shape
carat
color
clarity

Poor Med School Student wants to get married, too!

rainydaze

Ideal_Rock
Premium
Joined
May 1, 2007
Messages
3,361
I may be in the minority here, but to me there is just something super special and sweet about a really well cut, high color, high clarity diamond (i.e. D or E color, IF or VVS clarity) in sizes below .75ct!

I understand going lower in color & clarity to maximize size - I think it's a great idea if size is important to your gal (or to reach the 1ct mark or above...). However, since you're looking at around .5ct already, why not make it a killer .5ct ring that is a real treasure in all aspects?

I did a quick search of GOG, WF and BGD and seems like inventory is somewhat limited, but to give you an idea here are some options:
http://www.briangavindiamonds.com/diamonds/diamond-details/0.400-d-if-round-diamond-gia-35659790 (D/IF but virtual inventory so you'd want them to pull it and analyze it for you)
http://www.briangavindiamonds.com/diamonds/diamond-details/0.560-d-vvs2-round-diamond-gia-34603912 (D/VVS2, same as above with virtual inventory)

http://www.goodoldgold.com/diamond/5813/
http://www.goodoldgold.com/diamond/9073/
http://www.goodoldgold.com/diamond/9328/ (medium fluoro, personally love it but not everyone's cup of tea)
http://www.goodoldgold.com/diamond/8839/

Depending upon the price, you could still put it in a simple but well-made setting and have a really special joy to present to your sweetie!
 

rubybeth

Ideal_Rock
Joined
Nov 12, 2007
Messages
2,568
I hate debt with a passion :angryfire:, so I would NOT advise using student loan money to pay for a ring, nor would I advise eating ramen when you're going to be in one of the most stressful points in your life when you need your energy and good health. Get something inexpensive you can afford with cash (like, under $2k), and either go with one of the Diamond Bistro options (so many lovely choices!) and she can re-set the diamond into a pendant or earring someday, or choose a vendor with a lifetime upgrade policy.

The thing with engagement rings is that they are only the first step in a long line of expenses: weddings, honeymoons, houses, cars, and sometimes babies. You can always get a bigger diamond, but if you spend out of your budget now, that's going to eat into your budget for the memorable experiences of your wedding and honeymoon.
 

drng

Rough_Rock
Joined
Jul 21, 2012
Messages
15
Dear Pricescope,

You wonderful ladies and gentlemen have been so overwhelmingly helpful. I have been so busy over the last few days pondering over your suggestions and doing further research.

Here is an update:

I took my lady friend to the jeweler again and had asked the jeweler to show her a selection of diamonds that were cut to the same grade with similar symmetry and polish, but with color grades ranging from F to I. I discovered that she could not really tell the difference between F (colorless) and G/H (near colorless), especially in daylight. She also realized that she preferred a larger diamond (what was I thinking, women all want larger diamonds. Hence, the lifetime upgrade policy). She is also fine with SI1-2 clarity so long as the diamond is eyeclean.

Taking all that into consideration, I realized that the best bang for my buck would be buying pre-owned.

I must thank you Bella_Mezzo for the erings that you linked.

I am seriously considering purchasing: http://www.ebay.com/itm/74ct-Round-SI1-H-AGS-CERTIFIED-IDEAL-CUT-18K-Diamond-Ring-7000-FREE-SHIP-/221076868563?pt=Diamond_Solitaire_with_Accents&hash=item3379354dd3

I put in the diamond dimensions into the HCA tool for a score of: 1.2.

Factor Grade
Light Return Excellent
Fire Excellent
Scintillation Excellent
Spread
or diameter for weight Very Good

I talked to David, a GIA certified gemologist, who works for premiere_luxury, and was able to negotiate the price down to 3250 bank wire transfer. The ring will be resized to 4 and be polished and rhodium plated free of charge.

