Harsh critic?

[Plee5192]

My ring has arrived!
The ring under natural light and to the naked eye looks absolutely amazing and beautiful!

I wonder if I am just being a harsh critic?
However, when I shine my Iphone flashlight on the ring it looks sort of white. (I assume the fluorescence is not the reasoning for this as it is not a UV light nor is it blue) and the white cloudyness is due to the clarity of the ring?

Under normal circumstances, the stone itsself would not have a flash light on it anyways so it is not a major concern. My other critique is about the prong setting, it looks ever so slightly un level or tilted (may be because I wanted it to be perfect). I am assuming this is because it is done by human and no way it could be perfectly level to the exact T.

Is the diamond under light normal to appear white for a diamond of the these specs below:

1.00 CARAT F-SI2 EXCELLENT CUT ROUND DIAMOND (fluorescence:none)

 

[Karl_K]

An Iphone flashlight(super bright diffused led light) can make any diamond look blah.

Post the report number or all the specs from the report for comments on the proportions.

 

[tyty333]

You'll need to provide a link to the stone so we can see it and its numbers.

 

[Plee5192]

https://www.jamesallen.com/loose-di...f-color-si2-clarity-excellent-cut-sku-5933604

 

[Karl_K]

Its the flashlight.

Do you have any other images from them? Return period?

 

[sledge]

Post pictures so we can see more.

It's rather hard to photograph diamonds properly and I do think your flashlight is contributing to the problem as noted by @Karl_K .

 

[Plee5192]

@sledge I see you are adamant on seeing the ring haha.

I am very pleased with how the diamond looks under natural light and to the naked eye.
Was just curious on the flashlight instance, but as noted that super bright diffused led light would cause that issue.

I will post picture the ring on my finger instead of hers haha.

 

[metall]

White cloudiness could also be dirt....I am a major offender as I wear a ton of lotion...my stone can get a bit cloudy looking when direct bright white light over 4700 lumens is shown on it. Then I give it a good spa day and it becomes a completely different stone.

 

[Plee5192]

Also note that the image was loaded from my phone so quality may suffer on expandment. I will load new pics later.

 

[kmoro]

White cloudiness could also be dirt....I am a major offender as I wear a ton of lotion...my stone can get a bit cloudy looking when direct bright white light over 4700 lumens is shown on it. Then I give it a good spa day and it becomes a completely different stone.

Would they ship without cleaning? I mean - he just received it ... I would doubt dirt is the issue already?

 

[kmoro]

I was thinking that the prong issue could be due to wonkiness in the diamond cut (like another PSer a little while back)

The other thing that comes to mind is that it may have been completed in a hurry ... but I’m trying really hard not to think that.

 

[Bron357]

The ring setting is poorly executed. The top right ring prong is visibly off centre and the bottom ring also lso slightly askew. Personally, I would return it.
The diamond looks fine, I’m wondering if the cloudiness is due to a combination of over bright LED light, internal refraction of said light and its SI2 flaws and skin oils on facet surfaces (from handling diamond). Any gem can look unusual in unusual lighting conditions, the appearance should be judged on normal viewing conditions ie normal indoor lighting, outdoor shade and outdoor sunshine because that’s what lighting you’ll be seeing it in.

 

[ctsamg]

We need more pictures to be sure, but it does not look the prongs are properly set from the picture you posted. I'll reserve my guess as to what happened until we see more pictures.

 

[metall]

Would they ship without cleaning? I mean - he just received it ... I would doubt dirt is the issue already?

It would be surprising - but not necessarily impossible. This was a bit of a rush order (from what I read on the other post) and minor details like this could easily be overlooked to try to get the ring to OP. It is also possible that OP transferred something (skin oils, etc) when he went to take out the ring.

I wasn't quite as eagle-eyed as @Bron357 but now that she points it out, the off prongs are pretty easy to spot. The other thing that catches my attention is that the right side of the ring in the photo looks slightly askew - could you take more photos of the ring straight on in the box? I can't tell if that's the position of your finger or the band itself.

 

[kmoro]

It would be surprising - but not necessarily impossible. This was a bit of a rush order (from what I read on the other post) and minor details like this could easily be overlooked to try to get the ring to OP. It is also possible that OP transferred something (skin oils, etc) when he went to take out the ring.

I wasn't quite as eagle-eyed as @Bron357 but now that she points it out, the off prongs are pretty easy to spot. The other thing that catches my attention is that the right side of the ring in the photo looks slightly askew - could you take more photos of the ring straight on in the box? I can't tell if that's the position of your finger or the band itself.

Makes sense. I think the rush is the reason the prongs are off, and cleaning seems pretty minor compared to that.

I agree with what you’re describing as well. More pictures will hopefully show this more clearly.

I’m actually feeling a bit upset for the OP. Once in awhile things get messed up, but this important engagement ring purchase has already been more stressful than most, and now the ring will probably have to be sent back. That’s a shame.

 

[sledge]

Prongs would drive me crazy.

