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Advice on 2ct diamond and J color

ProjectKey

Rough_Rock
Joined
Nov 21, 2014
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15
Hello All,

First of all I want to say this site is absolutely incredible. The information and research on here is so incredible, I would be lost without it. I am beginning the process of buying a diamond, and after researching I think online is definitely the way to go. It makes me nervous but the safety of being able to return it gives me some comfort. My goal and budget is the following:

Total Budget: $17.5K to $20K (including the setting)
Diamond:
Round
Ideal/Excellent cut (ideally a lower than 2.0 HCA score)
J color (opinions on J? I cant seem to notice much of a difference as well as my girlfriend wants a rose gold setting)
Anything above SI2 and open as long as I do not notice it or has that cloudy look
~2.0ct. (In an ideal world I would love to get a 2.1ct to 2.15ct)

Setting: See link on Pin Interest: My girlfriend's friend told me she wanted a rose gold setting with small diamonds on the side. The band may be a little thicker than she would like, but I guess I am not as worried about the setting.
http://www.pinterest.com/pin/406942516303012141/


I found 2 diamonds I really like so far, and they seem strong to me especially for the price.

http://www.b2cjewels.com/dd-4226382-2.09-carat-Round-diamond-J-color-VVS2-clarity.aspx
http://www.b2cjewels.com/dd-6367207-2.02-carat-Round-diamond-J-color-VVS1-clarity.aspx

Appreciate any and all advice. Both stones meet HCA excellent grade cut.

Thanks in advance for your help.
 

ccuheartnurse

Brilliant_Rock
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Hi There,

Colour is a subjective thing. I have a 2.5ct round J ideal cut stone that while does look pretty "white", against a G it shows some tint to me. Doesn't change that I love it still & the sparkle off it does mask the tint I see. No one else has ever commented on the colour, just the size & beauty of it. :) I say go for it. If you buy from a vendor with a trade-up policy, & she doesn't like it, then you can look for a higher colour. There's a trade off, either you go smaller for a higher colour or you go bigger for a lower colour. Now if your budget is pretty wide open, then there isn't much of a trade off. LOL

As for the setting, beautiful. While your love for your girlfriend isn't common, ;-), the setting is. I'm not knocking you by saying that, perhaps lessening your stress level a bit. You can find the setting easily enough. Put your energy into the diamond 1st. :appl:

I'll let others chime in about the stones you chose.

All the best...

Judy
 

diamondseeker2006

Super_Ideal_Rock
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To be honest, I would not choose either of those diamonds. The first one has a really low crown angle for one thing. Try to stick with 34-35 on the crown angle. I just don't think it looks all that well cut in the image. The second one is too deep and that can result in a stone facing up (diameter) smaller than it should. I set a limit of 62 but you can go as low as 62.3. It looks like it probably has some leakage as well. I also would not pay for VVS clarity. VS1 is totally clean and many VS2's are great, too.

I will see if I can find anything better.
 

diamondseeker2006

Super_Ideal_Rock
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Okay, this is the best I am seeing at B2C in J color. This is what you want your diamond image to look like, but there is slight leakage on the ASET. There are no worries with VS1 clarity. The depth is 62.4 but I can handle that in a stone that is otherwise nice. I may be able to find something else if you aren't locked into one vendor. I think it would be worth exploring I color as well.

http://www.b2cjewels.com/dd-5079714-2.02-carat-Round-diamond-J-color-VS1-clarity.aspx
 

diamondseeker2006

Super_Ideal_Rock
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James Allen will allow you to place up to three stones on hold and request an idealscope image. I would suggest putting these three on hold and requesting idealscope images and then post them here. Remember there are a lot more lurkers than posters, so if you are interested in any of these, I'd recommend putting on hold asap.

This is my favorite and probably the best cut (I could buy this one without an idealscope image), but it will take you to the top of your budget with the setting.

http://www.jamesallen.com/loose-diamonds/round-cut/2.11-carat-j-color-vs1-clarity-ideal-cut-sku-73559 (8.2mm)

Another AGS Ideal cut, a little deeper than I like, but for the price it has a fabulous diameter at 8.4+mm and 2.32 cts!

http://www.jamesallen.com/loose-diamonds/round-cut/2.32-carat-j-color-vs2-clarity-ideal-cut-sku-288311

This one has a lot of potential although I am wondering why the price is so low. You need them to check with the gemologist to make sure the clouds aren't hurting the brilliance of the stone. Great buy if the clouds are not an issue and hopefully they aren't in a VS2.

http://www.jamesallen.com/loose-diamonds/round-cut/2.20-carat-j-color-vs2-clarity-excellent-cut-sku-384067

I probably would like all of these better than the one at B2C, to be honest. These videos also show you very well what J color looks like. I couldn't really find good prospects with I VS2 because they were too close to the top of your total budget and wouldn't allow for the setting. I think if size is of great importance, you'll do so much better with J color.

