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Assistance with engagement ring purchase?

J

jmubluedevil

Rough_Rock
Joined
Aug 31, 2011
Messages
18
Hello everyone,

I'm not 100% sure if this is the appropriate forum - this is my first post on the site.

Anyway, I'm in search of a quality engagement ring as close to 1 carat as possible (preferably at least 1 carat but seems like that might not work). I'd like to pay as close to $6k as possible and still get a nice ring.

So far it's been kind of frustrating. However, I have come across the following diamond when searching and everything seems good except the symmetry and polish:

http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/G-VS2-Premium-Cut-Round-Diamond-1407482.asp

Any advice on this process would be very much appreciated.
 
I would worry about the extremely thin girdle, durability hazard, likely to cheap unless in a bezel setting. This alone would put me off this stone.

Numbers are not promising for light performance and as symm grade is off, numbers can be quite useless.
 
Thanks for the quick reply.

I guess the question is - can I do better within my budget?
 
Depends on what specs you are looking at.

Drop 1 color and clarity grade. These 2 look promising, ask if eye-clean for the SI1 stone and request for an idealscope image if interested.

http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/H-VS2-Premium-Cut-Round-Diamond-1383676.asp

http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/H-SI1-Ideal-Cut-Round-Diamond-1396774.asp

Depends on your color sensitivity or taste, you could easily drop more color and get a larger diamond for about the same price, just depends on your preference/taste.
 
I think the most I'd be willing to budge on color would be I - unless the consensus around here is that is too much color. (Would be going in a platinum band most likely)

I'd definitely like to get a 1 carat if I did that, and I'm not sure how much difference a "Very Good" to "Ideal" cut would make.
 
Cut definition varies with vendors and labs. Some are more simplistic, some just down to taste.

I color is personal sensitivity and taste. Some prefer it to the colorless D-F range, some would go even lower, some cannot tell the difference. Best to check out both your preference by doing some shopping together and looking at well cut, GIA/AGS graded stones.
 
Looks promising from the image. Ask for the GIA report, at least the report number. Also ask if eye-clean and request for idealscope image. JA will allow up to 3 idealscope image request so choose wisely.
 
Pardon my ignorance but what would be the black part in the middle there. I"m assuming this is an inclusion of some type but I'm not familiar with the different types and how likely it is that something like that wouldn't be eye visible.

I'm still waiting on the GIA Report and Idealscope image - meanwhile they put a hold on this diamond for me while they get me the documents - pretty cool.
 
It's hard to tell which type of inclusion it is without the GIA report. Once you get the report you'll be able to compare the image against the inclusion map to identify what the inclusion is.

Did you check with JA to see if this stone is eye-clean? It seems like the inclusion is in the dead center so I'd make sure it is eye-clean to your standard (looking at the diamond from 9-inch or 6-inch or 3-inch from your face).
 
Is it even possible that an inclusion dead center would still be eye clean?

(This diamond shopping has to be one of the most frustrating experiences of my life.)

The CSR at JA said that he thought the diamond would face up eye clean based on the picture but that he wouldn't be sure until they received the information to pass along to me. That's why the diamond is currently on hold.
 
You have to remember that this image is magnified how many times on your display. Rescale it such that it has a diameter of about 6.5mm, then try and see the inclusion again.

Also, the inclusion might not be black, that could just be an artifact of the image taking. There is really no way to judge if a stone is eye-clean just based on an image.
 
It does well according to HCA but is GIA VG. Perhaps some of the more knowledgeable folks can chime in?
 
How does that diamond compare to the one I posted right above it, in your opinion?

I'm really a novice at this stuff but the second diamond is actually cheaper than the first.

EDIT: Ah, nevermind - lady at JA says she doesn't think that would be eye clean.
 
jmubluedevil|1314830948|3006801 said:
Okay, they've updated the page and included the GIA report when you click on it:

http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/I-SI1-Ideal-Cut-Round-Diamond-1398815.asp

My first question - JA lists the diamond as "ideal cut" but the GIA report just says "very good". I thought ideal=excellent?

Does the GIA report give you enough information to provide me with any additional input?
Click to expand...

Nope, JA has their own criteria for cut grade, not necessary better just easier for them to sort. From the report, slightly shallow on the pavilion, might have obstruction issue, but that is not that visible on the image, idealscope image will be more definite.

jmubluedevil said:
I also found this one - based on the image I can't imagine it wouldn't be eye clean.

http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/I-SI1-Premium-Cut-Round-Diamond-1405656.asp
Click to expand...

The stone in the loupe image does not correspond to the GIA report. Visible inclusion is the wrong type and a stone with the proportion listed on the report should not look that way.
 
Stone-cold11|1314849370|3007101 said:
The stone in the loupe image does not correspond to the GIA report. Visible inclusion is the wrong type and a stone with the proportion listed on the report should not look that way.
Click to expand...

Wow. You guys never seem to amaze me. Based on this comment I called our supplier and asked them to check the image against the stone.

The image perfectly matches the stone. Unfortunately, the stone doesn't match the GIA report.

The diamond is being removed from the website today.

Thank you.
 
Pretty awesome that the owner of the company browses this forum and is that engaged in company operations.

I look forward to hopefully doing business with JA.
 
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