Advice on 2ct Oval Natural Diamond

[ludicrous-mode]

Hi, I’ve been reading this forum for about a month now. My husband and I had our 29th anniversary last January and that prompted me to want to celebrate by getting a larger ring. I’ve been doing a lot of research, but I still don’t feel knowledgeable enough to properly evaluate a diamond. I even purchased an ASET scope, but haven’t had a chance to use it because I haven’t found a diamond. I live in the Houston, Tx area. The jewelry stores don’t carry the larger diamonds in stock. I found a jewelry store that claims they found me a 2.0ct D IF oval that is a Type IIa. The salesperson said that since the diamond isn’t on the open market yet, the owner of the diamond did not want them to give me the GIA number. This jewelry store also wants me to pay a $1k non refundable deposit to have the stone shipped to their store. The specs on the stone are 1.45 L/W ratio, table - 56, depth - 63.8. Here is a link to the video of the diamond: https://d1s5m21q2l18ke.cloudfront.n...l18ke.cloudfront.net/v360_mov_black/&NTA2MQ==

I found another stone, that I like, from James Allen: https://www.jamesallen.com/loose-diamonds/oval-cut/2.10-carat-d-color-fl-clarity-sku-16753808

I’m not in a hurry, so if you think both diamonds don’t look good, I can wait for another one to come along. I appreciate any and all advice!

 

[CalliopeCladdagh]

I am not an expert but noticed that both stones are D flawless - are these 2 specs important to you?

I ask because you will be paying a premium for these characteristics, which is fine if that's what you want, but you should be able to find more options if you are willing to drop down a bit in colour and/or clarity. Having more choices would then allow you to focus more on the cut of the diamond, which will directly influence how it looks. Many Pricescopers prioritise cut quality over many other diamond specifications due to how much of an influence the cut has. Of course, your preferences may be different.

Could you give us a but more information about your preferences and priorities for the diamond?

ps. I would not pay a non-refundable deposit for a stone without more information.

 

[lovedogs]

Never pay a non refundable deposit. That's silly when it's relatively easy to get a stone shipped to you directly and then return if needed

 

[ludicrous-mode]

I am not an expert but noticed that both stones are D flawless - are these 2 specs important to you?

I ask because you will be paying a premium for these characteristics, which is fine if that's what you want, but you should be able to find more options if you are willing to drop down a bit in colour and/or clarity. Having more choices would then allow you to focus more on the cut of the diamond, which will directly influence how it looks. Many Pricescopers prioritise cut quality over many other diamond specifications due to how much of an influence the cut has. Of course, your preferences may be different.

Could you give us a but more information about your preferences and priorities for the diamond?

ps. I would not pay a non-refundable deposit for a stone without more information.

Thank you so much for your help. I’ve noticed when I put in the search parameters, vvs2-FL, the price difference between the range was only about $5k and I didn’t notice much of a difference in the sizes of the diamonds either (i.e. if I chose a VVS1 E, it doesn’t bump me up to a 2.5c diamond).

I’d also like this diamond to be something that I could pass down to my future grandchildren like a family heirloom, so I like that an IF or F is more rare.

Cut is definitely important to me. I wish GIA would grade cut on fancy shapes. I definitely won’t pay a non refundable deposit. That was something I was going to address with the store, if the diamond was a good cut, otherwise, I’ll just tell them I’m not interested.

I know I’m really limiting my options by looking at such a small range. I’d consider all the way down to a VVS2 and a D, E or F color, if there is a significant cost savings and excellent cut or if it allows me to get a larger diamond with an excellent cut.

Did either of the above diamonds look like good cuts to you?

I really appreciate your time and help

 

[ludicrous-mode]

Never pay a non refundable deposit. That's silly when it's relatively easy to get a stone shipped to you directly and then return if needed

Thank you, I totally agree with you and I definitely won’t pay a deposit.

 

[CalliopeCladdagh]

What's your budget and what carat weight are you aiming for?

Check these out:

https://www.bluenile.com/diamond-details/LD21044230

ELYQUE-OVAL 1.8ct. E VVS2 1121060

Diamond Details Measurements 8.76 x 6.25 x 5.05 Cut Grade ID Polish ID Symmetry ID Fluorescence NEG Ratio 1.4 Table 44.8 Depth 67.2 Lab Report

www.distinctivegem.com

You will need to compromise somewhere between better cut ------- wider spread, so does size or cut matter more?

 

[ludicrous-mode]

What's your budget and what carat weight are you aiming for?

Check these out:

https://www.bluenile.com/diamond-details/LD21044230

ELYQUE-OVAL 1.8ct. E VVS2 1121060

Diamond Details Measurements 8.76 x 6.25 x 5.05 Cut Grade ID Polish ID Symmetry ID Fluorescence NEG Ratio 1.4 Table 44.8 Depth 67.2 Lab Report

www.distinctivegem.com

You will need to compromise somewhere between better cut ------- wider spread, so does size or cut matter more?

