Help me get to the finish line! (Engagement Ring)

[This is frustrating]

User name pretty much says it all lol

I am looking to propose after the new year. During the course of this year, I have tried to educate myself and get acclimated to the diamond market. My gf wants a round diamond in yellow gold twisted pave setting like these:

https://www.jamesallen.com/engageme...-pave-shank-contemporary-solitaire-item-41554

https://www.brilliantearth.com/Petite-Twisted-Vine-Diamond-Ring-Gold-BE1D54-3821856/

Based on my research into the 4 Cs, the yellow gold setting led me to believe I could make most of my concessions of color, going into the J/K range. It did not seem to make sense to pay a premium on color, since yellow gold would diminish the returns. I am looking in the 2 - 3 ct. range, so I have been looking to keep clarity at least at VS2. I have browsed most of the major online vendor spaces, developing an affinity for James Allen based on their interface/CS. My plan was to have JA pull my top 3 stones to be viewed on a trip to NYC I will make in January.

I did not find this site until trying to put the finishing touches on my search based on lab. My initial reading lead me to believe that GIA was the gold standard, but it seems many here have an affinity for AGS. I have always searched for excellent/ideal cut, since I understand the importance of the cut. Reading here I found out about the implications of table/depth/crown/pavilion, regardless of cut gradings. This initially led to feel a bit frustrated

After processing everything, I am now optimistic that this community can help push me to the finish line. The ranges I had in mind were $25K total for a 3 ct. purchase and $15K total for a 2 ct. purchase (factoring in $1Kish for the setting). These are admittedly a bit arbitrary, but are mostly based on a combination of budget and my limited understand of the diamond market. I am ready to reassess some wants/expectations to make the best decision.

The cheat sheet I found here for cut specs listed these parameters:
Table: 54-57
Depth: 60-62.4
Crown: 34-35
Pavilion: 40.6-40.8

After refining my search based on these parameters, this seemed like a nice 3 ct. option:
https://www.jamesallen.com/loose-di...k-color-vs2-clarity-excellent-cut-sku-6038089

The table and pavilion are within range, and the depth is .1 outside of range. The crown is 1.5 outside of range, so I'm not sure if that throws everything off.

Being someone who prefers quality over quantity, I appreciate the existence of forums for people who obsess about everything from shoes to cars. Diamonds are just not my thing. I have done my research, and hope some of the aficionados can help fill in the gaps.

To summarize:
I'm looking for a round diamond to go in a yellow gold twisted pave setting. I am looking for a 2 ct. stone in the $14K range or a 3 ct. stone in the $24K range. VS2 clarity or better, K color or better, ideal/excellent cut. I'm willing to go outside of the JA ecosystem. Please help me get to the finish line

 

[lovedogs]

Yay, happy to help you and congrats on the upcoming engagement!

IMHO, if you are looking at such a large stone and spending this much $, then consider going with a "super-ideal" stone. Super ideal stones are proprietary cuts from vendors like Whiteflash, HP Diamonds, Brian Gavin, etc. Whiteflash has "a cut above" or ACA, HP diamonds has "crafted by infinity" or CBI, and Brian Gavin has their "signature" line.

There are some stones in your budget on these sites, but you won't get 3ct for 24K. However, super-ideal stones often face up whiter for their color, and look larger than their carat weight because of the cut.

Here are a few examples from HP diamonds, but there are others as well:
https://www.hpdiamonds.com/en-us/diamonddetail/HPD7859
https://www.hpdiamonds.com/en-us/diamonddetail/HPD10071
https://www.hpdiamonds.com/en-us/diamonddetail/HPD10080
https://www.hpdiamonds.com/en-us/diamonddetail/HPD10050

Heres an option from whiteflash:
https://www.whiteflash.com/loose-diamonds/round-cut-loose-diamond-4018651.htm

EDIT: I'm not a huge fan of the JA one you linked, but I'll look for stuff from them now.

