11K Budget. Diamond Advice

[Gypsy]

Okay so next issue. Don't order the setting until you have a stone. Stone first.

And now: I have no clue what the person at JA was thinking, but NO SI2's at 2 carats with GIA Ex/Ex are not guaranteed to be eyeclean. With any SI2, at ANY carat weight, a stone specific, case by case, determination needs to be made about whether or not the stone is eyeclean.

Occasionally we get some wonky advice from sales people at larger vendors like JA, just ask to work with a different sales person in the future and make sure you are getting the right information directly from their gemologists, not just from some random sales person who in the holiday rush may not be as well trained as we'd like them to be.

I agree that GOG is a great place, but it's not the ONLY vendor to shop at, by far and neither is WF. Although those are the two vendors Diamondseeker has a personal preference for working with. I think any of the vendors recommended here can give you what you need to buy a good round brilliant. IDJ has made me videos, and I have gotten ASETs and IS's from Engagement Rings Direct. You just need to ask for what you need and if the vendor can provide it, they will.

I think you are find keeping your options open and talking to different vendors, but if you want to see what GOG can find for you too-- got for it. There's no reason not to. And GOG has a great history of finding some beautiful stones (of course the same can be said of many vendors). But I do disagree that the ONLY reason GOG is expensive is because of the information they offer. I have gotten setting and jewelry quotes from them (no information required, no videos, pictures, scans, just order a band) and they are consistently the most expensive on the items they carry. You are also paying for their rent in an expensive area and a healthy markup. Not to say that it's not worth working with them. But since we are being accurate, I would not want to say their high prices are justified by their informative diamond work ups alone. That's my personal experience.

The 1.9 K stone is too deep, I'd move on.

Run the other one you were looking at: http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/K-SI2-Ideal-Cut-Round-Diamond-1442976.asp through the HCA tool, anything under 2.0 is worth asking for an IS of: https://www.pricescope.com/tools/hca if the score is over 2, you still might want to get an IS from JA.

 

[06pvc]

That diamond gets a 0.8 TIC in the HCA tool. How visible do you think the inclusions would be though?
http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/K-SI2-Ideal-Cut-Round-Diamond-1442976.asp

Per the Setting: Thanks for all the advice. I would have gotten that setting if not for the advice, and now won't. So THANKS! One thing Eternity diamonds did say is that they were able to make paves with lower color stones, to accommodate a K center stone. Is this something other places will do too? I will not buy the setting first thanks to the advice given.

Per Vendors. There is a value to the upgrade option at GOG. But I will definitely keep my options open and get in touch with Engagement Ring direct and ID Jewelry, and also keep my eyes open to James Allen. If I am dealing with a round diamond and can get the ASET and IS, I don't see how much value added I am going to be able to get from GOG.

 

[Gypsy]

That diamond gets a 0.8 TIC in the HCA tool. How visible do you think the inclusions would be though?
http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/K-SI2-Ideal-Cut-Round-Diamond-1442976.asp

No idea. Call JA, tell them you are a pricescoper and want an experienced sales person. Have them pull the stone and have a gemologist evaluate it for you.

 

[Gypsy]

http://www.ebay.com/itm/2-26ct-K-VS1-Art-deco-Antique-Estate-european-Diamond-platinum-/200684184232?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item2eb9b5a2a8 Probably an N but gorgeous.

 

[diamondseeker2006]

You honestly don't need to get in touch with 4 or 5 vendors if you are wanting to buy a virtual stone because you may waste a lot of time. That is why I suggested ID Jewelry if you don't want the added services. They have access to supplier lists like the others and can call in stones for you and offer close to the lowest prices. I would ask them about trade-ins, because some people here have traded in eternity rings and they honored those trades. If they'd do that, then you would really have the advantage that the best known vendors here offer. I am sure they can help you find a setting that will be beautiful and safe for the diamond. Any vendor can call in virtual stones, so you really just need to choose one and work with them until you find a stone you like.(I haven't posted a single stone from GOG or WF in this thread, you will note! I've only posted James Allen because they at least have photos which allow you to have an idea if a stone is eyeclean or not.)

