First Time Shopper Questions

[SecretMike]

So I have never bought a diamond before and am thinking of asking my gf to marry me. (Yes wish me luck)...

These are what I was looking for:
Carat: 1.20-1.30
Color: G-H
Clarity: VVS2-VS1
Cut: Ideal/Excellent - Very Good

I would like to stick with around $8K-$9K

So my question is how do you guys search for diamonds:
Do you guys use: https://www.pricescope.com/ or the Cut search: https://www.pricescope.com/sift.aspx ? or do you use something else?
If I search on http://www.bluenile.com/diamond-search I can search for H, VS1, Ideal, 1.20-1.30 and it finds 26 of them from $6880 to $9911 but if I go to https://www.pricescope.com/sift.aspx and search Excellent, 1.20-1.30, H-H, VS1-VS1 (left AGS-0 and H&S as include and only had GIA and AGS checked) and it only finds one diamond for $8202.
Am I doing the search wrong? I was expecting to find more results on pricescope...

Second question:
If you had to rank which of these is more noticable:
1) G -> H (about $1.5K diff on Blue Nile)
2) VVS2 -> VS2 (about $1.7K diff on Blue Nile)
3) Ideal/Excellent -> Very Good (about $900 diff on Blue Nile)

Third Question:
I was thinking about getting a loose diamond from online (with GIA/AGS certificate) and then get the setting in a store. When I go to sites like Blue Nile I don''t see how much it costs to add your own stone to the ring. Do they normally do it for free or will it be like another $50 or something? Does this sound like a good idea? My alternative plan was to go into a store and then use my iPhone to show how much their diamond should cost and try to get them to match online price. Have you guys been successful at that?

Fourth Question:
My girlfriend does not like gold including white gold. Does that mean I should go for platinum? Does anyone ever get silver or is that just ridiculous?

Fifth Question:
I kind of like the rings with like 2 smaller stones on each side.
When you guys buy settings with other stones in them, do you buy the other stones seperately or you just go with whatever they come with?

Sixth Question:
When I got my mortgage I watched bankrate.com to monitor the mortgage rates.
Do you guys watch something to monitor diamond prices?
Are diamond prices higher right now and I should wait till after Christmas or after Valentines Day or are they pretty steady all year?

Seventh Question:
My girlfriend said she is a size 7-8 for rings but when I look online for ring sizes it looks like most girls are 4-8.
She is pretty skinny and her fingers are quite a bit thinner than mine so I think she must be wrong...
Any tips for how to verify?

Eighth Question:
I see the Table Size and Height and other dimensions on the certificates...
Most places don''t seem to list those in the search... Are they all pretty standard?
Like do I just say oh if its bigger than X or smaller than Y then its a red flag but pretty much most diamonds are Z degrees or something?
Same question for the thin/thick dimension for the side...

Ninth Question:
One of the diamonds I saw had an Idea Scope image with a small section on the edge that was low light or whatever. Are jewelers cool enough to make the setting latch onto that part (to cover it up?)

Tenth Question:
When Looking at the certificate what is a good "Fluorescence" - Like is Medium Blue mean it has a medium blue tint? I assume blue is a cooler tint than yellow is that correct?

Eleventh Question:
I saw a thread talking about feathering. Does it say that on the certificate under comments or is that only something you see under the loupe?

 

[tyty333]

Date: 11/28/2009 7:42:58 PM
Author:SecretMike
So I have never bought a diamond before and am thinking of asking my gf to marry me. (Yes wish me luck)...
I will give you my 2 cents since no one is responding...

