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Found the Setting now need the diamond and I am lost

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jskatt21

Rough_Rock
Joined
Apr 11, 2012
Messages
39
Ok so I found the setting that my gf fell in love with! This was the hardest part...up until now...

I am getting a stellar deal on the setting and was hoping to do the same on the diamond. Total budget is around $3000-$3500.

Setting takes up about half of that or so.

The diamond they showed me, was a princess cut, .70 carat, was a clarity enhanced diamond, and a E, and SI3. This was to help on the price from a .82, I, SI2 clarity enhanced. The .70 carat and with the setting will run me around $3500 total, little high, but looking to see if there is a better deal on the diamond for a better quality?

Please let me know what else I can provide to help you help me. Thanks!
 
You can't compare the diamond they showed you vs ones PSers would recommend. There's a reason why their diamond is so inexpensive, and IMO a reputable vendor should take the time to explain why.

Theirs is a clarity enhanced diamond, which therefore can't be graded by the major labs like AGS/GIA, also shown by the fact they graded it an SI3 (that grade doesn't exist for AGS/GIA). Without a certification from a reliable lab, or worse, no certification at all, you don't really know what you're buying. They say it is an E color, but is it really? Less reliable labs that grade CE diamonds, EGL for example, consistently grade color/clarity higher than they actually are when compared to more reliable labs.

To remove inclusions in the CE process, they sometimes have to laser drill into the stone or fill fractures, using with a glass-type compound to fill it. This compound has a much lower melting point and is less durable, so if there's any work done to the setting via heating, etc there could be damage.

I personally wouldn't buy a CE diamond, but I wouldn't knock anyone who would. CE diamonds have a genuine market, and it's a great way to get better size/color/clarity for your money. Just so long as you're aware of the tradeoffs. ABC recently did a story about CE diamonds and vendors not disclosing what CE really meant:

https://www.pricescope.com/blog/wat...ity-enhanced-diamonds-sold-without-disclosure
 
If you're okay with a CE stone, I hope another PSer has more experience with them. I do think you can get a natural stone that has none of the CE drawbacks, but with a lot better cut, for your budget. I'm assuming you have a $3400 budget (you said $3500 was a little high), with $1700 to spend on a stone (correct me if that's wrong)

If you're uncompromising on color: 0.663 F SI2: http://www.briangavindiamonds.com/d...0.663-f-si2-princess-diamond-ags-104062383002

If you're willing to compromise on color: 0.733 J SI2 http://www.briangavindiamonds.com/d...0.733-j-si2-princess-diamond-ags-104061575010

These stones focus on cut quality, something that's hard to compare with a stone you've seen in store that either doesn't have a cert or has a questionable one. If you can, ask your jeweler if he has any GIA Excellent or AGS 0 Ideal cut grade certified stones, if you want to see the differences and compare with the CE stone they showed you.
 
Sorry I should clarify, my price point was $3000, but their quoted total was $3500 and I was willing to budge to that.

They did take the time to explain the enhancement, and I asked about the type used, they stated it was not by laser. If I recall they stated by heat.

I think the setting is a lock for me, gf saw it, tried it, and loved it, and coming in at $1599 (originally $3999 talked them down a lot) plus I have about a $400 trade so that helps. I also love that it has 1.30 carat weight on it already.

Again if possible staying near $3000 is a plus. I also assume they would set a stone if I buy one elsewhere, maybe I need to ask though.

I realize the money is not going to get me a colorless diamond and perfect clarity, and feel more educated today from the site here and spending nearly 4 hours total at the store.

I like both the diamonds shown, and also would love to see more. Is there anything that I need to worry about when getting the set? When they pulled some diamonds for me, they wanted to make sure the bench jeweler could make it work so we focused on dimensions but just the width. I also like the reassurance of a cert on this, and the enhancement worried me.

I shouldn't be so picky, but I was previously married and went to kays for that with no knowledge, for this I want to be more informed and get what I pay for and a value I can walk away satisfied with.
 
jskatt21|1375511960|3495824 said:
Sorry I should clarify, my price point was $3000, but their quoted total was $3500 and I was willing to budge to that.

They did take the time to explain the enhancement, and I asked about the type used, they stated it was not by laser. If I recall they stated by heat.

I think the setting is a lock for me, gf saw it, tried it, and loved it, and coming in at $1599 (originally $3999 talked them down a lot) plus I have about a $400 trade so that helps. I also love that it has 1.30 carat weight on it already.

Again if possible staying near $3000 is a plus. I also assume they would set a stone if I buy one elsewhere, maybe I need to ask though.

I realize the money is not going to get me a colorless diamond and perfect clarity, and feel more educated today from the site here and spending nearly 4 hours total at the store.

