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help with lower budget engagement ring

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miss1020

Rough_Rock
Joined
Sep 9, 2021
Messages
27
Hello,

I have previously only lurked, but am so excited to help my daughter find her engagement ring, and know there are some very knowledgeable people here who know a lot more than I do!

Her wants:
simple yellow gold round solitaire, H preferrably, possibly I, VS2 or eye clean SI1. As big as the budget allows within those parameters.

other details:
ring size 4
it will not be upgraded as they are sentimental
budget for solitaire setting and diamond around $3000
I know cut quality is the most important, I have an AGS 000 J and I love it so much.

Questions:
For that color, is it better to have a yellow or white gold head, or does it matter much?

Here is what has caught her eye for a setting

4-Prong Classic Diamond Solitaire | 588

Elevate your style with a timeless 4-prong classic diamond solitaire ring. Perfect for any occasion, this stunning piece is a must-have for any jewelry collection. | 588
www.whiteflash.com

Valoria Petite Six Prong Solitaire Engagement Ring | 6161

Embrace the classic charm of the Valoria Petite Six Prong Solitaire Engagement Ring. Find your dream ring at Whiteflash and symbolize your everlasting bond. | 6161
www.whiteflash.com

also this
https://www.bluenile.com/build-your-own-ring/classic-four-prong-ring-18k-yellow-gold_8 (they don't have a 14k option she likes)

This is a budget option, but I have jewelry from costco that is gorgeous. She would have to order it and see as the specs are not available.

What is holding me up is the diamond search. There is so much out there, it's hard to know. I'm mostly seeing GIA not AGS in that diamond size, and i know I can't just go by GIA excellent. Anyone want to lend their expertise for a sweet young couple?

Thanks so much!!
 
As far as your question about the prongs/head, I'd get it in a white metal regardless of the color of the rest of the ring. I think white metal prongs just blend in with the diamond more and are pretty invisible rather than drawing attention to themselves like yellow or rose gold do, when of course the prongs are not the star of the show.

Another idea is to get a larger cubic zirconia, to be switched for a real diamond later on, maybe on an important anniversary.

And of course then there's always the lab diamond option, which I believe costs about half as much as a mined diamond, so they'd be able to afford a larger stone that way too, if desired.

It seems like so many women do want a larger stone later, regardless of how they feel originally. Then again, I hang around on here so maybe it's not a good indicator of what most women want. :)
 
Well cut diamonds are sent to AGS to highlight that aspect of their beauty. WolfCBI, Whiteflash and Brian Gavin Diamonds as well as James Allen will have stones certified by AGS. For a budget consious shopper you could have them look at the stones that fall just outside their strictest cutting parameter such this: https://www.whiteflash.com/loose-diamonds/round-cut-loose-diamond-4419249.htm

With a simple lower priced setting to show off a beautiful diamond.

4-Prong Classic Diamond Solitaire | 587

Elevate your style with a timeless 4-prong classic diamond solitaire ring. Perfect for any occasion, this stunning piece is a must-have for any jewelry collection. | 587
www.whiteflash.com
 
Thanks for your reply. I think I agree with you about the prong color.


those are good points about wanting something larger later, it was certainly true for me. I will run those options by her.
 
To maximise diamond size I’d go for a simple white gold setting (4 or 6 prong) and a lab diamond. Why not take advantage of modern technology and get more bling for your buck!
Have a look at Ritani.com
For $3,000 she could have a 1 carat lab in a 6 prong 18ct gold setting.
Ritani has both diamonds and settings and when on a modest budget it’s a saving to buy both from the same vendor as they’ll normally set for free.
 
I know you said she was looking at H or I color but I just wanted to throw it out there that she might want to consider J color since she will be setting the diamond in 14k yellow gold. Many PSers have J colored ACA diamonds that are stunning.

Diamond | 0.805 ct J VS2 A CUT ABOVE® Hearts and Arrows Super Ideal Round Cut Loose Diamond AGS Certified | 4421902

This Whiteflash A CUT ABOVE® super ideal cut hearts and arrows 0.805 carat J color VS2 clarity loose diamond is graded by the American Gem Society (AGS) Laboratories. | 4421902
www.whiteflash.com
 
WDWDiamond said:
I know you said she was looking at H or I color but I just wanted to throw it out there that she might want to consider J color since she will be setting the diamond in 14k yellow gold. Many PSers have J colored ACA diamonds that are stunning.

