Australian seeking advice on loose diamonds

[KobiD]

From what I've seen listed in their site I'd be narrowing it down to one of these 3.

http://www.jogiadiamonds.com.au/diamonds/diamonditem.php?code=J8350271

http://www.jogiadiamonds.com.au/diamonds/diamonditem.php?code=J8340911

http://www.jogiadiamonds.com.au/diamonds/diamonditem.php?code=J8378407


Whichever looks best to you. Cheers mate and good luck with it!

 

[callumev]

Thanks mate, appreciate all the help.

I had in my short list:
http://www.jogiadiamonds.com.au/diamonds/diamonditem.php?code=J8350271 (same as you)
http://www.jogiadiamonds.com.au/diamonds/diamonditem.php?code=J8402043
http://www.jogiadiamonds.com.au/diamonds/diamonditem.php?code=J8267035


I'm leaning towards getting them to "call in" http://www.jogiadiamonds.com.au/diamonds/diamonditem.php?code=J8402043 as it's got decent measurements with good colour (along with ticking all the boxes we were talking about earlier).

Might give them a call tomorrow and talk through it

 

[KobiD]

Sounds like a plan. That G coloured stone looks worthy too! Perhaps see if they can get IS imaging through their supplier prior to shipping? Might help you choose which one has the best optical symmetry and cut down on time.

 

[dneal12]

I personally like the second diamond KobiD posted the best so far. Just my .02

 

[callumev]

I personally like the second diamond KobiD posted the best so far. Just my .02

They're all really good picks, I had to mull it over for awhile to pick through our lists.

That one in particular is excellent value for money! All you're sacrificing is a bit of whiteness in the colour and you save $1000 and gain a little size, it's crazy.

If I lived in Perth I'd probably get them to call that one in and see it in person. I think I'm too risk adverse to go with it remotely

 

[dneal12]

Yep! That was why I suggested it. At this size, going with I color won't hurt you much and you save some money while at the same time adding 0.1mm diameter to the size. (even if it is a minuscule difference)

 

[callumev]

So I flicked a quick email enquiry to them last night and yogesh is recommending the cheaper 035 over the one I was keen on 043. He says that the faint fluresance will make the diamond brighter and whiter when viewed from the top. Makes sense

 

[adele_h]

Any updates? I'm very interested to see how you go, if the dollar continues its downwards slide I think we might consider using them also..

 

[callumev]

I paid the $200 deposit so right now I'm just waiting for them to "call in" the diamond so they can do their own in house analysis (IS, cut report, magnified photo and video). This will take about 5-7 working days but I'll show you all the details when I receive them. Can't wait

 

[KobiD]

Are you going to post them in this thread or a new one? Just so I know where to look. Did you end up requesting the G?, or the cheaper one they suggested? or are they going to call a couple in for you?

 

[callumev]

I'll keep posting to this thread (makes it easier to follow).

They can only call one in at a time so I took a chance and went with their recommendation and selected the cheaper H, 72 pointer with faint fluorescence.

Will be interesting to see what it looks like when it comes in (and how the cut report and IS looks).

Cheers!

 

[Evert P Botha]

Look closer to home...like Holloway Diamonds or across the ditch in Wellington there's The Village Goldsmith/The Inspired Collection http://www.villagegoldsmiths.com/

 

[treasurehunter]

why buy H color and VS1 , why not buy an eye clean SI1 and whiter color?

try this

http://www.deliqagems.com/products/0-810-ct-round-briliiant-cut-diamond.html

 

[callumev]

Still waiting on the diamond to come in.

Ran into a bit of a problem with the setting design though. The 77 diamonds site changed the design of the setting I was using as a guide and I didn't save any pictures of the one I liked (the old design had been on the site for years!). The new one looks very different and not what I'm after. Tried emailing the website to see if they'll give me some pictures of the old design but if I can't get any it's going to throw a spanner in the works

 

[KobiD]

Can you describe it? Others might know of similar.. not me though!

 

[callumev]

I managed to get a few screenshots off the old video that they left up on the 77 Diamonds website (it's the 1477 Classic model)

https://www.dropbox.com/sh/dz7n2vw8xn2vfsp/AADjvx-7IVAA-qSoPTocZ1Ava?dl=0

Hopefully the sales person I've been emailing will just send me the photos of the old one and it'll be all good...

Edit: Looks like they fixed up the video to show the new design now.

 

[callumev]

Moment of truth!

Analysis has been done by Jogia.

Here are the details: http://www.jogiadiamonds.com.au/dar/dar.php?reportnumber=GIA2186770496&ct=0.72

Pretty impressed with the IS photo and it looks nice and eye clean.

Thoughts?

 

[KobiD]

Looks like a winner! and the price was right!

 

[Throwaway]

Hi Callumev - how's the progress going? Did you go ahead with it?

 

[callumev]

I accepted the diamond and I'm working with a designer on the custom setting. He's going to send me some drawings and I'll go back with any tweeks/changes. They've been really good. Gave me specifics about what proportions they use for rose gold, offered to customise the blend to whatever I wanted, etc.

They can be a little slow to respond to emails but I think that's because it's been valentines day and what not.

 

[Throwaway]

Sounds great, what sort of design is it? Is it a hand made type thing or cast made?

 

[callumev]

Hand made (one of the main reasons I chose these guys).

The final design is based off these pictures https://www.dropbox.com/sh/dz7n2vw8xn2vfsp/AADjvx-7IVAA-qSoPTocZ1Ava?dl=0

 

[Throwaway]

Any updates? I've been keeping my eye on the company myself

 

[callumev]

I have mixed feeling about the process to be honest.