Hi,

I’d like to stay under $45k and 2c-3c for the center diamond. Cut matters more than size. Both of your above options are nice. I’ve looked at JannPaul’s Ovals, in order to avoid the bow tie effect, his Ovals look more like rounds. I’d like to stay as close to 1.45 L/W ratio as possible to get the nice oval shape and avoid too much of a bow tie (also, I tried a CZ on in that ratio and it looked good on my finger). From my research, opinions vary widely on table & depth, but a range somewhere between 56% - 62% for the table and 59% - 63.5% for the depth seems to be close to the average range that most articles from gemologists, that I’ve read, recommend. I definitely don’t want any fluorescence in the diamond. I hope I don’t sound too picky, but I really want to get the best cut and quality I can.

I didn’t know about the above websites. I’m going to search them right now!

 

[JSG2185]

Non-refundable deposit --> definitely a no. As others have said, you can buy something and then simply give it back within the return window if you don't like it and get your money back.

Are you absolutely wedded to a D IF stone? Often times, a GHI VVS1 to VS2 stone will look eye clean and white at a better price (you can also get a bigger stone this way if you want). Unless someone is walking around with a 10x loupe, the naked eye won't tell the difference between a D IF stone and GHI VS2 stone.

My suggestion is go with a stone within the GHI VVS1-VS2 range and focus on cut because cut is king and will make all the difference to the naked eye when the ring is worn

Hi, I’ve been reading this forum for about a month now. My husband and I had our 29th anniversary last January and that prompted me to want to celebrate by getting a larger ring. I’ve been doing a lot of research, but I still don’t feel knowledgeable enough to properly evaluate a diamond. I even purchased an ASET scope, but haven’t had a chance to use it because I haven’t found a diamond. I live in the Houston, Tx area. The jewelry stores don’t carry the larger diamonds in stock. I found a jewelry store that claims they found me a 2.0ct D IF oval that is a Type IIa. The salesperson said that since the diamond isn’t on the open market yet, the owner of the diamond did not want them to give me the GIA number. This jewelry store also wants me to pay a $1k non refundable deposit to have the stone shipped to their store. The specs on the stone are 1.45 L/W ratio, table - 56, depth - 63.8. Here is a link to the video of the diamond: https://d1s5m21q2l18ke.cloudfront.n...l18ke.cloudfront.net/v360_mov_black/&NTA2MQ==

I found another stone, that I like, from James Allen: https://www.jamesallen.com/loose-diamonds/oval-cut/2.10-carat-d-color-fl-clarity-sku-16753808

I’m not in a hurry, so if you think both diamonds don’t look good, I can wait for another one to come along. I appreciate any and all advice!

 

[ludicrous-mode]

Non-refundable deposit --> definitely a no. As others have said, you can buy something and then simply give it back within the return window if you don't like it and get your money back.

Are you absolutely wedded to a D IF stone? Often times, a GHI VVS1 to VS2 stone will look eye clean and white at a better price (you can also get a bigger stone this way if you want). Unless someone is walking around with a 10x loupe, the naked eye won't tell the difference between a D IF stone and GHI VS2 stone.

My suggestion is go with a stone within the GHI VVS1-VS2 range and focus on cut because cut is king and will make all the difference to the naked eye when the ring is worn

I really appreciate your advice. I would prefer an IF or F, but I’m definitely open to other options. I have widened my search criteria.

Cut is definitely a priority for me, I’m still trying to understand what an “excellent cut” looks like on an Oval. Unlike rounds, Oval cut grade seems to be subjective from all the research I’ve done. I’ve stared at the facet patterns, main pavilion lines, reflections from the girdle etc.., on so many diamonds and I still feel like I’m at a loss on figuring out how to determine if the cut looks good. I know I will need to order the diamond and see it in person to really be able to evaluate it. I’d like to have at least some semblance of whether the diamond is a good candidate before I go through the process of spending so much money to order it. I’m concerned, if it’s not a good one, the time to process returning it may become an issue, if the company drags their feet on crediting my card.

The jewelry stores, that I’ve visited, put off the vibe of only being concerned about putting a diamond in a setting and selling it to me, instead of truly wanting to get me the best cut and quality diamond for my budget.

Thank you for sharing your knowledge and experience with me.

 

[headlight]

Non-refundable deposit --> definitely a no. As others have said, you can buy something and then simply give it back within the return window if you don't like it and get your money back.

Are you absolutely wedded to a D IF stone? Often times, a GHI VVS1 to VS2 stone will look eye clean and white at a better price (you can also get a bigger stone this way if you want). Unless someone is walking around with a 10x loupe, the naked eye won't tell the difference between a D IF stone and GHI VS2 stone.