Diamond | 0.805 ct J VS2 A CUT ABOVE® Hearts and Arrows Super Ideal Round Cut Loose Diamond AGS Certified | 4421902

This Whiteflash A CUT ABOVE® super ideal cut hearts and arrows 0.805 carat J color VS2 clarity loose diamond is graded by the American Gem Society (AGS) Laboratories. | 4421902
www.whiteflash.com
Click to expand...

I would go with this and the simplest yellow gold setting :kiss2:
 
Thanks for all the replies. I wanted to run all your ideas by her.

So she is not really interested in a lab diamond or cubic zirconia I found out.And going to a J is interesting, but I hesitate because I have been thinking of upgrading my J to a higher color as I don’t always like the slight tint I see. The cut is so great that it’s usually fine but since I don’t think she will ever upgrade I want to be a bit careful. I’m kind of the only one interested in jewelry in our social circles so upgrading isn’t very common.

I did however find something I’m pretty interested in but the clarity grade is due to twinning wisps. I need to research it a bit as I don’t really know about that. So, What are your thoughts on twinning wisps?
 
Re J — opinions vary… I agree with your instinct to take a pass.
 
miss1020 said:
I did however find something I’m pretty interested in but the clarity grade is due to twinning wisps. I need to research it a bit as I don’t really know about that. So, What are your thoughts on twinning wisps?
Click to expand...

What is the clarity grade? Also, is there a plot of where they are located?
 
Twinning wisp...it depends on the stone and what the Clarity characteristics say about the stone. Larger but fewer twinning wisp can
be "ok" but lots of little nearly invisible twinning wisps are not ok because it can cause the stone to be cloudy.

Best to post the GIA report so we can have a look.
 
This is a bit bigger than the one posted by @DejaWiz . I can't see the grading report online, but I did use all the available filters to narrow it down. It has body color and based on your comments above, I'm not sure how you'd feel about it.
www.jamesallen.com

0.82 Carat round diamond

This 0.82 carat round diamond I color vs1 clarity has Excellent proportions and a diamond grading report from IGI
www.jamesallen.com www.jamesallen.com

A super-ideal J will show its color less when viewed face up, but you will see it from the side. So, not all these may suit.
These from WF are within budget provided you can wire the funds and they can find a setting that suits.

Diamond | 0.732 ct J VS2 A CUT ABOVE® Hearts and Arrows Super Ideal Round Cut Loose Diamond AGS Certified | 4410609

This Whiteflash A CUT ABOVE® super ideal cut hearts and arrows 0.732 carat J color VS2 clarity loose diamond is graded by the American Gem Society (AGS) Laboratories. | 4410609
www.whiteflash.com

Diamond | 0.716 ct I VVS1 A CUT ABOVE® Hearts and Arrows Super Ideal Round Cut Loose Diamond AGS Certified | 4409502

This Whiteflash A CUT ABOVE® super ideal cut hearts and arrows 0.716 carat I color VVS1 clarity loose diamond is graded by the American Gem Society (AGS) Laboratories. | 4409502
www.whiteflash.com
https://www.whiteflash.com/loose-diamonds/round-cut-loose-diamond-4361918.htm
{you end up $1 over with this one}

Bumping this previous selection.

