Help choosing between 2 diamonds

[Klaus]

JA confirmed that the last one is eye clean.

 

[ac117]

JA confirmed that the last one is eye clean.

@Klaus Serious question, will upgrading ever be an option? JA requires you to spend 2x the amount you're spending now. WF's upgrade policy allows you to upgrade as long as you spend $1 more. Something to consider before you take the plunge!

 

[TreeScientist]

Good point @ac117. If you wanted to go the WF route, and you could stretch your budget a bit more while taking a small decrease in size, this one would be a good option:
https://www.whiteflash.com/loose-diamonds/round-cut-loose-diamond-3963067.htm

But if this is your forever stone, I would stick with the 1.31 from James Allen. Bigger and cheaper. The WF one is stretching your budget even further, and the JA one would probably be around $700 cheaper after the Pricescope discount.

 

[Klaus]

I think the JA one is for me. Upgrading is not something my partner would ever like, I'm sure. (Me on the other hand...) But that is an incredible perk of WF, for sure. Anyways, he is sold on moving away from IF - I told him that not only is the 1.31 cut better, but it is cheaper than the 1.38 IF I was ogling so I think that did it!

And that pricescope discount is sweet. Thanks very much to everyone who helped out in this thread! I can't believe so many people make such a huge purchase without all the facts... (um including my impulsive self).

And with that I am officially banned from scouring for more diamonds! I don't want to push the shipping date any further than I already have with my obsessiveness. I am just going to wait to get this one and see if it's love at first sight or not. Based on the specs I'm very optimistic! I will definitely pay it forward by posting it here.

 

[TreeScientist]

I think the JA one is for me. Upgrading is not something my partner would ever like, I'm sure. (Me on the other hand...) But that is an incredible perk of WF, for sure. Anyways, he is sold on moving away from IF - I told him that not only is the 1.31 cut better, but it is cheaper than the 1.38 IF I was ogling so I think that did it!

And that pricescope discount is sweet. Thanks very much to everyone who helped out in this thread! I can't believe so many people make such a huge purchase without all the facts... (um including my impulsive self).

And with that I am officially banned from scouring for more diamonds! I don't want to push the shipping date any further than I already have with my obsessiveness. I am just going to wait to get this one and see if it's love at first sight or not. Based on the specs I'm very optimistic! I will definitely pay it forward my posting it here.

Excellent. I'm glad you made your choice. And yes, NO MORE DIAMOND SEARCHING. You can drive yourself crazy that way and nothing good will come from it. I highly doubt you could get a much better stone than that at the VS clarity level (I doubt your parter would agree with an SI haha) under $8000, so be happy that you got an excellent diamond at a fair price.

Looking forward to the pictures!

 

[ac117]

I think the JA one is for me. Upgrading is not something my partner would ever like, I'm sure. (Me on the other hand...) But that is an incredible perk of WF, for sure. Anyways, he is sold on moving away from IF - I told him that not only is the 1.31 cut better, but it is cheaper than the 1.38 IF I was ogling so I think that did it!

And that pricescope discount is sweet. Thanks very much to everyone who helped out in this thread! I can't believe so many people make such a huge purchase without all the facts... (um including my impulsive self).

And with that I am officially banned from scouring for more diamonds! I don't want to push the shipping date any further than I already have with my obsessiveness. I am just going to wait to get this one and see if it's love at first sight or not. Based on the specs I'm very optimistic! I will definitely pay it forward by posting it here.

Great decision! Please come back with pictures!!

 

[ringo865]

Pay it forward by sharing (at least) 3,287 pics of that bugger!!!

 

[Klaus]

Of course!! And.. the waiting begins.

 

[Klaus]

https://www.jamesallen.com/loose-di...i-color-vs2-clarity-excellent-cut-sku-4446061

I am still anxiously awaiting my ring's arrival - it's supposed to ship Thursday 3/29 and arrive 3/30 - so in the meantime I thought I'd give a sneak preview by posting the idealscope image. Looks pretty great, eh?

Of course, because I am obviously insanely indecisive and diamonds have way too many specs for me to obsess over, I already find myself second-guessing the I color (is this a low I?!, will the side view drive me insane?), the slight inclusion (will I be able to see it?), the price (could I have found something better for less?).... But I've managed to wait it out (almost!) so I at least get to see this one in person. I'm so nervous about how partner and I are going to react to finally seeing it after so much anticipation and scrutinizing and obsessing!!

