Finding the right oval engagement ring

[reckoner]

I have a little less than 2 months to purchase an engagement ring for the (hopefully) future Mrs. Reckoner. I''m sure she would be happy with just about any ring I get her

, but there are so many choices it''s hard to figure out where to go and what exactly to get, especially when this will be the largest purchase of my life so far!

I''m hoping some kind souls here might be able to help me through this process.

Fortunately, the (hopefully) future Mrs. Reckoner was kind enough to provide enough preferences for me to at least have an idea of what to get (oval, white ring). She also doesn''t want anything TOO big, which is a nice thing to hear.

Specifications
Budget: ~$5000-$7000 (for the whole package)
Ring Style: Solitaire - no side stones, no pave, white platinum. She likes filigree, but this seems hard to find.
Carat: 1.0+ carats
Clarity: Eye clean!
Color: H or better (will be set in white platinum)
Cut: As good as possible
Depth: 59-61 (so it will look a bit bigger for its weight)
Thickness: On the thinner side (again, bigger looking for its weight)

So now for my questions:

First, is my budget reasonable? Do I need to make sacrifices anywhere? Should I put more focus on any one area (besides cut)? Would it be possible to go bigger in size and still get a beautiful diamond?

I''m lost on what length:width ratio to go for. She is around a size 6 ring and around 5''6" in height. What kind of ratio would complement her hand dimensions? Do these dimensions even help?

Lots of SI1s can be eye clean, but I''m really worried about getting one of the ones that isn''t. How do you go about getting one that is eye clean, or is it better to just go for a higher clarity [especially in the context of choosing between a local brick and mortar and online]?

Same thing for bow-ties. If I shop online, which vendors will actually look at the stone for me and find one without a really dark bow tie? Is it better to order without someone looking and risk having to return/exchange it? How much is being to able to buy it locally and see it beforehand worth?

I appreciate any help and/or words of encouragement from those who have survived the process. Thanks! Sorry for writing so much

 

[Lorelei]

Welcome

I am no expert on ovals but I will try to get you started. Firstly, with the clarity, look at SI1 to S12 which can be eyeclean in many cases. A vendor will let you know, but first DEFINE what your expectations are of eyeclean. Clarity grading is done face up so you may see something from the side, albeit small. All inclusions are not created equal, so find out the type, number, location, colour, size and visibility. The trade definition of eyeclean usually means no visible inclusions to the naked eye at about 10 to 12 inches away in normal lighting. So if you don''t want to see anything at any angle close up let the vendor know and your comfort level.

Colour is a good choice in an H, the trade tends to think that an I colour is where most consumers begin to detect a hint of colour from the side, but it very much depends on the individual eye and some prefer warmer ( like me!) A G or H is a good bet. The budget seems fine for the diamond and setting.

It is hard to define Ideal cuts in fancies, ovals IMO are a great choice for brilliance next to the round, in the tutorial section you will find more info on oval cut quality, but this can''t be emphasized enough, with any fancy cut, beauty is in the eye of the beholder, the numbers give you a place to start but you need to see if the diamond you are interested in speaks to you. Be aware too that ovals may display the bow tie effect, this is a matter of taste, some folk look for it in a fancy, others avoid it ( the dark bow tie shaped area in the middle of the diamond which may be visible in some lights and angles), you will find more info on this using the search tool - type in bow tie and start reading to learn about this. A vendor will help you with this and help find a diamond with a minimal one if that is your preference. My preference in a length to width ratio is around 1.5 - a medium length, but that might not be your girl''s preference - you need to evaluate each stone on a case by case basis and make sure all the parts of the puzzle fit, including the length to width. She might prefer a shorter rounder oval, you will have to go with your gut here I think, too many variables to take into consideration to get the best diamond. Unless you know she absolutely hates long thin ovals for example then you can base your search around that.

To sum up, online vendors are a great bunch and experts in their field. They will help you find the right diamond and answer any questions you may have. You will find that you can get more for your money too as their overheads are lower. They all have a good return policy too which gives you time to carefully evaluate the diamond and get an independant appraisal too. Buying online can require a leap of faith, but ultimately it is what you are most comfortable with. Many vendors will call in the diamond and check it first, ask your vendors what their policy is.

I hope this long rambly post helps you and you can find something to help you out( not enough coffee!) Good luck and don''t forget the pics when you find the one!

 

[valeria101]

The price and grades mentioned would mean 1.5 cts rather than 1, and believe me, it ain't 'too big'

I would definitely agree with the choice of a simple setting (for what my choice matters) because platinum filigree is not easy to locate (at least not the real deal - wax castings after vintage settings and similar fast&easy filigree is somewhat easier to locate

) and the settings are rather intricate and very much a matter of taste better left to the wearer's choice. If you know this would work, it is always easy to present the diamond in a temporary setting and let the lady choose.


