Choosing between Ritani halo and James Allen Halo

[quochgho]

Hi there Pricescope,

I am about to settle finally on a ring and thanks to Pricescope have been able to narrow down to two rings

Her criteria was a halo which is not too high. Alas we could not afford the ring she wanted a tiffany embrace so I have narrowed it down to these two: We also come from Australia so the exchange rate is hard at the moment.


Ritani 1RZ1323
http://www.whiteflash.com/engagement-rings/solitaire/ritani-1rz1323-halo-diamond-engagement-ring-3881.htm
with diamond specs: 0.716 carat ACA Colour I Clarity SI1
http://www.whiteflash.com/loose-diamonds/round-cut-loose-diamond-3643237.htm

James allen halo
https://www.jamesallen.com/engagement-rings/halo/14k-white-gold-petite-diamond-halo-engagement-ring-item-41066
with diamond:
with diamond specs: 0.8 carat ideal cut Colour 1 Clarity VS2
https://www.jamesallen.com/loose-diamonds/round-cut/0.80-carat-i-color-vs2-clarity-excellent-cut-sku-2123226

My partner likes a ring that does not have a high ring in case of snagging. Is the ritani highset compared to the James Allen. Also I am leaning towards to the whiteflash as I have heard great word from ritanis and ACA diamonds.

Thank you for the input!

 

[kmarla]

I can't speak for James Allen, but I have that Ritani setting in the 3-stone version. It's beautifully made, very delicate and doesn't sit too high at all. I'd put it in the medium/medium low height range. Hope this helps!

Edited to add that I previously had the Tacori 49RD65 halo setting (also available from Whiteflash) and it's another that sits on the lower side. I loved that setting and only changed it when I upgraded my diamond.

http://www.whiteflash.com/engagement-rings/solitaire/tacori-49rd65-sculpted-crescent-solitaire-engagement-ring-3819.htm

 

[kb1gra]

Would 100% pick the Ritani over James Allen, and I say that as someone who had a James Allen halo.

 

[diamondseeker2006]

Ritani, definitely.

Do you already have the diamond? Because it is best to buy the diamond from the setting vendor.

 

[iwantsparkle]

I have had neither a JA or Ritani, but I prefer the look of the JA one. The diamond looks more flush to the setting.

 

[diamondseeker2006]

I have had neither a JA or Ritani, but I prefer the look of the JA one. The diamond looks more flush to the setting.

Oh, you can definitely tell Ritani to set the stone as low as possible, and they will!

 

[DelsFan]

I have had neither a JA or Ritani, but I prefer the look of the JA one. The diamond looks more flush to the setting.

I agree wholeheartedly; I really prefer a halo that "extends" the slope of the crown of one's center stone. You should also consider tilting the halo between 15 to 25 degrees, to additionally match the slope. The look of the Ratini, where the diamond sits up above the halo, is not as elegant a look - just in IMO.

Click here to see the "frankie's ring", which I think is a good place at least to start (and then scale back ) for anyone looking at halo styled settings.
https://www.pricescope.com/communit...-halo-ring-my-forever-setting-finally.164262/


Some other thoughts, opinions might be mine alone. Your tastes may vary, but at least this will give you some criteria to (make sure you) consider:

(Why the detail? Final paragraph will explain.)

I don't like the micro-pave diamond look; I want to (albeit, barely) see that the diamonds around my halo and the diamonds set into the sides of the shank are actually round brilliants as opposed to chips, or glitter - 0.5 point diamonds don't do that for me.
Well, how big is that you might ask? For me, 1 point diamonds (1.5mm in width) are barely acceptable.
And that's good, because if you do the geometry on a 0.8 carat center stone, and want 16 halo diamonds, that comes to just about 1 point if you want them to fit!

I don't know how going to 12 diamonds in the halo would look. I think not as good; you might get an opinion here. If you did 12 diamonds in the halo you could go towards 2.5 point diamonds there.

Thin bands are the rage, now, apparently. But how thin is too thin? With a nice halo setting like you are considering, 2.2 mm is pretty thin; go and look at a few rings in person and see what you think. 2mm is thinner, 1.8mm is, to me, not as aesthetically pleasing in a halo setting. But it is a look, and I think some of the girls here have done it that way and like it. I'm saying 2- 2.2mm.

