I swear I had an anxiety attack! opinions and expertise pls

[MixedPeel]

I will preface my thread by saying I have better than the average consumer knowledge about diamonds but not enough like most of you.

Today, I met up with my friend who told me her boyfriend had an engagement ring on layaway for her. YAY!!! I say. I ask from where, it's across the road at a locals 'jeweller and gift store'. Oh, great! Yeah! She them goes on to tell me it's a .5ct.... $5,000!!!

EEEEK! Honestly, my chest tightened. I clutched my pearls and needed a cold cloth for my forehead.

She then tells me she's 'ok with a .5 but would prefer a 1ct. Yup, I hear you sister!!!

We go over to the store, assistant show us the ring. Pretty, but not my style. Not that it mattered, it was the stone. OK, I pull out my $8 loupe. I didn't need to. I could see those inclusions from 20cm away.
It's an I colour - nice warmth as it's a rose gold setting, P1, fair symmetry and polish.

OH DEAR LORD!!!!! It was a dull stone.

I've had a quick look at JA. Thought I would show her a better stone on the same budget. $5000AUD.
Am I right this is better? I think on the 4C's alone it's better let alone getting into angles, HCA scores and ASET images.

http://www.jamesallen.com/mobile/loose-diamonds/round-cut/1.01-carat-h-color-si2-clarity-very-good-cut-sku-447080

 

[MixedPeel]

Re: I swear I had an anxiety attack! opinions and expertise

http://m.briangavindiamonds.com/diamonds/diamond-details/0.706-g-si1-round-diamond-ags-c-104077052041

This? opinions very welcome.


My friend is such a lovely person and deserves to have a beautiful sparkly stone.

 

[diamondseeker2006]

Re: I swear I had an anxiety attack! opinions and expertise

http://m.briangavindiamonds.com/diamonds/diamond-details/0.706-g-si1-round-diamond-ags-c-104077052041

This? opinions very welcome.


My friend is such a lovely person and deserves to have a beautiful sparkly stone.

This one from BG would be great. The JA stone is not because it is not excellent cut, and I would never take the chance of buying an SI2 stone from out of the country due to the difficulty returning it if the clarity was not good enough. Brian Gavin can confirm if the SI1 stone is clean. Whiteflash would have similar stones, as well.

http://www.whiteflash.com/loose-diamonds/round-cut-loose-diamond-3379166.htm

I would have had an anxiety attack, too!!! She is very fortunate to have your help. I really hope your friend can cancel the the layaway.

 

[MixedPeel]

Re: I swear I had an anxiety attack! opinions and expertise

Thank you so much for the reply.

I agree that the BG is the better stone but even the JA stone is a million times better than the stone my friends BF has been led to believe is 'quite good'.

 

[mrs-b]

Re: I swear I had an anxiety attack! opinions and expertise

This:

http://www.bluenile.com/diamond-details/LD05707073

or this:

http://www.bluenile.com/diamond-details/LD05374045

There's a bunch of them on Blue Nile. The second one I linked to (.93ct) is almost as large in spread as the 1ct JA one you linked to, given that the JA stone is quite deep.

The Au exchange rate is currently bad if you're living in Australia, so I tried to keep the stones I looked at significant;y below 5k AU. The stats on the two I linked to above are very good and if SI1 scares you (and after the stone she has on layby, it really shouldn't!) she can always call BN and ask them to confirm that it's eye clean. BN will give you the most bang for your buck, and I've done a lot of business with them and am always very happy with the final product. Personally, I'd give the .93ct a try - I suspect it's a gorgeous stone.

Good luck to both you in helping her and to your friend on her engagement.

(either way - she should get out of the ring currently on hold - immediately!)

 

[MixedPeel]

Re: I swear I had an anxiety attack! opinions and expertise

Thank you, thank you!
The .93 looks like an absolute champ of a stone. I have sent her the link. My hope for her is that her boof head boyfriend will do something about that ball of spit he's got in layby.

I know very little about RB stones being princess cut kind of lady myself.

All the above advice, help and links are deeply appreciated. Thank you.