shape
carat
color
clarity

Help Me Pick A Diamond!!

Status
Not open for further replies. Please create a new topic or request for this thread to be opened.

rpcronin

Rough_Rock
Joined
Oct 9, 2009
Messages
3
Hello!!
My name is Ryan; I am new to the forum. I am shopping for a diamond for my girlfriend!! I love this girl soooo much, and I want to get her something that she will cherish forever!! I am no expert on diamonds, and this is why I need expert help!! I really want to get her something special, so please help me!!!!! I have picked out the ring setting-it is the Mark Schneider Mystic. My price range is approx. $3500-$4000. I wish I had more!!! Here are my thoughts on the diamond...

1carat
Ideal Cut

As for color and clarity... I need advice. I am unsure which one to emphasize more...I have considered a VS2 or VS1 clarity, and a J color. Or a SI1 and an I or H color. From the reading I have done, I have seen that the coloring between J and D are not entirely noticeable with the naked eye. I have read that it is better to sacrifice color, and increase clarity. Is this true? Also, I read that with an SI1 diamond, a strong fluorescent blue could help to increase the perception of the clarity on the diamond. Is this true?
I know I sound clueless, and this is why I need your help!!! It is very important to me that I find a diamond that is the best I can get for the money!!! I want to give my love something special!!! I love her sooooo much!!!!! Please help me!!! Any suggestions are welcome!!!!

Thank you very very much!!!!
Ryan
 
Date: 10/12/2009 12:55:35 PM
Author:rpcronin


Hello!!
My name is Ryan; I am new to the forum. I am shopping for a diamond for my girlfriend!! I love this girl soooo much, and I want to get her something that she will cherish forever!! I am no expert on diamonds, and this is why I need expert help!! I really want to get her something special, so please help me!!!!! I have picked out the ring setting-it is the Mark Schneider Mystic. My price range is approx. $3500-$4000. I wish I had more!!! Here are my thoughts on the diamond...

1carat
Ideal Cut

As for color and clarity... I need advice. I am unsure which one to emphasize more...I have considered a VS2 or VS1 clarity, and a J color. Or a SI1 and an I or H color. From the reading I have done, I have seen that the coloring between J and D are not entirely noticeable with the naked eye.Actually there is a difference between D and J colour although according to your preferences you could purchase a J colour and if reliably graded such as GIA or AGS and well cut, a J colour will still look white, not the icy white of a D or E but a softer white.

I have read that it is better to sacrifice color, and increase clarity. Is this true? Not really but it depends, colour is visible whereas if you compared an IF clarity to an eyeclean SI you would not notice any visual difference with the naked eye, eyeclean is eyeclean.

Also, I read that with an SI1 diamond, a strong fluorescent blue could help to increase the perception of the clarity on the diamond. Is this true? No. Strong blue fluorescence can help a diamond face up a little whiter than its given colour grade in some lights but has no effect on clarity or the visual perception of it.
I know I sound clueless, and this is why I need your help!!! It is very important to me that I find a diamond that is the best I can get for the money!!! I want to give my love something special!!! I love her sooooo much!!!!! Please help me!!! Any suggestions are welcome!!!!

Thank you very very much!!!!
Ryan

Hi Ryan and welcome!

I will try to address each point to try to help you above. As to what to buy the first thing to consider is the cut quality, this is what will give your lady a beautiful stone that you want so badly to get her! Then colour and clarity and carat come down to budget. Concentrate on the cut quality which we can help you with, then depending on if you want to get the largest stone you can or prefer to go for higher colour and clarity, we can make some suggestions for you, are you open to buying online?

If you want to maximize size for the budget look at I and J colour ( GIA or AGS graded) and verified eyeclean SI1 or SI2 clarity.

If you want to have higher colour and clarity, G or H colour graded as above and VS or SI1 clarity can be a good choice.

Is your budget of $3500 - $4000 for the diamond only or does it need to cover the setting too?
 
$3500-$4000 is for the diamond only! I would probably lean more towards increasing colour and clarity over increasing carat...my girlfriend has small hands, and I think that if I increase the size a ton, it may be a bit too big for her style. However, if there is not a noticeable difference between the colour and clarity upgrades that I could afford, then I maybe would rather increase the size.

Is the G or H colour graded and VS or SI1 clarity a lot more beautiful of a diamond than the I and J colour ( GIA or AGS graded) and verified eyeclean SI1 or SI2 clarity?

Do you think that it is worth paying the extra money to increase the colour and clarity, or is it a better value to stick with a bit lower colour and clarity and increase the size?

I am def. willing to purchase online!!

Also, as far as the cut goes...the ideal cut is the absolute best cut, right?

