Engagement ring 0.4 or 0.5 carat

[knculo]

I really appreciate you all. Everything is really useful to me.
@0515vision i’m watching very diamond you post, i have a big pool of choice now. Thanks
@purplesilk as I imagine the price for settings are really high on this websites. A solitaire mounting with six prong is around 1k. Maybe is better pick only diamond from the website.
Another question for you. I am not sure if go for a solitaire or pick setting with other small diamond. I think this two for example are beautiful:



What do you think?

 

[0515vision]

Is there a way to ask her? She likely has a preference. In the US right now, many couples go engagement ring shopping together. It takes out the element of surprise, but at least she’ll have a design she loves.

Personally, I like both those styles so I’m no help!

 

[ChickityChicken]

I really appreciate you all. Everything is really useful to me.
@0515vision i’m watching very diamond you post, i have a big pool of choice now. Thanks
@purplesilk as I imagine the price for settings are really high on this websites. A solitaire mounting with six prong is around 1k. Maybe is better pick only diamond from the website.
Another question for you. I am not sure if go for a solitaire or pick setting with other small diamond. I think this two for example are beautiful:



What do you think?

You need to find outbwhat style your GF would like to wear. A solitaire is classic. I am glad I did not end up choosing an ornate ER. My shank diamonds make me worried about prings coming loose as it is. It is such a personal choice. Maybe buy the solitaire first and, if she wants, upgrade to a more ornate setting for a future anniversary. I wish you the best in ur future engagement proceedings.

 

[ChickityChicken]

You need to find outbwhat style your GF would like to wear. A solitaire is classic. I am glad I did not end up choosing an ornate ER. My shank diamonds make me worried about prings coming loose as it is. It is such a personal choice. Maybe buy the solitaire first and, if she wants, upgrade to a more ornate setting for a future anniversary. I wish you the best in ur future engagement proceedings.

Prongs ***

 

[purplesilk]

Basically I want to spend from 3k to max 4k (€) for the ring. I see that a 0.5 carat is good size for a ring. 1 carat seems to be too large to me to have it on the finger every dayday.

Half a carat with halo would look larger than one carat solitaire.
Both the setting you posted are beautiful but they are also a plague because they are likely to catch on everything, expecially on clothes and on hair; little delicate prongs are going to be loose or broken, exposing to the risk of losing side diamonds.
If you want to spend all your budget, get a bigger diamond (something about 0.7/0.8 ct) and put it in a simple plain solitaire setting...let the diamond be the star of the show!!!

 

[purplesilk]

Trust me: if you let the lovely PSers help you, your diamond will be gorgeous on its own...no need of contour chips!!!

 

[Vladovici]

Oh yea, Italy only uses 18k gold.
around Europe, its Turkey that uses 14k Gold

If you’re in Italy, you might be able to get this one from 77diamond.com. It’s well cut and beautiful. Several PSers have approved it. Because @knculo is in Romania, they are unable to buy it, but maybe you are!

EDIT: @Vladovici is in Romania and can’t buy from 77diamonds, not @knculo. Oops!

Right. Unfortunately for me

@knculo As it is shown in here, theres a 22% VAT to be paid upon importing the stone to Italy.

Tax and Duties Calculator

With the 77 Diamonds tax and duties calculator you can check rough estimates for overseas shipments for our diamond jewellery.

www.77diamonds.com

Now, as I have seen, at least in Romania, prices of the diamonds that you may purchase from jewelry shops are higher than what you see in there + 22% VAT ... really. as I can see in your photo with the diamonds quotes you have received, 0.6 - D E F - IF cost around 5k whilst on 77diamonds prices start from about 1.7k.
Quite huge price difference, even if you add 22% you may be better off.
Maybe get some quotes from another jeweler as well, that one may be ripping you off.






Later edi:
1 of the diamonds that has been offered to me, locally here, costs 1030euros on 77diamonds. It would cost me, after VAT charges, 1.225 Eur to have it in hand.

It's been offered to me by various shops, one quotation was of about 1300 EUR whilst another one gave me a whooping 1900 EUR for that diamond
I talk about the exact same diamond.

 

[purplesilk]

@knculo: if you decide to buy online the diamond and to have it mounted by a local jeweller, don't tell him/her you bought the stone online: some jewellers refuse to mount stones bought online, some jewellers might charge an extra cost on the setting.
Tell the jeweller you have been gifted the stone and you don't know its provenance.

 

[Vladovici]

What makes it hard for you to watch those videos, whats the difference I mean?
trying to understand the difference between the videos.

Beware you look in GBP, not EUR.

 

[Vladovici]

@knculo: if you decide to buy online the diamond and to have it mounted by a local jeweller, don't tell him/her you bought the stone online: some jewellers refuse to mount stones bought online, some jewellers might charge an extra cost on the setting.
Tell the jeweller you have been gifted the stone and you don't know its provenance.

Oh well, I was not aware of this. Really, they do that? Ain't cool, lol...

Anyway, ask for warranties such as damage to the stone during installation.

 

[purplesilk]

Oh well, I was not aware of this. Really, they do that? Ain't cool, lol...

