First time diamond buyer , Need some advice from experts !

[neysa]

I am planning to order engagement ring from Bluenile,well I am going to choose it and my fiance will pay for it.
I am looking at their simple tiffany 5 prong setting in 14k gold and desperately need help choosing right diamond !

Specs I have so far
Ideal or better than ideal cut
at least si1 ( but I'd love to get it eye clean )
color H

are these a good specifications to get a great stone ? Any advice on any particular ones ? for the stone we would like to pay at the most around 1600ish

does anyone used any coupons on bluenile that could give us any discounts? Is it a good company to go with? We had seen simillar stones they carry in chicago diamond row and they were closer to 2000 range

Please let me know !

 

[GoSounders]

Re: First time diamond buyer , Need some advice from exper

Blue Nile does not give any information apart from the cert. You could buy based on filtering for GIA Excellent cuts, but even within GIA's Excellent rating, there's variation where some stones do better than others.

For those in a tight budget still wanting to make an informed decision, JA provides ASET/IS images for up to 3 stones you put on hold.

Here's one I found in your budget. Should be eye clean judging from the 360 degree view.

http://www.jamesallen.com/loose-diamonds/round-cut/0.62-carat-h-color-si1-clarity-excellent-cut-sku-233117

 

[hawk25]

Re: First time diamond buyer , Need some advice from exper

Welcome to PS!

I'm assuming you're searching for a round diamond. The specs you've chosen are a great starting point. Many SI1 stones are eye clean (although that depends on your definition of eye clean), and most people won't be able to see color in an H, especially from the top view. Although because you're on a budget, you might want to consider I colored stones too. The difference between H/I is ever so slight. You're right in wanting an ideal cut stone, that's what determines sparkle. However, it gets more complicated than that.

You should only buy stones that are GIA or AGS certified, they are the most accurate labs. If you go with a lab like EGL, you might think you're getting a great price for an H SI1 stone, but what you may actually be buying is a J I1 stone, so you'd be getting exactly what you paid for it. Furthermore, you'll want to stick with either a GIA Excellent or AGS 0 Ideal cut grade. GIA Excellent cut grades are less strict than AGS Ideal cut grades, so if you come across a GIA Ex stone, plug the numbers into the HCA calculator. You're looking for a score of less than 2. A lower score (within 0-1.9) does not mean its better (ex: 1.1 is not better than 1.7). You do not need to use the HCA for AGS 0 stones. Like any category, there are better and worse Ex/Ideal cut stones.

https://www.pricescope.com/tools/hca

Since this is for an engagement ring, I'm under the opinion that it must be eye clean. I'd hate for you to see an inclusion and never be able 'unsee' it. Some vendors outright say their stones are eye clean, but it may be a different definition than what you're thinking. Most vendors use the eye clean definition if you cannot see any inclusions from 10 inches away, with 20/20 vision, viewing from the top only. Your definition may be different, say 6 inches from all sides. It's important to tell the vendor what your definition is so you're on the same page.

On PS you'll get differing opinions on Blue Nile. The main problem PSers have with them is they do not provide the images necessary to make an informed opinion, such as ASETs and Idealscope images, which judge light performance. You'll essentially be buying blind. Other vendors recommended by PSers provide all these images upfront and have their stones in-house. They are also drop shippers, meaning they don't have 99% of their diamonds in-house, rather they are held by their suppliers. When you buy a diamond, it's shipping directly from their suppliers to you. Blue Nile never actually sees the stone. You can call and ask their gemologist to look at the stone, but it's actually the suppliers' gemologist that does so... a potential conflict of interest. I don't want to infer any dishonesty is taking place, but it's worth mentioning. Some vendors like B2C Jewels actually have access to the same stones Blue Nile has, and they might have a better price. However, you'll find many good reviews of Blue Nile, and they are a reputable company. Their prices are cheaper than those from vendors we generally recommend, but they're cheaper for a reason.

