Need to buy an engagement ring, but overwhelmed !

[noreaga]

Good morning everyone! Was directed to this forum numerous times from others as the place to be to get any and all diamond engagement ring questions answered, so here I am. I've started my ring search, and have a basic idea of what I want:

Carat: 1.0 (I don't really want to get much higher than this)
Cut: Ideal
Clarity: VS1 / VS2
Colour: F
Shape: Round
Setting: Basic 4 prong setting

I've taken a look online and am quite frankly overwhelmed by all the numbers and charts I see when looking at individual diamonds. What are the key numbers (aside from price) that I should definitely be taking a good, strong look at ? My girlfriend is very simple, and to match that part of her personality I'd like to get a simple ring.

I've read up on people buying the diamond individually and then getting the setting done elsewhere, etc. Frankly, I am in a bit of a time crunch and the most important thing to me is finding a great diamond at a reasonable price in a somewhat quick amount of time.

Any help is appreciated, and I'm happy to answer questions!

 

[lktx]

Hi,

I'm definitely not as knowledgeable as a lot of the people on this board, but here are a few links to get the ball rolling...

Here's a diamond from Brian Gavin. It's an "AGS 0" cut, which I have been *very* happy with. http://www.briangavindiamonds.com/diamonds/diamond-details/1.061-f-vs2-round-diamond-ags-104047809042

Here are a few settings, also from Brian Gavin.
http://www.briangavindiamonds.com/engagement-rings/solitaire/new-truth-solitaire-platinum-5664p
http://www.briangavindiamonds.com/engagement-rings/novela-platinum-5517p
http://www.briangavindiamonds.com/engagement-rings/elegance-platinum-5415p
http://www.briangavindiamonds.com/engagement-rings/grace-platinum-5414p

I also put in your specs on Whiteflash.com, and they have a number of great diamond choices from their "A Cut Above" line (too many to post on here!). They also have nice settings.

Hope that helps a bit! I'm sure our experts will chime in soon.

 

[E B]

And if you're okay with going a little under the carat mark (and to a G color), you can save a couple to a few thousand:

http://www.whiteflash.com/loose-diamonds/round-cut-loose-diamond-2792426.htm

 

[StacylikesSparkles]

What is your budget for the entire ring? What is your time frame looking like?

 

[noreaga]

Wow, thanks so much guys!

Here's my question about the whole '1 carat' thing: is it true that diamonds that are 1 carat and above keep their value more than diamonds that aren't? Asking this question alone might tell you how much of a newbie i am (and this is what my friend's fiancee told me) !

Also, I would like the diamond I get to be graded/certified by GIA/AGS; it doesn't look like this is a problem with most trusted online retailers, but on the grading report, what are the numbers I should really be looking at? I see things like depth, etc. but don't quite know what they mean.

And finally, what should I be aware of when preparing to purchase online? My big concern is that I don't get to see the stone in person. What should I know about before and after purchasing the ring ?

 

[noreaga]

What is your budget for the entire ring? What is your time frame looking like?

Hi Stacy! Great questions: my budget is $9K (Canadian) and I unfortunately don't have too much time. I'd like to get the ring in the next 4 weeks or so, if possible.

 

[lktx]

Here's my question about the whole '1 carat' thing: is it true that diamonds that are 1 carat and above keep their value more than diamonds that aren't? Asking this question alone might tell you how much of a newbie i am (and this is what my friend's fiancee told me) !

So I don't know the answer to this question, but if you're interested in getting a different diamond later, a number of vendors have trade-in/upgrade policies. Some will credit 100% of the price you paid for your old diamond towards your new diamond. The requirements for these trade-in policies vary by vendor.

Also, I would like the diamond I get to be graded/certified by GIA/AGS; it doesn't look like this is a problem with most trusted online retailers, but on the grading report, what are the numbers I should really be looking at? I see things like depth, etc. but don't quite know what they mean.

Look up the Holloway Cut Advisor (HCA). It tells you which numbers to look at. You can input those numbers into the HCA, and if the stone gets a score that is less than 2.0, it's definitely a contender. I think most people reject stones with scores of over 2.0.

 

[noreaga]

Thanks for your reply! It might indeed be one of those urban myths, however, I'd still like to aim for the 1.0 mark

I'm still very interested in hearing people's suggestions based on my specifications, and for settings as well. I'm a total newbie at this, and while I have an idea of what I'd want, I think the members of this community bring so much to the table and would love to hear/see suggestions.

 

[GMUAlum08]

I just tried that HCA tool. Never used it before. It gave my Solasfera a score of 1.1. I'm assuming thats pretty good!

 

[Laila619]

I just tried that HCA tool. Never used it before. It gave my Solasfera a score of 1.1. I'm assuming thats pretty good!

Yes, anything under 2 is good!

