First Engagement Ring ~$4.6k budget

[Btdrnks]

Hi All,

I am looking at engagement rings on Blue Nile. I know some of you are not too fond of BN, but they have the setting she wants, the 14k gold heirloom petite cathedral micro pave shown here:

http://www.bluenile.com/diamond-engagement-ring-white-gold_21017

She is dead set on that setting (no pun intended). What i need help with is selecting a diamond. The lady has her heart set on a 0.9 to 1 ct ring. Given a budget of $3500 to $4000 for the diamond, I have been looking at RB 0.9 Ct VG to Excellent Cut J-color, VS2 to VVS1 rings such as these:

http://www.bluenile.com/diamond-search?pt=setform&track=NavDiaSeaRD#diamonds_pid=LD04324581

http://www.bluenile.com/diamond-search?pt=setform&track=NavDiaSeaRD#diamonds_pid=LD04252347

Can anyone make any recommendations, such as should I go one direction or another with the four Cs? Like should i go with a VG cut and a better color or a lower color with a better cut? Same with the clarity.

Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks!

Andrew

 

[RockyRacoon]

Tough finding a well-cut stone in those size parameters for that price.


Here is the best option, if you can stretch your budget a LITTLE bit, that I could find:

.94ct, H, SI2 (verified eye-clean)
http://www.highperformancediamonds.com/index.php?page=view-id-diamond-default&id=20


Here are two other very good options:

.80ct, I, SI1
http://www.goodoldgold.com/diamond/12073/

.90ct, J, VS2
http://www.goodoldgold.com/diamond/11338/


Work with either HPD or GOG to get a setting similar to the one you have pictured. The one from BN is probably not the highest quality, and a similar version, with higher quality, can definitely be found.

 

[Btdrnks]

Thanks very much for your thoughts. As I said though, similar will not cut it. She wants that setting specifically. I really would love to search elsewhere but it seems like bluenile has plenty of J color diamonds similar to the third one you posted from good old gold. I really want to try and stay with BN.

 

[Btdrnks]

Any thoughts on this diamond:

http://www.bluenile.com/diamond-details/LD04189233?click_id=271858778&tempcurr=USD

 

[caldwa]

Thanks very much for your thoughts. As I said though, similar will not cut it. She wants that setting specifically. I really would love to search elsewhere but it seems like bluenile has plenty of J color diamonds similar to the third one you posted from good old gold. I really want to try and stay with BN.

A smaller (say, 0.75ct) super ideal cut diamond is going to appear larger than a less ideal cut diamond from BN (or anything with a VG rating). The color/clarity may be similar to those HPD or GOG diamonds, but the cut won't be on the same level. So it may appear that the BN diamonds are comparable to the HPD or GOG ones, but they aren't. If you want to stick with BN, you'd have to go for their signature ideal cut in order to come close to the HPD or GOG cut quality.

I recently purchased a 0.62ct XXX H&A RB for my fiancé, and it appears more brilliant and sparkly than our friends >0.9ct RB because of the cut quality. Sure, if you compare them side by side a few inches from each other, the >0.9ct is going to appear a little larger, but how often does one do that? As someone who recently purchased a ring right around your budget, go for the absolute best cut you can get, because that is what is going to wow everyone (not an extra 0.15ct). If you're set on BN, maybe something like this?

http://www.bluenile.com/diamond-search?pt=setform&track=NavDiaSeaRD#diamonds_pid=LD03472754

I also went with a custom setting over a stock one, and I am so glad that I did. The quality of something from HPD or GOG (or BGD, ERD, etc), is just going to be so much better than a stock setting, and I'm sure that they could make a setting that is very close to the BN one. Good luck!

 

[Roqsteady]

Pavillion angle is way too steep - it's bound to have light leakage.

Try to stay within these parameters to be "safe" if you're going to go with blue nile:

Pavillion angle: 40.6-41.0
Crown angle: 34-35
Table: 53-58
Depth: 59-62

Usually diamonds cut within these parameters will be more expensive on blue nile because frankly, they're better cut than alot of the junk you'll find on there.

