Can you find a better deal/better diamond?

[cjbills]

Hello community members,

Again, I am going to thank you all for your valuable advise in advance. I cannot tell you how much I appreciate it.

I had asked for advice here before about a ring, and was delivered the invaluable advise of involving my fiancee in the process of picking out the ring.

I proposed with a an empty ring box and a pair of high heels she had been lusting over for years. The shoes cost me an extra $700, but it turned out to totally work in every possible way - and I got to avoid buying a placeholder ring I wasn't sure she would love/ever wear again.

So I am (more than) a little bit value obsessed. I am ok to spend, but I have to know I am getting the 'best deal' I can. It will literally haunt me for the rest of my waking days if I have to look at a ring every day that I paid too much for. That being said, I'm not really cheap either - I'll spend if it's the right deal.

Getting down to it, she wants a round cut, solitaire setting - I suggested we go platinum as she was concerned about bending the low profile style solitaire that she wants.

She's a small girl with small fingers and "doesn't want anything too big", just a size that "fits" - apologies for the vague and subjective wording there. I'm thinking anything between .95 and 1.45k.

I was thinking something like this:
https://www.jamesallen.com/loose-di...-color-vvs1-clarity-excellent-cut-sku-2114164

I've read as much as I can on this forum and elsewhere about how to pick a diamond, but I'm by no means an expert or even an intermediate (or probably even a beginner) diamond shopper. This is actually the first real piece of valuable jewelry I've ever bought.

I've tended to stick to James Allen because I really like to see the magnification and 360 spin with my own eyes. That being said, I am by no means bound to using JA. I like the idea of http://www.rarecarat.com/, but have been struggling to see the diamonds on there on the actual retailer websites.

My end goals are to get a diamond styled the way she wants at the best possible value. I am somewhat flexible on everything except round diamond and a solitaire setting.

Again, I really appreciate any and all feedback - just having this forum to creep on has already made this process much less daunting.

All the best and Happy Halloween!

 

[ac117]

Hi cjbills! That was a very sweet proposal idea with the shoes and I think it was very smart of you, considering you were headed in a different direction at first! May we know what your budget is and what desired specs (color/clarity/dimensions) you may have? I believe you mentioned she's Asian in your other thread - are there are cultural requirements you need to fulfill?

The JA stone you linked is nice...more of a 60/60 style and will favor white light over colored light return. Also, it seems to have a bit of a gray undertone to it but it could be the lighting. If it is gray, I'd pass on that stone as any undertone other than yellow are discounted and undesirable in the trade.

I just did a quick search and honestly I think you should inquire right away about these (ask for ideal scope or ASET and real images or a video):
http://www.b2cjewels.com/dd-8857271-1.30-carat-Round-diamond-H-color-VS1-Clarity.aspx?sku=8857271&utm_source=pricescope.com&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=pricescope.com
http://www.b2cjewels.com/dd-8807760-1.38-carat-Round-diamond-H-color-VS2-Clarity.aspx?sku=8807760&utm_source=pricescope.com&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=pricescope.com

A few more:
http://www.b2cjewels.com/dd-8764849-1.32-carat-Round-diamond-H-color-VS2-Clarity.aspx?sku=8764849&utm_source=pricescope.com&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=pricescope.com
http://www.b2cjewels.com/dd-8710499-1.33-carat-Round-diamond-H-color-VS2-Clarity.aspx?sku=8710499&utm_source=pricescope.com&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=pricescope.com
https://www.jamesallen.com/loose-diamonds/round-cut/1.30-carat-i-color-vs2-clarity-excellent-cut-sku-2162925

 

[AdaBeta27]

http://niceice.com/diamond-buying-secrets/5-minutes-diamond-buying-success/
If it's an AGS graded diamond and received 000 grade, you don't need to run the HCA.
If it's a GIA 3X, then that range is much broader and includes some poor performers (by Pricescope standards) so run the HCA here:
https://www.pricescope.com/tools/hca
Look for score of 2 or under. It's just a pass/ fail thing. Don't worry about exact score, just whether or not it's 2 or less.

