Help me find a good Radiant cut diamond online?!

[jayd]

Hi everyone! I have had horrible luck locating a radiant cut diamond that I like in stores. I was told to try online.
I am very picky with my specs and want something perfect! please help if you know anything about Radiants or purchasing diamonds online.

Specs:
GIA certified diamond
Price range 12,000 INCLUDING setting and wedding band (so I believe the stone itself can be up to 10,500..I think?)
DEFG (I am wary on G & H because in store I have seen them and they have a yellowy hue, I want it to be WHITE and sparkly, no crushed ice effect)
1-1.25 L/W ratio (I do NOT want a skinny long stone. I want a more squareish stone with cut corners)
VS1-SI1 (eye clean please!)
1.34-1.55 (I believe the carat weight does matter because it will be set as a solitaire)
EXCELLENT cut (to maximize sparkle!)
Depth/table (apparently it needs to be 60-69%???)
Girdle thin-slightly thick (I have no idea about this either..)

I am using the 'Diamond database' website to help me figure out if the stone is adequate weight and has face up value.

I hope somebody can help me locate a great stone online!

Thanks everyone

 

[Gypsy]

You depth and table are just... Depth and table don't make a nice radiant.

You need a good aset and performance.

Your budget isn't going to be enough.
And if you saw color in a G it wasn't a GIA graded stone.


Were you looking at EGL stones?
And do you even know how to evaluate a radiant for performance? Because performance and cut aren't listed on a GIA certificate. And anything but GIA or AGS is toilet paper with fancies.

 

[Gypsy]

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. With fancies though (anything other than a round brilliant), that is a little complicated. But no other factor: not color, not clarity has as much of an impact on the appearance of a diamond as its cut.
A poorly cut stone of F will look dark and dull and flat. An ideal PERFORMING H is going to out bright the F. And look bigger as well.
There really is no other way to determine if you have a good radiant cut is to shop by images of the stones, and then you need is a way to check actual light performance of your actual stone.

That's what an ASET image does. http://www.highperformancediamonds.com/index.php?page=education-performance Please read.
And ASET 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 vendors like Blue Nile, as they do not provide images or ASET images for their diamonds. James Allen and Good Old Gold do this. So do Brian Gavin, B2C and Whiteflash and High Performance Diamonds. ERD does too, for stones they source for you.

 

[jayd]

OK, so cut is key. Understood.
Is there anything specific I should be looking for when it comes to the perfect cut? I don't know much about diamonds (clearly..) and I have been trying to do as much research as I can.

Thank you for your help.

 

[Gypsy]

Stuller has a gorgeous setting in 14kt for 650 that will look great with a radiant. I suggest you let your lady chose her own wedding band.

OK. So here are some nice stones. None of them tick all your boxes.
COMPARE MEASUREMENTS NOT CARAT WEIGHT.

You only get 3 ASETs at JA, so c. hoose carefully

I'd pick two of these:
http://www.jamesallen.com/loose-diamonds/radiant-cut/1.30-carat-e-color-si1-clarity-sku-228265 Has promise if it's not too leaky under the table.
http://www.jamesallen.com/loose-diamonds/radiant-cut/1.52-carat-f-color-si1-clarity-sku-224421 Same with this one.
http://www.jamesallen.com/loose-diamonds/radiant-cut/1.30-carat-f-color-vs2-clarity-sku-183837

And one of these:
http://www.jamesallen.com/loose-diamonds/radiant-cut/1.62-carat-g-color-vvs2-clarity-sku-40146 Not sure of the performance of this one.
http://www.jamesallen.com/loose-diamonds/radiant-cut/1.39-carat-e-color-vs2-clarity-sku-319681 Not sure about this one either.

This facet pattern usually ASETs out well, but they are smaller than you want and they don't face up large for their carat weight, which is a shame:
http://www.jamesallen.com/loose-diamonds/radiant-cut/1.13-carat-f-color-if-clarity-sku-23478
http://www.jamesallen.com/loose-diamonds/radiant-cut/1.13-carat-f-color-if-clarity-sku-23433

 

[Gypsy]

OK, so cut is key. Understood.
Is there anything specific I should be looking for when it comes to the perfect cut? I don't know much about diamonds (clearly..) and I have been trying to do as much research as I can.

Thank you for your help.

You are welcome!
Learn to read an ASET. Watch the videos of the radiants I picked for you.
Here are some good Radiant ASETs:

 

[Gypsy]

Acceptable radiant ASETs (above average, grade B):

 

[jayd]

OH wow! Ok I will take a look at those right now!

I had this one saved in my cart on JA..What do you think?

http://www.jamesallen.com/loose-diamonds/radiant-cut/1.30-carat-g-color-vvs1-clarity-sku-247600

 

[JulieN]

Just ok, I would save it, but keep looking for better options.

 

[Gypsy]

OH wow! Ok I will take a look at those right now!

I had this one saved in my cart on JA..What do you think?


http://www.jamesallen.com/loose-diamonds/radiant-cut/1.30-carat-g-color-vvs1-clarity-sku-247600

The crown is really low and the table is big. It's not going to have a lot of fire, but if that's okay with you, it could be a decent (B range) stone.

 

[jayd]

http://www.jamesallen.com/loose-diamonds/radiant-cut/1.39-carat-e-color-vs2-clarity-sku-319681

 

[jayd]

Ok I will keep looking! If anyone finds anything please post here so I can take a look at it! thanks thanks

 

[Gypsy]

http://www.jamesallen.com/loose-diamonds/radiant-cut/1.39-carat-e-color-vs2-clarity-sku-319681

I posted that one above. It's a maybe. It's got some leakage under the table. It just depends how much.