I like both the diamonds shown, and also would love to see more. Is there anything that I need to worry about when getting the set? When they pulled some diamonds for me, they wanted to make sure the bench jeweler could make it work so we focused on dimensions but just the width. I also like the reassurance of a cert on this, and the enhancement worried me.

I shouldn't be so picky, but I was previously married and went to kays for that with no knowledge, for this I want to be more informed and get what I pay for and a value I can walk away satisfied with.
Click to expand...


You can't clarity enhance a diamond with heat. They either drill into it and bleach or dissolve inclusions using whatever chemicals… or they fill cracks with silicone and other junk. Don't buy clarity enhancement. Whatever cert it comes with is useless. It's not worth the paper it's printed on. ONLY GIA or AGS certificates are worthy of their words.


Please see this thread about a clarity enhanced diamond: https://www.pricescope.com/communit...ppened-to-my-clarity-enhanced-diamond.168193/
 
jskatt21|1375511960|3495824 said:
Sorry I should clarify, my price point was $3000, but their quoted total was $3500 and I was willing to budge to that.

I think the setting is a lock for me, gf saw it, tried it, and loved it, and coming in at $1599 (originally $3999 talked them down a lot) plus I have about a $400 trade so that helps. I also love that it has 1.30 carat weight on it already.

Again if possible staying near $3000 is a plus. I also assume they would set a stone if I buy one elsewhere, maybe I need to ask though.
Click to expand...

You should ask whether they set outside stones, and if there's a setting fee to do so.

So you're setting is $1600, your budget is $3000 and you have a $400 trade in credit. So your budget for the stone is $1800?
 
do you have a picture of the setting?

Also that a large percentage to spend on the setting, theres absolutely no compromise on setting to get a bigger stone, and upgrade the setting later?
 
I subscribe to the same thinking as Niel. I would put 85-90% of your budget into the stone and get the biggest, nicest diamond you can afford. Spend very little on a plain setting and upgrade to what she likes later on.
 
...and a few more for a little less money. ;))

Love this one! G/VS2 @ $2380
http://www.jamesallen.com/loose-diamonds/princess-cut/0.74-carat-g-color-vs2-clarity-sku-188031

F/VS2 @ $2380
http://www.jamesallen.com/loose-diamonds/princess-cut/0.70-carat-f-color-vs2-clarity-sku-203812

F/SI1 - need to check if eye clean @ $2430
http://www.jamesallen.com/loose-diamonds/princess-cut/0.71-carat-f-color-si1-clarity-sku-240562

"Clipped" corners (so no worrying about chipping) - need to check if eye clean
This faces up larger than the other princesses for the carat weight @ $2410
http://www.jamesallen.com/loose-diamonds/princess-cut/0.71-carat-f-color-vs2-clarity-sku-237189
 
I think it might be harder for the OP to buy a cheaper setting since his gf already saw and 'picked' the setting
 
hawk25|1375550677|3495991 said:
I think it might be harder for the OP to buy a cheaper setting since his gf already saw and 'picked' the setting
Click to expand...

From a woman's point of view (well... mine -- HA!), I would much rather have a larger, nicer stone in a classic setting than a CE diamond in a setting I liked. I say buy the nicer diamond and propose to the GF with the knowledge that she can get her setting to fit the much nicer stone. It's easier to fit a setting to a stone than vice versa. What happens if she falls in love with the setting, but later wants a larger stone? Then you have to buy both "the" setting and a larger stone. I've seen many situations where a pretty sh**ty diamond was set in an expensive setting (namely Tacori and Verragio)... It's pretty obvious when the setting is a lot nicer than the diamond in it -- which is sad to me. ::)

I've never heard a woman complain if the diamond is larger/nicer than what they hoped for... I have, however, heard serveral friends and co-workers regretting sacrificing a "better/larger/brighter" stone for the setting they "had to have."

That said... people are different. :|
 
Hey, OP, can you post a pic of the setting your GF picked out?
 
It is harder as she did fall in love with the setting a bit, but we did talk and she did state she liked the setting but to sacrifice on the diamond could affect the entire package. And I am getting worried a bit on the clarity enhanced diamond the more I hear/read about it. Here is where my concern is, they said they can keep the setting and diamond I looked at on hold for a week (next Friday.) Setting I would go for, diamond not so much. The feature that we both liked was the band has diamonds all the way under the halo too.

Here are the photos:
This one is the bottom
photo_1__1__1.jpg

This one is on the right
photo_2__1__2.jpg
 
jskatt21|1375627618|3496355 said:
The feature that we both liked was the band has diamonds all the way under the halo too.
Here are the photos:
This one is the bottom
photo_1__1__1.jpg

This one is on the right
photo_2__1__2.jpg
Click to expand...