 

[Lookinagain]

I don't think you should go to J/K regardless of the color of the settings metal unless you know your intended won't mind the tint of the stone. A YG setting is not going to diminish the color, IMO, as you may think it will. A YG setting with yellow prongs may make a tinted stone look more tinted from my experience. Yet, it might make a G colored stone look very white. You need to figure out the intendeds color tolerance before jumping down to J/K. To be safe, I'd stick with H if you don't want to take her around to see different stones. And if she is color sensitive, H may seem warm to her. Just ask @sledge.

 

[lovedogs]

I don't think you should go to J/K regardless of the color of the settings metal unless you know your intended won't mind the tint of the stone. A YG setting is not going to diminish the color, IMO, as you may think it will. A YG setting may make a tinted stone look more tinted from my experience. You need to figure out the intendeds color tolerance before jumping down to J/K. To be safe, I'd stick with H if you don't want to take her around to see different stones. And if she is color sensitive, H may seem warm to her.

Good point--it's important to know what OP's intended wants. OP: has she seen any warmer colored diamonds that are well-graded (GIA or AGS)?

Some of us love them (like me!), but others don't.

 

[lovedogs]

Here's a good option that's I-color to avoid issues of J/K stones, but higher colors are more expensive.\

https://www.whiteflash.com/loose-diamonds/round-cut-loose-diamond-4018657.htm?source=pricescope

 

[This is frustrating]

Yay, happy to help you and congrats on the upcoming engagement!

IMHO, if you are looking at such a large stone and spending this much $, then consider going with a "super-ideal" stone. Super ideal stones are proprietary cuts from vendors like Whiteflash, HP Diamonds, Brian Gavin, etc. Whiteflash has "a cut above" or ACA, HP diamonds has "crafted by infinity" or CBI, and Brian Gavin has their "signature" line.

There are some stones in your budget on these sites, but you won't get 3ct for 24K. However, super-ideal stones often face up whiter for their color, and look larger than their carat weight because of the cut.

Here are a few examples from HP diamonds, but there are others as well:
https://www.hpdiamonds.com/en-us/diamonddetail/HPD7859
https://www.hpdiamonds.com/en-us/diamonddetail/HPD10071
https://www.hpdiamonds.com/en-us/diamonddetail/HPD10080
https://www.hpdiamonds.com/en-us/diamonddetail/HPD10050

Heres an option from whiteflash:
https://www.whiteflash.com/loose-diamonds/round-cut-loose-diamond-4018651.htm

EDIT: I'm not a huge fan of the JA one you linked, but I'll look for stuff from them now.

Thanks! I love dogs too

My initial reaction to what I learned here was that a $25K 3 ct. stone that was of a quality up to the standards of this forum was not possible. TBH, 3 ct. is a figure I fixated on, not my gf.

WF seems to be preferred to JA here, and I understand their quality is superior. However, they do not seem to have a yellow gold twisted pave setting where one of the twists is gold, and one of the twists is a diamond- which is my gf's preference.

I don't think you should go to J/K regardless of the color of the settings metal unless you know your intended won't mind the tint of the stone. A YG setting is not going to diminish the color, IMO, as you may think it will. A YG setting with yellow prongs may make a tinted stone look more tinted from my experience. Yet, it might make a G colored stone look very white. You need to figure out the intendeds color tolerance before jumping down to J/K. To be safe, I'd stick with H if you don't want to take her around to see different stones. And if she is color sensitive, H may seem warm to her. Just ask @sledge.

Nuances such as the warmth of a stone will likely be lost on me. Like I said, diamonds just aren't my thing. I did my reading, and I thought that J/K for yellow gold was a generally accepted parameter. Like my understanding of cut, it seems like this might need to be re-evaluated. Going to look at stones is likely outside of her comfort level, as are discussions about color tolerance. We've had the discussion about the setting and the shape of diamond she wants. I think the rest is up to me, for better or for worse

 

[lovedogs]

Thanks! I love dogs too

My initial reaction to what I learned here was that a $25K 3 ct. stone that was of a quality up to the standards of this forum was not possible. TBH, 3 ct. is a figure I fixated on, not my gf.

WF seems to be preferred to JA here, and I understand their quality is superior. However, they do not seem to have a yellow gold twisted pave setting where one of the twists is gold, and one of the twists is a diamond- which is my gf's preference.