Diamond | 0.736 ct I VS1 Expert Selection Round Cut Loose Diamond AGS Certified | 4419249

This fabulous 0.736 carat Round Ideal cut diamond has a clarity grade of VS1 and color grade of I.It is an excellent choice for engagement rings. | 4419249
www.whiteflash.com
 
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Throwing out some other options, if she liked antique diamonds, this one is a nice size at 6.1mm and eyeclean. This is from a known vendor with a good eye. They will send video.
ivyandrose.com

0.90ct GIA CERTIFIED VERY GOOD CUT DIAMOND I SI2 ROUND BRILLIANT 1 CARAT LOOSE

This lively 0.90ct GIA certified diamond is beautifully white, 100% eye clean, and displays absolutely phenomenal sparkle! This sizeable round brilliant cut diamond is certified by GIA, the world’s premier gemological authority. Under GIA’s rigorous standards, the diamond received a Very Good...
ivyandrose.com ivyandrose.com

This gains you a little size and is F color. Inclusions are off to the sides of the stone, so you'll need a video.
ivyandrose.com

CERTIFIED .94ct F SI2 OLD EUROPEAN CUT DIAMOND VINTAGE ANTIQUE LOOSE NATURAL 1ct

This stunning 0.94ct old European cut certified diamond is very bright white, 100% eye clean, and remarkably brilliant and fiery! Old European cuts tend to have a bit of warmth, so it is uncommon to find one with bright white F color. The diamond is also utterly unique! Cut by hand a lifetime in...
ivyandrose.com ivyandrose.com
 
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Here's one I think might be worth asking about re: the certificate:

www.jamesallen.com

0.80 Carat round diamond

This 0.8 carat round diamond I color si1 clarity has Excellent proportions and a diamond grading report from GIA
www.jamesallen.com www.jamesallen.com
 
miss1020 said:
budget for solitaire setting and diamond around $3000
Click to expand...

For that budget, I would search vintage/antique. Infinite selection.

At that price point, you will lose so much in the friction of all the transaction costs -- markup on the stone, ring, mounting.

Spending $1 - 2K to make a ring for a $1,000 stone is a lot different from spending that amount for a $10K stone, imo.
 
LilAlex said:
Spending $1 - 2K to make a ring for a $1,000 stone is a lot different from spending that amount for a $10K stone, imo.
Click to expand...

I would think the goal would be to buy a simple stock setting like some of the ones suggested above, since she wants a simple yellow gold solitaire. Those can be had for less than $500, so the stone can be around $2500ish.
 
Lookinagain said:
Those can be had for less than $500, so the stone can be around $2500ish.
Click to expand...

True. Vintage is still less for the package -- but maybe less so for diamond, which is so commoditized in commercial grades.
 
So thanks for all the replies! I will have to look at everything, but in the meantime I put the James Allen diamond on hold. If it checks out it is a great value. Here is the certificate. My only question is the crown angle is 35.3 so slightly outside the parameters I thought were ideal. What do you think?
5DD14ECF-D8A5-4BC8-9633-667C014F2746.jpeg
 
miss1020 said:
So thanks for all the replies! I will have to look at everything, but in the meantime I put the James Allen diamond on hold. If it checks out it is a great value. Here is the certificate. My only question is the crown angle is 35.3 so slightly outside the parameters I thought were ideal. What do you think?
5DD14ECF-D8A5-4BC8-9633-667C014F2746.jpeg
Click to expand...

Those proportions should be great. The pavillion angle is complementary to the crown angle and it's an E! She should be very happy! It's considered a Fiery Balanced Stone.
 
miss1020 said:
So thanks for all the replies! I will have to look at everything, but in the meantime I put the James Allen diamond on hold. If it checks out it is a great value. Here is the certificate. My only question is the crown angle is 35.3 so slightly outside the parameters I thought were ideal. What do you think?
5DD14ECF-D8A5-4BC8-9633-667C014F2746.jpeg
Click to expand...

Wow... gorgeous proportions and angles. Zero concerns with anything.

Link to the report:

AGS Laboratories

agslab.com agslab.com
 
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Wow, I really appreciate the replies, this is what I was really hoping for! I didn’t think to look at James Allen for example, and I just love you taking the time to help me out.

I have looked at all the stones mentioned. I can go from .7 to .8 by dropping the color from G to I for the same price. I don’t know if that is really noticeable. I can’t really get much bigger for the price.

Thanks for the antique stones suggestion. I don’t know what they look like in real life, so I’m not sure how to go about it. I have to think about that one..

I did the HCA on the G VS1, and the spread is coming in at average.

any other thoughts?
 
miss1020 said:
Wow, I really appreciate the replies, this is what I was really hoping for! I didn’t think to look at James Allen for example, and I just love you taking the time to help me out.