Noreaga, the 1.0 carat mark is where the price jumps really happen. The difference in price between say, a 0.97 and a 1.0 carat, is crazy! You will definitely save a bit of money if you find a stone juuust under 1.0. However, if you really want to hit the 1.0 mark, that's fine too. For more reading, go to the Knowledge tab at the top of the page and arrow down to Diamond Guide. Basically, any of the PS vendors who sell AGS ideal and GIA excellent stones are very reputable. Whiteflash's ACA line and BGD's signature stones are both top notch, and so you really won't have to worry about numbers. But you can plug any round diamond's numbers into the HCA (it's under the Tools tab at the top of the page) and a diamond that scores under 2 is most likely extremely well-cut and worth considering.

 

[noreaga]

Noreaga, the 1.0 carat mark is where the price jumps really happen. The difference in price between say, a 0.97 and a 1.0 carat, is crazy! You will definitely save a bit of money if you find a stone juuust under 1.0. However, if you really want to hit the 1.0 mark, that's fine too. For more reading, go to the Knowledge tab at the top of the page and arrow down to Diamond Guide. Basically, any of the PS vendors who sell AGS ideal and GIA excellent stones are very reputable. Whiteflash's ACA line and BGD's signature stones are both top notch, and so you really won't have to worry about numbers. But you can plug any round diamond's numbers into the HCA (it's under the Tools tab at the top of the page) and a diamond that scores under 2 is most likely extremely well-cut and worth considering.

Thank you; i will definitely use the HCA tool as a benchmark when comparing diamonds. I'm still feeling a little overwhelmed with all the choice available at the online retailers; I suppose I should start doing some online vs. in-store comparisons to see whether there is a major price difference and if it's worth buying the ring online.

Can anyone share their experiences shopping with JA/WF/GoG etc ?

 

[JaymeC]

I live in Canada and bought a stone from whiteflash. Their service is amazing. I spoke to a gemologist (Bob) from whiteflash three time with questions and they were very helpful and accommodating. Please keep in mind you may have to pay GST on arrival. We paid $500 at canada customs and I assume it was GST (I was so excited I didn't ask, just looked at my fiancé who took out his wallet ). I would recommend getting the setting and stone together if you are looking so something basic and are in a time crunch. All the vendors listed will have some great options and if you purchase shortly your 4 week timeline should be no problem. Good luck and happy shopping!!!

 

[noreaga]

Thank you, Jayme, for reassuring me! If you don't mind me asking, what type of ring did you end up getting, and with what setting?

And when you were dealing with Whiteflash, at what point in the search did you speak to the gemologist? I assume its once you had narrowed down your choices to a few diamonds and wanted to get the final opinion ?

 

[noreaga]

Hi everyone. OK, so the search goes on and I've spent the last little bit reading up on the 4C's tutorial on the GoG website. It's clear now the importance of cut taking the highest priority when looking for a stone, however, what I still don't fully get is how to tell whether the stone I am looking at is ideally cut for brightness and fire.

Granted, there are lab reports available, along with all types of images (ASET, microscopic), but I am still not clear. For example, I found this stone that looked fairly interesting:

http://www.goodoldgold.com/diamond/8591/

How would you critique that ?

 

[Laila619]

Hi everyone. OK, so the search goes on and I've spent the last little bit reading up on the 4C's tutorial on the GoG website. It's clear now the importance of cut taking the highest priority when looking for a stone, however, what I still don't fully get is how to tell whether the stone I am looking at is ideally cut for brightness and fire.

Granted, there are lab reports available, along with all types of images (ASET, microscopic), but I am still not clear. For example, I found this stone that looked fairly interesting:

http://www.goodoldgold.com/diamond/8591/

How would you critique that ?

Absolutely lovely! Very nice images.

Per the HCA:

Light Return - Excellent
Fire - Excellent
Scintillation - Excellent
Spread or diameter for weight - Very Good
Total Visual Performance 1.0 - Excellent

The main things to look at for cut are crown angle, pavilion angle, table, and depth. I plugged in these numbers from the AGS cert.

 

[noreaga]

Thanks for the prompt reply! I did the same thing with the HCA tool, and what I was wondering was whether there was a way to 'visually' look at a stone and assess it's cut to determine whether it was ideal or not, rather than rely on lab reports and tools

 

[E B]

It does look nice, but F to J is a substantial jump in color. Is there a reason you requested an F in the first place?

I would personally go up in color a bit and down in clarity, as long as it's eye-clean:

http://www.briangavindiamonds.com/d...s/1.007-h-si1-round-diamond-ags-1040376130004

 

[noreaga]

It does look nice, but F to J is a substantial jump in color. Is there a reason you requested an F in the first place?

I would personally go up in color a bit and down in clarity, as long as it's eye-clean:

http://www.briangavindiamonds.com/d...s/1.007-h-si1-round-diamond-ags-1040376130004

With regards to asking for an F initially, there wasn't really a reason. i suppose i bought into the naming convention of 'colourless' and figured that this would automatically be 'better' than anything in the 'non-colourless' category. I don't know if I want to go as low as J though, and used the stone above purely as an example.

I do agree with your assessment as far as going up in colour and down in clarity though !

