2 Carats Under 8K: Doable or Bad Idea?

[LLJsmom]

Wait. It's clicking now. Pre-emptive strike. Get her the biggest rock at the lowest budget that she won't complain about. And then hopefully she won't bug you about upgrading in the future. That is my interpretation anyway. Good luck to your GF with that.

 

[MissGotRocks]

Many folks here have gravitated to this site because they felt they were missing something in their diamonds and wanted opinions and education. If you've ever seen or had a beautifully cut diamond, you will understand the meaning of cut, cut, cut. There is usually truth in numbers so with this many members all stressing the same thing, there must be something to it.

 

[rockysalamander]

Wait. It's clicking now. Pre-emptive strike. Get her the biggest rock at the lowest budget that she won't complain about. And then hopefully she won't bug you about upgrading in the future. That is my interpretation anyway. Sorry. Can't get on board that train.

I polled my DH about this. He said, if you get her a 2.0 carat now, the upgrade will be to 2.5-3.0 . If you buy her sub 2.0, she'll aim for 2.0-2.5 on an upgrade. So, starting lower, you get the chance for a big savings. Also, he noted (with some trepidation) that women are more catty and judgmental about such things. No matter how big, how white, how perfect...someone will find fault. Plus, he knows how much whining and sad-eyes occur when I just don't like something about a gem. I bought and returned 10 sapphires until I found just the right shade of blue for my sister. The more time you spend with a gem, the more you see its beauty and flaws. So, he voted for a super-sparkly 'no questions asked' smaller stone to make her super happy (and set the bar lower for an upgrade).

FWIW...my DH has no jewelry or gem experience or knowledge not gleaned by my love for them (neither of his parents even wear wedding rings...too fussy, fragile, fiddly...he wears a titanium wedding ring). So, he's just speaking as a guy trying to make his gal happy. I guess that explains why we've stayed married for 16 years...

 

[HDer]

Wait. It's clicking now. Pre-emptive strike. Get her the biggest rock at the lowest budget that she won't complain about. And then hopefully she won't bug you about upgrading in the future. That is my interpretation anyway. Good luck to your GF with that.

You know, I kind of get what you're feeling. See, I work in IT, so a lot of people come to me asking what laptop they should buy. And I tell them a Thinkpad and maybe whatever models has gotten good reviews recently (like a XPS 13 or a HP Spectre). And inevitably, they end up buying a Black Friday 299 special or a 2000 dollar Macbook Pro.

So I come to a diamond enthusiast forum and am on the other side of that. For me, a diamond is a means to an end: making her happy. It's not an end in itself. She's not a diamond enthusiast (yet, and hopefully never. ).

But I respect the difference in opinion and have learned a lot. Would never have known about HCA scores, for instance, if I hadn't come to the forum.

 

[MissGotRocks]

Here's the thing. We get it. A diamond is not the be all, end all thing for everyone. Most of the advice you are being given comes through hard experience or collective experiences of many that have come before you with sad stories. Diamond are expensive - no matter how you cut it - no pun intended! You have come here because you genuinely care that you spend your hard earned money in the wisest way and you sincerely want to make your girl happy. That's admirable - so many just go buy something and HOPE that it fits the bill. We just want you to end up with something that both of you love and can be proud of for many years to come. Diamonds are not investments and are generally just things of pleasure but you still want your money to reflect something pretty and of value. She might just wear this ring for the rest of her life so we just hope that you make a good choice. Don't give up on us and we surely won't give up on you!

 

[diamondseeker2006]

I've been out of town and just caught up on your thread. Seriously, as others have said, 2 cts is not reasonable within your budget. A K color diamond is going to show tint in a halo. I would look for the best J VS2 with excellent cut within your budget and start over. J is the lowest color in the near colorless range. I would not go lower than that in a modern round brilliant.

