$8,000.00 Budget for Diamond: What''s the Biggest/Sparkliest/Whitest Stone I can get?

[jewelgal]

The other day this girl put her ring in my face while handing me change...and i saw her diamond was "big"

Then I was thinking, that Size is the first thing anyone probably notices and was wondering if I was going to small (1.40 to
get a D colored diamnd).

Now I am questioning that and forsaking color to get the larger size - but How Much Larger could I actually get VS a D color?

 

[zoobiedo]

1.4 sounds plenty BIG to me but if you are looking for bigger you can do a search and see what your $8,000 will get you. Sometimes bigger does not mean better or more appealing so keep that in mind.

 

[valeria101]

This is a good Q for some price stats

Let me see...

 

[valeria101]

I would really stress no further but ask for an offer of Old mine diamonds - since these are mostly listed as 'cushion' or somethimes ovals (!) it is not easy to ID them. The prices should be relatively attractive compared to standard modern cuts and it is definitely not true that these have to be smaller for their weight - this cuts seems to exist in the widest range of depths from 50% to 80%, just like the modern radiants.

Looking at current prices, starting at D/SI 1.4cts, going down to G does not make allot of difference (there is still allot of price overlap), maybe get you more choice around 1.5 cts but not allot of size difference. Then I/SI meets the 2 cts mark happily. The higher the calrity, the more obvious the weight differences, of course.

To me this just means that you should look for the finest not-too-deep cut anywhere down the H/I!

This is what that steep price increase with weight does - once you have a budget set, you can have lots of options for color and clarity, but not much for weight. So the larger diamonds for a given budget would be the ones that are cut for size rather than the haviest, IMO.

Do you think 8mm (LINK) would do

And there is slightly bigger - about 8.25 mm suared - on the list (LINK) too. Since neither of these abide by any "rule by numbers" they will have to be seen to be appreciated. As is, my bet goes on the second, despite the numbers. Seriously

 

[valeria101]

I hope you are not going through all this just to buy a ring for others to see - that's easy: almost no one will be able to tell a fake stone in a really convincing setting from the real thing. Make sure your CZ is nicely cut with tell-tale imperfections and "inclusion" and you can even provide your deal colleagues, neighbors and relatives with a loupe to admire your 5 carat rock

As long as you want to go along with the game, you can pass a sim for a Golconda treasure. You'd be surprised of how easy it is!

Anyway... I think the ring below makes a good example of what a setting and a 1.5 carat piece can look like if carefully designed to show off. Every detail of this setting is for show - the play of shapes between round diamond and square, the pave, and the stone set floating just so slightly above the setting to catch light and get lost in the glitter of the pave below. One could make a study of optical illusion on this piece, just like Garry is making one about brilliance and apparent size right now

Only here the added brilliance is not coming from expert cutting of the center diamond but from expert setting of an otherwise so-so round. It would work for a cushion too, of course. Both pieces posted above would likely fit and are larger than the center diamond in the ring below to start with.

 

[valeria101]

 

[jewelgal]

Valeria - You Are The Best!!!!

Thank You So Much for all of your Informative and Thoughtful
posts!!!!!!!

I linked up to those 2 links you provided me and they were great - i liked the second one's measurements better, bec. it was bigger

- i still think I also need to really find a setting that will
amaze me every time i look at it..... i really really like the photo you provided of that hand and ring - showing me how the 1.5 can look huge and very pretty on the hand - so the setting matters a lot.
I still Love

Love the faycullen.com setting (105m3d) and
can't see it in person bec. she doesn't allow returns under 2k.
I also read it was only 10mm and not sure if that is wide enough
....so i really need to see it in person. i asked about 4 jewelers to try to get it in their store for me, but she won't respond to any of them.

The photo u posted w/ that lady's hand is Very Very close to Exactly what I'm looking for - you know, some bead-set round diamonds, maybe a couple of baguettes (for "texture" - glassy look) and some engraving down the shank, perhaps? I also am a fan of that "illusion" mounting- see my avatar ) .......

I am too scared to wear a CZ around bec. i know it's fake and that would bother me. plus i hate to lie. I thought a cz was real at a jeweler...i was fooled. To answer your question if the diamond is about other people, i mean, in a way, i guess it could be - because I know i don't want a "small" diamond - where does that come from? I think it's the "mine is better" mentality that i have to deal with... plus
some of the "but i deserve it too, why not me" thinking as well.....

Do you think since I already own an illusion type setting, that i should get a 4 or 6 prong setting instead / this time around? (to accentuate the diamond VS "hiding" the diamond?)

Your advice is Priceless and I truly appreciate your incredible knowledge and thoughtful tips and photos - they really help a Very indecisive person like me!

