General advice needed on engagement ring

[isukendall]

First of all, what a great forum you have created here. I have learned more on PS just browsing than I could have ever learned online or talking with other people. I''ve held off on specific questions, but I have a few:

First of all, I understand that most on PS are very pro-Internet purchasing when it comes to diamonds, or at least that''s the impression I get. I do plenty of transactions online, but I really feel like this is something I would rather do by seeing with my own eyes and shaking a hand that I trust. So I''ve been using online vendors for market research (keeping in mind that they will be cheaper) but looking around at local vendors. I live in the Omaha area, so Berkshire-Hathaway owned Borsheim''s is one of the area''s more trusted jewelers, and their prices are very competitive. I''m looking at others (trying to avoid malls), but pretty sure I''d like to go with them.

In terms of what I''m looking for, I''d like to get quality over quantity. My girlfriend is about 5''4" and pretty petite. She does wear jewelry for weddings and other dressy events, but normally wears little jewelry (and doesn''t even have her ears pierced).* Not the flashy type who ~must~ have a certain size or extremely intricate setting. I''m really looking for a high-quality cut diamond that will shine and sparkle rather than for size (much like my GF, LOL). I don''t mind slight inclusions too much as long as they don''t take away from the brilliance.

Here''s one that I really like on paper:

GIA cert
0.57 ct round
D
SI2
Excellent Polish
Excellent Symmetry
Depth 63.8%
Table 57%
$1570
Strong Blue Fluorescence


I haven''t seen it in person yet, but is this a good deal? I realize that there''s a discount on the fluorescence, but as long as it doesn''t take away from the sparkle, it''s a unique characteristic that would give the diamond some personality, and I think my GF would feel the same way. I was actually looking at a larger budget, but (again, without seeing it) the only things I''d change are a bit more on size and maybe smaller depth %. Opinions?

Also, I''m torn on a setting. Again, looking for something bold but not flashy. Maybe "not flashy" is the wrong term to use here. I''m looking for Jennifer Aniston flashy, not Paris Hilton flashy. I like the look of some cathedral settings and the safety of a sloped profile, but I also sort of like some designs I''ve seen with sapphires as side-stones. Would that be too old-fashioned, or too intricate? We''re mid-20s, and while I realize that age is always changing, I wonder if something more versatile would be better. Also thinking platinum over wgold, but anyway.

General thoughts/opinions? I might take a look today if I can distract the lady. Thanks for your help,

isukendall


*At this point, I realize that I''ve probably put too much information here, and because the engagement shouldn''t be a complete surprise, I sure hope she isn''t reading this*

 

[lyra]

General thoughts: someone else will advise you on the stone, that''s not my specialty really. You will probably have several options there, within your budget.

The setting is something more personal to your Fiancee. Do you have any idea on what style she prefers? Could you ask one of her friends or relatives? It''s kind of hard to suggest a setting otherwise. Check out the Show Me The Ring forum here. Or check the Online Vendor sites for mounting ideas, at the top of the page under Resources. That might narrow it down a bit. You might be able to find a stone and setting at one vendor, which would make things quite simple for you. Good luck!

 

[diamondseeker2006]

No, that would not be a good stone. It is way too deep which will likely make it look smaller in diameter than it should. You don't want to pay for a .57 that looks like a .47. You also need the crown and pavilion angles for anyone to comment on a particular stone. If this jeweler suggested this stone to you, then I am afraid I don't have much confidence in them. I would certainly drop the color to at least F or G and go up in clarity to SI1.

Roughly, you might want to stay within these parameters:

GIA Excellent or AGS0 lab report

Table: 54-57
Depth: 60-62
Crown angle: 34-35
pavilion angle: 40.6-41
girdle: thin, med., slightly thick

I'll take a look and see if I can find some good comparison stones for you.

Okay, here is a perfect example of a stone you can get for the same money with an outstanding cut:

http://www.whiteflash.com/hearts_arrows/A-Cut-Above-H-A-cut-diamond-292592.htm ($1509 with discounts)

 

[hearts-arrows_girl]

I would suggest getting more diamond education from this site. I would think that the 63.8 depth would not be a good thing. And from what I''ve read, Strong Blue Fl. in a D color stone is not great either. Keep looking for stones and reading the posts here. The education on this site is priceless!
I got mine at a B/M, so you aren''t the only one. It''s an H color SI1 with Med blue Fl., and it sparkles like mad.
Get her input somehow on size or bling factor. I agree with Lyra, ask her friends or relatives. Alot of guys looking at smaller stones start their posts with the "she''s petite" disclaimer. Just because she is petite doesn''t mean she wouldn''t love a blingy e-ring. So, don''t let her size influence the size of the stone you pick. Just get the size your budget will allow. I don''t wear ANY other jewelry, but still wanted the ONE piece I will wear to be to be spectacular!

