Help a Confused Guy!

[Pac Man]

Hi everyone,

I''ve been visiting this board for a few months now and have finally plucked up the courage to make my first post! I''m planning to propose to my lovely girlfriend very soon - hopefully at Christmas, but maybe later if I keep struggling to pick a ring!

- and would really like to get some advice from you all. I''ve been looking around for a ring for about four weeks now and have identified a cushion-cut style that I really like (it has a halo of smaller diamonds around the centre stone). The stone is also bezel set so you can''t really see the sides.

I wondered if anyone would have answers to the few questions that have been troubling me most lately:

1. How important is clarity? My sales advisor has found rings for me ranging between VVS1 and VS1. In appearance terms, is there a big difference between these clarities? If I were to pick a VS1 ring, would this still be adequate? Can the eye pick up any imperfections at VS1?

2. How would a G or H colour diamond look? My advisor has been able to find a number of rings with either G or H colour - but did not have any instore, the lowest colour I saw was an F. Will they look grey? Or isn''t there much difference between an F and, say, a H?

3. How tight should the ring fit? I took my girlfriend to look at rings a while ago and she had her measurements taken. The man serving us said that the ring should not move around and that there should be resistance at the knuckle. But my girlfriend felt that the size he recommended was slightly tight. Is this how the ring should feel?

I''ve already learnt so much from this amazing website but any thoughts on my specific questions would be really welcome! Thanks.

 

[Lorelei]

Date: 12/2/2009 4:41:03 AM
Author:Pac Man
Hi everyone,

I've been visiting this board for a few months now and have finally plucked up the courage to make my first post! I'm planning to propose to my lovely girlfriend very soon - hopefully at Christmas, but maybe later if I keep struggling to pick a ring!

- and would really like to get some advice from you all. I've been looking around for a ring for about four weeks now and have identified a cushion-cut style that I really like (it has a halo of smaller diamonds around the centre stone). The stone is also bezel set so you can't really see the sides.

I wondered if anyone would have answers to the few questions that have been troubling me most lately:

1. How important is clarity? My sales advisor has found rings for me ranging between VVS1 and VS1. In appearance terms, is there a big difference between these clarities? If I were to pick a VS1 ring, would this still be adequate? Can the eye pick up any imperfections at VS1? VS1 is usually eyeclean in the majority of cases as is VS2.
It is cut quality which gives a diamond its beauty so thats extremely important to concentrate on. Some feel VVS clarity is unecessary as VS clarities and even some SI are completely eyeclean. So to answer your question there will not be any visible difference to the naked eye between VVS and VS1.
2. How would a G or H colour diamond look? My advisor has been able to find a number of rings with either G or H colour - but did not have any instore, the lowest colour I saw was an F. Will they look grey? Or isn't there much difference between an F and, say, a H? As long as the diamonds are reliably graded such as GIA or AGS the colours will not look grey or yellowish providing the cut quality is good. To me not much difference at all between F and H colour, some might discern a difference particularly with loose stones but I am not one of those people!

3. How tight should the ring fit? I took my girlfriend to look at rings a while ago and she had her measurements taken. The man serving us said that the ring should not move around and that there should be resistance at the knuckle. But my girlfriend felt that the size he recommended was slightly tight. Is this how the ring should feel? That depends....I like slightly tight but still easy to get on and off with some resistance but it varies on how people like their rings to fit. As it sounds as if your GF is with you during this have the ring sized how she feels it is comfortable.

I've already learnt so much from this amazing website but any thoughts on my specific questions would be really welcome! Thanks.

 

[FB.]

Clarity is only part of the diamond-buying checklist.
For round diamonds, all grades down to VS2 clarity should be eye clean at any distance. Of course, there will always be the occasional mis-graded stone; perhaps a "good" SI1 that managed to scrape into VS2 because the grader was feeling good that day.
SI1 may or may not be eye clean at six inches, but is usually eye clean at twelve inches. SI2 about twice that of SI1. I have examples of both SI1 and SI2 that are eye clean - and some that are borderline eye clean.
Non-round shapes can vary in how eye clean they look, since emerald or asscher cuts have very large, open facets that allow you to see more easily into the stone.

For round diamonds, I draw the line at G colour. I'm perhaps a bit strict. G-H should be fine if it has been graded by GIA or AGS. They are very strict on the grades. Uncertificated stones, or stones from many otehr labs, are often over-stated by a colour and clarity grade.

How tight?
I suggest that it should be sufficiently tight that it only just manages to go over the knuckle. But each person will have their own preference - artly becaus there are different types of finger shape. Some rings have wide bands and some have thin bands. Some bands are flat and some are rounded. They all fit slightly differently.

You make no mention of excellent cut quality. It's more important than colour or clarity because without it, the facets may not be aligned properly and you might as well buy a lump of glass.

 

[Pac Man]

Thanks for the replies so far! I don''t know what I''d do without this place...

1. Clarity issue - I know, from reading these boards, that cut is very important and can make a world of difference. The ring I''m looking at is cushion cut and the cut is patented. I think this means that each diamond will be cut to the same specifications but I may be wrong? My sales advisor didn''t show me any certificates with information about the cut. She only told me that it was a "cushion". The diamond is square and didn''t seem to sparkle in the way that the round stones looked to. I liked this but I''m concerned that because the stone has a flat appearence and does not have all the brilliant facets of a round, any inclusions will be easier to spot. Would this be correct? If so, would I be safe picking a VS1 or should I look to see if my budget can get better?

