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Emerald Engagement Help In November

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Username2105

Rough_Rock
Joined
Oct 29, 2017
Messages
15
Hi Everyone,

I've been window shopping online, specifically on James Allen, for quite some time now, and it's getting to be crunch time. I'll most likely be buying within the next two to three weeks in order to ensure that the big question falls within the 30 day return window for any reason.

I've done a fair bit of research and was feeling marginally competent until I stumbled upon this forum and began reading the comments here. I figured I would sign up and if I'm fortunate enough to get some of the fantastic responses I've responses that I've come across. With that being said, I'll lay out all my cards including some of the candidates so far.

Her want
  • Emerald cut, >= 1 ct, 1.30 to 1.40 L/W ratio. White gold, simple Pave ring.
My research
  • Depth & table between 60% & 68%. Eye clean. Prioritize clarity > color > carat. Absolute maximum of $6,200 for the diamond. (I'd wouldn't mind spending less, though =)2)

Here's a handful of diamonds, in no particular order, that I've "favorited". I feel like there's quality diamonds out there with "lesser" attributes that I haven't come across based on my filtered searches. Along with any comments on these, I'd love to see any diamonds that you would consider on your "wish list" if you were to have the same budget as me.


A. 1.01 ct F-VVS2. 1.34 L/W. 66% depth. 63% table. Excellent Polish. VG Symmetry. Faint fluorescence. Slightly Thick - Thick. ASET image included
A.jpg

B 1.02 D-VVS1. 1.36 L/W. 66.2% depth. 63% table. Excellent polish. VG Symmetry. Faint fluorescence. Slightly Thick-Thick. ASET image included


B.jpg

C. 1.02 E-IF. 1.36 L/W. 64.9% depth. 66% table. Excellent Polish. VG Symmetry. No fluorescence. Thick-Very Thick ASET image included

C.jpg




Lastly, 1.01 G VVS1. 1.36 L/W Ratio. 66.7% Depth. 62% Table. Excellent Polish. Very Good Symmetry. No Fluorescence. Medium-Slightly Thick

Sorry for the length! Thanks so much if you've got this far.
 
:mrgreen2:Ok. I'm going to first congratulate you for choosing to buy a step cut stone; they are not popular, and always overlooked. ;)2
I am going to introduce myself by sharing what I know about step cut, in particular, EC's.
Unicorns exist, but are very difficult to find. I have one; DH got extremely lucky...but I will do what I can to help you!
Please note the chart below:

IMG_7890.PNG
This chart will give you a good idea where your 4 EC's sit, in comparison on the chart for CUT.

I must ask: why is color higher on your priority list than carat/size?
Nearly colorless stones face up very white, and don't show tint from the side, in most light environments. In many cases, they have a beautiful, warm tone that will make any girl swoon. Just curious. Everyone's preferences are different...was interested in learning why you prioritized your C's in that order.
I am going to go back & investigate the EC's you posted, and give you MY* non-expert, but experienced opinion.... :mrgreen2:
 
Hi, just wanted to say congratulations and I too have an emerald cut. Mine is an Art Deco era stone is unusual in it is a longer and thinner. I love it.
 
My choice would be 1 or 2. Number 3 is not very lively in the middle.

Number 2 looks the liveliest to me. The steps seem to be doing a lot of "walking".

Number 1 aset is showing some gray steps. I dont feel like the middle is lighting up as nicely as number 2 but this stone (number 1) is bigger.

My 2 cents...

Edit...oops, number 2 is biggest...that would be my choice!
 
With that budget, you might consider going to G color and VS2 (which will most likely be perfectly eye clean). If you do, you should be able to get a 1.2 ct rock. G color will be very white in this aize.
 
@Username2105, of the choices you posted, I am on team #2. @LawmaLlama, of the choices you posted, I'm team #4. I like UN2105's #2 better, though.
I'm going to dive into some EC's & see what I can find (if anything). ;)2
I'm assuming you're set on JA?
 
Specs:
Emerald Cut
0.98-1.30ct
F-I color
VVS2-FL Clarity
Ex. Polish
Ex. Symmetry
Table%: 58-63%
Depth%: 64-68%
Fluorescence: None-Faint

B2C Jewels:
https://www.pricescope.com/diamonds/emerald/1_25-carat-h-color-if-clarity-2282699
IMG_8507.jpg


https://www.pricescope.com/diamonds/emerald/1_22-carat-i-color-vvs2-clarity-3476578
IMG_8508.jpg

JA:
https://www.jamesallen.com/mobile/l...t/1.01-carat-f-color-vvs1-clarity-sku-3351631
IMG_8509.jpg

SHE is my FAVORITE!!! I'd LOVE to see an ASET on HER!!! *Gasp!*:
https://www.jamesallen.com/mobile/l...t/1.00-carat-f-color-vvs1-clarity-sku-3416135
IMG_8510.jpg
 
Just here to add that JA has 25% off settings right now and there is a 1.5% wire discount. Also, I think you can get an additional $100 off if you sign up for email. Their turnaround time is usually 2-3 weeks.
 
