Another New

[Mobydickulous]

EDIT: I guess the title bar doesn't like quotation marks. The full title was: Another new "face" looking for guidance.

Hello everyone, my name is Darek and I'm yet another diamond rookie searching high and low for the perfect engagement ring for my GF of 3+ years. I've been lurking around PS for a while now and have gained more knowledge here in a few weeks than in my months of searching elsewhere around the Web. A huge thank you to all the folks who have contributed so much great information, you've been an immense help already.

To get it out of the way, here are my current search criteria for your perusal, dissection and hopefully suggestions.

Shape: RB
CW: .65-.8
Color: E-G/I
Clarity: VS1-SI1
Cut: Ideal
Polish: Ideal-EX
Symmetry: Ideal-EX
Budget: $3,000-$3500

My GF and I have done some ring shopping in local independent as well as mall (yikes!) boutiques in the recent months, both together and separately, and I've gleaned some great insight into what she would like in a ring. We don't have a ton of money (we're both hard working late 20 somethings with plenty of college debt both taking grad classes) and she insists that I not spend beyond our means.

Her qualifications to me were that the ring be fairly simple, white gold or platinum, with a RB center stone and diamond accents in the band. She isn't interested in an exceedingly large stone but desperately wants one with "a lot of sparkle". She mentioned the Leo diamond at Kay's as an example of what "sparkle" meant to her. She doesn't care where the diamond comes from or the brand name attached to it (or lack there of) so that brings me to my first question:

Is the look of the Leo diamond a simple result of the QUALITY of the cut, or does it have more to do with the extra facets? I'm not really interested in over-paying for a Leo, but am curious if I would be better served looking into a similarly "extra faceted" stone rather than a well cut standard RB?

I've taken a look through the RB selection on GOG as well as WF (though not as extensively as GOG) and have seen some things that catch my eye but the proportions part of things still mostly baffles me. The IS images that GOG provides help a lot in my confidence about buying online, which I've decided is the best bet for me living in a fairly diamond-thin area of northern New England, but I'm still paranoid about buying something before I know for sure it's a good bet. So I turn to the fine folks here at PS for some advice, guidance and hopefully suggestions.

Thanks for reading!

 

[Lorelei]

Hi Darek and welcome!

Your specs sound fine, and it is definitely cut quality which will give you the sparkle you desire. If buying online then one of the branded h&a cuts such as Infinity, hand selected GOG h&a, Whiteflash brand etc could give you that performance or just a diamond which is cut with excellent proportions ( these are responsible for the performance of the diamond) should sparkle and be very beautiful. The overall proportions are crucial rather than extra facets - these stones have their place and fans but in order to get a very sparkly stone a well cut " near Tolkowsky" proportioned stone as we often see here will give you that. If an extra faceted diamond does particularly appeal, GOG offer The Solasfera which might be of interest to you.

Going with a vendor like GOG you will be in excellent hands, Jon is a great guy as well as true expert and enthusiast so you can buy from him or any of the other PS vendors with confidence. Also if you have a definite diamond contender in mind, Jon might be able to do a video for you so you can see the stone on film prior to purchase.

As for what to choose, I would look at AGS0 cut grade and hand selected GIA Excellent from any of the vendors who have the stones in house with all the analysis done such as Idealscope and ASET etc. This will make things much easier.

Lastly, if you are unsure, if you have a Jareds in your area take some time to go and view their AGS0 Peerless diamonds in person, these will have similar proportions to those GOG and the other vendors sell as their hand selected top cut stones, this will give you an idea of how well cut diamonds behave.

 

[Lorelei]

Here is a video on the Solasfera comparing it with another diamond which might be helpful.

http://www.vimeo.com/4165385

 

[Mobydickulous]

Thanks so much for the speedy reply Lorelei.

The majority of what I've read here on PS, and elsewhere for that matter, echos much of what you've said about extra facets but I didn't want to completely write them off. I'm sure there are stones out there in that class that would suit my needs but I can see my GF as someone who would appreciate the tradition in a standard RB.