The Tiffany setting is a very common setting. Are you open to using other vendors? There are those PSers have experience with, and who importantly provide the information we need to feel confident about choosing a stone. These vendors also put emphasis on cut quality, the most important diamond quality. Some of these vendors are Whiteflash, Brian Gavin Diamonds, Good Old Gold, James Allen, to name a few

If you want to shop around BN first, here's a cheat sheet of the angles you're looking for in a round diamond:

Depth: 60 - 62.4%
Table: 54- 57%
Crown angle: 34- 35 degrees
Pavilion angle: 40.6- 41 degrees
Girdle - avoid extremes, look for thin to slightly thick, thin to medium etc
Polish and symmetry - very good and above

Also, a crown angle of 34.0, 34.5 or 35.0 is usually safe with a 40.8 pavilion angle. If pavilion angle = 40.6 lean toward a 34.5-35.0 crown. If pavilion angle = 41 lean toward a 34.0-34.5 crown

This isn't to say that a stone that doesn't follow this guide isn't a good stone, but it's a guide to help narrow things down.

For comparison, here's are a few stones I'd recommend for you:

0.557 I SI1: http://www.whiteflash.com/loose-diamonds/round-cut-loose-diamond-2970609.htm
0.513 H SI1: http://www.whiteflash.com/loose-diamonds/round-cut-loose-diamond-2970602.htm

(Whew, at least now I can copy/paste all of that for the next person lol)

 

[GoSounders]

Re: First time diamond buyer , Need some advice from exper

Awesome post, hawk!

I feel like this, or an expansion of it, should be stuck at the top of RT.

 

[neysa]

Re: First time diamond buyer , Need some advice from exper

Thank you for your wonderful response, does anyone know any place that sells loose stones in chicago area that more or less match BN prices? I'd love to see the stone before we buy- at lest pictures
do you know any good online sellers that may be good for this purchase?

 

[neysa]

Re: First time diamond buyer , Need some advice from exper

Welcome to PS!

I'm assuming you're searching for a round diamond. The specs you've chosen are a great starting point. Many SI1 stones are eye clean (although that depends on your definition of eye clean), and most people won't be able to see color in an H, especially from the top view. Although because you're on a budget, you might want to consider I colored stones too. The difference between H/I is ever so slight. You're right in wanting an ideal cut stone, that's what determines sparkle. However, it gets more complicated than that.

You should only buy stones that are GIA or AGS certified, they are the most accurate labs. If you go with a lab like EGL, you might think you're getting a great price for an H SI1 stone, but what you may actually be buying is a J I1 stone, so you'd be getting exactly what you paid for it. Furthermore, you'll want to stick with either a GIA Excellent or AGS 0 Ideal cut grade. GIA Excellent cut grades are less strict than AGS Ideal cut grades, so if you come across a GIA Ex stone, plug the numbers into the HCA calculator. You're looking for a score of less than 2. A lower score (within 0-1.9) does not mean its better (ex: 1.1 is not better than 1.7). You do not need to use the HCA for AGS 0 stones. Like any category, there are better and worse Ex/Ideal cut stones.

https://www.pricescope.com/tools/hca

Since this is for an engagement ring, I'm under the opinion that it must be eye clean. I'd hate for you to see an inclusion and never be able 'unsee' it. Some vendors outright say their stones are eye clean, but it may be a different definition than what you're thinking. Most vendors use the eye clean definition if you cannot see any inclusions from 10 inches away, with 20/20 vision, viewing from the top only. Your definition may be different, say 6 inches from all sides. It's important to tell the vendor what your definition is so you're on the same page.

