Help me pick a stone!

[ryanae]

I am looking to buy a lab grown diamond for a setting I already have. I work for a lady whose husband owns a pawn shop with a really good jewelry dept so I'm basically getting employee pricing. Their jeweler contacted me with 3 options (please excuse the wording I'm not too sure about the diamond jargon):

1.14 carat SI1 F certified XXX
1.2 carat VS2 F certified XXX ($428 more than the 1.14)
1.3 carat VS2 D certified XXX ($374.50 more than the 1.2)

The jeweler said to the naked eye all 3 will look pretty much the same and due to the employee pricing I can basically pick the one I want and they'll get it to the store. My question is would I notice differences between the 3? I'm leaning more towards the smaller of the 3 because it fits my budget better and my girlfriend would rather we spend money on the wedding and honeymoon but I'm worried mainly cuz I don't know much about diamonds.

 

[lovedogs]

What grading reports do they have? Can we see pics? We dont have enough info to be helpful right now

 

[anangel]

I agree with @lovedogs . More info is needed to make a choice; There is a lot of variance in an excellent cut, and a SI1 clarity grade.

 

[monipod]

It would be good to know what the price of the 1.14ct stone is so we can also tell you if you're indeed getting a bargain

As everyone else said, the SI1 grading isn't enough. It's best to see what inclusions and how many there are. It could be close to VS2 or close to SI2.

I wouldn't recommend buying any of them unless you and your fiancee can see the stones or at least pics/videos.

 

[nikesharma]

If the 1.14ct F-SI1 stone is eye-clean, go for it!

 

[EClove]

Yes, agree with above - would be helpful to know pricing to determine if you are really getting a good deal. Sometimes “wholesale” or “employee pricing” isn’t really that great, especially when factoring in a lack of return policy or comparing against multiple stones.

if it is indeed good pricing, then we would need to see the certs to know if they’re worth it. If they’re not round diamonds, then photos and videos would be best too as it’s tough to judge fancy cuts by their certs.

 

[ryanae]

The 1.14 is $1972.50 which is cost plus tax and mounting it to the ring I already have. I'm thinking of asking for this one and then just looking at it when they get it. I'm not obligated to buy it just because they get it to the store. I don't have pics of certs as I just talked to her on the phone yesterday and she isn't in today.

 

[AprilBaby]

If they look good I would go right in the middle and get the 1.2 with better clarity.

 

[EClove]

The 1.14 is $1972.50 which is cost plus tax and mounting it to the ring I already have. I'm thinking of asking for this one and then just looking at it when they get it. I'm not obligated to buy it just because they get it to the store. I don't have pics of certs as I just talked to her on the phone yesterday and she isn't in today.

Personally I would at least wait to see the stones’ reports. I honestly don’t know how much mounting usually costs but I’m not really impressed with the price of the stone right now. The cut of the stone will make a big difference in its appearance (is it sparkly or dull, etc) and we know nothing right now.

A quick search on James Allen shows you can get similar or better stat stones (with a return policy) for about the same price.

 

[lovedogs]

You arent getting an amazing deal, to be honest. I would wait to see the reports. You can get a lot of stones for that price

 

[lovedogs]

Lab-Created 1.27 Carat round diamond

This 1.27 carat Lab-Created round diamond E color si1 clarity has Ideal proportions and a diamond grading report from IGI

www.jamesallen.com

Higher color and bigger for the same price. Just as an example to show you arent getting a "deal" at all

 

[ryanae]

I see what you guys are saying. I'll definitely have to look around. I took my ring in and when she looked at it she said the (my words) mounting isn't adjustable so I would need a stone between 1-1.5 carats and she said said 6.8mm. I remember the store I bought it from said something similar. Can you guys help me understand this? If I buy one from James Allen I want to make sure it's one that actually works with my ring.

 

[lovedogs]

I see what you guys are saying. I'll definitely have to look around. I took my ring in and when she looked at it she said the (my words) mounting isn't adjustable so I would need a stone between 1-1.5 carats and she said said 6.8mm. I remember the store I bought it from said something similar. Can you guys help me understand this? If I buy one from James Allen I want to make sure it's one that actually works with my ring.