My suggestion is go with a stone within the GHI VVS1-VS2 range and focus on cut because cut is king and will make all the difference to the naked eye when the ring is worn

With all due respect, there is an eye-visible difference between a diamond of D color, and stones that are graded G, H, and I color.

 

[headlight]

Thank you so much for your help. I’ve noticed when I put in the search parameters, vvs2-FL, the price difference between the range was only about $5k and I didn’t notice much of a difference in the sizes of the diamonds either (i.e. if I chose a VVS1 E, it doesn’t bump me up to a 2.5c diamond).

I’d also like this diamond to be something that I could pass down to my future grandchildren like a family heirloom, so I like that an IF or F is more rare.

Cut is definitely important to me. I wish GIA would grade cut on fancy shapes. I definitely won’t pay a non refundable deposit. That was something I was going to address with the store, if the diamond was a good cut, otherwise, I’ll just tell them I’m not interested.

I know I’m really limiting my options by looking at such a small range. I’d consider all the way down to a VVS2 and a D, E or F color, if there is a significant cost savings and excellent cut or if it allows me to get a larger diamond with an excellent cut.

Did either of the above diamonds look like good cuts to you?

I really appreciate your time and help

I would suggest you not consider a stone of Flawless clarity as once it is set it becomes a stone of Internally Flawless clarity.

 

[sledge]

Being in Houston, you need to drop by Brian Gavin Diamonds (BGD) and have a look. While they are mostly known for their H&A round diamonds, they have pushed for H&A stones of different shapes -- recently including ovals. Tell Leslie I said hi!

I looked in their inventory and they don't have anything of the size, color & clarity you are seeking but I bet Brian would source you one if you are serious. At the least it would be interesting to see one in person as they are different from the standard oval.

Diamonds

Brian Gavin Diamonds

www.briangavindiamonds.com

Lastly, BGD has some general criteria for selecting regular ovals located at this page.

Oval brilliant cut diamonds buying guide

Oval brilliant cut diamonds seem to be enjoying a renewed sense of popularity this year, so I thought that you might appreciate some helpful insider tips for what to look for when buying an oval shape diamond. Unlike Brian Gavin Signature round, princess, and cushion cut diamonds, which are...

www.briangavindiamonds.com

 

[ludicrous-mode]

Being in Houston, you need to drop by Brian Gavin Diamonds (BGD) and have a look. While they are mostly known for their H&A round diamonds, they have pushed for H&A stones of different shapes -- recently including ovals. Tell Leslie I said hi!

I looked in their inventory and they don't have anything of the size, color & clarity you are seeking but I bet Brian would source you one if you are serious. At the least it would be interesting to see one in person as they are different from the standard oval.

Diamonds

Brian Gavin Diamonds

www.briangavindiamonds.com

Lastly, BGD has some general criteria for selecting regular ovals located at this page.

Oval brilliant cut diamonds buying guide

Oval brilliant cut diamonds seem to be enjoying a renewed sense of popularity this year, so I thought that you might appreciate some helpful insider tips for what to look for when buying an oval shape diamond. Unlike Brian Gavin Signature round, princess, and cushion cut diamonds, which are...

www.briangavindiamonds.com

Thank you for the recommendation and the links. I‘ll try to go there. Whiteflash is also in the Houston area. I’ve been in touch with them, but they didn’t have what I was looking for. If I get to meet Leslie, I‘ll pass along your regards!

 

[sledge]

Thank you for the recommendation and the links. I‘ll try to go there. Whiteflash is also in the Houston area. I’ve been in touch with them, but they didn’t have what I was looking for. If I get to meet Leslie, I‘ll pass along your regards!

Yup, WF is a little further south in Sugarland Town Square. Love that location BTW, so quaint. As you probably already know, WF can bring in just about any stone (or shape) via virtual inventory but their bread & butter are their ACA cuts which are limited to round & princess shapes only.

BGD just happens to offer more shapes in their H&A line than WF, including that oval. It just comes down to if you like their spin on those shapes or not. For instance, while I like H&A rounds and normal cushions I am not a fan of their super ideal cushion as I prefer more chunky facets in that shape.

 

[ludicrous-mode]

Yup, WF is a little further south in Sugarland Town Square. Love that location BTW, so quaint. As you probably already know, WF can bring in just about any stone (or shape) via virtual inventory but their bread & butter are their ACA cuts which are limited to round & princess shapes only.

BGD just happens to offer more shapes in their H&A line than WF, including that oval. It just comes down to if you like their spin on those shapes or not. For instance, while I like H&A rounds and normal cushions I am not a fan of their super ideal cushion as I prefer more chunky facets in that shape.

I agree with you, I like the larger facets. However, I like a more long oval versus the shorter-rounder version. I will still take drop by Brian Gavin’s store, once I try on a more round oval, I might like it. Thank you for taking the time to give me an example of their H&A shapes!