? I am trying to find a proper web tool that I can use to orate what im thinking in designing the setting. Right now im just going through the CAD process with BG

This is the site used for the size comparisons:

Diamond Database - Compare Diamond Shapes and Sizes

Diamond comparison platform where you can compare and evaluate actual diamond sizes on ring and finger. Explore diamond shapes, get buying advice.

www.diamdb.com

Although I bought my wife’s stone from BGD I worked with David Klass in Los Angeles for the setting. There was a lot of markups and changes but she had a curvy unique design. I bounce between Windows and Mac. On Windows I use the built in photos editor and paint. On Mac I use Preview which is nicer IMO. On both platforms I also have GIMP (free version of Photoshop type program) for more tech stuff. And also AutoCAD for really tech stuff, but that’s probably overkill for average Joe.

 

[tyty333]

With respect to the size of diamond your GF wants and feels comfortable with...when you get an engagement ring and start wearing
it the stone feels large because you're not used to having an engagement ring. However, it doesn't take long for most women to
get used to it and it feels like its shrinking before their eyes. My opinion is to buy a little bit bigger than what she thinks is the right
size. Just my opinion. On the other hand, since you are buying a branded stone you can always upgrade the size in the future.

I have the same size finger as your GF and my stone seems a little small to me. It's a 1.66 carat. It is all subjective though.

 

[musicloveranthony]

That's a gorgeous stone. I have crazy symmetry eyes and that's pretty close to perfect (as all the Black-line stones are)

 

[idecas]

Haha that's a very good point. I'm actually taking one of the be designs to be made by them. If she wants more diamonds then maybe more on the wedding band

 

[sledge]

My opinion is to buy a little bit bigger than what she thinks is the right size. Just my opinion. On the other hand, since you are buying a branded stone you can always upgrade the size in the future.

I have the same size finger as your GF and my stone seems a little small to me. It's a 1.66 carat. It is all subjective though.

LOL @tyty333. I’ve been trying to get my wife to go bigger before I made the first purchase. I originally wanted to give her a 2 carat stone but she felt uncomfortable with that.

There’s been a few times I’ve tried to talk her into an upgrade since I proposed but she never bites at the opportunity even though she has considered once or twice. On the plus side, it’s been almost 4 years since we got married and she’s still very happy!

In regard to upgrades, I also have BGD and while I don’t have an issue with the stones the upgrade policy is more limited than WF which essentially has no red tape.

With BGD, you have to trade for a stone of equal or larger value AND you must also upgrade TWO of the following 3 C’s: color, clarity or carats.

Starting with that very lovely 1.06 E/VVS2 doesn’t leave many options using their standard upgrade policy. I would talk with Leslie or Brian and try to convince them to be more flexible since color and clarity is already so high. Because they remain sole proprietors (at least to my knowledge) it may be easier for them to make an exception like this in lieu of larger corporate entities that have private or public shareholders. If by chance you talk them into it, be sure to get it in writing and ensure it’s done in a legal manner. Also store in a vault with other important paperwork so you always have proof in case the business is sold (speaking of which, part of your legality check would be ensuring the “addendum” survives in event of some ownership change).

 

[momofive]

With respect to the size of diamond your GF wants and feels comfortable with...when you get an engagement ring and start wearing
it the stone feels large because you're not used to having an engagement ring. However, it doesn't take long for most women to
get used to it and it feels like its shrinking before their eyes. My opinion is to buy a little bit bigger than what she thinks is the right
size. Just my opinion. On the other hand, since you are buying a branded stone you can always upgrade the size in the future.

I have the same size finger as your GF and my stone seems a little small to me. It's a 1.66 carat. It is all subjective though.

Yes, you can search DSS or Diamond shrinkage syndrome on here. I'm working on my 3rd upgrade. Each one felt and looked HUGE in the beginning. I also have the same size finger as your GF and I'm going with a 3.3 ct. center EC and 2-0.5 ct. side stones.

 

[tyty333]

Good point @sledge ...I would definitely talk to Brian and get it in writing. It would be very difficult to upgrade 2 of the specs
with a 1.06 E/VVS2! I, on the other hand, have a K/SI1. Plenty of room for upgrading on thoes specs!

 

[sledge]

I, on the other hand, have a K/SI1. Plenty of room for upgrading on thoes specs!

You’re getting lots of bang for the buck but yes lots of room for “improvement” assuming that is what your heart desires.

FWIW, I can see how clarity could make sense. Bigger stone and what seems like harder to find good SI1 stones makes a solid case for VS2+. Carats are a given with DSS, lol.

What I’ve never got is color. Granted both my wife and I prefer whiter so D/E/F is enticing to us. Just as I prefer white metals to yellow metals — not just rings but all things. I’ve never cared for yellow gold stuff. And hence that is my point. It so happens the diamond world values my likes as more desirable and/or less available which forces prices up. You on the other hand like the warmer tone of a K and may find it offensive or undesirable to “improve” color. Diamond color is subjective. I’m glad it falls in your favor on the purchase side and hope it never hinders you on the upgrade side!