These are what I was looking for:
Carat: 1.20-1.30
Color: G-H
Clarity: VVS2-VS1
Cut: Ideal/Excellent - Very Good

I would like to stick with around $8K-$9K

So my question is how do you guys search for diamonds:
Do you guys use: https://www.pricescope.com/ or the Cut search: https://www.pricescope.com/sift.aspx ? or do you use something else?
If I search on http://www.bluenile.com/diamond-search I can search for H, VS1, Ideal, 1.20-1.30 and it finds 26 of them from $6880 to $9911 but if I go to https://www.pricescope.com/sift.aspx and search Excellent, 1.20-1.30, H-H, VS1-VS1
This is the cut quality search. It runs the important numbers from the stones through the HCA and displays
the number. We usually say diamonds that score 2 and under are worth further investigation. The ones that
score over 2 are not. If you use the regular search for diamonds you will get all stones no matter how
well they are cut. Using the cut quality seach is an easy way to get to the good diamonds quick.
(left AGS-0 and H&S as include and only had GIA and AGS checked) and it only finds one diamond for $8202.
Am I doing the search wrong? I was expecting to find more results on pricescope...

Second question:
If you had to rank which of these is more noticable:
1) G -> H (about $1.5K diff on Blue Nile)
2) VVS2 -> VS2 (about $1.7K diff on Blue Nile)
3) Ideal/Excellent -> Very Good (about $900 diff on Blue Nile)

Third Question:
I was thinking about getting a loose diamond from online (with GIA/AGS certificate) and then get the setting in a store. When I go to sites like Blue Nile I don't see how much it costs to add your own stone to the ring. Do they normally do it for free or will it be like another $50 or something? Does this sound like a good idea? My alternative plan was to go into a store and then use my iPhone to show how much their diamond should cost and try to get them to match online price. Have you guys been successful at that?Usually you have the stone sent to you and have someone set it locally. Make sure
your insurance will cover if any damage is done to the stone during setting.

Fourth Question:
My girlfriend does not like gold including white gold. Does that mean I should go for platinum? Does anyone ever get silver or is that just ridiculous?That pretty much only leaves platinum or you can look into palladium. Silver would not
work on a prong setting because it would be too soft.

Fifth Question:
I kind of like the rings with like 2 smaller stones on each side.
When you guys buy settings with other stones in them, do you buy the other stones seperately or you just go with whatever they come with?Usually when you pick out a setting with side stones it usually comes with the
side stones included.

Sixth Question:
When I got my mortgage I watched bankrate.com to monitor the mortgage rates.
Do you guys watch something to monitor diamond prices?
Are diamond prices higher right now and I should wait till after Christmas or after Valentines Day or are they pretty steady all year?No, there is nothing else I watch...but I'm no expert here. Wait till others respond.

Seventh Question:
My girlfriend said she is a size 7-8 for rings but when I look online for ring sizes it looks like most girls are 4-8.
She is pretty skinny and her fingers are quite a bit thinner than mine so I think she must be wrong...
Any tips for how to verify?Does she have any rings she wears on her left hand ring finger that you can
steal and have sized at a local jeweler? Size 7/8 is not unheard of. I am 5'8" and about 135 and
wear a 6.25. But finger sizes seem to vary significantly so sizing a ring she already has is your best bet.

Eighth Question:
I see the Table Size and Height and other dimensions on the certificates...
Most places don't seem to list those in the search... Are they all pretty standard?
Like do I just say oh if its bigger than X or smaller than Y then its a red flag but pretty much most diamonds are Z degrees or something?
Same question for the thin/thick dimension for the side...OK, I think I know what you are asking...you should be
looking at AGS/GIA stones. They will list the depth, table, crown and pavilion angles. These should all
fall within certain ranges when looking for a diamond that preforms really well.
table 54-57%, depth 60-62%, crown 34-35 degrees and pavilion 40.6 - 41 degrees.
Girdles - avoid extremes like very thin to very thick.
Polish and symmetry - very good and above


Ninth Question:
One of the diamonds I saw had an Idea Scope image with a small section on the edge that was low light or whatever. Are jewelers cool enough to make the setting latch onto that part (to cover it up?)I'm not sure what you were looking at
but jewelers will/can put a prong over an inclusion if ask. This really doesnt have anything to do with low
light though.

Tenth Question:
When Looking at the certificate what is a good 'Fluorescence' - Like is Medium Blue mean it has a medium blue tint? I assume blue is a cooler tint than yellow is that correct?Fluorescence is usually considered undesirable especailly in the higher
colors (D-Gish). However, in the lower colors some fluorecence may make a stone look a little whiter than its
grading. A higher color stone with fluorecence usually has a somewhat discounted price.

