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Grade1View

Rough_Rock
Joined
Jan 31, 2015
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15
Hello, folks!

I'm 28 years old, its been about 4 years, I still love her more and more... its that time! I've been shopping on and off for a couple of years now, so I feel like I grasp the basic concepts of diamond shopping. We've talked about rings, and I've creeped her Pinterest enough to know what I should and shouldn't be looking for.. So now, help me put it all together!

I know that the stone will be a round cut, that's been very clear. For a while she thought she wanted a halo, but that recently changed when her sister got one. Seeing it in person, she decided she didn't like it as much as she thought she would. So, that puts me in the market for a solitaire, as I know she doesn't like the 3 stone look as much either. After that is where it gets tricky, and her preferences aren't so strict.

I think she has said she doesn't want a yellow stone, but I'm not sure if that puts me in the DEF range, or the GH range... I probably wouldn't go lower than H, unless someone here can explain to me why I should.I'm trying to find the best compromise in that parameter. Weight-- She's a pretty modest girl. She doesn't wear flashy jewelry, or go heavy on makeup, or wear loud clothing. I was thinking between 1.5 - 1.75 carat. I think anything larger would be too much for her. Opinions are welcome on that. Do people who think they want a smaller stone change their tune once they wear something larger? As far as clarity, she has made no comments. I'd like something that is clean to the naked eye, without paying for a bunch of ratings that are only discernible under a scope. Where do you guys think that cutoff point is? Finally, cut... Again, she has made no mention. I know that in my shopping cut has been one of the biggest visible differences to me. The difference between Good and Ideal cuts was pretty profound. I looked at some Leos and Tolkowsky stones and was pretty impressed with their fire (both in store and out in the parking lot in natural light). That said, the names mean nothing to her, or to me. I'd love to get a great cut, but I don't want to pay merely for the sake of a name. If anyone has thoughts on that, please share!

I keep finding stones that seem like a great value, and then find that they are strongly fluorescent. I'm not sure if realizing the ring doesn't perform well in certain lighting a risk that I want to take. If anyone has thoughts or experience with strongly fluorescent rings, please share.

After much reading, I'm about 90% certain I will buy online. I don't enjoy the slick sales people at the chain stores, and the small local store around here (who beats chain prices) keeps trying to push EGL rated stones on me. Seems like the best value is online.

My ideal budget is around $13,000 USD. That number can fudge a bit, potentially up to 15 if I find something truly worth it.

She's a smaller girl, 5'4, size 5.5 finger. Fingers aren't very long (I don't think?). She can not 1 hand any of the bigger cell phones on the market today. The stone will go in a thin diamond band (probably 1.5mm). She works an office job, and will likely not be very hard on the ring. Is platinum worth it for a thin band? Does that add any strength to the ring?

I appreciate ANY and ALL advice and or pictures!
 
I would strongly caution you against a 1.5mm band for a 1.5+ stone. I would really not go less than 2mm unless you're prepared to do maintenance on the ring fairly often, as a thin band is more likely to go out of round and pop stones (if you go with pave.) I think 2mm will hold up a lot better.

This is my personal opinion, so it is worth exactly what you are paying for it, but I wear a 5.25 and on me, a 1.5-1.75 would be too much stone for my tastes. I have tried owning both a 3 stone with a 1.25 center and a 1.5 solitaire and they were just too much ring for my hands. Now, that doesn't mean she won't like it, but if she's a simple girl who doesn't wear a lot of jewelry, then she may not. I ended up downsizing and am much happier. There are folks on here with smaller fingers and much larger stones who are really happy with them, so again, that's my personal take.
 
All comes down to personal preference.

Colour depends on the individual. I went with an I coloured stone, and while I'm sure if placed next to an equal stone of higher colour I could pick it, it appears clear to my eyes and faces up nice and white. G-H seems to be the typical balance point between cost vs colour.