[URL='https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/whats-wrong-with-me-i-just-dont-love-it.203794/page-2#post-3710216#p3710216']https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/whats-wrong-with-me-i-just-dont-love-it.203794/page-2#post-3710216#p3710216[/URL] [Edit: and there my reference is!, posted just before me, probably while I was typing this]
Additionally, eventually anything less than 2.0 mm wide will go out of round a lot quicker and be much more susceptible to problems due to accidental bumps.

Good to know:
Cut to proper proportions: a 1 point diamond has a diameter of 1.3 mm. So:
1.0 points = 1.3mm diameter
1.5 points = 1.5 mm ;
2.0 points = 1.7mm;
2.5 points = 1.8mm;
3.0 points = 2.0mm

Which brings me to the side diamonds. Some people want their side stones to match their halo stones, but with a 0.8 carat (6mm) diamond you are limited to just under 1 point diamonds if you want 16 diamonds in your halo. If you are going with a 2mm or 2.2mm width ring, you would have the option for anywhere from 2 to 3 point diamonds in the shank, and still have them (smaller than and) proportional to the width of your ring. (Remember, although 2.5 times the volume a 2.5 point diamond is only 0.5 mm wider than a 1.0 point diamond.)

AND, if you wonder how to "learn" what size diamond you like and don't like for melee stones, go to a jeweler and look at diamond wedding bands in person. Photos are worthless for this job. I say wedding bands because you can count the diamonds, divide the total carat weight by the number, and know what the heck size diamonds you are looking at. There's not "that" much difference between a 1-3 point diamond; I saw some 7 point diamonds and they were (in a relative sense) too huge for the sides of a halo ring.

Some vendors (Whiteflash for one, GOG is another, maybe all the jewelers who sponsor this forum do) offer ideal-cut melee diamonds for a small upcharge. I'd recommend this wholeheartedly for the extra hundred $$ or two.

OH!, setting styles. I found I like the shared prong setting the best for the side of the ring (shank?). Bead and channel can be OK; fishtail is my least favorite but not by much.

Height of center stone has been mentioned; I've read many posts where the owner to be is trying to keep the center stone (so, total height of the ring) as low as is practical, without messing up the design. When looking at side views, it only takes a second to see (percentage wise) how far above the top of the shank the culet of the center stone is. To me, lower is better (which is why I wouldn't like the Ritani you offered in your original post).

You will also want do decide if you want the a four prong (supporting the halo) setting, a cathedral style setting, or a split shank setting. This might depend on the size of your fingers... and your personal tastes.

You already know to spend/find the extra cash for a super-ideal-cut diamond. Fortunately for you, the price premium for diamond in the 0.8 carat range might be $500 whereas in a 1.8 carat diamond it could be thousands. It might be that ideal cut melee diamonds are more readily available in F-G color, so (ask a salesman) you might want to stretch the budget just a leetle more for an H color center diamond. For what it's worth, I do "believe" an AGS0 super-ideal cut H color diamond will spank a GIA VG-VG E-color diamond every time.

Hope this helps!

I'm considering a ring very similar to the OP (which is why I have so many opinions ready), so I am also quite interested in hearing other people's thoughts! Or even a kind critique.

Anything else?
Yes. It is my opinion, if for argument's sake you wanted a ring similar to what I've described above, it would be easier, way less time consuming, and not any more expensive, to have one of the jewelers who sponsor this forum make this ring from CAD drawings and a wax mould. I'm sure Whiteflash (since they made the ring in my avatar) or many of the other sponsors here have made a ring similar to this, and could slightly modify their design and make exactly the ring you want.

 

[kmarla]

I have had neither a JA or Ritani, but I prefer the look of the JA one. The diamond looks more flush to the setting.

I agree wholeheartedly; I really prefer a halo that "extends" the slope of the crown of one's center stone. You should also consider tilting the halo between 15 to 25 degrees, to additionally match the slope. The look of the Ratini, where the diamond sits up above the halo, is not as elegant look - just IMO.

Those spinning pics on Whiteflash are CAD's. In real life, the Ritani halo does have about 20-25 degree tilt. My diamond is set flush, no gap. It's hard to see detail in some of those pics. Again, I can't speak for James Allen.

 

[mco312]

I like the Ritani, but definitely set lower than the WF CAD.

 

[DelsFan]

You know, the Ritani isn't bad if the center stone is set lower.
32 diamonds for a total weight of .45 carats for the Ritani; 42 diamonds with a total weight of 0.25 carats for the James Allen. Melee diamonds seem to average over 1 point for the Ritani, which is good in my book. The James Allen is just a "cheaper" ring, but I like how their halo looks.

