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help me. please :(

P

petertohen

Rough_Rock
Trade
Joined
Oct 26, 2017
Messages
2
So I'm a total diamond newbie and I'm shopping for an engagement ring for my girlfriend.

I've been reading forums, going through websites, looking at diamonds and settings and of course, reading Pricescope for like 2 weeks straight now... and the more I read, the less I feel like I know. I started out at local stores and found that it's all quite expensive and quality/selection generally so-so. Online reading lead me to Blue Nile and I was almost ready to commit but then more reading lead me all over the place - Brian Gavin, Whiteflash, GOG, James Allen, etc. I'm kind of glad I did because seeing those diamonds on JA with big black splotches or other noticeable inclusions smack in the middle of the top freaked me out even more and I'm glad I didn't buy one on Blue Nile sight unseen.

Every time I read something new, I feel like its just another thing to consider and its freaking me out. So I really need some help and I figure some kind of feedback or back and forth would help me focus again.

I'm pretty set on getting a cushion cut diamond as that's what my gut tells me she'll like. I'm personally thinking she'll like chunkier facets more than crushed ice but I figure regardless, she'll love whatever sparkles the most.

My budget is low at about $4000 (setting included) but I know my girlfriend wanted something bigger. From what I see, ~0.7-0.8 carats is about all I can afford.

My first round through James Allen I had picked out these 3 from first impressions:
http://www.jamesallen.com/loose-diamonds/cushion-cut/0.70-carat-h-color-vs1-clarity-sku-246453
http://www.jamesallen.com/loose-diamonds/cushion-cut/0.71-carat-g-color-si1-clarity-sku-146096
http://www.jamesallen.com/loose-diamonds/cushion-cut/0.80-carat-h-color-vs1-clarity-sku-242011

But now I'm really second guessing all of them and I'm wondering if I'm missing some good ones or I'm completely looking at the wrong ones.

I am also intrigued by the ideal cuts on the other sites but I really don't see settings I like on those sites (plus, JA has free shipping...)

Any feedback? Any help is greatly greatly appreciated.
 
You have a great budget and we'll certainly help you maximize it!! Could you tell us what kind of setting she wants?

Not the biggest fan of the first 2 cushions and your last link doesn't work for me. I'll have a look at what's available but need to know how much to set aside for the setting.

Lastly, do you know if she likes a more square or elongated cushion?
 
ac117 said:
You have a great budget and we'll certainly help you maximize it!! Could you tell us what kind of setting she wants?

Not the biggest fan of the first 2 cushions and your last link doesn't work for me. I'll have a look at what's available but need to know how much to set aside for the setting.
Click to expand...

i don't know what she want :((
 
Would you be able to talk to her mom/sister/friends so they could help you find out?

Otherwise, maybe it would nice to put all of your money into the center stone now to get the biggest possible and put it in a simple solitaire. You could always change the setting down the road for an anniversary and it would be special to involve her in the process at that point!
 
Welcome to PS! As @ac117 indicated -you have a nice budget and we be glad to help you with your search. I was also going to ask about the setting and since you do not know what she wants, setting it in a simple solitaire and later even letting her select her setting may be the best approach, unless you can find out in advance.
 
I'd stick with a simple solitiare in that case....that will also allow you to put more money into the diamond. Do you know what metal color she likes? What does she wear? (yellow gold, rose gold, white metals)?
 
I'm sure the veteran PSers will find you a great stone!!
I just wanted to say that your girlfriend is a lucky lady that you put so much thought and effort into finding a stone AND you found PS! :appl:
Personally, I love the antique cushion cut so very much.
Good luck!
 
Bear in mind that a cushion and a round diamond of the same carat weight do not have the same face-up size. You get less bling for your buck with cushions. I know diamonds are bought by the carat, but make sure you are looking at diameter measurement, too. So you might consider, if you're not sure she wants a cushion (and she likely also doesn't know cushions look smaller), not going down that road. You also mentioned chunky facets; an Old European Cut has that but is round and sometimes there are beautiful ones for less than a modern round brilliant.
 
Another vote for a simple solitaire for now and then involve her in selecting a setting later. They can cost as low as $180 at James Allen. I'm not a cushion expert, but I'm sure you're in good hands here. Welcome!
 
Here are some for your consideration:

Stunning stone: (5.95x5.77): https://www.jamesallen.com/loose-diamonds/cushion-cut/1.03-carat-i-color-vvs2-clarity-sku-3532334
Beautiful (6.14x5.60): https://www.jamesallen.com/loose-diamonds/cushion-cut/1.02-carat-h-color-vs1-clarity-sku-3424938
Very pretty: https://www.jamesallen.com/loose-diamonds/cushion-cut/1.06-carat-h-color-vs2-clarity-sku-3412733 (ASET here: https://enchanteddiamonds.com/diamo...6-Carat-H-Color-VS2-Clarity-Diamond-25259Z015)
Nice size, should be eye clean (6.04x5.70): https://www.jamesallen.com/loose-diamonds/cushion-cut/1.03-carat-h-color-si2-clarity-sku-3412558 (ASET here: https://enchanteddiamonds.com/diamo...3-Carat-H-Color-SI2-Clarity-Diamond-42Z812320)
Pretty (5.80x5.54): https://www.jamesallen.com/loose-diamonds/cushion-cut/1.03-carat-h-color-vs2-clarity-sku-2628513
Pretty (6.11x5.81): https://www.jamesallen.com/loose-diamonds/cushion-cut/1.07-carat-h-color-vs1-clarity-sku-3470263
High color, high crown, should be fiery (5.93x5.50): https://www.jamesallen.com/loose-diamonds/cushion-cut/1.00-carat-e-color-si2-clarity-sku-3488028

Beautiful but smaller:
https://enchanteddiamonds.com/diamonds/view/C90-292Z10101?
https://enchanteddiamonds.com/diamonds/view/C90-083471237?
https://enchanteddiamonds.com/diamonds/view/C90-042713976?
https://enchanteddiamonds.com/diamonds/view/C102-2367Z5302?
 
so many beeeeeeeeyooooootiful cushions in this thread, wow!
 
Just chiming in here to say that your budget is not "low" by any means. You will be able to get a beautiful ring with that budget, no problem. FYI, just be aware that cushion diamonds face up smalier than rounds when comparing stones of equal weight.
 
Just offering a concrete example about size. Not that you want a round, but if you put $3500 into buying a round diamond, you could get something around 5.79-6.0 mm H/I SI1. So, at least at this price point, the options posted above provide you with as much face-up size than a round for the same price. But, if you held weight constant at 1.13 carats (@ac117 cushion #1 above, 5.95 mm), a round diamond of that weight would be 6.49 mm and cost you around $6700.

In terms of look, cushions and rounds look very different in how they perform. If you fast forward to 1:22 in this video, you can see a side-by-side of cushions and rounds. You can see they are both pretty, but you get fewer rainbow flashes off a cushion. To me, I see cushions as more subtle in their sparkle as compared to a round.
*
 
Please try to find out what style of ring your girlfriend likes. Has she saved any pictures or talk to a female who's close to her - they've probably had a conversation about it at some point. She will be wearing it every day for the rest of her life so she should be involved. I for one would hate a solitaire as they just don't suit my hands and I wouldn't be thrilled with a cushion cut anyway.
 
I agree that you should find out. There have been some doozies of posts on PS over the years from women who got rings they're disappointed with because their BF didn't involve her in the process. Not trying to scare you, but we've seen it happen. See if she has Pinterest. Ask her friends. Better yet, GO RING SHOPPING and have her tell you what she likes. Trust me. We want involvement in something that we have to wear for many years!
 
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