Yet another overwhelmed newbie asking for help....

[Grumley]

Greetings to all. I've been lurking for a couple of months and trying to absorb as much information as possible. Thanks to everyone who has posted in the forum. I've found the information here invaluable and it has hopefully led me in the right direction away from purchasing a potential dud and into an outstanding result.

I'm looking to purchase an engagement ring and my fiance would be happy with whatever I choose but I'm looking for the best stone/ring possible within budget. From my research, both looking at diamonds locally and online, I believe my priorities are basically in the following order: Cut, Carat, Clarity, and Color unless there is another reason why I should consider changing that order. Feel free to educate me some more. Locally I've been looking at HOF diamonds for reference, but have no desire to pay for the name.

My budget is $5000-$6000 including the setting. I'm pretty set on the setting. It'll be a Platinum solitaire - most likely classic like a 6 prong tiffany style. I'm assuming it'll be about $1000. Samples:

http://www.whiteflash.com/engagement-rings/solitaire/6-prong-tiffany-style-diamond-solitaire-4.htm

http://www.whiteflash.com/engagement-rings/solitaire/legato-sleek-line-diamond-solitaire-729.htm

http://www.jamesallen.com/engagement-rings/solitaire/Platinum-Six-Prong-Knife-Edged-Ring.html

That leaves me $4000-$5000 for the stone.

I am looking at the two following stones:

http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/J-VS2-Ideal-Cut-Round-Diamond-1306904.asp?b=16&a=12&c=77&cid=131

http://www.whiteflash.com/loose-diamonds/round-cut-loose-diamond-1848209.htm

Even though I couldn't see the difference in an E vs an I or J stone side by side with the HOF stones, maybe others can see the difference easily and I should err on the side of caution and stay with a higher color. I have no issue with mind clean vs eye clean. SI1 is acceptable to me if it is eye clean.

The JA stone has a Bruted girdle. Should this be a big issue?

Please feel free (in fact I encourage it) to post a stone you like in my price range (different specs and all) and explain to me why it may be a better choice than what I'm considering.

Thanks again to everyone. I look forward to your help.

 

[vanilla87]

Congratulations on your up coming engagement!

Has your Fiance seen different the colours in person? Is she also happy with a J?? A J coloured stone is obviously yellow, in my opinion and i personally would prefer a higher coloured stone for an ering.

Perhaps you could sacrifice a little size to get a better coloured stone? try looking for a stone that is .90 - .99ct as they are in most cases better value than the magical 1ct.

Here is a beautiful stone i found from good old gold
http://www.goodoldgold.com/diamond/7060/

This stone is covered by their lifetime waranty which is pretty comprehensive. And it meets your cut and clarity requirements

 

[mrgodai]

have you thought about palladium? will have all the benefits as platinum, and actually stay brighter longer than platinum at half of the price
http://www.thenaturalsapphirecompany.com/Sapphires/Settings/Rings/
which would give you more $$$ for the diamond itself.

that being said

BG will give you extra 2% off wired price if you mention Pricescope
http://www.briangavindiamonds.com/diamond/diamond-detail/?product_id=AGS-104044686037
http://www.briangavindiamonds.com/diamond/diamond-detail/?product_id=AGS-104045953024

GoG might give you more discount if you asked
http://www.goodoldgold.com/diamond/7641/
http://www.goodoldgold.com/diamond/7642/

Can't find anything else that's 1ct and within your price range on WF besides the one you posted right now (i love them!)

all these are top end cuts and offers the best warranty/trade up available on their site.

 

[mrgodai]

watch this video on color if you are concerened
http://vimeo.com/2347672

i took a look at all the diamonds i posted and yours, I would get the WF you posted based on the cust/price/size, considering they are all top cuts.

I would reserve it as soon as possible, before a lurker takes it

also seems like you arent color sensitive, you might want want to take a look at this

http://www.goodoldgold.com/diamond/7560/

9.4 on their ISEE chart is going to be a brilliant diamond.

 

[MonkeysInk]

C

Here is a beautiful stone i found from good old gold
http://www.goodoldgold.com/diamond/7060/

I like this one and after dealing with GoG for my stone, I have nothing but the nicest things to say about them. Also, I think that going with an H color is a safer bet than a J - unless your girlfriend has seen some J stones and is happy with them, I'm not sure that I would go with one.