Nuances such as the warmth of a stone will likely be lost on me. Like I said, diamonds just aren't my thing. I did my reading, and I thought that J/K for yellow gold was a generally accepted parameter. Like my understanding of cut, it seems like this might need to be re-evaluated. Going to look at stones is likely outside of her comfort level, as are discussions about color tolerance. We've had the discussion about the setting and the shape of diamond she wants. I think the rest is up to me, for better or for worse

Ok, thanks for the info! This is really helpful

I think H/I will look totally fine in yellow gold, but I would potentially avoid J/K unless your GF specifically said she likes warmer colored stones.

Whiteflash and high performance diamonds both do custom settings. I would reach out to them and ask for their advice about picking a stone and the setting style you like. Honestly, with either of those 2 vendors I think even a J colored stone *could* be fine bc they will face up whiter. But I would trust both of those vendors to be honest and help you out I just got a custom cut CBI and absolutely adore it. Wink and Melissa are amazing.

 

[ringo865]

Whiteflash has a 30 day return period and a super generous upgrade policy on any of their inhouse diamonds.

They also have access to settings not on their site and, I believe, can do custom.

Show them a picture of the setting she loves and look at stones Between 2-2.5 carats. Propose within the return period (in case it is too tinted (or large)) then upgrade to 3 cts for an anniversary or push present.

 

[Lookinagain]

Do you know her finger size? the visual is hugely different for a 2.5 ct stone on a size 4 finger vs. a size 8 finger.

 

[This is frustrating]

Whiteflash has a 30 day return period and a super generous upgrade policy on any of their inhouse diamonds.

They also have access to settings not on their site and, I believe, can do custom.

Show them a picture of the setting she loves and look at stones Between 2-2.5 carats. Propose within the return period (in case it is too tinted (or large)) then upgrade to 3 cts for an anniversary or push present.

This is probably the best idea on carat size. I had planned on using the return period/proposal time in this very manner as well

I'll reach out to WF tomorrow and begin exploring options there.

Do you know her finger size? the visual is hugely different for a 2.5 ct stone on a size 4 finger vs. a size 8 finger.

She is an identical twin, so fortunately I have access to proprietary info like this without blowing my cover. I'll get her finger size. I want to say it's 6 or 7, but that is just a guess. Is there a guideline for finger size to carat size?

 

[bmfang]

This is probably the best idea on carat size. I had planned on using the return period/proposal time in this very manner as well

I'll reach out to WF tomorrow and begin exploring options there.



She is an identical twin, so fortunately I have access to proprietary info like this without blowing my cover. I'll get her finger size. I want to say it's 6 or 7, but that is just a guess. Is there a guideline for finger size to carat size?

No real guide IMHO. Some women with small finger sizes like massive stones, some like smaller. YMMV

 

[Lookinagain]

no guideline, but culture and/or location and social circle do influence this. And profession may play into the decision. Does she work with her hands? Or does she work at a computer? All of these factors can come into play. The more information we have the better we can guide you.

 

[lovedogs]

Can you ask her identical twin what she thinks that your GF would prefer in terms of size? Her twin might have an idea of what the "norms" are wherever you guys live, and her twin might also have a guesstimate about your GFs preferred stone size.

 

[Lykame]

You're getting excellent help here and I like how willing to reassess and be flexible you are. Much respect.

Are you going to use her identical twin to figure out her finger size? Slightly confused - unless said twin knows your girlfriend's finger size... They probably don't have the same finger sizes... I feel like I might be missing something here...

Best of luck with this process!

 

[This is frustrating]

You're getting excellent help here and I like how willing to reassess and be flexible you are. Much respect.

Are you going to use her identical twin to figure out her finger size? Slightly confused - unless said twin knows your girlfriend's finger size... They probably don't have the same finger sizes... I feel like I might be missing something here...

Best of luck with this process!