 

[Gypsy]

If you do find a stone with the right measurements, this is the halo I would buy. It's pre-owned by a pricescoper and great quality. [URL='https://www.pricescope.com/forum/preloved-ps-jewels/bgd-sarah-halo-for-sale-t169768.html']https://www.pricescope.com/forum/preloved-ps-jewels/bgd-sarah-halo-for-sale-t169768.html[/URL]

8.03 x 8.08 x 4.89 mm is the measurements of the original stone, so you would need something similar.

 

[06pvc]

Gypsy. That halo is a little past my budget. I wanted to limit the setting expense to 2K and lower than that if possible. As you said shape then color.

Here is an IS I just got for a 1.96K AGS(0). It only scores a 2.1 in HCA though.
http://oi42.tinypic.com/2q16l3r.jpg

And here is the Cert
http://www.b2cjewels.com/Certificate.aspx?StockNo=2104293

 

[diamondseeker2006]

Stone looks good but on the IS it looks like it may have visible inclusions (maybe black). Can they examine the stone for you?

 

[06pvc]

Diamondseeker. Thanks for the help. It is from a drop-shipper. I asked and they said they will get some comments on the Jan 2nd. So hopefully it passes that test.

Based on everyone advice I also asked the Gemologist at JA about
http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/K-SI2-Ideal-Cut-Round-Diamond-1442976.asp
which I posted earlier. On JA thought it now says it is unavailable which is a little disconcerting. Does this mean it was sold?

Thanks for all the help. Hopefully I get a diamond soon, and then next step setting.

 

[diamondseeker2006]

James Allen is owned by a diamond supplier so I am thinking that many of their stones are available on virtual lists to many other sources. So the stone may have been called in by another jeweler and it could show back up in the inventory if it is not sold. So it may or may not be sold. So just keep watching for it over the next week or so.

 

[06pvc]

Hopefully it comes back.

I also found this stone. http://www.bluenile.com/round-diamond-1-carat-very-good-cut-j-color-si2-clarity_LD02336485
It is a little smaller then I am looking for but still has 8x8 measurements, customer service says it is eye clean. And it gets an HCA score of 1.2. Seems nice. Am I missing anything on it?

 

[Gypsy]

Hopefully it comes back.

I also found this stone. http://www.bluenile.com/round-diamond-1-carat-very-good-cut-j-color-si2-clarity_LD02336485
It is a little smaller then I am looking for but still has 8x8 measurements, customer service says it is eye clean. And it gets an HCA score of 1.2. Seems nice. Am I missing anything on it?

It's a really interesting stone. It has a small culet. Very Good Polish. And Medium Florescence. It's a slightly risky choice but it could be beautiful... unique. Can you buy an idealscope and get it shipped to you then post a picture of it with the IS scan?

 

[diamondseeker2006]

The BN stone is two grades off ideal cut, and it is an SI2 with additional clouds not shown. You have no idea if it has good symmetry or whether it is eyeclean. Too many risks for me. The only stones I'd take the risk of ordering with no pictures and no idealscope would have to be AGS Ideal Cut.

 

[06pvc]

thanks for the opinions. Maybe I will just stick with the 1.96 K SI1 I posted earlier, pending the pictures.

Althoguh there is a case to be made for ordering it and looking at it through a purcahsed ideal-scope. Bluenile seems to have a no cost return policy. How much do they cost? Would an inexperienecd photographer be able to take a good picture?

Thanks for the help.

 

[tuffyluvr]

And another.
EGL USA: 2.35ct. H. Very Good Cut. HCA Score 2.5
http://oi44.tinypic.com/28veoh0.jpg

Sorry for tinypic, had trouble posting in message.
Any advice appreciated. Thanks.

Yikes! I can see the inclusions in the photo! Stick to GIA cert.

I agree with starting around the 1.5ct mark. 1.5ct is still very substantial, and you want it to be sparkly and lively!

