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Need help- small diamond solitaire

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allielb83

Rough_Rock
Joined
Feb 9, 2013
Messages
7
Hi everyone, I'm really looking for a bit of guidance finding a diamond. My bf and I are getting married (not exactly a surprise after 7 years of dating). We have a limited budget. We've decided to go with James Allen and I like the yellow gold knife edge 6 prong solitaire setting. I have no knowledge about diamonds, except what I have read during my last week of shopping. My primary concern is to have a sparkly diamond and secondly I'd like to buy the biggest possible on our budget. Our max diamond budget would be around $1600 but we prefer to spend less. Any thoughts on the following diamonds?
This is a 0.65 carat http://www.jamesallen.com/#!/loose-diamonds/round-cut/0.65-carat-J-color-SI1-clarity-Excellent-cut-sku-184163
This is a 0.63 carat http://www.jamesallen.com/#!/loose-diamonds/round-cut/0.63-carat-J-color-VS2-clarity-Excellent-cut-sku-184165
I don't think I love this 0.71 carat but perhaps the inclusions I see aren't a big deal? http://www.jamesallen.com/#!/loose-diamonds/round-cut/0.71-carat-K-color-SI1-clarity-Excellent-cut-sku-133842

I also really love this sparkly 0.5 carat but was hoping everyone here could comment if the above ones are just as nice. I'll go 0.5 carat if anyone strongly believes it will look far better
http://www.jamesallen.com/#!/loose-diamonds/round-cut/0.50-carat-J-color-VS2-clarity-Excellent-cut-sku-156782

I appreciate any help and I love everyone's passion for diamonds here, I've been lurking the boards and learning so much.
 
I like that J you posted, the .65? I the K doesnt score all that well on the hca and that plus the color I like the .65
 
The .6s are nice but not hitting that sweet spot of color/clarity that can push you over the .7 mark.
 
Wow, you guys are FAST! Since I'm trying to learn as I go, what was it about the diamonds that I posted that you did not like?
Of the alternatives posted I do really like the .55 and .59.
 
Original .71 and .5 are leaky.
 
I agree with Julie on the .71 and .5 you posted.

I do like the True hearts one, and also the .6's look like possibilities (but didn't run any numbers through the HCA), but agree again with Julie that it'd be nice to squeek a little more size out of it. There doesn't seem to be much of anything there in the price range on JA and if you're trying to squeek a little more size in and get to .7 you might consider giving ID Jewelry a call and seeing what Yekutiel and do for you. They've pulled some wonders of tight budget rings on here.
 
Do you think that with Valentine's Day coming up, stock is lower than normal? We don't really have a tight time line, so perhaps we should just do some watchful waiting until something more worthwhile comes up.
Blue Nile didn't seem to have any better deals than JA when I very quickly checked.
 
Stock does seem to be low right now. I looked at the diamond search here and there isn't much in the Ex/VG cuts in that size range.

I have seen other participants on here say to contact I. D. Jewelry (a Pricescope vendor) with your budget and ask them to locate some stones that might meet your budget. (https://www.idjewelryonline.com/) and Yekutiel is the person to contact.
 
=Yes i agree ita worth giving a call to idjewelry. They have i think prettier lower budget solitaires (umder 400) and are very good with a budget. Worth a call while waiting for your other stones at ja to come in

This one is my favorite 6 prong they have
http://idjewelryonline.com/product_info.php?cPath=42_47&products_id=10157&cType=ER

Heres one i know its not gia or anything, but even allowing for some soft grading, its probably around the same color and clarity of those other stones, so worth calling them and saying can "im a ps er can you give me the idealscope and measurements of this stone, and could you take 1700 for the stone and setting".... No harm in asking

http://idjewelryonline.com/diamond_details1.php?id=41791583&shape=B&pricefrom=0&priceto=1600&caratfrom=0.65&caratto=10.00&colorfrom=D&colorto=K&clarfrom=IF&clarto=SI1&polish=ANY&cert=Any&symmetry=EX&depthfrom=60&depthto=62&tablefrom=54&tableto=58&cut=Array&item_id=
 
nielseel|1360448350|3376325 said:
=Yes i agree ita worth giving a call to idjewelry. They have i think prettier lower budget solitaires (umder 400) and are very good with a budget. Worth a call while waiting for your other stones at ja to come in

This one is my favorite 6 prong they have
http://idjewelryonline.com/product_info.php?cPath=42_47&products_id=10157&cType=ER

Heres one i know its not gia or anything, but even allowing for some soft grading, its probably around the same color and clarity of those other stones, so worth calling them and saying can "im a ps er can you give me the idealscope and measurements of this stone, and could you take 1700 for the stone and setting".... No harm in asking

http://idjewelryonline.com/diamond_details1.php?id=41791583&shape=B&pricefrom=0&priceto=1600&caratfrom=0.65&caratto=10.00&colorfrom=D&colorto=K&clarfrom=IF&clarto=SI1&polish=ANY&cert=Any&symmetry=EX&depthfrom=60&depthto=62&tablefrom=54&tableto=58&cut=Array&item_id=
Click to expand...

I've seen IDJ come up with some great stuff for people working on a tight budget, so I agree that you should give them a call.

The stone that Neilseel recommended is an EGL Isreal stone, they are horribly inconsistent, so if you like this stone I would be sure to ask Yuketiel what he felt the GIA grading would have been for the stone. I hear wonderful things about him and I think that you can trust his assessment. Congrats on your upcoming engagement!
 