2. Colour - I suppose my concerns about colour follow on from my comments above. Will a H look more grey in a cushion cut than, say, an H in a round diamond? I''ve looked at E and F instore and felt like the F looked more grey but, to be honest, I could have just been imagining this. I''d looked at so many rings and my head was sort of spinning!! I think that my budget is only going to be able to stretch to a G or H. Would these look okay in a cushion? I just don''t want it to look too grey or dull which already seems a big risk because I''m not going for a round brilliant. Also, I''ve only looked at these diamonds under the lighting in the store which prpbably helps to make everything look better - should I ask to take it near a window??

3. Ring Fit - thanks for your advice. I think that the size my girlfriend said was slightly tight did give resistance at the knuckle and so I''m reassured that this should be okay. After all this hard work and head spinning, I don''t want it slipping off her finger!!!!

 

[tyty333]

Date: 12/2/2009 6:25:26 AM
Author: Pac Man
Thanks for the replies so far! I don''t know what I''d do without this place...

1. Clarity issue - I know, from reading these boards, that cut is very important and can make a world of difference. The ring I''m looking at is cushion cut and the cut is patented. I think this means that each diamond will be cut to the same specifications but I may be wrong? My sales advisor didn''t show me any certificates with information about the cut. She only told me that it was a ''cushion''. The diamond is square and didn''t seem to sparkle in the way that the round stones looked to. I liked this but I''m concerned that because the stone has a flat appearence and does not have all the brilliant facets of a round, any inclusions will be easier to spot. Would this be correct? If so, would I be safe picking a VS1 or should I look to see if my budget can get better?VS1 should be good enough. Some cuts (emeralds, asschers
for example will show incluions easier due to the lack of cuts so you have to go higher clarity). Tell your
sales advisor that you want it to be eye-clean. Tell her what your definition of eye-clean is ...cant see
anything from 6 inches or 10 inches or whatever your definition may be. It really goes on a stone by
stone bases.

2. Colour - I suppose my concerns about colour follow on from my comments above. Will a H look more grey in a cushion cut than, say, an H in a round diamond? I''ve looked at E and F instore and felt like the F looked more grey but, to be honest, I could have just been imagining this. I''d looked at so many rings and my head was sort of spinning!! I think that my budget is only going to be able to stretch to a G or H. Would these look okay in a cushion? I just don''t want it to look too grey or dull which already seems a big risk because I''m not going for a round brilliant. Also, I''ve only looked at these diamonds under the lighting in the store which prpbably helps to make everything look better - should I ask to take it near a window?? You shouldnt be seeing grey...you would more likely see a hint of yellow when looking
at the side of the stone. G/H is usually a high enough color for most folks unless you are very color
sensitive. Fancy cuts will show more color than rounds. Color has nothing to do with the stone looking
dull - cut is what you are talking about, orhighly included stones. Yes, ask to see the stone near a
window and outside.

3. Ring Fit - thanks for your advice. I think that the size my girlfriend said was slightly tight did give resistance at the knuckle and so I''m reassured that this should be okay. After all this hard work and head spinning, I don''t want it slipping off her finger!!!! I go for slightly tight but comfortable. Most the time I really cant feel it on my finger.

 

[Pac Man]

Thanks Tyty333, that''s some great advice!

I guess that I''ve been thinking - either rightly or wrongly - that imperfections or inclusions will show up less on a round brilliant than a cushion cut, and so just needed to be reassured that a VS1 could still look nice. I''m a guy and tend not to pay much attention to things but my girlfriend seems to notice EVERYTHING! I remember that I bought her a skirt for Christmas last year and, before she had even fully opened the present, she had spotted a small tear in the material. I hadn''t even noticed it at all! And, this is real bad of me, but I bought her a necklace once with a series of small diamonds. One of these was missing. I didn''t notice but it was the first and immediate thing she saw!

I guess this shows how useless I am but I really want to make sure that this purchase is made well. I guess too that I have some making up to do to her, ha ha....!

Going on your advice, I will speak to my advisor and tell her that I want the diamond to be eye-clean from six inches. It''s difficult to know how I''ll feel about these choices until she has the rings brought into store, but I need to be able to tell her now which ones I do and do not want to see.

Last, do you know if the final ring I buy will be a display ring? Is that how these things work? Would that be usual? I ask because some of the specs she gave me where for the rings on display in the store - the ones that I had actually held and looked at. I felt sort of surprised because I imagined my purchase to be an entirely new ring and not one that however many people had tried on before my girlfriend.

 

[Pac Man]

Just an update, I spoke with my sales advisor today and she can bring into store a G with VVS1 clarity.... or a H with VS1 clarity. Would these look okay in a cushion? She''s saying that there''ll be a $500 difference between the two. Does this seem fair?

Thanks again everyone!!

 

[HVVS]

If you order a designer ring, unless you specifically purchase the display model at a discount, you should get a new one. And your stone might need to be sent to that company for the ring to be made and the stone to be set.

I recently bought an F color RB, and I also own two H color RBs. The F is white face up, and I must be extremely color sensitive b/c I see a faint tint in it from the side. Very little. Might be due to the size of the daimond, though. The H looks brownish unmounted and face down. It looks slightly grayed face up next to the F in some lights, and slight;y yellow in incandescent. But it's still white. On it's own, not beside the F, it looks very white. G, especially one that's almost an F, would be near colorless for certain. VS1 or VS2 clarity should be good enough to be eye clean unless maybe you are buying a very large diamond.

Also, make sure that you know which lab graded the color. GIA and AGS seem pretty comparable, from what I've read here, but EGL USA might say it's couple of color grades higher than it would get at AGS or GIA. EGL Israel seems to have a very low reputation here for accuracy in grading. IGI and GAL and all of those other mall store certs are just about worthless.

Also, it might not be possible to get a custom made setting done by Christmas. You might have to go with a stock mounting by Stuller, etc. and get the custom mounting made later.