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Diamond help

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ndc923

Rough_Rock
Joined
Aug 1, 2013
Messages
44
I'm hoping you guys can help me out, I found a setting I love and now I'm trying to pick a stone, and my bf and I are complete newbies to the diamond world. I've been looking around PS for a while gathering information, but I still need some help. When it comes to clarity and color, which one should be compromised first? I'm not exactly 100% sure what his budget is, but I'm looking for something 1.5ct range or up (1.4 is the lowest I'd like to go - like everybody else I'm sure, I want a big stone, but I want it to be a good quality one more importantly), in the 7-9k range, no higher than 10k (as low as possible though). I keep reading that si clarities are acceptable, and a vvs1 is not necessary, however when I look at a stone's GIA report and see all the little red dots and lines I immediately get turned off from the stone. Am I being way to critical considering these inclusions are typically at a 40x magnification? Are there certain types of inclusions I should try to stay away from? Any help would be greatly appreciated.
 
You pay insane amounts of $ for higher clarities. A VS should be eye-clean, most SI1's are, and some SI2's. I wouldn't go lower than the SI range.

Have you looked at stones in person to see what color range you are comfortable with? And I assume this is for a round brilliant? Most people can start to see color at about the I range, so if you want "white" I'd stay H and above, but if you like, or at least don't mind, a little warmth to get more size, that opens your options.

Try going to James Allen, Brian Gavin, Whiteflash Good Old Gold etc, for starters - filter on the price and size range you want, focusing on H&A and ideal cuts. That will give you at least an idea of what you can get for your $.

Whatever you do, don't compromise on cut quality - an ideal cut stone will face up whiter, bigger, and sparkle more than a less welll cut stone.

There are lots of people here, who should be along shortly, who love to help find stones and will be happy to help!
 
Thank you for your help, yes it would be a round brilliant, I am comfortable with an I color, from the research I've done seems it wouldn't give off too much warmth ( not sure how huge the difference between H or I color would be). However, in the price range I'm looking at, I'm hoping to be able to get a solid 1.5ct at a better color rather than something larger at a lower color and clarity. Cut is the one I am well aware of, when I do searches I usually select the best option available for it.

As far as online vendors, I have come across one issue so far, I am very particular as to the kind of setting I want ( found someone with it, but the only setting I have found that comes close (very close, actually) is the Blue Nile scalloped pave setting, and I know they are all hesitant to mingle with each other as far as having a stone from one place and setting from another... so I think that limits me a little. :confused:

Thanks again for any and all help!
 
Without seeing the diamond in person you can't determine what is visible and what is not. Most twinning wisps are hard to see in my opinion. In general most SI-2 are not eye clean, however you really have to check on a case by case basis. This one may be... Is your setting that you want in a local store? Will the head fit your diamond size?
 
No, I have not seen this setting in any stores I have been to, closest to it is on BN ( still with compromises, but I'm not expecting to find a duplicate) and to have it custom made elsewhere seems to significantly raise the price. I have a nickel allergy and have had some bad experiences with white gold, so the BF insists on platinum, which hikes up the price as it is, and I'm trying not to cost him a fortune. I just don't want to get something knowing one day I will want to upgrade ... I want it forever ( cheesy as that sounds lol). I get the feeling BN is not particularly a favorite here, but I'm not sure where else to go as I've looked on JA, WF, GOG etc and didn't find a setting that had most of the elements as the ring I had seen and liked.
 
Yes that is it. First, this is the ring I fell in love with (hopefully the link is correct)
https://www.google.com/search?q=ofroyalty&client=firefox-a&hs=9mH&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ei=3Lk0Uq28Ldbe4AOVooCwDQ&ved=0CAkQ_AUoAQ&biw=1366&bih=665&dpr=1#facrc=_&imgdii=_&imgrc=2InXxTC2k1GtqM%3A%3BEMKB_wyI2j5GiM%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fbios.weddingbee.com%252Fpics%252F255076%252F002.png%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fboards.weddingbee.com%252Ftopic%252F6-prong-solitaire-rings-need-to-see-side-views%3B590%3B295

The only thing that is different on the BN setting as opposed to that is the way the smaller stones are held, and the number of prongs. I love the six prongs (when done delicately like on hers), and like the u shaped shared prong look of the small stones. Most I have seen, the stones sit on the band not in it, are cathedral set, or have more metal around the smaller stones than I personally like.
 
In regards to stones I just purchased this diamond / ring from BN for my gf and I agree it is hard to decide on a diamond when looking at gia reports. IMO I wouldn't go lower than a SI1 that had the inclusion located on the side.

The stone I got below is 1.6 carat 57% table I color Ideal cut and Vs2 clarity (it looks flawless in person so I see no need to get better than Vs2 considering price). The ring has strong blue fluorescence but is super clear and has tons of sparkle! The price was $10,199 for the diamond so I think you can find something good in your price range too.



Good luck with your search :)
 
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