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Help confirming engagement ring purchase from James Allen

Cosmo_Kramer

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Jun 6, 2016
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So I talked to an adviser after I did research myself. I wanted to spend $3,000 and get the best value I could. I just put the ring on hold, but I'm not sure if I can share the exact ring.

This is the setting:

https://www.jamesallen.com/engagement-rings/halo/14k-white-gold-pave-halo-and-shank-diamond-engagement-ring-round-center-item-17445

The diamond is SHAPE:

Round
CARAT WEIGHT: 0.70
COLOR: H
CLARITY: SI2
CUT: Excellent
POLISH: Excellent
SYMMETRY: Excellent
FLUORESCENCE: Medium
L/W/D (MM): 5.69*5.65*3.57

L/W RATIO: 1.01
DEPTH %: 62.90
GIRDLE: Medium - Slightly Thick
TABLE %: 55.00
CERTIFICATE: GIA
CROWN ∠: 34.50
CROWN %: 15.50
PAVILION ∠: 41.00
PAVILION %: 43.50


The young lady helping me said that the SI2 inclusion wasn't noticeable by the naked eye and seemed confident this was the best value for the setting that I wanted. Please be honest and tell me if you think this is hideous/cheap.
 

Niel

Super_Ideal_Rock
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Re: Help confirming engagement ring purchase from James Alle

Hey!

I think you can do a little better.

Let me ask, does it have to be a halo?
If so, does it have to have diamonds in the side of the halo? Or could it be a halo with a non diamond band.
 

Cosmo_Kramer

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Re: Help confirming engagement ring purchase from James Alle

I think it has to be a halo.

I do think the diamonds on the ring itself are negotiable. From what I can piece together from a few conversations we've had over the years, she wants it to look bigger with the halo because I'm a recent college graduate and she knows I won't be able to afford a huge rock.

What did you have in mind? I appreciate the feedback, truly.
 

Cosmo_Kramer

Rough_Rock
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Re: Help confirming engagement ring purchase from James Alle

Also, would I be better off getting the diamond set locally rather than going through James Allen for that? I've read anecdotes that they don't tend to have correct sized settings for each size diamond. Since this is only .7 ct I fear the setting could make it look cheap.
 

Niel

Super_Ideal_Rock
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Re: Help confirming engagement ring purchase from James Alle

That's understandable, we all want a bigger diamond after all ::)

They have some nice plain shank halos that I think might look a bit more well made than that halo. Let me see what I can find.

They make the setting for the stone, I don't think you need to get it set locally
 

Cosmo_Kramer

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Re: Help confirming engagement ring purchase from James Alle

Ok, perfect thanks!
 

Cosmo_Kramer

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Re: Help confirming engagement ring purchase from James Alle

I don't know much about diamonds to even pretend to compare the two. It seems from a layman that if the depth makes the diamond appear just as large as the other one, with better clarity that this would probably be a better value.

I really appreciate your doing some digging on JA. I'm out of my element here and I dislike not having all the answers when I make even a small purchase :wall:

Did you find a setting that was less cheap looking as well? :clap: :angel:
 

lovedogs

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Re: Help confirming engagement ring purchase from James Alle

I agree with Neil that the halo from JA isn't my favorite. I totally understand your GF's desire to make a more modest center stone look bigger with a halo--my husband and I did the same thing when we got engaged :)

Here are a few halos from JA that I personally prefer (especially because when I look at the images from JA with .5-.7 stones, the halo still looks like it "fits" and doesn't overwhelm the stone).

https://www.jamesallen.com/engagement-rings/halo/14k-white-gold-trellis-halo-diamond-engagement-ring-item-53050

This one has a plain shank, but I like how the shank is twisted, I think it adds some visual interest
https://www.jamesallen.com/engagement-rings/halo/14k-white-gold-pave-halo-twisted-shank-solitaire-item-17470

This one is a little "different" because it's more floral, but I like it, and the halo has larger melee so I think it adds presence to the center stone
https://www.jamesallen.com/engagement-rings/halo/14k-white-gold-floral-halo-engagement-ring-item-53295

This one might require more "delicate care" since there are diamonds on the outside, but I love it because it adds more "bling" to it and overall makes any center stone look bigger.
https://www.jamesallen.com/engagement-rings/halo/14k-white-gold-double-halo-diamond-engagement-ring-item-50688


Finally, a pretty different one, but another that I think is unique and could add "personality" to a stone, plus it's somewhat vintage in style. Dunno if your GF likes that kind of thing. Just wanted to throw it out there :)
https://www.jamesallen.com/engagement-rings/halo/14k-white-gold-bead-set-kite-halo-engagement-ring-item-53290
 

Niel

Super_Ideal_Rock
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Re: Help confirming engagement ring purchase from James Alle

lovedogs|1465266679|4040999 said:
I agree with Neil that the halo from JA isn't my favorite. I totally understand your GF's desire to make a more modest center stone look bigger with a halo--my husband and I did the same thing when we got engaged :)

Here are a few halos from JA that I personally prefer (especially because when I look at the images from JA with .5-.7 stones, the halo still looks like it "fits" and doesn't overwhelm the stone).

https://www.jamesallen.com/engagement-rings/halo/14k-white-gold-trellis-halo-diamond-engagement-ring-item-53050

This one has a plain shank, but I like how the shank is twisted, I think it adds some visual interest
https://www.jamesallen.com/engagement-rings/halo/14k-white-gold-pave-halo-twisted-shank-solitaire-item-17470

