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Diamond for engagement ring 0.34 ct

denn1812

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Nov 7, 2012
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Hello,
I need your help. I made a research about diamonds and decided that i want to buy VS2 S1 and H or I color. I'm a student so don't have much money. My budget is $1200 for everything. I already found the settings :
http://www.jamesallen.com/engagement-rings/pave/14k-white-gold-thin-french-cut-pave-set-diamond-engagement-ring-17158w14.html?module=setting

Now i'm looking for a diamond in the range 550 - 650$. So have some variants.

http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/H-VS2-Ideal-Cut-Round-Diamond-1236848.asp
http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/H-VS2-Excellent-Cut-Round-Diamond-1517818.asp
http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/H-VS1-Excellent-Cut-Round-Diamond-1517842.asp
http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/G-SI1-Ideal-Cut-Round-Diamond-1236843.asp
http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/G-SI1-Ideal-Cut-Round-Diamond-1236836.asp

I like the third one. But i also like the last one but it looks kinda dark but has better cut.
So can you tell me if those heart arrows will be bad looking? which one should i choose?
P.s i know the diamond is kinda small but cannot afford bigger
 

Asscherhalo_lover

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If I were you I would spend as little on the setting as possible,

http://www.jamesallen.com/engagemen...taire-engagement-ring-six-prong-17927w14.html

...and get the best balance for budget diamond possible.

This setting leaves you 1k for a diamond, you can always get a new setting later on.

http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/H-SI1-Excellent-Cut-Round-Diamond-1536411.asp

This diamond has a nice spread, almost 5mm, 1.4 HCA and the inclusion looks like it could be easily covered by a prong. Good balance for budget.
 

denn1812

Rough_Rock
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Thank you very much for advise))) I will think about it))
 

Niel

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I agree I would spend as little as possible on the setting at this point. Get as close to a .5 ct as possible. That is a VERY respectable size for your budget. Or really at all in the real world :)


ETA: you can always change the setting later, or get a blingy WB if you crave that melee all the way around your finger
 

Niel

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Rhea

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I know that we're a weird lot on PS. We think upgrading is normal so to us it makes sense to spend the least amount on the setting and more on the diamond. I doubt that most people in the real world are like us though. A lot of people seem to stick with their original engagement ring for years and even, gasp, decades! If you fall into this category that I think it makes sense to pick a kick ass diamond and setting combination that she'll be happy with for years to come.

I received a 0.47 in a tapered baguette setting. The ring as a whole doesn't do it for me. Most days I wear a smaller stone, about 1/3 carat, in a setting that I adore. Yes, I'd love a bigger diamond, but I can't imagine being without my precious 1/3 carat diamond ring.

If you're not the upgrading type or don't see it happening for a while please stick with your original plan. You know what she'll love and it's not size for all for us, it's the entire package. I'm not great at finding diamonds so can't comment on your choice, just wanted to pipe in to say not to let PS lead you into getting a larger diamond and giving up the setting if that's what you want.
 

distracts

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Asscherhalo_lover|1353882581|3315235 said:
If I were you I would spend as little on the setting as possible,

Honestly I disagree with this. His budget is going to be for a smaller diamond no matter what, and I think spending a little more on the setting to add some extra bling is the right way to go.
 

denn1812

Rough_Rock
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Lol different opinions)))) as for me, the difference between 0.34 or 0.46 wont that big i'm pretty sure!!! my idea was having kinda small diamond and plus those smalll diamonds on the setting will be better than just a little bigger diamond...
So can anyone tell me something about diamonds that i posted in the first Post??? thank you
 

Niel

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distracts|1353886786|3315277 said:
Asscherhalo_lover|1353882581|3315235 said:
If I were you I would spend as little on the setting as possible,

Honestly I disagree with this. His budget is going to be for a smaller diamond no matter what, and I think spending a little more on the setting to add some extra bling is the right way to go.

I was just assuming based on the comment from the OP that the stone was "small" that he might want to look in to the option of a plain shank with a .5 ct, then a wedding band from IDJ or something can add the extra "bling" then you have the best of both worlds. sense a plain shank wedding band is like 150-200 and one with some bling is around 350. Compared to a ering setting that 180 vs 580
 

marcy

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Everyone has valid points but I think you should decide what you want more - a fancy ring or a bigger diamond. A solitaire with a great 1/2 carat diamond will be pretty and sparkly but if you want more finger coverage getting a ring with diamond accents and a smaller center diamond may be something to consider. Have you gone out and tried different rings and styles on to see what appeals to you the most?
 

Niel

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denn1812|1353887140|3315280 said:
Lol different opinions)))) as for me, the difference between 0.34 or 0.46 wont that big i'm pretty sure!!! my idea was having kinda small diamond and plus those smalll diamonds on the setting will be better than just a little bigger diamond...
So can anyone tell me something about diamonds that i posted in the first Post??? thank you


Yes I put that h VS2 one in the HCA and it scored under a 2 which is good, and visually I like that one best, thats the one I would pick. And I am sorry I am not trying to sway your opinion one way or the other, just my instinct when I hear someone is on a budget is to go for the diamond first, so if you arent then just igore me :lol:

Will that setting fit a diamond that size? I only ask because a few of them say "diamonds >.4" (i noticed when I was looking for a little cushion RHR) and my internet isnt letting me pull up the page. they could probably make it work but it might be a charge
 

bunnycat

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I don't see why you can't get a little of both f what you want, but shop around a little.