Yes, I will ask her twin. I do believe they share the same ring finger size, which I learned from when her twin got engaged

I'm grabbing dinner with her twin on Wednesday, so I will confirm then. My gf is a nurse (psych)- so not in a surgical setting. I believe 3 ct. would have been testing the upper bounds of her comfort level on size. Something in the 2 ct.+ range will still be large for our social circles. My hope is that it is impressively large, not offensively large

 

[chanieish]

Yes, I will ask her twin. I do believe they share the same ring finger size, which I learned from when her twin got engaged

I'm grabbing dinner with her twin on Wednesday, so I will confirm then. My gf is a nurse (psych)- so not in a surgical setting. I believe 3 ct. would have been testing the upper bounds of her comfort level on size. Something in the 2 ct.+ range will still be large for our social circles. My hope is that it is impressively large, not offensively large

Working in the medical field, having a lower set diamond that is sturdy (think 6-prong/bezel) might be important since she will be using her hands a lot and wearing gloves quite a bit. Also remind her to clean her ring often since that hand sanitizer we use 10000x per day can leave a thick film on the ring. I also got a superideal J in rose gold. I can see tint 5% of the time esp in yellow lighting but I’m okay with that. It’s a very personal pref and your last might not like it.

Best of luck! Can’t wait to see your purchase.

 

[Lykame]

Yes, I will ask her twin. I do believe they share the same ring finger size, which I learned from when her twin got engaged

I'm grabbing dinner with her twin on Wednesday, so I will confirm then. My gf is a nurse (psych)- so not in a surgical setting. I believe 3 ct. would have been testing the upper bounds of her comfort level on size. Something in the 2 ct.+ range will still be large for our social circles. My hope is that it is impressively large, not offensively large

Such stealthy investigative work! Love it. How competitive are they? Are you going to have to balance against the type of ring her sister got? I don't have a sister to be able to offer a personal advice about it but might also be something to consider? Or maybe nothing to worry about at all!

You're clearly putting a lot of careful thought into this so I think whatever you get her will be perfect.

 

[This is frustrating]

Working in the medical field, having a lower set diamond that is sturdy (think 6-prong/bezel) might be important since she will be using her hands a lot and wearing gloves quite a bit. Also remind her to clean her ring often since that hand sanitizer we use 10000x per day can leave a thick film on the ring. I also got a superideal J in rose gold. I can see tint 5% of the time esp in yellow lighting but I’m okay with that. It’s a very personal pref and your last might not like it.

Best of luck! Can’t wait to see your purchase.

Esthetically, I prefer the look of a solitaire pronged setting and had suggested this, but this twist pave is definitely want she wants. The JA twist pave seems more sturdy as it supports larger sized diamonds, which is another reason I had developed an affinity for them. It's nice to know that WF can design something based on this, but a custom setting does give me another thing to obsess about lol. There was some talk of wanting a wedding band without diamonds so that she could take the engagement ring off if needed for work and not have to worry about cleaning diamonds. The wedding band concerns have been alleviated due to the nature of the work she is actually doing, so my thought is that any engagement ring concerns due to work should be alleviated as well.

Such stealthy investigative work! Love it. How competitive are they? Are you going to have to balance against the type of ring her sister got? I don't have a sister to be able to offer a personal advice about it but might also be something to consider? Or maybe nothing to worry about at all!

You're clearly putting a lot of careful thought into this so I think whatever you get her will be perfect.

I'm sure there is always some sibling rivalry at play with twins , but not to the level that it would create animosity over ring size.

Her sister did receive a halo setting, so she does want a halo setting. This I feel puts a little pressure on to get an impressive (big) diamond, since the halo setting has the added benefit of making the ring look bigger. She likes jewelry, but is not necessarily diamond fanatic like many here are . I want to make a big impression to her and others based on how much I love her. And, truth be told, I tend to have expensive tastes . She would be more than happy with far less carat size than I am looking at. I also honestly do not think that elements such as tint/diamond warmth are that impactful to her. However, as a hedge, I plan to use a reputable vendor with a return period during which I will propose.

I am a bit of a perfectionist, so I tend to try to do things the best I can if I decide to do them haha. I'll keep everyone posted here over the coming weeks and months as I make a decision, and I genuinely appreciate the feedback and guidance.