Eleventh Question:
I saw a thread talking about feathering. Does it say that on the certificate under comments or is that only something you see under the loupe?It should show up on the certificate.

 

[exoticisabella]

Date: 11/28/2009 7:42:58 PM
Author:SecretMike
So I have never bought a diamond before and am thinking of asking my gf to marry me. (Yes wish me luck)...

These are what I was looking for:
Carat: 1.20-1.30
Color: G-H
Clarity: VVS2-VS1
Cut: Ideal/Excellent - Very Good

I would like to stick with around $8K-$9K

So my question is how do you guys search for diamonds:
Do you guys use: http://www.pricescope.com/ or the Cut search: http://www.pricescope.com/sift.aspx ? or do you use something else?
If I search on http://www.bluenile.com/diamond-search I can search for H, VS1, Ideal, 1.20-1.30 and it finds 26 of them from $6880 to $9911 but if I go to http://www.pricescope.com/sift.aspx and search Excellent, 1.20-1.30, H-H, VS1-VS1 (left AGS-0 and H&S as include and only had GIA and AGS checked) and it only finds one diamond for $8202.
Am I doing the search wrong? I was expecting to find more results on pricescope...

My two favorite vendors are www.goodoldgold.com and www.winkjones.com. I have worked with both and would highly rocommend either.

Second question:
If you had to rank which of these is more noticable:
1) G -> H (about $1.5K diff on Blue Nile)
2) VVS2 -> VS2 (about $1.7K diff on Blue Nile)
3) Ideal/Excellent -> Very Good (about $900 diff on Blue Nile)

Cut is key! Get a top quality cut diamond. G or H, not a big difference. Same with VVS2 vs VS2. You could even go with an eyeclean SI1 to save money.

Third Question:
I was thinking about getting a loose diamond from online (with GIA/AGS certificate) and then get the setting in a store. When I go to sites like Blue Nile I don't see how much it costs to add your own stone to the ring. Do they normally do it for free or will it be like another $50 or something? Does this sound like a good idea? My alternative plan was to go into a store and then use my iPhone to show how much their diamond should cost and try to get them to match online price. Have you guys been successful at that?

LOL! You will make an enemy for life if you show them online prices

B&M stores have so much overhead that it's hard to compete with online vendors. I do really like the idea of buying a loose stone online and taking it to a local store to buy the mounting from them (which is exactly what I did with GOG and Winfields - diamond from GOG, setting from Winfields). Many stores will warrenty their mountings and the turn around time for repairs is faster when the store is local.

Fourth Question:
My girlfriend does not like gold including white gold. Does that mean I should go for platinum? Does anyone ever get silver or is that just ridiculous?

https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/infinity-i1-s-color-set-in-silver.124781/ Here is a stunning ring set in silver! Why doesn't she like gold? Is it the color? You can have rose gold made too.

Fifth Question:
I kind of like the rings with like 2 smaller stones on each side.
When you guys buy settings with other stones in them, do you buy the other stones seperately or you just go with whatever they come with?

In the case of a three stone idea, I would have the ring custom made with top quality side stones (especially since it sounds as if you may be doing it in silver anyway which would warrent a custom piece).

Sixth Question:
When I got my mortgage I watched bankrate.com to monitor the mortgage rates.
Do you guys watch something to monitor diamond prices?
Are diamond prices higher right now and I should wait till after Christmas or after Valentines Day or are they pretty steady all year?

I don't know the answer to this one. The way that I look at it is that this woman will be with you forever and she is worth spending every cent that it costs in the ring. She will be the one to help raise your children, stand by you in tough times and care for you when you're ill. That itself is priceless.

Seventh Question:
My girlfriend said she is a size 7-8 for rings but when I look online for ring sizes it looks like most girls are 4-8.
She is pretty skinny and her fingers are quite a bit thinner than mine so I think she must be wrong...
Any tips for how to verify?

Does she have a ring you could snitch for a couple hours to have sized? Could you ask her mom or a girlfriend to take her to the mall and "play" with the rings there?