 

[jayd]

Oh yes, sorry.

I will keep looking. However, from what I have seen in the results..this one is the only adequate one so far. Fingers crossed!

 

[Lorelei]

OH wow! Ok I will take a look at those right now!

I had this one saved in my cart on JA..What do you think?


http://www.jamesallen.com/loose-diamonds/radiant-cut/1.30-carat-g-color-vvs1-clarity-sku-247600

The crown is really low and the table is big. It's not going to have a lot of fire, but if that's okay with you, it could be a decent (B range) stone.

Nice rating! My thoughts are the same as the other ladies, let's see what else is out there and keep this one on the back burner, I think we can do better.

 

[jayd]

Thanks everyone! Your help and suggestions are much appreciated.

Bring on the links!

 

[jayd]

http://www.ritani.com/diamonds/radiant-diamond-1-42-Carat-G-color-GIA-certified/D-M1V1SQ

 

[Gypsy]

If thats not a stock photo it's a TOTAL pass. Bad bowtie and faceting.

 

[jayd]

[url=http://www.brilliance.com/dia...eal-cut-gia-certified-loose-diamond-D12705519

http://www.brilliance.com/diamonds/1.50-carat-radiant-e-color-si1-clarity-excellent-cut-gia-certified-loose-diamond-D12862492

http://www.since1910.com/diamond/1-51ct/g-si1/radiant/cut/diamond/-r-8258-54191625

http://www.since1910.com/diamond/1-46ct/f-si1/radiant/cut/diamond/-r-8258-54191608

http://www.jamesallen.com/loose-diamonds/radiant-cut/1.39-carat-e-color-vs2-clarity-sku-319681

http://www.jamesallen.com/loose-diamonds/radiant-cut/1.50-carat-g-color-si1-clarity-sku-245577

http://www.jamesallen.com/loose-diamonds/radiant-cut/1.50-carat-g-color-si1-clarity-sku-245577



[/url]

 

[jayd]

http://www.brilliance.com/diamonds/...ent-cut-gia-certified-loose-diamond-D12738936

 

[jayd]

I think so too! I posted a few links of diamonds I have found.. let me know your thoughts please and thank you!

 

[Gypsy]

The brilliance diamonds are sample images and videos not actual.

 

[Gypsy]

already posted advice you are ignoring. posted stines too. Narrow JA stones to 3 and get ASETs. stop looking at sites with only sample images like 1910 and others. OK. Post ASETs when uou have them.

 

[jayd]

I do not mean to ignore you, your advise is important to me and I do apologize if it came off that way.
I will look up those diamonds again, would it be ok to use the 'diamond data base' to give me a better idea of the face up size? Also, I love the 1.30's (price is great too!) but the 1.62 and 1.50 are a bit out of my price range..However, I want something closer to the 1.4-1.5 size..just because the ring is a simple solitaire and I don't want it to look too small? thoughts?



Thanks

 

[Gypsy]

I'm not sure what you mean about diamond data base.

As for carat weight. Focus on dimensions not carat weight. And focus on performance. Sorry to post stones outside of your budget.

Pick the three you like best and post them below. OKAY?

 

[jayd]

http://www.diamdb.com/ < that is the diamond data base I have been using to give me a better idea of the face up size of the diamonds!


Out of the ones you posted:
http://www.jamesallen.com/loose-diamonds/radiant-cut/1.39-carat-e-color-vs2-clarity-sku-319681
http://www.jamesallen.com/loose-diamonds/radiant-cut/1.30-carat-g-color-vvs1-clarity-sku-247600

and a JA rep showed me this one but I am iffy on it:
http://www.jamesallen.com/loose-diamonds/radiant-cut/1.32-carat-g-color-vvs2-clarity-sku-328476

thanks

 

[jayd]

I think I may be slightly obsessed with the 1.39 E VS2. I have asked JA to put it on hold for me while I await your feedback! I think It would look great in a thin pave solitaire setting!

 

[jayd]

http://www.jamesallen.com/loose-diamonds/radiant-cut/1.31-carat-e-color-vs2-clarity-sku-330125

I have way too much time on my hands at this point, Sorry for the diamond overload. I need to choose 3 asap and get this done..

 

[Gypsy]

carat-e-color-vs2-clarity-sku-330125

http://www.diamdb.com/ < that is the diamond data base I have been using to give me a better idea of the face up size of the diamonds!


Out of the ones you posted:
http://www.jamesallen.com/loose-diamonds/radiant-cut/1.39-carat-e-color-vs2-clarity-sku-319681
http://www.jamesallen.com/loose-diamonds/radiant-cut/1.30-carat-g-color-vvs1-clarity-sku-247600

and a JA rep showed me this one but I am iffy on it:
http://www.jamesallen.com/loose-diamonds/radiant-cut/1.32-carat-g-color-vvs2-clarity-sku-328476

thanks

I really like the one the JA rep picked.
I don't think I pick the square 1.30 G VVS and I don't like it. Do this one instead: http://www.jamesallen.com/loose-diamonds/radiant-cut/1.30-carat-f-color-vs2-clarity-sku-183837
With these two then:
http://www.jamesallen.com/loose-diamonds/radiant-cut/1.39-carat-e-color-vs2-clarity-sku-319681
http://www.jamesallen.com/loose-diamonds/radiant-cut/1.32-carat-g-color-vvs2-clarity-sku-328476

 

[jayd]

Thanks for the response! I am asking JA to send me ASET pictures as we speak! SO EXCITED.