buying studs

[HerbCo]

Hi everyone,
I'm almost ready to buy some diamond studs for my wife, and I was wondering if people could comment on the choices I've narrowed it down to.

Leaning towards these:
http://www.jamesallen.com/design-your-diamond-studs/?module=diamonds&item1=1483107&item2=1502932

But also thinking about these:
http://www.jamesallen.com/create-your-diamond-studs/earring/item_180-2453.asp?module=diamonds&item1=1469317&item2=1496800

The first set seem like nicer stones, but the second is a little bigger. Do people think it's ok to drop down to a J for studs? Will those inclusions seen on the virtual loop show up in real life?

Thanks!

 

[diamondseeker2006]

You'll have to ask James Allen to inspect all the stones for you to be sure they are 100% eyeclean. I have mixed feelings, because yes, I'd rather have larger stones than the G pair, but I personally would not go lower than maybe I color for earrings. I can see the tint in J color and lower. I guess my main apprehension is that these can't be traded up unless you spend double the next time, so consider that no matter which you buy. I think I'd probably split the difference and see if I could find a pair around .40 each in I color. But I am sure either of these would be very nice!

 

[HerbCo]

Thank you for the advice - I will definitely contact James Allen to be sure the diamonds are eyeclean. As for the color, I'm a bit conflicted on that as well. After doing some in person shopping I can see the color difference, and if we ever wanted to use these stones in another piece of jewelry we probably wouldn't want them to be tinted. I think I'm going to go with my gut and get that first pair...unless I stumble upon some I stones that are a little bit bigger

Thanks again!

 

[VRBeauty]

Where did you do your in-person shopping? Bear in mind that the James Allen stones you're looking at are GIA-grades, and that some other labs might grade the very same stones as being one or two grades better.

https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/egl-vs-gia-ags.177913/

 

[HerbCo]

That's interesting about the color grading being off, but I think I was looking at pretty well graded stones. Most of the in person shopping I've done has been at Good Old Gold and ID Jewelry, so I have a feeling the stones were pretty legitimate.

I did find a nice pair of I's for only a little bit more money...think I might go with these:

http://www.jamesallen.com/create-your-diamond-studs/earring/item_180-2451.asp?module=diamonds&item1=1469320&item2=1444306

Thanks for all the help!