 

[sledge]

Having dated twin girls -- yes, plural, but many moons ago -- Rule 101 is that they are not really 100% identical. You probably know this by now but my point is that just because sister has a size 6 ring doesn't mean your (future) fiancee will have a size 6 finger. That said, it sounds like there was a conversation that tipped you off that they did indeed have the same ring size. Just don't assume is all I'm saying.

You do have a great spy though. The sister can likely get you all sorts of intel about color preference, sensitivity, appropriate size, etc without you ever having to ask or tip your hand about what is going on.

In regards to the first diamond you picked out, I would NOT buy. I understand you don't get the intricacies of the proportions yet and that's okay; however, that crown being off only 1.5 degrees may seem insignificant it has a rather large impact as evidenced below.

Using the GIA proportions listed, see how this stone falls exactly in Excellent (EX, or red) territory as signified by the black box? Because of the way GIA rounds & averages their values there will be some variance in actual individual reported values which is what the larger blue box tries to account for and here we can see it could slip to Very Good (VG, or orange) or may go Ideal (or pink) depending how precisely it is cut and how the actual individual values look. If I simplify the process it seems you have a 33.3% chance of going Ideal, VG or EX. IMO, that's too risky and not a stone I'd recommend for you.

FYI, this stone scores a 2.4 on the HCA. Ideally you want to be between a 1-2, although anything less than 2 can work. Generall 0-1 is for pendants, earrings, etc. Of course, just looking at the proportions gave me a pretty good idea it wouldn't make the HCA goals.

https://www.pricescope.com/tools/hca



On the flip side, if this exact stone existed with a 35 crown, look at the difference that happens. It now puts the black & blue boxes in Ideal territory even when we try to account for those variances I mentioned above.



While I still wouldn't be crazy about the 62.5 depth, it would give me a greater confidence that an ASET or idealscope image (that proves light performance/cut) will come back good and would make it a stone I'd consider pursuing. We might see some irregularities because of the depth but again when buying GIA stones via virtual inventory you have to accept the process for what it is:

1. Using the ideal proportion cheat sheet, narrow your list to a few stones.
2. Confirm the proportions are complimentary -- usually the inverse of a steep crown & shallow pavilion or vice versa. So 35/40.6 works well but 35/40.9 doesn't work as good. Alternatively 34/40.9 works well but combining a shallow crown & pavilion like 34/40.6 doesn't work well. If you need help assessing we can give an opinion.
3. Run the HCA and confirm it hits in the 0-2 range, with a preference for 1-2.
4. Assuming all the above is good, request an idealscope and/or ASET from JA or other diamond vendor. JA doesn't provide ASET's for round diamonds (but they do for other shapes) and you are limited to three with them, so make sure it's stones you are serious about. Other vendors don't seem to have this quantity limitation.
5. If the images check out then order. If not, start over. If no images are available, you have to make a gut call based on the proportions, HCA and still images/videos you do have available.

Also, since I was mentioned earlier about the color, I will toss in a few cents there. I didn't think my fiancee was as color sensitive as she is so I bought a BGD Blue stone that is an H VS2. Like the stone you linked it has medium blue fluorescence (MBF) which others say can help whiten the stone. I'm not saying it doesn't help but if so, I think the effects are pretty minimal. One thing is certain stones with medium+ fluor trade at cheaper prices so if you like or aren't bothered by fluor then it's a way to snag a deal, especially since very few stones are negatively affected by it -- GIA says about 1-2% will produce a milky/hazy appearance, which you don't want, but that means 98%+ are not usually affected.

Anyhow, my point is that I didn't think she'd be able to see any color as she seemed so relaxed and laid back about everything else. Turns out I am marrying eagle eyes. I can see a little tint in the right conditions but it's obvious to her. On the flip side, she is also very color tolerant meaning even though she sees it, she isn't bothered by it. Unfortunately (for me) I meant to give her a colorless diamond and she sees tint and doesn't want to return it because of the sentimental value. Consequently I have become more bothered by it than she has and I would like to upgrade her when she's ready. I foresee a D/E/F in our future when the timing works out.

 

[sledge]

You posted a response when I was writing the above novel, and I just wanted to say that part of your journey with the twist e-ring reminds me of my own journey.