Most people here are going to say pick a table in the 55%- 56% range and not over 58%. Smaller tables provide the fire.

Diamonds with lower girdle facets (lgf) like 76% or 77% will have nice fatter arrows for bolder, larger flashes of brilliance and fire, if that is your taste (I know it's mine.) 80% will be a narrower arrow and more splintery flashes. Not all ideal or H&A or superideal diamonds look alike. There are nuances and differences between them. Don't buy in haste.

A 7mm RB will look noticeably larger than one that's 6.3mm or 6.5mm, the 1ct range. It's "big" without being too much. Personally, I think the 1.2 - 1.25ct range is a nice size to wear everyday because it's doesn't get in the way. 8-10 years ago there was only about a 10% cost increase to go from 1ct up to 1.25ct, and I think that was good bang for the buck. I haven't compared prices lately to see if that's still true. But a 7mm diameter or thereabouts is a nice size, imo.

 

[cjbills]

Hi ac117!

Cultural requirements are not an issue according to her, I literally sat her down in front of the computer with James Allen open and went through the settings, cuts, and let her pick both.

My budget is between $5k and $10k when it's all said and done.

I am totally colorblind, so thanks for the color feedback.

I'll go ahead and call B2C right now and enquire about those stones! I'll probably post what they send me here just to make sure I am not making any mistakes in my own analysis.

Thank you again!

 

[cjbills]

Thank you AdaBeta27!

I'll use the ratios you gave me all of the enquiries and searches I make!

I rally appreciate it!

 

[n64bomb]

Remember too those parameters are for a super ideal stone, and you pay a huge premium for a super ideal vs an ideal. There is a point at which diminishing returns plays a large role and you are paying a big increase in price for a very small increase in light return/value.

 

[cjbills]

Thanks N64bomb,

Any advice on where best to compromise? Everything I have read seems to indicate not to compromise on the cut...

Thanks

 

[ac117]

Never sacrifice on cut - but it doesn't have to be a super ideal stone to be a beautiful performer. Everyone here differs on what they'd sacrifice. My preference is for higher colors in modern round brilliants so I'd only consider and H color and above. As long as a stone is eye clean, I don't believe in paying for mind-clean clarity, especially if it means I could pick up a bit more size. Again, this is just my opinion!

 

[cjbills]

More expensive, but scores really well:
https://www.jamesallen.com/loose-di...i-color-si1-clarity-excellent-cut-sku-1988127

 

[ac117]

That's a nice stone with great numbers! You'd be getting a considerably larger stone at a great price. I'd ask JA for an ideal scope if they have one to assess light performance and confirm that it's eye clean.

 

[cjbills]

Ok, apologies if this is getting spammy...

How do you feel about these 2:

https://www.jamesallen.com/loose-diamonds/round-cut/1.25-carat-i-color-vs1-clarity-ideal-cut-sku-2100112
https://www.jamesallen.com/loose-diamonds/round-cut/1.23-carat-i-color-vs2-clarity-ideal-cut-sku-2171532

 

[ac117]

It would be a toss up for me - since they are True Hearts diamonds, JA should have them in house. I'd ask them to pull both stones and compare them for you. Which is a whiter facing I color, which one performs better, how eye clean is the VS2 (from what distance and angle). I think I detect more warmth in the 1.25 but it may be my screen.

 

[cjbills]

Thanks again for the reply! I actually did just that and the agent said they were so similar they could make earings out of them! She said they are so indistinguishable that I might as well get the cheaper one as there will be literally no difference to the naked eye.

I am the king of over analysis of everything, even which breakfast cereal I buy - this will be infinitely worse, but I'll stop pestering the forum about it

 

[ac117]

Thanks again for the reply! I actually did just that and the agent said they were so similar they could make earings out of them! She said they are so indistinguishable that I might as well get the cheaper one as there will be literally no difference to the naked eye.

I am the king of over analysis of everything, even which breakfast cereal I buy - this will be infinitely worse, but I'll stop pestering the forum about it

No worries! That's what we're here for. I'd still wait to hear back from b2c about the stones I posted above because they are H color, a little bigger and the same price!