Need help with diamond selection. WF vs James Allen.

[peterpan112]

Hello everyone! I am deciding between a few diamonds for my engagement ring.

I have been looking at James Allen True Hearts diamonds and WF ACA. My ideal 4Cs would be color (D-F) and clarity (VS1 or above) and carat 1ct ish since I have very small finger (size 3.5).

The following are the couple of diamonds I am looking at:

https://www.jamesallen.com/loose-di...-cut-sku-14240888?uniqueID=0emk3hfmx_14578997 (HCA 1.1)

https://www.jamesallen.com/loose-di...lor-vvs2-clarity-true-hearts-cut-sku-13985431 (HCA 1.1)

https://www.whiteflash.com/loose-diamonds/round-cut-loose-diamond-4396537.htm (HCA 0.9, is it too low?)

https://www.whiteflash.com/loose-diamonds/round-cut-loose-diamond-4419917.htm (HCA 0.9)


Please let me know which one is your favorite! I am still very new to this (just started researching a week ago). Any input and assistance will be greatly appreciated

 

[Double E]

Welcome to PS~

And congrats as you are looking for engagement ring^^

I will first of all knock the JA (James Allen) 1.01 ct. F VVS2 out as I think VVS2 may be overkill.

For the rest, I may consider if I will think about upgrading the stone in future~

 

[Double E]

Btw do you have the GIA cert. for the 2 JA stones?

 

[DejaWiz]

Highly recommend you go with WF for the sake of getting a guaranteed super ideal, the extra time and labor involved for custom cutting each and every ACA, and the superior upgrade program.

Looking at your list, the price range seems to cap out around $13,000 which opens up a lot of ACA selection for you to pick from...and here are just a few that caught my eye.

Diamond | 1.231 ct F VS1 A CUT ABOVE® Hearts and Arrows Super Ideal Round Cut Loose Diamond AGS Certified | 4460747

This Whiteflash A CUT ABOVE® super ideal cut hearts and arrows 1.231 carat F color VS1 clarity loose diamond is graded by the American Gem Society (AGS) Laboratories. | 4460747

www.whiteflash.com

Diamond | 1.217 ct G VS1 A CUT ABOVE® Hearts and Arrows Super Ideal Round Cut Loose Diamond AGS Certified | 3947685

This Whiteflash A CUT ABOVE® super ideal cut hearts and arrows 1.217 carat G color VS1 clarity loose diamond is graded by the American Gem Society (AGS) Laboratories. | 3947685

www.whiteflash.com

Diamond | 1.126 ct D VS1 A CUT ABOVE® Hearts and Arrows Super Ideal Round Cut Loose Diamond AGS Certified | 4402573

This Whiteflash A CUT ABOVE® super ideal cut hearts and arrows 1.126 carat D color VS1 clarity loose diamond is graded by the American Gem Society (AGS) Laboratories. | 4402573

www.whiteflash.com

Diamond | 1.186 ct F VS2 A CUT ABOVE® Hearts and Arrows Super Ideal Round Cut Loose Diamond AGS Certified | 4445437

This Whiteflash A CUT ABOVE® super ideal cut hearts and arrows 1.186 carat F color VS2 clarity loose diamond is graded by the American Gem Society (AGS) Laboratories. | 4445437

www.whiteflash.com

Diamond | 1.107 ct F VS2 A CUT ABOVE® Hearts and Arrows Super Ideal Round Cut Loose Diamond AGS Certified | 4432200

This Whiteflash A CUT ABOVE® super ideal cut hearts and arrows 1.107 carat F color VS2 clarity loose diamond is graded by the American Gem Society (AGS) Laboratories. | 4432200

www.whiteflash.com

 

[peterpan112]

Welcome to PS~

And congrats as you are looking for engagement ring^^

I will first of all knock the JA (James Allen) 1.01 ct. F VVS2 out as I think VVS2 may be overkill.

For the rest, I may consider if I will think about upgrading the stone in future~

Thank you for your advice! I agree VVS might be overkill. I have not obtained the GIA certificate for JA stones yet, since I'll have to chat with them to get it. Not sure why they don't just list the proportions on the website like WF.

I've decided to go with WF as @DejaWiz suggested!

 

[peterpan112]

Highly recommend you go with WF for the sake of getting a guaranteed super ideal, the extra time and labor involved for custom cutting each and every ACA, and the superior upgrade program.

Looking at your list, the price range seems to cap out around $13,000 which opens up a lot of ACA selection for you to pick from...and here are just a few that caught my eye.