I didn't have any luck finding any good J stones on James Allen. I looked on a couple other sites and these are as close as I can come. The advantage of Whiteflash is that they will allow you the full amount you pay (minus shipping) towards a future upgrade. I know you said you aren't worried about that now, but you'll lose money trying to sell a diamond later unless diamond prices rise a lot, and there is no guarantee of that.

https://www.whiteflash.com/loose-diamonds/round-cut-loose-diamond-3857553.htm

This one is not the cut quality of the one above, but it will be a nice stone with slightly more size for a few hundred less.

http://www.b2cjewels.com/dd/9579039/Round-Diamond-J-Color-VS2-Clarity

If it were me and I wanted a 2 ct stone, I'd increase my budget and see if the guy on preloved will take a few hundred off the price and sell you just the stone. That's a great deal. Then buy the new setting, and voila, you have a new ring. Otherwise, I think you are looking at 1.5-1.6 cts max for an excellent to ideal cut J stone with decent clarity. I would not buy a poor quality stone for an engagement ring.

 

[JoJa12345]

When I first started looking at stones I kinda had this mentality ~ get a big stone for a bargain. After LOTS of research and help from an awesome person I chatted with on another forum I realized quality over quantity is best ~ especially when it comes to diamonds. I purchased a smaller diamond than I really wanted but was within my budget (although, that was altered as well from where I first wanted to be). Anyway, long story short ~ I got my Brian Gavin stone in my hand and I GOT it, I finally understood why it cost more and for me it was worth it. So much so that after having that stone for a month or so I upgraded to a larger stone (spending more than I ever thought I would) but I love my ring now and would do it again in a heartbeat.
My best advice is research as much as possible and decide what is most important to you while remembering quality over quantity!

 

[EllieTO]

Thank you. Yes, I agree that people on here are all about cut, cut, cut, whereas people in the other 99% of the world are all about carats, carats, carats. (poor color and clarity; so underappreciated). I'm still trying to figure out where my personal feelings are on the matter, although my g/f is in the other 99%.

Let me tell you a story. I have gotten quite a few comments from people on my old diamond (small 0.7 ct, F colour, super ideal cut), like:
"Oh, it's so sparkly, you must have just gotten engaged" (i.e. thinking it's freshly cleaned, when really I'd had it for years and hadn't cleaned it in weeks or months)
"Oh, it's so sparkly, I should really clean mine more often" Yeah, ok, they could clean their Spence diamond to the moon and back and it would never become sparklier.

My point is, people DO notice a well cut diamond, they just don't realize that it looks as amazing as it does because of the CUT.

 

[Dancing Fire]

If you want to get her a 2ct stone because that's most important to you both, then do it and enjoy your diamond! And shame on the people here who are mocking you for it.

Mocking???, Really???... isn't PS about helping/educating consumers on finding a well cut stone within their budget?...If HDer wanted to buy his GF a 2ct POS then he should go on Ebay where there are plenty available. Heck, for $8K he can probably buy her a 3.5ct salt & pepper stone on Ebay.

 

[totallyfree]

I think you might also be after something that has a bit of 'wow' factor from a distance: you can see a sparkly from the other end of the room, a distracting glint when she uses hand gestures in a conversation. I love an ideal cut stone in a solitaire setting, but it can take a fair few carats of weight to get that 'bling' reaction!

So here is a collection of ideas that might allow you achieve the final product you want

You might want to look at a cluster ring (similar to Princess Diana / Kate) with slightly larger stones in the halo to increase the 'finger coverage'?
Example one: a 'classic' and old world style cluster ring, which can be done very nicely with a modern cut stone:
https://www.langantiques.com/2-83-carat-center-european-cut-diamond-cluster-ring.html
Example two: a double halo:
https://www.brilliantearth.com/Double-Halo-Diamond-Ring-(1/2-ct.-tw.)-White-Gold-BE197-1152631/
And a style from James Alled:
https://www.jamesallen.com/engageme...k-double-halo-pave-engagement-ring-item-17846
Example three: a single halo with larger stones
https://www.jamesallen.com/engageme...e-gold-floral-halo-engagement-ring-item-53439

That way you could get a white centre stone in a stock setting halo, and doesn't show tint like a K coloured stone might.

Alternatively, you could get an oval and set it east-west, like this Blue Nile example:
https://www.bluenile.com/build-your...-west-oval-halo-diamond-engagement-ring_55999
This would offer increased coverage, but it is a bold and non-traditional setting that some would not enjoy!