ID Jewlery has this ring with pave on half the band and a 4 prong basket setting for $365 which leaves you almost $1000 for a nice stone:

http://idjewelryonline.com/product_info.php?cPath=42_44&products_id=10116&cType=ER

ID Jewelry has pulled off a lot of little miracles around here for people on a budget so you might call them and give your specs (like the budget for the stone if you went for that band and the lowest you want to go for color and clarity and ask if they can find something nicely cut in those specs) You could also probably save a little more on it by going with 14k instead of 18k gold.

I suppose you could also get the stone from one place (like JA) and send it to IDJ to have set. They are both in NY.
 

bunnycat

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denn1812|1353887140|3315280 said:
Lol different opinions)))) as for me, the difference between 0.34 or 0.46 wont that big i'm pretty sure!!! my idea was having kinda small diamond and plus those smalll diamonds on the setting will be better than just a little bigger diamond...
So can anyone tell me something about diamonds that i posted in the first Post??? thank you

The visual difference between a 1/3 and a 1/2 is more than you think on smaller stones. The surface area (visual) increases at a higher percent up until about 1ct (then it takes more diameter increase to see a visual difference), just mathematics....
 

Niel

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bastetcat|1353888066|3315294 said:
denn1812|1353887140|3315280 said:
Lol different opinions)))) as for me, the difference between 0.34 or 0.46 wont that big i'm pretty sure!!! my idea was having kinda small diamond and plus those smalll diamonds on the setting will be better than just a little bigger diamond...
So can anyone tell me something about diamonds that i posted in the first Post??? thank you

The visual difference between a 1/3 and a 1/2 is more than you think on smaller stones. The surface area (visual) increases at a higher percent up until about 1ct (then it takes more diameter increase to see a visual difference), just mathematics....

Someone was just discussing this on a previous thread and this thread was linked. this was the most helpful picture. Not the same sizes but similar
[URL='https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/diamond-size-comparison.83517/']https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/diamond-size-comparison.83517/[/URL]
I believe they were .74,.45,.17

_2043.jpg
 

Asscherhalo_lover

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Wow I was just offering the OP an opinion. Being someone who has owned and still owns diamonds in sizes of .33, .37, .42, .70, all rounds, I can say that there is a quite a visual difference between a stone that is 4.4mm (like the one the OP posted) and 5mm (like the one I posted). It makes a big difference. It's just an opinion but for an engagement ring I would pick the stone with more impact even if I would never upgrade the setting. Let the OP decide what he wants.
 

Asscherhalo_lover

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bastetcat|1353888066|3315294 said:
denn1812|1353887140|3315280 said:
Lol different opinions)))) as for me, the difference between 0.34 or 0.46 wont that big i'm pretty sure!!! my idea was having kinda small diamond and plus those smalll diamonds on the setting will be better than just a little bigger diamond...
So can anyone tell me something about diamonds that i posted in the first Post??? thank you

The visual difference between a 1/3 and a 1/2 is more than you think on smaller stones. The surface area (visual) increases at a higher percent up until about 1ct (then it takes more diameter increase to see a visual difference), just mathematics....

Thank you! There is a big visual difference between 4.4mm and 5mm!
 

denn1812

Rough_Rock
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Nov 7, 2012
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Lol thank you everyone for the help)))everything was helpful!!! yea, i probably just have to decide what i want)))
But thank you very much!!!
 

bunnycat

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Asscherhalo_lover|1353888663|3315313 said:
bastetcat|1353888066|3315294 said:
denn1812|1353887140|3315280 said:
Lol different opinions)))) as for me, the difference between 0.34 or 0.46 wont that big i'm pretty sure!!! my idea was having kinda small diamond and plus those smalll diamonds on the setting will be better than just a little bigger diamond...
So can anyone tell me something about diamonds that i posted in the first Post??? thank you

The visual difference between a 1/3 and a 1/2 is more than you think on smaller stones. The surface area (visual) increases at a higher percent up until about 1ct (then it takes more diameter increase to see a visual difference), just mathematics....

Thank you! There is a big visual difference between 4.4mm and 5mm!


No problem- but I made a mistake in how I said it. What I meant to say was that as you get past 1ct size in a diamond, you end up having to add on a more carat weight to get a visual difference (area increase in the stone face).

Hubs did the math for me (Yay- math professor!) and figured it's almost a 25% increase in area from a 4.5mm stone to a 5mm stone (the .34 and .5 stone). Similarly, I have a 6mm stone (.79ct) and a 6.7-ish mm stone (1.13ct) and that also has a 25% increase in surface area (and a lot of extra carat weight to get there.)

End of story is you WILL see a difference in a stone that is 25% larger.


