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BLOWING MY SAVINGS FOR GIRL OF MY DREAMS SO WANT IT TO BE PERFECT

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nycattny

Rough_Rock
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May 28, 2008
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I am in my late 20s and have been with my girlfriend for over 5 years and it''s about that time. Friends are starting to get engaged and the pressure is on! She has expensive taste and deserves only the best. That being said I have stepped up my budget beyond what any rational mind would advise. I already have a setting in mind that I love and plan to have custom made. As of today, my thoughts include a budget of around $30-35K, give or take a little, for the stone itself. I have decided that I want a stone of at least 3 carats with an ideal cut and was wondering whether to go for an H VS2 or H SI1 or a G SI1. I know that it all depends on the stone itself and have been told that some SI1 look nicer than certain VS2. Any help would be greatly appreciated!
 
Welcome!

Cut is extremely important for a diamond's beauty, so it is well worth concentrating on that, so your lady can have a diamond to be proud of! For the budget I would definitely consider SI1 clarity or even an SI2 if verified eyeclean in that size. Generally the larger diamonds may show inclusions more readily than smaller stones, but some SI can be clean. Also make sure you and your vendor are on the same page regarding ' eyecleanliness' as some diamonds may pass close scrutiny and others may not, so make your expectations clear.

G or H are a nice middleground for colour, if you could check out some I or J colour grades ( GIA or AGS graded) then you might find those are acceptable which will help the budget too. Your best bet may be to contact one of the trusted Pricescope vendors, and let them help you find some diamonds which may be suitable. They can probably show you some AGS0 and GIA Excellent which may be good choices for you. The vendors here are professional and will help you all the way.

Try these vendors below, see who you like the look of then contact them and see what they can find for you. Also you can use the search tool above to get an idea of what is out there and price. Also would you consider perhaps a little less than 3 carats to broaden the options - say around 2.6ct and above if such a diamond was available?

I assume it is a round diamond you want?

www.whiteflash.com

www.goodoldgold.com

www.winkjones.com

www.engagementringsdirect.com
 
Thank you so much for the prompt response and substantive information. I have been searching the various vendors you mentioned and have found some diamonds within my range. I just wanted some input from experienced individuals such as yourself before I pull the trigger. With respect to size, I know it is important to my girlfriend and I am trying to avoid the scenario where we want to upgrade in the near future, hence the fairly large budget. I would get something slightly under 3 ct, like 2.9, if there was a large difference to enable for better clarity or color.
 
I strongly suggest looking at the differences between a 2 carat and a 3 carat stone of similar qualities. Considering the price and the fact that 2 carat stones are massive as is, maybe the jump isn''t necessary.

I hope this doesn''t sound preachy - because you and only know what you can afford. But bang for your buck, 2 carats always look beautiful and are more than an eyeful.

Maybe I''m so sensitive because I am in the financial services industry, but that''s just my honest opinion.
 
Date: 5/28/2008 12:40:53 PM
Author: nycattny
Thank you so much for the prompt response and substantive information. I have been searching the various vendors you mentioned and have found some diamonds within my range. I just wanted some input from experienced individuals such as yourself before I pull the trigger. With respect to size, I know it is important to my girlfriend and I am trying to avoid the scenario where we want to upgrade in the near future, hence the fairly large budget. I would get something slightly under 3 ct, like 2.9, if there was a large difference to enable for better clarity or color.
Click to expand...
You are most welcome! What many do as of course you can too, is to post the proportions of any diamonds you like here, then we can offer opinions to help you with the cut. The info we need is -

depth %
table %
crown angle
pavilion angle
girdle thickness
diameter measurements
Grading report such as GIA or AGS
fluorescence if applicable

Also if you get an Idealscope image of the diamond/s you are interested in, then post that too. Also some of the vendors do have a lifetime upgrade policy should that ever be a consideration, on some of their diamonds. I guess you have had a look at the prices many of these 3 caraters are selling for, what is your max budget? Also it may take a bit of time to find the right diamond, as these size diamonds are in high demand.
 
Thanks corkstone!

I know that 2 carats is absolutely a large stone but in my eyes 3 carats has that WOW factor that I think I am looking for. I know it is not a competition but unfortunately living in NYC you do see plenty of 2 carat rings out there and while you see many 3 carat ones also it is definitely more of a head turner.

P.S. I apologize if the above comments sound snooty!
 
NOT AT ALL!

I like nice things as much as the next guy/gal!

Also, I didn''t know you are in NYC. That does change the equation. Getting your hands on a 3 carat stone here in Ottawa, Canada is a) near impossible and b) costs you an arm and a leg. In NYC you should have a fair bit of a discount compared to me because you''ll save on taxes (13% up here!) and you have some serious competition that will drive down the cost.

I''ve just been fortunate to have alot of good advice as I grew/grow up...and the best one of all was to not let emotions get in the way of a purchase, whether it be a car, home or ring.