 

[TitanCi]

Noreaga, the 1.0 carat mark is where the price jumps really happen. The difference in price between say, a 0.97 and a 1.0 carat, is crazy! You will definitely save a bit of money if you find a stone juuust under 1.0. However, if you really want to hit the 1.0 mark, that's fine too. For more reading, go to the Knowledge tab at the top of the page and arrow down to Diamond Guide. Basically, any of the PS vendors who sell AGS ideal and GIA excellent stones are very reputable. Whiteflash's ACA line and BGD's signature stones are both top notch, and so you really won't have to worry about numbers. But you can plug any round diamond's numbers into the HCA (it's under the Tools tab at the top of the page) and a diamond that scores under 2 is most likely extremely well-cut and worth considering.

Thank you; i will definitely use the HCA tool as a benchmark when comparing diamonds. I'm still feeling a little overwhelmed with all the choice available at the online retailers; I suppose I should start doing some online vs. in-store comparisons to see whether there is a major price difference and if it's worth buying the ring online.

Can anyone share their experiences shopping with JA/WF/GoG etc ?

JA is top notch in customer service. I bought from them recently. You can't go wrong with any of the trusted vendors. As Laila stated, the HCA is a good tool that helps you REJECT poor stones. When a score is 2.0 or below, it's worth considering and deserves further investigation IF reflector imaging is not available (Ideal scope images). Don't use it as a selection tool and select stones based off the HCA number, but it does a pretty damn good job rejecting poor looking/performing stones >2.0!

Good luck. BTW, JA only gives you 3 Idealscope images, so choose wisely...

 

[noreaga]

Thank you for sharing your experience, Titan. I just started browsing on JA's website.

I can see now why folks take a good amount of time in securing a ring; I've already spent a good chunk of the day searching online and I still don't know exactly what I want, but I have concluded that cut is the most important factor and that there isn't a drastically noticeable difference between the E/F colourless and the G/H levels. I do still want to aim for the magic 1.0 carat, and will sacrifice a little colour for better cut and clarity.

With that said, I'm still very open to hear your suggestions on both the stone and the setting.

 

[E B]

The price on this one is nice. I'd ask for an IS image and see if they can confirm if it's eye-clean:

http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/H-SI1-Ideal-Cut-Round-Diamond-1498642.asp

 

[noreaga]

Alright, so I finally made it out to a couple of B&M's to check out what diamonds look like in real life

The first place I went to showed me a couple of stones in the 1.0 -1.2 ct range, that were in I colour and ranged from SI2-VS1 in clarity. I mainly went in today to see whether I could notice the difference in the colour grades, and to get a sense of how big a carat is and what type of prices I could expect. The rings were are GIA certified and not AGS .... which shouldn't bother me, right ? In any case, here's what I found:

1.01 CT, VS2, Excellent cut (GIA), I colour for $6700 CAD
1.19 CT, SI2, very good cut, I colour for $6550 CAD

The next step will be to look online and see whether there is a large price difference and whether buying online is worth it.

 

[lktx]

Personally, I would stick with GIA excellent or AGS0 and would not venture into GIA very good.

 

[noreaga]

Thanks for the feedback. I really wanted an AGS stone, and the guy said he could get one if I so desired, but that he trusted GIA as did most of the industry. I also don't want to get anything that's just 'very good', and if there's anything I won't compromise on, it is the cut.

I also plugged the diamond's info in the HCA tool, and it didn't come back with a very good score ... strange because I saw the diamond with my own eyes, and when he put it under a light, I was able to see the brightness, fire and scintillation !

 

[Laila619]

Personally, I would stick with GIA excellent or AGS0 and would not venture into GIA very good.

Yes, ditto.

 

[noreaga]

The prices that I got quoted seem to be somewhat in line with what I am seeing online as well; can anyone else verify that I'm not seeing things? If this is indeed the case, I might not need to purchase online after all.

 

[motownmama]

I think you're in good hands here. Stick with the vendors you mentioned. I "get the 1 carat thing, and for you I would hit that mark. You already know about cut being king. Stay focussed and you'll hit your 4 week mark. PLEASE do fill us inas you go along, and come back with pics when you pop the Q.

 

[noreaga]

Thanks! I will definitely keep everyone updated; at this point I am just trying to decide whether I should purchase online or not, given the prices quoted to me from the one store I visited. They are a diamond distributor here in the city and so are able to offer some pretty good deals.

 

[onedrop]

Thanks for the feedback. I really wanted an AGS stone, and the guy said he could get one if I so desired, but that he trusted GIA as did most of the industry. I also don't want to get anything that's just 'very good', and if there's anything I won't compromise on, it is the cut.

I also plugged the diamond's info in the HCA tool, and it didn't come back with a very good score ... strange because I saw the diamond with my own eyes, and when he put it under a light, I was able to see the brightness, fire and scintillation !

Keep in mind that jewelry stores often use specialized lighting that seem to make most diamonds sparkle. So sometimes even poorly cut stones will seem to sparkle. You'll need to see the stones outside of the artificial lighting environment to get the best assessment of performance.

 

[noreaga]

What do you folks think about the following diamond that i found on WF ?

http://www.whiteflash.com/loose-diamonds/round-cut-loose-diamond-2782665.htm