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First time poster - need help with gf who likes Tiffany

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helpmeimclueless

Rough_Rock
Joined
Aug 24, 2009
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Hello,

I am looking to start my search on a ring for my girlfriend and stumbled across this site. I was able to read up the tutorial section and several of the posts but there is a lot of information so I thought I would ask for help. I am sure you get tons of posts like this so I apologize in advance if it is extra repetitive.

My girlfriend really likes the classic tiffany setting (round cut and plain band http://www.tiffany.com/Engagement/item.aspx?GroupSku=GRP10001&selectedSku=23425963#p+1-n+6-cg+-c+-s+-r+-t+-ri+-ni+1-x+-pu+-f+0/0/0/0/0/0). Tiffany''s is out of my price range for the type of ring I want to get for her. I havent really looked at any rings yet but I wanted to get your advice as to what the best steps were when starting to shop for an online ring. I imagine your answer will be that I should get out and look at some rings - are there recommended places - should I go to Tiffany''s or some place like that to get an idea of the difference between F, G, H and VS2 etc. I am very new at this and any guidance would be helpful.

I do not know what ring I want to get her eventually but I would like it to be around 2 (1.7-2.1) I am not sure how much bigger the ring gets from 1.7 to 2.0 and if it is worth the extra money but welcome any opinion. I don''t know where corners can be cut as fas ar color and clarity but I was thinking:
Color - F, G, H
Clarity - VS2, SI1, SI2

Basically, what do I have to achieve to get to the point where I can come to you with some specific numbers and get recommendations on the rings. I see people posting all these rings that they saw online and asking for opinions but I am not even sure how to narrow them down to ones that I should post besides using the cost/carat/cut criteria.

Thanks for your help.
 
Ok, i noticed your post for a while tonight..

I'm still new here on PS myself, and i was waiting for a veteran to post.. but i think ill take a stab at helping you with what i can :)

Firstly, the criteria you have so far is not a bad step. My recommendation to you is to learn as much as you can about the cut of a diamond first! In my opinion, and many others.. this is the most important factor. The cut is going to give you the "quality" in the diamond. The sparkle, the fire, the brilliance.. THE WOW!!!

That being said, i would go through the reputable vendors online and check out their "ideal cuts" or their signature lines.

http://www.whiteflash.com
http://www.goodoldgold.com
http://www.jamesallen.com

and there are many others!!

From what I have gathered, the G-H range is perfectly fine in a round brilliance diamond as long as the cut is superb!

Also, VS2/SI1 is usually a very safe bet as well. If you ask any reputable vendor about an SI1 they will tell you if the diamond is eye clean for any inclusions.


Learn about how to read an Ideal Scope (this measures the light return and the light leakage from a diamond) - this is usually a good representation of the quality of cut. Let me find you one example diamond that might fit your reference and get you started!

Good luck, and be patient though this process. My advice to you is just to learn as much as you possibly can :D
 
Besides the websites listed above I think you should check out Bluenile as well. That gives you a good visual of what it would look like. If you give us price ranges you are looking at there will be plenty of people who will help you shop here for some great options. As far as the size, you can go in to the "show me" forum and look through some rings to get a visual of what it looks like. There is also a post on size that you can search (I cant find the post right now) where people have charts to show the size difference. It will depend on her finger size to as to how much cover it does on her hand. If you can tell us what size that is people can give you recommendations as well.

Good Luck and let everyone know how we can help. Everyone here is friendly and loves to help others shop :)
 
If you don''t mind me asking, what does your budget look like for the diamond alone?

Whiteflash 1
This diamond is a whiteflash ACA (signature cut) Hearts and arrow design. The I color should be no problem at all and, the symmetry looks pretty good to me; but i have not spent much time with round diamonds and their specifications. This seems to be on the lower scale price wise.. still a top of the line diamond!

WhiteFlash 2
I really like this diamond, it is above the 2 ct mark.. a little more expensive (it tends to do that every time you "break the ct mark; ie >1 ct, or >2 ct). The SI1 should not be a problem, just check to see if its eye clean

JamesAllen
Excellent diamond from a very reputable vendor


GoodOldGold 1
This GoodOldGold diamond seemed like it was right in the middle of your criteria and the price range.. for the cts you wanted.