It took them about two weeks just to provide me a design via email and then a further 2-4 days for each change (My issue wasn't so much the time but the person telling me that it would be "ready tomorrow" every day). It also seemed like their CAD system didn't allow them to modify the design to the level I wanted.

It's funny because all over their website they talk about 99% of their rings being hand made and how they rarely do casting but they were entirely prepared in my instance to do my simple design via a 3D mold using casting without asking my preference (I guess they assumed that because they were doing a CAD design that they would go down that path? But when I started the enquiry I just asked for drawings to make sure they understood what I wanted, not a full blown 3D design). It was only when I asked if the ring would be hand made that they said they gave me the following answer:

"In terms of the manufacture, usually we 3D print the CAD design, cast it and hand assemble it. We can hand make it, but I can't guarantee the jeweller making it will be able to replicate the design."

Obviously the above points are a bit of a "red flag" in my gut but I've already got a good diamond from them and I put a deposit down so I'll see it through to the end and hope for the best. To be fair, the design they did in CAD was very similar to what I wanted so it gives me hope that I'll get what I wanted in the end by the time frame I gave them (end of this month).

I emailed them giving them the go ahead a couple days ago so I'm just waiting for them to tick the boxes in their system and have the build start (and email me back to confirm everything is ok).

 

[arkieb1]

You could just buy the diamond and not the setting from them and get them or another jewellery to set it. Do not sign off on the setting unless you are 100% happy with the CADS otherwise that is a great way to end up with a ring you don't like.

Have you noticed in your last link with pics the 77 diamond pic (the first pic of the 5 the setting shank is tapered.) The other 4 images have no taper, and I MUCH prefer the tapering personally. It's a very simple setting if you post pics of the CADs they have done on here we can all either help you or we can suggest places in the US that will do a better job. Ring settings generally are much cheaper and higher quality from the US.

Have you seen the Brian Gavin ones? I have helped 4 x people in Australia purchase Brian Gavin settings and they were all really happy with the result when the diamonds were set. They are really delicate & elegant, yet sturdy at the same time;

http://www.briangavindiamonds.com/engagement-rings/solitaire/classic-truth-solitaire-18k-rose-gold-5369r18

http://www.briangavindiamonds.com/engagement-rings/solitaire/melanie-18k-rose-gold-5374r18

http://www.briangavindiamonds.com/engagement-rings/solitaire/new-truth-solitaire-18k-rose-gold-5664r18

http://www.briangavindiamonds.com/engagement-rings/solitaire/minnie-sholdt-18k-rose-gold-5771r18

 

[callumev]

Here's the designs I've agreed to in principle:

https://www.dropbox.com/s/ub861myfbqtn0cj/Photo%2028-02-2015%208%2026%2050%20am.jpg?dl=0 and https://www.dropbox.com/s/uom4ifnpfjtw86x/Photo%2028-02-2015%208%2026%2054%20am.jpg?dl=0

Not sure what you mean by tapering but I'll be sure to have a look through it when I get home later tonight.

The only trouble I had with the CADs was the claws looked very round (they say their only 1mm so couldn't be made any smaller). When I asked for it to be a little flatter they took it to the extreme and made it straight edges and it looked horrible.

I said to them that I'm happy to sign off on the designs linked above but asked that the jeweller be given the original photos I gave as a guide to make it as close to the original as possible.

 

[Throwaway]

The tapering arkieb1 is referring to is in this image:

https://www.dropbox.com/sh/dz7n2vw8xn2vfsp/AADjvx-7IVAA-qSoPTocZ1Ava?dl=0#lh:null-8.jpg

It shows the band tapering inwards at the top of the band a little prior to reaching the diamond.

Regarding the claws, I don't know if they're large or not at 1mm but keep in mind claws often look smaller in pictures with larger diamonds.

I'm a little suprised they're not hand rolling it, since they make a number of very similar bands:
http://www.jogiadiamonds.com.au/engagement_rings/four-prong-bevelled-band-diamond-engagement-ring-ER31/
http://www.jogiadiamonds.com.au/engagement_rings/narrow-banded-classic-princess-cut-diamond-engagement-ring-ER13/
http://www.jogiadiamonds.com.au/engagement_rings/four-claw-square-set-diamond-ring-ER23/

The mount is only a little bit different (admittedly, those pictures look like thicker bands).

Personally, I'd stick with it, if you don't like it, they could probably adjust it until you are.

 

[callumev]

That's my thoughts too.

I've seen their work on forums, etc. and it looks very good quality so I'll let them build the design and see if it matches what I asked for in the request (I'm optimistic that it will be). I have specifically said that it needs to be hand made and not cast.

Worst case scenario I'll take the loose diamond, have it shipped to me and get one of the local jewellers to make this design instead. The only reason I haven't done this already is because Jogia provided a good service with diamond and up to the design phase all was going really well. There's also the price difference, which is about a $1000 saving compared to my local jewellers. I'm not too keen on getting the setting done overseas as I'd like a local Australian jeweller to go through in case anything goes wrong, etc.

Thanks for the advice everyone. I'll keep you posted as I get more information

 

[arkieb1]

O.K my comments would be don't set the stone against the bottom of the head of the setting - make sure there is a gap so you can clean it. It doesn't need to be skyscraper up in the air but for durability and cleaning I think it is sitting too low.

I think it looks better tapered. So where the shank comes up to meet the head that holds the stone, get them to do one that tapers thinner and see if you like that better. It will make the stone pop more and look bigger.

 

[callumev]

ahhhh, I understand what you mean now.

It's funny because I actually selected the non-tapered version of the setting over the tapered version (on the 77 Diamonds sit). I thought the non-tapered version looked a little more traditional and a little less common compared to a lot of rings now a days.

I also didn't know there would be an issue having the diamond sit flush on the setting so I actually asked them to do that. Is that going to be a big issue over time?