Thanks A TON!!!!!!!!!

Ryan
 
I would focus on H or I color just to be in that happy medium range! Brain Gavin diamonds has a large inventory of diamonds in the .90 size just under a carat, and there are some near your price range. This is about the best one:

.90 I VS2 $3861.

Oh, and yes, ideal cut from AGS or Excellent cut from GIA is what you want. All of Brian Gavin's stones will be Ideal and hearts and arrows.
 
Date: 10/12/2009 9:28:24 PM
Author: rpcronin
$3500-$4000 is for the diamond only! I would probably lean more towards increasing colour and clarity over increasing carat...my girlfriend has small hands, and I think that if I increase the size a ton, it may be a bit too big for her style. However, if there is not a noticeable difference between the colour and clarity upgrades that I could afford, then I maybe would rather increase the size.

Is the G or H colour graded and VS or SI1 clarity a lot more beautiful of a diamond than the I and J colour ( GIA or AGS graded) and verified eyeclean SI1 or SI2 clarity?

Do you think that it is worth paying the extra money to increase the colour and clarity, or is it a better value to stick with a bit lower colour and clarity and increase the size?

I am def. willing to purchase online!!

Also, as far as the cut goes...the ideal cut is the absolute best cut, right?

Thanks A TON!!!!!!!!!

Ryan
That will be subjective, because I will say that my warmer K color super ideal cut diamond is just as beautiful and sparkly as any other D E F G color diamond
9.gif
.

If you are unsure of color, and if you have a Jareds nearby - take a look at their Peerless collection as those are AGS 0 graded ideal cut diamonds and those are how diamonds should look like and perform.
 
Date: 10/12/2009 9:57:37 PM
Author: D&T

Date: 10/12/2009 9:28:24 PM
Author: rpcronin
$3500-$4000 is for the diamond only! I would probably lean more towards increasing colour and clarity over increasing carat...my girlfriend has small hands, and I think that if I increase the size a ton, it may be a bit too big for her style. However, if there is not a noticeable difference between the colour and clarity upgrades that I could afford, then I maybe would rather increase the size.

Is the G or H colour graded and VS or SI1 clarity a lot more beautiful of a diamond than the I and J colour ( GIA or AGS graded) and verified eyeclean SI1 or SI2 clarity?

Do you think that it is worth paying the extra money to increase the colour and clarity, or is it a better value to stick with a bit lower colour and clarity and increase the size?

I am def. willing to purchase online!!

Also, as far as the cut goes...the ideal cut is the absolute best cut, right?

Thanks A TON!!!!!!!!!

Ryan
That will be subjective, because I will say that my warmer K color super ideal cut diamond is just as beautiful and sparkly as any other D E F G color diamond
9.gif
.

If you are unsure of color, and if you have a Jareds nearby - take a look at their Peerless collection as those are AGS 0 graded ideal cut diamonds and those are how diamonds should look like and perform.
Just don''t let them talk you into buying there!!! Their prices will get you less for your money!
 
Date: 10/12/2009 10:04:57 PM
Author: diamondseeker2006

Date: 10/12/2009 9:57:37 PM
Author: D&T


Date: 10/12/2009 9:28:24 PM
Author: rpcronin
$3500-$4000 is for the diamond only! I would probably lean more towards increasing colour and clarity over increasing carat...my girlfriend has small hands, and I think that if I increase the size a ton, it may be a bit too big for her style. However, if there is not a noticeable difference between the colour and clarity upgrades that I could afford, then I maybe would rather increase the size.

Is the G or H colour graded and VS or SI1 clarity a lot more beautiful of a diamond than the I and J colour ( GIA or AGS graded) and verified eyeclean SI1 or SI2 clarity?

Do you think that it is worth paying the extra money to increase the colour and clarity, or is it a better value to stick with a bit lower colour and clarity and increase the size?

I am def. willing to purchase online!!

Also, as far as the cut goes...the ideal cut is the absolute best cut, right?

Thanks A TON!!!!!!!!!

Ryan
That will be subjective, because I will say that my warmer K color super ideal cut diamond is just as beautiful and sparkly as any other D E F G color diamond
9.gif
.

If you are unsure of color, and if you have a Jareds nearby - take a look at their Peerless collection as those are AGS 0 graded ideal cut diamonds and those are how diamonds should look like and perform.
Just don''t let them talk you into buying there!!! Their prices will get you less for your money!
Diamondseeker is righty!
oh yes, forgot to mention to leave the checkbook/debit card at home
31.gif
 
Status
Not open for further replies. Please create a new topic or request for this thread to be opened.
GET 3 FREE HCA RESULTS JOIN THE FORUM. ASK FOR HELP
Top