I would also say give some vendors a call and describe what they can offer and do for you.. calling never hurt :D
 
There are also quite a few photos of Tiffany-style solitaires posted on Brian Gavin Diamonds, so you could scroll through to get ideas. I love the folks at BGD and think they do top-notch work, so IMHO it's worth a look even if you decide to go with some other company.
 
check out this one.. it has a video with it!!! you know exactly what you are getting!

GoodOldGold2
 
Hi H.M.I.Clueless, and welcome,

Don't panic, now that you've found us, we'll take good care of you.

First: What is your budget? You can give a range if you like, let us know what portion you want to spend on the stone, and what to spend on a setting.

Second: Does your girl like the "Tiffany style" setting or does she have her heart set on a Branded Tiffany's peice? If she's dedicated to the brand we can direct you to estate peices that may be more budget friendly.

Third: Learn a little about diamonds, so we can speak the same language (Ie. what The basics

Fourth: As far as diamond color goes, look at rings with her to see how colour sensative your girlfriend is - different people have different color sensativities.
Diamond size info can be found here: Finger Coverage,

Fifth: Start window shopping to get a feel for prices. You can look in your hometown, but also check out some PS Vendors (plunk in some tester specs on their websites to see what various combinations of clarity, weight and colour will cost you, and then decide what combos hold the most value for you.

If you're feeling overwhelmed or lazy just post your budget and your non-negotiable criteria and the experts will do their best.

Cheers,

HD

(oops I'm a little late... hope it still helps)
 
I am pretty new myself but I would always go better quality over bigger diamond...I think most girls would want that...I know mine does! I think the min. specs you should go are F color and no less than VS2. The hard part I found was finding the diamond with the right table and depth %''s. I also wouldn''t buy anything other than a GIA certified diamond. Anything above F color I dont think is worth the money and really anything over VS2 maybe VS1 is not worth the extra money. However I wouldn''t get anything less than that as well. Also you really want to try and find one with an Excellent Polish and at least a Very Good symmetry. I know GIA rates CUT only on round diamonds, but I got an asscher myself so I dont know much about that area. I personally found a custom jeweler and showed him some photos of a setting I like and he was able to hand make it cheaper than buying it online, plus you can add your own little touch and really make it one of a kind! You are only going to do this once...so you might as well pony up and do it right! haha hope that helps!
 
Date: 8/25/2009 12:47:03 AM
Author: djknap
I am pretty new myself but I would always go better quality over bigger diamond...I think most girls would want that...I know mine does! I think the min. specs you should go are F color and no less than VS2. The hard part I found was finding the diamond with the right table and depth %''s. I also wouldn''t buy anything other than a GIA certified diamond. Anything above F color I dont think is worth the money and really anything over VS2 maybe VS1 is not worth the extra money. However I wouldn''t get anything less than that as well. Also you really want to try and find one with an Excellent Polish and at least a Very Good symmetry. I know GIA rates CUT only on round diamonds, but I got an asscher myself so I dont know much about that area. I personally found a custom jeweler and showed him some photos of a setting I like and he was able to hand make it cheaper than buying it online, plus you can add your own little touch and really make it one of a kind! You are only going to do this once...so you might as well pony up and do it right! haha hope that helps!
Click to expand...
Quality means different things to different people. OP - your idea of going to tiffs to see the differences in person is a sound one: your computer monitor just can''t give you that depth of perception.

1. F/G/H/I/J/K++ - find out what your GFs tolerance/sweet spot is. If she can''t tell the difference between an F and an I face up, then you can save yourself several thousand.
2. Eyeclean SI1s and SI2s (again, to your/your GFs tolerance) will be harder to find than run-of-the-mill-safe VS2s, but again, if you''re both fine with that, several thousand saved with no visible effect.
3. All those numbers on the cert are important - and there are several that aren''t on the cert that are important, too! As a knowledgeable consumer, you must pay attention to all these details in synch - don''t blindly search for diamonds that meet a couple of criteria to the detriment of the others.
4. Ex/VG is fine for both polish & sym, unless you''re in the field or have spectacular eyes these are just words on a paper.
5. GIA, AGS, EGL-USA with a plan to appraise upon receipt.
 