Matthews1127 said:
I must ask: why is color higher on your priority list than carat/size?
Nearly colorless stones face up very white, and don't show tint from the side, in most light environments.
Click to expand...

Hey, Matthew. Thanks for the quick reply! I have to admit this is all foreign territory for me, and I could have worded it better. Basically, I, and my girlfriend, prefer higher quality as it relates to color and clarity if it has to come at the expense of carat weight. In a perfect world, we can get all 3.Being eye clean is perhaps the most important, so that's why I happened to rank it that way in my original post. I'm honesty open to the wisdom of the crowd, though.
 
tyty333 said:
Number 2 looks the liveliest to me. The steps seem to be doing a lot of "walking".

Number 1 aset is showing some gray steps. I dont feel like the middle is lighting up as nicely as number 2!
Click to expand...

Heu, Tyty. Thanks for your response. Can you help me understand what you mean when you say the steps are doing a lot of "walking"? Just trying to learn the lingo, and it may help me look for that quality in other diamonds.
Same thing for gray steps... Are those the dark flashes as the diamond rotates?
 
I'd like to thank everyone for their input so far! I'm just catching up and will be looking into all the suggestions in more detail tonight and tomorrow. Im very impressed with the feedback in this forum!
 
Username2105 said:
https://www.jamesallen.com/loose-diamonds/emerald-cut/1.01-carat-f-color-vvs1-clarity-sku-3351631

Is having a crown/pavillion on an emerald cut considered bad, or is it a non-issue?
Click to expand...

It's normal for an EC to have a crown, but there are some that lack crown height/angle. In fact, it's more desirable for the masses, as it isn't flat across the top. @valeria101 has become interested in step Cuts that have little to no crowns, like the style of carre diamonds. It's not a requirement, but it does help, geometrically, to include a crown angle, in order to maximize the stone's brilliance & fire from top to bottom, depending on how the rest of the stone is cut. I must add that pavilion 3 placement determines how well the Center of the stone performs. This is related to how well the "steps do the walking". It is important to observe, while the stone is tilted & in motion, to pay close attention to how light moves from the outside to the center, or from top to bottom. You should notice that the steps move from the top of one side to the center & then back up again, with each step lighting up, as you move the stone. Pay close attention to whether or not some steps remain dark, even as you tilt the diamond, as those areas will create dull or dark areas in lighting environment, and the diamond will be dead, and without life. What you want to avoid is a completely transparent, glass-like, dark & dull stone. Gray areas are still a concern because it means you still have areas where light is still leaking, and the stone will not perform to its max potential. Step Cuts are rather tricky, and super awesome ones aren't easy to find. I believe there is potential, from what we have contributed, and your #2, to find a super awesome EC in this bunch.
Perhaps, it's time to pick @Karl_K's brain!!! He's extremely knowledgeable about step-Cuts.
I do hope you will investigate what we have chosen for you, and obtain more information and visual aids to share with all of us. I'm dying to see ASETs on some of these!!! :mrgreen2:
 
Username2105 said:
Hey, Matthew. Thanks for the quick reply! I have to admit this is all foreign territory for me, and I could have worded it better. Basically, I, and my girlfriend, prefer higher quality as it relates to color and clarity if it has to come at the expense of carat weight. In a perfect world, we can get all 3.Being eye clean is perhaps the most important, so that's why I happened to rank it that way in my original post. I'm honesty open to the wisdom of the crowd, though.
Click to expand...

There's plenty to learn from one another, on this forum. I, too, am anxious to learn as much as I can from others, here!! I was curious as to your thought process. I totally follow you, and I appreciate your response. :mrgreen2:

Ideally, you want a quality stone. You can still get quality with a near-colorless EC. IMHO, colorless diamonds, especially step Cuts, have a tendency to look "fake" to ME*. That is why my search specs started at F & ended at I. F is still colorless, but it's not going to carry the price tag a D or E will carry, and I was able to boost the clarity to get you better quality for under your max budget. ;)2
There were several to choose from. I chose 2 from the Pricescope Search (which turned up B2C Jewels), and the best 2 from JA, in my search. There were some that looked like a black hole had swallowed the Center. Cut is a priority with step Cuts in order to get a quality stone; Symmetry is top priority for all step cut stones.
Honestly, being able to observe these stones in person is ideal. There is no better judge than your eyes. However, in circumstances such as this, visual aids are a must in order to ensure what you're looking at is true quality. Videos of the stone in different light environments are extremely helpful, as well as ASET & IS images. This truly is an expensive venture; one must always proceed with caution, and know what they're looking for to spot the needle in the hay stack.
My DH & I were fortunate enough to observe my EC in person at a B&M jeweler, locally. We are older (in our 40's), and have a blended family (6 kids between us). There was NO WAY I was going to allow him to spend over $4,000 for my EC....it's just not practical, considering our circumstances. We have 5 teenagers & one elementary school aged child. Approx 3 of the 5 teenagers are college bound-2 between 2018-2019. When we went shopping for diamonds,
I knew the drill: cut & clarity are king & queen of the step cut kingdom. Either, we got lucky, or the gemologist who certified my stone was high on drugs, when he/she certed my EC!!!
Here are the stats, and the link to my thread dedicated to my "unicorn" EC:
Carat: 1.07
Color: G
Clarity: SI2 (WHAT?!)
Symmetry/Polish: Good/Good (REALLY?!)
Price tag: UNDER $4,000.

