Help me choose a rock

[AccordStoppy]

Hi

I''m new to the forums. I''m currently looking for an ering for my girlfriend but I''m a little lost on which diamond I should purchase.

I could write a big story but I''ll keep this short and straight to the point.


She doesn''t know much about diamonds. Has a conception that higher crt = bigger ring (which I learned here that it isn''t always the case). I''m pretty she can''t tell the difference between a D and an I (and maybe J) diamond w/o comparing the two side by side. Also for clarity, she doesn''t know what to look for so she can''t tell the difference between a VVS1 and an eyeclean I1 ring. So I''m thinking I should sacrifice Color/Clarity for an excellent cut carat.

For settings.. she likes the 6 prong classic tiffany setting (for round cuts). I noticed whiteflash has this setting for about 300 - 400''s so it''s not a big portion of my budget. Anyone have any thoughts about getting the setting done there too (if I should purchase the diamond there)?

My budget is about $6500-$7000 for everything. I was looking at the past few days but just noticed it was sold today.
http://www.whiteflash.com/diamonds/diamond_Details.aspx?itemcode=AGS-7011601#

Also, since the size of the ring matters the most for me, should I consider EGL diamonds? I noticed they are considerably cheaper compared to AGS/GIA diamonds. But I''m a little hesistant on buying an EGL diamond online because I haven''t been able to find one that has a picture of the acutal diamond I am purchasing. I would like to know how obvious the inclusions are before I purchase it. And it doesn''t show what the crown/pavilion angles are so I can''t use HCA.

Anyone have any suggestions?

 

[Gonzodogg]

The reason EGL is cheaper is because they are not relyable with their grading. (It might say H on the EGL cert, but it might actually be a J or K... same thing with clarity.)

DO NOT BUY EGL.

The diamond you picked out from WF looks awesome (even though now it is sold). If you stick with WF and the expert selection or a cut above - you will not be disappointed. I have one and it is the most amazing thing I have ever seen. (I have an I color as well). If she likes the tiffany style 6 prong, yes, I think it is a great idea to get the stone set right there at WF.

There are lots of options, but here are a few to start with...

http://www.whiteflash.com/diamonds/expert-diamonds.aspx?isStatic=true&PageID=1

http://www.whiteflash.com/round_ideal_cut/Round-Ideal-Cut-cut-diamond-1335306.htm

http://www.whiteflash.com/round_ideal_cut/Round-Ideal-Cut-cut-diamond-2173451.htm#

http://www.whiteflash.com/hearts_arrows/A-Cut-Above-H-A-cut-diamond-2318219.htm#

http://www.whiteflash.com/hearts_arrows/A-Cut-Above-H-A-cut-diamond-799218.htm#

And here is a list of a bunch more that might work...

http://www.whiteflash.com/diamonds/hearts_arrows.aspx

good luck

Mike

 

[thunkpad]

Hi AS

I'm by no means an expert and was in just about the same position as you a couple of weeks ago but you learn fast on PS!

For $6,500 to $7,000 you can get a lot of diamond so there's no problems there. Given that you know which setting she likes, you have one major hurdle out of the way and your are now left with what stone to buy.

You seem to have a basic idea of what you want - big stone, not too worried about clarity/color as long as it looks good, which was pretty much my criteria (though with a lower budget!)

First thing to remember is that, though she may not know much about diamonds, she will still prefer a big sparkly diamond with plenty of fire and sparkle than a huge dull looking dud so look for an excellent cut that'll give you that (read up on cut on here)

As for clarity SL2 is generally accepted as eye-clean and any more than VS1 is generally seen as 'paying for what you can't see' (opinions vary though)

When it comes to color you can definitely tell the difference between a D and a J when side by side and most jewelers recommend no lower than an H with white gold or platinum but there are plenty of people here with J color stones in white gold or platinum who are thrilled with the color - this is especially the case with stones that are well cut as they tend to 'face up' white regardless of their certificate color.

For gradings GIA is generally seen as the genuine article whereas EGL aren't quite as strict in their gradings (again read up on this on here).

I ended up going for a GIA SL2 J color stone with excellent cut - therby maximising the size of diamond while still getting a decent stone that will look fantastic. While I got a great eye-clean stone some still wouldn't be happy with it because they have pre-set ideas of what their minimum criterias are (this is where 'mind clean' comes in - great phrase coined on PS -, though it seems you won't have to worry about that given your girl's level of diamond knowledge.)

Hope that helps but you'll still need to do your own research to see whether it's the right path for you.

 

[jaz464]

Going for a very well-cut diamond is a great way to go with a round because you can go lower in color than you may have wanted to originally. If she is not picky about color I would look for an I or J colored diamond. Remember, the best online vendors will allow you to see the diamond before you purchase it by sending it to an independent appraiser in your area so you can see it in person. Then you can decide on how visible the inclusions are to you. Whiteflash will also be very honest about how eye-clean the diamond is. They will not make it sound better than it is because they would just get diamonds returned to them left and right.

EGL is not usually recommended but EGL-USA my be doable, especially if you have the diamond appraised before purchase or within the return period.

I have to correct Thunkpad and say that SI2 (I think that is what was meant by SL2) is not generally considered eye clean. You can definitely find one but it takes some looking. VS2 and above (GIA or AGS) is considered eye clean by all except the most eagle-eyed among us. I would consider a great SI1 or maybe an SI2 if you could see it first.

 

[thunkpad]

Here's an idea of something I would go for:

http://www.adiamor.com/D-2792100.htm

Price: $6,124
Shape: Round
Carat Weight: 1.31
Color: I
Clarity: SI1
Graded By: GIA
Cut Grade: Ideal
Depth: 61.4%
Table: 56%
Girdle: Medium
Culet: None
Polish: Very Good
Symmetry: Very Good
Fluorescence: None
Measurements: 7.10 x 7.04 x 4.34