carat weight or clarity?

[tannet]

I'm sure this topic has come up several times in the past, but my bf and I are on opposite sides on this subject. He would personally like to see everyone's opinions on our particular topic of debate.

I have been eyeing a 1.2ct J SI2 (eyeclean according to BGD) H&A RB. I do not feel that I am compromising by dropping my clarity rating to SI2 so long as it is, in fact, eyeclean according to my standards. My bf, on the other hand, does not want to buy me a SI2 rated diamond. He would rather spend a little more to get at least a SI1. I don't want him to spend more money than necessary, even if he's willing and capable.

This is where we need your help. What would you do? Would you spend more money to go up 1-2 clarity ratings, assuming the SI2 mentioned above is eyeclean? Would you go down in carat weight so you could go up in clarity and stay within the same price range? Are there any other alternatives I haven't thought of?

Thanks in advance!

 

[stone-cold11]

If it is eye-clean , it is eye-clean I would go with it.

 

[slg47]

if it is truly eye-clean to your standard of eye-clean, I would go with it.

 

[Amys Bling]

If you are looking at an eye-clean SI2... then go with it! The reason that I say this is, going up in clairty just to avoid having a diamond rated SI2 is forcing you to pay for something you can't see with your eye. You are not walking around with a loupe everyday and looking at your diamond. When you show your ring off to others, they are not going to be examining it with a loupe. Going up in clairty is paying more for something you can't see.

It looks like you and your BF are on two different clairty ideas.... mind clean vs. eye clean. mind clean is when you are paying for a clarity grade that allows you the peace of mind knowing that it is clean to a certain level. eye clean is when you are buying a stone that has inclusion that are not visible without a 10x loupe.

Looks like the gwo of you will have to fight it out!

 

[puppylover10]

To be the devil's advocate here, part of your decision depends on how strongly you and your fiance feel about the issue.

I too preferred a lower clarity (SI1) for a bigger diamond while my finance wanted to get a higher clarity (VS2) ring. I let him get the VS2 ring because he seemed to really care about getting the clarity level to the VS category. I figured that the ring is in part his and the slight size decrease is worth making him happy. If he didn't understand that a SI1 could also be eye clean then I would definitely explain it to him and see what he thought. But if it is just an issue of preference and if it is a big preference for him then you might want to consider how important it is for you to get the size increase vs how important you feel like the ring is to him/ how much you want him to like the ring also etc.

I dont think there is a "right" clarity level to get and it really is based on what each individual want. You will be the one wearing the ring and hopefully his main goal is to get you a ring that you'd love but I also think there's nothing wrong in considering what he wants too.

With that said, you should find out what the standard for eye cleanness is for your vendor or have them check it based on your specifications... My fiance thought a VS2 diamond would mean that there would be no visible inclusions at all and didn't bother to call and check before buying it. I can see a tiny inclusion when I look at my diamond from the side at an upward angle. Since eyecleanness is judged from the top down view, my diamond is still considered eye clean by most. While it doesn't bother me, it would have been nice to know that there would be a visible from the side inclusion before buying.

 

[cachia85]

Same situation with me, I want to take a SI1 diamond but he wants me to get at least VS, VVS or even IF stones 8-}

 

[Amys Bling]

Same situation with me, I want to take a SI1 diamond but he wants me to get at least VS, VVS or even IF stones 8-}

have you come to some sort of an agreement?

 

[Strega_Rossa]

I'm very happy to have found this site and forum.

Several months ago I lost my engagement ring. After searching the house I am 100% certain it is gone and I want to replace it. It was a 1.01 carat and probably an I2 and possibly a J color. It was purchased 20 years ago when we knew nothing about diamonds, but it was my engagement ring and it was a real diamond.

I have found three rings that I like and have a clarity versus size versus color questions.

Ring #1
1 carat, VVS, M color set in 14K gold for $2500.00 USD

Ring #2
1.10 carat, VS1, J color, .29 carat in side stones set in 18K gold $6900.00 USD

Ring #3
1.57 carat, VS2, M color set in 14K gold $5500.00 USD

Prices that the merchants want aside - what is the best of the three? Any input is truly and greatly appreciated.

Thank you -

Peg

 

[daysie]

What is it with boys and their high clarity??!

My bf wanted to go VVS, I naturally wanted SI to get the larger carat size. We ended up compromising at VS2.

Hope your persuasion skills are better than mine.

 

[IceExplorer]

What is it with boys and their high clarity??!

My bf wanted to go VVS, I naturally wanted SI to get the larger carat size. We ended up compromising at VS2.

Hope your persuasion skills are better than mine.