I kind of like Nielseels G-I1 stone she posted. Crown's maybe verging on a little steep and I didn't run any numbers, but maybe???

Good luck Denn! My vote is to call IDJewlery!
 

Niel

Super_Ideal_Rock
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bastetcat|1353890220|3315338 said:
Asscherhalo_lover|1353888663|3315313 said:
bastetcat|1353888066|3315294 said:
denn1812|1353887140|3315280 said:
Lol different opinions)))) as for me, the difference between 0.34 or 0.46 wont that big i'm pretty sure!!! my idea was having kinda small diamond and plus those smalll diamonds on the setting will be better than just a little bigger diamond...
So can anyone tell me something about diamonds that i posted in the first Post??? thank you

The visual difference between a 1/3 and a 1/2 is more than you think on smaller stones. The surface area (visual) increases at a higher percent up until about 1ct (then it takes more diameter increase to see a visual difference), just mathematics....

Thank you! There is a big visual difference between 4.4mm and 5mm!


No problem- but I made a mistake in how I said it. What I meant to say was that as you get past 1ct size in a diamond, you end up having to add on a more carat weight to get a visual difference (area increase in the stone face).

Hubs did the math for me (Yay- math professor!) and figured it's almost a 25% increase in area from a 4.5mm stone to a 5mm stone (the .34 and .5 stone). Similarly, I have a 6mm stone (.79ct) and a 6.7-ish mm stone (1.13ct) and that also has a 25% increase in surface area (and a lot of extra carat weight to get there.)

End of story is you WILL see a difference in a stone that is 25% larger.


I kind of like Nielseels G-I1 stone she posted. Crown's maybe verging on a little steep and I didn't run any numbers, but maybe???

Good luck Denn! My vote is to call IDJewlery!


all the numbers I ran were through the HCA calculator
 

denn1812

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But these are pre owned so will have small scratches or some marks, is it right?
 

04diamond<3

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denn1812|1353895330|3315426 said:
But these are pre owned so will have small scratches or some marks, is it right?

OOOO Charmypoo! I love that first one (in your last post)! And the listings on DB are great! Denn1812 - you can always get them redipped and polished, it'll look like new!
 

Niel

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04diamond<3|1353896818|3315448 said:
denn1812|1353895330|3315426 said:
But these are pre owned so will have small scratches or some marks, is it right?

OOOO Charmypoo! I love that first one (in your last post)! And the listings on DB are great! Denn1812 - you can always get them redipped and polished, it'll look like new!
+1 I love that one from your last post
 

Rhea

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Asscherhalo_lover|1353888535|3315309 said:
[b[Wow I was just offering the OP an opinion.[/b] Being someone who has owned and still owns diamonds in sizes of .33, .37, .42, .70, all rounds, I can say that there is a quite a visual difference between a stone that is 4.4mm (like the one the OP posted) and 5mm (like the one I posted). It makes a big difference. It's just an opinion but for an engagement ring I would pick the stone with more impact even if I would never upgrade the setting. Let the OP decide what he wants.

We were all just offering an opinion. I didn't get heated any point. Obviously it's his money and he'll decide how he wants to spend it. In the meantime I think he'll continue to get opinions on larger stone with plain setting, smaller stone with fancy setting, and hunting a bargain. This is Rocky Talk after all!
 

LibbyLA

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Denn,

Many marks can be polished out, and once she starts wearing it, she's going to scratch it. It's just something to consider and sometimes you can find some really beautiful rings for a lot less money. I have bought two 1/3 ct. diamonds (one round, one oval) in platinum settings with two or more small accent diamonds for $350 each preowned, FWIW.

liz
 

Rhea

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Rhea|1353914900|3315533 said:
Asscherhalo_lover|1353888535|3315309 said:
Wow I was just offering the OP an opinion. Being someone who has owned and still owns diamonds in sizes of .33, .37, .42, .70, all rounds, I can say that there is a quite a visual difference between a stone that is 4.4mm (like the one the OP posted) and 5mm (like the one I posted). It makes a big difference. It's just an opinion but for an engagement ring I would pick the stone with more impact even if I would never upgrade the setting. Let the OP decide what he wants.

We were all just offering an opinion. I didn't get heated any point. Obviously it's his money and he'll decide how he wants to spend it. In the meantime I think he'll continue to get opinions on larger stone with plain setting, smaller stone with fancy setting, and hunting a bargain. This is Rocky Talk after all!

Apparently my proof reading isn't brilliant in the morning. This should say "It didn't get heated at any point."
 

CharmyPoo

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denn1812|1353895330|3315426 said:
But these are pre owned so will have small scratches or some marks, is it right?

You take it to a jeweler ... get it polished and it will be like brand new. That's the magic about second hand jewelry - gold or platinum .. heck even silver. A bit of touch up and good as new.

With your budget, I would really go for second hand and get a larger diamond. I wouldn't even need a perfectly cut diamond in that size.
 

denn1812

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Thank you everyone for support!!!

After couple hours talking with mom and friends I finally decided to go for big diamond))))

i regretted to buy pre owned because it might has some negative aura or something from previous owners. I just wanted the clear and new one
 
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