Eighth Question:
I see the Table Size and Height and other dimensions on the certificates...
Most places don't seem to list those in the search... Are they all pretty standard?
Like do I just say oh if its bigger than X or smaller than Y then its a red flag but pretty much most diamonds are Z degrees or something?
Same question for the thin/thick dimension for the side...

Again I don't know for sure but it seems that each diamond is as unique as a fingerprint.

Ninth Question:
One of the diamonds I saw had an Idea Scope image with a small section on the edge that was low light or whatever. Are jewelers cool enough to make the setting latch onto that part (to cover it up?)

Of course! ...eta: I think what he means is if he get an excellent cut diamond that has some light leakage at the edge- for example this diamond LINK at 3 o'clock(ish) and 8 o'clock

Tenth Question:
When Looking at the certificate what is a good 'Fluorescence' - Like is Medium Blue mean it has a medium blue tint? I assume blue is a cooler tint than yellow is that correct?

Blue is better than yellow. I love flour. in a diamond. Really makes it sparkle in office and outdoor lighting!

Eleventh Question:
I saw a thread talking about feathering. Does it say that on the certificate under comments or is that only something you see under the loupe?

Should say on the certificate as it is considered an inclusion.

 

[outatouch0]

Hi SecretMike and welcme to pricescpe

Every one of us knows what it is like to be all new to this and we love to help. This amazing web site has put together an impressive tutorial in an easy to understand format that will have you "talking diamonds" in short order

I strongly encourage you to spend some time in the PS Knowledge Section. I can assure you that you will be glad you did !!!
The answers to your questions will begin to make a lot more sense once you have a foundation in which to build upon.

 

[Lorelei]

Date: 11/28/2009 8:38:51 PM
Author: tyty333

Date: 11/28/2009 7:42:58 PM


Second question:
If you had to rank which of these is more noticable:
1) G -> H (about $1.5K diff on Blue Nile) Personally I can''t see the difference between these colour grades.
2) VVS2 -> VS2 (about $1.7K diff on Blue Nile) Eyeclean is eyeclean, both VVS2 and VS clarities with usually be eyeclean but it doesn''t hurt to check with VS.
3) Ideal/Excellent -> Very Good (about $900 diff on Blue Nile) This is an important one - there can indeed be visible differences between these cut grades and in some cases the VG cut grades might look better than the Excellent so evaluate each on its own desirable physical and visual properties.

The others have taken excellent care of you, so I will just elaborate on the above points.

 

[FB.]

Date: 11/28/2009 7:42:58 PM
Author:SecretMike
So I have never bought a diamond before and am thinking of asking my gf to marry me. (Yes wish me luck)...

These are what I was looking for:
Carat: 1.20-1.30
Color: G-H
Clarity: VVS2-VS1
Cut: Ideal/Excellent - Very Good

I would like to stick with around $8K-$9K

So my question is how do you guys search for diamonds:
Do you guys use: https://www.pricescope.com/ or the Cut search: https://www.pricescope.com/sift.aspx ? or do you use something else?
If I search on http://www.bluenile.com/diamond-search I can search for H, VS1, Ideal, 1.20-1.30 and it finds 26 of them from $6880 to $9911 but if I go to https://www.pricescope.com/sift.aspx and search Excellent, 1.20-1.30, H-H, VS1-VS1 (left AGS-0 and H&S as include and only had GIA and AGS checked) and it only finds one diamond for $8202.
Am I doing the search wrong? I was expecting to find more results on pricescope...
BN use an online virtual inventory that sources stones from far and wide that they don't keep in their inventory.

Second question:
If you had to rank which of these is more noticable:
1) G -> H (about $1.5K diff on Blue Nile)
2) VVS2 -> VS2 (about $1.7K diff on Blue Nile)
3) Ideal/Excellent -> Very Good (about $900 diff on Blue Nile)

G is a safer option.
VVS clarity is unnecessarily expensive for a round diamond. VS clarity is almost always eye clean.
Ideal cut is usually better, but not all ideal cut stones are equally beautiful.