Anyway, ask for warranties such as damage to the stone during installation.

Everywhere in the world the jeweller gives warranties (replacement of the damaged stone with a new similar one) only if you bought the diamond from them...that's why a locally bought diamond is more expensive than the same diamond bought online: the jeweller takes the risk of potential replacement!
One the other side, local mountings are cheaper.
Everytime you set/unset a stone, there's a risk of damage.
Online purchases are cheap if you buy the unset diamond ; online settings are more expensive than local settings because also online jewellers "charge" on the consumer the risk of damaging the stone during the mounting phases.

 

[knculo]

i wold prefer to buy both setting and diamond togheter, or online or in a local jeweler.
this afternoon i'm going to some jewelry store and i would ask for certificate, video, aset... i wold post, if nobody give me this data i would proceed to choose the diamond from 77diamonds.
my budget is 3.5-4k and i want to spend it all. there are a lot of stone on the website. As @purplesilk suggested me i would prefer a F color and VS1 or higher.
Thanks everyone for the answer so far. Happy i found this forum.

 

[Vladovici]

Thamks everyone for the answer so far. Happy i found this forum.

can't agree more

 

[purplesilk]

@knculo: ask to see solitaire diamond rings between 0.5 ct and 0.7/0.8 ct to realise the real look of different carats on the hand.
Then tell you're open to a custom made ring: ask for unset diamonds (don't waste your time evaluating local laboratory certificates; ask for international laboratories such as GIA, IGI international,..)

 

[mayaINaU]

@knculo: ask to see solitaire diamond rings between 0.5 ct and 0.7/0.8 ct to realise the real look of different carats on the hand.
Then tell you're open to a custom made ring: ask for unset diamonds (don't waste your time evaluating local laboratory certificates; ask for international laboratories such as GIA, IGI international,..)

I agree with all of this, it would be good education to go look at diamonds in person. Ask to see VS1, VS2, F, G, and others, and see how they look to you. I understand from a cultural perspective that you would prefer the VS1 and F color. I know we always suggest this, but if you go look on Whiteflash’s website, you can easily come in under your $4000 budget for both the ring and the diamond, even after adding 22% VAT. I cannot recommend them highly enough (I have several of their A Cut Above—they sparkle like crazy), especially for an important purchase where you want to be confident that you’ve gotten the absolute best cut. Are you giving your budget in dollars or euros?

 

[knculo]

I agree with all of this, it would be good education to go look at diamonds in person. Ask to see VS1, VS2, F, G, and others, and see how they look to you. I understand from a cultural perspective that you would prefer the VS1 and F color. I know we always suggest this, but if you go look on Whiteflash’s website, you can easily come in under your $4000 budget for both the ring and the diamond, even after adding 22% VAT. I cannot recommend them highly enough (I have several of their A Cut Above—they sparkle like crazy), especially for an important purchase where you want to be confident that you’ve gotten the absolute best cut. Are you giving your budget in dollars or euros?

Hi @mayaINaU, my budget is in euro.
I don’t know how much will be the price difference if I order from an American website.
I can consider the option but, if I can, I would prefer order from Europe or maybe find a local seller

 

[0515vision]

… if you go look on Whiteflash’s website, you can easily come in under your $4000 budget for both the ring and the diamond, even after adding 22% VAT. I cannot recommend them highly enough (I have several of their A Cut Above—they sparkle like crazy), especially for an important purchase where you want to be confident that you’ve gotten the absolute best cut.

According to hundreds of PSers, you cannot go wrong with WF’s ACA diamonds. They are truly exceptional cuts. It’s then up to the individual the color and clarity. But across the board, their ACA cut is amongst the best branded cuts. Others would be Jann Paul (Singapore) or Brian Gavin (US) signature cuts.

 

[knculo]

Hi everyone,
Till now I visit 4 jewelry store.
Only two of them show me the certificate number.
One of them show me this diamond. It was the biggest he had. He ask me 4k€


The other has something bigger but it was mounted and the photo I took is not good.
I have the certificate number I will post the diamond later. It seems that the price is really high compared to websites.

Till now my conclusion are that I haven’t good eye. I can’t see difference beetween F and G colour on a 0.7 carat. And neither I can see flaw in a SI1 0.7 carat.
I’m starting to understand what you mean when say that cut is the most important things. Some diamond look more beautiful than others. But I don’t know exactly what and where I should look when I look at them.

Now I’m going to a Cartier revendor as @purplesilk suggest and try to see some diamonds of this big brand

 

[mayaINaU]

According to hundreds of PSers, you cannot go wrong with WF’s ACA diamonds. They are truly exceptional cuts. It’s then up to the individual the color and clarity. But across the board, their ACA cut is amongst the best branded cuts. Others would be Jann Paul (Singapore) or Brian Gavin (US) signature cuts.

Hi everyone,
Till now I visit 4 jewelry store.
Only two of them show me the certificate number.
One of them show me this diamond. It was the biggest he had. He ask me 4k€


The other has something bigger but it was mounted and the photo I took is not good.
I have the certificate number I will post the diamond later. It seems that the price is really high compared to websites.