Cut, you are all over it. Best bang for your buck is spent here. A well cut diamond will return more light, which in turn makes it appear brighter, sparklier, bigger, and whiter. Loads of reading here. AGS/GIA graded. Good old gold, Whiteflash, Brian Gavin seem to all offer really nice precision cut stones. Dropping from the super ideal precision and just sticking within ideal cut parameters (with IS/ASET if possible) will still get a stone with quite good optical symmetry, that will look great to the naked eye, and perform really well, while saving dollars.

Clarity, VS1 - SI1 is a decent range to work within for budget. At VS1 it should most definitely be eye clean. VS2 should be. SI1 will take some investigation to confirm if eye clean or not. Remember the definition 'eye clean' is also dependant on your vision, the distance, etc.

Size, again is a personal thing. I don't believe bigger is better, but I am a practical bloke who has poor taste when it comes to fashion so don't listen to me. Consider what the ring will be used for. How often will it be worn? What is your partners taste in jewellery? Rather than working in weights, try and determine a size in mm's that would look good on the hand. There are websites that can do this. Then select a stone which meets that size.
 
I agree that 1.5mm is thin. 1.8-2mm as a minimum is still delicate while being stronger and safer.

The general rule seems to be that platinum is best for pave if budget allows, but with a plain solitaire WG should be fine.

What size stone does her sister (and/or girlfriends) have? This will likely influence what size feels like too much or not big enough for her even more than her finger size. Women of all finger sizes sport all different sizes of stones- lifestyle, social circle, personal tastes, culture etc play a bigger determining role in what feels comfortable than finger circumference.

Colour depends on how colour sensitive a person is, and is a matter of personal taste. Since she has expressed a dislike of "yellow", I wouldn't go lower than H or G either.
 
Alright - here we go.

I left about $1k in the budget for a well-made platinum solitaire. That should be enough at any of these vendors.

1.64ct, G, SI2 (confirm this is eye-clean)
http://www.highperformancediamonds.com/index.php?page=view-id-diamond-infinity-new&id=1130

1.61ct, H, SI2 (confirm this is eye-clean)
http://www.goodoldgold.com/ecommerce/1-61ct-h-si2-superior-round-hearts-and-arrows-diamond.html

If you bump up your budget by $1k, here are two other options:
1.715ct, H, SI1
http://www.whiteflash.com/loose-diamonds/round-cut-loose-diamond-3075972.htm

1.521ct, H, VS2 (if you want a stone with fluorescence)
http://www.briangavindiamonds.com/diamonds/diamond-details/1.521-h-vs2-round-diamond-ags-bl-104076722016
 
Here are some choices that you can look over :) I would also say to go for a setting in the 2-2.5mm range (it will still be plenty thin! The Tiffany setting is 2.2 which is still pretty thin). SI1 is case by case eye-clean, VS2 won't have visible inclusions at 10x.

http://www.jamesallen.com/loose-dia...-h-color-vs2-clarity-excellent-cut-sku-441048
http://www.eternitybyyoni.com/diamond_detail.php?id=1623319&ref=pricescope
http://www.eternitybyyoni.com/diamond_detail.php?id=1611253&ref=pricescope
https://enchanteddiamonds.com/diamonds/view/R151-BV99QL?cid=pricescope
https://enchanteddiamonds.com/diamonds/view/R153-9XLFDE?cid=pricescope
 
Ooh! It's all down to personal preference but I am 5ft tall with tiny hands and a 3.5 ring size. My FI bought me a 2 carat solitaire and I am very glad nobody talked him out of it by saying it would look out of proportion! I think it looks lovely and I could even go larger.
I wear an heirloom 3 stone ring on my right hand and a small, stainless steel Cartier Tanque Francais watch but I don't wear much other jewellery at all. Earrings tend to be discreet and silver and I don't have flashy designer clothes so it's not as if I've got Kardashian tastes. My diamond has a diameter of around 8.27 so it is smaller than many halo or cluster rings. In a plain solitaire setting it is beautiful and has presence, but it doesn't smack you around the chops.