 

[Roqsteady]

Here's some options below 4k:

http://www.bluenile.com/round-diamond-1-carat-or-less-ideal-cut-j-color-vs1-clarity_LD03402210
http://www.bluenile.com/round-diamond-1-carat-or-less-ideal-cut-i-color-vvs2-clarity_LD04265523 - this would be my choice if I had to pick

 

[RockyRacoon]

Thanks very much for your thoughts. As I said though, similar will not cut it. She wants that setting specifically. I really would love to search elsewhere but it seems like bluenile has plenty of J color diamonds similar to the third one you posted from good old gold. I really want to try and stay with BN.

She may think she wants that setting, but what she actually wants is a well-made version of that setting. Based on the experiences of people on this board, the BN setting will likely be of lower quality.

You are incorrect about the stones from BN being similar to the GOG or HPD stones. BN stones have no light performance data, no stone images, no AGS reports, and no expert inspection.

You are not comparing apples to apples here. Imagine it like this - there is an apple sitting on the table that is OBVIOUSLY an apple, and a bag next to it labeled 'Apple.' Now, you can trust what it says on the bag, or you can use your own eyes to see that there is an obvious difference here. What is in the bag MIGHT be an apple, but it also might be an orange - you won't know until you open the bag (buy the stone). Some experts may be able to see a shadow of an apple in the bag and say 'I think that looks like an apple,' but even they don't know with confidence until they've had visual confirmation.

Understand that many people here are well-informed about this issue and have very good reasons for steering you away from BN.

 

[Btdrnks]

Rocky, thank you for your input, but please do not tell me what my lady wants. I know what she wants.

 

[RockyRacoon]

Rocky, thank you for your input, but please do not tell me what my lady wants. I know what she wants.

HA!

Best of luck to you.

 

[Btdrnks]

Rocky,

I really do appreciate your input, but not the tone of telling me that she doesn't know what she wants. I have asked JA and WF if they could recreate that setting. But they cannot at a reasonable price. I was simply asking for help picking from what IS available from BN, not to be steered away from them. There are plenty of people in this world who are very pleased with their ring from BN. Again, thank you.

 

[caldwa]

Any thoughts on this diamond:

http://www.bluenile.com/diamond-details/LD04189233?click_id=271858778&tempcurr=USD

I'd still go for one of their signature ideal cut diamonds if you're set on BN, which is certainly fine. Many people have purchased their rings from BN and been happy. But like RockyRacoon said (awesome handle, btw), if you buy a non-sig ideal diamond from BN, you won't see anything about the diamond before it's on your doorstep. Sure, it could be a great diamond, but you can't know for sure. BN's sig ideals are all in-house, and they have the GCAL report so you can see pictures/scopes of the diamond before you buy it. Yes, they are more expensive, but you're getting a better cut than just a VG or Ex listed on BN.

The 0.1ct difference between a BN sig ideal and a VG or Ex listed for sale on BN is not going to be nearly as big of a difference as the cut quality/brilliance/etc between those two levels of diamond. The smaller sig ideal diamond is just going to perform that much better. Plus, you still get the setting that you know your significant other really wants. They have quite a few I-color VS1-2 clarity sig ideals in the $3500-4200 and 0.75-0.8ct range, I'd call BN to get more information about those if I was in your shoes (I was 4 weeks ago!). Good luck!

 

[Btdrnks]

Thanks Caldwa, that is exactly the info i was looking for. It actually would be easier for me to convince her of a smaller diamond than of a different setting!

 

[caldwa]

Rocky,

I really do appreciate your input, but not the tone of telling me that she doesn't know what she wants. I have asked JA and WF if they could recreate that setting. But they cannot at a reasonable price. I was simply asking for help picking from what IS available from BN, not to be steered away from them. There are plenty of people in this world who are very pleased with their ring from BN. Again, thank you.

Get the setting she will be happy with, and call BN about some of those sig ideal diamonds. I considered BN in my ring research process, and their gemologists are helpful and can give you a lot of information on their sig ideal diamonds. They can't really do that on any of the others listed there, because they don't have them in-house.

