Engagement Diamond and Ring Help

[MR2019]

Looking for help on the best way to buy a diamond and engagement ring. I have searched around locally and with jewelers in the area i know. {I typically try to support local/small businesses}. It does seem everyone locally struggles to find anything when i ask for ideal proportions that seem to be recommend on price scope (table 54-57, depth<62, 34-35 crown, 40.6 to 40.9 pav angle). None of them have an aset or ideal scope either. With that I am wondering if its is recommended to order diamond and all from one vendor or order the diamond online and have it set locally?

I am also looking for recommendation on stones. I am hoping to have a pave band with total carat weight over 2. From that i am looking for a round 1.75-2.1, color G or H (i have not got a good comparison of color to know but online H starts to look a bit colored). For clarity, i am thinking VS2 or clean SI1. I don't want any dark inclusions or anything i can see without magnification. (This has been very hard for me to judge when i have looked online as everything looks blaringly obvious). Florescence I am unsure of, i initially wanted very little but have heard different opinions. Budget wise I think i am now looking at 15-18,500 wired. The stone doesn't have to be perfect but looking to maximize what i can get for a fair price.

I have been searching for awhile now and keep becoming overwhelmed and have missed some stones I liked before but am thankful of this community as I have read and learned ALOT.

 

[lovedogs]

Looking for help on the best way to buy a diamond and engagement ring. I have searched around locally and with jewelers in the area i know. {I typically try to support local/small businesses}. It does seem everyone locally struggles to find anything when i ask for ideal proportions that seem to be recommend on price scope (table 54-57, depth<62, 34-35 crown, 40.6 to 40.9 pav angle). None of them have an aset or ideal scope either. With that I am wondering if its is recommended to order diamond and all from one vendor or order the diamond online and have it set locally?

I am also looking for recommendation on stones. I am hoping to have a pave band with total carat weight over 2. From that i am looking for a round 1.75-2.1, color G or H (i have not got a good comparison of color to know but online H starts to look a bit colored). For clarity, i am thinking VS2 or clean SI1. I don't want any dark inclusions or anything i can see without magnification. (This has been very hard for me to judge when i have looked online as everything looks blaringly obvious). Florescence I am unsure of, i initially wanted very little but have heard different opinions. Budget wise I think i am now looking at 15-18,500 wired. The stone doesn't have to be perfect but looking to maximize what i can get for a fair price.

I have been searching for awhile now and keep becoming overwhelmed and have missed some stones I liked before but am thankful of this community as I have read and learned ALOT.

Is your budget 15-18.5K including the setting? Or for the stone alone? I would 100000% say to buy everything online. Though I totally understand the desire to support local businesses, they just won't have the quality we have online with the trusted vendors (Except, of course, if you live near one of those trusted vendors!)

 

[lovedogs]

I'm going to assume that the 18.5K wire price includes diamond and setting.

Whiteflash, Brian Gavin, and High performance diamonds are typically considered the top vendors with "super ideal" stones. The nice thing about stones from these places (the ones that are in-house), is that you don't need to worry about the numbers because they are guaranteed to be the best of the best. Also, for WF and HPD, there is a great upgrade policy if there is ever a desire to upgrade (simply spend $1 more). BG has a more restrictive upgrade policy.


From WF:

Diamond | 1.846 ct H SI1 A CUT ABOVE® Hearts and Arrows Super Ideal Round Cut Loose Diamond AGS Certified | 4135234

This Whiteflash A CUT ABOVE® super ideal cut hearts and arrows 1.846 carat H color SI1 clarity loose diamond is graded by the American Gem Society (AGS) Laboratories. | 4135234

www.whiteflash.com

WF labels this eye clean, and they are very honest in their assessment. I would reach out to them to confirm that it's eye clean, and from what distance (e.g. is it eye clean at 6 inches? 12?).