I had noticed the Solasfera on the GOG site and had that particular cut in mind when asking about the extra facet trend. I'd be tempted to give Jon a call just to inquire about price but the lack of any pricing info on the site leads me to believe they may be out of my reach. It never hurts to ask though I suppose and I imagine I'll be in contact with him at some point anyway.

The closest Jared store in my area is in Concord NH, about 2 and a half hours south, but I may be in that area in the next couple of weeks so it may be worth the trip if I haven't made a choice by then. Thanks for the tip.

I'd still welcome more input and maybe a suggestion or two about what I should be looking for. Flipping through the GOG site tonight this stone caught my attention, thoughts?

http://www.goodoldgold.com/diamond/6071/

EDIT: Thank you for the video link, I'll give that a look when I'm back on a media-enabled PC.

 

[Lorelei]

Date: 9/4/2009 3:50:24 AM
Author: Mobydickulous
Thanks so much for the speedy reply Lorelei.

The majority of what I've read here on PS, and elsewhere for that matter, echos much of what you've said about extra facets but I didn't want to completely write them off. I'm sure there are stones out there in that class that would suit my needs but I can see my GF as someone who would appreciate the tradition in a standard RB.

I had noticed the Solasfera on the GOG site and had that particular cut in mind when asking about the extra facet trend. I'd be tempted to give Jon a call just to inquire about price but the lack of any pricing info on the site leads me to believe they may be out of my reach. It never hurts to ask though I suppose and I imagine I'll be in contact with him at some point anyway.

The closest Jared store in my area is in Concord NH, about 2 and a half hours south, but I may be in that area in the next couple of weeks so it may be worth the trip if I haven't made a choice by then. Thanks for the tip.

I'd still welcome more input and maybe a suggestion or two about what I should be looking for. Flipping through the GOG site tonight this stone caught my attention, thoughts?

http://www.goodoldgold.com/diamond/6071/

EDIT: Thank you for the video link, I'll give that a look when I'm back on a media-enabled PC.

Most welcome!

Just ask Jon about the Solasfera pricing, he is a great guy and you might find it isn't out of reach after all!

Yes that is a very nice diamond you posted above, ' near h&a' and could be a super choice, it should sparkle like crazy! From a quick search there are lots to choose from which might suit you, here is another example.

http://www.goodoldgold.com/diamond/6223/

 

[Mobydickulous]

I''ve had some time to dig through the Whiteflash inventory a bit in the last couple of hours (thanks dull night shift job) and I thought I''d try and get some opinions about this stone:

http://www.whiteflash.com/hearts_arrows/Whiteflash-ACA-cut-diamond-2163465.htm

Report: AGS
. Shape: Whiteflash ACA
. Carat: 0.718
. Depth %: 61.1
. Table %: 57
. Crown Angle: 34.7
. Crown %: 15
. Star : 53
. Pavilion Angle: 40.7
. Pavilion %: 42.9
. Lower Girdle %: 76
. Girdle: Thin to Medium Faceted
. Measurements: 5.75-5.78X3.52
. Light Performance: 0
. Polish: Ideal
. Symmetry: Ideal
. Culet: Pointed
. Fluorescence: Negligible

Again, any and all feedback is welcome.

 

[stone-cold11]

Looks good to me.

 

[Lorelei]

Date: 9/4/2009 6:17:58 AM
Author: Mobydickulous

I''ve had some time to dig through the Whiteflash inventory a bit in the last couple of hours (thanks dull night shift job) and I thought I''d try and get some opinions about this stone:

http://www.whiteflash.com/hearts_arrows/Whiteflash-ACA-cut-diamond-2163465.htm

Report: AGS
. Shape: Whiteflash ACA
. Carat: 0.718
. Depth %: 61.1
. Table %: 57
. Crown Angle: 34.7
. Crown %: 15
. Star : 53
. Pavilion Angle: 40.7
. Pavilion %: 42.9
. Lower Girdle %: 76
. Girdle: Thin to Medium Faceted
. Measurements: 5.75-5.78X3.52
. Light Performance: 0
. Polish: Ideal
. Symmetry: Ideal
. Culet: Pointed
. Fluorescence: Negligible

Again, any and all feedback is welcome.

