Diamond Help!

[DanW]

Help!

I'm pretty sure I know my setting, but all these diamond choices are making my head spin. I've been reading the forums here and have become fairly well versed, but I'd love the expert's help on deciding what diamond will work best for me. My primary concern is how the diamond looks to the naked eye...She's not going to be staring at her ring through a loupe, I just want it to look great on her finger.

My diamond budget is ~4k after the setting.

Setting:
http://www.jamesallen.com/engagement-rings/settings-with-sidestones/ring/item_58-4150.asp

Now to the diamonds. I'm thinking I want an eye clean S1-S2 to maximize other traits. Excellent cut, H-I color, which will give me a .8-.9 carat diamond in my price range. The options I'm considering:

This looks like it will be eye clean, and is probably the biggest of my considerations. The depth is a little high, but otherwise looks really good I think...
http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/I-SI2-Ideal-Cut-Round-Diamond-1438958.asp
Shape: Round
Carat weight: 0.90
Cut: Excellent
Color: I
Clarity: SI2
Certificate: GIA
Depth: 62.7%
Table: 56.0%
Polish: Excellent
Symmetry: Excellent
Girdle: Medium
Culet: None
Fluorescence: None
Measurements: 6.15*6.19*3.87
Price: $4090

Smaller Carat weight, but great specs. Very big face for it's weight. I think it'd be eye clean?
http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/H-SI1-Ideal-Cut-Round-Diamond-1407812.asp
Shape: Round
Carat weight: 0.80
Cut: Excellent
Color: H
Clarity: SI1
Certificate: GIA
Depth: 59.8%
Table: 58.0%
Polish: Excellent
Symmetry: Excellent
Girdle: Thin to medium
Culet: None
Fluorescence: None
Measurements: 6.04*6.12*3.63
Price: $3880

Good price, Hearts and Arrows cut (Should I care about that??)
http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/I-SI1-Ideal-Cut-Round-Diamond-1458694.asp
Shape: Round
Carat weight: 0.81
Cut: Hearts & Arrows Ideal
Color: I
Clarity: SI1
Certificate: AGS
Depth: 61.9%
Table: 56.7%
Polish: Ideal
Symmetry: Ideal
Girdle: Thin to slightly thick
Culet: Pointed
Fluorescence: Negligible
Measurements: 5.96*6.00*3.70

Cheapest of all, slightly smaller, will it be eye clean??
http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/H-SI2-Ideal-Cut-Round-Diamond-1452333.asp
Shape: Round
Carat weight: 0.80
Cut: Excellent
Color: H
Clarity: SI2
Certificate: GIA
Depth: 61.6%
Table: 56.0%
Polish: Excellent
Symmetry: Excellent
Girdle: Medium
Culet: None
Fluorescence: None
Measurements: 5.98*6.01*3.69

Biggest questions:

• Will these diamonds be eye clean? Other questions I should be asking?
  How much of the measurement differences will be noticeable? Any thoughts with how these would work with that setting?
  I don't mind spending the 4k if the diamonds are worth it, are they much better though?
  Any other recommendations?

You guys are awesome, thank you so much!
Dan

 

[diamondseeker2006]

I would say that I am not in love with any of those stones, so I'll post some that I might like better. But with any three you choose as finalists, you'll want to ask if they are eyeclean from the top and sides and ask for an idealscope and/or ASET image. This one might be okay:

http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/H-VS2-Ideal-Cut-Round-Diamond-1450839.asp

Honestly, they just have a lot of stones that don't look very excellent to me. I really did try since it appears that you want to buy from JA. But if I had a $4000 budget, I think this is the stone I would personally buy and choose a setting that is less than $2400.

http://www.whiteflash.com/loose-diamonds/round-cut-loose-diamond-2728086.htm

Setting example:

http://www.whiteflash.com/engagement-rings/diamond-settings/legato-sleek-line-pave-diamond-engagement-ring-1120.htm ($1819)

 

[DanW]

Why is it that you prefer that diamond? The second diamond that I listed has bigger dimensions, and performs better on the HCA based on the listed specs (obviously assuming it's eye clean, which I would definitely check on). You clearly have far more experience in this than I do, so I'm less doubting you and more genuinely interested in trying to best understand diamonds.

I've seen a bunch of talk about ASET and Idealscope, and have seen plenty of pictures, but can you guys give me a better idea of what these actually are and what I need to be looking for? Does JA give you a total of 3 ideal and 3 ASET, or just 3 combined?

The other setting I was considering was a similar one from Bluenile. i know she loves the sidestones and has specifically pointed out loving the pear sidestones in the past...The biggest concern I have with BN though is the inability to see the stones or get additional information.
http://www.bluenile.com/build-your-own-diamond-ring?offer_id=21011&forceStep=STYLE_STEP

Thanks!
Dan