Help with a diamond I found

[Azurik]

Hi folks,

I, like many others, have been stalking this forum for some time and decided it's time to join! I've been researching diamonds like crazy and have been looking on Brian Gavin, Blue Nile, Whiteflash, etc., so I have a pretty good idea on how to search for the 4Cs, but also utilizing HCA as a weeding tool. I think I came across a very nice find, but wanted to know your thoughts.

My parameters: Carat: RBD 1.65c-1.75c, Clarity: VS1 (VS2 if it's eye-clean), Color: I, Cut: min GIA Excellent

Here's the link to the diamond: https://www.yadavjewelry.com/products/round-diamond-i-vs1-yd920417

It scored a 1.5 on the HCA tool, and looking at the magnified picture, the symmetry looks good for its price.

For reference, this was another diamond I was considering that I found at BN with a 1.7 HCA... but for $1,100 more: https://www.bluenile.com/diamond-details/LD08201748

Thoughts?

 

[Azurik]

Sorry to be a pain with a bump - just looking to buy it by this weekend. Any advice is really appreciated

 

[OoohShiny]

HCA is a rejection tool, anything under 2 is worth a look

I couldn't get the BN one to open up on the laptop but the first one looks nice. You'd need an ASET to check performance on both, ideally, but I don't think BN does them.

What is the return policy of the first company? If they have 30 days no-quibble return (like BN and the other PS-recommended vendors) then if you have the cash/credit, you could purchase both and send the one you like least back, only being out the cost of the shipping and insurance?

 

[rockysalamander]

I don't know this seller, Yadav, but there appear to only be about 5 independent reviews online. It seems that they get a lot of referrals via RareCarat. Like BN and JA, they do require that an upgraded diamond must be 2x the price.

But, for your budget, why not look at super-ideals (and they are much more generous with upgrades)? I few are J, but will face-up very white as it is a super-ideal.

https://www.whiteflash.com/loose-diamonds/round-cut-loose-diamond-3864676.htm
https://www.whiteflash.com/loose-diamonds/round-cut-loose-diamond-3857540.htm
https://www.whiteflash.com/loose-diamonds/round-cut-loose-diamond-3858602.htm {really nice}
http://www.hpdiamonds.com/en-us/diamonddetail/HPD9018
http://www.hpdiamonds.com/en-us/diamonddetail/HPD7845

 

[SimoneDi]

I don't have a problem with the first diamonds that you posted 1.7 I VS1. It is a tad deeper, but still within the recommended proportions. What that means is that you are loosing a couple of mm of the outter diameter, but nothing to worry over. It should be a beautiful diamond. The BN stone doesn't have any real pictures, so that is an immediate no for me. Also, I prefer the fatter arrows that the yadav stone has. I did a quick search and the price that the yadav stone has seem pretty good. The only thing that I would do is contact IDJ in NYC and ask them if they can source you the same stone and possibly even beat the price. They have done that in the past, so it is worth the shot. Otherwise, I would take advantage of the 30day return policy that yadav has and order the stone, you can always return it if you are not happy.

The WF and CBI diamonds are great, but above budget, I am not sure if the price diff is worth it for OP.

 

[Azurik]

HCA is a rejection tool, anything under 2 is worth a look

I couldn't get the BN one to open up on the laptop but the first one looks nice. You'd need an ASET to check performance on both, ideally, but I don't think BN does them.

What is the return policy of the first company? If they have 30 days no-quibble return (like BN and the other PS-recommended vendors) then if you have the cash/credit, you could purchase both and send the one you like least back, only being out the cost of the shipping and insurance?

You need to copy and paste the BN link to get it to work, it's weird that this website bounces the link to the BN UK site, it happened to me on other BN links found in this forum too. Yadav offers 30-day free return shipping.

 

[Azurik]

I don't know this seller, Yadav, but there appear to only be about 5 independent reviews online. It seems that they get a lot of referrals via RareCarat. Like BN and JA, they do require that an upgraded diamond must be 2x the price.

