Find your diamond
Find your jewelry
shape
carat
color
clarity

Need help with emerald cut upgrade to 3 to 4ct

J

Jamaica19

Rough_Rock
Joined
Mar 2, 2014
Messages
8
Hi all,
I have been lurking on this site for a while. Great forum. We want to buy an upgrade to my original center stone (1.1 carat emerald). Our budget is around $30-35K. My preferences are as follows:
Carat: as close to 4 carat as possible :-)
Clarity: SI1 or better (preferably eye clean)
Ratio: 1.35-1.39 (so it's more square)
Color: I or better
Spread: between 56% and 65% (these numbers are from the expert article on this site)
Not sure that I care too much about anything else (however perhaps I should?)
Please help and advise whether my budget and expectations are realistic? I'm in Atlanta and Solomon brothers is here but I've bought online in the last with good results. Problem is I need my current stone removed and then the new one reset. I'd like to just have my current stone put in a pendant setting.

Thanks much.
 
Yeah. You've researched just enough to sabotage you search.

Your depth is too restrictive. Anything under 70 is fine.
Your ratio is also too restrictive and well, kinda silly. You aren't going to be able to tell the difference between 1.38 and 1.4. I suggest you reconsider this.

SI is NOT going to be clean in a 3 carat step cut. Or even in 99% of 1 carats.

You buy Emerald Cuts based on faceting and light return only.

An ASET image can help with that.

http://www.ideal-scope.com/1.using_ASET_scope.asp

I'd recommend working with Good Old Gold and have them search for you within the parameters below. They have a strong history of finding gorgeous step cuts and know what to search for. And the provide you with the most information for an online purchase. Including ASET images.

Best light performance and crisp bright patterning with nice corners.
I or better color.
VS2 and up, and 100% eyeclean from any distance unaided eye.

Your budget is a little low for a 3 carat VS2 H or I color. I just want you to be aware of that. It is possible. But it will be tough. Which is why I STRONGLY recommend calling GOG because they will be able to work with your budget and find you the best options for you.

You aren't going to get close to 4 carats. 4 carats I VS will cost you 60k. http://www.jamesallen.com/loose-diamonds/emerald-cut/4.01-carat-i-color-vs2-clarity-sku-213677 and is not happening.
 
Thanks guys. All very helpful. Will Good as Gold set in my current ring though?
 
It is highly unlikely for a 3 to 4 ct diamond to fit into your existing setting that is meant for a 1 ct EC. Most settings have a leeway between +/- 0.5 mm only. You will most probably need a brand new setting.
 
Good Old Gold would be willing to reset it if the current head could be removed and a larger one put in. That depends on the setting you have.

You've been given excellent advice. GOG is where I'd go for any fancy cuts including emerald cuts. SI1 is out of the question for an emerald cut, in my opinion, also. In fact, a lot of VS2's won't be clean enough for a step cut larger than 2 cts. I'd personally be searching for VS1. You'll be looking right about 3 cts with I color and VS clarity with your budget. And that is a very nice size stone and a definite upgrade from one carat!
 
Gypsy|1393870262|3626487 said:
diamondseeker2006|1393868842|3626470 said:
GOG will call in stones for you to compare, but they do have these on their site right now.

http://www.goodoldgold.com/diamond/11664/ ($32,674)
Click to expand...


This is a very nice stone.

The 3.9 is not a nice one.
Click to expand...

I also prefer the 3.1, and it is within her budget, too. I was really just trying to help her get a realistic grasp on pricing, I'm sure you know.
 
diamondseeker2006|1393870668|3626494 said:
Gypsy|1393870262|3626487 said:
diamondseeker2006|1393868842|3626470 said:
GOG will call in stones for you to compare, but they do have these on their site right now.

http://www.goodoldgold.com/diamond/11664/ ($32,674)
Click to expand...


This is a very nice stone.

The 3.9 is not a nice one.
Click to expand...

I also prefer the 3.1, and it is within her budget, too. I was really just trying to help her get a realistic grasp on pricing, I'm sure you know.
Click to expand...


TOTALLY =) . I just didn't want her to think that the 3.9 was a nice stone.

I'm pretty sure that the price reflects the fact that the stone is very compromised in terms of performance. A nice I VS2 will probably cost more. :$$):
 
thanks so much again. Please educate me again - why is the 3.9 carat stone not a nice stone? Also, I am ok on going with a J or K for color. I actually think even a D stone would show up very differently on me because I am african american.

Also, with regard to switching the stone in my current ring, I definitely know they would have to remove the entire prong setting and replace with a new one. I just wasn't sure if GOG would do that. Would you recommend ordering a few of the stones and comparing and then sending them back after selecting one for them to set with me current ring? Whew- that's a lot of trust for me to mail my ring.... I guess you just insure it with Fedex?
 
Budget slightly unrealistic how do I know I own a 3.66 H si1 GIA (certified last week) so I have been stalking all the web sights for a comp stone and I keep coming up with $29-$35,000 for my stone I think closer to $40 for a 4 carat assuming just the stone not the setting hope I'm wrong though.............
 
thanks heididdl - do you have an emerald cut? if so where did you buy and how do you feel about the SI1 clarity? Do you have a pic?
 
