Engagement Ring Center Stone: Diamond Advice for a Newbie?

[Pilaski]

Hello Pricescope,

Long time reader, first time poster. I've been on a hunt for the perfect center stone to match the halo setting that my significant other has fallen in love with. I plan to ask her the big question in a few months. My budget is nothing on the scale of some of the budgets that I've seen on this board, about $4000-5000 overall (which given the carat range is likely far more than enough) but I wanted to get the community's thoughts on the loose diamond that I'm currently focused in on.After a frustrating search, I think I may have found "the one" for my one. Some background before the GIA specs: My significant other fell in love with a cushion halo setting with a split shank in rose gold. The melee and halo are about 2/3rds of a carat, and the center stone I'm looking for is about a third of a carat. Personally the stone is a bit small for me, but the significant other doesn't want a ring that looks "too big" on her hand.

My two big questions: I have had a chance to inspect it and did not see any haze or milkiness, but the medium blue fluorescence is a little concerning. Second, I'm trying to ascertain what the proper AGS grade would be for this stone... since I have the GIA. I'm probably just overthinking these final details at the end.

So without further ado the GIA specs (along with two scores using calculators from this site at the bottom):

Round Brilliant
Size: .32 carats
Dimensions: 4.42mm x 4.44mm x 2.71mm (depth)
Color Grade: D
Clarity Grade: Internally Flawless
Cut Grade: Excellent
Polish: Excellent
Symmetry: Excellent
Fluorescence: Medium Blue
Clarity Characteristics: Minor Details of Polish

Table: 56%
Total Depth: 61.2
Crown Height: 14%
Crown Angle: 32%
Pavilion Depth: 43.5%
Pavilion Angle: 41.2%
Girdle: Medium to Slightly Thick (4.0%)
Star Length: 50%

AGA Total Grade: 1B
HCA Score: 1.6 (Excellent, within BIC Range)

Thank you in advance for any advice. I feel like this might be the right stone, after a long and exhausting search through about twenty local jewelers.

 

[farrahlyn]

Re: Engagement Ring Center Stone: Diamond Advice for a Newbi

No comment on the stone... im just here to see the pretties But given that you have a great budget, why not a WF ACA Stone? I mean, you KNOW you're going to get an insanely gorgeous stone...

 

[Pilaski]

Re: Engagement Ring Center Stone: Diamond Advice for a Newbi

Actually I looked at WF for quite a while, but the carat range on the ACA diamonds available tends to run a little higher and my girlfriend is a stickler on the size. At best, I could probably get away with half a carat, but even that she said felt very large on her hand. WF does have one IF diamond in their virtual selection, but I'm not as wild about its proportions, which seem to fall into excellent rather than ideal for AGS. The smallest ACA stone I could find on WF was three quarters of a carat.

I tell you what though Farrahlyn, if this stone turns out to be the one I will be sure to post a picture once I have it set.

 

[ecf8503]

Re: Engagement Ring Center Stone: Diamond Advice for a Newbi

Does it have to be IF? WF has two 0.31ct D VS1 ACA's... still eye clean, and will look the same as an IF stone.

The crown angle on the one you posted is low - you will be sacrificing fire (colored light return) - you really need an ASET to look at light performance, as it has some potential to leak light. Not what you want in a D IF stone.

Just get an ACA...

ETA: you need to make sure you are shopping by the dimensions of the setting not just carat weight. Find out for sure what size diameter stone the setting will take.

 

[ecf8503]

Re: Engagement Ring Center Stone: Diamond Advice for a Newbi

Ooh! HPD has this 0.3ct D VS1 http://highperformancediamonds.com/shop/d/HPD8115/ In fact they have several D's in the 0.3-0.4ct range.

These are arguably the best cut diamonds in the world...

 

[wildcat03]

Re: Engagement Ring Center Stone: Diamond Advice for a Newbi

Brian Gavin Diamonds often has smaller certified stones, but I looked and don't see any D stones in your targeted size. That stone from high performance diamonds is a great possible choice if you are willing to let go of the "IF" clarity.

 

[Pilaski]

Re: Engagement Ring Center Stone: Diamond Advice for a Newbi

To be honest, I'm the one who is more of a stickler for the IF clarity. My mom had a bad experience with her engagement ring's clarity, one she didn't notice when she first received it that became apparent over time as she looked at it more. That disappointment with the clarity kinda stuck with me, and I don't want my fiancée to feel the same way in a few years.

I'm actually more willing to wiggle on color range. Given the rose gold setting, even with prongs that will hold the stone, I expect that the stone will probably absorb some of the metal's color so the D coloration is almost pointless. The stone referenced in my original post just happened to be a D stone with one of the nicer cuts I've been able to find. I have been looking into the D-G range of colors.

On the dimension question: I know for sure that a 4.66mm diameter stone was too large for the setting. I didn't make a note, but if memory serves the jeweler said that 4.55mm is about the largest I can go.

Definitely agree that the next step is a closer look at the light performance.

 

[wildcat03]

Re: Engagement Ring Center Stone: Diamond Advice for a Newbi

FWIW, VS1 clarity will give you NONE of the issues you mention that your mom had. VS1 is generally eye clean from every direction. Even in cultures that value clarity highly in a diamond engagement ring, VVS1-VVS2 are perfectly acceptable.

 

[ecf8503]

Re: Engagement Ring Center Stone: Diamond Advice for a Newbi

IF is a long way from eye visible inclusions. Clarity is graded under 10x magnification, and even expert graders barely see anything in a VS1. That said *some* VS2's have eye visible inclusions (most don't). Having owned a D color stone, and about every other color in the scale down to L, I still think there is something special about a D. If you can, and you can it seems, I would go for the higher color and compromise on clarity a bit. Down to a VS1 will be totally eye clean. But DO NOT compromise on cut - that is what makes the stone sparkle and shine. I would be all over that HPD stone - perfect cut, blinding light show, and totally eye clean.

 

[girlguineapig]

Re: Engagement Ring Center Stone: Diamond Advice for a Newbi

I agree on the others on the WhiteFlash and HPD recommendations! You will never see anything on a VS1.

But if you insist, maybe this one from JA? No Flour:
https://www.jamesallen.com/loose-diamonds/round-cut/0.41-carat-d-color-if-clarity-excellent-cut-sku-1869022