 

[WorkingHardforSmallRewards]

that is def not a good deal. With an SI2 and being under .6 cts with that depth it should be cheaper, even with the D. (and dont worry about fluo, in some cultures it is considered very desirable. If it isnt milky, its just a matter of preference, and personally I think it makes a diamond gorgeous, D or otherwise.)

but the first important point I will address before I even comment on the depth, I was also very emphatic about color in my own purchase and ended up getting an E color, of which I am happy with. But the reality is very important, much more so than the paper. While I am personally happy to know that it is very white as an E, the fact is that when you are looking at it there is always so much background color interplaying with the diamond that it very rarely looks white from the side, and from the top you either see flashes of color or white light return, not necessarily the whiteness of the diamond itself, and in general the color of the room or the type of light source will end up changing the color of my E from blue to yellow without any consideration for the E on my paperwork.

Thus, I say you should not hesitate at all to go down to a G. No reason not to do it at all, and F would be perfect in my opinion. but even an H is pretty much no risk, I just don't think she is going to notice or care, nor will it look drastically different from the D once it is in living conditions--though in some lighting and conditions it would be noticeable, hence I would recommend and F since she is not having a hand in picking it out.

The most important reason I say that though is because you are going awfully low in clarity. SI2s can be eyeclean, but that will usually have to do with how keen ones eyesight is, and it almost certainly wont be eye clean from various angles. Also, with SI2 you get into the VERY REAL possiblity that the inclusions are affecting light performance. Thus, I say forget about the D color if it requires other major sacrifices, its totally unnecessary, and is def not worth dropping as low as SI2 to obtain.

Instead make the trade off and get an E SI1/VS2 or F or G SI1/VS2/VS1 and I think your overall quality will be much higher and you will be much happier with it, and it will also open you up to much more options--as the number of eyeclean beautiful SI2s is fairly limited, though I am sure some exist so please don't take offense if you are reading this and have found one of those excellent values.

Also, while you can take or not take that advice, forget about this diamond, and forget about any jeweler who is recommending it to you. 63+ depth is just totally unreasonable in a modern RB, its WAY too deep like DS said its facing up (the visible MM spread when looking down at the diamond) like a MUCH lighter stone (and thus a much cheaper stone) and the depth is going to affect light performance. There is no way that you will get maximum sparkle, fire and white light return from a Modern RB with 63+ % depth, so if he is recommending that to you, especially at that gross overprice then get the hell out of that store, he isn't trustworthy.

The things you first need to make sure when purchasing are--who graded the diamond.

If you want a beautiful diamond without a LONG hassle then aim for GIA excellent or AGS0,1,2 then find the numbers and bring them here so we can all analyze them and tell you the expected performance. Do some research on what an AGS0 means and what the qualifications are to obtain that coveted grade. There is alot of science behind the Modern RB cut, so I advise that you make the best use of that science possible.

Then, in order to really tell how the diamond will perform you need at the very least a symmetry scope. Have the jeweler bring in a couple that look good on paper then look at them from the top and bottom with a symmetry scope. We can advise you further on what to expect when using that if you need us to.

Finally, remember that just because a local jeweler is called reputable it does not mean he is trustworthy. I started out with the same philosophy as you, I didnt think I would ever purchase an Ering online. But after getting lied to and lied to again by local "reputable" jewelers I decided if there was so much risk involved in purchasing locally why not try an online store. There are probably some very good local business--I have since found a couple of them here--but there are also alot of well known business that are just not honest.

If your guy has recommended this diamond to you, I believe he is one those dishonest uncaring "salesmen" and I say take your business elsewhere--I can be a bit quick to chop off the neck but if he says a 63.8% depth RB is going to be a diamond that sparkles like crazy and outperforms as you said you want I put him on the same level as those Ebay people who write:

"Clarity: I2/I3 (sparkly)"

BS--look somewhere else.

 

[isukendall]

Thank you all for your help. Some of these things are tough for a newbie, and I appreciate your patience.