About the diamond, I would go for the first three AGA grades for a first drill 'by the numbers' and let a seller to call in the stone and evaluate cut quality and the 'eye clean' quality of the stone. Even with an internet purchase, you should get to see the stone yourself (re: eye clean or not etc.) before the sale becomes final - this is what return policies are for.

Quick note about girdle, depth and size... since the measurements are there, it is easier to just judge diameter for size and not second guess the proportions. Unlike rounds, ovals come in different cut styles and this makes the relationship between depth and size less straightforward.

On the lists here, a couple of stones came up 'tempting' IMO. If you would want to take a pic yourself before inquiring for a seller's recommendation (which I would, for what that's worth).


How about something like these:

Although I expected G-H/ VS2-SI1 a few E and F SI1 also fit the size, weight and price I had in mind. Among them, this:

weight:1.34
size: 9.16-5.98
Price: ~5700
Grades: E/SI1 (EGL)
Depth: 58.4%
Table: 56%
girdle: m
Culet: no
Finish: gd/gd
Fluorescence: no

Weights just under 1.5 cts are not common (there is a price jump at 1.5) so, this one stood out:

weight:1.41
Size: 9.64x6.22
Price: ~6000
Grades: H/VS2 (EGL)
Depth: 58.7%
Table: 61%
Girdle:med faceted
Culet: no
Finish: gd/gd
Fluorescence: no

The lab report is not posted, but the sellers typically can obtain a copy rather fast. On this one, I would not worry much about clarity, but would like to see crown height - the stone is pleasant;y large for its weight, but that wouldn't be such great news if it is a flat... And there are other options, even on the same list.

Ideally, I would have loved to see pictures and Ideal Scope charts... but there's hardly any oval with such info on show.

Candidate #2 would be...

weight:1.52
size: 9.25 x 6.65
price: ~6000
grades: H/VS2 (GIA)
depth: 59.8%
table: 54% GIA
girdle: thn-stk faceted
culet: no
finish: vg/gd
fluorescence: strong

There is a premium on GIA 'paper' and perhaps a slight discount because of the 'strong fluorescence' thing. they cancel out, apparently. I can't know if the fluorescence has any unpleasant effect on the look of the stone. It is said that it can make diamonds look hazy - but that needs exceptionally strong fluorescence which is very rare. Chances are nothing would show on this one under normal lighting except a slight improvement over the color grade.

Re: EGL / GIA you will find a good amount of older posts about this, and probably more useful... a report of a cross-grading exercise reported in the 'Diamond Journal' here which found that the diamonds graded by EGL-US were discounted more than the grade difference versus GIA would warrant (with small, random differences in either price and grades). And this is one reason why the two EGL ovals got mentioned in this post. If the stone and price looks good, you could also have an independent check on the grades - many did that regardless of lab report.


My 2c

 

[reckoner]

Thanks for your advice!

I was feeling a bit guilty for not going with filigree, but you are absolutely right Valeria. I saw some rings with wheat patterns, but I have no idea whether she would like that or not. I''d rather play it safe. Unfortunately I don''t think a temporary setting will go over well with her, otherwise I would go that route.

I think I''ll also try to play it safe on the ratio and aim for somewhere close to 1.5. She didn''t like the look of the marquise cut, so any oval too long and narrow might not be what she wants.

I''m hoping to buy through Good Old Gold, but I''m a bit confused about how the process works. Do they only sell the diamonds they have listed, or can they call in others? Unlike other web vendors, they don''t seem to have a search function that accesses whatever database everyone else uses. Can anyone who has used them explain a bit to me? I''m hoping to have them call in ~4 diamonds and then I''ll choose the best - does this seem like it would work/a good strategy? I know the shipping will cost me, but I''m okay with that.

 

[devientdrow]

I''m not sure how they work, I know when I purchased online it''s not like the guy had them all on hand. When I was interested in a particular one he had it sent to him and then he looked over it for me. I''ve heard wonderful things about Good Old Gold. I got my stone at James Allen and you''ll notice the name whiteflash tossed around here a lot too! I''m pretty sure they all do what Jim did for me. They really will sit there and go over the stone personally and check it all out. I think if there is something that you know you don''t want like the bow tie thing it would be no issue at all to have them check for that. Have you found any potential stones or settings? I know you feel bad for not finding filigree, does your girl like engraving??

http://www.jamesallen.com/engagement_rings/classic_solitaire_settings.asp?module=setting&cid=57&item=15&name=1006


http://www.whiteflash.com/Engagement-Rings/Styles/Solitaire/Engraved-Cathedral-Solitaire_930.htm


I really love the James Allen one!