Need expert help on balancing diamond quality and cost for an engagement ring

[thebigidea]

Hello!

Pricescope is an amazing resource and I could certainly use members'' expert opinions on a ths issue of balancing diamond quality and cost for an engagement ring.

I have been researching prices at on-line vendors for the past two months and familiarizing myself with diamonds in general. Yesterday, I spoke with a Blue Nile sales representative on the issue of color (about lowering my color requirements to the bottom near-colorless I grade) and, despite his reassurances to the contrary, my concern remains that there will be detectable color in this stone. Within the parameters of my budget for the diamond itself ($2,000 to $2,200), and the specifications I have outlined below, what trade-offs should I consider in seeking out a high-quality diamond within my budget?

Essentially, I would like to find a round diamond with the following specifications: Carat: .70 to .75; Cut: Ideal - Very Good; Clarity: VVS1 - VS2; and last, but perhaps of most concern to me, Color: F - H or I. With a .70 carat, very good cut, VS2 clarity stone, should I be concerned about going down to an I color grade. In the face-up position, mounted in a classic white gold or solitaire setting, what would one expect (or not expect) to see?

Any advise you can give me on this subject would be very much appreciated. I would also be willing to reduce carat size to .65 or so. How much of a difference would this reduction is carat size make visually?

THANKS!

 

[AndyRosse]

Welcome to PS

Have you ever seen any ideal cut diamonds in person? If not, maybe you should try to find a jeweler who sells them, that way you can find out what your limit is on color. Many people here on PS have found that in an ideal cut diamond, even J colored diamonds look fantastic. You can check out a thread here on PS where everyone posted their J colored stones...I think there is one for I colored stones too

. However, there are some people who are very sensitive to color...

Have you considered lowering your clarity requirements a bit? Maybe down to include SI1s and maybe even SI2s? I only say this because maybe you could lower the clarity and stay a bit higher in color if you are really concerned. Just make sure the diamond is eye clean. I personally wouldn''t trust Blue Nile''s opinion on whether a diamond is eye clean (many diamonds are not even in their possession); however, I would trust the opinions of diamonds in Whiteflash''s and Good Old Gold''s possession (www.whiteflash.com and www.goodoldgold.com). They could also get in other diamonds for you if you are interested in something they do not have.

 

[ame]

Frankly--if you are worrying about cost you should definitely not go with a VVS clarity grade. No one is going to know besides you, your insurance agent and maybe her. It''s overkill for now. A good VS2, SI1 or even eye-clean SI2 would be just as beautiful as the VVS and you still would need a loupe to pick out any little spots.

As far as color. I personally could not go lower than an I. You won''t see any color from the top down unless it''s next to a much whiter stone, and even then you may not even notice. Most of the color you see will be from the side, if you see it at all.

I would consider your sweet spot to be an I VS2 or I SI1. And I think you should look beyond Blue Nile. Check out goodoldgold.com. Jonathon is just the best. I also think youll get a better quality stone CUTWISE which is FAR more important than any other C from him than from Blue Nile. I think of all the vendors on here, he can provide you with not only a great deal and a great stone, but a TON of information to help you find the best sparkle for your buck.

Date: 1/8/2006 11:00:26 AM
Author:thebigidea
Hello!

Pricescope is an amazing resource and I could certainly use members'' expert opinions on a ths issue of balancing diamond quality and cost for an engagement ring.

I have been researching prices at on-line vendors for the past two months and familiarizing myself with diamonds in general. Yesterday, I spoke with a Blue Nile sales representative on the issue of color (about lowering my color requirements to the bottom near-colorless I grade) and, despite his reassurances to the contrary, my concern remains that there will be detectable color in this stone. Within the parameters of my budget for the diamond itself ($2,000 to $2,200), and the specifications I have outlined below, what trade-offs should I consider in seeking out a high-quality diamond within my budget?

Essentially, I would like to find a round diamond with the following specifications: Carat: .70 to .75; Cut: Ideal - Very Good; Clarity: VVS1 - VS2; and last, but perhaps of most concern to me, Color: F - H or I. With a .70 carat, very good cut, VS2 clarity stone, should I be concerned about going down to an I color grade. In the face-up position, mounted in a classic white gold or solitaire setting, what would one expect (or not expect) to see?

Any advise you can give me on this subject would be very much appreciated. I would also be willing to reduce carat size to .65 or so. How much of a difference would this reduction is carat size make visually?

THANKS!