Let me first make it clear that this diamond was not recommended to me by the jeweler, but I found it in their stock on their website. I did stop in there for the first time last night and the experience went well. I told her my price range, and she brought out three stones of similar quality, different sizes. I believe all three were G in color and either SI1 or VS2 in clarity, at 0.60, 0.66, and 0.70 ct. I liked the 0.66 the best, it looked just as large as the 0.70 (actually is nearly as large, with better cut and a lot cheaper) and had great sparkle to it. Here are the stats:

0.66 ct
G
SI1
Cut VG
Depth 60.1
Table 59
Pavillion 40.4
Crown 34.0
Symmetry VG
Polish EX
5.60 - 5.64 x 3.38 mm
Girdle MEDIUM TO THICK, FACETED
No fluorescence
GIA cert (unsure of rating)
$1850

Based on some of the above comments, this should be a little closer to what I should look for? The only things that don''t quite fit recommendations above is table is too large and girdle may be to thick, correct? I just want to make sure I''m catching the right things. So I found out the hard way what happens when depth is too large, what about when the table is too large (or IS this too large?)?

I''d still like to get something with at least some fluorescence, but I''m planning on shopping around for a while. Is this a good place to start? It sounds like this is a little closer to what I should be looking for...

 

[Ellen]

Hi isukendall,

Here are some things I''m noticing with the new stone. The pavillion angle is really shallow, too shallow. You want a 40.6-41.0. Depth is ok. As for the table, many of us around here prefer 54-57, but some prefer the look of a larger table. On a girdle, thick doesn''t necessarily affect the performance, but it can hide some of the weight, instead of it showing up as visual spread. Slightly thick would be better.

I know you saw this diamond, and compared it to two others. May I ask, have you, or can you see some AGS0 graded stones? To compare it with? While you liked the look of this stone best, I just wonder if you would prefer the look of an ideal cut diamond.

 

[isukendall]

Ellen, thanks for your thoughts. Why is the pavillion angle too shallow? I understand that it doesn''t fall within the strictest recommended ranges, but how does it affect the performance? Will two degrees really make a huge difference?

I haven''t had a chance to see AGS0 stones. The place I''ve been looking (I believe) has all GIA. I stopped in at a couple mall shops just to look around, and some were AGS stones, but I can''t remember the grades (this was early in the process).

Does anyone know of any good places in the Omaha metro area to take a look?

 

[Ellen]

Date: 9/12/2007 10:48:25 AM
Author: isukendall
Ellen, thanks for your thoughts. Why is the pavillion angle too shallow? I understand that it doesn''t fall within the strictest recommended ranges, but how does it affect the performance? Will two degrees really make a huge difference?

I haven''t had a chance to see AGS0 stones. The place I''ve been looking (I believe) has all GIA. I stopped in at a couple mall shops just to look around, and some were AGS stones, but I can''t remember the grades (this was early in the process).

Does anyone know of any good places in the Omaha metro area to take a look?

It does make a difference, just as going too far the other way would too.

Do a search on here for shallow/shallow and you should get quite a bit of info, some from the experts. Hopefully that will help you understand it.

And you''re welcome!

 

[isukendall]

Okay, check this one out. I think it''s exactly what I''m looking for:

GIA cert
RB
5.48-5.51x3.37
0.62 ct
D
VS2
Cut Excellent
Depth 61.3%
Table 57%
Crown 34.5
Pavillion 41
Girdle thin to slightly thick
Polish Excellent
Symmetry VG
Flourescence Med Blue
$2550

Is this a good deal? It really has ideal characteristics, and fits into desired measurements everyone has mentioned above. It also has a bit of fluorescence, which is what I was looking for! I know some mentioned to look for a G instead of a D, but I feel like I can tell a difference (and want to focus on quality rather than size). Compared with the 0.66 G SI1 I mentioned before, the sparkle was waaay better while looking the same size. I''ve compared with some others online with similar characteristics, and this price seems to be somewhere in the middle. Some were as low as ~$2100-2200. Anyone think I could negotiate this for lower? I''ve read several threads about this, but where do I start....do I low-ball at $2200, and hope to meet at $2300? I was also talking about purchasing settings elsewhere...perhaps I could use that as leverage. Thoughts?

Thanks!

 

[Ellen]

This stone looks much better as far as specs! and sounds like it looked better to the eye as well.

The price, for a retail store, seems fair. You can always try to get a bit knocked off (per your post), but since it isn''t outrageously priced, I''m not sure how much they''ll go down, if at all.

 

[JohnQuixote]

The advice here is good. I hope you all don't mind a little perspective re terminology, just in case someone uses these terms with jewelers/gemologists away from PS.

