Hello! New member with some Q's

[-Bella-]

Hi!

I've just signed up, and I'm busting with questions about diamonds. I've just had a squiz at all your beautiful rings and i am beside myself in diamond heaven ha ha ha ha

First question:

How the hell do you convince your husband that a upgrade is needed????????????????? lol

I'm wanting to know about lower clarity diamonds and clarity enchanced diamonds. Also is di@monds USA a reputable site? Im looking at a radiant cut 3.01ct diamond colour H clarity I1 (enchanced apparently). I am up for a slightly imperfect stone re: colour if it means i can get a bigger diamond, did you just tell your jeweller that you wanted a lower colour? Does this all make sense ha ha ha ha

So tell me all you know!!!

Thanks a bunch!

 

[elliemay]

Hi!

I've just signed up, and I'm busting with questions about diamonds. I've just had a squiz at all your beautiful rings and i am beside myself in diamond heaven ha ha ha ha

First question:

How the hell do you convince your husband that a upgrade is needed????????????????? lol

I said, "Look what I bought!"

I'm wanting to know about lower clarity diamonds and clarity enchanced diamonds. Also is di@monds USA a reputable site? Im looking at a radiant cut 3.01ct diamond colour H clarity I1 (enchanced apparently). I am up for a slightly imperfect stone re: colour if it means i can get a bigger diamond, did you just tell your jeweller that you wanted a lower colour? Does this all make sense ha ha ha ha

So tell me all you know!!!

Thanks a bunch!

I don't know much about clarity enhanced stones, but I do know that they're not really recommended around these parts. If that stone you're looking at is only an I1 after enhancement, it's probably not a great deal (this is assuming that grading of enhanced stones is done after the enhancement -- I don't know much about them).

I also know that PSers can find just about ANYTHING, so if you post your budget and your ideal stone criteria, they'll find something for you. Are you looking for something around 3 carats, or must it be an exact size in mm? Do you want something white white, slightly tinted, or noticeable tinted? Do you want eye clean, or are you okay with white inclusions that aren't noticeable to the casual viewer, or would carbon spots be acceptable? Do you already have a setting or have one picked out?

Welcome to PS! You're going to love it here!

ETA: I've asked the mods to move your thread over to RockyTalky since that's where these types of threads will get the most attention.

 

[-Bella-]

Thanks!!

I'd love for some help with looking, i don't really mind if there is a slight tint to the diamond, my budget is pretty small, (6k).

I thought it would be too good to be true, *sigh* ha ha oh well!

I like your way of approaching your husband lol

We'll have been married 4 years in feb and i want an upgrade i don't wear my ring anymore as i don't like it and it isn't white gold. Hubby thinks I'm crazy and pretty much refuses to buy me anything else but ill work him ha ha ha ha

 

[Christina...]

Hi Bella! Welcome to PS! I think that you may get more responses if you post your thread in the Rocky Talky forum. You can ask the mods to move this one over there by clicking on the 'report a concern' tab above your post and asking that they move it for you. The amazing people over there will have lots more suggestions and advice for you!


oops! I didn't see that moving your thread had already been suggested. sorry

 

[stonecutter2]

Hi, Bella!

I'm a husband, so I thought I'd chime in First, I know we men can be stubborn about jewelry, or sometimes not "get it" but I've come to really love buying my wife jewelry. Once I started looking into it all, I got hooked buying pretty sparkly things for my wife! So just keep talking to your husband about it, and do some research to get the most bang for your buck. If he learns more about jewelry, he might catch the bug like I did - now I feel like I sort of know what i'm doing when pricing things out!

For a 6k budget, I'd recommend really looking around. You'll be surprised what you can find when you sacrifice certain aspects of diamonds. 6k will be a stretch for a 3 carat...if even possible. But consider what size you really want, maybe 2 carat will give you the look you really want!

You've said color and clarity are things you're willing to sacrifice, but one thing I really think you should make a priority is cut. This allows the best light return to your eyes and really makes a diamond sparkle. Make sure you go for the best cut you can afford, and these good folks here can guide you to finding a beautiful diamond at a fair price.

