About to buy the diamond, but...

[cristinajanusz]

I am going to buy a diamond. Tonight. No more stalling. My wedding is in less than a month and I won't even be able to get the custom setting I want because I stalled so long. But I want everyone's opinions before I choose one because I really value everyone's knowledge here.
Here are my August Vintage Cushion choices:
http://www.goodoldgold.com/diamond/7434/
http://www.goodoldgold.com/diamond/7440/

Here is my August Vinatage Round choice:
http://www.goodoldgold.com/diamond/7137/

And here is my not-as-much-money hearts & arrows choice:
http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/J-VS ... 77&cid=131

If they all check out and are really good stones, it boils down to size. The bigger the better but I want the cut to be awesome and I want it to sparkle like mad. I don't know which will sparkle the best. They are all in price range. I am not aware of James Allen's policies or if they are as credible as Good Old Gold either.
Which would you choose? Thanks!

 

[slg47]

have you watched any of the videos to determine which shape appeals most to your eye? H&A round vs AVC vs AVR are very different looks...

 

[cristinajanusz]

Oh yes and its very hard deciding. I wish I could have one of each (maybe I'll buy a pair of august vintage rounds for earrings down the road.) However, I think I like August Vintage Cushions the best even though I liked the AVRs best first.

 

[cristinajanusz]

You know, I am also wondering if the color difference between the J cushion, K cushion, and M round will be that different. Honestly I can't see a difference on my computer. The video of the 1.22 K looks so clear and white, but the picture on the webpage looks a little yellow. I never know. Right now I have a G or H color diamond I can't remember and it looks like an F in my opinion.

 

[kelpie]

I like the squareishness of the 1.16ct J SI1 GOG Branded August Vintage Cushion Diamond. AVRs are no doubt beautiful but I'm always finding true antique rounds on ebay for a song so I can't justify buying a brand that is supposed to look antique when the real thing is available and cheaper. I'm not saying they're interchangeable, the AVRs are precision cut and the symmetry is excellent. Antique cushions, particularly those with good symmetry, are hard to come by and don't really have the same look as a AVC. The link for the round didn't work for me.

You really should not make a decision in haste. This is a ring you'll have forever, most likely. If push comes to shove just buy an awesome wedding band for your wedding with the diamond ring to come later.

 

[Dreamer_D]

Have you seen these colors in person? For me personally, there was a tipping point somewhere in the J/K border where the diamond became too tinted for my personal preference. You cannot judge from the computer screen. So if you have never seen diamonds in this color range before I would suggest trying to see before you commit. There will be a noticable warmth to a K and definitely in an M. You may love this, you may not.

That said I also like the 1.16ct J AVC.

 

[cristinajanusz]

I actually bought a silver band (they claimed it was white gold and I really don't care) so I don't plan on ever getting a different band and I probably won't ever wear it. I just want one big diamond with an awesome setting. I have in mind the Anya setting from Jewels by Erica Grace. http://jewelsbyericagrace.smugmug.com/J ... 4641_LouRJ
In fact, has anyone ever done business here? That would be helpful!

There is only a .08 difference between the J cushion and the K cushion...but one is square-ish and one is rectangular.

 

[cristinajanusz]

I have not seen anything below an I in stores before. Not that great of a selection where I live. The stores around me don't carry radiant cuts, cushion cuts, they charge up the kazoo and don't give you any information on anything, ever.
I can always pick the one I like best and judge it n my finger when it gets here I guess.

 

[athenaworth]

I love the square'ness of the first one and it looks like it's a pretty great color.

 

[cristinajanusz]

Ok I narrowed it down to the two cushions. Do you think there will be enough difference to go for the bigger stone, I mean will it look that much bigger than the smaller cushion? Does the fact that the smaller one is a square shape make it smaller in appearance?

I am still a little concerned that the K will be very yellow in person, but it doesn't look like it in the video. I am also not so sure about the little "bump" on the top of the J in the middle. Like a little curve. It looks like maybe it wasn't supposed to be there?

 

[Dreamer_D]

In my experience there is a big difference between J and K grades and the photos show it I think. The size difference is not going to be noticable in real life, but I bet the color would. Best bet: call and talk to someone who can look at the diamonds and tell you a) which one looks bigger b) is the K noticably more tinted.

The bump is just lighting.

 

[cristinajanusz]

Thanks. I just emailed them those questions and asked for a video of the J cushion. I should have asked for a side by side comparison. Stupid me. But hopefully I can get an email back tomorrow and jump on it. I've been waiting so long that FOUR diamonds I wanted to get were purchased before I could make up my mind for sure. And I sent price quote requests on two certain settings to Leon Mege being that they're very similar to the Erica Grace setting Anya which is $1,000 more than I can afford. I think Leon will be more expensive though.