FWIW, my fiancee's ring had some sort of a wax on areas of it when it shipped. I noticed something was off but couldn't tell what as my whole operation was a rush. I thought it was skin oils too but when we dropped by a local jeweler to use their microscope to confirm girdle inscriptions, clarity plot, etc I noticed it. The local jeweler said it was common during the setting but was surprised they didn't do a better job cleaning. He didn't set the stone but rather was trying to help me understand why. It was tough to get off but afterwards gave it a steam bath and all was good.

As far as my comment about the pictures, it wasnt because I was impatient or adamant but rather we couldn't evaluate prong position without them. Which is off by the way and would drive me bonkers.

You don't have time to fix so I'd propose as is and return when you get back home so they can properly fix.

 

[Jelly88]

I just tried shining my iPhone flashlight on my stone (which is an SI1) and I don’t see any cloudiness/haziness. I think you should try cleaning it really well and if it still looks cloudy under bright lighting, then you should return it. Or if you have time, perhaps you can take it to a 3rd party jeweler or appraiser to have them inspect it for you to see if it’s due to the stone itself or it being dirty.

The prongs look off to me too. I don’t think you are being too harsh at all. I would not settle for anything less than perfect for an engagement ring.

 

[ctsamg]

Is there a GIA report for this diamond?

 

[kmoro]

I just tried shining my iPhone flashlight on my stone (which is an SI1) and I don’t see any cloudiness/haziness. I think you should try cleaning it really well and if it still looks cloudy under bright lighting, then you should return it. Or if you have time, perhaps you can take it to a 3rd party jeweler or appraiser to have them inspect it for you to see if it’s due to the stone itself or it being dirty.

The prongs look off to me too. I don’t think you are being too harsh at all. I would not settle for anything less than perfect for an engagement ring.

I also tried my iPhone flashlight on my GIA IF studs and rhey don’t look white either - they’re not particularly clean ...

Could it be a clarity issue?

It looks fine in the picture ...

 

[Plee5192]

Here are a couple more pictures.
As you have mentioned that normal viewing of the ring would be under natural lights and shadows and such so I should really be grading on that spectrum. I am actually very happy with the diamond and how it looks to the naked eye.

Below I have added extra photos.
1st one is outside of the case.
2nd is inside the case with focusing on the diamond so seems a bit dark.
3rd is the ring with a flash on it where you see the white I am talking about.




As the last image makes the diamond look sort of white or cloudy maybe.

 

[Plee5192]

Along with the prong issue. It does seem like it is due to the shape of the diamond and its cut. It seems when I look at the diamond refrencing the first image, that side is slightly lower than the other side maybe, hence the prong is reassuring it in that area. However, I do not have any tool to magnify to that degree.

Also quick question, as I was trying to use a regular magnifier and even my phone zoomed in 10x haha, obviously it was not good enough to see the GIA number engraved on the girdle. Is the only way really to check this out by going to a jewler (besides obviously buying the tool to magnify).

 

[the_mother_thing]

First and foremost, OP, I’m sorry that - at the 11th hour - you are still having issues with this most important purchase. I hate to even suggest it at this point, but I’d be more inclined to return this ring to JA for remedy rather than take it overseas, pay import duties, propose, then have to bring it back, and have the issues resolved. I know you want to propose on this trip, but I think it would be more upsetting to your intended to be presented a ring and proposal, but not get to wear the ring.

I think the issue with the prongs is that two of them on one side appear bulkier/thicker than the other two. I’ve marked them on the pic below. I think this creates a visual that there is a lopsided effect to the setting as well. As for the diamond and the impact of the lighting, I will leave that to the more experienced folks on here to comment/advise. But for the above mentioned reasons and more, I’d send this back to JA to fix, and delay the proposal until it is perfect.



All the best!

 

[kmoro]

First and foremost, OP, I’m sorry that - at the 11th hour - you are still having issues with this most important purchase. I hate to even suggest it at this point, but I’d be more inclined to return this ring to JA for remedy rather than take it overseas, pay import duties, propose, then have to bring it back, and have the issues resolved. I know you want to propose on this trip, but I think it would be more upsetting to your intended to be presented a ring and proposal, but not get to wear the ring.

I think the issue with the prongs is that two of them on one side appear bulkier/thicker than the other two. I’ve marked them on the pic below. I think this creates a visual that there is a lopsided effect to the setting as well. As for the diamond and the impact of the lighting, I will leave that to the more experienced folks on here to comment/advise. But for the above mentioned reasons and more, I’d send this back to JA to fix, and delay the proposal until it is perfect.



All the best!

You know, this is not my problem yet the more I think about it, the less impressed that I am.

Perhaps the conversation was something like:
“Marty - we can’t contact the customer to say there’s a further delay or the sale will be cancelled ... just use the prongs we have - he’ll never notice”

Sorry - I felt compelled to add that to demonstrate how ridiculous this is. Not impressed at all.

 

[sledge]

You know, this is not my problem yet the more I think about it, the less impressed that I am.

Perhaps the conversation was something like:
“Marty - we can’t contact the customer to say there’s a further delay or the sale will be cancelled ... just use the prongs we have - he’ll never notice”

Sorry - I felt compelled to add that to demonstrate how ridiculous this is. Not impressed at all.

