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Diamond Ring - Help me to Narrow down..

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amirvenkat

Rough_Rock
Joined
Jun 27, 2009
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Hi,

I heard that JamesAllen is good... and planning to buy ring from them.
I am looking for solitaire diamond, IDEAL cut, approx 40 cents, and cost between 750$-900$.
Can someone provide the thoughts.

--venkat
 
Ring or pendant? I''m confused, your last thread said you were trying to do a pendant. Is this the same project or a different one? If it is the same, it is best to keep the posts in the same thread so other posters can follow your progress and don''t have to repeat what others have said. The type of project can make a slight difference in which stones will be recommended.
 
No, this is a different one.
 
what are your other requirements with regards to color and clarity?
 
Date: 6/29/2009 11:02:08 PM
Author:amirvenkat
Hi,

I heard that JamesAllen is good... and planning to buy ring from them.
I am looking for solitaire diamond, IDEAL cut, approx 40 cents, and cost between 750$-900$.
Can someone provide the thoughts.

--venkat
Click to expand...
Is your budget just for the diamond or does it include the setting?
 
Color, Clarity - Which ever is the best is OK.
The budget includes setting also.

Is there a way in JamesAllen to know about the weight of settings?

Also, this question may/may not be relevant. Anyway, i am just posting it - Does these diamonds are cheaper in India or US? meaning given a diamond of
same cut, clarity, color, cent - where it will be cheaper..India or US? Because, some people told me that all these diamonds are cut in Surat, India. And thats
why i thought of clarifying this.

--venkat
 
Date: 6/30/2009 8:11:19 AM
Author: amirvenkat
Color, Clarity - Which ever is the best is OK. When you say the best, do you mean the highest colour and clarity is a priority for you such as colourless ( D E F ) and high clarity such as VS/ VVS even if it means the diamond is smaller as a result for the budget? Or is mid range or lower colour and clarity ok such as G or H colour and VS clarity or I and J colour and SI clarity? These can still look very white and some SI clarities are eyeclean.
The budget includes setting also.

Is there a way in JamesAllen to know about the weight of settings? If it isn't listed then you would need to contact customer service.

Also, this question may/may not be relevant. Anyway, i am just posting it - Does these diamonds are cheaper in India or US? meaning given a diamond of
same cut, clarity, color, cent - where it will be cheaper..India or US? Because, some people told me that all these diamonds are cut in Surat, India. And thats
why i thought of clarifying this. Diamonds are cut in many parts of the world, sometimes a diamond travels to different places for the stages of cutting and finishing too.

--venkat
Click to expand...
 
i guess GH is ok, clarity is VVS2, VS1 band... since i dont have much experience.. suggest me a good looking one..all i am concerned is..it should be 40 cents
and ideal cut...bcos i think only this will add sparkling to the ring.. am i right?

--venkat
 
Date: 6/30/2009 8:31:44 AM
Author: amirvenkat
i guess GH is ok, clarity is VVS2, VS1 band... since i dont have much experience.. suggest me a good looking one..all i am concerned is..it should be 40 cents
and ideal cut...bcos i think only this will add sparkling to the ring.. am i right?

--venkat
Click to expand...
Ok I will take a look for you, yes cut is very important in order for you to have a pretty stone, to clarify this diamond is intended for a ring? Do you prefer to buy only from James Allen?

Here are some contenders

http://www.goodoldgold.com/diamond/I2232029/

http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/F-VVS2-Ideal-Cut-Round-Diamond-1193753.asp?b=16&a=12&c=77&cid=131

With the JA diamond above, request a hearts image if you like this one as they have just started offering them, very important in order to judge a h&a diamond.

http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/G-VS2-Ideal-Cut-Round-Diamond-1241733.asp?b=16&a=12&c=77&cid=131

Same with this one, ask for a hearts image.
 
You asked for thoughts, so here goes:

A clever way to allocate more money to the stone is to choose a yellow gold setting. Yellow gold is cheaper than platinum (and yellow gold doesn''t tarnish and need re-plating after a few years of wear, like white gold).
With yellow gold settings, you can drop the colour of the diamond by a couple of grades and it will still appear white, due to the contrast of the yellow gold background.

With a very good or ideal cut diamond, you could quite easily drop to I colour, VS2 clarity in an 18ct yellow gold setting. But yellow gold is not as popular these days.
For a white gold or platinum setting, I would be fearful of dropping below G colour, VS2 clarity.
That leaves you more money for a better cut and larger stone.

The price difference for G v I colour is 25-30% and the cost of platinum v yellow gold is about double.

Given the same cut quality, I''d generally prefer to drop a few colour grades to get a larger stone, if the recipient will tolerate yellow gold.
My "lady" has a collection of pendants - including two that are "worth" fairly similar amounts:

0.5ct D, IF, vg.cut, platinum. 5mm diameter stone.
1.0ct, I, VS1, vg.cut, yellow gold. 6.5mm diameter stone.

The value is fairly similar, but the 1ct stone''s extra size makes it a much more impressive piece of jewellery to look at. The yellow gold setting masks any slight hint of yellow in the I -colour stone.
 
Date: 6/30/2009 8:48:31 AM
Author: FB.
You asked for thoughts, so here goes:

A clever way to allocate more money to the stone is to choose a yellow gold setting. Yellow gold is cheaper than platinum (and yellow gold doesn't tarnish and need re-plating after a few years of wear, like white gold).
With yellow gold settings, you can drop the colour of the diamond by a couple of grades and it will still appear white, due to the contrast of the yellow gold background.

