Help with a stone for a halo pendant

[bibiloves]

Hello everyone,

I'm a long time lurker on PS and I recently read @mrs-b's thread on her I1 diamond and I was intrigue and wanted to find my own imperfect diamond to create a halo pendant. My budget is very modest. I started to look on James Allen in range of .4-.7 ct. My ring is a .7ct G, VS1 (or 2, can't remember) AGS 000 solitaire so I like G color but wouldn't mind lower color. I would love to have your suggestion on a pretty I1 or SI1-2 stone for this project.

This one caught my eye but seems a little hazy, milky to me. Should I be concern about any inclusions in this stone? I'm still learning to locate and identify types of inclusions.
https://www.jamesallen.com/loose-di...-g-color-i1-clarity-excellent-cut-sku-5658877

I wonder if the prong can cover the inclusion on this one.
https://www.jamesallen.com/loose-di...-f-color-i1-clarity-excellent-cut-sku-5340560

Setting inspiration: found this on xothebijouxbox's IG and I love the thin halo and how the back is slightly larger so maybe it won't flip too much. Mine will probably in white gold though. Please let me know if you know who made this setting.

 

[ac117]

For a pendant, the crystals in the first two of these are white and should be eye clean:
https://www.jamesallen.com/loose-di...h-color-si2-clarity-excellent-cut-sku-6454654
https://www.jamesallen.com/loose-di...i-color-si2-clarity-excellent-cut-sku-6401997
https://www.jamesallen.com/loose-di...i-color-si2-clarity-excellent-cut-sku-5752867

 

[farrahlyn]

The first stone you linked looks really dull. with SI2 and I1 stones avoid clarity remarks of CLOUDS. THe second one, i don't care for the cut. GREAT find though as far as clarity

https://www.jamesallen.com/loose-di...g-color-si2-clarity-excellent-cut-sku-6361506
https://www.jamesallen.com/loose-di...e-color-si2-clarity-excellent-cut-sku-6429930 may or may not be eye clean
https://www.jamesallen.com/loose-di...d-color-si2-clarity-excellent-cut-sku-5425068

 

[bibiloves]

I can't believe this. Someone already got a hold of the second stone I posted. I was afraid this would happen once I posted them up sad sad

Thanks @ac117 and @farrahlyn, I will take a look at these stones.

 

[mrs-b]

Hi @bibiloves

I just wanted to check - are you sure you want to buy a stone this large for a pendant? In a halo, it will be considerably larger than your e-ring, so might over-shadow it - especially the .7 stone you linked to, for example.

But that aside - I really like all the diamonds @ac117 posted - especially the first one - the .63ct H SI2. What a beautiful diamond! Of the stones posted by @farrahlyn - again, the first one stands above the other 2, in my opinion. Its stats are the best and it seems to have the nicest faceting pattern; the hearts and arrows are most clear and I think the inclusions won't be visible - especially in a pendant.

Of the 2, I'd go with the H SI2 - a white, beautifully cut stone:
https://www.jamesallen.com/loose-di...h-color-si2-clarity-excellent-cut-sku-6454654

But for my money, I'd go with something in the .5ct range and I'd be looking for a bargain. I like this one since it has lovely specs, is a G color, and has twinning wisp inclusions - which are often invisible to the naked eye. The feather inclusions also seem to be white, making them difficult, if not impossible, to see:

https://www.jamesallen.com/loose-di...-g-color-i1-clarity-excellent-cut-sku-5706882

If you want something a little cleaner, tho, I'd go with this. I think this is an awesome diamond and very clean for an SI2, and it's my pick of all the diamonds linked to so far. I'd buy this one in a heartbeat:

https://www.jamesallen.com/loose-di...h-color-si2-clarity-excellent-cut-sku-6327024

I hope our suggestions help and that you get something very beautiful. Good luck!

 

[bibiloves]

Hi @mrs-b,

Thanks so much for your input. I was hoping you would reply to my post. You are right, I'm all over the place regarding the diamond size. I guess I was just trying to hunt for a great deal. Realistically I think .4-.5 ct for a pendant would be a great size for me. I looked on Brian Gavin and found these. Do you think I will notice much difference in color for diamond this size if I compare the J or K with my G?

https://www.briangavindiamonds.com/...ls/0.407-j-vs1-round-diamond-ags-104103075048

https://www.briangavindiamonds.com/...ls/0.423-k-vs1-round-diamond-ags-104103075046 (would you set this in yellor or white gold?)

 

[mrs-b]

@bibiloves -

For size and color sake, I'd still go with the G I1 I linked for you. Personally, I prefer to keep colors closer together if I want to wear multiple diamond pieces together. I also think .5ct is a lovely size for a pendant.

 

[bibiloves]

Hi @mrs-b

Would you say the two diamonds i posted from BDG are a good match for earrings?

 

[mrs-b]

Hi @bibiloves

They're fine - tho I'd be looking for diamonds with the same table size. I also find there's quite a difference between J and K. If it were me, I also wouldn't want to go more than one grade - 2 at the most - lower in color than my e-ring.

So I'm a bit confused now. Do you want a pendant, or are you looking for earrings? And are you ready to buy, or just looking?

 

[bibiloves]

Life has been hectic and I had to put my I1 diamond hunt on hold for a while but I'm back and found this diamond. There's a feather near the girdle but other than that the diamond looks quite clean. GIA report on show feathers as the clarity characteristic. Should I be concern of durability because the feather is near the girdle? The diamond scores 2.3 on HCA tool. I would appreciate any advice on this diamond. Thanks everyone.

0.5 ct, G, I1
GIA XXX
5.05x5.09x3.16 mm

 

[bibiloves]

Any comments please? I have the diamond in hold until tomorrow and need to make a decision. Thanks for your help.

 

[lovedogs]

Generally speaking I would reject any stone that scores over 2 on the HCA. This one looks like the angles might not work that well together.

 

[bibiloves]

@lovedogs thanks for your input. What about the feather inclusion? Should I worry about durability of the diamond?

 

[lovedogs]

@lovedogs thanks for your input. What about the feather inclusion? Should I worry about durability of the diamond?

I'm not an expert on inclusions, so probably not the best person to ask. But for a pendant, I wouldn't worry too much. Rings get bumped around a lot, and pendants don't, so I think any durability concerns won't be an issue for a pendant.

 

[bibiloves]

Found another one that caught my eye. It scores 1.4 on HCA tool. This one is $150 more expensive than the G, I1. Which diamond is better?

0.5 I, VS1 (It says true hearts Ideal but the certificate states AGS excellent, not AGS Ideal)
https://www.jamesallen.com/loose-di...color-vs1-clarity-true-hearts-cut-sku-7016954

 

[lovedogs]

Found another one that caught my eye. It scores 1.4 on HCA tool. This one is $150 more expensive than the G, I1. Which diamond is better?

0.5 I, VS1 (It says true hearts Ideal but the certificate states AGS excellent, not AGS Ideal)
https://www.jamesallen.com/loose-di...color-vs1-clarity-true-hearts-cut-sku-7016954

Can you post the AGS certificate? This new one is almost certainly better.

 

[bibiloves]

Hi @lovedogs, please see cert below. I wonder why they listed the diamond as true hearts Ideal when the cert says AGS Excellent.