Thanks for posting, jskatt21! This really helps. :)) You are right in being concerned about the CE diamond. Maybe I'm missing it, but I don't see any diamonds under either halo... Can you tell me what you mean by this? That setting is quite common -- I'll see if I can find it or one very similar.
 
OP, why not just ask if you can buy the setting only? Also, what size princess (in mm, not carats) does that setting accommodate?
 
The pics don't do it justice but the side pic shows the band going under halo and there are diamonds set on that. So it goes from one side to the next with diamonds.
 
jskatt21|1375629101|3496372 said:
The pics don't do it justice but the side pic shows the band going under halo and there are diamonds set on that. So it goes from one side to the next with diamonds.
Click to expand...

So you mean the diamonds on each side of the band where it meets the halo, right? There are none under the halo, only metal. When you talked to your GF, you mentioned that she didn't want the CE diamond to be detrimental to the whole package... did you ask her how she'd feel about a much larger, nicer diamond in a plainer setting?
 
She prefers a wider band or one that starts wider and tapers in.

I can but the setting alone which might be te best route. From what I gather it might be better for me to do this and find a diamond to be set in it. I will have to see about the cost to set it and if they even will. This allows me to get the setting she liked plus hopefully find the diamond to fit and be a better quality for the price. Would I just have to talk to the store about what width would fit?
 
They are on each side an under the halo!
 
I don't recall the size exactly but I believe the stone we looked at was around 4.90.

And I did ask her about a plainer setting and she would be ok but this was a perfect setting after spending so much time it is hard to walk away from. But a nice similar one would be great. We had concerns as this has been on the store since 2008, price maybe was the reason originally.
 
jskatt21|1375629551|3496377 said:
She prefers a wider band or one that starts wider and tapers in.

I can but the setting alone which might be te best route. From what I gather it might be better for me to do this and find a diamond to be set in it. I will have to see about the cost to set it and if they even will. This allows me to get the setting she liked plus hopefully find the diamond to fit and be a better quality for the price. Would I just have to talk to the store about what width would fit?
Click to expand...

I think you're right about the setting alone. If she loves it, she loves it. :)) Don't tell the store you don't plan on buying the CE diamond that's in it now, just ask them for the length/width dimensions (for a princess, should be almost the same LxW). Once we know that, we'll know what size to look for... It looks like the prongs could be adjusted to fit another stone that was a little smaller, but not much or you'd have an airline between the halo and diamond, which is not preferred.
 
jskatt21|1375629848|3496380 said:
I don't recall the size exactly but I believe the stone we looked at was around 4.90.
Click to expand...

Okay, cool... that sound about right.
 
Can you find out the color of the setting stones (and what lab graded them)? This will affect what stone you can set in it without a bad contrast...
 
Well currently there is not a stone set other than a cubic zirconia. Thought I had was getting that and proposing in a few months then getting a diamond later.

I will see about the side stones.

Does this sound better though? Get the setting and get the diamond later and if so will this fit within my budget? I liked one of the posters diamond from the first response to me question. But is this realistic to get a stone that will work with this setting and my budget?
 
YES!! Certainly sounds better than the alternative! :lol: Find out what size (mm) CZ is currently set in it.

One of these may be your best bet if going JA (put on hold and as for ASETs on them):

http://www.jamesallen.com/loose-diamonds/princess-cut/0.70-carat-i-color-vs2-clarity-sku-211664 $1840
http://www.jamesallen.com/loose-diamonds/princess-cut/0.70-carat-i-color-vs2-clarity-sku-195723 $1840 also
http://www.jamesallen.com/loose-diamonds/princess-cut/0.72-carat-i-color-vs2-clarity-sku-240565 $1750

I believe these will fit your setting nicely. :bigsmile:
 
hawk25|1375506736|3495813 said:
If you're uncompromising on color: 0.663 F SI2: http://www.briangavindiamonds.com/d...0.663-f-si2-princess-diamond-ags-104062383002
If you're willing to compromise on color: 0.733 J SI2 http://www.briangavindiamonds.com/d...0.733-j-si2-princess-diamond-ags-104061575010
Click to expand...

Is this the one? It's very nice. It is smaller, but if it will fit, will look great. Even though my ering is a J color (round), I don't recommend going past I (and would get H or better if I could) for a princess. They tend to show more tint than rounds.
 
Thank you for the help today! I will be calling them as soon as I can to get the measurements!
 
jskatt21|1375640430|3496448 said:
Thank you for the help today! I will be calling them as soon as I can to get the measurements!
Click to expand...

Great!! Let us know what you find out! Glad to help! =)
 
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