 

[06pvc]

This one is a little out of my budget. But seems to fit all the criteria.

HCA 1.3.
http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/K-SI2-Premium-Cut-Round-Diamond-1397528.asp

Also could you provide me with halo setting recommendations from http://www.eternitydiamonds.com/
If I am getting a K I want to have K stones in a pave/halo, which eternity diamonds can do. Do any other ring people do this?

Thanks for all the help.

 

[Gypsy]

Yes, people do that.

Halos:

http://www.eternitydiamonds.com/engagement-rings/diamond-engagement-ring/Evangeline-Round-Bezel-Set-Diamond-by-Eternity-%28.39-ctw.%29-155.htm My favorite by Eternity Diamonds.

THese are okay as well:
http://www.eternitydiamonds.com/engagement-rings/diamond-engagement-ring/Halo-Diamond-Ring-404.htm

http://www.eternitydiamonds.com/engagement-rings/diamond-engagement-ring/Diamond-Halo-Ring-394.htm 2nd favorite.

 

[06pvc]

Gypsy.

Thanks for the help. She is really set on a pave & halo. So the one you sent me at 1665 looks doable although if I can find something similar a little cheaper I would prefer that.

Is there a problem with the cheaper halo/paves at EternityDiamond? I guess from the problems you mentioned with the swirl. I want something where the ring itself is not at risk of breaking, and that protects the diamond. I know she is not crazy about bezel. She likes the diamond "up" a little. But if this means the diamond won't be protected then that is something I have to reconcile.
These are ones I know she liked:

http://www.eternitydiamonds.com/engagement-rings/diamond-engagement-ring/Petite-Cathedral-Diamond-Halo-Ring-435.htm
http://www.eternitydiamonds.com/engagement-rings/diamond-engagement-ring/Crossover-Pave-Halo-Ring-454.htm
http://www.eternitydiamonds.com/engagement-rings/diamond-engagement-ring/Diamond-Halo-Ring-With-Split-Shank-334.htm
http://www.eternitydiamonds.com/engagement-rings/diamond-engagement-ring/Pave-Diamond-Halo-Ring-352.htm
http://www.eternitydiamonds.com/engagement-rings/diamond-engagement-ring/Diamond-Halo-Ring-With-Split-Shank-318.htm
http://www.eternitydiamonds.com/engagement-rings/diamond-engagement-ring/Pave-Diamond-Halo-Ring-397.htm

Or these two at IDJewlery?
http://idjewelryonline.com/product_info.php?cPath=42_44&products_id=10115&cType=ER
http://idjewelryonline.com/product_info.php?cPath=42_44&products_id=10119&cType=ER

Also do you have any recommendations for other ring places to look.

As always. The help is very very appreciated.

 

[Gypsy]

Gypsy.



http://idjewelryonline.com/product_info.php?cPath=42_44&products_id=10119&cType=ER



As always. The help is very very appreciated.

This is the better of the two. Why don't you think she'll like this one? It is a pave halo.

http://www.eternitydiamonds.com/engagement-rings/diamond-engagement-ring/Evangeline-Round-Bezel-Set-Diamond-by-Eternity-%28.39-ctw.%29-155.htm Pave, halo and $1200.

 

[06pvc]

She has mentioned she is not crazy about Bezel settings.

Unrelated to the setting search. I recently got sent pictures of this diamond.
https://myapps.gia.edu/ReportCheckPortal/getReportData.do?&reportno=2105560044&weight=2.00

I gets a 1.6 HCA score but only a Good by the GIA cut. It is also 2K lower then most of the other diamonds I have looked at which would give me a larger setting budget.

Here is the picture. They sent me 2 others if you would like me to post those too.
http://oi40.tinypic.com/28l5fua.jpg

 

[06pvc]

Martin Sheffield from USACerted Diamonds Contacted me after I had posted a request for quotes. He gave me an impressive list of diamonds, and has narrowed it down to the following.