Regarding the setting, the shank (band) should be rose gold but the head/prongs in platinum.
 

diamondseeker2006

Super_Ideal_Rock
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I was just looking for a setting for someone else and came across this gorgeous one for you! I absolutely love it although it is a little expensive. I think it is worth it, though, because Ritani is a designer brand and is good quality. One thing I like about this one is that it has beautiful side detail and that will mask a little more of your pavilion tint than a plain four prong setting. I don't know if they'd make it with platinum prongs or not, but it is beautiful as it is.

https://www.ritani.com/engagement-rings/french-set-diamond-band-engagement-ring-in-18kt-rose-gold/12490

If that is too much, then this one would be beautiful with the rose gold shank and platinum head. Expect it to be a little more with those specs.

http://www.loveaffairdiamonds.com/the-kathryn-solitaire/
 

ProjectKey

Rough_Rock
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Nov 21, 2014
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Diamondseeker2006. Thank you so much for your time and advice!

I am definitely open to other vendors and the diamonds you sent me are great! A few general questions. You said the diamonds I posted weren't great cuts, but just for my learning experience why do those receive such great HCA scores (lower than 2.0)? Also the diamonds you posted gave me a 2.2 rating. They look great, but I am still trying to learn as much as I can, and wonder why those receive a higher rating.

I also love the settings you sent me. They are a little high priced (sort of wish she would want just a basic plain band so I can spend more on the diamond), but that just means I may spend a little bit less on the diamond. I would say if I have to sacrifice something I am probably going to with size. As long as its almost 2.0ct (little less or a little more) I think she will love it.

Again I really really appreciate those diamonds you sent. I am going to spend some time today looking ever them, and may post some additional questions if that is alright.
 

diamondseeker2006

Super_Ideal_Rock
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ProjectKey|1416677375|3788554 said:
Diamondseeker2006. Thank you so much for your time and advice!

I am definitely open to other vendors and the diamonds you sent me are great! A few general questions. You said the diamonds I posted weren't great cuts, but just for my learning experience why do those receive such great HCA scores (lower than 2.0)? Also the diamonds you posted gave me a 2.2 rating. They look great, but I am still trying to learn as much as I can, and wonder why those receive a higher rating.

I also love the settings you sent me. They are a little high priced (sort of wish she would want just a basic plain band so I can spend more on the diamond), but that just means I may spend a little bit less on the diamond. I would say if I have to sacrifice something I am probably going to with size. As long as its almost 2.0ct (little less or a little more) I think she will love it.

Again I really really appreciate those diamonds you sent. I am going to spend some time today looking ever them, and may post some additional questions if that is alright.

The HCA is just a screening tool to help eliminate stones that we know are likely to have problems. As long as you can get idealscope images, you are fine going a little higher on the HCA (up to 2.5 even). But then the idealscope image will show if a stone has too much leakage. I once had a stone that scored close to 2.5 that was outstanding. The two stones that are AGS Ideal cut look great and I don't think they will have issues with the idealscope. They are examples of why the HCA is not the only measure, because what you want is ideal light return, and AGS says that those two stones have it according to their measurements. In fact, we do not recommend even using the HCA for stones that have already been graded ideal cut. It is not needed.

I love the second setting very much. I think it would come out somewhere around $2k, so by all means go with it over the other. I probably wouldn't pay the price of the Ritani, either, but it is very pretty!

That last JA stone might be your best bet if you want to stay below $18k on the diamond. I just realized that the good price may be due to having medium blue fluorescence, but that is generally a very good thing in stones that are not super high in color. It can make them appear a little whiter when there is some UV light present. I hope that is the reason because it appears to be a well cut stone and that can be confirmed with an idealscope image. It is still a great size, too! There is rarely any negative effect of medium blue fluorescence, but you want the gemologist to confirm that it doesn't have any combined with clouds (as in, they need to view the stone in bright light such as sunlight).