I am wondering what your thoughts are Pricescope before I pull the trigger? Anyone have experience buying from this vendor? Is this a good purchase? How does the ring look to you?

humbly yours,

DrNg
 

marchesa6989

Shiny_Rock
Joined
Oct 27, 2011
Messages
203
my fiance and i are both in residency so we understand totally where you are coming from ::) (and likewise i would suggest rads if you don't mind committing to further continuous study lol)

- you have 6 months, so use time to your advantage. don't be too quick to purchase a stone unless you are confident it is the best you can do. keep trawling the online inventories as stock changes almost daily and you never know when the perfect stone will pop up.

- why solely H&A diamonds? whilst this is a fantastic attribute, it is not mutually exclusive with a well performing diamond. the idealscope pictures will give you the information about light return, and you can maximise your budget by finding an ideal cut stone that is not H&A.

- i agree with the others that the stones at Helzberg may not be certified, and thus the "F" you saw may actually be G-H in GIA/AGS stones. likewise it's not possible to compare it to others if that was the only ideal cut stone you saw, as of course it will look better due to the cut and performance. i myself am color sensitive and can see color at I, sometimes H. we chose my ring together and even though i am very pedantic, detail oriented and at times bordering on OCD, i also want to maximise value for money without compromising on quality. so i went with an H, SI2 that is eye clean with ideal cut to maximise light return, sparkle and size. this is my sweet spot to allow the budget to stretch further. but others may disagree as they want the diamond to be "mind-clean" - i.e. have better specs on paper as they don't like the ideas of inclusions etc. it may be better to go with a bigger sized diamond as this is more appreciable in everyday life.

- i recommend a delicate halo setting as that can also increase the impact of the ring (i have one myself). settings can easily be changed so perhaps going for 14k at this stage would be an option


a combination that i would be interested in is:
0.81 G SI2, triple-ex HCA<2 - i would contact JA and ask for idealscope
http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/G-SI2-Excellent-Cut-Round-Diamond-1497704.asp
$3142 with pricescope wire price

http://www.b2cjewels.com/Diamond-Accent-Settings/Halo-Solitaire-Diamond-Ring-14K-White-Gold-6381-1.aspx
$625 + 10% off for PS members (i had a bad experience with them trying to find a center stone, but would not hesitate to buy a setting from them)

total cost $3705

another idea is calling up some of the vendors personally to see what they can find in your budget. once you say you're a PS member they know that you won't accept anything subpar. i've had fantastic service and products from ID Jewelry and it might be worth giving them a call as so far their prices have been super competitive when i've been shopping around (that being said we got our center stone from Union Diamond)

hope that helps a little!
 

LibbyLA

Brilliant_Rock
Joined
Dec 1, 2011
Messages
1,052
That is a pretty ring. Did you get it? It's showing sold at $3450.

With that ring, you are spending money on metal and a lot of little diamonds. I'd try to find a larger diamond in a simple solitaire setting for the same money. I think preowned is a great idea.

If you would consider an old cut diamond, here's a one carat in a setting that will make it look even larger and it's about $3K. If you're at all interested in it, you should probably ask some of the old-cut nuts to weight in. I can't vouch for the quality of the cut. http://www.ebay.com/itm/130620268263?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1438.l2649

Here's a 3/4 ct. OEC in an interesting setting for $1650. http://www.ebay.com/itm/1-07ct-OLD-EUROPEAN-CUT-DIAMOND-FLORAL-ART-DECO-VINTAGE-ENGAGEMENT-RING-ANTIQUE-/400310864829?pt=Diamond_Solitaire_with_Accents&hash=item5d34630bbd

Another 3/4 ct. for $1450 (but not an antique stone): http://www.ebay.com/itm/VINTAGE-0-80ct-CENTER-SI1-VERY-GOOD-CUT-0-84CTW-VINTAGE-ESTATE-ENGAGEMENT-RING-/150859068251?pt=Diamond_Solitaire_with_Accents&hash=item231fe6b35b

liz
 

Dougsgirl

Shiny_Rock
Joined
Apr 18, 2012
Messages
318
drng|1343069793|3238651 said:
Dear Pricescope,

You wonderful ladies and gentlemen have been so overwhelmingly helpful. I have been so busy over the last few days pondering over your suggestions and doing further research.

