Clueless Man needs help with Diamonds

[jmess03]

Hello all, first and for most thank you for any help you can offer me.
I'm looking to buy an engagement ring for my girl and need some help, i take that back i need alot of help. I'm looking for a Ritani Engagement ring with a round diamond. I'm not loaded so i can only afford 7k for the diamond and setting combined. With that said i obviously want to buy her the most beautiful ring she has ever seen, but the only thing is, is that i have no idea where to start. I understand that i would like, a 1+ct round diamond ring in a Bezel setting. Other than that when it comes to clarity,color and cut the total 4 c's of shopping i have no idea.
What are the #'s i should be looking for in terms of cut especially as well as clarity and color. I don't know to much about cut or the rating that diamonds get.

Thanks!!!

J

 

[Ellen]

Aw, hi J, we''ll help you!

First, are you wanting to buy the stone online, or in a retail store? After we know that, we''ll go from there.

 

[jmess03]

I was thinking online because the store prices seem to be a bit high. What would you suggest i live in Philly, and have a couple of stores near by.

 

[Ellen]

Well, ultimately, I'd suggest you do what you're most comfortable with. So if you are ok with online, yes, I think you'll get a better stone for a better price than in a retail store.

So, do you know how much (at least approximately) the setting is you're interested in? Once we know that, we'll know the budget we have for the stone.

 

[jmess03]

I'm budgeting about $6000 for the stone. and $1000k for the setting, does that seem right or should i change it one way or the other.

 

[iheartscience]

Online is definitely the place to go! I would check with Pearlmansjewelers.com for the Ritani setting-apparently they have good prices on designer settings, including Ritani, and I''ve heard nothing but good things about them here on Pricescope! Which setting did you want? The Endless Love halo? The price of the setting will determine how much $ you have left for the diamond. Let''s say the setting you go for is $2000-$2500 (I think that''s the ballpark $ for that setting), so you can go for a $5000ish diamond.

I think you should go with an ideal cut, AGS 0 G, H or I/eyeclean SI1 or SI2 to get the most bang for your buck. It looks like 1 carat AGS 0 diamonds in that color/clarity range using the Pricescope search engine start around $4500, so that should be perfect! I''d check and see if Pearlman''s can source you an AGS 0 diamond, too, which would be even easier. However, it won''t be a big deal to get a diamond from say, Whiteflash or GoodOldGold and get them to send it to Pearlman''s for the setting.

 

[jmess03]

Really that much for the setting? OK i was looking more towards a nicer diamond but setting is a big deal to.

 

[Ellen]

Date: 10/29/2007 8:00:50 PM
Author: jmess03
I'm budgeting about $6000 for the stone. and $1000k for the setting, does that seem right or should i change it one way or the other.

No, Ritani is more expensive than that. As 2 pointed out, and I was thinking, better go with 2000-2500 for the setting.

Here's a nice very one, and will give the "look" of a 1 ct.

This is a great place to work with, and very reputable. I got my upgrade there, so no worries.

http://204.17.89.15/diamond/3592/ 4424.00 with bankwire.

ETA Need to ask if eyeclean. Ill keep looking too.

 

[iheartscience]

Date: 10/29/2007 8:00:50 PM
Author: jmess03
I''m budgeting about $6250 for the stone. and $750 for the setting, does that seem right or should i change it one way or the other.

Ritani settings are definitely more expensive than that, just so you know. You can definitely get a good setting for around that much but probably not a Ritani setting, I think. Whiteflash has a gorgeous setting that I love called the Legato with micropave. Here''s the web address:

http://whiteflash.com/Engagement-Rings/Styles/Diamond-Settings/The--Legato--with-Micro-Pave_1071.htm

Looks like it''s $995 in 18k white gold...it would probably be even less expensive if you use 14k white gold, which is perfectly fine because white gold is rhodium plated so it won''t look any different than the 18k gold.

 

[jmess03]

Ok $2000-2500 it is...no prob. Anything for the girl, right??

Well i''m still looking for a 1ct stone what specs should i look for in the 5000-6500 price range?

 

[Ellen]

Here''s another one, if the other isn''t eyeclean.

http://204.17.89.15/diamond/3569/


These are from another fine company. Need to ask if eyeclean., and with all these, tell them what you do and don''t want to see, from whatever angle and distance, just so you''re on the same page!

http://www.whiteflash.com/round_ideal_cut/Round-Ideal-Cut-cut-diamond-358378.htm#


http://www.whiteflash.com/round_ideal_cut/Round-Ideal-Cut-cut-diamond-457846.htm#


http://www.whiteflash.com/round_ideal_cut/Round-Ideal-Cut-cut-diamond-358374.htm#

 

[Ellen]

Date: 10/29/2007 8:10:36 PM
Author: jmess03
Ok $2000-2500 it is...no prob. Anything for the girl, right??

Well i''m still looking for a 1ct stone what specs should i look for in the 5000-6500 price range?

The ones on the stones I''ve posted for you.

Forgot to add, with WF, you get a 2% PS discount.

GOG''s discount is the bankwire price listed below the regular.

 

[jmess03]

When you say "eyeclean" what does that mean?