Hope this has given you some ideas


Also, quickly, if you do order from JA have a read of this thread and be aware that their shipping times are approximations! This goes for all vendors, but this thread highlights one users experiences that you might want to be aware of
https://www.pricescope.com/communit...t-is-this-normal-for-online-retailers.233276/

 

[december-fire]

You know, I kind of get what you're feeling. See, I work in IT, so a lot of people come to me asking what laptop they should buy. And I tell them a Thinkpad and maybe whatever models has gotten good reviews recently (like a XPS 13 or a HP Spectre). And inevitably, they end up buying a Black Friday 299 special or a 2000 dollar Macbook Pro.

So I come to a diamond enthusiast forum and am on the other side of that. For me, a diamond is a means to an end: making her happy. It's not an end in itself. She's not a diamond enthusiast (yet, and hopefully never. .

But I respect the difference in opinion and have learned a lot. Would never have known about HCA scores, for instance, if I hadn't come to the forum.

I suspect that you ask people what they want from a laptop before you suggest particular models.
For example, are they heavy gamers, want to make music videos or do they just want to use it to play solitaire and email people.

You need to know the objective or purpose before you can make a suggestion.

For me, the purpose of a diamond is to reflect light; to sparkle, twinkle, shine and mesmerize.

If it doesn't do that, then I don't care what size it is or how low the price is - I don't want it.

The reason you keep reading that cut is the most important aspect of a diamond is because the cut will determine the diamond's ability to reflect light and sparkle.

So if you just want big, thinking that will please your GF and avoid or delay any desire to upgrade in size, then you might want to reboot and consider if that's a malfunction in thinking.

Ask your GF what she likes about diamonds.
She might mention performance-related words such as sparkle.

You're the one who has established the 2 ct size. Not your girlfriend.

Just to give you an idea of the amazing performance that comes from a diamond with a great cut quality, here's a link to a thread in Show Me the Bling - this one about Whiteflash ACA diamonds. You can also check out High Performance Diamonds and their CBI diamonds; go to Show Me the Bling and search for CBI.

https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/show-me-your-whiteflash-acas.228560/

--------------
Just saw the above post from totallyfree.
Yes - talk to your GF to find out if she's interested in a 3-stone, 5-stone, 7-stone engagement ring.
There are lots of options, but first clarify that she wants a diamond that sparkles.

 

[Matthews1127]

There is a lot to be said about "spread" vs "weight". There are plenty of beautiful, well CUT diamonds between 1.5-1.7ct that face up larger, and "appear" closer to 2ct "size". That is why I said you must consider mm diameter, when comparing your diamonds. If the diamond is cut too deep, you could be getting more weight at the bottom, rather than across the top, which makes the diamond "smaller".
What size ring foes your GF wear? Are her hands small & dainty, or does she have really long fingers? "Real Estate Coverage" is going to vary, depending on the size & shape her hands, and fingers...
A 1.5-1.7ct stone very well may look very large on her finger.

 

[Niel]

I like this

https://enchanteddiamonds.com/v/153294052

Yes people will tell you asscher face up small. But it sounds to me what's most important is being able to say the CT size. And besides color you're not giving up much of anything. Plus set in rose gold the color isn't as noticable

 

[HDer]

There is a lot to be said about "spread" vs "weight". There are plenty of beautiful, well CUT diamonds between 1.5-1.7ct that face up larger, and "appear" closer to 2ct "size". That is why I said you must consider mm diameter, when comparing your diamonds. If the diamond is cut too deep, you could be getting more weight at the bottom, rather than across the top, which makes the diamond "smaller".
What size ring foes your GF wear? Are her hands small & dainty, or does she have really long fingers? "Real Estate Coverage" is going to vary, depending on the size & shape her hands, and fingers...
A 1.5-1.7ct stone very well may look very large on her finger.

She's a size 7. I'm not too worried about coverage esp. with the halo.