good post yssie, i completely agree with you! quality means different things to people. your preference AND her preference lol
 
Date: 8/25/2009 7:57:42 AM
Author: tap02150
good post yssie, i completely agree with you! quality means different things to people. your preference AND her preference lol
Click to expand...
I agree. I am much more focused on Cut, as that''s what actually makes the diamond razzle and dazzle. Color and clarity are more personal preferences imo, they don''t have much to do with the sparkle factor, until you start getting to SI2 clarity and lower (maybe a few SI1''s too), where it can affect the stone and that is not for all, it''s a case by case basis. All that said, if one wants higher color/clarity for personal reasons, then by all means they should get it!


tap, you did good helping the OP out, good suggestions/thoughts!


To helpme, the visual difference between a 1.70 and 2.1 would be noticeable, but not exactly huge, especially once it gets in a ring by itself. The closer you get to 2 cts, the larger the ct weight difference needs to be to have a real impact on size.
 
Date: 8/25/2009 12:22:05 AM
Author: tap02150
Ok, i noticed your post for a while tonight..

I''m still new here on PS myself, and i was waiting for a veteran to post.. but i think ill take a stab at helping you with what i can :)

Firstly, the criteria you have so far is not a bad step. My recommendation to you is to learn as much as you can about the cut of a diamond first! In my opinion, and many others.. this is the most important factor. The cut is going to give you the ''quality'' in the diamond. The sparkle, the fire, the brilliance.. THE WOW!!!

That being said, i would go through the reputable vendors online and check out their ''ideal cuts'' or their signature lines.

http://www.whiteflash.com
http://www.goodoldgold.com
http://www.jamesallen.com

and there are many others!!

From what I have gathered, the G-H range is perfectly fine in a round brilliance diamond as long as the cut is superb!

Also, VS2/SI1 is usually a very safe bet as well. If you ask any reputable vendor about an SI1 they will tell you if the diamond is eye clean for any inclusions.


Learn about how to read an Ideal Scope (this measures the light return and the light leakage from a diamond) - this is usually a good representation of the quality of cut. Let me find you one example diamond that might fit your reference and get you started!

Good luck, and be patient though this process. My advice to you is just to learn as much as you possibly can :D
Click to expand...
Well done Tap, very good post!
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Hello again everyone,
Thank you to all those who responded and provided advice and for the warm welcome to a nervous diamond-virgin. I am sorry for the late response but I have been away from a computer for the last few days. I am back now and I had a chance to do the following:
Read up on the basics
Looked at the finger coverage and mm to carat charts - she is a 6.75 according to the Tiff rep after I took one of her rings in
Somewhat understand HCA and Idealscope images now - but I need practice using them
Looked at the links of rings that tap sent out (thanks)
Identified somewhat of a budget range - 16k to 20k for the whole ring
Went into Tiffany''s to look at several diamonds to try and get a feel from them and see if I could spot the differences

I will start with my experience there first:
I saw 4 different diamonds:
1.71 G VS1
1.72 G SI1
1.75 I VVS1
2.16 G VS2
My eyes may not be trained (or maybe this is normal) because after spending 30 minutes looking again and again at the diamonds and comparing them all, aside from the size I could not tell any differences. She did not have any H''s to show me and their lowest color is I and I think they only go down to SI1. The only problem is I am not so sure about taking my girlfriend in to take a look to see if her eyes are just as untrained as mine, because I want to keep her as uninvolved as possible to keep alive the surprise - if her eye is more trained than mine and she sees something that I dont, can I not swap it? So my conclusion after leaving was that I could potentially drop down to even an I and SI1, but I did like the extra size. The 2.16 looked like a great size but it would probably be out of my budget.