But, for your budget, why not look at super-ideals (and they are much more generous with upgrades)? I few are J, but will face-up very white as it is a super-ideal.

https://www.whiteflash.com/loose-diamonds/round-cut-loose-diamond-3864676.htm
https://www.whiteflash.com/loose-diamonds/round-cut-loose-diamond-3857540.htm
https://www.whiteflash.com/loose-diamonds/round-cut-loose-diamond-3858602.htm {really nice}
http://www.hpdiamonds.com/en-us/diamonddetail/HPD9018
http://www.hpdiamonds.com/en-us/diamonddetail/HPD7845

I did more research and Yadav used to be diamondsonweb, which apparently was one of the earlier diamond sites online. Their brick and mortar store is in SF. They completely revamped their website and added a lot of search and picture functionality that was missing from their original site. I did come across them first through RareCarat... and was a little apprehensive at first because I knew nothing about them... their reviews and transition from diamondsonweb made me more at ease though.

Those diamonds you pointed out at WF and HP are beautiful H&As, but they're a little more than I would like to spend (most of the links are $3k above my target).

 

[Azurik]

I don't have a problem with the first diamonds that you posted 1.7 I VS1. It is a tad deeper, but still within the recommended proportions. What that means is that you are loosing a couple of mm of the outter diameter, but nothing to worry over. It should be a beautiful diamond. The BN stone doesn't have any real pictures, so that is an immediate no for me. Also, I prefer the fatter arrows that the yadav stone has. I did a quick search and the price that the yadav stone has seem pretty good. The only thing that I would do is contact IDJ in NYC and ask them if they can source you the same stone and possibly even beat the price. They have done that in the past, so it is worth the shot. Otherwise, I would take advantage of the 30day return policy that yadav has and order the stone, you can always return it if you are not happy.

The WF and CBI diamonds are great, but above budget, I am not sure if the price diff is worth it for OP.

Thanks for the feedback SimoneDi! Yes, I've been casually searching for the past couple of months and really found this one to be price competitive for its specs. I might also just order the BN one and look through an Idealscope to see how it is (and use it to see additional details on the Yadav one).

Follow-up question. My future (hopefully) fiancé wants a petite ring. She likes the pave design and the traditional solitaire ones in platinum. Would you recommend a ring on Yadav that would fit well into thie RBD? If you copy and paste this link, here's the mini-pave at BN that she really liked: https://www.bluenile.com/build-your...num_48630?elem=img&track=product&vtype=sample

 

[SimoneDi]

Honestly, if I am you, I would not bother with the BN one, the 80% lower half I really don't find that appealing (skinny arrows) vs "fat" arrows. I find that the fatter the arrows, the better the fire colors produced. But if you still really want to see it, that is fine.

I am not in love with that BN setting, the head is pretty basic, I prefer more fluid and feminine lines. What ring size does your significant other have and what is the total budget for the setting? Are you 100% sure she wants pavè?

 

[tyty333]

Stone looks nice...I'm not familiar with the vendor so be sure and check return policy...probably fine.

Are you looking for a 4 prong or 6 prong pave setting? or either?

 

[Azurik]

Honestly, if I am you, I would not bother with the BN one, the 80% lower half I really don't find that appealing (skinny arrows) vs "fat" arrows. I find that the fatter the arrows, the better the fire colors produced. But if you still really want to see it, that is fine.

I am not in love with that BN setting, the head is pretty basic, I prefer more fluid and feminine lines. What ring size does your significant other have and what is the total budget for the setting? Are you 100% sure she wants pavè?

Thanks for the continued advice. I'll remove the BN from contention then.

She likes petite rings, and pointed out that pave as something she liked, but she isn't opposed to other paves, solitaires, or even halos.

Her ring size is 6. I didn't have a firm number in mind... anything up to $1,500 would be reasonable for me.

 

[Azurik]

I think since it's platinum, it will be strong enough with a 4-prong and will allow more light, but we're okay with 6-prong too (or rather, she's okay with it!)