Haha i didnt realize it wasnt egl usa. But still, point of my story, contact them im sure they could look at it, it might only be 3 shades off, which would be right aroumd what you are looking at, and if not im certain they would do there best to find you a stone in your budg
 
i also love this setting, that i think you could do as well
heres a picture of a setting like it in rose gold and a similarly sized stone, it looks absolutely stunning. And i think id jewelry sells it for less than the g&co website has it listed as .

ajlrosegoldstack1.jpg
 
I'll talk to my bf about ID Jewelry. He's already a little hesitant to buy on-line so now that we've thoroughly researched JA, I'm not sure if he'll be willing to switch, especially since we live in Canada it can add an additional layer of complication. We may just wait until we can something on JA. I do think that even if we purchased from JA, we're still coming out ahead. The local independent jewelry store here is over twice the price for the setting/size I want and the chain stores have mainly I2-I3 clarity diamonds and don't have the setting I want. We live on the border to the US and I know Canadian chains are more expensive than the US.
Nielseel- I've ALWAYS loved rose gold, that is beautiful.
 
I bought my ring from JA (I'm in the uk) and am really pleased with it. I met Yeukitiel when we were in NYC and to be honest I came away feeling a bit sad that I hadn't taken the plunge and picked up the phone to him before we went, as he was so nice and offers incredible value. I think the best thing with IDJ is that offer a range of options depending on your criteria, you can ask for 'price scope standard' or slightly below or whatever depending on which areas you are happy to compromise on.

Given the choice now I would choose IDJ over JA but I chose JA, but at the time I chose JA for the same reasons you are so I understand your reasoning!
 
allielb83|1360500948|3376624 said:
I'll talk to my bf about ID Jewelry. He's already a little hesitant to buy on-line so now that we've thoroughly researched JA, I'm not sure if he'll be willing to switch, especially since we live in Canada it can add an additional layer of complication. We may just wait until we can something on JA. I do think that even if we purchased from JA, we're still coming out ahead. The local independent jewelry store here is over twice the price for the setting/size I want and the chain stores have mainly I2-I3 clarity diamonds and don't have the setting I want. We live on the border to the US and I know Canadian chains are more expensive than the US.
Nielseel- I've ALWAYS loved rose gold, that is beautiful.
Click to expand...

Well i thick contacting them is worth while. I think your BF would respect there attention to your budget. And they swnd you individual photos and ive seen them work pretty hard to meet your budget. Plua the setting are a little bit more attractive. And when its a simple solitaire, its important. And if ylu ljke roae gold fa should be able to make you it i think, even though its not on there site
 
Do people often buy diamond rings off of ebay? The price is right and I like the specs on the stone (on very first glance). What about customs, brokerage and duty to Canada, any experience with that?
 
Hi Allie, I had to pay both taxes once it got here(I'm in Quebec so QST&PST), also ask wich is the fastest mode of payment in order to get your ring. I send them a bank draft and it took over a month to clear (they explained that it took so long because it was a larger amount and the draft was international) but if you're ready to wait it's worth it. I suspect paying with cc is the fastest. Also since there is a no reserve I would offer them their starting bid price not the buy it now one.
 
Thanks for all the info and insight. t's definitely an option I'll explore further.
 
HollyDolly|1360501331|3376626 said:
I bought my ring from JA (I'm in the uk) and am really pleased with it. I met Yeukitiel when we were in NYC and to be honest I came away feeling a bit sad that I hadn't taken the plunge and picked up the phone to him before we went, as he was so nice and offers incredible value. I think the best thing with IDJ is that offer a range of options depending on your criteria, you can ask for 'price scope standard' or slightly below or whatever depending on which areas you are happy to compromise on.

Given the choice now I would choose IDJ over JA but I chose JA, but at the time I chose JA for the same reasons you are so I understand your reasoning!
Click to expand...


I sometime feel the same way. If I had it to do all over again, knowing the things I know now, I'd have gone with ID Jewelry at the start and probably come away with a bigger bang for the buck in the end.
 
That .68 really seems to sparkle, it may be my fav so far. My bf are going to search a little more and we'll see if online supply changes in the next few weeks. If so, JA it is. If not we'll explore ID, ebay and local pawn shops. Thanks everyone!!
 
allielb83|1360613099|3377719 said:
That .68 really seems to sparkle, it may be my fav so far. My bf are going to search a little more and we'll see if online supply changes in the next few weeks. If so, JA it is. If not we'll explore ID, ebay and local pawn shops. Thanks everyone!!
Click to expand...

You might have a look at this thread. This guy's budget was about $1500 and this is what ID Jewelry was able to do for him:

[URL='https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/need-help-halo-hesitation.183593/page-4']https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/need-help-halo-hesitation.183593/page-4[/URL]
 
allielb83|1360613099|3377719 said:
That .68 really seems to sparkle, it may be my fav so far. My bf are going to search a little more and we'll see if online supply changes in the next few weeks. If so, JA it is. If not we'll explore ID, ebay and local pawn shops. Thanks everyone!!
Click to expand...
If you are comfortable with a .6-.7 i would consider ja or idj, but i wouldnt buy from a pawn shop or ebay. You cant upgrade in the future if you do it that way. Plus no guarantee on the cut quality. I would go with idj or ja though, (you know my preference lol)
 
nielseel|1360613433|3377723 said:
allielb83|1360613099|3377719 said:
That .68 really seems to sparkle, it may be my fav so far. My bf are going to search a little more and we'll see if online supply changes in the next few weeks. If so, JA it is. If not we'll explore ID, ebay and local pawn shops. Thanks everyone!!
Click to expand...
If you are comfortable with a .6-.7 i would consider ja or idj, but i wouldnt buy from a pawn shop or ebay. You cant upgrade in the future if you do it that way. Plus no guarantee on the cut quality. I would go with idj or ja though, (you know my preference lol)
Click to expand...


ditto. Pawnshop and ebay probably not the best for someone without a lot of diamond knowledge and what to look for.
 
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