I like this

https://enchanteddiamonds.com/v/153294052

Yes people will tell you asscher face up small. But it sounds to me what's most important is being able to say the CT size. And besides color you're not giving up much of anything. Plus set in rose gold the color isn't as noticable

Nice find. Using the pricescope search I see it's also available at B2C: http://www.b2cjewels.com/dd/9195185...m_medium=referral&utm_campaign=pricescope.com Have you had any experience dealing with enchanteddiamonds or B2C?

 

[Niel]

I've seen a handful of people say they asked for a diamond at b2c just to be sold something else. I'm not saying they are trying to bait and switch but I prefer the idea of enchanted diamonds. Not so many bad reviews on here. I'm not sure I've read one.

 

[Niel]

Tell me honestly. Is she someone who is most concerned with being able to say "my diamond is x.x cts? "
If she is I like that asscher. Yes it won't face up as large but if her peace of mind is about size, then go for that.
People here often get peace of mind about having. THE PERFECT CUT.if she's not that person, then don't prioritize that. Some here need clarity for peace of mind. If that's not her, don't prioritize that. Same with color. Some people want finger coverage. This is not carat. We can find you a Marquise that will make it look big on the finger. If she thinks that's important we should prioritize that.
But only you know what is important to her. And frankly you can cheat a little with color going in rose gold. One of the long time members here wears a k step cut and she loves it. And shes one to usually care about color.
We can do one of two things with your budget get a large facing stone or a large CT stone. We can make sure it's pretty and doesn't have inclusions. But what would she prefer. An oval, Marquise or pear in the 1.6-1.7 range or a asscher in the 1.9-2 range.

Don't let people being dicks worry you. People here care deeply about cut. They can force their opinions on you,but only because they are trying to help. We can still care about getting a very good cut without it being the priority like it is for a lot of members here.

 

[Niel]

A k step cut of note
https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/antique-asscher-ring-by-cvb-inspired-design.227710/
Another k asscher of note (in a Halo no less- a design I'd copy if I were you )
https://www.pricescope.com/communit...-be-dreaming-asscher-sk-halo-and-avcs.224859/
And a helpful link
https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/show-me-your-i-j-k-l-etc-color-emerald-cuts.155942/

 

[HDer]

I talked to her a little more today, and for her size is more important than being slightly whiter or being slightly better cut. Once again, within reason. I'm not looking at P-color stones for example.

In terms of whether carat size or width matters more, I think given what other people have said about the halo and pave adding weight, I think a 1.8 or 1.9 carat center would also work, and I'd probably give the edge to width over carat number.

Other requirements? I don't know. I think people have been pulling me towards the cut a bit more, so a lower HCA score is definitely at least a "nice to have." I'd definitely at this point be willing to pay an extra 500 for a <3 HCA score.

Although if you look at the video they sent me of the L SI1 HCA 5.0 https://gfycat.com/gifs/detail/BlaringHardtofindAfricanwilddog before coming to this forum, I would not have been able to tell that it was an inferior stone in any way.

After coming to the forum, I'm still not able to tell why that stone is inferior, except maybe flashes of yellow at certain angles, but you guys have put enough doubts in my mind that I'm willing to pay a little extra for a "mind cut."

EDIT: went back to the IDJ link and looks like it's gone.

 

[HDer]

What do you guys think of this?

http://narolagems.com/MovieDetail.aspx?StoneId=2811-28

HCA 4.9 and a little brown, but a very good price.

EDIT: here's the B2C link http://www.b2cjewels.com/dd/9466957/2-12-carat-round-diamond-l-color-si2-clarity

I'd prefer it to be cleaner and less brown, of course, but I could get this plus the setting, and be under 8K total.

 

[ccuheartnurse]

Europe in general is on vacation at the moment. Diamond selection is very limited. Not sure if this was mentioned earlier or not. I'd keep looking, as I think you're grasping the general concepts but perhaps in a couple weeks, the Europeans will be back to work & you might find more inventory to choose from. Selection is pretty slim at the moment. Sorry if this has already been mentioned, I just caught the tail end of your thread.