1 to 1.5ct is a huge size range. Make 100% sure that a jeweler who isnt trying to sell you something measures the setting and tells you what size stone would fit.

 

[ryanae]

She said the setting was 6.8 mm. She used calipers. I don't remember the range she said but it was somewhere in that range. I'm wondering how the 6.8 plays in? Is that the dimensions the stone needs to be to fit? Since length and width vary how close do I need to be to that number?

 

[lovedogs]

She said the setting was 6.8 mm. She used calipers. I don't remember the range she said but it was somewhere in that range. I'm wondering how the 6.8 plays in? Is that the dimensions the stone needs to be to fit? Since length and width vary how close do I need to be to that number?

Its important to be specific with stone size to make sure itll fit. Usually rings can fit about 1+/-mm around the "ideal" size. But I'm pretty sure that she was wrong about 6.8mm, because that ring is a stock setting (i.e. it wasnt made to order for a specific stone). That means the cz is a standard size (6.5 or 7mm). So I would be quite surprised if 6.8mm is the size stone that will fit the setting

 

[blingmeupscotty]

So in other words, the jeweler cannot fit a different size diamond in the head because it won't fit. That's like trying to put a size 7 foot into a size 5 shoe. This may help-but it's also why she gave you the mm of the stone-if you are set on using that mount then you need to be exact on what you purchase.

 

[lovedogs]

Ps. 6.8mm or 6.5mm or whatever is the length or width dimension of a stone. 6.5mm is the length/width of a 1ct diamond.

 

[ryanae]

Its important to be specific with stone size to make sure itll fit. Usually rings can fit about 1+/-mm around the "ideal" size. But I'm pretty sure that she was wrong about 6.8mm, because that ring is a stock setting (i.e. it wasnt made to order for a specific stone). That means the cz is a standard size (6.5 or 7mm). So I would be quite surprised if 6.8mm is the size stone that will fit the setting

I checked the CZ that's in there with a set of calipers in the garage and measured 6.79mm so I'm guessing she was right about the 6.8. so are you saying I can go as low as 5.8 and as high as 7.8?

 

[lovedogs]

I checked the CZ that's in there with a set of calipers in the garage and measured 6.79mm so I'm guessing she was right about the 6.8. so are you saying I can go as low as 5.8 and as high as 7.8?

Ahh ok, so that's good. No, sorry, I meant .1mm but it auto corrected me. So somewhere between 6.69 and 6.89 would be safest

 

[ryanae]

Yeah I see what you guys are saying. I found this one for quite a bit cheaper on James Allen and it the same grading. I'm confused though as to how I can tell is this SI1 diamond is "eye clean"?

Lab-Created 1.17 Carat round diamond

This 1.17 carat Lab-Created round diamond E color si1 clarity has Ideal proportions and a diamond grading report from IGI

www.jamesallen.com

 

[mwilliamanderson]

The proportions are great on that stone! You'd have to ask them to look at it and they can tell you how many inches away is it eye clean, ex 6 or 10. Only you can decide what's acceptable.

Another think to consider is Blue Nuance. The stone you posted looks very blue to me. That happens in certain percentage of HPHT LG stones. You just need to be aware of it and know if you like it or not.

 

[ryanae]

Ok thank you! I'm gonna buy it and see if it'll work. JA has a great return policy so it's worth at least checking it out!

 

[ryanae]

For the diamond yesterday and they set it today. I'm really happy with the stone but I'm wondering if the prongs look odd to anyone. They aren't really symmetrical around the stone. Is this normal?

 

[mwilliamanderson]

I think it looks great. I can’t notice a problem with the prongs, but if something bothers you have them fix it now.

 

[ryanae]

I think it looks great. I can’t notice a problem with the prongs, but if something bothers you have them fix it now.

If you look at it the two prongs on the left side are closer to each other than the two prongs on the right side are to each other.

 

[ryanae]

Maybe it's perfectly normal/acceptable I'm just not sure.

 

[Kim N]

If you look at it the two prongs on the left side are closer to each other than the two prongs on the right side are to each other.

I see what you're talking about. I would have them fix it.