We tend to say 'shallow/shallow' and 'steep/deep' in relation to stones that are actually near-Tolkowsky but at the outside borders of ranges favored in this community. We're quite picky here (for good reason) and these are well-intended applications, but it might be useful for consumers to know that pros away from PS have different interpretations - of 'shallow' for instance:

GIA Definitions

Slightly shallow CA = at or near 31.5 degrees
Moderately shallow CA = at or near 26.5
Shallow CA = at or near 22.0
Very shallow CA = at or near 20.0
Extremely shallow CA < 20.0

Slightly shallow PA = at or near 40.4 degrees
Moderately shallow PA = at or near 39.8
Shallow PA = at or near 40.0
Very shallow PA = at or near 37.4
Extremely shallow PA < 37.4

So a legitimate 'shallow/shallow' is actually 40.0/22.0 in global terms. This skewed perspective also happens here when a consumer is told a 58% table is 'large.' By GIA definitions 53-59% is small, 60-64% medium and 65%+ large.

Hope this is of interest. We do tend to have strict paradigms here. Aren't you glad you found PS?

 

[Ellen]

Ok John, I get it. Technically those numbers don''t qualify. However, most of us here would still call it shallow/shallow.

What would you like us to call it?

Perhaps, nottechnicallyashallowshallowbutshallowerthanalmostallofuswouldaccept?

 

[iheartscience]

As far as negotiation, I''d start out low-like offer them $2000 and see where they go from there. Tell them you''ve seen other similar stones elsewhere and online for less. Also, be ready to walk away if they won''t budge.

Because it''s a round, you should definitely be able to find a similar diamond elsewhere or online so you won''t be missing out on anything if you do walk away. They may not be able to budge, in which case you should see what else they can offer you in the way of service, discounted settings, etc. (Don''t be fooled by any diamond protection/insurance plan type things they might offer that involve you going in every 6 months to get the ring checked, etc. Those are a racket-you should get your own insurance on your diamond.)

Now, as far as the diamond goes, do you have to have a D color diamond? I think you could most likely drop the color down to an H or I and be just fine in terms of the diamond facing up white. Same goes for clarity-many SI1s and even SI2s are eyeclean. If you dropped to say an I/SI1, you could probably get more diamond for your money. Just something to keep in mind-even though she doesn''t wear much jewelry, I bet she wouldn''t mind a bigger diamond!

 

[*RubyRN*]

OK.. I''m by no means an expert, but I have learned a LOT on this site. I also live in the Omaha area and although I have not made any big purchases online yet (hopefully soon), I have to say that I would not recommend getting your ring from Borsheims (which, no offense, seems to be highly overrated.. I will say the Berkshire Hathaway co''s, Borsheims and Helzberg have great customer service though) or any of the other local stores. I have been to almost all of them, and have been very disappointed with the quality of the stones and the lack of knowledge of the people selling them. This is not meant to be rude, but these people seriously did not know squat about well cut diamonds. At a couple stores I pretended not to know anything about cut, but asked them to show me a "high quality" stone. Their choices were consistently far from high quality. I could go into great detail about all of the problems I experienced, but that would take awhile

. My advice is to find a couple of stones online and have them sent to an appraisor so you can see them in person before purchasing. That way you can still see before you buy, and you will likely get a much better stone and price than any you wil find around here. lf you absolutely want to buy from a B&M, I would suggest going to Kansas City or Chicago; even Des Moines has some higher quality jewelery stores. Hope that helps a little bit

 

[isukendall]

Okay, thanks for the advice again. It was nice to hear from someone from Omaha. If I could get to KC or Chitown soon, I definitely would but football/wedding season restricts all weekends for next few months. Probably will be going through Des Moines at some point, but GF will be there so that''s out.

Do you know of any good appraisers in Omaha? I''m starting to warm to the idea of buying online, but I''m still a little skeptical. I found a GIA cert 0.79 H SI1 with Excellent cut and SB fluorescence, all the right dimensions, at a pretty good price (around $2200) online at Blue Nile. This may be a better balance of everything I''m looking for, but I definitely want to see it first.

Also, I picked the setting I want, from James Allen http://www.jamesallen.com/products/item_57-936.asp. I asked one of her best friends, who thought it was perfect. How would I go about getting this mounting with a Blue Nile diamond?

I assume the right order to do this is to 1) get diamond sent to appraiser, look, approve 2) send back to Blue Nile 3) get setting sent to Blue Nile 4) wait 5) get back in mail? Sounds like a mess to me.