 

[SimoneDi]

Ok, got it, if pavè is something she likes, then get her that. Did she indicate that she wants platinum as well? Platinum is a fine metal, many prefer it and it is great that it doesn't need to be rhodium played compared to the average WG. Platinum is a denser, but malleabe metal, white gold, on the other hand, is a harder and brittle metal. So when we speak about prongs, a platinum prong is more likely to move on impact and a wg prong is more likely to break on impact. Strength-wise they are both very similar in my opinion. This is more for informational purposes, but please stick with plat if that is preferred, I am just not sure if your budget will allow for a great-looking plat setting..

4 vs 6 is more about aesthetics and preference. 1.7ct is a size that can handle both variations pretty well. The light that will come in will be pretty identical in both type of settings, as long as the diamond is not covered by big, bulky prongs.

This is one my favorite, delicate pavè settings:
http://www.briangavindiamonds.com/e...e-stones/legera-pave-six-prong-platinum-6649p

David Klass can create a great pavè setting probably within on close to budget. Here is an example of his work: https://instagram.com/p/BPym4Z-ge_F/

Also, again, if you contact IDJ, I know that they can create a nice pavè setting for you within budget. Not too long ago, I worked with them on an e-ring project for a friend and they had the below setting in wg however. The price was less than 1/2 of your budget. I bet they can source that same diamond at the same or even lower price.

Setting exampe:

 

[Azurik]

THANK YOU for all your help! I'll contact IDJ.

The Brian Gavin setting looks great too. I'm probably too ignorant in this topic to notice all the smaller details, but to me, the BG and BN setting looks like the same (how the prongs connect with each other more in the main difference I'm seeing). Is this what you mean by being more feminine and fluid?

 

[SimoneDi]

The BGD setting uses signature meleè stones, which essentially are ideal cut stones. I prefer the way that the head meets the shank. However, I even prefer that the head be exchanged with the one of their classic style solitaire. http://www.briangavindiamonds.com/engagement-rings/solitaire/classic-style-half-round-5478 A fellow ps-er recently did that and it looked great.

 

[Matthews1127]

I agree with all of the above.
A 1.7ct stone will perform BEST with more light exposure. All diamonds do.
Platinum is more expensive than WG. To preserve as much of your setting budget for pave', 14k-18k WG shank with a Platinum head (950?) to protect the stone would work fine. If you prefer to plate the WG, request PALLADIUM to ensure Nickel alloys are not involved (she may be allergic).
Four prongs will keep the stone protected, esp in platinum, and allow the most light exposure. Keep the gallery open for max light exposure (prongs should be around 2, 4, 8 & 10 o'clock).
You can even bead set the pave'. It's very delicate for a petite piece. Your taste & hers will determine the lines & design. For a petite ring, her lines should be soft & feminine...curved & elegant. You may want to research soft & curved prongs to determine the style. Just be certain the prongs are slender enough to be feminine, but sturdy enough to protect the rock. Prong thickness will also determine light exposure...

4 prong bead set pave:
https://www.whiteflash.com/engageme...eek-line-pave-diamond-engagement-ring-422.htm
6 prong bead set pave:
https://www.whiteflash.com/engageme...yle-bead-set-diamond-engagement-ring-1006.htm
4 Prong Micropave':
https://www.whiteflash.com/engageme...o-micro-pave-diamond-engagement-ring-1011.htm
6 prong Pave':
https://www.whiteflash.com/engageme...ve-diamond-engagement-ring-by-vatche-1649.htm
4 prong dbl French set diamonds:
https://www.whiteflash.com/engageme...-split-shank-diamond-engagement-ring-4494.htm
Just to give you visual differences....and ideas...