 

[Grumley]

watch this video on color if you are concerened
http://vimeo.com/2347672

i took a look at all the diamonds i posted and yours, I would get the WF you posted based on the cust/price/size, considering they are all top cuts.

I would reserve it as soon as possible, before a lurker takes it

also seems like you arent color sensitive, you might want want to take a look at this

http://www.goodoldgold.com/diamond/7560/

9.4 on their ISEE chart is going to be a brilliant diamond.

Thanks for that video. It helped a lot. Thanks for the other suggestions of diamonds and subsequent opinion on the WF diamond.

I'd like the GOG diamond you posted but I do have a bit of the mind issue stepping down that extra step - mostly because it seems most top cuts like HOF, WF ACA etc. don't sell anything below J except on rare occasions. I can only find one ACA K on the WF site.

In regards to the WF diamond I posted, are there any issues with the hearts/idealscope/inclusion map etc. that would be a cause for concern or is everything great as long as I'm OK with the color?

 

[Dreamer_D]

Both the WF and JA diamonds you posted look great. I would be tempted to save the $500 unless WF has policies you like better or a setting you love and adore. I might also get white gold to save another few hundred. I prefer wg to plat.

 

[Grumley]

Congratulations on your up coming engagement!

Has your Fiance seen different the colours in person? Is she also happy with a J?? A J coloured stone is obviously yellow, in my opinion and i personally would prefer a higher coloured stone for an ering.

Perhaps you could sacrifice a little size to get a better coloured stone? try looking for a stone that is .90 - .99ct as they are in most cases better value than the magical 1ct.

Here is a beautiful stone i found from good old gold
http://www.goodoldgold.com/diamond/7060/

This stone is covered by their lifetime waranty which is pretty comprehensive. And it meets your cut and clarity requirements

Well, she would be happy with a J. In fact, early on in this process we were looking at rings in the basic retail stores in malls. I knew from my research that what was in there was substandard stuff for the prices they were asking. Most of the stones were SI2-I2 or worse and the color was H or lower and who knows how well they were cut but she was quite happy with them. This is also how I determined her setting preference and ring size too.

So now, at the basic root of it, I've got guidelines but not rules when choosing this ring. She'll be happy with anything I choose but she is somewhat traditional and does want the surprise factor (both when I present it and the style of it) so I'd rather not let on that I'm actively shopping. I guess at the root of it, the main opinion I'm asking for is if I do go with a warmer stone, would the average person - #1 notice it, #2 feel that it's substandard because of it. I'm assuming that Cut and Carat is what immediately influence the viewer and give that "Wow factor" and I'm trying to maximize it but not at the expense of other factors that may detract from it.

This is where, as a person who previously has had nothing to do with diamonds, I'm leaning heavily on the opinions of experienced members of this forum (who presumably have bought many stones and displayed them to many people - experienced and non-experienced) to help guide me to a comfortable decision and educate me as to why I might go in a certain direction.

This is why I am hoping that people (such as yourself) would take my $4000-$5000 budget and find me a great stone and explain why.

I'm slightly wary of the diamond you posted due to it's fluorescence. As a first-time purchaser, I'd like to limit as many factors as possible. Also, locally, it's hard for me to find enough of these stones and see how they perform compared to their color rating/different light settings etc.

Thanks again

 

[mrgodai]

Thanks for that video. It helped a lot. Thanks for the other suggestions of diamonds and subsequent opinion on the WF diamond.

I'd like the GOG diamond you posted but I do have a bit of the mind issue stepping down that extra step - mostly because it seems most top cuts like HOF, WF ACA etc. don't sell anything below J except on rare occasions. I can only find one ACA K on the WF site.

In regards to the WF diamond I posted, are there any issues with the hearts/idealscope/inclusion map etc. that would be a cause for concern or is everything great as long as I'm OK with the color?

