Please Help a Newbie Find a Nice Diamond

[Red_Velvette]

Hi,

I stalk these forums a lot, but I finally made an account to talk and maybe get some ideas from the wonderful PS users.

I am looking for a nice diamond to be used as a center stone in my engagement ring. I'm not overly particular about color, but I am more particular about how the diamond looks. Size is always a plus also! For the ring I am getting, I am thinking either an OEC, or just a round brilliant. My budget is somewhere between 5000 and 6500.

I found this one at GOG, and it sounds good on paper: http://www.goodoldgold.com/diamondsearch.html But there are no pics or videos of the actual stone (unless I'm missing something?)

I also really liked this one (a lot) until I put it through the Holloway Cut Advisor. It told me that the girdle was way too thin, and put the stone at risk. http://www.jewelsbygrace.com/loose-diamonds/1-38ct-old-european-cut-diamond-gia-k-vs2#.VbeQR9BcOaq

I'm sure there is a lot I am missing. What would you do in my shoes?

Thanks in advance for any help you can give me!

 

[D_]

Please post the correct link for the individual stone from GOG.
The one you posted shows a list of diamonds.

 

[Red_Velvette]

Please post the correct link for the individual stone from GOG.
The one you posted shows a list of diamonds.

Oh! Thanks for letting me know!

Strangely enough, I can't seem to link to that particular page. The diamond number is:89412362 and the specs on it are as follows:

Diamond-1
Diamond #: 89412362
Size: 1.40
Cut: Round
Color: L
Clarity: SI1
Cut Grade: Excellent
Depth: 59.8
Table: 60
Measurements: 7.27x7.29x4.35
Certificate: GIA
Price: $6,544

While attempting to find a way to link to that page, I stumbled upon their catalog. (the first two I found, I found during a "diamond search" on their website, not through the catalog.)I found a couple more I'm interested in.

http://www.goodoldgold.com/ecommerce/1ct-i-si1-hand-selected-round-premium-ideal-cut-diamond.html

http://www.goodoldgold.com/ecommerce/1-25ct-k-si2-august-vintage-round-diamond.html

Do any of these look promising? (and I'm def. open to other shops, this just happens to be the one I was looking at last night.)

 

[rubybeth]

I also really liked this one (a lot) until I put it through the Holloway Cut Advisor. It told me that the girdle was way too thin, and put the stone at risk. http://www.jewelsbygrace.com/loose-diamonds/1-38ct-old-european-cut-diamond-gia-k-vs2#.VbeQR9BcOaq

You can't use the HCA for Old European Cuts or August Vintage stones--it's only for round brilliants. I do like that stone from JbG, but I think you need to decide if you want an OEC or a round brilliant, and then start a thread asking for advice a specific type of stone--they are very different cuts, so you will get experts who know each type very well, depending on which type you select.

This stone would be too included for me, with those inclusions visible to the eye: http://www.goodoldgold.com/ecommerce/1-25ct-k-si2-august-vintage-round-diamond.html

If you truly can't decide on a cut, what about a stone like this, a transitional that has aspects of each type of cut? http://www.loveaffairdiamonds.com/1-17ct-old-european-cut-diamond-ags-k-vs1/

 

[Red_Velvette]

I love both the OEC and the RB! I sometimes like the transitional cuts, depending on the diamond. The one you just linked to didn't appear to throw the same fire as the OEC I'm considering does.

Thanks for letting me know that I can't use the Holloway app for OECs. I appreciate that information!

So, would it be best for me to start two different threads? One for OEC and one for RB? I honestly love them both and don't have a preference. My only preference is to of course, get the nicest diamond that would go well in a rose gold setting that I can afford.

Thanks for your help!

Oh, and as far as the first OEC diamond is concerned, what do you think about it?

 

[rubybeth]

I love both the OEC and the RB! I sometimes like the transitional cuts, depending on the diamond. The one you just linked to didn't appear to throw the same fire as the OEC I'm considering does.

Thanks for letting me know that I can't use the Holloway app for OECs. I appreciate that information!

So, would it be best for me to start two different threads? One for OEC and one for RB? I honestly love them both and don't have a preference. My only preference is to of course, get the nicest diamond that would go well in a rose gold setting that I can afford.

Thanks for your help!

Oh, and as far as the first OEC diamond is concerned, what do you think about it?

I like the OEC you posted, but am not an expert--I just know what I like when I see it. So, to summarize, you want the largest, most well-cut stone you ca get for $5,000-$6,500? No color or clarity parameters? Do you know what kind of ring setting you'd like? If so, that might help us narrow down which vendor to be searching from, because it's easiest to get both the diamond and the setting from the same place (vendor assumes the risk when setting it).

 

[Red_Velvette]

I love both the OEC and the RB! I sometimes like the transitional cuts, depending on the diamond. The one you just linked to didn't appear to throw the same fire as the OEC I'm considering does.

Thanks for letting me know that I can't use the Holloway app for OECs. I appreciate that information!

So, would it be best for me to start two different threads? One for OEC and one for RB? I honestly love them both and don't have a preference. My only preference is to of course, get the nicest diamond that would go well in a rose gold setting that I can afford.

Thanks for your help!

Oh, and as far as the first OEC diamond is concerned, what do you think about it?

I like the OEC you posted, but am not an expert--I just know what I like when I see it. So, to summarize, you want the largest, most well-cut stone you ca get for $5,000-$6,500? No color or clarity parameters? Do you know what kind of ring setting you'd like? If so, that might help us narrow down which vendor to be searching from, because it's easiest to get both the diamond and the setting from the same place (vendor assumes the risk when setting it).

I'm not that picky on color because it will be going into a rose gold setting. It's a halo ring, and the diamond sticks up a bit above the halo, similar to this: http://www.shaneco.com/detail/halo-vintage-rose-gold-diamond-wedding-set-with-pave-setting/41067781

 

[Red_Velvette]

Does the European cut look like a decent diamond at a reasonable price?

 

[ecf8503]

I'm not that picky on color because it will be going into a rose gold setting. It's a halo ring, and the diamond sticks up a bit above the halo, similar to this: http://www.shaneco.com/detail/halo-vintage-rose-gold-diamond-wedding-set-with-pave-setting/41067781

So I'm confused - do you have the setting already? If not where are you getting it? It makes a difference as if you already have it picked out you will need to have specific stone dimensions to make it fit properly.

 

[Red_Velvette]

I'm not that picky on color because it will be going into a rose gold setting. It's a halo ring, and the diamond sticks up a bit above the halo, similar to this: http://www.shaneco.com/detail/halo-vintage-rose-gold-diamond-wedding-set-with-pave-setting/41067781

So I'm confused - do you have the setting already? If not where are you getting it? It makes a difference as if you already have it picked out you will need to have specific stone dimensions to make it fit properly.

No, David Klass will be making it after I procure the stone. I meant to put that in one of the above posts. Sometimes my keyboard erases everything and I have to start over. That must have been what happened earlier, because I know I def meant to say that he would be making it custom for me.

 

[solgen]

Depending on the color of the melees it can exacerbate the yellow of the center stone. Even H or I SI melees will be pretty white and with K it might have too much contrast. I'd also be wary of extremely thin girdles even though you have it in a halo design which should help protect against chipping. I do like rose gold for OECs because it seems to complement the stone and their bright flashes of color.

 

[Red_Velvette]

I'm still looking and considering! The fiance' is kind of shocked I haven't found something I love yet, but I think I should take my time until I find something in our budget that will be just right for my ring.

Does anyone have any suggestions? I prefer OEC or OMC, but I don't turn my nose up at RBs either!