It is a K/SI2/2.01/Very Good. 1.0 HCA Score. He says it is 100% eye clean. And I will be able to go view it in person at a local appraiser who will also provide me with an ideal scope.

http://oi42.tinypic.com/a4q3yu.jpg

Am I missing something? The reviews on Martin seem pretty good.

Also he directed me to an appraiser in NYC. For the sake of independence I would prefer to have the diamond sent to an appraiser of my choosing.

Thanks for all the help.

Paul

 

[06pvc]

I posted the about the following diamond earlier (see below). Here is the IS picture:
http://oi42.tinypic.com/28st4p4.jpg

I should have a few more IS coming on some other diamonds. Thanks for all the help.

Unrelated to the setting search. I recently got sent pictures of this diamond.
https://myapps.gia.edu/ReportCheckPortal/getReportData.do?&reportno=2105560044&weight=2.00

I gets a 1.6 HCA score but only a Good by the GIA cut. It is also 2K lower then most of the other diamonds I have looked at which would give me a larger setting budget.

Here is the picture. They sent me 2 others if you would like me to post those too.
[url]http://oi40.tinypic.com/28l5fua.jpg[/url]

 

[diamondseeker2006]

Yikes! Bad IS!!! (It has plenty of red but you can see that the stone has poor symmetry.)If you compare that IS to any ideal cut IS, you will see that that diamond is way inferior! Stick with GIA Excellent cut. That is a broad category and some of those we wouldn't recommend. But there is a lot wrong with the vg diamond just posted.

 

[06pvc]

Great. This exactly what I needed to know!

I have a few more IS coming in the next few days. So I will appreciate any insight on those. I have been working with Martin at USAcerted and he has directed me to the K/SI2/2.01/Very Good. 1.0 HCA Score. I posted earlier http://oi42.tinypic.com/a4q3yu.jpg
I will be taking this to an NYC appraiser to see how go it is.
So you think I should avoid this diamond as it has a very good gia cut score?

I think if that turns out good I between that and the 1.96 K SI1 AGS000 I posted earlier.

I also rolled the dice with 2 GIA ex wit lower HCA scores on James Allen, getting the gemologists opinion. So hopefully I will be able to post those for your review.

As always thanks for the help.

 

[diamondseeker2006]

Great. This exactly what I needed to know!

I have a few more IS coming in the next few days. So I will appreciate any insight on those. I have been working with Martin at USAcerted and he has directed me to the K/SI2/2.01/Very Good. 1.0 HCA Score. I posted earlier http://oi42.tinypic.com/a4q3yu.jpg
I will be taking this to an NYC appraiser to see how go it is.

I think if that turns out good I between that and the 1.96 K SI1 AGS000 I posted earlier.

I also rolled the dice with 2 GIA ex wit lower HCA scores on James Allen, getting the gemologists opinion. So hopefully I will be able to post those for your review.

As always thanks for the help.

You are welcome! But are you paying an appraiser to look at the stone above??? It is not a good stone! I wouldn't waste time or money with that one! And I would probably do business with someone who will show you excellent cut stones, too. Are you in Canada (and isn't that where USAcerted is?)?

 

[diamondseeker2006]

She has mentioned she is not crazy about Bezel settings.

Unrelated to the setting search. I recently got sent pictures of this diamond.
https://myapps.gia.edu/ReportCheckPortal/getReportData.do?&reportno=2105560044&weight=2.00

I gets a 1.6 HCA score but only a Good by the GIA cut. It is also 2K lower then most of the other diamonds I have looked at which would give me a larger setting budget.

Here is the picture. They sent me 2 others if you would like me to post those too.
http://oi40.tinypic.com/28l5fua.jpg

The diamond in this cert has a girdle that goes from extremely thin to very thick. You want to avoid both of those extremes. This is not a well cut diamond. The girdle should be thin, medium, or slightly thick (or a combination of those) only.

https://myapps.gia.edu/ReportCheckPortal/getReportData.do?&reportno=2105560044&weight=2.00

You need to change vendors if someone sent you this stone to consider.