Speaking of prices and budget, the stickre prices in Tiffany''s were ridiculous, ranged from 25k to 45k for the rings I saw. So to Hopedream, my gf likes the Tiffany style as opposed to having the branded stuff. She knows that it is out of my price range. My budget is still kind of up in the air _ i suspect from reading threads here that many people end up spending a little more than they budgeted for. I was hoping that for the setting and ring that I wouldnt be getting over 20k, so my range is probably in the 16-20k range. Again the criteria I think I am looking at now are:
1.9-2.1 carat
G,H,I
VS2, SI1, SI2 (I havent seen any SI2 in person yet)
Ideal cut

Tap, a few of those links you sent me are probably out of my budget - over 20k for the ring but there was one that was suitable (http://www.whiteflash.com/hearts_arrows/Whiteflash-ACA-cut-diamond-2133623.htm# ). Based on the criteria that I put up above, is my price range realistic? Doing multiple searches across JA, BN and WF, I have found many that fit my criteria but would need your help with determining the dimensions and how good of a diamond they are. I was able to do the HCA calculation on some of these (a few were missing the crown and pavilion) and they were between 0.8 and 1.9 Here are some examples:
http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/G-SI1-Ideal-Cut-Round-Diamond-1186676.asp
http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/G-SI1-Ideal-Cut-Round-Diamond-1186685.asp
http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/G-SI1-Ideal-Cut-Round-Diamond-1236517.asp

Thoughts on these 4 above? Any others that you highly recommend to fit my criteria. Thanks again for all your help with this process.
 
I have just recently finished my purchase, so I can give you only my amateur opinion. Nevertheless, I went to many stores, looked at many diamonds and "certificates." You should make choices as you feel comfortable, but I am not sure that you want to risk an SI-1 in such large diamonds. Remember that you will own the diamond for many years, and your gf will learn to find the inclusions if there is any angle, distance combination that will make it possible. If you want to be sure, you really need to find the grade-setting inclusions in a loupe or microscope, and stare at the diamond for a while in softer lighting to see if you can find them. While I did not want to pay any extra than getting totally "eye clean" from every angle and distance, I wanted to be sure I had this (not just from straight-on look, and not just in strong spot lighting). For me, I would feel better with a VS-2 at that size (if not even VS-1, but for your budget that is overkill).

Similarly, a larger diamond will hold and show more warmth as the color increases. This was very hard for me to find in spotlighting or in a setting. Put the diamond side-ways or face down on white paper, and that will be a more critical view of color. This is how to learn. Then once you know what to look for, you can see how important it is to you.

I tested color and clarity in many stores. For me, I determined that even just above a carat, I felt better about VS-2 clarity, and G or better color. You may be less sensitive, and if so, better for your wallet. Just my personal opinion was not to trade down below those levels in order to get more size. Not in an engagement ring, where the diamond is star. Many will disagree, but this is my honest opinion from a guy with fairly normal eyes. I''ve rambled enough, so happy hunting!

P.S. Personally, I disliked the inclusions in all of the JA you sent. How noticeable it is in real-life is hard to say.
 
Final comment: Having been to many premium stores, including Tiffany''s, you could probably get about a 1.5 carat H VS-2 round in the classic tiffany solitaire. they carry down to I color SI-1, which I guess you could get in a bigger size. while the size is noticeably reduced from your current choices, i really did love their stuff there (and have no bias against any of the so-called high end stores). whether the name and associated prestige is worth the smaller size is totally a personal decision. most thoughtful posters know this, and you can guess that a good deal went a certain way if they bother posting on this site. i would warn you to take advice, but be open to what will impress your gf and make her happiest. if you think that that is size, then i think you are looking at the right things. if it is "quality," i think you need to reconsider your choices. if it''s the setting or brand name, then that limits you, but don''t be discouraged. you are spending a lot of money! make sure it''s going to make her proud.
 
Hi Climbman,
Thanks for the feedback. What you are saying makes sense and I think it will come down to a personal decision but the pointers about looking at the diamonds sideways and upsidedown over white paper are the types of things I am trying to learn here to make a decision. I stared at the diamonds side by side and sideways and in blocked light (i covered the spot lighting with my head) but did not really look over white paper or in a microscope/loupe. Do you purchase a loupe or do you typically get the jeweller to give you theirs?

So for the colors you mentioned - G and better, and clarity VS2 and better - did you end up going to one of the premium stores? I personally thought the prices were outrageous at Tiffanys - at 45k for the G, VS2, 2.16. Is it not possible to find an identical diamond online for under 30k? I know that is way over my budget but I am just wondering about paying the premium price for something you could possibly get at a fraction of the cost online - or maybe you might tell me that what you found online did not seem to match in quality to what Tiffanys was selling for example, which may sound fine.