I am partial to 6-prong settings (personal preference) and love knife edge settings. Obviously that's a personal choice so feel free to ignore me

Knife Edge Pave Diamond Engagement Ring | 712

Knife Edge Pave Diamond Engagement Ring. A ring that cuts deep into the heart of love with pave set diamonds. | 712

www.whiteflash.com

Together, stone + setting would be 18K (almost exactly) if paying by wire.

If you think she would prefer a differnt setting, then these 2 are other popular options:

The Legato Micro Pave Diamond Engagement Ring | 1011

The Legato Micro Pave Diamond Engagement Ring. A symphony of diamonds that sings of love's melody. | 1011

www.whiteflash.com

Legato Sleek Line Pave Diamond Engagement Ring | 422

Experience the elegance of the Legato Sleek Line Pave Diamond Engagement Ring. Love personified in a jewel. | 422

www.whiteflash.com

Any of the settings + stone will be right around 18K if paying by wire (potentially a touch under 18K if you choose the least expensive setting).


HPD doesn't seem to have any diamonds in the 1.75+ ct range within your budget. There are some 1.68 choices under budget, but you explicitly mentioned wanting to be above 2ct with the setting so Im not posting those choices.

Not seeing anything at BG either.

There are (of course) non super ideal options, but wanted to suggest the easiest and most guaranteed option first.

 

[sledge]

I also prefer to support local businesses, but I do require them to have the product and service levels I need and want. Also, they should be competitive on price. Maybe not low but reasonably close, or at least offer me a unique advantage I don't get by buying online or elsewhere.

A year or so back I wanted to buy a Traeger grill/smoker. There is a local hardware store within half a mile of my house that I pass on a frequent basis. They always have a banner or sign up about Traeger pellets and smokers. This isn't a chain like Lowe's but a true mom & pop place.

Anyhow, when I started shopping for a Traeger it was the first place I considered. From the road, their place looks small but it is actually pretty deep and they have loads of stuff, including a large selection of Traegers and pellets.

What I liked best was an older gentlemen engaged me and we had a sincere conversation about grilling and smoking in general. We shared some recipes/tricks we both used and honestly I could have sat down and shared a beer with him as he was a cool cat.

As the conversation grew, I told him I was considering a Traeger. He indicated that's what he had and some of the pros and cons. I figured out the model I wanted and he knocked a few bucks off and gave me a free accessory and bag of pellets to get me started. My FIL and BIL have Traegers and the reason I started looking. They talk about pellets being $20/bag. Not much but I noticed they sell them for $15. I grabbed a few more bags.

When leaving he helped me load stuff up and we shook hands on departure. I told my wife I was glad we stopped by as I really appreciated that lost art. In my case, they had the product I needed and wanted, the service was superb and the pricing was actually a little better than other online and commercial stores (I did double check).

I was very happy with my experience. I still shoot the crap with the same guy when I go in to buy pellets or other stuff for the house. I like the relationship we've developed and glad to support them.

Essentially we helped each other. To me, that's what it's all about. What I dislike is the places that expect me to spend my dollars locally but don't meet my needs.

 

[MR2019]

I'm going to assume that the 18.5K wire price includes diamond and setting.

Whiteflash, Brian Gavin, and High performance diamonds are typically considered the top vendors with "super ideal" stones. The nice thing about stones from these places (the ones that are in-house), is that you don't need to worry about the numbers because they are guaranteed to be the best of the best. Also, for WF and HPD, there is a great upgrade policy if there is ever a desire to upgrade (simply spend $1 more). BG has a more restrictive upgrade policy.


From WF:

Diamond | 1.846 ct H SI1 A CUT ABOVE® Hearts and Arrows Super Ideal Round Cut Loose Diamond AGS Certified | 4135234

This Whiteflash A CUT ABOVE® super ideal cut hearts and arrows 1.846 carat H color SI1 clarity loose diamond is graded by the American Gem Society (AGS) Laboratories. | 4135234

www.whiteflash.com

WF labels this eye clean, and they are very honest in their assessment. I would reach out to them to confirm that it's eye clean, and from what distance (e.g. is it eye clean at 6 inches? 12?).