Till now my conclusion are that I haven’t good eye. I can’t see difference beetween F and G colour on a 0.7 carat. And neither I can see flaw in a SI1 0.7 carat.
I’m starting to understand what you mean when say that cut is the most important things. Some diamond look more beautiful than others. But I don’t know exactly what and where I should look when I look at them.

Now I’m going to a Cartier revendor as @purplesilk suggest and try to see some diamonds of this big brand

I would choose Whiteflash or Brian Gavin in a heartbeat for an engagement ring. For less important purchases, you have more leeway to mess around and experiment. Almost no one would be able to tell the difference by eye between an F or a G, or VS1 or VS2, or an eye-clean SI1. The vendor who quoted you €4000 for that .5 carat is extremely overpriced.
Please do not even consider purchasing without a GIA certificate. You really needed advanced images to properly assess the diamonds, and I don’t think any local jewelers will be able to provide you ASET or idealscope. Again, that’s why I would go with Whiteflash or Brian Gavin for something like this. Diamonds at Cartier will be well cut but extremely expensive. You’re paying for the brand name. I think it will be good to see some examples of well cut diamonds plus it’ll just be fun to visit!

 

[0515vision]

I can’t see difference beetween F and G colour on a 0.7 carat. And neither I can see flaw in a SI1 0.7 carat.
I’m starting to understand what you mean when say that cut is the most important things.

Everyone can see light return. That's where cut is king.

Very few people can distinguish between F and G. An eye clean SI1 is a wonderful way to save money as long as it's mind clean for you. I have a G SI1, and even with my loupe I can barely see the inclusions.

All that being said, DO NOT buy that F SI1 0.5 for 4000 Euros!

 

[purplesilk]

I’m starting to understand what you mean when say that cut is the most important things. Some diamond look more beautiful than others.

You're on the right track! Train your eyes!

4k Euros for 0.5 F SI is totally nuts!!!!! Run away!!!

Cartier diamonds are obviously overpriced because of the Cartier brand, but it's worth taking a visit.

 

[0515vision]

And Cartier diamonds are known to be be cut below PS standards. So keep that in mind, too, as you review the certificates.

 

[purplesilk]

And Cartier diamonds are known to be be cut below PS standards. So keep that in mind, too, as you review the certificates.

The OP needs to train his eyes...since I don't know from where the OP is , I can't suggest local jewellers (Italy is a 60 million people country); so I suggested to go to Cartier's, Tiffany's, Bulgari's, Damiani's ...

 

[knculo]

I’ve been there. Unfortunately it was a reseller not a Cartier store and only have 2 ring to show and only one was a brilliant cut. It was really beautiful.

After this day I think that I have to order the diamond online. I don’t prefer the American website because I don’t know how much VAT, duty I have to pay later.
I think 77diamond could be a good choose. At this point the 0.55 G VS2 posted by @0515vision seems a good choice. Since it seems to be really appreciated. But it cost less than my actual budget, so maybe I could find something else.
I try to find a method to post 77diamond videos here since the link not working. Any other suggestion will be appreciated.

My girlfriend coming to visit me now and we will stay together this week end, so probably I would answer once in a while.
I’m truly grateful to you all

 

[purplesilk]

[QUOTE="knculo, post: 5326548

Till now my conclusion are that I haven’t good eye. I can’t see difference beetween F and G colour on a 0.7 carat. And neither I can see flaw in a SI1 0.7 carat.
[/QUOTE]

So you found out:
- you're not extremely color sensitive,
- you're ok with SI clarity if flaws are not visible to the naked eye,
- but you can see the difference between good cut and bad cut.

 

[knculo]

The OP needs to train his eyes...since I don't know from where the OP is , I can't suggest local jewellers (Italy is a 60 million people country); so I suggested to go to Cartier's, Tiffany's, Bulgari's, Damiani's ...

Currently I’m based in Pesaro.

 

[0515vision]

The OP needs to train his eyes...since I don't know from where the OP is , I can't suggest local jewellers (Italy is a 60 million people country); so I suggested to go to Cartier's, Tiffany's, Bulgari's, Damiani's ...

This was a great suggestion on your part! I just wanted OP to know that their diamonds aren't necessarily the best cut. But yes - everyone needs to train their eyes IRL.

 

[0515vision]

I try to find a method to post 77diamond videos here since the link not working.

@Vladovici found a way to link specific 77diamonds. Check out his thread. I tried numerous ways and couldn't, but there's definitely a way!

 

[purplesilk]

I live in Vicenza, so I can't help you, sorry!!!
If you want to spend all your budget, ask the lovely PSers to find you a bigger diamond, something in the 0.7/0.8 ct range, G SI eyeclean...I'm sure your girlfriend would be over the moon if you gave her such a stone!!

 

[Vladovici]

@Vladovici found a way to link specific 77diamonds. Check out his thread. I tried numerous ways and couldn't, but there's definitely a way!

Oh, well...to do it you must open the diamond link, copy the 77diamonds code highlighted below and paste it into the filtering option so you get shown exactly 1 diamond.