shape
carat
color
clarity

Engagement Ring - limited budget

SQ809

Rough_Rock
Joined
Dec 27, 2016
Messages
47
Hi all,

I have been lurking for a while and just now have decided to post my question in hopes you can help. This is likely a much smaller budget than you've seen on here, but my SO and I are getting a house within the next year, and as such are in major "pay down" and "save for down payment" mode. My total budget for the ring is ~$4500 give or take a few hundred. SO understands, we are on the same page. She loves huge diamonds, but we can always upgrade once we secure our mortgage and house and she knows that.

That being said, I am trying to get the most bang for my buck. I know cut is supreme from these forums, so I've selected a few stones from Whiteflash (A Cut Above only), and intend to put them in a halo to maximize finger coverage. Their upgrade policy is what drew me in in addition to their excellent reputation for cut. With them, you don't have to buy double the price when you upgrade - they apply the whole ring's value toward your upgrade piece, which is really appealing knowing we will be upgrading.

My SO's finger is tiny - she's a 4/4.25 (she has a 4.25 CZ but it rolls around her finger, although it was just ordered at a cheap store online so I'm not really sure its even sized correctly). Blue Nile had a finger sizer thing, and she seems to be a 4.25 right now.


Diamond options are below. Halo options... not so sure. White Flash has the Ritani ones that are really gorgeous, but out of budget. James Allen has a nice one for around $1200 - who sets the stone in that case? James Allen? How does it work with the upgrade then - white flash would take apart the James Allen setting for me when the time comes?

Thanks in advance, and sorry for the low-budget / limited option post!

Diamond 1: AGS 104077660049, 6.07-6.09X3.75 $3652
0.85 ct I color SI1 eyeclean
depth: 61.8%
table: 56.5%
crown angle: 34.5
pavilion angle: 40.8
Star: 51
lower girdle: 76%
negligible fl

Diamond 2: AGS 104089578015, 6.09-6.12x3.77 $3787
0.86 ct I color VS2
depth: 61.8%
table: 55.6%
crown: 34.9
pavilion: 40.6
star: 53
lower girdle: 76%
negligible fl

Diamond 3: AGS 104090534057 $2953
0.83 ct J color VS2
depth: 61.2%
table: 57%
crown: 34.8
pavilion: 40.9
star: 51
lower girdle: 77%
negligible fl
 

SQ809

Rough_Rock
Joined
Dec 27, 2016
Messages
47
Thoughts on an A Cut Above J color? It's smaller than a carat, so I don't think it would look yellow (but what do I know really, thats why I'm here), but does a halo increase the chances it would? Should I go for yellow or rose gold for the setting? I've read differing opinions on whether the other colors bring out color or white gold masks the yellow "tint".
 

SQ809

Rough_Rock
Joined
Dec 27, 2016
Messages
47
This is the setting. I cannot find many pictures of this online on real hands, although I am curious how much extra finger coverage the halo will really provide. It's delicate, which is great, but I am wondering if it will do what I want it to do, and enhance the center stone enough for her finger. I have been emailing with someone from WF and she assured me the J will face up white and that this setting will essentially mask the body color if there is any noticeable color.

http://www.whiteflash.com/engagement-rings/solitaire/tacori-49rd65-sculpted-crescent-solitaire-engagement-ring-3819.htm

Also considering exploring options on blue nile and james allen, but I am not as impressed with their upgrade policies.
 

rocks

Brilliant_Rock
Premium
Joined
Nov 13, 2003
Messages
863
I wouldn't spend a significant portion of a limited budget on a designer ring, especially if your intention is the upgrade....but that's just me....
 

dollyanjuli

Brilliant_Rock
Trade
Joined
Apr 25, 2013
Messages
592
Hey SQ!

First of all- you have a totally healthy budget. My (first) ring was far less than what you are spending and I loved it- and loved my hubby for knowing that when we were financially able I wanted to upgrade :naughty: :naughty: :naughty: Good for you for keeping in mind that this is a likely possibility down the road and picking a vendor with a great policy.

I am not going to comment on your stone selection because I am not a round diamond gal- but I did want to comment on your question about halos. Here is a really excellent thread that will help you picture the coverage you will get with a halo vs. no halo. The setting you picked will absolutely give your center stone a boost. Regarding color, A really well cut J that is in a halo should face up quite white, but there will most likely be some color difference between the center stone and the melee in the halo, especially since you are going to get the stock melee.

[URL='https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/solitaire-to-halo-before-and-afters.130309/']https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/solitaire-to-halo-before-and-afters.130309/[/URL]

Even though you are going to upgrade later, I think its good to still get a nice setting now (and the one you picked isn't crazy expensive, its not like you are blowing most of your budget on it) because you can always pop a colored stone in there later or sell it, which is harder to do if its a really inexpensive setting. You want a halo that fits well around the center stone with nice prongs, and some of those cheaper settings just look...blech. Here is another pricescoper's halo setting w/ plain shank and its a beauty!

[URL='https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/the-ring-is-in-and-its-beautiful-and-i-love-it.161749/']https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/the-ring-is-in-and-its-beautiful-and-i-love-it.161749/[/URL]

Good luck!
 