I am partial to 6-prong settings (personal preference) and love knife edge settings. Obviously that's a personal choice so feel free to ignore me

Knife Edge Pave Diamond Engagement Ring | 712

Knife Edge Pave Diamond Engagement Ring. A ring that cuts deep into the heart of love with pave set diamonds. | 712

www.whiteflash.com

Together, stone + setting would be 18K (almost exactly) if paying by wire.

If you think she would prefer a differnt setting, then these 2 are other popular options:

The Legato Micro Pave Diamond Engagement Ring | 1011

The Legato Micro Pave Diamond Engagement Ring. A symphony of diamonds that sings of love's melody. | 1011

www.whiteflash.com

Legato Sleek Line Pave Diamond Engagement Ring | 422

Experience the elegance of the Legato Sleek Line Pave Diamond Engagement Ring. Love personified in a jewel. | 422

www.whiteflash.com

Any of the settings + stone will be right around 18K if paying by wire (potentially a touch under 18K if you choose the least expensive setting).


HPD doesn't seem to have any diamonds in the 1.75+ ct range within your budget. There are some 1.68 choices under budget, but you explicitly mentioned wanting to be above 2ct with the setting so Im not posting those choices.

Not seeing anything at BG either.

There are (of course) non super ideal options, but wanted to suggest the easiest and most guaranteed option first.

Thank you for the options, my budget is not extremely firm. Does the inventory of diamonds fluctuate from time to time? Is it something if you can wait more will come? I would like to choose something but if more inventory comes out after V-day, i can wait to continue searching.

KKjohnson on here made a recommendation awhile back of this stone. https://www.whiteflash.com/loose-diamonds/round-cut-loose-diamond-4039667.htm while it is a bit more it does look a little cleaner?

I was also recommended the following on JA SKU: 7981541

or JA:7819681. Both look to leak some.

I also got recommended by a small jeweler. ~16k

Do you have any thoughts.


When we looked at rings she tended to like rings like this or mostly ones with Halo. I was thinking that if i got close to 2cts a halo would be too much. Ring size is 5. The first is one i wrote down she liked. The second i pulled from her pinterest. Is there concern of breaking with prongs mounted to a ring in only one spot?

Delicate Round Halo And Pave Band Engagement Ring S3789

The beauty of this piece is found in its dainty round halo, which makes this ring stand out with a fresh, lively feel. This delicate round halo and pave band engagement ring can be special ordered in any finger size, in Platinum, 18KT & 14KT gold and can be customized for any shape and size...

www.fanajewelry.com

https://www.bluenile.com/build-your...agement-ring_50572?crlt.pid=camp.c3Ek5bnuBuGE

Sorry if i asked too may questions. Thank you for your help

 

[MR2019]

I also prefer to support local businesses, but I do require them to have the product and service levels I need and want. Also, they should be competitive on price. Maybe not low but reasonably close, or at least offer me a unique advantage I don't get by buying online or elsewhere.

A year or so back I wanted to buy a Traeger grill/smoker. There is a local hardware store within half a mile of my house that I pass on a frequent basis. They always have a banner or sign up about Traeger pellets and smokers. This isn't a chain like Lowe's but a true mom & pop place.

Anyhow, when I started shopping for a Traeger it was the first place I considered. From the road, their place looks small but it is actually pretty deep and they have loads of stuff, including a large selection of Traegers and pellets.

What I liked best was an older gentlemen engaged me and we had a sincere conversation about grilling and smoking in general. We shared some recipes/tricks we both used and honestly I could have sat down and shared a beer with him as he was a cool cat.

As the conversation grew, I told him I was considering a Traeger. He indicated that's what he had and some of the pros and cons. I figured out the model I wanted and he knocked a few bucks off and gave me a free accessory and bag of pellets to get me started. My FIL and BIL have Traegers and the reason I started looking. They talk about pellets being $20/bag. Not much but I noticed they sell them for $15. I grabbed a few more bags.

When leaving he helped me load stuff up and we shook hands on departure. I told my wife I was glad we stopped by as I really appreciated that lost art. In my case, they had the product I needed and wanted, the service was superb and the pricing was actually a little better than other online and commercial stores (I did double check).

