Newbie: Whiteflash ACA round 2.5-3ct or something else? (budget $50k)

[jasonbourne1]

Hi community,

New here, and what an awesome community of helpful advice and invaluable information! I'm in the market for a diamond + engagement ring for my soon-to-be (I hope!) fiance, and having done the usual reading of the 4C's and what to look for, I'm still left feeling overwhelmed and lost on all the acronyms/terms!

(I think) I've narrowed my search down to Whiteflash's ACA range, in the 2.5-3ct range, and wanted to solicit some feedback and advice. I'm after round cuts, and I've read a color grading below of H or I is acceptable for these. Naturally, on the Whiteflash website I've come across the below (1) and came away impressed with the clarity and lack of flaws (with only a small feather flaw) despite the VS2 rating (see the PDF Diamond certificate). Since I have the cut quality covered through the ACA range, color remains most important for me, and I did have some concerns about the I-rating.

To compare how a more "colorless" diamond would look, I searched for a "F-graded" and 2.5ct around the same price range (2), and I've found that the 2.5ct/F/VS1 seemed to have more flaws (a handful of crystal, cloud and feathers) and appears actually more yellow in the still picture.

1) 3.0ct / I-color / VS2 - https://www.whiteflash.com/loose-diamonds/round-cut-loose-diamond-4430059.htm
2) 2.5ct / F-color / VS1 - https://www.whiteflash.com/loose-diamonds/round-cut-loose-diamond-4417927.htm

I am leaning towards 1 - 3.0ct / I / VS2 given the size, ideal clarity and color despite the inferior rating to the 2.5ct. Am I approaching this the right way? Would love to hear others' opinions and advice! Thank you!

 

[kb1gra]

Were it me, I'd probably ask whiteflash their opinion on the 3.0 I/Vs2 but also ask to see it with the 3.026 J/VS2 ACA they have.

You may find you think both stones have too much tint, but that J may be very close to that I and the price difference is over $10,000.

The reality is the selection of superideals north of 3ct is very slim, so you won't have a ton to choose from in any event.

 

[mrsctobe]

Id pick the 2.5 over the 3 carat, to me the size difference is minimal but i like the brighter whiter color as well as the upgrade in clarity.

 

[kb1gra]

Id pick the 2.5 over the 3 carat, to me the size difference is minimal but i like the brighter whiter color as well as the upgrade in clarity.

There's a fair number of other stones in the 2.5ct range, including a few nice Gs, so there's an opportunity for savings as well.

 

[jasonbourne1]

Were it me, I'd probably ask whiteflash their opinion on the 3.0 I/Vs2 but also ask to see it with the 3.026 J/VS2 ACA they have.

You may find you think both stones have too much tint, but that J may be very close to that I and the price difference is over $10,000.

The reality is the selection of superideals north of 3ct is very slim, so you won't have a ton to choose from in any event.

Thank you - good to check a lower color grade, and I did find that 3.026 J

In terms of contacting WF - is it easy as just giving them a call on the number listed in their website? I assume they don't negotiate on price?

 

[jasonbourne1]

Id pick the 2.5 over the 3 carat, to me the size difference is minimal but i like the brighter whiter color as well as the upgrade in clarity.

Thank you - I now have the 2.5 F and 3.0 I 3D video going side by side, and the color difference is quite stark. I may lean more to the 2.5 now...

 

[mrsctobe]

Thank you - good to check a lower color grade, and I did find that 3.026 J

In terms of contacting WF - is it easy as just giving them a call on the number listed in their website? I assume they don't negotiate on price?

No they dont negotiate. there should be a chat tab on the right side of the web page, do a live chat and they will connect you with an associate

 

[MissGotRocks]

Thank you - I now have the 2.5 F and 3.0 I 3D video going side by side, and the color difference is quite stark. I may lean more to the 2.5 now...

Are you able to post the video for us to see?

 

[heididdl]

I could go either way . Both Are eye catching . I'd be selfish and go with the 3.0

 

[jasonbourne1]

Are you able to post the video for us to see?

I'm not sure if I can post it, but if you click on the first picture of each diamond page with the "play" symbol, you can click on the "brilliance" tab of the video, and have it on 2 tabs on your browser

 

[mwilliamanderson]

I prefer the F as well. It’s a beautiful stone and you can upgrade down the road for size if you want.

 

[jasonbourne1]

There's a fair number of other stones in the 2.5ct range, including a few nice Gs, so there's an opportunity for savings as well.