Did you include your girlfriend in the decision? How do people typically understand the girlfriends choices and their ability to see inclusions etc? Do most go into a store with their girlfriend as if just browsing?

To answer your final question - I think she would want some balance between size and quality, so I am thinking I could go down a bit on size if I am able to learn more and begin to tell the differences between these colors and claritys, which currently I am not.

Thanks again.
 
I was going to make my first post helping someone but then I saw the 20k price tag. Out of my league haha. There are more taxes on that ring that I paid for mine I bet. I will shut up and take a back seat
 
I'm a newbie here as well but I'll give you my thoughts for your situation. I agree with what climbman said. I rather get a higher quality diamond vs a bigger rock. It is all personal preference as to how sensitive you are to the colour and inclusions. Regarding your other question if the guys here include their gf in their purchases, well my fiancee bought a mall store ring and proposed with it. He knew I wouldn't like it but he had no time to get me what I want so he gave me a budget and set me loose. It is all up to the couple as to how they want to do things. Just make sure you know what her preferences are and find a ring to match it! Every couple is different as I've been told what I did was "tacky" (I returned the ring he proposed with) but both my FI and I have no problems with it!
 
based on what you are looking at, i think i would personally come down in size and balance quality. below i give many examples from various sources of things that i think are promising. if size really trumps all, then i think the examples you previously provided are more in the right direction. only you can be the judge of that.

premium stores (e.g. tiffany)
probably could get about a 1.5 carat H VS-2 in a solitaire setting

this james allen seems pretty nice, and since it is not "branded," you can tell by comparison you are getting a little more for the money (here in the form of a higher color grade). one should definitely ask for images, even doubly so for non-branded stones, since no one else has probably checked it carefully to make sure there aren't any hidden issues.
http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/F-VS2-Ideal-Cut-Round-Diamond-1259545.asp

brian gavin posted some inventory, and he has a 1.701 G VS2 in your price range.

An example from whiteflash with slightly improved clarity (which might be overkill for what you want):
http://www.whiteflash.com/hearts_arrows/Whiteflash-ACA-cut-diamond-2163495.htm

On Good Old Gold (which is a store in Long Island that you could visit), here are two examples:
http://www.goodoldgold.com/diamond/4337/
http://www.goodoldgold.com/diamond/4317/
 
as for your other questions:
i would ask the jeweler for a loupe. at tiffany, they set up a microscope, which is easier to use (some nice b&m jewelers will do this).

i found that blocking the light with my head made color more difficult to see. if the light is mostly white light, and you can turn the diamond upside down (or at least on its side) against white paper, then that''s best. it''s much harder in a setting. an actual gemologist who is trained to do this would be more useful than me on this subject.
 
Hi Helpme,

I have a Tiffany classic solitaire and the entire thing cost about 2K (perhaps a little less) over what an online vendor (comparable stone and setting) would provide.

It was worth it to me to actually see the diamond and setting before purchase at the time.

Now I would probably go with online vendor but am currently shopping for something entirely different than e-ring.
 
I just purchased a 1.66 H VS1 H&A from JA. I looked at Tiffany''s and found an identical spec''d stone (color/clarity) for 24k, more than double what I paid. I put my diamond through the Isee2 machine and it came up with a 9.4 and had perfect light return, but it was off slightly on the symmetry. IMO you can get the same/better quality online as you can with Tiffany''s or any other premium store.

The other thing that I noticed was the lighting in Tiffany''s. They had all new LED lights which made every diamond look amazing. My local jeweler had an area where they could show multiple lighting conditions and the LED''s made a huge difference and made good quality stones look amazing. So I think part of the reason why Tiffany''s looks so good in person is the lighting conditions not the diamonds themselves (although they are very good).

My two cents from another novice diamond purchaser.
 
Date: 8/28/2009 11:15:51 AM
Author: Mattcv
I just purchased a 1.66 H VS1 H&A from JA. I looked at Tiffany''s and found an identical spec''d stone (color/clarity) for 24k, more than double what I paid. I put my diamond through the Isee2 machine and it came up with a 9.4 and had perfect light return, but it was off slightly on the symmetry. IMO you can get the same/better quality online as you can with Tiffany''s or any other premium store.
Click to expand...