This one is a little "different" because it's more floral, but I like it, and the halo has larger melee so I think it adds presence to the center stone
https://www.jamesallen.com/engagement-rings/halo/14k-white-gold-floral-halo-engagement-ring-item-53295

This one might require more "delicate care" since there are diamonds on the outside, but I love it because it adds more "bling" to it and overall makes any center stone look bigger.
https://www.jamesallen.com/engagement-rings/halo/14k-white-gold-double-halo-diamond-engagement-ring-item-50688


Finally, a pretty different one, but another that I think is unique and could add "personality" to a stone, plus it's somewhat vintage in style. Dunno if your GF likes that kind of thing. Just wanted to throw it out there :)
https://www.jamesallen.com/engagement-rings/halo/14k-white-gold-bead-set-kite-halo-engagement-ring-item-53290

I like that plain shank floral one. If you did this (have a friend email it to you/do it with another email) you could get it in platinum for 40 bucks over budget

https://www.jamesallen.com/referfriend/
 

Cosmo_Kramer

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Re: Help confirming engagement ring purchase from James Alle

I already have $100 for starting an account there, and I don't think they will combine. But I will try.


I don't know if I'm a huge fan of the floral setting. I do agree that the diamonds on the band look cheap.

What about this one?

https://www.jamesallen.com/engagement-rings/halo/14k-white-gold-pave-halo-engagement-ring-round-center-item-18301

Do y'all not seem to favor that one and the first one I posted due to the posts being so prominent?
 

Niel

Super_Ideal_Rock
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Re: Help confirming engagement ring purchase from James Alle

Cosmo_Kramer|1465267268|4041004 said:
I already have $100 for starting an account there, and I don't think they will combine. But I will try.


I don't know if I'm a huge fan of the floral setting. I do agree that the diamonds on the band look cheap.

What about this one?

https://www.jamesallen.com/engagement-rings/halo/14k-white-gold-pave-halo-engagement-ring-round-center-item-18301

Do y'all not seem to favor that one and the first one I posted due to the posts being so prominent?
Yeah you'll probably only get to use one code, but good that's still $100off somewhere

I think this one I like a bit more than that, in platinum is still under a grand

https://www.jamesallen.com/engagement-rings/halo/platinum-trellis-halo-diamond-engagement-ring-item-53016

There's a lot that goes into a quality halo, angle of the halo, pave work, basket, band. The reason I'm not a huge fan of the first one you posted is the pave work,the way the little stones are set together, looks inexpensive. There's a time and place for it, but I think it's not the best option of all your options, that's all
 

lovedogs

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Re: Help confirming engagement ring purchase from James Alle

Cosmo_Kramer|1465267268|4041004 said:
I already have $100 for starting an account there, and I don't think they will combine. But I will try.


I don't know if I'm a huge fan of the floral setting. I do agree that the diamonds on the band look cheap.

What about this one?

https://www.jamesallen.com/engagement-rings/halo/14k-white-gold-pave-halo-engagement-ring-round-center-item-18301

Do y'all not seem to favor that one and the first one I posted due to the posts being so prominent?

I think it's somewhat personal preference, but when you look at the two images next to each other (the one you just posted next to one of the ones I posted), my thought is that I like the delicate "circle" of metal right around the center stone and again around the halo. But I like this last one you posted significantly better than the first one you had in mind. I do think that at this point it's a personal preference, and you know your GF's tastes :) I think either will be very pretty!



Screen%20Shot%202016-06-06%20at%207.44.13%20PM.png Screen%20Shot%202016-06-06%20at%207.44.56%20PM.png

ETA: sorry the images are so giant--I took screenshots from JA to give an idea of what each would look like with your center stone size.
 

Cosmo_Kramer

Rough_Rock
Joined
Jun 6, 2016
Messages
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Re: Help confirming engagement ring purchase from James Alle

I really like the last one you posted, the platinum trellis.

I think now I'm leaning toward the diamond you suggested and that setting.
 

Niel

Super_Ideal_Rock
Premium
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Re: Help confirming engagement ring purchase from James Alle

Cosmo_Kramer|1465268269|4041014 said:
I really like the last one you posted, the platinum trellis.

I think now I'm leaning toward the diamond you suggested and that setting.

I like the idea of platinum . You're buying it online so it's nice to know platinum means you'll never have to go someplace to have it rhodium plated like with white gold. And I know you didn't want it to seem cheap. Platinum isn't cheap. Look at this ring it's a smaller diamond, same setting,size 8i think? Skip to the last few pages

[URL='https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/diamond-halo-ring-for-2000-or-under.216809/']https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/diamond-halo-ring-for-2000-or-under.216809/[/URL]
 

Cosmo_Kramer

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Jun 6, 2016
Messages
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Re: Help confirming engagement ring purchase from James Alle

I read that thread. You are a really nice people making random strangers happy for life. :saint:



I don't know if I'm sold on the hint of metal between the stone and the halo on the last one you posted. But I really like the claw that holds in the diamond on that one. Do you think the halo on the trellis(https://www.jamesallen.com/engagement-rings/halo/platinum-trellis-halo-diamond-engagement-ring-item-53016) is superior to the last one I posted (https://www.jamesallen.com/engagement-rings/halo/platinum-pave-halo-engagement-ring-round-center-item-18303).

I actually like the platinum ring on the trellis one as well. I'm definitely sold on not having diamonds on the band.
 

Niel

Super_Ideal_Rock
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Re: Help confirming engagement ring purchase from James Alle

If you think think she would prefer that one then iIthink you should get that second one. Like lovesdogs said it's personal preference .

Ask them nicely to make the prongs pointy for you as well, show them the ring they did it on and say you want it like that
 
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