 

[Klaus]

So I got the ring today. The size and sparkle are nice, but I'm seeing a lot more color from the top than I was expecting from an I color, based on my online research. I was expecting and prepared for some color from the side, but this looks yellow from the top which I don't like! Am I being crazy? I trust James Allen, but I've already looked with a loupe to confirm the GIA number and I can't find it. It may be under a prong - I asked them to put a prong over the one tiny inclusion so they may not have made the GIA number visible as most jewelers do by default. I doubt this is not my ring, but, that in conjunction with the yellow is annoying.

Please let me know your thoughts. The first two are direct sunlight (looks the best here), second two are ambient lighting and last two are fluorescent bathroom lighting.

 

[Klaus]

 

[gm89uk]

Firstly congratulations on the diamond, it looks beautiful.

Do you have cream coloured walls? Whats the environment like? You shouldn't be noticing too much colour from the top. I'd make go somewhere with white walls, try outside (not direct sun) and see if you still think it looks yellow.

You may just be colour sensitive and I colour is not for you if it's visible in a variety of lighting environments.

 

[Klaus]

The walls in my office are off white. I'll do a field trip outside and report.

Darn! It's so beautiful otherwise... maybe I just saw all the best-case-scenario I's online, or I'm super color sensitive... or maybe because I was wearing a temp CZ this looks more yellow after that. I don't know! Regardless, I hope I learn to love it because I really do not want to return and start over.

 

[skypie]

It's hard to judge color from pictures but I do agree your diamond looks quite beige in the last 2 photos. but I do note the floor in the last 2 pictures seems to be a similar color if that has anything to do with it?

 

[Klaus]

Outside in sun, outside in shade, and again under direct fluorescent.

 

[skypie]

It looks quite white in your shade pics. Honestly, the color is all about your perception. If the color bothers you it's likely to always bother you. You should return it and get a higher color grade if you think it's going to bother you.

 

[missy]

Diamonds are like mirrors in that they reflect back whatever lighting environment they are in so if you are in a room with yellow/beige walls and/or flooring etc the diamond will take on more of a creamy color whereas if you are outside in a cooler color environment the colors will reflect that. Put on a red shirt and check your diamond out. Go under some green trees and watch what happens to your stone. It's very cool.

Only you can determine if the color of your diamond is "white" enough for you. Some of us enjoy the warmer diamonds but others of us prefer icier/whiter diamonds.

 

[gm89uk]

If you're comparing to essentially a D CZ, I will not look white even facing up! Although in your photos your diamond looks fantastic.
If you have are still not happy with the diamond in a variety of environments here are some alternatives.

Assuming 8k was your new upper budget (these might slip under with wire and pricescope/JA affinity discount):

https://www.jamesallen.com/loose-di...h-color-vs1-clarity-excellent-cut-sku-4628162
https://www.jamesallen.com/loose-di...g-color-si1-clarity-excellent-cut-sku-4531548
https://www.jamesallen.com/loose-di...g-color-si1-clarity-excellent-cut-sku-4531548

Personally if I was you, this would be my pick:
https://www.jamesallen.com/loose-di...color-si2-clarity-true-hearts-cut-sku-3675649

A lot of people have a problem with SI2s but I think this has a good chance of being eye clean. Although I understand it's not a great choice particularly if you have compromised from IF!

 

[Klaus]

Thanks for the suggestions gm! I think I'm going to live with it for a week and see how I feel. I think wearing the CZ beforehand was a bad move. Maybe if I give my eyes time to adjust and get used to this one, it will start looking less yellow to me. I definitely do not want to go smaller and excellent cut is non-negotiable, so if I up the color the clarity will have to go down. Le sigh.

 

[Klaus]

On a side note, this setting is absolutely gorgeous, more delicate than I was expecting and the prongs and tulip look perfectly done. Go James Allen!

 

[Klaus]

Also, even though I was worried about it, the side view is an absolute non issue. Maybe it's the setting, but I really don't detect any bothersome color from the side. Go figure.

 

[gm89uk]

Thanks for the suggestions gm! I think I'm going to live with it for a week and see how I feel. I think wearing the CZ beforehand was a bad move. Maybe if I give my eyes time to adjust and get used to this one, it will start looking less yellow to me. I definitely do not want to go smaller and excellent cut is non-negotiable, so if I up the color the clarity will have to go down. Le sigh.

I think this is the most sensible idea!

 

[ringo865]

It looks really beautiful and not tinted to me! Can you post some more profile pics of the tulips. Well done!!

 

[Klaus]

I am starting to think the sun was extra yellow when I opened the package, or the beige walls were reflected or something because as I move through the world it just st looks whiter and whiter! I’ll post more pics soon. Thanks so much everyone for your input!!

 

[Klaus]

 

[missy]

Beautiful! It's a good idea to wear it for a while and see how you feel/what you think about the color after wearing it and seeing how it behaves in different lighting and environments. It's really lovely.