Sadly I've seen several threads about JA with very similar results -- communication errors, shipping delays, QC issues on the setting (usually misaligned prongs) and upset customers.

I've also seen some praises. And the reality is that not every praise will be posted, scrutinized or remembered like the failures. Which IMO makes it all the more important to ensure you get it right the first time so you keep happy customers and the posts people remember are good and not bad.

I am sorry you are having issues OP. I know you are wanting to propose but as @the_mother_thing mentioned, it's tough to go without a ring after you have been presented. Especially if you think there is a chance you may swap out the diamond. Because if your girl is sentimental, she may want to keep the diamond and setting as it's what you used for the original proposal and then you get stuck as you want to get something right/better but can't because of her wishes.

 

[TreeScientist]

I'm sorry, but to me, the appearance looks like it's resulting from the cloud inclusions. This is an SI2 with clouds as the grade-setting inclusion. Usually SI2s with grade-setting clouds will have some sort of transparency issues. Not always, but a majority of the time. Personally, I would recommend steering clear of SI diamonds with inclusions that can result in transparency issues (clouds, twinning wisps, graining) as the grade-setting inclusion, UNLESS you were buying such a stone from an dealer that sells in-house diamonds who vets their diamonds prior to sale (aka WF, BG, HPD, VC, etc.). James Allen is a modified drop-shipper, and as such, they cannot comment on such issues until the stone arrives to them, if they'll even provide a comment at all...

And I'm sorry you're also having issues with the prongs. To me, they definitely look uneven in the magnified photo. Whether you would notice it in normal viewing situations is another story, but that sort of thing would really bug me.

My original diamond and setting (which I returned) was also through James Allen, and I had similar quality control issues with the setting. Bezel was uneven and wonky. Now, JA does have success stories as well, but once you get a big as they are, I think there are going to be more and more QC issues that slip through the cracks. They may be minor and something that casual viewers of the jewelry may never notice, but they're still unacceptable if you're a perfectionist.

In the end, I went with a custom jeweler (EVS designs) that ended up being even cheaper than JAs prices, and I got a beautifully-designed and meticulously-crafted setting where all of the details and finishings are spot on.

In this era of immense competition within the online jewelry market, it is unacceptable to be overcharging for sub-par jewelry. If you're not satisfied, know that you can do better elsewhere.

 

[Plee5192]

Update: with carefully examining and thinking long and hard of the imperfections of the ring, I will be deciding to return the ring. Even with everything planned and ready to go, I am certainly very saddened that Quality control even allowed this ring to pass inspection. It certainly seemed as if they cared more about me cancelling the order prior due to the late shipment, rather than customer satisfaction.

For the price I paid, I think the ring should be perfect in my eyes and not “lets bat an eye at this” and pretend like the flaws are not there. I would rather go with my plan B and just treat this visit as a nice holiday vacation for us and me visiting her, rather than giving a ring that she would see the imperfections on as well.

I want to thank everybody on this board who has provided so much help, and you can guarantee I will be in the bords making sure my ring is perfect for the next one.

Until next time!

 

[the_mother_thing]

@Plee5192 I’m sorry that you’re in this situation, and it’s surely very disappointing considering all you’ve invested to try and plan a lovely proposal. Do enjoy your visit with your fiancé to be, and definitely come back to PS when you are ready to start over. The folks here will happily help you pick the best diamond and setting for your budget to really wow your intended with a ring she will love.

Safe travels!

 

[sledge]

Sorry to hear this @Plee5192, I really am.

Whenever you ready, post up your budget and all that hoopla and we will help you find something awesome. Also I might suggest you stay away from SI2 stones if you continue to buy from JA or other drop shippers. Because inclusions can affect light performance it is important to have SI2 stones vetted. Either that or be prepared to look at stones loose and return if things aren't right. There are some success stories about gorgeous SI2's but IMO those are the outliers and not the main stream experience.

 

[Stephan]

For me, the prongs are really not that bad. When looking carefully, the prongs on the left side of the pictures are in the light, so a part of them disappears, and the prongs on the right side are in the shadow so they look dark and bigger.
But as said above, you only can buy SI2 diamonds when the seller guarantees you the transparency. If it's a SI2 without big visible crystal, there is a reason for it: the loss of transparency.

 

[Swirl68]

I’m not an expert like most of those commenting here, but before you return that stone make absolutely sure it’s what you want to do. You have a F color, 1 carat, well cut diamond with no obvious inclusions that looks (by your own observance) really awesome under most real life lighting situations (and in most of your pictures too actually). You have all of this in a stone for $5200. You return it, and it goes back in the system, it will be snapped up quickly and gone for good. If your budget is strict you may have to go down in color or (God forbid) size to go up in clarity grades. Perfection can be achieved, but at a price. I think it looks like an awesome ring and an awesome stone and I’d he pround to wear it. Quality control at Christmas time seems to be an issue almost everywhere. It’s just a couple of barely noticeable crooked prongs, an easy fix when she’s back in the states. I’d put the flashlight away, keep things in perspective, and propse to the one I love.