 

[reena]

hiya JG!

ok so here's the deal: have you looked at some real F and G stones next to Ds to see whether you're 100% set on paying the premium for the D? just to give you an idea i ran a pscope search for cushions (i know you're not sure which shape you're getting yet but just as an example) $8k or under with SI1 clarity (wanted to keep that constant), a GIA cert and reasonable T/D parameters. i used 1.3 as the minimum carat size.

i found 0 D colored stones for under $8k; the cheapest was about a 1.5 c for about $8300. but, for less than $8000 (sometimes substantally less) i did find:

7 H colored stones, 4 Gs, 4 Es and 4 Fs in the 1.3 carat range (meaning 1.30-1.39)

4 Gs in the 1.4 carat range

13 Hs, 6 Gs and 6 Fs in the 1.5 carat range

3Hs in the 1.6 carat range, and

5Hs in the 1.7 carat range.

now keep in mind that stones can be listed twice on pscope by different vendors, and i didn't take the time to de-dupe them, but you get the idea. you get more size, not to mention a lot more options, when you shift down in color. (and i'm willing to bet that that 1.5 D is not very well cut, as it's comparatively cheap for its size.)

just my .02 as always.

 

[valeria101]

----------------
On 9/8/2004 7:23:19 PM jewelgal wrote:




...I really really like the photo you provided of that hand and ring - showing me how the 1.5 can look huge and very pretty on the hand - so the setting matters a lot.

Do you think since I already own an illusion type setting, that i should get a 4 or 6 prong setting instead / this time around? (to accentuate the diamond VS 'hiding' the diamond?)

----------------

The setting is still one ring at Fay, but they do not sell the setting. The ring could be done on order without much trouble, I guess.

I would not say that a very simple (the typical 4 or 6 prong ones) "accentuate" a diamond - those just show the stone for exactly what it is adding nothing to it but the finger IMO.

Anyway, here's one more take on the situation.

The best way to make sure your ring (or any jewelry really) definitely gets side by side with something embarassigly better the next time you show it is... to go for a model that everyone has - just as good as walking around with your diamond in a gauge.

With an unusual setting clearly flattering for the size and shape of the stone, the final look is just a beautiful ring with nothing left to be desired.

Hope this makes sense

 

[jewelgal]

Hi Reena ! Hi Valeria!

Reena - After my trip to NYC to see the diamond district I figured i'd wait to find the perfect setting first, because it's the "whole package deal" i'm going for, you know? I didn't feel right/comfortable buying just a stone and have nothing i'd be happy to put it in...... so i didn't look at diamonds side by side after that, actually I saw a lot of D's or F's @ GOG. I should have looked at different colors side by side (duh! of me!

) Actually, I did look at an
H come to think of it - at David S. Diamonds in NYC...... the lady was showing me how an H vs a D - and I could see the color in it and wasn't happy w/ it. It was an excellent cut though, it Sparkled like crazy, but that didn't do it for me bec. it was not really a white color... She was a good jeweler because she didn't tell me at first what the color was (was an H)
I actually Guessed It Myself!!!!!! She was astonished!! I am very color
sensitive and am afraid an H would bother me.....(especially since I just found the paperwork to my original stone and realized it is an I-J color!
ee-gad! .49 size ! So small and blaz-ay color. This girl left and waiting to get an email from them, haven't heard....apparently NYC Diamond District doesn't have a lot of inventory - and i went around to a few places, i don't see why they are so limited, plus they said prices increased 20%...

I definitely see what u mean about the color range getting me more diamond, i just want it to be very white and sparkly and a nice size on finger (setting should help, want a wedding set to be 1/2" of finger) ......

Important Question for Valeria & Reena:
My question is........If they grade a "D" color diamond, different from an
E or F or G, there Must Be some color difference to the eye, right??

Will Anyone Notice? At What Point?? ***********1
********************************************************************
Hello Valeria:
Thanks for your post - yes you are right, if i have the "right" setting I wil lbe happy w/ it and won't feel like my ring is "less than" ..... can you suggest some settings/wedding sets?

Possible illusion / illusion type setting OR as long as the Center Diamond
is accented by a "Layer" of bead set diamonds (small) underneath (2nd layer) or around in a "squarish" formation (i don't like circular diamonds around the center stone) and maybe some engraving and a couple
of baguettes for a texture and the whole overall size to appear
"wide-ish and chunky and Substantial" so it looks like a Big Flash of Diamonds on my fingah - --- i guesstimate around 1/2" wide
(i have size 7 fingah)..... To give you a better idea - like "gregg ruth -ish"
and #105M3D on faycullen.com ..........

The journey continues.............

P.S. If /when I win the Lottery, I'm buying you guys a huge rock!!! No joke!