Here is an update:

I took my lady friend to the jeweler again and had asked the jeweler to show her a selection of diamonds that were cut to the same grade with similar symmetry and polish, but with color grades ranging from F to I. I discovered that she could not really tell the difference between F (colorless) and G/H (near colorless), especially in daylight. She also realized that she preferred a larger diamond (what was I thinking, women all want larger diamonds. Hence, the lifetime upgrade policy). She is also fine with SI1-2 clarity so long as the diamond is eyeclean.

Taking all that into consideration, I realized that the best bang for my buck would be buying pre-owned.

I must thank you Bella_Mezzo for the erings that you linked.

I am seriously considering purchasing: http://www.ebay.com/itm/74ct-Round-SI1-H-AGS-CERTIFIED-IDEAL-CUT-18K-Diamond-Ring-7000-FREE-SHIP-/221076868563?pt=Diamond_Solitaire_with_Accents&hash=item3379354dd3

I put in the diamond dimensions into the HCA tool for a score of: 1.2.

Factor Grade
Light Return Excellent
Fire Excellent
Scintillation Excellent
Spread
or diameter for weight Very Good

I talked to David, a GIA certified gemologist, who works for premiere_luxury, and was able to negotiate the price down to 3250 bank wire transfer. The ring will be resized to 4 and be polished and rhodium plated free of charge.

I am wondering what your thoughts are Pricescope before I pull the trigger? Anyone have experience buying from this vendor? Is this a good purchase? How does the ring look to you?

humbly yours,

DrNg

I am certainly no expert here, but it seems to me you are making a very wise choice! It's a beautiful ring and seems to be a great quality, size and price. The seller has excellent reviews and the diamond got a great score.

If it is within your budget, I say GO FOR IT!!

Good luck, and keep us posted!
 

Rhea

Ideal_Rock
Premium
Joined
Oct 20, 2007
Messages
6,408
I love the ring that you chose! But it's showing as being sold. Did you buy it? I think it's an excellent price. Yes, you are paying for lots of tiny diamonds, but she'll probably have this setting for a while. For me settings can make or break the ring.
 

drng

Rough_Rock
Joined
Jul 21, 2012
Messages
15
Rhea said:
I love the ring that you chose! But it's showing as being sold. Did you buy it? I think it's an excellent price. Yes, you are paying for lots of tiny diamonds, but she'll probably have this setting for a while. For me settings can make or break the ring.

The ring is currently put on hold for me. The salesman said the jeweler does the resizing is off sundays and mondays and will get back to me after receiving confirmation that the ring can be resized w/o compromising the integrity of the ring.

Thanks for your kind words, Rhea. This e-ring has really mesmerized me and I can't seem to look at any other ring with the same passion. I really love the setting and feel like I would pay far more if I simply purchased a new loose diamond with the same cut and quality.
 

Rhea

Ideal_Rock
Premium
Joined
Oct 20, 2007
Messages
6,408
Oh yay! Don't get me wrong, plain solitaires can be lovely, but sometimes a bit of something really adds to the ring and makes it that much more special and different. I definitely think it's worth spending more on the setting rather than having large rock on plain band.

Is this decision made for you or you still hunting a bit while its on hold?
 

drng

Rough_Rock
Joined
Jul 21, 2012
Messages
15
I'm still open to any advice. From what I've learned from Pricescope, right when I feel like I have the hang of things, another prosumer will show me a new vendor and blow my mind.
 

webdiva

Brilliant_Rock
Joined
Feb 20, 2011
Messages
1,268
My only advice is to negotiate a return policy and have it appraised when you get it to ensure you actually got what they said they're sell (even though they are a legit seller). I don't see a mention of a return policy on that page...
 

drng

Rough_Rock
Joined
Jul 21, 2012
Messages
15
They have a 14 day return policy. However, if the ring is resized, the item is considered custom-made and non-returnable. Should I just purchase the ring non-resized and get it appraised and resized by a local jeweler? The vendor seems trustworthy. However, I might just be naive. What are your thoughts?
 

Mrs.W 514

Brilliant_Rock
Joined
May 6, 2010
Messages
552
I would be worried about sizing that setting down that many sizes because the side stones might start to pop out. Size 7.5 to a size 4 is a huge jump for a setting with side stones and honestly it might just wreck the setting.