Think of me as a friendly, sober, second thought ;)
 
A few months ago I purchased a 2.52 GIA graded G, VS2 excellent cut stone for over 30k. for a 3ct GIA graded stone you''re talking over 45k. Now, I just did a search and for a 3ct H, VS2. EGL''s go for 25.5k GIA start at 45k. HUGE difference. So yeah, you can get a 3ct in your budget, but it''s doubtful it''s going to be what it says on the EGL paper.

If you''re willing to go down to an J, maybe I in color- you can get a GIA well cut stone for your budget but may see the color.

I''m also in NYC (manhattan), not sure where you are but i really don''t see many 3ct''s around. In fact, I don''t see that many 2ct''s around either. Upper east maybe, but not the rest of the city.

Good luck in your search and let us know how it works out
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I don''t have a tonne of advice other than to call Mark at ERD (engagementringsdirect). He seems to have sources some honkin diamonds recently, and is in the NYC diamond district so you could actually go meet with him etc.

Anyways - just a suggestion!
 
Just curious, what is her finger size?

And what kind of setting are you thinking about?
 
Her ring size is a 4 and the setting I intend to replicate is hard to describe and the pictures I have are too large to upload. That being said it would be a yellow gold, extremely intricate, setting almost entirely covered in diamonds (approximately 3-4 carats of small diamonds) with accents of canary diamonds.
 
Date: 5/28/2008 4:48:30 PM
Author: nycattny
Her ring size is a 4 and the setting I intend to replicate is hard to describe and the pictures I have are too large to upload. That being said it would be a yellow gold, extremely intricate, setting almost entirely covered in diamonds (approximately 3-4 carats of small diamonds) with accents of canary diamonds.
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Firstly, what a wonderful boyfriend you are! 3cts - she will just swoon over that ring!

Just a thought, has your girlfriend tried on stones of this size, she has quite small fingers and a 3ct stone is such an complex setting is going to look ginormous on her tiny fingers? If that''s the look you are both going for then fabulous! But, I would make sure she is sure that''s the size she wants to go and she is going to have to have confidence to pull off such a large rock. Don''t mean to sound negative, I am probably biased as I a lover of smaller stones. I think in the end, you should purchase a stone and setting that you really love and compliments your hand, not just to keep up with others around you and try to out-do each other with bling!

By aiming just under the 3ct mark, you will be able to save mega-bucks too! Perhaps a gorgeous pair of earrings with the left over budget?
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I would agree with the suggestions of checking out goodoldgold and Mark at engagementringsdirect. Since you''re in NY, why not make an appointment to see him? I met with him, and he was so lovely, non-pressuring, informative and helfpul.

I would also check out jamesallen.com. Their site is very informative, and every person I have encountered who works for them has been super-lovely. It looks like I am going to go with one of their stones, and I was able to go to their HQ on 45th St. to check out the stones I was interested in with a really lovely gemologist.

Best of luck with your search! You have a very healthy budget, so are sure to find a gorgeous stone!
 
Honey22, thanks for the reply!

With respect to her finger size, while it is only a 4, she is 5"7'' with skinny fingers so as far as other rings purchased in the past, larger stones fit her better. I do hear your point though about the complex setting with a large stone. I will definitely have to speak with the person who is making the setting to check that this would not be an issue before I start the process. On your point about aiming just under 3 ct, I was actually interested in getting some opinions as to whether that makes a big difference with respect to price. Lastly, already past the earring purchase as she recently got a pair of diamond studs, about 1.9 carats total weight.

Thanks again for your advice!
 
I''d really agree that a setting like you are describing may really take away from the beautiful stone. Common wisdom around here is to have a more delicate pave ring to showcase the stone. Take a look at Leon Mege''s site for inspiration on very classy settings:

http://www.artofplatinum.com/4images/categories.php?cat_id=6

If someone was spending that much on a stone for me, I''d really rather go into the 2+ carat range and get ideal cut with decent color and clarity.

The only stone I see at the moment is a 3 ct. H VS1 from WhiteFlash at $70,000! I''d recommend calling Jonathan at Good Old Gold and seeing what he can access. I''d really encourage you to look at the 2.5-2.9 range, though.
 