They helped me with my wife's engagement ring, and I 100% endorse their expertise, as her engagement ring is gorgeous!

 

[TitanCi]

Hi, Bella!

For a 6k budget, I'd recommend really looking around. You'll be surprised what you can find when you sacrifice certain aspects of diamonds. 6k will be a stretch for a 3 carat...if even possible. But consider what size you really want, maybe 2 carat will give you the look you really want!

You've said color and clarity are things you're willing to sacrifice, but one thing I really think you should make a priority is cut. This allows the best light return to your eyes and really makes a diamond sparkle. Make sure you go for the best cut you can afford, and these good folks here can guide you to finding a beautiful diamond at a fair price.

They helped me with my wife's engagement ring, and I 100% endorse their expertise, as her engagement ring is gorgeous!

Hello Bella,

Quick searching on PS shows 2.0Ct K SI1's for $7k+, so I doubt a really decent stone (that large) is available for $6k? A very open quick search on JA.com shows nothing under $10k, and the best priced 3.0ct radiant cut (VG cut) is a K VS2 for $18k. Searching on ID jewelry, open criteria, I can't seem to find anything that inexpensive.

I know you want a big stone, but for $6k... I wouldn't know where to look!

 

[rubybeth]

I think a $6k budget isn't going to get you a 3 carat no matter what you sacrifice. But... what size is your finger? Radiants are deeper cut than other stones (like pears or ovals) so they won't 'face up' as large. You could probably get close to 2 carats in an Old European Cut, pear, or oval, and do a halo to add even more 'finger coverage' as we PSers call it.

Like this stone:

http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/J-SI1-Ideal-Cut-Pear-Diamond-1465310.asp

In this setting:

http://www.jamesallen.com/engagement-rings/pave/18k-white-gold-pave-halo-diamond-engagement-ring.html

 

[mandasand]

I'm curious what is the shape/size your current stone and how is it currently set? Maybe if you re-set it you would be happier and wear it more often? That would tie you over for a few more years and give you time to save for a larger rock.

 

[diamondseeker2006]

As far as the husband goes, just suggest that you'd like an anniversary ring for your 5th anniversary! You can wear it in place of your engagement ring if you wish. Later, you may be able to reset that diamond in a pendant or something to get more wear from it.

I will agree with the others that $6,000 is a budget for a lower color and clarity 1-2 ct. stone. You don't want clarity enhanced because it could eventually have problems with the filler coming out and it would be next to impossible to resell. I'd rather have a ring with a simulant or a colored gemstone center long before I'd ever consider clarity enhanced.

J is a color that is at the bottom of the near colorless range and it can face up quite white when you buy excellent/ideal cut in a round. Other shape stones will show more color. $6k will get you a 1 ct. J SI1:

http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/J-SI1-Ideal-Cut-Round-Diamond-1421578.asp?b=16&a=12&c=77&cid=131

http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/J-SI1-Ideal-Cut-Round-Diamond-1436394.asp?b=16&a=12&c=77&cid=131

or a 1.36 J SI2:

http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/J-SI2-Ideal-Cut-Round-Diamond-1336408.asp?b=16&a=12&c=77&cid=131

2 ct. J SI2 stones are $13k+.

Some SI clarity stones are not eyeclean, so you have to have the jeweler examine them for you to determine if inclusions are visible to the eye or not.

As has already been stated, You can greatly increase the size appearance of the ring by choosing a halo setting.

 

[Dancing Fire]

Hi!

First question:

How the hell do you convince your husband that a upgrade is needed????????????????? lol

Thanks a bunch!

the most "feared" word coming out of the wife's mouth...

