Hello all..step one..

[Hideyoshi]

Hello Everyone,


So I will be popping the question in a couple months and have been reading the forums here for a couple weeks. I have decided on a 2-2.5ct brilliant round Ideal Cut VS2-VS1 or maybe si1 with H&A''s.
I will probably be going to Mark Morell for the setting (platinum), which i have yet to try and design. Will probably be getting in from one of the suggested online vendors here on pricescope. Question i have is how low on color can i go without seeing any noticable color on a 2 - 2.5ct rock. was looking between d-f and prices are quite high.. I am looking for anywhere between 15-25K in price. I think so long as the diamond looks great to the eye then it should be good enough for us. so all that in mind. should i go lower than f color? is it safe to get si1 online?

 

[phoenixgirl]

Hello there.

First of all, color is a matter of personal preference. When a diamond is set, most people will not look at your finger and think, "Egad! Is that an I color stone?" If you compare the stones unset and face down, differences in color will be more apparent. Perhaps you can go to a jewelry store and compare some stones. Some people notice color more readily than others, and different stores have different cut-offs. You can't buy stones below I at Tiffany's or or J at BlueNile.com, but other vendors will carry K, L, M, etc.

Once you start working with a vendor, you should be able to get information on the clarity from them. Also, if you discover that you can see or are bothered by the inclusions in your stone, you can return it and try again. Some vendors post magnified pictures online to give you an idea. (For example, check out the magnified image of this stone, in which the inclusion appears to be plainly visible to the naked eye).

Have you tried searching by cut? Here are some stones within your parameters that came up for me (Note: all prices are what is listed when you search by cut here; if it's lower than the vendor's listed price, that means it's a Price Scope discount):

2.054 1 SI1 A Cut Above for $18853

2.33 I SI1 for $19749 with a big spread of 8.76mm

2.38 I VS2 H&A for $23456

2.05 G SI1 GIA excellent cut for $20436

2.06 H VS2 for $24322

 

[Ellen]

Going to a jewelry store first is a great suggestion, just make sure you''re looking at very well cut stones, like Hearts on Fire. A well cut stone will hide the color better than a so so cut.