Advice on diamond quality

[Lizard]

Looking for a nice rock for an engagement ring. I want to know what quality limits I should be looking for in this application. For example - in the real world does anything better than an H or I make any difference? What about an SI1 or SI2? And what cut quality?My guess is that there are some rules of thumb that tell where the sweet spot is that will give me the best eyeball look for the $.BTW - I am in the $10K to <$20K price range.

 

[StevL]

Just talking trends, the better cut diamonds are in, and so is colorless (D to F), and in the VS range.Thats not to say that you may like a super cut, in J color, and it being a SI 1 or 2. You need to look, and speak with someone who you can trust. Then you will know what you will be happy with owning.------------------

 

[pricescope]

Lizard, I agree with Lawmax, there is no any rule of thumb because everyone has its own taste.If you only want a beautiful rock, you first have to consider the cut and then G, SI1 so the stone will look white even in white gold or platinum settings without visible inclusions. With yellow gold you probably can go down to H or I.If you’re looking for rarity then you go higher than that.Too big stone might look awfully tasteless on a tiny lady...If you want something really special within your budget you might want to look onto brand name cuts like A Cut Above (Whiteflash.com) or Eightstar. These are real masterpieces of craftsmanship.Try to see many diamonds of different grades and choose your own combination of the 4c's.I hope experts will give you deeper insightleonid

 

[lawmax]

Hi Lizard,What size diamond are you looking for? What shape? Have you gone to a store that sells well-cut diamonds yet? The ideal situation is when you can compare the same color and clarity of average makes, unbranded AGS 0 cut grades, unbranded hearts and arrows stones, and branded ones like A Cut Above, EightStar, Hearts on Fire, etc. all lined up on the same tray. (This is often difficult to find as you need a store that carries really fine diamonds) You should look at ones with GIA or AGS certificates, see them in temporary mountings, and under the microscope and see what appeals to you in terms of color and visibility of inclusions. Try to see them away from the blaster lights which make anything look good! Cut is the most important of the Cs. You can research cut and how it affects the look of the diamond in terms of size in mm, brilliance, scintillation (sparkle when you move your head), and dispersion (fiery colors). The more you look and read, the better you'll know what you're looking for! Some people like whiter color, some don't notice. Better cut diamonds may "face up" once mounted as being whiter than graded. Most people don't like to be able to see inclusions with the naked eye. Many jewelers have told me that they buy G SI1 (a truly eye-clean one) for their wives.After all this, you can decide what you're looking for and compare prices! It is actually quite fun!I hope this helps!

lawmax