Where did you get access to an Isee2 machine? I''m also buying from JA and would like to do the same (out of morbid curiosity). Did you get a TrueHearts or ideal cut?
 
Hi HMIC,

I just wanted to chime in and say that I would not automatically rule out SI1s. I am one of many on here who is very happy with her SI1 stone. I know there have been threads on here about the differences between SI1 and VS2, and why people chose one over the other, but I am firmly in the camp of preferring the SI1 clarity for a larger stone and/or higher color grade. I am "color-sensitive" so for me, in the store, I could detect a difference between a G and an I, and I really prefer the G. I believe, you indicated above, that you could not detect the difference between these color grades, and I am sure many people cannot. If I did not have the experience of looking at many stones, side by side, I am not sure if I would have an issue with an an I. In fact, the more time I spend on here, the more I think I would have been equally happy with a slightly lower color grade.

I recommend looking into the Whiteflash ACAs and calling to speak with them about your any specific questions that you have. With these very well-cut stones, you can go with a lower color, but the stone will face up whiter.

If anyone here has been PS searching skills than me, perhaps you can find that semi-recent (past 4 or 5 months) thread re: SI1 vs. VS2.
 
Will you be getting the classic 6 prong Tiffany style knife edge setting? If so, here is an example of pricing for that (dependent upon metal):
http://www.exceldiamonds.com/-Engagement-Rings-5/Solitaire-Diamond-Engagement-Rings-11/Tiffany-Engagement-Rings-640.html

Do you know what kind of wedding band you will be getting?

I mention these things because maybe after factoring in the price of the setting and band, you will have more to spend on the stone. That said, I have an eye clean SI2, eye clean from every angle, even up close and it was worth the time it took to search for it as I was able to go up in carat size. So, my advice is to not discount SI1 or SI2. Also, consider that if an H or I colored stone has significant fluorescence, the stone will face up whiter. I am color sensitive and I have seen I''s that face up white.

One more thing, I purchased my diamond from USA Certed because they were able to give me the lowest price for the diamond I was looking for. Great service, but I regret not going with a vendor that has an upgrade policy. So, if you think you might upgrade in the future (which I know is hard to think about now), then make sure you go with someone who has a lifetime upgrade policy.
 
Date: 8/28/2009 11:42:05 AM
Author: boredstiff
Date: 8/28/2009 11:15:51 AM

Author: Mattcv

I just purchased a 1.66 H VS1 H&A from JA. I looked at Tiffany''s and found an identical spec''d stone (color/clarity) for 24k, more than double what I paid. I put my diamond through the Isee2 machine and it came up with a 9.4 and had perfect light return, but it was off slightly on the symmetry. IMO you can get the same/better quality online as you can with Tiffany''s or any other premium store.
Click to expand...


Where did you get access to an Isee2 machine? I''m also buying from JA and would like to do the same (out of morbid curiosity). Did you get a TrueHearts or ideal cut?
Click to expand...


The stone that I purchased was a "TrueHearts" from JA. I brought it to my local jeweler who carry''s Tacori since I was going to have the diamond set in the 2620 setting and asked them if they had any diamonds that compared to it. They rep Isee2 diamonds and compared the 2 side by side. All of the Isee2 stones that they showed me were in the 9.X range, but the JA always had the best light return and the Isee2 usually had better symmetry. They also had a HoF stone an it scored a 9.3. If you are looking for a store that carries Isee2 diamonds visit their sight and insert the zip code into their search engine: Isee2.
 
I''m no diamond expert, but I did buy a diamond this week in your same basic price range looking for basically the same things and can tell you my thoughts.

First, my trip to Tiffany''s totally freaked me out. I couldn''t tell the difference between any of the colors or even between sizes. What I could tell was that a $18K budget was not enough to get a ring I''d be happy with there. I honestly think that the lighting in there makes it very difficult to evaluate the differences between stones (especially color differences - as the light in tiffany''s on 57th street is somewhat warm and low - it''s definitely not like the lighting in my office).