 

[idecas]

Does upgrading the diamond mean I would have to change setting?

 

[momofive]

Does upgrading the diamond mean I would have to change setting?

I believe it depends on the dimensions of the stone. I'm guessing, probably. It would depend on what size(s) you can get that setting in. But wait for others, they are more knowledgable than me!

 

[sledge]

Does upgrading the diamond mean I would have to change setting?

It depends on a few factors. Obviously stone size comes into play but it also depends how the setting itself is constructed.

If the setting has a “peg head” then they can pull the smaller unit and install a new one that will accept a larger stone. If it’s integral you will have limited options depending on the specifics of the setting.

I might add that even with a peg head style that can be swapped easily, it doesn’t necessarily ensure you will love the proportion of the new stone to the new setting.

A quick example. You have a 6.70mm stone on a 2mm solitaire. From the top view that means there is 6.70 - inch = 4.70 total space / 2 sides = 2.35mm between stone edge to the outside metal edge of the stone. Let’s pretend you love this ratio.

Your new upgraded stone will be 8mm. They swap the peg head but now the ratios are different. The band is still 2mm wide but the spacing is different. 8 - 2 = 6 / 2 = 3mm. Maybe you like this larger gap or maybe you think it’s too much and want a thicker band.

There is no right or wrong answer. But I know with my wife’s ring she has a unique design that if we increase stone size it will throw off other things she loves so we will need to make a new setting for the upgraded stone size or change to a different setting.

Obviously swapping settings can get costly. WF has a pretty awesome upgrade perk on their designer bands (Vatche, etc) that allows you 50% of trade value towards a new setting. To my knowledge they are the only ones that offer this perk. Combined with their no hassle 100% diamond trade policy WF is a solid choice if you think future upgrades are in the cards. And while I do love the BGD Black stone, WF ACA’s are also really nice and comparable in quality.

 

[tyty333]

You’re getting lots of bang for the buck but yes lots of room for “improvement” assuming that is what your heart desires.

FWIW, I can see how clarity could make sense. Bigger stone and what seems like harder to find good SI1 stones makes a solid case for VS2+. Carats are a given with DSS, lol.

What I’ve never got is color. Granted both my wife and I prefer whiter so D/E/F is enticing to us. Just as I prefer white metals to yellow metals — not just rings but all things. I’ve never cared for yellow gold stuff. And hence that is my point. It so happens the diamond world values my likes as more desirable and/or less available which forces prices up. You on the other hand like the warmer tone of a K and may find it offensive or undesirable to “improve” color. Diamond color is subjective. I’m glad it falls in your favor on the purchase side and hope it never hinders you on the upgrade side!

I started with a J ACA and figured I could go down 1 color to get a larger stone. I'm also a fan of yellow gold. White metal is fine, I just
find that yellow isn't as startling with my skin tone. While my K is beautiful, I really think "I" would be my sweet spot so I'm
trying to work towards that....unfortunately, my budget doesn't find "I" to be a sweet spot .

On the other hand, my original ering is a D/SI1 pear. I find the D-ness to be too bright. In a fancy cut, I'm thinking G would be
my sweet spot. Its funny how when I really started thinking about what I liked to see and not what "Industry" usually pushes
I found out I'm just not "normal".

I know there are a few of us not-so-normal PSers out there! I wouldn't recommend it to anyone new to diamonds until they have
done their research and know what they like/dont like, which takes a while.

 

[sledge]

I was in a rush last night and forgot to include some pics and also a link to the WF trade program that covers both their stones and designer settings. I know you are primarily considering BGD but it’s important you understand the differences.

Lifetime Upgrade Guarantee | Whiteflash

A great upgrade policy is a big deal when buying a diamond. Whiteflash has the best benefits in the business including a 100% Lifetime Upgrade Guarantee.

www.whiteflash.com

One setting example that uses peg heads:


And just a few peg head examples. But it should illustrate the basics. The prongs sit on a peg that slides and solders into the base ring. So when you change diamond sizes the peg head can be pulled and a new larger one installed.

I might add the downside to this style of ring is it creates a single shear point — the peg — that if broken will cause a lost diamond. Granted it’s unlikely but it does happen. Redundant systems is always a good idea. Take for instance elevators primarily operate on cables but if those fail they have emergency brakes to prevent rapid descent to the bottom of the shaft (several feet below the lowest level).

Consequently settings with integral heads provide multiple points of contact so if one of those is sheared there is a chance the stone isn’t lost. And the more contact the less likely. So generically speaking 8 prong > 6 prong > 4 prong. While higher prong count also has other/different structural benefits in peg heads it’s important to discern I am talking about integral rings where the prongs form out of the setting and simply don’t sit in a hole like the peg head styles.