I believe I was looking at the same exact setting from JA and it was a top contender as it really is a nice setting. In that process, many of the fine folks here helped guide me countless twisted shank settings with one side plain and one side diamonds (also a desire of my own fiancee). If you take the time to read through these threads, you will likely find some alternatives:

https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/need-some-help-w-setting.240400/
https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/picking-the-setting-take-2.240587/
https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/dk-bgd-custom-setting-the-home-stretch.240843/

The last one is the thread that reveals the (custom) setting I ended up choosing in the end. What amazes me the most when I look at these older threads is how much I have learned in such a short amount of time. I know you are frustrated now, but if you listen and take the time to learn and apply the information you can be speaking fluent diamond in no time, lol.

Anyhow, hope this helps.

 

[This is frustrating]

I appreciate the novel @sledge

First update: I reached out to WF. They were able to show me a twist pave setting that I think would work very well.
https://www.whiteflash.com/engageme...-criss-cross-diamond-engagement-ring-4512.htm

They will also research and get me a quote for a custom setting closer to the BE/JA options I am looking to replicate. I think my gf would love the Simon G setting, so a custom option does not seem necessary with WF.

This is the option I came up with after searching on my own at WF:
https://www.whiteflash.com/loose-diamonds/round-cut-loose-diamond-4042796.htm

I gave them this one along with an outline of what I'm looking for and said they would send me some stones to consider.

After processing everything I have read here to this point, my updated parameters are an ACA (this is referred to as super ideal?) in the 1.5 ct. range, I color or better. As far as clarity it seems that if go to SI1, I can stretch the carat size closer to the 1.8 range. SI1 seems to be a sweet spot for value/quality for many here, so I will keep that option open. Since I was previously looking at larger stones, I have a bit preference to stay in the VS range currently. Probably from looking at too many blown up images of imperfections I would never see in real life.

With the smaller carat size, I'd prefer to keep the purchase in the $15K range. Having more money leftover is certainly not a bad thing as well. My non-expert take on color still seems to be that a J/K stone with a yellowish tint would pair well (perhaps even better) with a gold setting. Maybe that is just me wanting to believe it so I can get the bigger stone lol. Based on what options are presented to me, I may revisit some larger J/K diamonds.

I may go down this path with HPD as well, but I figured I would see how things go with WF first. I see both vendors are highly regarded here, are there any reasons to go with one over the other? HPD has the lifetime 80% buy back guarantee, which I suppose is comforting. I went with WF first because I had heard of the name, and enjoyed searching their site more.

 

[This is frustrating]

I will keep this thread updated so that down the road it may help people who find this forum in a situation similar to mine. There are some threads I've read like those by @c3doyle that I've found immensely helpful as I get acclimated to the sophisticated diamond shoppers' market.

My price and carat range for how I'm currently searching are a bit broad, at $10K - $20K and 1.4 ct. to 2.1 ct. respectively. The Simon G. setting at WF has a limit of 2.2 ct., which is probably a good thing lol. 3 ct. would have likely been outside my gf's comfort level as a more understated jewelry wearer. 2 ct. might also test her comfort level a bit, but I think in a good way.

I am still trying to stay at I color and better, but would step down to J for the right 2 ct.+ stone. Some of what I've read about AGS color grading makes me hesitant to do this at WF, since it seems like an I AGS could already be a J GIA. Oranges and yellows are some of my gf's favorite colors, so I think she would like a diamond with some warmth- especially given her affinity for yellow gold. SI1 is also a consideration I'd make for a 2 ct.+ stone in a situation like the WF ACA where the eye cleanliness can be confirmed on an in-house diamond. Visible inclusions at any angle or distance would bother me personally.