If it's any indication, the HCA score for WF is 0.8, that is amazing, although it's not a total picture, all the top Isee2 score GoG diamonds are around 1 to 1.4. This does kinda show with the AGS ASET image with very small light leakage at the outer edge and thinner green bands between the arrows. The diamond I just got today from WF is not as good in terms of HCA/ASET to your WF, and it is very brilliant and sparkly already. (mine actually beat all the diamonds wore by the ladies in my office in terms of light return/sparkles, there are only 4 of them, but still)

the only thing is the coulds in the center, can't tell in the loupe pic (which indicates you dont see), but it does show up in the Idealscope and Aset images from WF. I would ask them to make sure it's eye clean at a 6 inch range under indoor/outdoor/direct lighting and if it hinders the light return.

plus, WF's you got 30 to return it with ACA/Expert, and life time trade in as long as the next diamond is $1 more.

just reserve it NOW, it doesnt cost you anything.

 

[Grumley]

Both the WF and JA diamonds you posted look great. I would be tempted to save the $500 unless WF has policies you like better or a setting you love and adore. I might also get white gold to save another few hundred. I prefer wg to plat.

Thanks for the post. I'd go with the WG but Platinum is the better choice in this case for the allergenic properties (or so I hear).

 

[Grumley]

If it's any indication, the HCA score for WF is 0.8, that is amazing, although it's not a total picture, all the top Isee2 score GoG diamonds are around 1 to 1.4. This does kinda show with the AGS ASET image with very small light leakage at the outer edge and thinner green bands between the arrows. The diamond I just got today from WF is not as good in terms of HCA/ASET to your WF, and it is very brilliant and sparkly already. (mine actually beat all the diamonds wore by the ladies in my office in terms of light return/sparkles, there are only 4 of them, but still)

the only thing is the coulds in the center, can't tell in the loupe pic (which indicates you dont see), but it does show up in the Idealscope and Aset images from WF. I would ask them to make sure it's eye clean at a 6 inch range under indoor/outdoor/direct lighting and if it hinders the light return.

plus, WF's you got 30 to return it with ACA/Expert, and life time trade in as long as the next diamond is $1 more.

just reserve it NOW, it doesnt cost you anything.

I spoke to WF and reserved it. I asked exactly what you mentioned and they indicated that if it failed any of the things you mentioned, it would have instantly been rejected as an ACA, Expert or even Premium and they'd send it back to be regraded. Hopefully that's the case.

Thanks again for taking the time to walk me through this.

 

[mrgodai]

Both the WF and JA diamonds you posted look great. I would be tempted to save the $500 unless WF has policies you like better or a setting you love and adore. I might also get white gold to save another few hundred. I prefer wg to plat.

Thanks for the post. I'd go with the WG but Platinum is the better choice in this case for the allergenic properties (or so I hear).

You can look into Palladium, which has the same allergenic properties as Platinum.
it's weight it's about the same as white gold and price around the same too, but besides those points, it's just like platinum. oh and it stays brighter longer than platinum. i think WF offers them with any style even if it's not listed, as long as you ask.

 

[Grumley]

You can look into Palladium, which has the same allergenic properties as Platinum.
it's weight it's about the same as white gold and price around the same too, but besides those points, it's just like platinum. oh and it stays brighter longer than platinum. i think WF offers them with any style even if it's not listed, as long as you ask.

Thanks for the suggestion - especially the hint to ask WF for a style in Palladium that wasn't listed. I phoned and asked if they could do the "Legato sleek line" setting in Palladium and they said they could. I've ordered the stone with this setting. It will take an extra 2 weeks but I'm not in a rush. Your idea helped me get a better setting and stay within budget!

Cheers!

 

[Dreamer_D]

You can look into Palladium, which has the same allergenic properties as Platinum.
it's weight it's about the same as white gold and price around the same too, but besides those points, it's just like platinum. oh and it stays brighter longer than platinum. i think WF offers them with any style even if it's not listed, as long as you ask.

Thanks for the suggestion - especially the hint to ask WF for a style in Palladium that wasn't listed. I phoned and asked if they could do the "Legato sleek line" setting in Palladium and they said they could. I've ordered the stone with this setting. It will take an extra 2 weeks but I'm not in a rush. Your idea helped me get a better setting and stay within budget!

Cheers!

Palladium is a metal that has pros and cons. You might want to do a search before you committ. The main con is that many jewlers do not know how to work with it so it is a challenge if sizing comes up, and I think there are other cons as well. Is there a known nickel allergy to the white gold? WF can get you nickel free white gold I think, though not sure of the price.

