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Biggest, brightest diamond engagement ring on a budget

marieni84

Rough_Rock
Joined
Jan 7, 2014
Messages
34
My son wants to propose to his girlfriend of 5 years on Valentine's Day. He could use some help finding the biggest, most sparkly, diamond ring possible. She wants a classic, 6 prong Tiffany style setting in white gold/platinum. His budget is $5,500 for the entire ring, and he hopes to be able to get a 1 ct. They looked at some and the one she liked was $8,500 at a mall box store. He just graduated from college and has college loan debt. I told him I was sure my PSR's could help him :) Suggestions?
 

RockyRacoon

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marieni84|1420841049|3814278 said:
My son wants to propose to his girlfriend of 5 years on Valentine's Day. He could use some help finding the biggest, most sparkly, diamond ring possible. She wants a classic, 6 prong Tiffany style setting in white gold/platinum. His budget is $5,500 for the entire ring, and he hopes to be able to get a 1 ct. They looked at some and the one she liked was $8,500 at a mall box store. He just graduated from college and has college loan debt. I told him I was sure my PSR's could help him :) Suggestions?

Happy to help!

Either of these stones would leave enough of the budget for a great setting, and both possess top-notch cuts:

.885ct, G, VS2
http://www.whiteflash.com/loose-diamonds/round-cut-loose-diamond-3273903.htm

.90ct, H, SI1
http://www.goodoldgold.com/ecommerce/0-9ct-h-si1-hand-selected-premium-round-ideal-cut-diamond.html


I would go with whichever vendor had the setting closest to what was imagined.
 

Gypsy

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marieni84

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Jan 7, 2014
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Thanks, guys. Gypsy, I especially like the first stone. After I posted, my local jeweller called to tell me she located a .97, F, Vs2. It is not certified, but she said we could send it off, and in her opinion it could even come back as a Vs1. It is less expensive than any of these stones, although close. I have worked with them on a couple of rings, one which was certified. I would consider them reputable. Would you take a chance on an uncertified stone? How long does it take to get a stone certified? I haven't seen it yet but plan to go next Monday. It almost sounds too good to be true.
 

KobiD

Shiny_Rock
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Dec 4, 2014
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Here at PS everyone will suggest putting the cut as the number one priority. Most will take it further than simply finding a GIA excellent and really narrow down on the parameters, or suggest an AGS0 (Ideal). I personally wouldn't buy a stone that wasn't certified by AGS/GIA. Even if its outside of the stringent scope that people suggest, at least you will know exactly what your stone is. How you choose to compromise (size, cut, clarity, etc) is an entirely personal choice - but something that needs to be done when working on a budget with set goals.
 

Gypsy

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marieni84|1420853438|3814355 said:
Thanks, guys. Gypsy, I especially like the first stone. After I posted, my local jeweller called to tell me she located a .97, F, Vs2. It is not certified, but she said we could send it off, and in her opinion it could even come back as a Vs1. It is less expensive than any of these stones, although close. I have worked with them on a couple of rings, one which was certified. I would consider them reputable. Would you take a chance on an uncertified stone? How long does it take to get a stone certified? I haven't seen it yet but plan to go next Monday. It almost sounds too good to be true.


No way. I would not.

It's cut that matters not the clarity.

Cheaper is NOT better at all in any way shape or form. And CUT is what makes a diamond bright and sparkly. So unless they have a Sarin machine and can get you the Sarin results BEFORE any further talk takes place AND those dimensions come back in GIA Ex range AND under a 2 on the HCA.... it's a full pass.

And any dealer that tries to convince you their in house graded mystery stone is the way to go (unless it is an old cut) is automatically in shady territory. And yes, it is too good to be true.

Remember: No Sarin with dimensions and angles that put it into GIA Ex catagor AND HCA under two... don't even bother going down to see it. Waste of time.

And any crappy cut stone can look good with the right lighting in a jewelry store.
 

marieni84

Rough_Rock
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Jan 7, 2014
Messages
34
Thanks for the advice. I will tell them to send it to be certified GIA or AGS, then we will know what we have. It also occurred to me that it would be hard to identify your stone down the road if you took it into be repaired or reset. Without a certificate or inscription, how do you know you are getting your stone back? I appreciate you confirming what my intuition was telling me.
 

motownmama

Ideal_Rock
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I would have your son go with that first stone Gypsy recommended in a simple Tiffany-type setting. It's a winner. I would NOT spend the time on this other "potential" stone. You're talking about a proposal in exactly a month! You can identify your own diamond based on its inclusion plot. ANY reputable jewelry would never risk its reputation by switching out your 1 CTW stone.
 

Gypsy

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Yeah. You missed my point.

You need the sarin first to see if it is even worth pursuing. There is no point in sending it to a lab if the cut is bad.

If they can't get you a sarin. It ia a flat no.

That B2C G I posted for you will not last.

Why ask for advice if you are going to ignore it.
 

motownmama

Ideal_Rock
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Anything that "sounds too good to be true," almost always is. PLEASE don't feel beholden to this jeweler just because you've worked with them in the past. I bet dollars-to-donuts, that the recommendations on here will be better stones!
 

16ocean

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May 3, 2009
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motownmama|1420908101|3814552 said:
I would have your son go with that first stone Gypsy recommended in a simple Tiffany-type setting. It's a winner. I would NOT spend the time on this other "potential" stone..

+1
good find Gypsy
 

MollyMalone

Ideal_Rock
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fyi: if the local diamond is sent to GIA for a report & lasered inscription, you won't get the stone & report back until about the 2nd week in March -- unless you pay double the usual costs for rush service. The AGS lab isn't nearly as backed up as GIA is right now, but your local jeweler needs to have established a credit account with AGS in order to submit a stone to them for evaluation.

I too think your son would be better off snagging Gypsy's top recommendation.
 

MollyMalone

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P.S. did you happen to notice that the preferred stone from b2c has been inscribed by GIA?
 

marieni84

Rough_Rock
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Jan 7, 2014
Messages
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I took all your posts and showed them to my son. I told him I liked either of the first two stones suggested by Gypsy. Now, I want you to understand that I am dealing with a 23 year old. He says now that he isn't going to propose on Valentine's Day because he wants to do it when she won't be expecting it. I told him these stones will go fast, but he still wants to see this other stone. I guess I should be glad that he even asked for my opinion. I understand that this is a big step and purchase for him. He does every thing else online. I don't know why buying an engagement ring would be any different. And I do understand that the cut is most important thing to consider. My own diamond is an excellent cut, hearts and arrows, SI1, 1.01, G, GIA, faint fluorescence, 6.51×6.48, 60% table, which I upgraded to in 2012 purchased from this same jeweller. I found out at that time that my first .50 diamond (purchased somewhere else) was a fish eye and not the color or clarity we were told. It was not certified and I am trying to keep him from making our mistake.
 

Gypsy

Super_Ideal_Rock
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40,225
Take your ring, clean it. And take it in with you. That way he can see an ideal cut stone in comparison.

Make certain that he sees it in as many lighting situtations as possible in comparison to your stone. Side by side.

Also point out BEFORE he goes to see that stone that the G stone from B2C is a full carat and that one is not.
 
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