 

[jmess03]

So when ranking the 4 "c''s" it would go like this???
Cut?
Clarity?
Carat?
Color?
See if i''m catching on or way off base.

 

[Ellen]

Date: 10/29/2007 8:16:01 PM
Author: jmess03
When you say ''eyeclean'' what does that mean?

It means, what do you see (inclusions), when held so many inches from the eye. Eyeclean means you see nothing from so many inches away. Vendors may vary on this definition a bit, best to see what theirs is. Clarity is graded with the diamond face (table) up. So, one might not be able to see anything at any distance face up, but you might see something from the side at say, 6-8 inches (I just made that up for an example). Will that bother you? Let them know.

You might want to read the tutorial up at the top of the page under Knowledge, it will help you to understand all this more too.

As for the 4 c''s. Cut always comes first, as that is what truly makes a beautiful diamond. (no matter what a jeweler might have told you) The rest is kinda personal. I''d rather have a bit better color, and lower clarity, IF I can''t see anything. Some want higher color AND clarity. Some will take a J SI1, because it will allow more budget for size. It''s really up to each individual.

But since I don''t know your gal and whether she is color sensitive, I picked safer colors. That may be more noticable to her, than inclusions she may not see.

 

[jmess03]

well here are some i have found: You have been soo much help and i really do appreciate it.
what do you think of these?

http://www.whiteflash.com/round_ideal_cut/Round-Ideal-Cut-cut-diamond-155619.htm#
http://www.whiteflash.com/round_ideal_cut/Round-Ideal-Cut-cut-diamond-283321.htm
http://www.goodoldgold.com/diamond/3501/
http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/H-VS2-Premium-Cut-Round-Diamond-889889.asp?b=16&a=12&c=77&cid=131
http://www.whiteflash.com/round_ideal_cut/Round-Ideal-Cut-cut-diamond-332235.htm



You will notice i kind of all over the board and have up''d my price

 

[Julianna]

Date: 10/29/2007 8:19:10 PM
Author: jmess03
So when ranking the 4 ''c''s'' it would go like this???
Cut?
Clarity?
Carat?
Color?
See if i''m catching on or way off base.

That''s the way I''d run it.

Maybe find some happy medium with a little give and take between the last three, but cut is most important to me.

 

[fansynancy]

FYI Good Old Gold now carries Ritani

 

[sera]

The Endless Love micropave (no halo) is $2390 at Pearlman''s.

 

[strmrdr]

Date: 10/29/2007 8:19:10 PM
Author: jmess03
So when ranking the 4 ''c''s'' it would go like this???
Cut?
Clarity?
Carat?
Color?
See if i''m catching on or way off base.

cut - as well cut as possible
clarity - eyeclean
color - white face up, I is my sweet spot with rounds with a J if I have too.
carat - as big as possible meeting the above at the price I want too spend.

 

[Chase035]

If you''re looking for an ideal cut, try using the cut adviser under the tools menu to sort through some of the stones you''ve found. If you opt for a stone that is graded as an AGS Ideal, make sure you get what you pay for. The report should should a 0 for light performance, 0 for proportion and 0 for finish.

 

[Chase035]

http://www.whiteflash.com/hearts_arrows/A-Cut-Above-H-A-cut-diamond-312253.htm#

Another.

 

[diamondseeker2006]

I''d call Good Old Gold and see if they are carrying Ritani now. If they are, it will make your life easier to get the stone and setting in the same place. I liked this stone that you posted. H color is good and I like VS2 clarity, too.

http://www.goodoldgold.com/diamond/3501/

 

[kcoursolle]

I''d go down to an I/SI and go with the lovely endless love solitaire for a little over 2k. The thin and delicate setting will make the diamond pop.

 

[hearts-arrows_girl]

Date: 10/29/2007 7:32:53 PM
Author:jmess03
. I understand that i would like, a 1+ct round diamond ring in a Bezel setting.

J, I would find out what size diamond her friends and social circle have, and that may help you decide if you want to spend the $7,000 all on the stone or do the $2,000 setting/$5000 stone, split. I say this because the most beautiful ring she's ever seen can be subjective. For me it would be a substantial center stone in a solitaire setting, and to someone else it may be a modest stone surrounded by a knockout setting. When you are on a tight budget, you sometimes have to choose one or the other. A comfortable mid range I have seen here for size seems to be a 1.25 ct stone. this size has a really great look to it. And if you want a great cut, which is very important, GIA Excellent cuts with an HCA score 2 and under, are a wonderful middle ground for a stone with plenty of sparkle and size. An AGS 000 would have been my first choice, but to get the size, color and clarity I wanted, I decided a GIA excellent cut, was the next best thing. And I'll have to say, in the million comparison tests I have done with my stone, a GIA excellent is a stunning choice. (I liked the 1.08 you posted) I love H SI1's for color and clarity. They are easy on the budget, and look fantastic! The Whiteflash "Legato" setting in white gold $995, "thing2of2" mentioned above is stunning and might give you the exact balance of stone and setting you need.
So to bullet point my favorites:
Cut: GIA Excellent or better
Size: 1.25+
Color: H
Clarity: SI1
Setting: Whiteflash Legato in Whitegold (found by "thing2of2)
Well, that's my 2 cents! Good luck!