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Help finding 1.5 - 2 carat diamond

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sonice

Rough_Rock
Joined
Dec 27, 2015
Messages
42
I've been using the many tools available here, but I must admit, it's overwhelming. I'd appreciate any and all help in my search! :)

I'm looking for a 1.5 - 2 carat round diamond. Cut is most important to me followed by carat, color, and clarity. That being said, I would like an eye clean diamond. I'm open to a J SI2 if it's cut well, eye clean, and closer to 2 carats.

Budget is around $10k.

I'm not sure if it matters, but the setting will be 6 prong 1.5 - 1.8mm plain platinum (still in search of this, too!)

Thanks so much for any help - it's much appreciated!
 
Round diamond 101:

The entire purpose of faceting a diamond is to reflect light.
How well or how poorly a diamond does this determines how beautiful it is.
How well a diamond performs is determined by the angles and cutting. This is why we say cut is king.
No other factor: not color, not clarity has as much of an impact on the appearance of a diamond as its cut. An ideal H will out white a poorly cut F. And GIA Ex is not enough.
So how to we ensure that we have the right angles and cutting to get the light performance we want? Well, we have tools to help you with that. But that is not enough.
What you need after that is a way to check actual light performance of your actual stone.
That's what an idealscope image does. https://www.pricescope.com/wiki/diamonds/firescope-idealscope
It shows you how and wear your diamond is reflecting light, how well it is going at it, and where you are losing light return. That is why you won't see us recommending Blue Nile, as they do not provide idealscope images for their diamonds. All our best vendors do though.

Now if you want to skip all that... stick to AGS0 stones and then all you have to do is pick color and clarity and you know you have a great performing diamond. Because AGS has already done the checking for you. That's why they trade at a premium. With AGS0 stones you don't strictly need an idealscope image. But getting one is nice to confirm performance and that is why almost all our best vendors provide them for you. Not all AGS0's are created the same though, so if you want to make sure it's the very best cut, post it and we'll evaluate it for you.

Generally you will want a table 60% or less. A depth between 59 and 62.4. Crown angle 33.5-36. Pavilion Angle: 40.6-41 (there is a little give on this)

And the crown and pavilion angles must be complimentary which is what the HCA does for you.

ON COLOR:

It is important to remember is that color is graded FACE DOWN. Where there is NO light return. Not face up where there is light return and refraction. You wear diamonds set. FACE UP.

Within one color grade, even the labs can't agree on the color grades of stones and something could be a "high" H or a "low" E. So... no. Not really. Within 2 color grades it is hard. Not impossible. But very hard. And it gets harder once set. If you are talking ideal rounds, or any stone with ideal light return and no sharp corners it gets harder still because the ideal light return masks body color.

Generally we say to be conservative stay above H in a round. But MANY people have happily bought white I or even J diamonds when trying to eek out a little more size.

This is how I think of it.

Ever gotten one of those HUGE paint fan decks? Where there are literally 100s of colors of whites? And when they are RIGHT next to each other you can TOTALLY tell that one is bluer/colder and one is a bit warmer and which one is one is TOTALLY warmer. One there's one that's slightly greener. One that's slightly pinker? But really. They are all white?

Then you pick one after agonizing over this white or that white and when it's on the walls and people are like: Oh. You painted again. And it's STILL white. Great.

And you're all... BUT it's BLUE white. Or it's a WARM white now. It used to be ____ white. It's TOTALLY different.

It's like that. You are talking about shades of white. D is colder... J is warmer. But it's all white.

YES. If you have an accurately graded F and an H THAT HAVE THE SAME PERFORMANCE you are going to be able to tell them apart when you compare them. Just like you would be able to tell if you painted your walls a warm white, but painted the crown molding a cold/straight white. But both are STILL white.


I want you notice all the qualifiers thought. I'm talking about stones with the SAME performance. An ideal H will out white an F that has compromised light performance from a poor cut.

NOTHING impacts the appearance of a diamond as much as cut. CUT is king.

You want the shinest whitest and brightest diamond out there: Cut is King. No other factor, not color or clarity or anything else impacts how white bright an shiny a stone is.

ON CLARITY:
http://www.goodoldgold.com/4Cs/Clarity/SI/ and http://www.goodoldgold.com/4Cs/Clarity/VS/ Generally we say that eyeclean SI1 and VS2 are as high as you need to go with round brilliants.


Okay?
 
 
Thank you for all of the info, Gypsy! I will definitely take all of that into consideration and post some specific diamonds we're considering for some more insight. Your paint analogy was spot on - that's a great way of thinking about the colors.

I really like the diamond you linked! Is it safest to stick with WF, BGD, GOG, and JA when buying online? Are there any additional sites that shouldn't be overlooked, such as Blue Nile (and I'm sure others)?

Do you know of a way to specifically find 6 prongs? In searching specifically for 6, it's hit or miss. Or, can any of the 4 prongs be made into 6?

Thanks again :)
 
No look for a 6 prong off the bat. BGD and WF have several. Just look through the settings, at these dealers, they'll be a decent selection.

I prefer BGD and JA myself, having worked with them. WF has an excellent rep. Brilliantly Engaged is another. And so is High Performance Diamonds, whom I've worked with Happily. Oh, and Good Old Gold. Also a great vendor. I'd stick to that list personally.

Here is my favorite 6 prong: http://www.brilliantlyengaged.com/fleurette-6-prong-bouquet-inspired-solitaire-engagement-ring-bpid-70-18.html Looks like a flower.

FIXED LINK.
 
Thank you for those recommendations! I was looking at places like Blue Nile that didn't have any actual photos - I'd have a hard time purchasing from somewhere like that.

I went to a local store today and looked at this diamond:
http://www.gia.edu/cs/Satellite?pag...&c=Page&cid=1355954554547&reportno=1116176125

It's priced at $9,195. I don't think it's the one for me (for various reasons), but I think it was good to see a J SI2 in person.
 
flyingpig|1451372263|3967729 said:
sonice|1451369600|3967718 said:
Any thoughts on this one?

http://www.whiteflash.com/loose-diamonds/certificate.aspx?idno=3579566&file_name=1
Click to expand...

http://www.b2cjewels.com/dd-7640828-1.72-carat-Round-diamond-J-color-VS2-clarity.aspx
The same diamond from other vendor. Cheaper. Just FYI.

Having said that, you cannot do wrong, if you take Gypsy's advise.
Click to expand...


I just don't like the angles on that stone. Even if it scores under 2 (probably does), I just don't like pavillion angles over 40.8 if I can avoid it.
 
Still think you should buy this one: http://www.jamesallen.com/loose-diamonds/round-cut/1.72-carat-j-color-vvs2-clarity-excellent-cut-sku-765887

As for a 6 prong setting:
http://w.mawebcenters.com/static/ecommerce/141/141877/media/catalog/product/t/m/tm_torch_comp1b.jpg MWM Torchiere setting. :love:

Here's MWM's page: http://www.mwmjewelry.com/ (I also like the Flame solitiare).

You can order his work (which is just freaking stunning) through Good Old Gold.

If you want the best 6 prong out there, this is it. It's the Ferrari of 6 prongs.
 
Thanks, Gypsy! That one is definitely on the short list. I've also emailed WF requesting some photos of the one from yesterday - we shall see what comes of that.

I looooove those settings. Wow. Gorgeous. Thank you for posting those! :love:
 
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