 

[cristinajanusz]

Does Good Old Good give discounts to people using Pricescope like James Allen does?

 

[swingirl]

I love GOG's August Vintage Cushions. The rectangular K is beautiful. BUT don't get a K or lower unless you are really okay with there being a hint of yellow. I love the warm creamy tone of the lower colors but to many people they look too yellow. If you are comparing a J or K to an H keep in mind you will see some color. It's a matter of whether it will bother you or will you embrace the warmth.

Either stone will be beautiful. GOG will do their best if you need a setting, too.

I believe they offer a wire transfer discount.

 

[cristinajanusz]

Getting one step closer... I realized the J color diamond has...well, I don't know what its called. There is an open culet in the middle as expected, but it looks like there are four more, one on each side of the culet a little smaller than it, right in the middle of each side. It is part of the cut but I don't really like it. The K color diamond appears to not have any of these extra facets or whatever they're called. So if I get the video of the J diamond I can decide if I like it, and I also sent a second email asking if they have any similar diamonds that are like these that maybe aren't listed online.

 

[stone-cold11]

That is probably just the culet being reflected around the diamond.

 

[Brown.Eyed.Girl]

That J would have been my choice. I love the facet pattern, the squareishness, and I prefer J color to K (my mom has a gorgeous round K and while it's beautiful, there's definitely warmth to the stone).

Will you be putting this into a temp setting until after the wedding (when you can do a custom)?

ETA: Have you tried seeing if BGD or WF can do something similar to the Anya for a lower price?

 

[cristinajanusz]

That'll be nice if its just reflections and not part of the permanent pattern.
I will put this in the cheapest solitaire setting that suits it until after the wedding, and take my time to upgrade then. It was really important to me that I have the diamond and setting for the pictures, because y'know...pictures last forever. But oh well. We're on a really tight budget because of the wedding and we're also getting a house, the close date is next week, so its a lot of pressure getting the right diamond for the right price, because of the wedding but limited by the wedding.

 

[stone-cold11]

It is a permanent pattern, just not a physical facet cut at the 4 corners.

 

[lovemybling]

Just to add my opinion, I like the shape of the "k" stone the best. If you are thinking about an antique looking setting I think that stone would be BEAUTIFUL.

GOOD LUCK

 

[cristinajanusz]

My fiancee and I were looking at the website again as we wait for a reply email, and we found this one:
http://www.goodoldgold.com/diamond/4919/
It doesn't have a lifetime guarantee but it is the only one on their website and really unique. Would you buy it if you were on a budget instead of something between $4000 and $5000, which is the max price? I think if I got this I could get a better setting...just a thought to pass time though. Still waiting for a reply email to make up my mind.

 

[Dreamer_D]

My fiancee and I were looking at the website again as we wait for a reply email, and we found this one:
http://www.goodoldgold.com/diamond/4919/
It doesn't have a lifetime guarantee but it is the only one on their website and really unique. Would you buy it if you were on a budget instead of something between $4000 and $5000, which is the max price? I think if I got this I could get a better setting...just a thought to pass time though. Still waiting for a reply email to make up my mind.

It is much smaller than the others you consider.

 

[cristinajanusz]

Yes, I would like at least a one carat. I wish they had a bigger octogon with a lifetime guarantee. This one could be a cute right hand ring for someone too.

 

[stone-cold11]

Look nice but probably not a shape in demand which is why no lifetime guarantee and the only stone left.

 

[E B]

ETA: Have you checked James Allen's inventory for cushions?

 

[cristinajanusz]

I just looked at James Allen and I think their asschers and cushions are pretty good prices. I don't know if their lifetime guarantee compares to Good Old Gold, and I have no clue how to tell if an asscher or cushion is good or not. Can I really assume they're good if they say ideal cut? I'm really not picky on shape because they're all so pretty. Here are a couple I found:
http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/I-VS ... 275936.asp
http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/I-VS ... 325149.asp
http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/J-VS ... 279893.asp

 

[stone-cold11]

Not enough information.

Need image, ASET and crown height.

 

[cristinajanusz]

Actually, Good Old Gold's lifetime guarantee includes lifetime buy back at full purchase price according to their website, and after a little digging I found out James Allen does not have that. They will buy back the stone before two years is up for 70% of the purchase price. At some point in time I may want to upgrade again, so this is important. So I am going to go with Good Old Gold.

 

[stone-cold11]

Huh?

Upgrade you need the upgrade policy not the buy back policy. Different things unless you plan on selling this stone back the the vendor then buying from another vendor then you need a buy back policy.

 

[E B]

I think that if you're going to set the diamond into a halo, you should really consider how comfortable you are with going J and below. There was a thread around here somewhere about small melee looking white, white, white next to a larger stone and highlighting a warmer stone's color further. You may want to sacrifice a few points for a higher color, or it might not bother you in the slightest, but it's something to think about.