Would you know how "generous" is WF ACA's AGA color grading is? I've read that AGA is more generous than others, but is this negated by A Cut Above's stringent requirements? I'm finding minimal difference between H and I, and not sure if worth it to go to F or G

 

[jasonbourne1]

On the 3.054ct, if I look at the light performance map in the PDF, one thing that sticks out is that the center circle of the diamond is lit up "red" for brightness. Whereas the higher color graded 2.5ct F like the one I posted above (and other more expensive diamonds), the center section is typically "green" for less bright.

PDF report for 3.054ct I: https://www.whiteflash.com/pdf/104115483026.pdf
PDF report for 2.504ct F: https://www.whiteflash.com/pdf/104114895017.pdf

Is the center being "RED" (and not green), i.e. center of diamond lights up a lot (?), in the color map less ideal?

 

[oceanblue]

Am I the only one that thinks 50,000.00 budget for a surprise proposal ring is a lot considering it can not be returned for a full refund?

 

[jasonbourne1]

Am I the only one that thinks 50,000.00 budget for a surprise proposal ring is a lot considering it can not be returned for a full refund?

No way getting around it, $50k is a lot! So is $25k, for that matter, but who am I to say? The budget is something I'm both comfortable with and have come to a conclusion on. That said, the risk I see is her losing the ring, so I'll be sure to insure it

 

[elizat]

No way getting around it, $50k is a lot! So is $25k, for that matter, but who am I to say? The budget is something I'm both comfortable with and have come to a conclusion on. That said, the risk I see is her losing the ring, so I'll be sure to insure it

I would make sure she likes modern round diamonds. If she does, you are making a great choice with going for a top of the line cut. However, modern rounds may not be her preference. I'd try to ask her and/or her friends/someone close to her to be sure. We are the odd ones out, but there are those of us that would not want a modern round for an engagement ring.

 

[MissGotRocks]

On the 3.054ct, if I look at the light performance map in the PDF, one thing that sticks out is that the center circle of the diamond is lit up "red" for brightness. Whereas the higher color graded 2.5ct F like the one I posted above (and other more expensive diamonds), the center section is typically "green" for less bright.

PDF report for 3.054ct I: https://www.whiteflash.com/pdf/104115483026.pdf
PDF report for 2.504ct F: https://www.whiteflash.com/pdf/104114895017.pdf

Is the center being "RED" (and not green), i.e. center of diamond lights up a lot (?), in the color map less ideal?

Those may be computer generated images. True images are on the WF website for each diamond. Diamonds cut to these precision levels are hard to pick apart in terms of cut. If you don’t think that you are very color sensitive (or that she is most importantly) you might be very happy with a lower color larger diamond. You will see more of the color difference from the side of the diamond than you will from the face up position.

 

[Diamond_Enthusiast]

What is her ring size?

I'd say generally once you are around the 2ish ct mark, it will look like a nice size diamond either way and you are at a point where maximizing size may not necessarily be highest priority anymore. Getting a higher color might be more worthwhile, especially if you are unsure about her color sensitivity and because larger diamonds show more body color. With WF ACA, you can still upgrade size later if she would like to down the track.

Personally I would choose a 2.5ct F over a 3ct I for sure. Everyone is different though.

 

[Kaycee2018]

An I is going to show some tint, especially in the 2+ carat range. The exceptional super ideal cut “may” help it appear whiter from the face up position, but not from the profile which is how the wearer of the ring will view it most of the time, so IMO the whole ”faces up whiter” argument has very little value. An I is an I and is priced lower than the F for that very reason. Now whether the tint will be evident to you or the wearer (or bothersome) is an entirely different issue. Everyone has difference tolerance levels for tint in diamonds and some people actually prefer a warmer colored diamonds. GLD!

 

[Morenita21]

It depends if she’s sensitive to color. My cut off is a “high” H. I had an I color and it bothered me so much that I now have an E colored diamond. It’s all personal preference.

 

[MamaBee]

My first diamond was rated a G by AGS fifteen years ago..It wasn’t a Whiteflash diamond. I recently sold it. It was regraded by GIA during the sale. It came back an F. I purchased a Whiteflash I color diamond last year…. It looked pretty white face up..but if you tilted it then you really saw the tint. The side view looked pretty yellow when I put it next to my F color diamond. I still had the original one at that point to compare them. It really bothered me. I traded the Whiteflash I color AGS diamond in for an F. I had the new one sent to GIA to make sure it really was an F. It came back a definite F. In my experience AGS isn’t soft on color...at least in my experience…

 

[coda72]

I had a 2.5 carat J stone that was too tinted for me, and now I have a 3 carat I colored stone that doesn’t seem to have much tint from the side (or the top), but the setting the I stone is in covers the side view more than the J stone I had. So depending on the setting you choose, the I stone could be white enough.