 

[Azurik]

I agree with all of the above.
A 1.7ct stone will perform BEST with more light exposure. All diamonds do.
Platinum is more expensive than WG. To preserve as much of your setting budget for pave', 14k-18k WG shank with a Platinum head (950?) to protect the stone would work fine. If you prefer to plate the WG, request PALLADIUM to ensure Nickel alloys are not involved (she may be allergic).
Four prongs will keep the stone protected, esp in platinum, and allow the most light exposure. Keep the gallery open for max light exposure (prongs should be around 2, 4, 8 & 10 o'clock).
You can even bead set the pave'. It's very delicate for a petite piece. Your taste & hers will determine the lines & design. For a petite ring, her lines should be soft & feminine...curved & elegant. You may want to research soft & curved prongs to determine the style. Just be certain the prongs are slender enough to be feminine, but sturdy enough to protect the rock. Prong thickness will also determine light exposure...

4 prong bead set pave:
https://www.whiteflash.com/engageme...eek-line-pave-diamond-engagement-ring-422.htm
6 prong bead set pave:
https://www.whiteflash.com/engageme...yle-bead-set-diamond-engagement-ring-1006.htm
4 Prong Micropave':
https://www.whiteflash.com/engageme...o-micro-pave-diamond-engagement-ring-1011.htm
6 prong Pave':
https://www.whiteflash.com/engageme...ve-diamond-engagement-ring-by-vatche-1649.htm
4 prong dbl French set diamonds:
https://www.whiteflash.com/engageme...-split-shank-diamond-engagement-ring-4494.htm
Just to give you visual differences....and ideas...

Thank you for the other recommendations. I'll take a look. Of course, she has a say in how she wants the setting to look, but I wanted to take the initiative knowing the parameters she had mentioned before.

If I were to stay with Yadav, I found two different platinum bands right at my budget limit. What do you guys think about these (I feel it has more of what the BN one lacked per SimonDe):

https://www.yadavjewelry.com/products/the-cailin-ring-platinum
https://www.yadavjewelry.com/products/the-lillie-ring-platinum

Both appears to be petite enough and the prongs look like they don't take away from the brilliance of the diamond. I like the ring of the Cailin more, but the prongs of the Lillie appears to be more... attractive/ideal?

 

[rockysalamander]

Thank you for the other recommendations. I'll take a look. Of course, she has a say in how she wants the setting to look, but I wanted to take the initiative knowing the parameters she had mentioned before.

If I were to stay with Yadav, I found two different platinum bands right at my budget limit. What do you guys think about these (I feel it has more of what the BN one lacked per SimonDe):

https://www.yadavjewelry.com/products/the-cailin-ring-platinum
https://www.yadavjewelry.com/products/the-lillie-ring-platinum

Both appears to be petite enough and the prongs look like they don't take away from the brilliance of the diamond. I like the ring of the Cailin more, but the prongs of the Lillie appears to be more... attractive/ideal?

Both will not allow a flush wedding band (the head begins too low on the band). The head is also only attached to the band at the one point which is not terribly strong.

LILLIE - Better designed relative to structure, but this will not allow a flush band - may or may not be an issue. It is for a lot of women.

CAITLIN will allow flush, but I don't like how the head and band are so minimically in contact.


These will allow a flush fit band and provide more structural support for a large diamond. Just make sure they are no thinner than 1.9 mm.
https://www.yadavjewelry.com/products/the-camilla-ring?taxon_id=30
https://www.yadavjewelry.com/products/the-janelle-ring?taxon_id=30
https://www.yadavjewelry.com/products/the-mirella-ring?taxon_id=30

 

[OoohShiny]

That second picture looks like it would snap right off!

 

[Azurik]

Both will not allow a flush wedding band (the head begins too low on the band). The head is also only attached to the band at the one point which is not terribly strong.

LILLIE - Better designed relative to structure, but this will not allow a flush band - may or may not be an issue. It is for a lot of women.

CAITLIN will allow flush, but I don't like how the head and band are so minimically in contact.


These will allow a flush fit band and provide more structural support for a large diamond. Just make sure they are no thinner than 1.9 mm.
https://www.yadavjewelry.com/products/the-camilla-ring?taxon_id=30
https://www.yadavjewelry.com/products/the-janelle-ring?taxon_id=30
https://www.yadavjewelry.com/products/the-mirella-ring?taxon_id=30

How about this: https://www.yadavjewelry.com/products/the-alicia-ring?taxon_id=30

It's a compromise between the Lillie and Caitlin, with the head hitting mid-band. Platinum too for $1.5k.