I'll be out for awhile this afternoon, but I will check back in to see if you have any other questions!
 

ProjectKey

Rough_Rock
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After talking with James Allen and re-evaluating my total budget, I have decided to only further inquire about the 2.2ct J VS2 diamond. JA told me that I can only request 3 ideal scope image so I am going to save 2 others in case I find something else in the $16K to $17K range. I know I will have to go down on ct size so hopefully I can find a 2.0ct size for that price. I will post the idealscope images when I receive them in 2 to 3 days.
 

diamondseeker2006

Super_Ideal_Rock
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ProjectKey|1416680089|3788569 said:
After talking with James Allen and re-evaluating my total budget, I have decided to only further inquire about the 2.2ct J VS2 diamond. JA told me that I can only request 3 ideal scope image so I am going to save 2 others in case I find something else in the $16K to $17K range. I know I will have to go down on ct size so hopefully I can find a 2.0ct size for that price. I will post the idealscope images when I receive them in 2 to 3 days.

I think that is wise! I had already checked all the J VS1-VS2 2.0+ ct stones and just did not see any great ones other than the three I already posted. I wish they had had a couple of those AGS Ideal cuts closer to 2 cts. I am hopeful about the one you have reserved, though! It is a stone I would gladly buy as long as they say it has no unexpected issues!
 

ProjectKey

Rough_Rock
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msop04

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I don't have any further suggestions (as all that I found has already been posted), but I just wanted to chime in and say that I think you will love a J color if you can try to minimize the side view as much as possible to hide what little tint that may show. I have a 2.43 J, and I love love LOVE it! Can't wait to see what you choose! CONGRATS!! :appl:
 

ProjectKey

Rough_Rock
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That is very good to know and a good point. Any opinions on the diamonds I just sent from Ritani?
 

ProjectKey

Rough_Rock
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Hello Diamondseeker and Price Scope forum users. I am very seriously considering making a move on this diamond below. I only have a 24 hour hold on it. Wanted to get anyone's opinion on the below diamond as well as the return policy with James Allen in case I do not like the diamond. I have attached the idealscope image they have sent me. They also said the geolist said the following:

"I'm happy to say that the gemologist confirmed that this is a very bright diamond with great fire, brilliance, and scintillation. The idealscope image doesn't really do the diamond justice, but if you see it in person, the gemologist confirmed that it has a nice balance of brightness throughout the entire diamond. They want on to say that its fluorescence has no impact on the diamond, other than slightly boosting its color, making the "J" color closer to an "I." Lastly, the diamond is completely eye clean. It's eye catching and beautiful, and comes highly recommended."

http://www.jamesallen.com/loose-diamonds/round-cut/2.20-carat-j-color-vs2-clarity-excellent-cut-sku-384067

384067_idealscope_image.jpg
 

Gypsy

Super_Ideal_Rock
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I t's got some leakage, but doesn't have more than some WF ES diamonds do. And so I think that for the budget... it's a good balance of the 4 C's given your priority was size. Does it have the best performance, NO. But it certainly has very good performance.
 

ProjectKey

Rough_Rock
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Okay good to know. Can you tell the leakage by the dark spots in the lower right spot? And sorry for my stupidity, but what is WF ES? White flash diamonds?
 

Gypsy

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See the white right under the table? That's leakage. This is what you"ideally" would want to see in an idealscope image. So none of that white.

_24606.jpg
 

ProjectKey

Rough_Rock
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Great, thank you for the info. If I do decide to purchase this diamond, I may get a setting as well, but I definitely want to get an independent appraisal just to confirm the diamond. Should I wait to get the diamond with the setting so the appraisal can be just the diamond or will that matter? I didn't know if the appraisal needed to be done without the diamond in the setting
 

yssie

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ProjectKey|1417197897|3791754 said:
Great, thank you for the info. If I do decide to purchase this diamond, I may get a setting as well, but I definitely want to get an independent appraisal just to confirm the diamond. Should I wait to get the diamond with the setting so the appraisal can be just the diamond or will that matter? I didn't know if the appraisal needed to be done without the diamond in the setting

What do you mean by "confirm the stone"?

If you're asking whether the picture you've got is of the stone in the report in the link then I think you've no reason to worry - the proportions are exactly what I expected from looking at the picture.

If you're wondering whether the stone you'll get will match the report the. I'd recommend waiting to have the appraisal done after setting - the appraiser can verify once set, and can evaluate the workmanship on the setting at the same time.