EDIT:
To answer your return policy question I would never buy it if I was unable to return it, so buy first size later.


I think these are all worth a look
http://diamondbistro.com/category/2...e-JSI1-bezel-18k-diamond-ring-size-5-525.html
http://diamondbistro.com/category/2...A-dossier-059-ct-G-VS1-Oval-Diamond-ring.html [url=http://diamondbistro.com/cate.../30514/Vintage-18k-60ct-OEC-Diamond-Ring.html[/url]
 

UberClaire

Shiny_Rock
Joined
May 28, 2012
Messages
267
I think that ring has a very unique look -- not knowing your soon-to-be fiance, does the setting seem like something that would be her style? I'm hoping other Pricescopers can chime in here -- will this particular setting require a spacer between the engagment ring and the wedding band to prevent the diamonds on the side of the band from scratching the wedding band? That might be something to take into consideration if that is the case.

I'll throw one more wrench in -- do you know if your girlfriend will be comfortable with a pre-owned engagement ring? You might have mentioned it above and I missed it. I know I would not be comfortable with a pre-owned engagement ring, but I may be in the minority on this one.
 

Dreamer_D

Super_Ideal_Rock
Joined
Dec 16, 2007
Messages
25,251
That ebay seller seems decent. They have good feedback and a return policy. But I do not personally recommend you pay by bankwire, because you will not have protections in place. Purchase it through ebay only. It is safer. You will regret taking shortcuts if things go pear shape, all to save $200.

You also are not saving much, so why bother? You can buy this diamond of the same price: http://www.whiteflash.com/loose-diamonds/round-cut-loose-diamond-2812395.htm Ok you are getting a setting of unknown quality thrown in on the ebay stone :rolleyes: That's not enough IMO to do away with all the benefits of a retailer.

That ebay seller is a retailer with an ebay store. No real saving there.
 

drng

Rough_Rock
Joined
Jul 21, 2012
Messages
15
Would you guys mind explaining to me why the diamond in that listing is better?

I understand that it is bigger.

Also it is lower in color grade (J), but does the strong blue fluorescence compensate for that and make it appear white?

color is very important to my future fiance.
 

Dreamer_D

Super_Ideal_Rock
Joined
Dec 16, 2007
Messages
25,251
drng|1343082346|3238759 said:
Would you guys mind explaining to me why the diamond in that listing is better?

I understand that it is bigger.

Also it is lower in color grade (J), but does the strong blue fluorescence compensate for that and make it appear white?

color is very important to my future fiance.

It is better for an ebay stone because it is bigger and priced a larger percentage below retail.

I think that the premier_luxury stone is not a good ebay buy because it is priced at retail! And you get none of the assurances of retail. Final sale if resized, no upgrades, etc. LAME! The ring you selected is not really a used ring at all, and priced full retail. Why bother? You can likely get the same for less with better service anf policies from ID Jewelery. If you want to buy second hand then look for a TRUE deal to compensate for the lack of added benefits you get with full retail.

So maybe the one I linked is not for you. But I think the one you selected is not a good choice either. Buy full retail, but buy from a vendor who offers lower prices than the ones who stock branded cuts. I like ID Jewelery for budget conscious shopping and great specs. They have very cheap mounts too likely similar quality to the premier-luxury one.
 

marchesa6989

Shiny_Rock
Joined
Oct 27, 2011
Messages
203
i must've posted at the same time as your new post and thus mine got overlooked. regardless dreamer_d has an excellent point that the diamond on ebay is not much of a saving. perhaps marginally on the setting, but it's a) used and b) the wrong size (when you resize something down by that much it will typically not remain round and can also lose some of the integrity in the metalwork).

stones similar to the one on ebay, all perform well on HCA
0.73 G SI1 $2788 PS wire price
http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/G-SI1-Excellent-Cut-Round-Diamond-1494931.asp