I was very happy with my experience. I still shoot the crap with the same guy when I go in to buy pellets or other stuff for the house. I like the relationship we've developed and glad to support them.

Essentially we helped each other. To me, that's what it's all about. What I dislike is the places that expect me to spend my dollars locally but don't meet my needs.

I love and agree with your last comment. Locals that expect me to spend my dollars with them and don't meet my needs. I have felt that at a few places. A few jewelers have been very honest but just doesn't seem to be able to source good stones. This is what inspired by hybrid thought. Though i am doubting that now.

 

[sledge]

Thank you for the options, my budget is not extremely firm. Does the inventory of diamonds fluctuate from time to time? Is it something if you can wait more will come? I would like to choose something but if more inventory comes out after V-day, i can wait to continue searching.

Inventories are always fluctuating. Its tricky sometimes as I think it takes a good balance of knowing what you want, searching, being patient and then striking when you know you've found the one.

KKjohnson on here made a recommendation awhile back of this stone. https://www.whiteflash.com/loose-diamonds/round-cut-loose-diamond-4039667.htm while it is a bit more it does look a little cleaner?

Wow, the proportions are great -- 55.8 table, 61.5 depth, 34.7 crown, 40.7 pavilion & 77 LGF. She's full of fire and zest, as evidenced in the video!

I also like this stone from the fact it stays just under 2 carat. Because of "magic carat weight" premiums, prices jump once you go 2+ carats but the size is virtually the same. It's a mental thing for some people but if you can be happy with a 1.9+ carat rock, then they tend to offer a little better bang for the buck.

The one thing that gives me pause on this stone are the inclusions. I see feathers are the grade setting inclusion. Also looking at the magnified video I see some clouds. The webpage reports as eye clean.

But it's important to understand their definition, which typically means 10" away looking at the top with 20/20 vision and good lighting. Depending on your visual acuity this definition may or may not work. When I was looking for my wife I used 6" away and looking at top and sides of the stone with 20/20 and good lighting. If I were shopping today I would add the condition, "while intently staring and trying to find an inclusion, and not just a casual glance over".

That said, WF is a premier vendor that goes above and beyond to provide quality stones, be 100% transparent in all matters even if it costs them a sale and have the stones in-house so they can easily pull and examine more closely upon your request.

To meet ACA criteria, the stone is examined by a team not only to determine if it's eye clean or not, but to also determine if any of those inclusions affect light performance in a negative manner. Not every vendor will vet a stone this meticulously and it's a good thing IMO as it provides some assurance to the buyer.

Back to the inclusions on this stone, feathers can be weird. You don't always see them straight on but they may become apparent as you twist/move the diamond. I would want WF to pull the stone and examine closer to ensure there are no issues. I'm probably being a tad over cautious but it's good due diligence IMO, and WF will shoot you straight.

I was also recommended the following on JA SKU: 7981541

or JA:7819681. Both look to leak some.

I also got recommended by a small jeweler. ~16k

Do you have any thoughts.

The JA TH you showed the IS image of appears to have slight leakage around 8 and 10 o'clock. I'd prefer a stone with no leakage personally.

Also, not sure if the EGL cert goes with the JA stone with the IS image or not, but EGL is not a well respected and trusted lab. I would recommend you stick with GIA or AGS certs. Otherwise, you simply don't have assurance of what you are really buying. And quite frankly the entire purpose of a lab report is to provide warm fuzzies about color, clarity, etc. If it doesn't do that it's worthless IMO.

Besides the 36.9/40.5 combo is going to have its own problems, especially with a 58 table and 63.1 depth.

Is there concern of breaking with prongs mounted to a ring in only one spot?

I think you are referring to a "peg head" which has a single attachment point to the ring shank. And yes, they are more prone to damage so it would be preferable to have the head attach at multiple points. Doing so means if one fails then you have others to keep the stone secure. With a single peg head style attachment if it gets sheared, it's bye bye diamond.