Diamond | 1.231 ct F VS1 A CUT ABOVE® Hearts and Arrows Super Ideal Round Cut Loose Diamond AGS Certified | 4460747

This Whiteflash A CUT ABOVE® super ideal cut hearts and arrows 1.231 carat F color VS1 clarity loose diamond is graded by the American Gem Society (AGS) Laboratories. | 4460747

www.whiteflash.com

Diamond | 1.217 ct G VS1 A CUT ABOVE® Hearts and Arrows Super Ideal Round Cut Loose Diamond AGS Certified | 3947685

This Whiteflash A CUT ABOVE® super ideal cut hearts and arrows 1.217 carat G color VS1 clarity loose diamond is graded by the American Gem Society (AGS) Laboratories. | 3947685

www.whiteflash.com

Diamond | 1.126 ct D VS1 A CUT ABOVE® Hearts and Arrows Super Ideal Round Cut Loose Diamond AGS Certified | 4402573

This Whiteflash A CUT ABOVE® super ideal cut hearts and arrows 1.126 carat D color VS1 clarity loose diamond is graded by the American Gem Society (AGS) Laboratories. | 4402573

www.whiteflash.com

Diamond | 1.186 ct F VS2 A CUT ABOVE® Hearts and Arrows Super Ideal Round Cut Loose Diamond AGS Certified | 4445437

This Whiteflash A CUT ABOVE® super ideal cut hearts and arrows 1.186 carat F color VS2 clarity loose diamond is graded by the American Gem Society (AGS) Laboratories. | 4445437

www.whiteflash.com

Diamond | 1.107 ct F VS2 A CUT ABOVE® Hearts and Arrows Super Ideal Round Cut Loose Diamond AGS Certified | 4432200

This Whiteflash A CUT ABOVE® super ideal cut hearts and arrows 1.107 carat F color VS2 clarity loose diamond is graded by the American Gem Society (AGS) Laboratories. | 4432200

www.whiteflash.com

OMG thank you so much for these recommendations!!! I think I might've capped the carat weight at 1.1 when I was searching, so none of these came up.

I think I am most interested in this one in your list (I am a sucker for D color): https://www.whiteflash.com/loose-diamonds/round-cut-loose-diamond-4402573.htm?a_aid=PS

and the two ACAs that I picked out previously:
https://www.whiteflash.com/loose-diamonds/round-cut-loose-diamond-4396537.htm (Is the table 54.6% too small?)

https://www.whiteflash.com/loose-diamonds/round-cut-loose-diamond-4419917.htm (This one seems very proportional, also a lot cheaper than others)

Also, I've noticed most of these WF stones have a HCA score of 0.9. Is it something I should be concerned about? On the HCA tool page it says that a score of 1-2 is most suitable for a ring.

Thanks again for all your input!

 

[lovedogs]

OMG thank you so much for these recommendations!!! I think I might've capped the carat weight at 1.1 when I was searching, so none of these came up.

I think I am most interested in this one in your list (I am a sucked for D color): https://www.whiteflash.com/loose-diamonds/round-cut-loose-diamond-4402573.htm?a_aid=PS

and the two ACAs that I picked out previously:
https://www.whiteflash.com/loose-diamonds/round-cut-loose-diamond-4396537.htm (Is the table 54.6% too small?)

https://www.whiteflash.com/loose-diamonds/round-cut-loose-diamond-4419917.htm (This one seems very proportionate, also a lot cheaper than others)

Also, I've noticed most of these WF stones have a HCA score of 0.9. Is it something I should be concerned about? On the HCA tool page it says that a score of 1-2 is most suitable for a ring.

Thanks again for all your input!

Dont need to worry about HCA score with WF in house stones or AGS 000. Essentially, HCA helps rule out stones that have proportions that dont work well. But with in house stones and/or AGS 000 you already know they are well cut. With WF ACA or ES, you can guarantee they are IDEAL cut. So the HCA isn't needed for stones like that. You have some great options!!

 

[peterpan112]

Dont need to worry about HCA score with WF in house stones or AGS 000. Essentially, HCA helps rule out stones that have proportions that dont work well. But with in house stones and/or AGS 000 you already know they are well cut. With WF ACA or ES, you can guarantee they are IDEAL cut. So the HCA isn't needed for stones like that. You have some great options!!

I see! Thank you so much! I might've wasted my money in purchasing hca keys lol.

Do you mind me asking which one out of the three you'd personally pick??

 

[lovedogs]

I see! Thank you so much! I might've wasted my money in purchasing hca keys lol.

Do you mind me asking which one out of the three you'd personally pick??

I would personally have WF take real world pics of them next to each other and see which one your eye is most drawn to. You cant go wrong !

 

[peterpan112]

I would personally have WF take real world pics of them next to each other and see which one your eye is most drawn to. You cant go wrong !

Great idea! Thank you! Didn’t know I could ask for that

 

[Double E]

Look forward to your choice!

 

[AprilBaby]

For customer service alone I would choose WF!