0.74 G SI2 $2591
http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/G-SI2-Excellent-Cut-Round-Diamond-1498634.asp

0.73 G SI1 $2472
http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/G-SI1-Excellent-Cut-Round-Diamond-1501667.asp

0.76 G SI2 $2728
http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/G-SI2-Excellent-Cut-Round-Diamond-1501529.asp

0.75 H SI2 $2433
http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/H-SI2-Excellent-Cut-Round-Diamond-1505973.asp

again i would suggest picking 5 of these and getting James Allen to have their gemologist ensure they are eye clean and recommend which one performs the best. but of course that is just my opinion.
 

sonnyjane

Ideal_Rock
Joined
Jul 13, 2008
Messages
2,476
Oh my. I just wanted to post this again to make sure that you see it in addition to the others that have mentioned it as well, but that is a REALLY big change in sizes as far as the ring goes. I'd worry for a couple of reasons. The first is, yes, it might damage the ring and you could lose stones. The second is that they won't let you return it if they re-size it, but if you buy it without them re-sizing it and try to do it elsewhere, another jeweler could muck it up and you will be left with a damaged ring that isn't returnable! As good of a find as that was, I'd try to find something closer to what you need (maybe plus or minus one size tops!)
 

Dreamer_D

Super_Ideal_Rock
Joined
Dec 16, 2007
Messages
25,251
As marchesa's examples show, James Allen is also a great option for high quality and good prices.
 

shimmer

Brilliant_Rock
Trade
Joined
May 7, 2007
Messages
1,702
I agree with the others about resizing down that much, it may very well make the setting useless.

When a pave diamond set ring is sized down, the stones loosen as they are 'stretched' away from each other to form the smaller size. Not only will it take a skilled bench to retighten all the stones, I'm guessing that the shank will be out of round and look 'used' and not quite right anyway. Most bench jewelers do not retighten pave stones in sizing, it is quite laborious.
 

jstarfireb

Ideal_Rock
Joined
Mar 24, 2007
Messages
6,232
Agree on the ebay setting - even without considering the sizing issue, it's a very unique style and not something I'd get without knowing it's exactly what your FF wants. And you would also have to make sure she's OK with pre-owned. I'd look for diamonds with ideal proportions but not necessarily branded/H&A cuts at an online retailer like JA, Blue Nile, ID Jewelry, etc. Since size and color are important, I'd go for a G-H color and try to find the largest stone you can afford, setting aside $300ish for a solitaire. I think you can build a nice simple solitaire from the ground up for a better price than the one you were looking at on ebay. Although I have to say the stone in the ebay ring looks very nicely cut! If only you could just buy the stone and not the setting!
 

Bella_mezzo

Ideal_Rock
Joined
Aug 19, 2009
Messages
5,760
if she's a 4 then I second (third, fourth, whatever :cheeky: ) the other posters...that ring is probably not the right one for you, plus the return policy isn't great.

I love the ring Dreamer posted, but it's also pretty particular in terms of style. I prefer thin metal bezels, a very few fluid looking solitares, and/or vintage settings so I love it.

In terms of setting, what do you think your gf will love? Is she an antique or modern girl, what did the ring she liked at Heltzberg look like? Does she wear other jewelry? Does she work with her hands?...

Before you make a decision, I would call Yekeutiel at ID, you could even email him the ebay setting that you like and ask what he could get you that is similar. Also, consider some of the other ones that have been posted, you've got great options at wonderful prices...The ebay one is a good value if you like the setting, but it's not an AMAZING deal...so with the sizing down to a 4 and the return policy, I would probably not pursue that anymore.

If you want to leverage the fact that you have time on your side, keep watching the preloved section and diamond bistro b/c there are amazing rings that come through all the time and the best quality/price tend to be purchased very quickly.

If you want to purchase now (which is also totally fine ;)) ) there are a lot of great options in this thread!
 

GMUAlum08

Shiny_Rock
Joined
May 30, 2012
Messages
143
if i were you i would buy something like this from GoG: http://www.goodoldgold.com/diamond/9328/

they have one of the best upgrade policies i've seen (you don't have to spend double on your next diamond). this falls in your budget and is around .5 carats and you can get it set for 3k out the door. then go and upgrade that baby in a few years
 
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