Right now, I am leaning towards something approaching the upper end of the Simon G. setting's limit of 2.2 ct. If I glean any info on a size limit from my gf's twin, I will adjust accordingly. I am not beholden to WF yet, so if any of the experts here come across stones in the range I'm looking, I would greatly appreciate a heads up

The piece of mind that ACA offers in terms of the quality of the stone is very attractive though. I would stay in the reputable, super ideal vendor space (WF, HPD, BGD) unless something too good to pass up presented itself. It is difficult for me not to obsess about this stuff (I'm sure many here can relate ), so I am going to cool off on things for the next 30 days or so. After business, taxes, holiday spending, etc. come into focus at the end of the year, I will be ready to tighten up my parameters and rock n roll on a purchase once the perfect stone pops up (absent any deviations to my timeline based on the twin's pending nuptials).

Thanks again to the amazing PS community, and all you crazy people who obsess about these things the same way I do

 

[This is frustrating]

Soooo, last little update for awhile after dinner with the twin.

My gf is a size 7. Her twin's 6.5 ring fits, but is a bit tight.

3 ct. would be decidedly outside of her comfort range. That puts me into a nice 2 ct. range (probably 1.8 - 2.1). Color issues relating to diamond warmth are not a concern. I / SI1 seems to be a sweet spot for quality/value. I'll likely play around in that space, but I might tick those grades up by a notch or so depending on the specific stone.

My initial plan was to make a January order for an early Feb proposal. Her twin is set to be married in late March / early April in a destination wedding abroad. Given the various logistics at play, I'll likely move the proposal until after our return. I'd place the order in March, meaning stones I identify at this point would likely be gone (as would have possibly been the case with the Jan purchase anyways). Still, since this stuff is fun, here are what would be my top 3 candidates:

https://www.whiteflash.com/loose-diamonds/compare.aspx?idnos=4018645,3947721,3947722

After going down the rabbit hole of complimentary specs even with the super ideal range, I came across this one:

https://www.whiteflash.com/loose-diamonds/round-cut-loose-diamond-2838114.htm

To my still non-expert eyes, this one is stunning, and is just about perfect for what I'm looking for. Conceptually, $26K for a 2 ct.ish diamond still seems a bit "wrong" for lack a better term, but that is clouded by the biases I developed while looking on my own before finding this site. Even though it's a bit outside of the range I wanted to go to for a 3 ct. in the beginning, it would be tough to pass this one up if it's still there in a few months (assuming fellow Pricescopers can confirm it's a nice as I think it is).

Regarding WF, I was very impressed by the level of follow-up I received to my initial inquiry. Pulling stones I had flagged to confirm eye cleanliness, letting me know what custom setting options I could explore, etc. leads me to believe that this is definitely the right place to make my purchase. Additionally, their position as what seems to be the most price competitive super ideal vendor is what I'm looking for in terms of a balance for cost and quality at this point.

I'll update when I'm ready to place the order next year and share the search for the final stone with the PS community. I'm sure I'll be reading up here during the interim to keep honing my diamond selection skills.

If anyone has any thoughts on the 4 stones I listed above, they would be greatly appreciated

 

[This is frustrating]

Update time- I'm about to pull the trigger!

This is the stone, a 1.93 ct. J SI1 ACA:
https://www.whiteflash.com/loose-diamonds/round-cut-loose-diamond-4059367.htm

A few things happened during the month of getting ready to make the purchase:
1. I read this thread and realized that J color diamonds are beautiful: https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/j-color-stones-in-platinum.24731/
2. $15Kish began to feel like the right figure for the purchase
3. I realized at a certain point you can think about these things too much! I am getting a super ideal cut diamond for the woman I love more than anything else in the world. From what I have learned here on PS, I will be able to select a diamond far exceeding what mere mortals are capable of . She loves color and I think she'll love a J colored diamond in the yellow gold setting she desires (and if not, WF's return policy is tops ).

I'm not sure if HCA scores are really of concern when you are in the super ideal world, but I plugged this one in and it scored a 1.5.

Based on the turnaround time on the order relative to when I'd like to propose, I likely have to make a final decision by Wednesday. So let me know what you think PS!

Thanks

 

[diamondnewbieny]

Update time- I'm about to pull the trigger!