If one looks at the "actual photos" under the Whiteflash "Recently Purchased" heading, it seems many of these Ritani rings have been fashioned with the halo pretty even with the girdle, not below it.

 

[kb1gra]

I just realized your James Allen stone is an IGI stone. Would not recommend you buy that one.

I just had a halo made by Adiamor and I was happy with their service and pricing and am still waiting for my ring to arrive but expect it will be lovely. That might be an option if you're looking for an affordable halo. They lifetime warranty their work, fyi.

 

[MollyMalone]

I just realized your James Allen stone is an IGI stone. Would not recommend you buy that one. * * *

This isn't a complete ring from a mass marketer bearing an inflated valuation report from IGI-NY, who graded the center stone only after it was set. This is a loose stone that has been graded by IGI Mumbai. So I wouldn't reject it out of hand on the ground that it's "an IGI stone." Why? 'Cause PS Trade member John Pollard -- who has seen more diamonds and reports than any of us consumers
https://www.pricescope.com/author/john-pollard
-- (and my late father-in-law, who was a diamond broker in NYC) does not view IGI Mumbai with any skepticism. E.g.,
[URL='https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/buying-a-diamond-ring-in-dubai.212793/#post-3871158?hilit=Mumbai#p3871158']https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/buying-a-diamond-ring-in-dubai.212793/#post-3871158?hilit=Mumbai#p3871158[/URL]
[URL='https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/igi-diamond-buying-advice.191543/#post-3488452?hilit=igi%20mumbai#p3488452']https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/igi-diamond-buying-advice.191543/#post-3488452?hilit=igi%20mumbai#p3488452[/URL]
[URL='https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/igi-grading-system.182725/#post-3323307#p3323307']https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/igi-grading-system.182725/#post-3323307#p3323307[/URL]

That said, a stone with a report from IGI Mumbai, Antwerp, or Hong Kong is unlikely to have the same kind of "trade-in" value here in the States as a GIA-graded stone. But odds are JA is selling the IGI stone for less than it would with a GIA/AGS report. And not everyone is up for replacing their e-ring diamond (no one in my circle of friends & family has ever done so; they've all held fast to the sentiment attached to the original e-ring diamond). If an upgrade replacement is something in your future, JA does have a lifetime trade-up policy whereby they credit you with 100% of the purchase price of the stone, provided the new purchase is at least twice that original purchase price; that's a fairly standard requirement even tho' it's not a notably generous trade-up policy.
https://www.jamesallen.com/guarantee/lifetime-upgrade/

Bottom line as I see it: although any one of us might decide against the JA stone for various reasons, the piece of paper that comes with this particular diamond isn't a reason to dismiss it.

 

[kb1gra]

There's really no reason to buy a stone with an IGI report when there's a million GIA or AGS graded stones out there. It was sent to IGI instead of GIA for a reason.

Also, there is no indication on that IGI report as shown that it is from any of the 'acceptable' IGI locations. I don't see any location on the report at all.

Third, should anything happen to this stone, he'd only be insured for an IGI replacement, which is a) harder to find and b) may well be a lesser stone than this one happens to be. Unless this buyer lives in Hong Kong, I'm not sure an IGI report is smart - especially if his intended has done any googling or searching where she will read that you should "never buy a diamond without a GIA report" which is very common advice. That is something even buyers that we have directed to AGS stones have had to contend with.

 

[quochgho]

Wow. I am overwhelmed with all the help and responses.
You all have been such a great help. So her in the process and in the end she loved the james allen and also the diamond

Round 0.85 carat G SI1 clarity diamond GIA

14K White Gold Petite Diamond Halo Engagement Ring
Size: 5.5

Thank you all for the help and for pricescope for a great forum. I enjoyed learning to become a diamond expert and almost feel sad but relieved its all over

Thanks til next time

 

[kmarla]

I'm happy for you that everything worked out and, most importantly, that she loves her ring!!

 

[MollyMalone]

YAY for involving your wife-to-be in the process, quochgho, and congratulations on what promises to be a lovely ring -- I hope you will come back & share photos of it on her hand!

P.S. for kb1gra: That the IGI stone quochgho was initially considering was graded by the Mumbai lab is evident on the lab report -- MUMBAI appears right next to the date.