In any event, i ended up getting a 1.75 ct diamond from blue nile. It''s one of their signature Ideal cuts, G in color and VS2 in clarity. The ring itself is beautiful. I have no regrets about the G color, as it faces up perfectly white and I''ve yet to find any angle where I can see any hint of color. No inclusions are visible at all.

My only nagging worry is whether I should have sacrificed quality in either color or clarity to get a bigger (i.e 2ct) stone. One of my work friends has a ring that I''ve always thought was striking, so I wanted to get her thoughts on my ring before proposing (and while I can still return it). She also has an ideal cut, G color VS2 ring, but her''s is 2.15 carats. Seeing them side to side, her''s was perceptibly bigger, but I honestly thought mine had perceptibly more sparkle and looked whiter and shinier. That said, I''ve always noticed the size of my friend''s ring. I think my ring will pop out, but in a different, more subtle way. think it''s a tough call, but probably varies a lot from person to person. As of now, I think I might stick with the smaller ring.
 
Date: 8/28/2009 2:09:31 PM
Author: huesofblue
I''m no diamond expert, but I did buy a diamond this week in your same basic price range looking for basically the same things and can tell you my thoughts.

First, my trip to Tiffany''s totally freaked me out. I couldn''t tell the difference between any of the colors or even between sizes. What I could tell was that a $18K budget was not enough to get a ring I''d be happy with there. I honestly think that the lighting in there makes it very difficult to evaluate the differences between stones (especially color differences - as the light in tiffany''s on 57th street is somewhat warm and low - it''s definitely not like the lighting in my office).

In any event, i ended up getting a 1.75 ct diamond from blue nile. It''s one of their signature Ideal cuts, G in color and VS2 in clarity. The ring itself is beautiful. I have no regrets about the G color, as it faces up perfectly white and I''ve yet to find any angle where I can see any hint of color. No inclusions are visible at all.

My only nagging worry is whether I should have sacrificed quality in either color or clarity to get a bigger (i.e 2ct) stone. One of my work friends has a ring that I''ve always thought was striking, so I wanted to get her thoughts on my ring before proposing (and while I can still return it). She also has an ideal cut, G color VS2 ring, but her''s is 2.15 carats. Seeing them side to side, her''s was perceptibly bigger, but I honestly thought mine had perceptibly more sparkle and looked whiter and shinier. That said, I''ve always noticed the size of my friend''s ring. I think my ring will pop out, but in a different, more subtle way. think it''s a tough call, but probably varies a lot from person to person. As of now, I think I might stick with the smaller ring.
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True. Tiffany''s lighting seemed to "equalize" a lot of colors. I set my M color OEC right next to a similar size G color Lucida and they looked absolutely the same. In any other lighting, that just wouldn''t be true. I''d say checking out stones in different lighting environments is a good idea.

That being said, personally I can''t see much difference myself in the colorless to near colorless range in set stones, and I know I''m not alone in that. An I color looks plenty white to me.
 
thanks, everyone for your input.

climbman, thanks for the links. I took a look at them and I think what I need to do is really figure out whether my gf can see the differences in lower color/clarity items or if she is just like me. I may go over to GOG to take a look at their selection since LI isnt too far (has anyone been into the store - whats the lighting like in that place - hopefully nothing like in Tiffany''s where everyting looked the same to me). Based on what I saw in Tiffany''s I was more likely to go with a bigger stone because all other combinations of clor/clarity looked the same to me, but I think it is important (like others mentioned on here) to see it under different lighting and also have my girlfriend see them. I am alos keen too see it under a microscope/loupe so I will update everyone.

hues, I am glad to know you had a similar experience to me in Tiffany''s. You seem to be pretty happy with what you ended up with from bn - did you end up getting an independent appraisal on it. You said you were still up in the air about whether you preferred the bigger size that your coworker had or the smaller one that you got - i wonder if you had a similar size ring to your coworker (with slightly lower color/clarity to stay in same budget), I would imagine you may see some difference in sparkle and shine especially since they would both be in natural conditions and not artificial lighting. Anyway, glad you are happy with the ring. The more I read others opinions on here, the more I am thinking of sacrificing a little size and upping the color/clarity but I think I would like to go into a few more stores and take a look.

Thanks fo rthe input - I will update everyone once I have more visits and information.
 
Have you thought about what to do for the setting or is that further down the line?
 
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