I have looked at all the stones mentioned. I can go from .7 to .8 by dropping the color from G to I for the same price. I don’t know if that is really noticeable. I can’t really get much bigger for the price.

Thanks for the antique stones suggestion. I don’t know what they look like in real life, so I’m not sure how to go about it. I have to think about that one..

I did the HCA on the G VS1, and the spread is coming in at average.

any other thoughts?
Click to expand...

I think this is a lovely modern diamond. Antique vs. modern is really up to her. I love the bubbly rainbow chunkiness of old cuts and the history, but others really like the high energy fire from modern stones. No wrong answers.
 
I just did a price scope search for G VS1-VS2 stones with EX HCA scores. Here is the search. Go down to virtual stones and you'll see there are a few stones in her price range. If you find some you like, post the certs so we can comment, if you want us to.

Diamond Search Results | Real-time Information on 1,000,000+ Diamonds | PriceScope

PriceScope's Diamond Search is the best place to find the best diamond prices. Search and compare over a million natural, lab and fancy color diamonds.
www.pricescope.com www.pricescope.com
 
miss1020 said:
Wow, I really appreciate the replies, this is what I was really hoping for! I didn’t think to look at James Allen for example, and I just love you taking the time to help me out.

I have looked at all the stones mentioned. I can go from .7 to .8 by dropping the color from G to I for the same price. I don’t know if that is really noticeable. I can’t really get much bigger for the price.

Thanks for the antique stones suggestion. I don’t know what they look like in real life, so I’m not sure how to go about it. I have to think about that one..

I did the HCA on the G VS1, and the spread is coming in at average.

any other thoughts?
Click to expand...

I'm a sucker for colorless *and* AGS 000, so that puts the 0.7 F VS1 at the top of my list.

There's no denying the power of going bigger while dropping the color a couple of grades, though.
 
DejaWiz said:
I'm a sucker for colorless *and* AGS 000, so that puts the 0.7 F VS1 at the top of my list.

There's no denying the power of going bigger while dropping the color a couple of grades, though.
Click to expand...

I think some go for colorless but most go for near colorless. I for one, wouldn't pick an E or F over size. Not if I could have a beautifully cut G or H that is larger. AGS 000 is obviously a big plus, but I think when you are on a limited budget, don't think there will ever be an upgrade, and we are told

simple yellow gold round solitaire, H preferrably, possibly I, VS2 or eye clean SI1. As big as the budget allows within those parameters.

I would tend to recommend the biggest, well cut diamond in the H/I range. Whether there is one that is larger, of the same price and as well cut as the .7 F VS1 is the question. If not, then yes, I'd pick that one.
 
Since you're getting some pressure to think bigger I did the same Pricescope search but for H VS1-VS2 with EX HCA and AGSO certificate. I only came up with one diamond and it's a .78.

www.jamesallen.com

0.78 Carat round diamond

This 0.78 carat round diamond H color vs2 clarity has Ideal proportions and a diamond grading report from AGS
www.jamesallen.com www.jamesallen.com
 
Lookinagain said:
I think some go for colorless but most go for near colorless. I for one, wouldn't pick an E or F over size. Not if I could have a beautifully cut G or H that is larger. AGS 000 is obviously a big plus, but I think when you are on a limited budget, don't think there will ever be an upgrade, and we are told

simple yellow gold round solitaire, H preferrably, possibly I, VS2 or eye clean SI1. As big as the budget allows within those parameters.

I would tend to recommend the biggest, well cut diamond in the H/I range. Whether there is one that is larger, of the same price and as well cut as the .7 F VS1 is the question. If not, then yes, I'd pick that one.
Click to expand...

I know - just giving my opinion. :)
My last sentence sums it all up.

Found this (maybe very lightly tinted?) 0.8 J VS2 that faces up extremely white and has spectacular measurements.

www.jamesallen.com

0.80 Carat round diamond

This 0.8 carat round diamond J color vs2 clarity has Excellent proportions and a diamond grading report from GIA
www.jamesallen.com www.jamesallen.com

cert.jpeg
 
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