As for your question here: "the main opinion I'm asking for is if I do go with a warmer stone, would the average person - #1 notice it, #2 feel that it's substandard because of it. " I have owned a .80ct J, a 1.2ct K, and 1.2ct G, and now a 1.7ct J. No one ever commented on color except to marvel that the J/K stones were indeed the evil J/K color grades (people are usually incredibly surprised that such colorless appearing diamonds are so maligned). All they ever wowee about is the sparkle and the size. Based on my own experiences in person and from being on this forum for a while, I am very confident that unless a person has a) preconceived cultural ideas about diamond color and what is good and what is bad or b) is in a social circle that knows a lot about diamonds, a J color is totally acceptable. I love my J and I am very picky about tint.

 

[Dreamer_D]

Oh, and I spent about 25 minuted the other day looking through WF's inventory and also looking through the inventory at JA and could not find anything else that I thought was better than the diamond you are planning to buy. I think you have made a good choice.

 

[Grumley]

Oh, and I spent about 25 minuted the other day looking through WF's inventory and also looking through the inventory at JA and could not find anything else that I thought was better than the diamond you are planning to buy. I think you have made a good choice.

Thank you for your words of encouragement and words of wisdom throughout this thread - especially considering the fact that you have experience with multiple stones in the color range I chose. It helps put my mind at ease considering it's been very occupied with all of the possible permutations to choose from.

I will look closer into the allergy factor. It runs in her family. She doesn't display the allergy but all things being equal, (she does like the platinum look) I'd like to err on the side of caution. I still have until Tuesday to change my mind. That being said, I did do a bit of research on Palladium. It is a blind choice since I haven't seen it in person so it is a leap of faith that it'll look like platinum and be lighter like gold. The sizing issue is a legit one. Hopefully hers doesn't change enough over time.

 

[mrgodai]

I will look closer into the allergy factor. It runs in her family. She doesn't display the allergy but all things being equal, (she does like the platinum look) I'd like to err on the side of caution. I still have until Tuesday to change my mind. That being said, I did do a bit of research on Palladium. It is a blind choice since I haven't seen it in person so it is a leap of faith that it'll look like platinum and be lighter like gold. The sizing issue is a legit one. Hopefully hers doesn't change enough over time.

read these on platinum vs palladium

[URL='https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/platinum-vs-palladium.71659/']https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/platinum-vs-palladium.71659/[/URL]
[URL='https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/platinum-or-palladium.78629/']https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/platinum-or-palladium.78629/[/URL]

me and my wife loved the weightlessness of palladium. we have platinum bands, she is ok with it, but i really find the weight around my finger a bit annoying, so i often move the ring from finger to finger (wife hates me doing it, lol)

and we cant tell the difference of color between the 2. But depends on where you buy from, different alloys will be used and might give it slightly different properties. out platinum bands got scratches all over, not sure the alloy used, but i'm hoping palladium will be harder.

also ask WF if they use Palladium 950 (95%) or just whitegold/palladium alloy. you would want to go with palladium 950

 

[hawaiianorangetree]

BG will give you extra 2% off wired price if you mention Pricescope
http://www.briangavindiamonds.com/diamond/diamond-detail/?product_id=AGS-104044686037
http://www.briangavindiamonds.com/diamond/diamond-detail/?product_id=AGS-104045953024

quote]

Just curious mrgodai, how did you find out about the extra 2% discount?

I have purchased 2 diamonds from BGD in the last 2 months and i know i have mentioned pricescope several times, but i did not know about the 2%? (nor was offered it).

 

[mrgodai]

BG will give you extra 2% off wired price if you mention Pricescope
http://www.briangavindiamonds.com/diamond/diamond-detail/?product_id=AGS-104044686037
http://www.briangavindiamonds.com/diamond/diamond-detail/?product_id=AGS-104045953024

quote]

Just curious mrgodai, how did you find out about the extra 2% discount?

I have purchased 2 diamonds from BGD in the last 2 months and i know i have mentioned pricescope several times, but i did not know about the 2%? (nor was offered it).

I just chat with them online to reserve a diamond. The CS just asked me where i heard them from, and i said pricescope. She then told me there is an extra 5% off the price i see on the website. I then asked "5% off the WIRE price?". She says no, it's actually just another 2% off the WIRED price for pricescope. This is for a BG Signature.