 

[strmrdr]

http://www.goodoldgold.com/0_638ct_h_vs2_h&a1.htm

Best no comprimise diamond I found on PS search.

Now look it over and decide where you want to move from there if you do:
Bigger?
The easy choice is eyeclean SI clarity grade
bigger yet?
I-J color

Im fine with I color in super-ideal rounds diamonds up to around 2ct and with H in any size.

 

[AndyRosse]

Here is an ideal cut diamond J VS1 .735ct for $2035 (before PS discount): http://www.whiteflash.com/round_ideal_cut/Round-Ideal-Cut-cut-diamond-1948524.htm#

Here is an ideal cut diamond (WF''s branded ACA) J VS2 .728ct for $2268 ($2155 with PS discount): http://www.whiteflash.com/hearts_arrows/A-Cut-Above-H-A-cut-diamond-1948461.htm

There are several diamonds in your price range in WF''s Expert Selection that are SI1 and SI2s but are higher in color than the above stones...you could always give them a call to see if any are eye clean.

 

[koko]

My sister just bought a 1.07 round brilliant diamond "H" color, I-1 clarity, Ideal cut. She paid $3,000.00 from a wholesale jewelry store at "The Apparel Mart" in Atlanta, so she also avoided sales tax. I would have been scared to go that low in clarity, but it''s a beautiful stone & eye clean!! Good luck on your search.....

 

[koko]

Also, meant to add my sister''s stone is GIA cert. (just to give you an idea of what''s out there)....

 

[graceelou]

Here''s my 1.38ct rb AGS0 SI2 I color with medium blue flourescence. It''s from Blue Nile in November. The band is from there too. The stone is very eyeclean. They confirmed this before I purchased it. It seems very white to me but I wasn''t worried about that after I saw all the beautiful J''s here!

 

[Janis]

I have the same dilemma, and the only way I know to solve it is to go look at some real diamonds. My current one is an F, so I am not sure how I low I can go. I am hoping for a G or maybe H. But I am not really willing to go below VS because even though my current diamond is eye clean to others, the inclusions bother ME.

 

[pebbles]

If you''re not sure if you feel as though you can go down to as low as an I color, can you order one of the stones from either WF or GOG and then send it back if you don''t like it? You would have to pay for the shipping, but I would rather do that then get a stone that I didn''t like.

I had to drop down to a J color in order to get the 1ct size I wanted. If you look from the side you can see a tint in certain lighting conditions. At first it kind of bothered me, but now I really like the warmth of it. A lot of people would be bothered by the warmth -- one of my friends is so color sensitive that she claims she can see some color in G stones (her stone is an F). My stone is completely white when you look straight down at it, and to me that is the most important part.

I don''t think there would visually be much difference in size between a .65 and a .70ct, especially once it''s set.

 

[Lynn B]

When I bought my first diamond (as a newbie) I got a 1.53 G/VS2. I was nervous about color, nervous about clarity... and so that combo was a good "safe"/comfort zone. And yes, the stone was beautiful. But I kept getting more and more educated here on PS, and saw so many gorgeous diamonds in H/I/J and even K colors, and SI clarity... so for VERY LITTLE extra money, I upgraded to a 2.36 J/SI2. THAT WAS A DECISION I HAVE NEVER REGRETTED! This diamond is a KILLER cut, faces up beautifully (no yellow anywhere), and is completely eye-clean. My humble opinion - definitely consider compromising on color and clarity (but never CUT!) - to get the biggest *SIZE* you can. My mantra? Why pay for what you cannot see?! I''d rather pay for sparkle, and SIZE, baby!!!

 

[Daniel B]

Hi

I just wanted to chime in because I am in the very same boat in terms of size and budget--exactly. I need a .75 I or J, SI1 on a no larger budget than 2100. I have been talking to Tim and Jon from GOG extensively (and they can verify the e-x-t-e-n-s-i-v-e-l-y part

They came up with a J .75 si1 eyeclean for 2400. I dont know if the price was including the credit card processing fee or not-- I really hope not because I cant and wont go above 2100. Anyway, they told me they are sending it back because they knew I wouldnt like it. Botton line, GOG treats you very good and will answer all of the questions you may have--check em out!
Dan

 

[E B]

Hi thebigidea!

I think the diamond that Strmdr posted, the .638 ct H VS2 from GoodOldGold (this one) is the best choice, given your specifications. GOG has gorgeous diamonds, and I''m sure combined with a white gold setting, it''d fit into your budget beautifully. Good luck!