 

[jaz464]

Date: 9/14/2007 10:44:39 AM
Author: isukendall
Okay, thanks for the advice again. It was nice to hear from someone from Omaha. If I could get to KC or Chitown soon, I definitely would but football/wedding season restricts all weekends for next few months. Probably will be going through Des Moines at some point, but GF will be there so that''s out.

Do you know of any good appraisers in Omaha? I''m starting to warm to the idea of buying online, but I''m still a little skeptical. I found a GIA cert 0.79 H SI1 with Excellent cut and SB fluorescence, all the right dimensions, at a pretty good price (around $2200) online at Blue Nile. This may be a better balance of everything I''m looking for, but I definitely want to see it first.

Also, I picked the setting I want, from James Allen http://www.jamesallen.com/products/item_57-936.asp. I asked one of her best friends, who thought it was perfect. How would I go about getting this mounting with a Blue Nile diamond?

I assume the right order to do this is to 1) get diamond sent to appraiser, look, approve 2) send back to Blue Nile 3) get setting sent to Blue Nile 4) wait 5) get back in mail? Sounds like a mess to me.

Why not get the diamond from JA? They have excellent stones and it is much easier to get the diamond and the mounting from the same place. Also, they provide more information about their diamonds than BN does, which makes it easier to choose a keeper. I am not sure if BN will send out a diamond to an appraiser prior to purchase. I seem to think they don''t but I could be wrong. However they have an excellent return policy (as does JA).

 

[isukendall]

Thing is, I''m looking at engagement before Nov but will need some sort of financing option, otherwise it''s on the credit card, which is not an option IMO. Not looking to start a big discussion on that topic, because I see several threads on it already, but BN''s 3 months zero % would work fine for me. Plus, I looked at JA''s diamonds and didn''t see anything that stuck out to me (hard to find fluorescence, which I''m looking for). Hmm....will keep looking.

 

[*RubyRN*]

Two questions:

1. What is your overall budget for the ring?
2. How important is it that the diamond has fluorescense?

I think the best way to find an appraisor is have the vendor who sells you the diamond recommend someone.

I think you could definitely find the stone and setting at the same vendor and thus avoid having to deal with the headaches of buying this, sending it here, then paying to have it set, etc. Check these out:

WF Engraved Cathedral Solitaire

WF Sleek Lines Solitaire

WF Fine Line Solitaire

WF Cathedral


and of course, Diamonds.. oooh I just found this one: This one is purdy


OR:

ERD platinum Cathedral

ERD WG Cathedral (this one would allow you to spend a little more on the stone)

stones....
(have to research angles on the ones you''re interested in)

0.72 SB fluoro (you''d have to make sure this was eye clean, but an F w/SBF could be interesting)

0.78 I SI1

 

[*RubyRN*]

P.S. Bluenile has some settings very similar to the JA setting; if you really like the financing and can find a diamond there, why don''t you get the setting from BN also?

 

[isukendall]

Overall budget $2500-3500, with 3k at the sweet spot. Looking at diamonds around $2200-2500. As mentioned before, I would prefer to finance somehow, which probably limits online vendors to Blue Nile.

I really would like the diamond to have fluorescence. Not essential, but important. Reason being I think it''s something that gives the diamond uniqueness. Even though all diamonds are unique, I think this sets them apart. Plus, from ones I''ve looked at, I really like the look better.

Thank you for your suggestions on settings and diamonds. I really like the WF Fine Line Solitaire, it''s much like the JA one. I don''t think WF does financing though. There are some that are close on BN, but I like the bar between the shanks (probably because my intuition as an engineer believes it as more structurally sound). None with that on BN, at least that I can find. Dang!

That 0.72 SB from ERD is a great price! But would want to eyecheck for sure.

I''m starting to realize how big of a pain it would be to go through separate vendors. Blue Nile emailed me back and said they wouldn''t mount unless both diamond and setting were bought from them, but said many buy loose diamonds and get set at local jewelers. Being from Omaha (area), do you know any reputable jewelers, and how much would it cost to get set seperately?

 

[kcoursolle]

Reading over this thread, you have really come a long way in your diamond education! This is a personal choice, but most here would recommend waiting until you can pay in cash instead of financing.

I''m not sure if your girlfriend would ever want this, but it''s nice to have the option someday in case she ever changes her mind or wants something bigger for an anniversary. BN doesn''t have an upgrade policy, but WF and JA do and they also have settings that you like.