Third Question:
I was thinking about getting a loose diamond from online (with GIA/AGS certificate) and then get the setting in a store. When I go to sites like Blue Nile I don't see how much it costs to add your own stone to the ring. Do they normally do it for free or will it be like another $50 or something? Does this sound like a good idea? My alternative plan was to go into a store and then use my iPhone to show how much their diamond should cost and try to get them to match online price. Have you guys been successful at that?
Most companies mount the stone for free. Not many companies will set loose diamonds unless they sold you the diamond.

Fourth Question:
My girlfriend does not like gold including white gold. Does that mean I should go for platinum? Does anyone ever get silver or is that just ridiculous?
Platinum is the better option. Silver can still tarnish as it ages.

Fifth Question:
I kind of like the rings with like 2 smaller stones on each side.
When you guys buy settings with other stones in them, do you buy the other stones seperately or you just go with whatever they come with?
Some sellers will allow you to choose all three stones. I would be wary of pre-set stones because they may be far from ideal cut - and even if ideal, they are often the dreaded steep/deep.

Sixth Question:
When I got my mortgage I watched bankrate.com to monitor the mortgage rates.
Do you guys watch something to monitor diamond prices?
Are diamond prices higher right now and I should wait till after Christmas or after Valentines Day or are they pretty steady all year?
Diamond prices fluctuate almost on a daily basis - like share prices - but diamond prices are not nearly as volatile. Some weeks, prices barely move. In others, prices might rise or fall by up to about 1%. As for where diamonds prices are heading.......there's no way to be certain. If the economy improves, prices may go up. If the economy deteriorates, prices may go down. The big diamonds miners will adjust supplied to try to limit price moves too far in one or other direction. Basically; if you see a diamond that you like, buy it before someone else does.

Seventh Question:
My girlfriend said she is a size 7-8 for rings but when I look online for ring sizes it looks like most girls are 4-8.
She is pretty skinny and her fingers are quite a bit thinner than mine so I think she must be wrong...
Any tips for how to verify?
Sorry, no tips. People are very variable.

Eighth Question:
I see the Table Size and Height and other dimensions on the certificates...
Most places don't seem to list those in the search... Are they all pretty standard?
Like do I just say oh if its bigger than X or smaller than Y then its a red flag but pretty much most diamonds are Z degrees or something?
Same question for the thin/thick dimension for the side...
Proportions are everything. Tiny differences in the numbers can make a surprisingly big difference. A near-foolproof set would be a GIA-triple-excellent stone (cut, polish, symmetry) with: table 56%, depth no greater than 61.8%, crown angle 34.5', pavilion angle 40.8', medium girdle.

Ninth Question:
One of the diamonds I saw had an Idea Scope image with a small section on the edge that was low light or whatever. Are jewelers cool enough to make the setting latch onto that part (to cover it up?)
A good jeweller ought to hide less-desirable or weaker parts of a stone under a prong.

Tenth Question:
When Looking at the certificate what is a good 'Fluorescence' - Like is Medium Blue mean it has a medium blue tint? I assume blue is a cooler tint than yellow is that correct?
Fluorescence is only usually visible as a hint of lilac in good daylight, although direct sunlight on a strong fluor stone can make it turn a deep blue-pueple/lilac. A safe option is none or faint; you will probably never see anything. But if the recipient likes lilac colour, there's no reason to fear diamonds with strong fluor; there's a lot of scaremongering around the web about them all turning hazy - but most of those people are probably only repeating what they've been told (and have never seen a fluor stone). Many non-fluor stones can also turn hazy, if they are of lower clarity grades and contain large numbers of clouds/wisps/feathers and similar inclusions.

Eleventh Question:
I saw a thread talking about feathering. Does it say that on the certificate under comments or is that only something you see under the loupe?
Feathers are polite words for cracks or fractures and a lot of diamonds have feathers. Don't worry about them until you get into SI clarity grades (although most SI feathers are harmless). Feathers can be weak points, but most are harmless and invisible. A good jeweller would cover a feather with a prong to protect it.

 

[SecretMike]

Thanks guys that was very helpful.