Every jeweler who has examined my stone, including my appraiser, has been baffled by the stats. I'm satisfied with my EC, and she's a total showstopper. We got very lucky, and I am eternally grateful.

https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/meet-uisce.231677/

My "Uisce" made it to Jewel of the Week, this past August. I'm quite proud of her. :mrgreen2:

This community is extremely helpful, and we will all do our best to make this journey as pleasant & smooth for you, as possible. Up close & personal purchasing is a different beast than online purchasing. Be patient; the right one is out there...and you may have already found it (with a little help from your PS friends). :mrgreen2:
 
If the crown is to low it cuts down on the number of flashes it gives off for a few reasons.
1: lack of smaller virtual facets. Virtual facets are what create patterns in a diamond. https://www.pricescope.com/communit...-patterns-a-discussion-about-step-cuts.94015/
2: less fire: interaction of the facets separate light into different colors.
3: side view: a higher crown gives a 3d effect from the side that is missing in a flat top. Whats not there cant return flashes to the eye in the side view.
4: A high crown gathers light from more angles and positions.
 
Username2105 said:
Heu, Tyty. Thanks for your response. Can you help me understand what you mean when you say the steps are doing a lot of "walking"? Just trying to learn the lingo, and it may help me look for that quality in other diamonds.
Same thing for gray steps... Are those the dark flashes as the diamond rotates?
Click to expand...

By "walking" I mean going white (returning light) then dark OR vice versa. Big bonus for a stone that steps you down into the center as the stone turns
then walks you back out...meaning 1 step goes white then dark while the stone next to it lights up (white) then goes dark and this process continues until
it "walks" you down into the center of the stone as the stone turns and then does the reverse and walks you back out.

But...most emeralds do not light up sequentially (a step may go white then dark while another step 3 steps away comes on then goes dark). Not a big
deal, you just want all the steps to be going on/off as the stone turns (even down into the middle).

Edit...I hope some of what I wrote makes sense because its very hard to describe!


Matthews1127 said:
Here it is in video....
I love this diamond!!!
https://www.jamesallen.com/mobile/l...t/1.00-carat-f-color-vvs1-clarity-sku-3416135
Click to expand...

Pretty and also very lively! Its hard to easily see the stepping because it has so much light shining on it causing glare (I think this is whats causing the
problem) but from what I can see looks to be very nice. Plus it is a little larger. Color and clarity still high.

You can see #2 and this latest one side by side in the comparison here
https://www.jamesallen.com/loose-di...ted=3&Shape=emerald&DiamondID=3416135,3426176
 
HappyNewLife said:
ack, put it on hold! people tend to snatch up diamonds that others have spent the time doing all the work on. lol
Click to expand...

Exactly! Lurkers tend to rush in & beat OP's to the punch!!
 
HappyNewLife said:
ack, put it on hold! people tend to snatch up diamonds that others have spent the time doing all the work on. lol
Click to expand...

Unfortunately, I have to hold off on purchasing until the 11/12 at the earliest due to a couple factors. The diamond is also just outside the L/W ratio my GF has requested, but, I may revisit it when the time comes if it's still available.

For the time being, I think I've gotten some good advice and examples/benchmarks of what to look for, and I'll be window shopping for another week or so. I'll post some updates in about 2 weeks!
 
Username2105 said:
Unfortunately, I have to hold off on purchasing until the 11/12 at the earliest due to a couple factors. The diamond is also just outside the L/W ratio my GF has requested, but, I may revisit it when the time comes if it's still available.

For the time being, I think I've gotten some good advice and examples/benchmarks of what to look for, and I'll be window shopping for another week or so. I'll post some updates in about 2 weeks!
Click to expand...

For the record, I neglected to give you my EC's dimensions: 6.90 x 4.74 = 1.45:1 l x w ratio.
If you checked out my link, you can see my EC is as close to perfect rectangular as they come! I think you'll find anything within 1.40-1.60 range will be satisfactory.....
 
Good luck, OP! 11 more days!
 
Ugh shame.. that's an amazing emerald cut diamond!!

I hope that the stone is still around in 11 days..
 
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