 

[JohnQuixote]

Date: 9/13/2007 5:36:05 PM
Author: Ellen

Ok John, I get it. Technically those numbers don't qualify. However, most of us here would still call it shallow/shallow.

What would you like us to call it?

Perhaps, nottechnicallyashallowshallowbutshallowerthanalmostallofuswouldaccept?

I love it Ellen.

And you are welcome to call it as you like - you've been to this rodeo long enough!

Those of us wearing pro hats may occasionally put a term in big-picture perspective, just so advice here can't be called 'wrong' when a newbie takes it shopping with him/her: You'd be amazed at the number of professionals in the trade who lurk here!

To elaborate...if you don't mind a little ramble...when I talk to retail 'outsiders' about PS (pros who read but don't post) one of the most frequent comments is how strict the paradigms are here and, as you can imagine, the majority think they are 'too strict.' I make no apologies for that - in fact I'm "proud of us" - but it makes it important that we footnote things like this once in a while; just so we can't be accused of distortion. For example, every consumer who has posted in this thread has offered thoughtful and accurate information...some of it more technical than many retail jewelers will ever get into...and such information may upset a jeweler trying to sell a diamond that is i], was not technically accurate in a global sense: it's like having a long-bomb touchdown called back because of holding that happened completely away from the play.

Going back to the 40.4/34.0 example, I refer to such combos as "the shallow end of near-Tolk" or "the shallow side of our popular PS parameters" or somesuch. I guess that's not too far from your "Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious" example

and there's no need for you to change. As a consumer enthusiast please call it as you see it - and I hope you don't mind the occasional footnote from the cheap seats. Just to keep us 'real.'[/i]

 

[Ellen]

John, I always welcome your ramblings.

And I have always taken note of them, and made every effort to apply to my postings the "footnotes" you offer, as they are always concise and with merit. This one is no exception.

I totally hear what you''re saying, and understand it. And I really DID want to know exactly how I should term it, as I am mindful of people reading, and possibly using the info they get here. Most of the time, I do try and throw in that, this is what we prefer, or I prefer, although it was lacking in my post about the angles.

However, I did say "many of us prefer" about the table numbers, and while I guess it could look like I called a 58 large, I really only said some people like them larger, meaning larger than 57. I''m not sure how I would word that differently....and not have the same outcome...I''ll work on it.

At any rate, once again, the "realness" is duly noted!

 

[*RubyRN*]

Hmmm... I do believe that several local jewelers have "events" where they bring in tons of settings and diamonds, etc. and will make whatever combination you want. I would assume that if you had your own center stone you could bring it and they could mount it in a simple solitaire setting for a small fee (plus the setting). Otherwise, I have to say I agree that it really might be in your best interest to save until you have enough to buy the ring straight up. That way you won''t have to deal with the limitations of having to get financing, etc. Something else you could consider is calling Pearlmans... I believe they offer financing. Don''t think they have a setting in the right price range, but I did see this diamond that I think sounds perfect for you: it''s a
0.72 ct D VS2 with MBfluor. It''s not ideal cut, but very good. If you like it or any others they have, you could maybe finance the diamond and then save enough to pay cash for your setting. I wonder if you could have the setting sent to Pearlmans and have them set the stone (probably for a small fee) since it was purchased there? *anybody have experience with something like this?*

 

[isukendall]

I sent both Pearlmans and JA emails asking if they will do this, but I doubt they will.

What would be a "small fee"? Or what if I brought in my own loose diamond and setting, what would typical costs be? Should I worry about warranty/quality? From my research, insurance is the best way to go and would cover it the same regardless.

Maybe it''s just me, but does the price on that diamond seem a bit high for not being ideal/excellent cut? And table at 58 is outside of recommended ranges above? I really, really appreciate the suggestions, I''m just curious if I''m getting a better feel for the market. Other than that, that diamond looks really good. I''m still digging the one on Blue Nile http://www.bluenile.com/diamonds_details.asp?filter_id=1&pid1=LD01158325&track=tab_view_link. But with this diamond (SI1), I''d want to make sure it was eye-clean so if I bought it loose, it would be easy to return if not so.

I''m not in a huge hurry either. Maybe JA will put some more fluorescents up soon. How quick is the turnover with most vendors? I assume their inventory gets restocked often?

 

[isukendall]

James Allen just got back to me. They will set a diamond from outside in one of their rings for $100 (plus cost of ring). I figure if I''m getting the diamond and setting I really like, it may be worth that to pair them up rather than be unhappy about it.