 

[-Bella-]

Thanks for all your thoughts and input and researching!! I do you know i couldn't possibly get a 3 ct stone for 6k but i do know i can for a 2 ct stone so ill have to work on hubby!!!! ha ha

Oh and getting my ring re set i could but it'd cost the same price of buying the same ring new again, it is 31 small diamonds that make up .5 ct in a gold and white gold chunky type of ring. I couldn't do it id want to wait and just get the bigger diamond and then do a reset if that makes sense

 

[mandasand]

Do you intend to purchase a new setting with the larger stone or reset it in your current setting?

 

[Dancing Fire]

Thanks for all your thoughts and input and researching!! I do you know i couldn't possibly get a 3 ct stone for 6k but i do know i can for a 2 ct stone so ill have to work on hubby!!!! ha ha

Oh and getting my ring re set i could but it'd cost the same price of buying the same ring new again, it is 31 small diamonds that make up .5 ct in a gold and white gold chunky type of ring. I couldn't do it id want to wait and just get the bigger diamond and then do a reset if that makes sense

i don't think you will be happy with a $6K 2ct stone... a nice .90ct will go for $6k.

 

[diamondseeker2006]

Thanks for all your thoughts and input and researching!! I do you know i couldn't possibly get a 3 ct stone for 6k but i do know i can for a 2 ct stone so ill have to work on hubby!!!! ha ha

Oh and getting my ring re set i could but it'd cost the same price of buying the same ring new again, it is 31 small diamonds that make up .5 ct in a gold and white gold chunky type of ring. I couldn't do it id want to wait and just get the bigger diamond and then do a reset if that makes sense

i don't think you will be happy with a $6K 2ct stone... a nice .90ct will go for $6k.

I tried to say that earlier...it will be a low color and clarity between 1.0 and 1.5. You'll likely see too much color in a J, but I just didn't see any J SI stones available or I would have posted them. 2 ct. stones are going to be $10k or over.

Here are some examples from a competitively priced vendor and none of these look well cut enough to me to actually buy, but it gives you an idea of pricing:

http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/F-SI2-Very%20Good-Cut-Radiant-Diamond-1392870.asp

http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/I-VS2-Very%20Good-Cut-Radiant-Diamond-1363578.asp

http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/I-SI1-Very%20Good-Cut-Radiant-Diamond-1458313.asp

http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/I-VS2-Very%20Good-Cut-Radiant-Diamond-1442549.asp

http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/I-SI2-Ideal-Cut-Radiant-Diamond-1497226.asp

 

[TitanCi]

Thanks for all your thoughts and input and researching!! I do you know i couldn't possibly get a 3 ct stone for 6k but i do know i can for a 2 ct stone so ill have to work on hubby!!!! ha ha

Oh and getting my ring re set i could but it'd cost the same price of buying the same ring new again, it is 31 small diamonds that make up .5 ct in a gold and white gold chunky type of ring. I couldn't do it id want to wait and just get the bigger diamond and then do a reset if that makes sense

i don't think you will be happy with a $6K 2ct stone... a nice .90ct will go for $6k.

+100000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000

 

[Christina...]

Thanks for all your thoughts and input and researching!! I do you know i couldn't possibly get a 3 ct stone for 6k but i do know i can for a 2 ct stone so ill have to work on hubby!!!! ha ha

Oh and getting my ring re set i could but it'd cost the same price of buying the same ring new again, it is 31 small diamonds that make up .5 ct in a gold and white gold chunky type of ring. I couldn't do it id want to wait and just get the bigger diamond and then do a reset if that makes sense

Have you found a 2ct stone for 6k? If you have I would caution you to get a lot of information before hand. It would likely be of a very poor cut and clarity and probably enhanced in one or more ways. These type of stones have additional risks involved and you need full disclosure for an honest vendor. They have their own durability issues as well. The process doesn't always hold up and it can leave the stone prone to cracking and breaking. A cracked diamond would hardly be worth the 6k investment.

Personally if size is what you are really after with a small budget, then I would consider some type of synthetic. It will be much less expensive and in my opinion visually much more appealing than a 2ct 6k diamond. We can't post about synthetics here, but I'd encourage you to do a google search of your own, you may find that for the time being this would be a good option for you.