Popping the question, need opinions on diamond!! X

[danielbaldry]

Hi, i have been searching high wide for the perfect ring for my beloved girlfriend. I've searched the high streets and i've searched the big retailers all wanting big money for fairly standard rings. I've done my research and know about the 4 C's (i think) I have found a ring that looks nice, seems good and is very reasonably priced. There are just a few things i'm not too sure about and can't seem to find the answers online. Could someone please help me (push me) in buying this ring?! I just can't seem to make the jump because there always seems to be something i'm not sure about. It's 0.5 carat. 18k white gold classic engagement style ring, excellent cut, F clarity, SI1, GIA, excellent poilsh, symmetry and no florescence. I have the certificate code if that helps? they want £1600.00. how does this sound? Any help and advice would be GREATLY appreciated, thank you!!!

 

[tyty333]

The GIA cert number would help. We can look at it and see if its got a decent cut.

 

[danielbaldry]

Hi thanks for the reply. The certificate number is 6201407112. I have no idea what cut is good or what to look for and also the clarity characteristics. Thanks

 

[pfunk]

It is a 60/60 style cut, which will give you good spread and will face up large. Some love them, others prefer proportions closer to tolk. The only inclusion listed is crystal, which in an SI1 may mean it has a large crystal in the center of the diamond or could have many dispersed crystals which could be dark in color. Can't know that without getting a magnified image though.

 

[danielbaldry]

What do you mean by closer to tolk? i'll ask them to send me a magnified image and will upload it when i get it. thanks

 

[ecf8503]

You can read more about 60/60's here:
/user

And you can read about Tolkowsky ideal cuts here:
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It scores a 2.6 on the HCA - "worth buying if the price is right"
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This stone is a bit shallow, and a bit spready for it's weight - meaning it looks a bit bigger (very slightly) than a more traditionally cut stone. It also has a low crown angle and large table, which may lead to more white light return and less colored light return than a more traditionally cut stone. Ideally you want a balance of color and light.

I have a stone similar to this - 0.51ct 60/60 - and compared to my ideal cut I can definitely see the lack of color. Some people like that - you may be one of them and this stone may be perfect for you.

The crystal is of concern - there's no plot, so we don't know where it is, and it may not be eye clean - it will be interesting to see the photos if you can get them.

 

[danielbaldry]

Thanks, i'll give that a read when i finish work. The ring is £1600. Seemed like a fairly good price, but now i'm not so sure. I'm so lost now as to what to get

 

[ecf8503]

What's your budget? What type of setting do you want? Are you open to buying online or do you prefer to buy locally? Is the price you quoted for the stone alone or stone and setting together? What metal is the setting made of?

Cut is the most important factor - it's what makes the diamond sparkle. Don't compromise on that. Everything else is flexible - a "sweet spot" is G/H color, VS2/eye clean SI1 clarity combo. You'll pay a bit more for colorless (DEF) than you will for G/H, and yet G/H faces up nice and white. You will eek out a little more size as well, if that's important to you at all.

 

[danielbaldry]

Update. That stone is not available anymore. I've since seen another which looks better, the Cert. Number is 6202282910 I have a picture too but not sure how to upload it [emoji53]

 

[danielbaldry]

Hi sorry didn't see your message. My budget is around £1600-£1700 I'd like it to be 0.50 or a little higher and as nice and sparkly as possible. The price includes the ring too in 18k white gold and I've found it online. I want it to be as good a quality as possible for the price and around 0.50. The certificate number I just sent seems quite good? What do you think?

 

[danielbaldry]

 

[danielbaldry]

This one is £1500 with the 18k White gold ring (sorry for all the separate messages)

 

[D_]

Price is reasonable for a well cut diamond with that specs.
It's another 60/60 stone.
Is this online or are you able to see it in person?

 

[ecf8503]

I scores well on the HCA (1.1) but will have the same issues as the other one (60/60 cut, shallow crown, higher white light vs colored light return). That said, it is probably very bright. The grade setting characteristic is a cloud, so make sure it is eye clean (it's hard to tell on that photo), but at this carat weight I expect it to be eye clean.