 

[HDer]

Here's the idealscope for that one. Not so ideal: https://static3.segoma.com/v.php?type=jpg&name=idealscope.jpg&id=DDSPNTVZFF

She liked this one though: http://narolagems.com/MovieDetail.aspx?StoneId=1405-444
Idealscope: https://static4.segoma.com/v.php?type=jpg&name=idealscope.jpg&id=01IQRWVEPP

It would cost more than 8k though.

This one is just around the 8k mark, but surprisingly she prefers the brown tint to the yellow:
http://narolagems.com/MovieDetail.aspx?StoneId=2867-20

 

[MollyMalone]

Might she consider a colored gem (e.g., a sapphire -- they come in colors other than shades of blue)?

 

[flyingpig]

She liked this one though: http://narolagems.com/MovieDetail.aspx?StoneId=1405-444
Idealscope: https://static4.segoma.com/v.php?type=jpg&name=idealscope.jpg&id=01IQRWVEPP

It would cost more than 8k though.

This is a good performer, and she likes it.
Get her that.

The other one is a bad performer.

 

[Katesimone]

Mocking???, Really???... isn't PS about helping/educating consumers on finding a well cut stone within their budget?...If HDer wanted to buy his GF a 2ct POS then he should go on Ebay where there are plenty available. Heck, for $8K he can probably buy her a 3.5ct salt & pepper stone on Ebay.

You're not "helping/educating" anyone by rolling your eyes at me... nor is the person who posted a picture of a smashed up car saying that's what OP can buy for his $8000

 

[HDer]

Here's the idealscope for the last one:

https://static1.segoma.com/v.php?type=jpg&name=idealscope.jpg&id=QFA37JGYY

It's definitely worse light performance, but it's also got another 0.3 carats on the other one and is 600 dollars cheaper.

Either way, I need to find someone to actually place the order for me. Will try Martin again tomorrow, and maybe B2C.

 

[flyingpig]

You know, I kind of get what you're feeling. See, I work in IT, so a lot of people come to me asking what laptop they should buy. And I tell them a Thinkpad and maybe whatever models has gotten good reviews recently (like a XPS 13 or a HP Spectre). And inevitably, they end up buying a Black Friday 299 special or a 2000 dollar Macbook Pro.

THIS!!!!!

 

[flyingpig]

Here's the idealscope for the last one:

https://static1.segoma.com/v.php?type=jpg&name=idealscope.jpg&id=QFA37JGYY

It's definitely worse light performance, but it's also got another 0.3 carats on the other one and is 600 dollars cheaper.

Either way, I need to find someone to actually place the order for me. Will try Martin again tomorrow, and maybe B2C.

No. get the other one.
See the photo on B2C's website. The centre, crown facets, arrows are white. But the areas under the table between the shafts are all dull and yellow. This is because the areas are not returning light well(confirmed with the idealscope)and showing off its yellow/brownish tint.

Yes. This has 0.3c more.
So this is 8 core FX8100. The other one is 4 core i7 7770K. With price difference less than 10% what would you get? You know the answer.

 

[HDer]

Yeah, I agree. Hopefully I'm able to get a deal from Martin on that one. Ironically, it's listed as a Hearts and Arrows diamond, so for a non-believer going for a H&A VVS1 is... strange.

I also have two alternates in case we can't do a deal on the first one:
http://diamonddealfinder.com/enquiry.php?id_field=6905949 HCA 2.4
http://diamonddealfinder.com/enquiry.php?id_field=6895653 HCA 1.4

Unfortunately I can't find Idealscopes for either.

 

[HDer]

I found the first one on James Allen. The difference in price is 1500: https://www.jamesallen.com/loose-di...l-color-vs1-clarity-excellent-cut-sku-3282550

 

[Matthews1127]

HDer,
Are we sticking with Rounds, or would you like to venture into Step-Cuts? Step-Cuts bring a whole new criterion into play, and eliminate the HCA factor. Clarity plays a very large part in selecting Step-Cuts, and symmetry is a very high contender, as well. I don't believe finding a high quality, valuable 2ct Step-Cut exists in your budget range...but we can look, if you're interested (and you know your GF LIKES them-not everyone does).
The Asschers attached above are great options, within your budget, but you're not getting the "size" you're talking about. I do believe you'll stretch your money more on a brilliant cut stone...