 

[rockysalamander]

Keep in mind here...you are putting a $11k diamond into this ring. You want it to be solid and structurally sound. I really don't like any of Yadov's settings. Sorry. They look flimsy.

I just saw this on JA...it is a bit smaller, but you get everything you need to evaluate the stone and it looks really good.

Other opinions on this diamond below @OoohShiny @SimoneDi @diamondseeker2006 as compared to the Yadov at the top of the thread?

https://www.jamesallen.com/loose-di...rat-i-color-vs2-clarity-ideal-cut-sku-3151843

Settings
https://www.jamesallen.com/engageme...ench-cut-six-prong-engagement-ring-item-49518
https://www.jamesallen.com/engageme...al-engagement-ring-by-martin-flyer-item-54986

 

[SimoneDi]

Of these, I don't mind this one https://www.yadavjewelry.com/products/the-camilla-ring?taxon_id=30 but I would want to have the prongs shaved and claw-like. Did you contact IDJ? They are working today..

 

[Azurik]

Of these, I don't mind this one https://www.yadavjewelry.com/products/the-camilla-ring?taxon_id=30 but I would want to have the prongs shaved and claw-like. Did you contact IDJ? They are working today..

I'm calling right now! I didn't realize they were open on Sunday!

 

[SimoneDi]

I'm calling right now! I didn't realize they were open on Sunday!

Lol ok, let us know what they say.

 

[SimoneDi]

@rockysalamander the true hearts diamond you suggested is beautiful without doubt, but I do think that it will be very similar in performance when compared to the 1.7 I VS1 OP picked. From JA, I also like this setting: https://www.jamesallen.com/mobile/e...atinum-petite-pave-engagement-ring-item-56283

However, I wouldn't recommend changing the diamond, because of the setting. There are so many setting options on the market, I think that OP just wants a one stop easy solution let's see how the IDJ route plays.

 

[Azurik]

So I called IDJ, but no one answered the phone. I tried a few times and it landed up in their voicemail. Maybe they close early on Sunday?

Either way, I placed the diamond at Yadav on hold pending sale confirmation. I'll try IDJ again tomorrow and see if they can match or beat it.

As we are discussing this, I think I'm going away from the one-stop easy solution It looks like I will end up getting the diamond and looking for the setting elsewhere. Once I get it, I'll have a well-reviewed jewelry setter in Boston put it together (unless James Allen or wherever will take the diamond and do it).

 

[Azurik]

Keep in mind here...you are putting a $11k diamond into this ring. You want it to be solid and structurally sound. I really don't like any of Yadov's settings. Sorry. They look flimsy.

Settings
https://www.jamesallen.com/engageme...ench-cut-six-prong-engagement-ring-item-49518
https://www.jamesallen.com/engageme...al-engagement-ring-by-martin-flyer-item-54986

The first one looks good to me, but wouldn't it have a flushing issue that SimoneDi mentioned earlier?

 

[SimoneDi]

@Azurik I am in Boston as well! Ok, I can provide you with local recommendations. There are 3 main jewelers that I like, DeScenza, Joseph Gann and Long's. Long's is usually on the pricier side, but do you know somebody who works for state st by any chance? The give 20% off to employees.

 

[rockysalamander]

I'm also in the Boston area! Cynthia Britt is also very good in the Boston area. I've seen several of her custom rings and really liked them.

If you don't mind the trip, Silverscape Designs and Don Muller Gallery (Northampton) are great.

Silverscape
https://www.silverscapedesigns.com/products/detailed-diamond-band-engagement-ring
https://www.silverscapedesigns.com/products/hf

Don Muller has Maevona and a few other indie makers.

 

[SimoneDi]

We should have a little Beantown reunion lol

Cynthia's work is good, but I think that she would be over budget. Although, reaching out to her may be worh it. She is very approachable.

There are plenty of jewelers in Boston, I wouldn't drive to western mass for a setting..