My fiancés diamond isn't huge, but it's super ideal H&A. Yes, some of our friends have larger diamonds that received an Excellent cut grade from GIA. But guess who's catches your eye and sparkles from across the room? Trust the people here, you're not going to regret going down a little in size (and I'm sure she isn't either, my fiancé sure wasn't) to get a better cut diamond.

 

[caldwa]

Thanks Caldwa, that is exactly the info i was looking for. It actually would be easier for me to convince her of a smaller diamond than of a different setting!

Sure! You'll see that the BN Signature Idea diamonds have both the GIA and the GCAL report. The GIA is great (and like people will say here, you really need GIA or AGS to have it graded correctly), but the GCAL is going to give you more information about the optical symmetry and light performance of the diamond. I think that BN only goes as low as I-color for their signature ideal diamonds, but the premium to get an I-color over a J isn't probably that much. Also, although those non-sig ideal VS1-VS2's listed on BN are probably eye-clean, you can't know for certain. With the signature ideal, you can call BN to ask about the inclusions.

 

[caldwa]

Thanks Caldwa, that is exactly the info i was looking for. It actually would be easier for me to convince her of a smaller diamond than of a different setting!

Is she set on the 14k white gold? The setting comes in platinum too for less than $400 more. I'd ask her about that and consider the platinum, it's going to be more durable and lower maintence over your life. The platinum will keep its color while the white gold will need periodic rhodium plating. If you go for one of those Sig Ideal 0.8 I VS2 diamonds, you could probably fit it in your $4.6k budget. BN might offer a pricescope discount too.

 

[Btdrnks]

Thanks again Caldwa!

She actually prefers the 14k gold because it will weather. She just digs the look.

 

[caldwa]

Thanks again Caldwa!

She actually prefers the 14k gold because it will weather. She just digs the look.

If that's what she likes best! I'm sure the 14k gold will be very nice too. Good luck!

 

[teobdl]

Honestly, your budget is sufficient for about .90 ct diamonds J VS2-SI1. I would even say that you could go down to many .85 ct because the diameter is so close to .90 cts--it varies, but .85 ct is approx 6.15-6.2 mm; .90 is approx 6.18-6.25. The difference is nothing, and you're slightly more likely to get a better price under .90 for the exact same diameter size.

The best way to find good deals is to look at JamesAllen.com. Plug in your criteria (color=J,I,H, G, F, carat = .85+, Clarity =SI1+, or even SI2+ if you want to spend more time weeding out bad ones, and max price = $4100-taking into account PS discount). Then you find things that meet Roqsteady's criteria:

Pavillion angle is way too steep - it's bound to have light leakage.

Try to stay within these parameters to be "safe" if you're going to go with blue nile:

Pavillion angle: 40.6-41.0
Crown angle: 34-35
Table: 53-58
Depth: 59-62

Usually diamonds cut within these parameters will be more expensive on blue nile because frankly, they're better cut than alot of the junk you'll find on there.

and discard anything that has an ugly inclusion under the table (the flat surface at the top of the diamond).

Once you find a few, ask for idealscopes, and post them here when you receive them for us to evaluate.

You can do the same process for BlueNile, but i would only limit to VS2 and above because you can't evaluate how eye clean a diamond is without actually seeing it.

 

[teobdl]

Also, the diamonds that Roq posted from BN are nice by the numbers. I like the size and price of the J VS1, but I worry about not being able to see the exact tint of the J--if you look at James Allen and Ritani's websites, you'll see how much variance there is even w/in J's of tint--both in color and shade. Obviously, the uglier ones tend to be cheaper, so I hesitate on gambling on a J you can't see. I color is safer.

 

[Roqsteady]

Also a little trick is sometimes a diamond is listed under both BN and JA, so if you are wondering how a diamond on BN looks or if it's eye clean - you can do a search on JA with the same parameters and find the same report # and voila - you can see it

 

[Btdrnks]

You guys are all awesome, thank you so much for the advice!

Looks like i found an identical setting as well!

http://www.sylviecollection.com/engagement/classic-round-brilliant-engagement-ring-sy821.html

Perhaps I can now expand the search

 

[RockyRacoon]

You guys are all awesome, thank you so much for the advice!