This is an interesting comment, it makes me wonder.
I'm a 'boy' and I researched long and hard prior to buying an eye clean - SI1

Since purchasing I've had 2 comments (of many) that struck me as odd. Both came from men claiming to know about diamonds (both also said the have the best jeweler around and they were referring to different jewelers)
Comment #1: The most important aspect about a diamond is clarity - What clarity did you get her?
Comment #2: Clarity is the only thing that matters in diamonds, that should be the highest level you can get.

I told them I focused on ideal cut and they both told me you can't tell the difference how it was cut.

At that point I changed the topic. I should have handed them a pricescope business card.

So, I don't know what it is about boys and their high clarity!

 

[tyty333]

I'm very happy to have found this site and forum.

Several months ago I lost my engagement ring. After searching the house I am 100% certain it is gone and I want to replace it. It was a 1.01 carat and probably an I2 and possibly a J color. It was purchased 20 years ago when we knew nothing about diamonds, but it was my engagement ring and it was a real diamond.

I have found three rings that I like and have a clarity versus size versus color questions.

Ring #1
1 carat, VVS, M color set in 14K gold for $2500.00 USD

Ring #2
1.10 carat, VS1, J color, .29 carat in side stones set in 18K gold $6900.00 USD

Ring #3
1.57 carat, VS2, M color set in 14K gold $5500.00 USD

Prices that the merchants want aside - what is the best of the three? Any input is truly and greatly appreciated.

Thank you -

Peg

Hi Strega_Rossa,
Sorry to hear you lost your ring. Can you start a new thread so we dont high jack this one? I will tell you that you have not
provided enough info for us to help you. We need to know who graded the stones (GIA/AGS/???) and more details about
their cut. Have you seen these stones in person? How did you feel about the "M"color?
tyty

 

[tyty333]

tannet,
My DH would be happy if I were willing to spend less especially on "something so little that just sits on your finger."
Can you convince him to order the BGD stone and if he doesnt like it when it gets in then you'll upgrade to a higher clarity? I'm
sure he will be very impressed with the stone. I have a small BGD stone (J, SI1) and love it!
tyty

 

[risingsun]

We all have different priorities regarding our engagement ring diamonds. I recently traded in my eye clean G SI1 for a G VS2. I am very happy that I made this change. People who do what I did are concerned about having a "mind clean" stone. There is nothing wrong with that, as long as you both can come to an agreement BGD is a great vendor and you will receive an honest opinion on your stone from Brian. I trust his judgement.

 

[antelope1]

Another way to look at it: BGD has a good upgrade policy, so if he spends more now to get the higher clarity, and you decide in the future that the two of you would like to upgrade the original ER, it's not like he's lost the additional money that he spent on the higher clarity.

Whatever you do with the clarity, I think you should get a carat weight that you like and will be happy with. I don't think you should go smaller to go higher in clarity.

 

[tannet]

tannet,
My DH would be happy if I were willing to spend less especially on "something so little that just sits on your finger."
Can you convince him to order the BGD stone and if he doesnt like it when it gets in then you'll upgrade to a higher clarity? I'm
sure he will be very impressed with the stone. I have a small BGD stone (J, SI1) and love it!
tyty

Sorry I never updated this post. I decided to take puppylover's suggestion and took my bf's opinion into consideration. I do want him to feel good about the purchase too. We are ordering the J VS2, but we still have some kinks to work out. We came across a little bump in the road and BGD was nice enough to work with us through the rough patch. So we won't get the diamond for a few weeks. The wait is KILLING me though lol.

 

[Imdanny]

What is it with boys and their high clarity??!

I don't know but I agree with the bf insofar as I'd rather have higher clarity over more carat weight.

It's a "mind clean" thing to me, and I'm not convinced that an "eye clean" SI2 is equally "eye clean" as a VS1 (for example). For one thing, there can be clouds, which aren't even marked on reports. Now maybe some people believe that eye clean is eye clean is eye clean, but not me.

OP, I don't know if this has been mentioned, but after reading only your first post, you might consider going lower in color. Some people are color sensitive meaning they don't want to see any tint. I actually like the lower colors, k, L, M, N, O. But you don't have to go down to K to save a lot of money.

It's all a matter of opinion. I hope that you and your bf can reach a consensus that makes you both happy!

 

[Imdanny]

tannet,
My DH would be happy if I were willing to spend less especially on "something so little that just sits on your finger."
Can you convince him to order the BGD stone and if he doesnt like it when it gets in then you'll upgrade to a higher clarity? I'm
sure he will be very impressed with the stone. I have a small BGD stone (J, SI1) and love it!
tyty

Sorry I never updated this post. I decided to take puppylover's suggestion and took my bf's opinion into consideration. I do want him to feel good about the purchase too. We are ordering the J VS2, but we still have some kinks to work out. We came across a little bump in the road and BGD was nice enough to work with us through the rough patch. So we won't get the diamond for a few weeks. The wait is KILLING me though lol.

See? I told you I didn't read the whole thread. LOL! I'm sorry about the wait. It will be worth it.