 

[idecas]

Does this forum have a guide on engament ring parts / customization.
I initially wanted to do this from brilliantearth but read about their bad quality.

https://www.brilliantearth.com/Floating-Three-Stone-Diamond-Ring-Gold-BE1D122-13287408/

I'm asking briangavin to replicate that for me right now. Ya that's a good point about the interchangeable heads but I think the style she wants ( dainty / elegant) would lead to limitations on size to ring integrity as it should be an everyday ring wear.i really appreciate all the info here. I should have started here in my search.

 

[sledge]

Plenty of peg heads get worn daily but it’s just a factor of safety IMO. Obviously you should insure your diamond and all that jazz but a loss like that would be emotional as well as monetary which is why I prefer integral. Thing is it just doesn’t work for all designs.

Also how the ring is worn plays into durability. Some ladies baby their rings. Others put them to the test. My wife falls in between. She doesn’t always take it as easy as I think she should but doesn’t do crazy stuff with it on either.

The setting you choose is very pretty IMO. Here are some additional thoughts specific to it.

You have two shear points for the main stone as evidenced below. The prongs around the smaller side stones appear to be integral to the ring with one of the formations creating the connection point for the main stone basket.



It’s hard to see but I believe there is a prong that sits between the small diamonds and large center stone. You may want to ask BGD if they can make that a shared prong so the lower half secures the small stone and the upper portion provides 2 additional prongs for the main stone. You currently have 4 prongs for the main stone.



Something not yet mentioned but you need to discuss are the side stones used in the setting. Has BGD provided confirmation on the size of the 2 side stones? I’m asking because I think 0.20 carats is their smallest stones with individual certs that you can hand pick. I saw on BE’s website those are minimum 0.11 carats.

If they are < 0.20ct each then I presume BGD will use their melee stones which are smaller and typically graded as a group instead of individually.

In either case you will want to match your center stone and I’d ask for their expertise in the matter. Smaller stones of the same color grade can appear whiter than their larger counterparts.

Also I would inquire to the cut quality of BGD melee. I assume they use ideal cut melee but it’s worth verifying. I know WF makes it public they use higher grade melee but I don’t recall seeing or discussing that point with BGD. To me this is a no brainer especially if buying a BGD Black stone as you’d want the best melee to match the best center stone.

The stones in the basket will definitely be small enough they will fall into the melee category.

Do you plan on keeping the setting yellow gold, rose gold, white gold or platinum? There’s a whole other rabbit hole full of metal types and slight shades in color variation.

 

[idecas]

I am using platinum. Side stones are .1 at 3mm each both h&a . I think the brilliant earth version was total .11 so around .05 each. One thing I do want them to solve or make me feel confident in is the center piece. It does seem flimsy that the center piece is only joined by two prongs and I don't see the bottom one you are referring to. Also I think bg does casting so everything is one piece .

 

[idecas]

It’s hard to see but I believe there is a prong that sits between the small diamonds and large center stone. You may want to ask BGD if they can make that a shared prong so the lower half secures the small stone and the upper portion provides 2 additional prongs for the main stone. You currently have 4 prongs for the main stone.

I dont follow this please ellaborate as Its a good suggestion of maintaining ring integritity

 

[sledge]

Yeah I think the way the bottom of that basket joins to the main BE setting is a bit clunky and could be refined. I'd like to see it be more integral and just "flow" into the basket. I've not worked with BGD on a custom setting design, although I did talk with Leslie before deciding to go with DKJ (bought my wife's stone from BGD but had DKJ do the setting). With any custom if you share ideas, sketches, pictures, etc. it's super helpful and then they can try to incorporate that into the new ring design.

Here is a rough sketch where I've tried to detail what I'm talking about with the shared prong. Also, I found another picture that does indeed show there is a prong in that location so it'd just be a matter of finding the best way to extend it up and create a 6-prong setting for the main stone vs the 4-prong currently shown.

 

[sledge]

Its funny how when I really started thinking about what I liked to see and not what "Industry" usually pushes
I found out I'm just not "normal".

I know there are a few of us not-so-normal PSers out there! I wouldn't recommend it to anyone new to diamonds until they have
done their research and know what they like/dont like, which takes a while.

Last paragraph is probably the best advice a new shopper will receive. If I knew then what I knew now I would have made different choices for my wife's ring.

But hindsight is 20/20 at this point. I hope at some point she comes around to loving OEC's the way I do. I fell in love with them when I saw my SIL's. Both her & her husband are deaf and sign and the thing looked like a disco ball on steroids. But I don't suspect my wife will change her mind anytime soon -- I've tried a few times already, lol.

Oddly enough in the OEC's I actually like a little warmer tones than MRB's. I think it's because of the chunky facets, colors, etc work well together.