 

[danielbaldry]

It's online. I am able to see it if I make an appointment and travel 3 hours. If not cloudy and is eye clean, would you recommend this for £1500?

 

[danielbaldry]

Just googled what a 60/60 diamond looks like and it's not the prettiest. What do I have to search for to not get 60/60 as that's all I seem to be finding lol. Thanks

 

[ecf8503]

$1600 British pounds (I'm assuming) = approx $2500 USD. So...

Just as an example:

$350 white gold 4-prong solitaire
http://www.whiteflash.com/engagemen...ffany-style-solitaire-engagement-ring-587.htm

0.6ct G SI1 (guaranteed eye-clean) ideal cut:
http://www.whiteflash.com/loose-diamonds/round-cut-loose-diamond-3045708.htm#

 

[danielbaldry]

That does look nice. If I give you the website I'm using for here in England, do you think you could find me something similar? It's 77diamonds.com and the ring band I want is the 1477 classic ring. Would be so helpful and I'd really appreciate it

 

[ecf8503]

Do you have to pay the 20% VAT? I'm looking at the totals at the bottom of the page - I assume you want to stay around 15-1600 total?

 

[danielbaldry]

Yeah I have to pay the 20% vat too, which is a killer. Yeah preferably around that, might go a little higher for the right ring, but the budget was always around £1500, thanks mate.

 

[ecf8503]

There are a lot of 60/60's there...

Here are some to get you started - none of these have plots or photos, so you'd have to ask if they're eye-clean, but they all score well on the HCA. All G/H color, SI1 clarity.

http://www.77diamonds.com/certification_RBCPRNXXYGSQ.html
http://www.77diamonds.com/certification_RBCPHZKHQZMH.html
http://www.77diamonds.com/certification_RBCPCYVTEKFC.html
http://www.77diamonds.com/certification_RBCPWXBRBHS6.html
http://www.77diamonds.com/certification_RBCP8EVJCETH.html
http://www.77diamonds.com/certification_RBCPMH2NSQKQ.html
http://www.77diamonds.com/certification_RBCPJS4QZBPV.html

You can go to "advanced" search, click GIA excellent/ex/ex, select the color and clarity you want, and hover over the GIA link to see table and depth %.

 

[danielbaldry]

Thanks mate. These all look the same to me! Haha. I'll have a better look tomorrow and try to make a decision, it's a bit hard when you're sharing a bed and sneakingly looking at your phone next to the other half haha. Thanks for your help, I really appreciate it and will keep you updated which one I go for and how the whole thing goes

 

[telephone89]

Do you have to pay any additional fees/taxes on stones and settings from outside your home country? Since you already paying 20%, you might want to look at US stones and settings as well. Unless of course there are MORE fees, but otherwise it works out around the same.

 

[danielbaldry]

I'm not sure to be honest. I'll have to have a look tomorrow. If I could get away without paying the tax I'd definitely save a lot of money. I'll look into it

 

[danielbaldry]

Ecf8503 is there any way to private message you? Thanks

 

[ecf8503]

No pm's here - sorry

 

[craiguk]

If it's stone only then it's 20% vat. If it's a set stone you pay 2.5% duty on top. There's no legal way round it. Just remember though that you still pay vat in the UK - it's just disguised in the final price.

 

[danielbaldry]

Yeah I saw on that American site that there would be import tax so would work out more expensive. I'm ready to buy the ring this week (late funds and other things came up) unfortunately most the diamonds efc8503 aren't available anymore and I'm right back where I started [emoji30] help!!! Lol

 

[craiguk]

Do you know what exactly you're looking for? I've ordered from whiteflash and have been amazed by their customer service. My opinion is you can find better well cut stones in the U.S. than the UK even with the tax added on. You could order the stone abroad and buy a setting in the UK?

 

[danielbaldry]

I'm looking at 77diamonds at the moment. They seem really competitive with pricing and found a ring I like. I'm just trying to find the best diamond for money by that HCA tool test thingy. I found the one I wanted but it's now gone. It was a .5 carat, round, excellent cut, excellent polish, excellent symmetry, no fluorescent, si1, G colour, GIA certificate, 0.4 HCA score