 

[foxinsox]

Tell us about your intended fiancée as it will help to understand what to recommend. What does she do for a job? Does she use her hands a lot or wear gloves, need to keep them clean etc? What size and style of ering do her friends and your social circle have?
What style of jewellery does she wear currently? Does she like classic and discreet or blingy and bright?
How do you want to set the centre stone? Will it be a solitaire in a classic Tiffany-style setting, bezelled, a halo or something else?
That will likely have a bearing on the colour you choose because there’s quite a big difference between F and I. Neither is better than the other imo but you need to know what will suit her the best. Your ideal outcome apart from a delighted Yes! is that she spends hours gazing happily at her ring and says how well it suits her style.

 

[AllAboardTheBlingTrain]

Personally I would always take the 3ct I over the 2.5 F because I can see small differences in mm much more than differences in colour in my daily life. I also always ace those colour perception tests so I don’t know if I just get blinded by the sparkly when asked to gauge colour in a diamond I would personally go 3ct I and then upgrade to a higher colour over time if needed than upgrade size - upgrading size requires more settings too.

I think you need to take your girlfriend to a jewelry shop and let her see (certified) F vs G vs H vs I - ask her to see them away from the bright showroom lights and then decide what her cut off for colour is. Also, please do discuss what shape or cut she would like. 50k is a huge budget! Congratulations and happy shopping

 

[tyty333]

Relative size difference between the 2 stones on a size 6 finger (of course you've seen a video of the two from WF so this might
not be that helpful)

 

[elle_chris]

I went from a 2.52ct G to a 3.76ct J and I'm ridiculously happy. But it was my choice.

For a proposal, I'd stick with the F.

 

[jasonbourne1]

What is her ring size?

I'd say generally once you are around the 2ish ct mark, it will look like a nice size diamond either way and you are at a point where maximizing size may not necessarily be highest priority anymore. Getting a higher color might be more worthwhile, especially if you are unsure about her color sensitivity and because larger diamonds show more body color. With WF ACA, you can still upgrade size later if she would like to down the track.

Personally I would choose a 2.5ct F over a 3ct I for sure. Everyone is different though.

She has skinny but very long fingers, her ring size is a 5 - I've held a colleague's 3.0ct ring on my much larger hand and it still looked big. But I'd love for it to stand out on her hand

Appreciate your advice, 2.5ct is where I am leaning now too after everyone's great feedback!

 

[jasonbourne1]

Tell us about your intended fiancée as it will help to understand what to recommend. What does she do for a job? Does she use her hands a lot or wear gloves, need to keep them clean etc? What size and style of ering do her friends and your social circle have?
What style of jewellery does she wear currently? Does she like classic and discreet or blingy and bright?
How do you want to set the centre stone? Will it be a solitaire in a classic Tiffany-style setting, bezelled, a halo or something else?
That will likely have a bearing on the colour you choose because there’s quite a big difference between F and I. Neither is better than the other imo but you need to know what will suit her the best. Your ideal outcome apart from a delighted Yes! is that she spends hours gazing happily at her ring and says how well it suits her style.

Thank you for the super detailed questions, love it!

She's currently finishing up a master's to become a psychologist/therapist. She's not a big jewelry wearer and rarely wears anything but a simple earing, and her jewelry box is full of her mom's more traditional rings. And she generally leans towards more classic/discreet rather than blingly.

I think she'd prefer a classic Tiffany solitaire or simple prong to show off the stone.

I mentioned in another answer above, but her fingers are quite small, ring size is a 5-5.5 so that's another thing to consider when considering the size!

 

[jasonbourne1]

Relative size difference between the 2 stones on a size 6 finger (of course you've seen a video of the two from WF so this might
not be that helpful)

This is awesome! Where is this visualizer from? I'd love to try on her size 5 fingers

 

[kb1gra]

Thank you for the super detailed questions, love it!

She's currently finishing up a master's to become a psychologist/therapist. She's not a big jewelry wearer and rarely wears anything but a simple earing, and her jewelry box is full of her mom's more traditional rings. And she generally leans towards more classic/discreet rather than blingly.

I think she'd prefer a classic Tiffany solitaire or simple prong to show off the stone.

I mentioned in another answer above, but her fingers are quite small, ring size is a 5-5.5 so that's another thing to consider when considering the size!

Given all this I would go smaller. There may be situations in her career where she won’t find it appropriate to wear a large ring around patients/clients. Spend the extra money on a nice classy eternity band she can wear when it’s appropriate.