Its a beautiful diamond Moby and could make a super choice!

 

[Lula]

Hi, Moby,
Ditto on the WF stone -- it looks great!

If you click the "Reserve" button on GOG's page for a Solafsera, it will take you to the price list.

Right now there is a .70 available on GOG's site for a little bit over your budget. You'll want to ask Jonathan about the clarity. Here's the link:
link

 

[Ellen]

Date: 9/4/2009 3:50:24 AM
Author: Mobydickulous
Thanks so much for the speedy reply Lorelei.

The majority of what I've read here on PS, and elsewhere for that matter, echos much of what you've said about extra facets but I didn't want to completely write them off. I'm sure there are stones out there in that class that would suit my needs but I can see my GF as someone who would appreciate the tradition in a standard RB.

I had noticed the Solasfera on the GOG site and had that particular cut in mind when asking about the extra facet trend. I'd be tempted to give Jon a call just to inquire about price but the lack of any pricing info on the site leads me to believe they may be out of my reach. It never hurts to ask though I suppose and I imagine I'll be in contact with him at some point anyway.

The closest Jared store in my area is in Concord NH, about 2 and a half hours south, but I may be in that area in the next couple of weeks so it may be worth the trip if I haven't made a choice by then. Thanks for the tip.

I'd still welcome more input and maybe a suggestion or two about what I should be looking for. Flipping through the GOG site tonight this stone caught my attention, thoughts?

http://www.goodoldgold.com/diamond/6071/

EDIT: Thank you for the video link, I'll give that a look when I'm back on a media-enabled PC.

They might be, however, Jon carries some regular cut H&A diamonds that give off a somewhat similar type of scintillation. They are diamonds with longer lgf's (arrows). I'm not sure how much you've read, so I don't want to insult you if you already know this, but the arrows are what make the scintillation have the "personality" they do. Just in case you were interested, I'll link two I found in your price range.

Many of GOG's diamonds (as well as other vendors) have diamonds with lgf's in the 75-78 range. If you start getting closer to 80, and on, the skinnier the arrows become, and the more splintery the sparkle becomes, and looks like more.

This one has them at 78.5, slightly longer than the "norm".

http://www.goodoldgold.com/diamond/6165/


And this one has them at 79. It must be new, as the pics aren't up yet. I got the info on the lgf by using the report number. It should be a very nice diamond, everything looks good and it's a H&A. You can easily ask for pics, etc.

http://www.goodoldgold.com/diamond/I315205/


Anyway, I just wanted to let you know about these, as they are a bit closer to the Solesfera's look, though not the same, as the arrows are not the only thing that's different. But it's an option. Feel free to ignore!

And the WF diamond is very nice, no worries there!

 

[lisa1.01fvs1]

Just had to say great name Moby!

 

[Engagement Ring Expert]

Hi Darek,

With that budget, you might be able to get closer to 1.00 ct. just by reducing your color requirement to an H, and reducing your clarity requirement to SI2. So long as the table is clean and the stone is well cut, you should be able to achieve a bigger bang for your buck. If you set the diamond in platinum, which will stay white because it''s a pure white metal, you don''t need to go any higher than G color to have a visually white diamond. Obviously an EGL certificate is another story entirely, with that you''d want to be in the F-G color range, but with GIA, G-H is white to the eye, especially set in platinum. If you go with a white gold setting, I would recommend F-G color (GIA or AGS) in case the yellow gold begins to shine through over time as often happens after about 3 years. Good luck on your diamond and engagement ring search.

 

[Mobydickulous]

Stone-cold and Lorelei, thank you for the reassurance about the WF stone. It's nice to know I'm at least headed in the right direction.

SaraPJ, thank you so much for the tip about the reserve button. I'll have a whole new selection to paw through tonight. It's looking more and more like a standard RB is my stone of choice but I'm certainly not closing any doors just yet.