With a very good or ideal cut diamond, you could quite easily drop to I colour, VS2 clarity in an 18ct yellow gold setting. But yellow gold is not as popular these days.
For a white gold or platinum setting, I would be fearful of dropping below G colour, VS2 clarity. No need to be, with well cut stones you would be surprised how white these look, even I and J stones set in platinum still look very white if the cut is great. Many SI clarity grades are also extremely clean to the eye.
That leaves you more money for a better cut and larger stone.

The price difference for G v I colour is 25-30% and the cost of platinum v yellow gold is about double.

Given the same cut quality, I'd generally prefer to drop a few colour grades to get a larger stone, if the recipient will tolerate yellow gold.
My 'lady' has a collection of pendants - including two that are 'worth' fairly similar amounts:

0.5ct D, IF, vg.cut, platinum. 5mm diameter stone.
1.0ct, I, VS1, vg.cut, yellow gold. 6.5mm diameter stone.

The value is fairly similar, but the 1ct stone's extra size makes it a much more impressive piece of jewellery to look at. The yellow gold setting masks any slight hint of yellow in the I -colour stone.
Click to expand...
 
Perhaps my fussiness on colour is because I work as a scientist (not in gems) and am very experienced with magnifying glasses (we call them "hand lenses") and microscopes. I therefore have a sharper-than-average eye for detail.
I''ve seen the phrase "mind clean" used on this site and I suppose that the above is what is "mind clean" to me and I know that however hard she examines her jewellery or from what angle, she can''t see colour or clarity issues - even if she puts two pieces of jewellery side-by-side and views them at 6 inches distance.

2.gif
 
Date: 6/30/2009 9:35:20 AM
Author: FB.

Perhaps my fussiness on colour is because I work as a scientist (not in gems) and am very experienced with magnifying glasses (we call them ''hand lenses'') and microscopes. I therefore have a sharper-than-average eye for detail.
I''ve seen the phrase ''mind clean'' used on this site and I suppose that the above is what is ''mind clean'' to me and I know that however hard she examines her jewellery or from what angle, she can''t see colour or clarity issues - even if she puts two pieces of jewellery side-by-side and views them at 6 inches distance.

2.gif
Click to expand...
I knew it!!! I had a feeling thats what you did going from the fluorescence thread! Also you could have a very very sharp eye for details which comes naturally to you, and this translates to diamonds.
 
9.gif


Even on my computer desk, I have a rather nice, stainless-steel, fold-up, Japanese-made magnifying glass, with a 7.5x lens on one end and a 15x lens on the other.
2.gif


Moving on to clarity and ignoring the cut....

In SI grade stones, I have concerns about the majority of the inclusions.
In SI1 grade, I''d estimate that only 4/10 diamonds would be satisfactory to me - and perhaps only 2/10 SI2 stones.
In VS2, about 6/10 are satisfactory to me. In VS1, about 8/10 are satisfactory to me. In VVS or above, about 9/10 are satisfactory to me.

Of course, cut is usually more important, but I am quite fussy when it comes to selecting a diamond; I''ve even avoided a few "Ideal cut" VS-clarity because the type or locations of inclusions left me with a slight doubt.
 
Date: 6/30/2009 9:54:28 AM
Author: FB.
9.gif


Even on my computer desk, I have a rather nice, stainless-steel, fold-up, Japanese-made magnifying glass, with a 7.5x lens on one end and a 15x lens on the other.
2.gif


Moving on to clarity and ignoring the cut....

In SI grade stones, I have concerns about the majority of the inclusions.
In SI1 grade, I''d estimate that only 4/10 diamonds would be satisfactory to me - and perhaps only 2/10 SI2 stones.
In VS2, about 6/10 are satisfactory to me. In VS1, about 8/10 are satisfactory to me. In VVS or above, about 9/10 are satisfactory to me.

Of course, cut is usually more important, but I am quite fussy when it comes to selecting a diamond; I''ve even avoided a few ''Ideal cut'' VS-clarity because the type or locations of inclusions left me with a slight doubt.
Click to expand...
LOL!

Definitely sounds like VS/ VVS is best for you and that is the name of the game!
 
Is it good to buy insurance for the diamond ring?
If so, which is the good insurance company?

To get an idea about insurance..if i buy a ring which costs $1000, how much should i pay as a premium, for how long?
Kindly help

--venkat
 
Jewelry insurance is year by year coverage until you decide not to pay. Premium depends on the company, terms and your location so you will have to check with the companies, I think roughly around 1/50 of your item value. I think you can also put in under your rental/homeowner's insurance. Check with them too.

For 1k, probably not worth the hassle. Insurance is typically for stuff you cannot afford to replace.

I use jewelersmutual. There are a few other companies, I think another one is chubb.
 
Date: 7/1/2009 8:28:51 PM
Author: amirvenkat
Is it good to buy insurance for the diamond ring?
If so, which is the good insurance company?

To get an idea about insurance..if i buy a ring which costs $1000, how much should i pay as a premium, for how long?
Kindly help

--venkat
Click to expand...
Your homeowners if you have it might cover a ring of this value, check the small print.

If not

www.jewelersmutual.com
'
www.chubb.com

www.touchstoneinsurance.com
 
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