On PS you'll get differing opinions on Blue Nile. The main problem PSers have with them is they do not provide the images necessary to make an informed opinion, such as ASETs and Idealscope images, which judge light performance. You'll essentially be buying blind. Other vendors recommended by PSers provide all these images upfront and have their stones in-house. They are also drop shippers, meaning they don't have 99% of their diamonds in-house, rather they are held by their suppliers. When you buy a diamond, it's shipping directly from their suppliers to you. Blue Nile never actually sees the stone. You can call and ask their gemologist to look at the stone, but it's actually the suppliers' gemologist that does so... a potential conflict of interest. I don't want to infer any dishonesty is taking place, but it's worth mentioning. Some vendors like B2C Jewels actually have access to the same stones Blue Nile has, and they might have a better price. However, you'll find many good reviews of Blue Nile, and they are a reputable company. Their prices are cheaper than those from vendors we generally recommend, but they're cheaper for a reason.

The Tiffany setting is a very common setting. Are you open to using other vendors? There are those PSers have experience with, and who importantly provide the information we need to feel confident about choosing a stone. These vendors also put emphasis on cut quality, the most important diamond quality. Some of these vendors are Whiteflash, Brian Gavin Diamonds, Good Old Gold, James Allen, to name a few

If you want to shop around BN first, here's a cheat sheet of the angles you're looking for in a round diamond:

Depth: 60 - 62.4%
Table: 54- 57%
Crown angle: 34- 35 degrees
Pavilion angle: 40.6- 41 degrees
Girdle - avoid extremes, look for thin to slightly thick, thin to medium etc
Polish and symmetry - very good and above

Also, a crown angle of 34.0, 34.5 or 35.0 is usually safe with a 40.8 pavilion angle. If pavilion angle = 40.6 lean toward a 34.5-35.0 crown. If pavilion angle = 41 lean toward a 34.0-34.5 crown

This isn't to say that a stone that doesn't follow this guide isn't a good stone, but it's a guide to help narrow things down.

For comparison, here's are a few stones I'd recommend for you:

0.557 I SI1: http://www.whiteflash.com/loose-diamonds/round-cut-loose-diamond-2970609.htm
0.513 H SI1: http://www.whiteflash.com/loose-diamonds/round-cut-loose-diamond-2970602.htm

(Whew, at least now I can copy/paste all of that for the next person lol)

Thank you for your wonderful detailed reply, I'd rather see the stone in person but I don't think anyone in Chicago area has prices close to what I see online
Among these vendors you mentioned which one is most reputable?

 

[GoSounders]

Re: First time diamond buyer , Need some advice from exper

All 4 vendors mentioned by hawk are completely reputable. You should look at all of them (and a few others) to see what each can offer you, and choose your favorite.

 

[hawk25]

Re: First time diamond buyer , Need some advice from exper

They are all very reputable, and it usually comes down to which one has the right diamond at the time, or which has the setting you want. Brian Gavin used to work for Whiteflash, and IIRC, he helped create the standards for the branded ACA cut. He then left to create his own company and created his own BGD Signature brand. Both branded diamonds have the reputation of being some of the best cut diamonds out there. GOG definitely offers the most information out of the two, but has a lower level of stock. Their branded is their Superior line

One thing that might help you choose a vendor are their extras, such as upgrade policy, financing, etc. BGD allows an upgrade if you're upgrade at least 2 of the three characteristics color/clarity/size. James Allen requires you spend at least 2x the amount to upgrade, and WF has a no strings attached upgrade policy. I've also used and liked WF's layaway policy (no charge, doesn't deal with credit at all)

Did you have a size in mind you wanted to aim for? If you go for a branded super-ideal cut, you're going to get around 0.50ct H-I color, SI1 clarity. A stone from JA would allow you to go bigger. Whether the super-ideal premium is worth it, is up to you.

 

[SophiesDream]

Re: First time diamond buyer , Need some advice from exper

Is there a ct weight you want ? My recommendations would be James Allen or whiteflash. James Allen tend to have cheaper settings than BN as well

 

[neysa]

Re: First time diamond buyer , Need some advice from exper

I'd like to stay around 0.57-0.62 carats with settings mentioned above.
I love fred gavin 6 prong tiffany setting with tapered band but it is slightly out of my price range- anyone seen anything simillar on a budget ?
Thank you again for your replies, this website is a wonderful community