Ellen, it'll take a lot more than potentially repetitive information to insult me when it comes to diamond shopping. If I have to hear things 10 times before they sink in then so be it. As far as the longer lgf info, that's news to me. I'll be sure to take a look at the stones you linked and compare them to others in the more standard lgf range to get an idea of how they differ. I really appreciate it.

Lisa, thanks for the props on the name. It's blatantly stolen from a band out of Brooklyn called the 2 Skinnee J's but it works great as a screen name and it has served me well for years now.

Matthew, thank you for your advice. It's been a balancing act trying to decide how big to go while still maintaining quality and my primary reason for sticking in the SI1 and up range was to avoid the stress of not being able to see the stone before I buy but I've come to learn that with the trusted PS vendors you're generally in good hands if they say the stone is eye clean, which is really all that matters to me.

The setting issue is a whole other can of worms that I'm just starting to crack open. I've been thinking more and more that platinum might be the best bet for my future Fiance but, once again, cost becomes an issue.

While we're on the subject, I'd welcome feedback about a couple of settings I've been looking at. Once again, nothing extravagant and I want to use as much of my budget for the stone as possible so here are a couple of my initial interests:

http://www.whiteflash.com/Engagement-Rings/Styles/Diamond-Settings/Rounded-Open-Cathedral-Engagement-Ring_1352.htm

http://www.whiteflash.com/Engagement-Rings/Styles/Diamond-Settings/-Flush-Fit--Diamond-Engagement-Ring_1063.htm

Of those I'm leaning more toward the second.

Thank you all again for your help.

 

[Lorelei]

Most welcome!

I prefer the second setting too.

 

[Ellen]

Date: 9/4/2009 8:25:41 PM
Author: Mobydickulous

Ellen, it''ll take a lot more than potentially repetitive information to insult me when it comes to diamond shopping. If I have to hear things 10 times before they sink in then so be it. As far as the longer lgf info, that''s news to me. I''ll be sure to take a look at the stones you linked and compare them to others in the more standard lgf range to get an idea of how they differ. I really appreciate it.

No problem! Also, Jon carries/can get in diamonds with even longer lgf''s, I just couldn''t find any in your range. But he could probably get one in from his supplier. And what you might do, is have him do a video of a Solasfera and one of the regular H&A with the longer lgf''s so you can actually see the differences in how the diamonds look.


As far as your setting''s, I prefer the second one. However, I had a thought. I know you''re wanting to put the bulk of the budget in the diamond, and totally understand, but, if you went with a setting like this, the tapered band would make the diamond look bigger and "pop" more. Just thought I''d throw that out, as it''s something a lot of guys don''t think about/know when they are looking at settings.

In deciding between WG and Plat, the only real "con" to WG is that it needs replating periodically. I''ve worn WG all my life (close to 30 years) with no problems structurally between 2 sets of rings. And I don''t find the replating that big of a deal. Just my .02.

 

[tyty333]

Flush fit would be my favorite ...they look similiar but I like the surprise diamond!

 

[Mobydickulous]

Date: 9/5/2009 8:06:25 AM
Author: Ellen

Date: 9/4/2009 8:25:41 PM
Author: Mobydickulous


Ellen, it''ll take a lot more than potentially repetitive information to insult me when it comes to diamond shopping. If I have to hear things 10 times before they sink in then so be it. As far as the longer lgf info, that''s news to me. I''ll be sure to take a look at the stones you linked and compare them to others in the more standard lgf range to get an idea of how they differ. I really appreciate it.

No problem! Also, Jon carries/can get in diamonds with even longer lgf''s, I just couldn''t find any in your range. But he could probably get one in from his supplier. And what you might do, is have him do a video of a Solasfera and one of the regular H&A with the longer lgf''s so you can actually see the differences in how the diamonds look.


As far as your setting''s, I prefer the second one. However, I had a thought. I know you''re wanting to put the bulk of the budget in the diamond, and totally understand, but, if you went with a setting like this, the tapered band would make the diamond look bigger and ''pop'' more. Just thought I''d throw that out, as it''s something a lot of guys don''t think about/know when they are looking at settings.