If you want an independent opinion on light return then yes, you'll want to have it appraised loose to ensure your appraiser has an un-obstructed canvass to work with.
 

yssie

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ProjectKey|1417197897|3791754 said:
Great, thank you for the info. If I do decide to purchase this diamond, I may get a setting as well, but I definitely want to get an independent appraisal just to confirm the diamond. Should I wait to get the diamond with the setting so the appraisal can be just the diamond or will that matter? I didn't know if the appraisal needed to be done without the diamond in the setting

What do you mean by "confirm the stone"?

If you're asking whether the picture you've got is of the stone in the report in the link then I think you've no reason to worry - the proportions are exactly what I expected from looking at the picture.

If you're wondering whether the stone you'll get will match the report the. I'd recommend waiting to have the appraisal done after setting - the appraiser can verify once set, and can evaluate the workmanship on the setting at the same time.

If you want an independent opinion on light return then yes, you'll want to have it appraised loose to ensure your appraiser has an un-obstructed canvass to work with.
 

yssie

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ProjectKey|1417197897|3791754 said:
Great, thank you for the info. If I do decide to purchase this diamond, I may get a setting as well, but I definitely want to get an independent appraisal just to confirm the diamond. Should I wait to get the diamond with the setting so the appraisal can be just the diamond or will that matter? I didn't know if the appraisal needed to be done without the diamond in the setting

What do you mean by "confirm the stone"?

If you're asking whether the picture you've got is of the stone in the report in the link then I think you've no reason to worry - the proportions are exactly what I expected from looking at the picture.

If you're wondering whether the stone you'll get will match the report the. I'd recommend waiting to have the appraisal done after setting - the appraiser can verify once set, and can evaluate the workmanship on the setting at the same time.

If you want an independent opinion on light return then yes, you'll want to have it appraised loose to ensure your appraiser has an un-obstructed canvass to work with.
 

ProjectKey

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I guess I would want to get an independent appraisal to confirm the light and get the value of the diamond appraised. It sounds like I should go ahead and get the setting along with the diamond. Also what is your opinion of the diamond?
 

yssie

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Why did my reply repeat three times? Eeep.

ProjectKey said:
I guess I would want to get an independent appraisal to confirm the light If you mean light return you'll need to have it appraised loose and get the value of the diamond appraised This can be done once set It sounds like I should go ahead and get the setting along with the diamond yes, this is our usual recommendation unless you want an independent opinion on light return or have concerns about the condition of the stone. Also what is your opinion of the diamond?

My opinion of the stone... Well, I don't like JA's gemologist reviews. They read like a resume prepped for a keyword search to me - great fire, brilliance, scintillation, and brightness - what more could you ask for? The problem with that very-simplified approach is that it doesn't leave any room for different flavours of light return.

High-crown small-table types of RBs generally excel at coloured light return. Add in the slight leakage Gypsy brought up, which reduces "brightness" (defining "brightness" as white light return) - which in turn reduces the odds of the higher-energy aggregated-wavelength white light outputs drowning out the un-summed lower-energy single-wavelengths - and you've upped your odds of even more coloured light output through a variety of lighting types (at the expense of white light return). In some types of lights which exclusively favour white light return - office fluorescents, outside on a cloudy day - this flavour of stone might not look as bright as another of the sort that Gypsy posted.
 

ProjectKey

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Asscherhalo_lover

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The only way you'll know for sure is to order it and see what you think in person. They have 60 day money back guarantee so you won't be losing out by seeing for yourself.
 

ProjectKey

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I think you are right. I am going to go ahead and order it, and I have a 60 day return policy. I will post pictures and let me know what you all think. Thank you so much for everyone's help!!!
 

ProjectKey

Rough_Rock
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Just Curious is DiamondSeeker had any opinion on the idealscope image?
 

ProjectKey

Rough_Rock
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I just wanted to thank you again for everyone who has helped me with the selection of my ring. Attached is the finished product. Again, this site was very very helpful to me. Thanks again.

project_key_1.jpg

project_key_2__.jpg
 

palmersj

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Congrats. It looks awesome.
I was looking for similar specs as you were just in the 1.5ct range. I have a small crystal in the table as well about the same size as in your grading report. I can barely find it when looking through a loupe after I reviewed the grading drawing. I think the inclusion will only serve to help you know the stone is yours!
 
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