Looks like i found an identical setting as well!

http://www.sylviecollection.com/engagement/classic-round-brilliant-engagement-ring-sy821.html

Perhaps I can now expand the search

Ahhh... so your lady wants what I suggested after all.

No worries - everyone makes mistakes!

 

[Btdrnks]

Ha. Thanks RockyRacoon

 

[RockyRacoon]

Ha. Thanks RockyRacoon

Now that you've seen part of my advice is correct, I would suggest checking out the stones I had listed.

Reach out to Jon at Good Old Gold, and Wink at HPD, and ask them if they can get anything similar to the setting you had listed. You can do this via email, if you feel more comfortable. Just send them a link with the setting you had found, and they will do their best to find a proper match for you (if not that exact setting).

You already know there are good stones available at both those vendors. If they have the setting you want, you're done with the process, as they can set the stone while its in their possession, and you'll end up with a killer package.

No sarcasm here: best of luck!

 

[Btdrnks]

I am finding that I really have no idea what I am looking at. This one seems to match all the number posted by Roqsteady...
Is there any reason for it to be so much less expensive than others?

http://www.b2cjewels.com/dd-4297004-0.90-carat-Round-diamond-J-color-IF-Clarity.aspx?sku=4297004&utm_source=pricescope.com&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=pricescope.com

Thanks.

 

[caldwa]

I am finding that I really have no idea what I am looking at. This one seems to match all the number posted by Roqsteady...
Is there any reason for it to be so much less expensive than others?

http://www.b2cjewels.com/dd-4297004-0.90-carat-Round-diamond-J-color-IF-Clarity.aspx?sku=4297004&utm_source=pricescope.com&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=pricescope.com

Thanks.

Lower symmetry? It only received a VG rating from GIA. If you look at the H&A included, you can tell that the optical symmetry is not optimal either. Also, the hearts are okay, but not ideal. I'm sure the B2C jewels are nice diamonds, but they are probably a step down from HPD, GOG, Whiteflash, BGD, etc. The cut quality of this one is likely better than than a standard BN diamond, though.

Remember that the guidelines that Roqsteady is good for a first past, but it doesn't insure that the diamond will have crisp H&A and top optical performance. Going with one of the diamond vendors people have suggested will insure that.

Glad you found that other setting!

 

[Btdrnks]

GOG has this one which looks damn near perfect for my needs...am I wrong?

http://www.goodoldgold.com/diamond/11338/

or this one from JA

http://www.jamesallen.com/loose-diamonds/round-cut/0.90-carat-j-color-vvs2-clarity-excellent-cut-sku-149702

 

[Roqsteady]

I am finding that I really have no idea what I am looking at. This one seems to match all the number posted by Roqsteady...
Is there any reason for it to be so much less expensive than others?

http://www.b2cjewels.com/dd-4297004-0.90-carat-Round-diamond-J-color-IF-Clarity.aspx?sku=4297004&utm_source=pricescope.com&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=pricescope.com

Thanks.

The symmetry does look slightly off in the arrows image and the optical symmetry isn't "hearts and arrows", however the ASET and Idealscope look pretty good with minimal light leakage so in terms of light return the diamond looks like one that would perform well.

The GOG diamond looks right up your alley and will sure be a stunner. If you can have Jon get you a similar setting, you can get an additional 3% off the stone, plus the wire transfer discount. Their customer service is prompt and superb, and I'm sure they'd do their best to accomodate your setting preference and your budget.

 

[RockyRacoon]

GOG has this one which looks damn near perfect for my needs...am I wrong?

http://www.goodoldgold.com/diamond/11338/

or this one from JA

http://www.jamesallen.com/loose-diamonds/round-cut/0.90-carat-j-color-vvs2-clarity-excellent-cut-sku-149702

The GOG stone is a great choice, and was my suggestion above. I stand by that suggestion.

I would go with this selection, as working with GOG provides better upgrade and guarantee options. Here's another detail - reach out to Jon at GOG and ask if you can get a video of the stones I had suggested, along with one other that they have in-house.

With a video, you can do a side-by-side comparison and decide with your own eyes!

GOG would be a great choice here.