In deciding between WG and Plat, the only real ''con'' to WG is that it needs replating periodically. I''ve worn WG all my life (close to 30 years) with no problems structurally between 2 sets of rings. And I don''t find the replating that big of a deal. Just my .02.

Thank you again Ellen, that''s a beautiful setting. My fiance-to-be has a very specific wedding band in mind (Flush Fit.

I think I''ve settled on WG both for budget reasons and because of the lack of overwhelming negatives. My GF is the type to cherish imperfections (she is with me after all) and has commented on how she enjoys the wear on her frequently worn WG jewelry and how it makes it "more hers". Plus, I''m happy to get it re-plated whenever she''d like so I think that makes the most sense.

I''ve been looking at some of Rhino''s videos (so cool to have all that great information presented in that way) and the Solasfera looks amazing so I''m definitely keeping an open mind. I know you mentioned using the report numbers to get the information about the lgf length on the standard H&A cut, how would I go about doing that?

Thank you yet again for all your input.

And thank you for your thoughts on the setting tyty333.

 

[Ellen]

I'm sorry, I didn't mean to make it harder about the settings! Do you know that she specifically wants a flush fit? Many have a slight gap (including me) and don't mind, however it does bug some people. I didn't see where you may have said, if I missed it.


If she's already worn WG, I think that would be just fine for her wedding set.

Here the link for checking a grading report for AGS. And here is the link for GIA's in case you need it.


And you're quite welcome. Let us know how you get on!

 

[Mobydickulous]

I''ve been in contact with Juli at WF over the last couple of days and I put in my order this afternoon for the diamond and setting. I went with the Flush Fit setting for a number of reasons after picking my soon-to-be Fiance''s brain a bit more about what she prefers. I noticed her browsing through some rings the other night and had her show me a bunch she didn''t like which turned into her searching for something she did, and it turns out we were on the same page to begin with. What a relief.

I also stumbled upon EricaR''s thread about her e-ring with the same setting and really liked what I saw. She has a similarly sized stone and took some great pictures so I''m feeling confident that my GF will love it.

I wanted to thank everyone again for all your input and support, and I''ll probably be back to post some pics at some point.

I''d still welcome any thoughts you may have about the wedding band selection.

Now on to figuring out exactly when and how I''ll be proposing...

 

[VRBeauty]

Date: 9/9/2009 8:22:36 PM
Author: Mobydickulous

I also stumbled upon EricaR''s thread about her e-ring with the same setting and really liked what I saw. She has a similarly sized stone and took some great pictures so I''m feeling confident that my GF will love it.

I''d still welcome any thoughts you may have about the wedding band selection.

Congratulations! You did good!

Since the (absolutely beautiful!) e-ring you''re getting for your sweetie is similar to EricaR''s ring, perhaps you''d also want to take a look at the wedding band she decided on:

https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/by-tgals-request-my-wedding-band.112446/

 

[Mobydickulous]

^ LOL, that thread is full of awesome.

The band choice is probably going to be more up to her than me so I'll have to bring her by here to check things out.

Oh, and quick question for anyone who cares to answer. What does the "star" number represent? I've seen both 53 and 52 but it seems like I see more 52s and the diamond I chose has a 53. I probably should have found this out BEFORE I purchased it but nobody raised the red flag so I'm guessing it's not a big deal I just couldn't find any info on it.

Edit: Nevermind, thank you search function.

 

[Ellen]

Congrats Darek, I''m sure she''s going to love this, you put a beautiful ring together!

And you''re welcome!

 

[Mobydickulous]

Date: 9/10/2009 8:13:28 AM
Author: Ellen
Congrats Darek, I''m sure she''s going to love this, you put a beautiful ring together!

And you''re welcome!

Thanks Ellen, I''m very satisfied with it.

Now comes the agonizing wait until I can give it to her and she hopefully likes it and it fits her.

 

[Lorelei]

Congrats!!