No. I would not use Fed Ex yourself. For individuals Fed Ex doesn't insure over 1000.

You would ask the vendor you are working with to spend you labels and they would charge you for the shipping because then it will be under their insurance and safe. There will be directions to follow about how to package the stuff. Follow these carefully.

You can also use USPS, but that's much more nail biting excitement than most people want to deal with if there are good alternatives. USPS WILL insure up to many thousands though.


As for the 3.9. Look at it. Then look at the link I posted for you above regarding the ASET. Then look at the 3.1. You really can't tell why the 3.9 is a dog? :knockout:


One more time. And that makes it 3 times with DS's post. 99% of the time SI IS NOT GOING TO BE EYECLEAN IN A STEP CUT at that carat size.

NO ONE is going to tell you different. Heidi's stone might be a VERY rare exception, but overall, you will be wasting your time looking for an eyeclean SI in a step cut at that carat size.
 
Coming from someone that had a 1.54 ct Asscher (from Good Old Gold) that was GIA certed at an SI1 which was almost eye clean, I had to really find the inclusion but sometimes I could see it to my naked eye...to.... my now 2.52 Emerald Cut which is also an SI1 and is 100% completely eye clean, it can happen but it's rare. Also, my EC is an antique from the early 1900's so I feel that they look and feel different than a modern EC. Maybe that helps with the clarity, I don't know. But it's amazing how eye clean it is. And I can hardly find the inclusions with a loop, my appraiser said it really should have been given a VS2 but I guess the GIA grader was having a bad day, lol. However at over 3 cts + , it gets harder and harder to find eye clean, but you could get lucky.

Good luck with your search. I too was searching for a 3+ ct EC but couldn't find one that was "the one" until I have the one I found now and it's a 2.52 but I'm totally fine with it (especially since it's in a halo).
 
Jamaica, I realize I didn't say this explicitly but I thought it was implied (my bad). But you can't buy fancies by the numbers at all. You HAVE to shop from stone images and ASET images. Blue nile provides none of those.

We really gave you the key to success. I promise you that if ANY of us wanted a large Emerald Cut we would be on the phone with GOG and relying on them to find us the best stones for our budget-- no matter what that budget is.

They will find you the best stone out there.


Color is very personal. A 3 carat stone will show more tint than a 1 carat stone. But overall, I too would be perfectly fine with a J, so if you are good with it, that's fine.

But call GOG.
 
Jamaica19|1393880881|3626693 said:
thanks so much again. Please educate me again - why is the 3.9 carat stone not a nice stone? Also, I am ok on going with a J or K for color. I actually think even a D stone would show up very differently on me because I am african american.

Also, with regard to switching the stone in my current ring, I definitely know they would have to remove the entire prong setting and replace with a new one. I just wasn't sure if GOG would do that. Would you recommend ordering a few of the stones and comparing and then sending them back after selecting one for them to set with me current ring? Whew- that's a lot of trust for me to mail my ring.... I guess you just insure it with Fedex?
Click to expand...

Hi Jamaica! :wavey:

I don't know what you decided to do, but everyone gave you great advice regarding the diamond.

I just wanted to let you know that GOG can definitely change out the entire head on your ring, if the design of your ring will accommodate a larger head. There are some rings that are designed in such a way that the spread of the prongs can only go out so far, so assuming your setting will accommodate a larger head, GOG can definitely do that for you.

Regarding the color of the stone, you should try on some EC diamonds in a variety of color grades to see how they look on your hand. The thing about a D stone is that it'll look icy white no matter what shade of skin you have. I have a darker complexion and my D oval looks crazy white on my friends hands as well as mine. My "I" oval shows a slight tint at certain angles but faced up white while it was in the setting. So, you've got to see for yourself because color is very subjective okay?

To help give you some idea, try a search on the web for videos where jewelers are comparing various color grades between stones. I know that GOG has a TON of these videos out there and they were invaluable when I was working on my rings. You might even find that GOG has already done some videos comparing ECs which would be great!
 
thanks much Roxy!
 
Jamaica19|1394998824|3635345 said:
thanks much Roxy!
Click to expand...

Sure, you're very welcome!! Please come back and update us, as your search progresses, so we can share in the FUN! :appl:
 
Update - working now with Jonathan at Good Old Gold and he is awesome. He thinks we should have a lot of choices and is searching now. He's been so thorough and helpful so thanks to all who recommended GOG. I'll keep you posted!
 
Jamaica19|1393881288|3626699 said:
thanks heididdl - do you have an emerald cut? if so where did you buy and how do you feel about the SI1 clarity? Do you have a pic?
Click to expand...


LaViano Jewelers in Westwood NJ (prepricescope) SI! clarity works perfect need a 10x to see the inclusion totally eye clean here is photo

_16000.jpg

_16001.jpg
 
Gorgeous! Do you have a photo of it on your hand by any chance? What ring size are you? I'm a 4.75-5 I believe.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
GET 3 FREE HCA RESULTS JOIN THE FORUM. ASK FOR HELP
Jewelry Blog
PriceScope-Concierge-Ad
Find prime cuts.
Top