This is the stone, a 1.93 ct. J SI1 ACA:
https://www.whiteflash.com/loose-diamonds/round-cut-loose-diamond-4059367.htm

A few things happened during the month of getting ready to make the purchase:
1. I read this thread and realized that J color diamonds are beautiful: https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/j-color-stones-in-platinum.24731/
2. $15Kish began to feel like the right figure for the purchase
3. I realized at a certain point you can think about these things too much! I am getting a super ideal cut diamond for the woman I love more than anything else in the world. From what I have learned here on PS, I will be able to select a diamond far exceeding what mere mortals are capable of . She loves color and I think she'll love a J colored diamond in the yellow gold setting she desires (and if not, WF's return policy is tops ).

I'm not sure if HCA scores are really of concern when you are in the super ideal world, but I plugged this one in and it scored a 1.5.

Based on the turnaround time on the order relative to when I'd like to propose, I likely have to make a final decision by Wednesday. So let me know what you think PS!

Thanks

I am a J color diamond fan here. As long as you think she is ok with the warmth, I think J color is beautiful.

I saw another J color diamond on WF 1.9ct. The picture of the one you pick seems like it shows more warmth compare to this one. https://www.whiteflash.com/loose-diamonds/round-cut-loose-diamond-4018642.htm
Please take a look and see if you can tell the difference. And this one also have a smaller table, and it should show more fire when the table smaller. The heart image also show less inclusion.

Good luck and I am sure whatever you end up picking will be a beautiful stone!

 

[This is frustrating]

I am a J color diamond fan here. As long as you think she is ok with the warmth, I think J color is beautiful.

I saw another J color diamond on WF 1.9ct. The picture of the one you pick seems like it shows more warmth compare to this one. https://www.whiteflash.com/loose-diamonds/round-cut-loose-diamond-4018642.htm
Please take a look and see if you can tell the difference. And this one also have a smaller table, and it should show more fire when the table smaller. The heart image also show less inclusion.

Good luck and I am sure whatever you end up picking will be a beautiful stone!

Haha, it's funny you mentioned this one. That is the stone I actually picked out on my own before reaching out to WF about the timing of the purchase. WF said the notes on this one indicated a slight inclusion was visible on the side with 20/20 vision at 10". I had told WF that I'd like to avoid any visible inclusions in the SI space, so they suggested the 1.93 instead. Both stones are labeled eye-clean on the website. Perhaps it's worth having the 1.9 pulled to see what they can tell me about it beyond the notes.

I did notice the smaller table on the 1.9. These are the nuances that I defer to fellow PS-ers on, as this is my first diamond purchase. I understand what the numbers say about the implications of more fire, but I don't know what the real world impact of the additional fire will be.

The frustration at the start has turned into excitement at this point! I'm looking forward to a few more days to obsess about stones before making the plunge. Like I said, this stuff can definitely be thought about too much. I'm sure whatever ACA I decide on will be far more beautiful than what I would have ended up with prior to finding PS.

 

[diamondnewbieny]

You can also have them pull both the 1.93 and 1.9 to compare side by side. Ask them to take pictures for you etc. definitely give the 1.9 a try, if the 1.93 does show more warmth, the tint will be seen much easier than the inclusions. Also ask what color is the inclusions.

I found it amusing to be able to spot the inclusion. My diamond have a tiny white dot and I love that I know the character of my diamond. I took my diamond to be set and asked the inscription to show, but the inscription came back completely covered. In that case I was able to identify my diamond because I know my diamond.

The inclusion is small enough that it didn’t bother me, and with my 20/20 vision I have to really look for it, but it’s not impossible to see. On Wf it said it was eye clean as well.

I will be looking forward to see which beautiful diamond you pick.

 

[foxinsox]

This was a fun thread to read - @This is frustrating those two are lovely stones. Definitely get WF to pull them and shoot you some comparisons to see which one your eyes prefer. Then please come back with pics of the ring. Good luck! I’m sure your gf will be delighted by the level of care and effort that’s gone into her ring and the love it shows

 

[rockysalamander]

At the risk of totally upsetting the plan, I wanted you to see this stone as you mentioned she loved yellow. This is a great price.
http://www.diamondsbylauren.com/index.php/jewelry/270ct-w-x-vs1-cushion-diamond-r8421

 

[rockysalamander]

Adding...known and trusted PS vendor.