 

[06pvc]

There is a bit of confusion. The IS scope I posted was different from the stone from Martin.
The IS stone was a good cut, that had a great HCA score. I agree I wouldn't waste my time with that one either. It was a wildcard. Martin did not send me that. If he did I would take your advice and switch.

I am in the NYC area. Martin sent me a excel spread sheet of ~10 stones (he is in canada). Many the same stones sold by the other drop shippers, but at a little cheaper price. From that list I chose the
K/SI2/2.01/Very Good. 1.0 HCA Score. I posted earlier http://oi42.tinypic.com/a4q3yu.jpg

He said he could arrange for me to go to the wholesaler to see that in person. I am going to do that. If it meets my approval there I will take it to an appraiser. However do you think it is not worth it if I can't get an IS image before the appraiser? One idea is to just take the above stone (if it meets my approval after seeing it in person), and the below stone to an appraiser, and soliciting their further opinion on which one to choose. If you have an advice on a NYC appraiser it would be appreciated.

So basically that is 1 stone. The other stone is the 1.96K AGS whose IS I posted earlier but which has clarity issues I am getting sorted out.
http://oi42.tinypic.com/2q16l3r.jpg
http://www.b2cjewels.com/Certificate.aspx?StockNo=2104293

 

[diamondseeker2006]

The b2cjewels stone is well cut, but I am betting it is not eyeclean.

The GIA Very good cut is not cut well enough. I absolutely would not go see it without seeing the IS in advance. You want the pavilion angle to be between 40.6 and 41.0. With the 33 crown angle, that pavilion angle should be more like 41. If you are looking at GIA stones, you need to limit your search to GIA excellent only. There are some not-so-great stones in GIA excellent, but you are not going to be searching for the needle in a haystack if you try to sift through the GIA very good category.

Very seriously, with your goal in mind, you need to make an appointment with Yekutiel at ID Jewelry on 47th St. and tell him you found out about him on PS and you want an excellent cut stone just under 2 cts. at $11,000. He has access to all the diamond suppliers the others do and consistently gives the best prices. He also has excellent priced settings. I don't like that this diamond was even on the list, and if you are in NYC, it is going to be much more efficient to just go work with Yekutiel. He is a vendor that advertises here and he has a reputation to uphold and he really does well in finding great quality stones at low prices. I think you'll be in better hands. You are really getting taken off track, I think.

 

[Gypsy]

The b2cjewels stone is well cut, but I am betting it is not eyeclean.

The GIA Very good cut is not cut well enough. I absolutely would not go see it without seeing the IS in advance. You want the pavilion angle to be between 40.6 and 41.0. With the 33 crown angle, that pavilion angle should be more like 41. If you are looking at GIA stones, you need to limit your search to GIA excellent only. There are some not-so-great stones in GIA excellent, but you are not going to be searching for the needle in a haystack if you try to sift through the GIA very good category.

Very seriously, with your goal in mind, you need to make an appointment with Yekutiel at ID Jewelry on 47th St. and tell him you found out about him on PS and you want an excellent cut stone just under 2 cts. at $11,000. He has access to all the diamond suppliers the others do and consistently gives the best prices. He also has excellent priced settings. I don't like that this diamond was even on the list, and if you are in NYC, it is going to be much more efficient to just go work with Yekutiel. He is a vendor that advertises here and he has a reputation to uphold and he really does well in finding great quality stones at low prices. I think you'll be in better hands. You are really getting taken off track, I think.

Ditto. Make an appointment and Yekutiel and tell him in advance what you want and he will take care of you. If you don't like what he has to offer, well... then don't buy anything. But I really think he'll be able to find you a really nice diamond.

 

[06pvc]

Done. Thanks for the help. I will post the other IS images that are on there way, but otherwise will keep you posted on how it goes Yekutiel. Your recommendation is the highest, so I am sure I will have a great experience. I am not in any rush (plan to propose in March), and my father recommended I take my time with the process.

Thanks for all the help. I hope there are communities as good as this one for all major purchases in life .

Paul