One thing I am sure about based on numerous conversations is that the last thing my girlfriend wants is a simple classic solitaire or a typical (but classy) pave ring. She is always drawn to more unique/antique settings. I am honestly hoping that a beautifully intricate, well made, setting will enhance the beauty of the stone rather than take away from it, but very valid point. I have a family jeweler who always gives me great prices and based on conversations I hope to be able to get an ideal cut with most likely an H eye-clean SI1 somewhere in my price range. As you mentioned, I may end up a little under 3 carats which I am willing to go for. I just checked whiteflash and saw these options:

$36,457.00
. Report: AGS
. Shape: Round
. Carat: 3.050
. Depth %: 60.4
. Table %: 60
. Girdle: THIN TO MID
. Measurements: 9.40-9.32X5.66
. Polish: Ideal
. Symmetry: Ideal
. Culet: None
. Fluorescence: Negligible

$37,345.00
. Report: GIA
. Shape: Round
. Carat: 3.04
. Depth %: 60.8
. Table %: 60
. Girdle: M-STK
. Measurements: 9.31-9.36X5.68
. Polish: Excellent
. Symmetry: Excellent
. Culet: None
. Fluorescence: None

$35,903
. Report: AGS
. Shape: Round
. Carat: 2.800
. Depth %: 61.6
. Table %: 57.2
. Girdle: TN-M
. Measurements: 8.99-9.05X5.56
. Polish: Excellent
. Symmetry: Excellent
. Culet: None
. Fluorescence: Negligible





 
need more info.
 
whoops, double post.
 
NY,

Make sure you do read the tutorial. I''m pretty sure Elle''s info is pretty correct, and that something''s gotta give, given your budget and requirements. Check out the search by cut database here...the options you presented from WF are certainly virtual...not that there''s necessesarily anything wrong with that. For example, those options you noted should then be available both to WF and to your local jeweler.

Likewise...this option showing at BN is probably virtual. Also...I''m guessing...may uniquely be an option to jump on. Lot of uglies on the cert...making that SI2 be possibly eye clean. Also, because the HCA gives it a 1.9, you can discount the very good on the GIA cut grade...or rather...take advantage of the discount, and still hope to pick up an attractive diamond.

Just a thought.
 
The table is on the large size for the first two stones, I''d pass on them. Any photos of these stones?
 
Those appear to be virtual stones and not stones cut by WhiteFlash. The third one is the only one with the potential to be ideal cut.

I hope you don't mind my honesty since I really do want to help you, but I am concerned about your setting idea. 3-4 carats of small yellow stones in a setting for a size 4 finger set with a 3 carat stone is likely to look gaudy, not classy and antique looking.

Here is an example of a fine quality antique style setting with a 3 carat stone (belongs to Dee Jay, setting by Jack Kelege):

https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/the-eagle-has-landed.55342/

(She later had the stone lowered and the prongs redone, but you can get the idea of the size!)

Better pictures:

https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/the-eagle-has-landed.55342/page-14
 
Has she seen that setting already?
 
Only once when I saw it for the first time.
 
Did she love it??
 
She did generally love it. I do plan on changing a few things. She definitely wants yellow gold so I plan to do the whole thing in yellow gold. I also don''t love how the center stone is set so high, so I plan on dropping the height down a little. Lastly, I don''t want the two larger side stones to be as pronounced as they currently are, but rather set a fraction above the rest of the setting.
 
Can I ask who the designer is?
 
To load you pictures if you want to:

go to the start menu on your computer and hunt down Microsoft Paint.

Open it, and then open the picture of your ring from there. Once you do that look back to the tops (the tabs where you used to open your picture, where it says File, Edit, etc etc...

Under one of those it will say something like "resize" click that and then type in for 50% 50% if you do not know the size of your image. Repeat a couple of times until it is small enough to submit, which you can always just test by saving it and attempting to upload it.


If you cant do that for whatever reason you can always open up a flickr account and download your image there (you can do this privately so no one else can see it as well) Then go back to your flickr account, open the picture on the webpage and you will see a tab for downloading the "small image" Once you download this to your computer this small image will have automatically been resized and you should be ablet o submit it to PS.

but, whether you do that or not, here me out on this. Do not buy anything from your family guy until you get the cert, copy all the data, and run it by everyone here. Doesnt really matter if he is your dad or whatever else. I am not saying dont buy from him, but just to get the data on the stone checked via the people here before you trust him for the sake of his family connections, these ladies probably spend 10 times as much time studying about diamonds as any normal dedicated jeweler, and there is a whole team on hand.
 

nycatt, I think the best thing you can do concerning the diamond, is to contact WF or one of the other vendors that appeals to you, and ask for their help in sourcing a stone. They might be able to find you one suitable for your budget among the virtual listing as in house diamonds of that size for your budget seem to be scarce.


The last diamond you posted may be worth further investigation.

 
oops, i think it is windows paint, not microsoft. Sorry.
 
hmm..I''m going to have to echo the sentiments of the other girls with regards to the setting. Only you know what she Really wants, but perhaps she hasn''t looked at many different styles yet? I think you will find that 95% of girls on here would swoon for a gorgeous Leon Mege pave ring. He will do custom, so you can of course request a different style to whats on his site..
If you have your (and hers) hearts'' set on this setting you described, I''m sure we''d all love to see pics if you can - if you have trouble uploading jsut email admin and they will do for you.
 
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