Snowdrop13

Ideal_Rock
Premium
Joined
Aug 27, 2011
Messages
2,960
My 2 cents: you've done pretty well with the diamond choices there, I've just had a look myself and upping the budget for the stone doesn't bring up anything much bigger on Whiteflash. I'd stick with one of the "I" stones, though, "J" seems to be where people start to see a bit of tint. If you can't see any in person have a look on YouTube for Good Old Gold's videos- they really helped me decide on my "I" stone earlier in the year.

The setting you've linked looks a bit pricey and will be very delicate, is it really 0.06ct total diamond weight?? I'm not sure that will make much impact. How about something like this instead- http://www.whiteflash.com/engagement-rings/solitaire/ritani-french-set-halo-diamond-engagement-ring-3716.htm ?
 

SQ809

Rough_Rock
Joined
Dec 27, 2016
Messages
47
Thank you both for the input! I appreciate it! I will stick with an I. Do you think I could find an I closer to the 3,000 mark? It's a big jump between J and I, but I understand why I is the way to go. I saw some of the good old gold videos last night with Js and I can see the color. H looks white white to me, and J looks a bit tinted, so I color would probably be the best?

Ritani settings are nice. We looked at those too, but the diamond looks like it's floating in the center and she really doesn't like that. She's said it looks like a flying saucer, but I don't know if they actually look like that in real life or if that's just an online thing... videos look better of that setting, but the angle they shoot the picture at made me wonder.

Thanks again, I really appreciate it.
 

tyty333

Super_Ideal_Rock
Premium
Joined
Dec 17, 2008
Messages
27,198

SQ809

Rough_Rock
Joined
Dec 27, 2016
Messages
47
Thanks! You are right..

I think I'm going to have to up the cost of the diamond now, to get the I. I found one that's nice (I was looking at an SI1 I but I really can't tell if it's eye clean despite the WF saying "yes" for eyeclean. This other one I'm looking at is:

0.821 ct, AGS 104086352008 I color VS2 5.99x6.03x3.70 mm
depth: 61.4%
table: 56.9%
crown angle: 34.7
star: 50.0
pavilion angle: 40.7
crown %: 14.9
lower girdle 77%

It looks like it actually has less light leakage than the others (if darker red means no light leakage and lighter red/pink means light leakage... I sound like I'm pretending to know what I'm talking about, I'm trying to learn!).

What do you guys think? It's $3800. I'm probably going to go over budget.
 

SQ809

Rough_Rock
Joined
Dec 27, 2016
Messages
47
What do you think of this ASET - is there too much light leakage under the pavilion? Should it all be the same shade/intensity of red?

I am going with a J color a cut above from WF and setting It in a Ritani rose gold halo. I'm asking if prongs can be made white gold. It's all within budget and I'm ready to purchase if this ASET looks ok.

Thank you!

img_14193.jpg

img_14194.jpg

img_14195.jpg
 

Snowdrop13

Ideal_Rock
Premium
Joined
Aug 27, 2011
Messages
2,960
If that is an ACA then I'm pretty sure you can't go wrong. Is it eye clean too? Your choice sounds lovely, be sure to post pics when it's done!
 

kb1gra

Brilliant_Rock
Joined
Jul 6, 2012
Messages
1,118
Nothing whiteflash sells as an ACA is going to be bad. No real reason to check the idealscopes, etc unless you're looking for a particular flavor of ACA or you want a particular set of angles, and I don't think you're down that road yet.

If you're looking to use whiteflash's trade up on the setting, then buying the designer setting MIGHT make sense, since you get credit for designer settings as well as the stone when you get a designer setting from them.

That said, Adiamor made my halo and I love it. They will make an empty setting to your diamond's specs. You could then have the stone set yourself. You'd lose the trade up, of course, but if the proportions of the setting are really important to you then you should shop carefully.
 

SQ809

Rough_Rock
Joined
Dec 27, 2016
Messages
47
It's eye clean from 8" but the inclusions are white and on the crown, the woman at WF I am working with said the halo would
Likely mask the J color (from side, not really worried about face up yellow in ACA stone), AND the inclusions, so it sounds like a winner hopefully! Ordering today, i will post when it arrives! Whole thing came in under 5,000, so I'm very happy with this. Thanks for your help everyone. It's AGS stone 104090534057 for reference if you want to check out the inclusions. They're clouds from what I can see on the report but I can't see the center little cloud at all on the WF image of stone and the side ones I can see a little but mostly just see blinding sparkle.

Was continuing to explore inventory on other sites, and apparently I can get up to a 0.94 at James Allen or blue Nile and set it with a simple solitaire, which I'd be ok doing with a solitaire closer to 1ct... however I'm not as enticed by their upgrade policies and I know I'll want to upgrade her, I am thinking probably as a house warming present actually in about a year.

Kb1gra thank you for that info as well. WF assured me they will custom set my stone in the Ritani halo and also move the stone into the halo to eliminate airline so I'm ok with it, hopefully it looks as good as im thinking it will!
 

ac117

Ideal_Rock
Premium
Joined
Apr 28, 2014
Messages
4,057
Will be beautiful I'm sure! :dance: WF has a great return and upgrade policy in the event you're not fully happy anyway! Can't wait to see pics!
 
Be a part of the community Get 3 HCA Results
Top