I agree with previous posters about getting a 2mm band. An Ideal cut or GIA triple ex wIth an HCA of under 2, will face up very white in an H (I'm thrilled with my J, but as she's mentioned colour, I'd play it safe). For clarity I'd go for an eye-clean SI1 and max the carats. As you've seen with your own eyes, the main thing not to compromise on is cut.

If I was buying, I'd go for Whiteflash, but I've had no dealings with the other vendors recommended and I'm sure they're good too.

How exciting! You're doing an amazing job. She's going to be thrilled.
 
Hey, thanks for your reply! I believe her sister ended up with ~2 carat emerald cut. I guess that's kind of apples to oranges when comparing to a round, but she wasn't a huge fan (I'm not certain if it was the cut or the size or a combination of both that she didn't care for). She has another friend who got a 2.5 ct round, and she expressed that she wouldn't be comfortable wearing something that big. I don't know if it was sticker shock when she heard the price, or if it is truly a size issue. I seem to recall that one day on vacation we wandered into a Tiffany store, where she tried on a 1.5 ct and didn't think it was too much.

As for the band... I know for a fact that a very thin band is what she wants. She has thrown the terms 'delicate' and 'dainty' around several times, and every ring pic that she pins is, upon further investigation, a band less than 2mm. I know that aesthetically this is what she wants, what I DON"T know, however, is if she has thought about how practical that would be for every day wear. :think: Are bands relatively easy to replace down the line if she discovers after a while that its too thin?
 
Hey there Dneal. She actually tried on a Tiffany setting and thought the band was too thick! I couldn't believe it, but that's what she said.
 
RockyRacoon|1422750238|3825236 said:
Alright - here we go.

I left about $1k in the budget for a well-made platinum solitaire. That should be enough at any of these vendors.

1.64ct, G, SI2 (confirm this is eye-clean)
http://www.highperformancediamonds.com/index.php?page=view-id-diamond-infinity-new&id=1130

1.61ct, H, SI2 (confirm this is eye-clean)
http://www.goodoldgold.com/ecommerce/1-61ct-h-si2-superior-round-hearts-and-arrows-diamond.html

If you bump up your budget by $1k, here are two other options:
1.715ct, H, SI1
http://www.whiteflash.com/loose-diamonds/round-cut-loose-diamond-3075972.htm

1.521ct, H, VS2 (if you want a stone with fluorescence)
http://www.briangavindiamonds.com/diamonds/diamond-details/1.521-h-vs2-round-diamond-ags-bl-104076722016
Click to expand...

Hey Rocky- Thanks for all the links! Can you help me understand what Superior Hearts and Arrows means? Is that just Good Old Gold's 'brand' of high end cut? Like Jared has the Leo, and it seems James Allen has the True Hearts? Am I understanding that correctly?
 
Hi there!

1.5 is a lovely size. I wasn't suggesting that 2 carats would be better, just reassuring you about a 1.5 looking too big on her, (in case you thought that was what I meant).

If you buy a simple setting in gold rather than platinum, it won't cost a fortune to reset the ring in a 2mm band at a later date. Unfortunately platinum is stronger than gold so you're further compromising the structure. 1.5 is a substantial stone.

However, I understand that you want everything to be as she's dreamed of it when she first sets eyes on her ring, and if she's set on a really skinny band, the wrong thing might be the right thing to do. In that case (actually in any case) make sure it is insured on a new for old policy, in case the worst happens and she loses the stone.

Please share pics of the final ring!
 
Grade1View|1422905199|3826130 said:
RockyRacoon|1422750238|3825236 said:
Alright - here we go.

I left about $1k in the budget for a well-made platinum solitaire. That should be enough at any of these vendors.

1.64ct, G, SI2 (confirm this is eye-clean)
http://www.highperformancediamonds.com/index.php?page=view-id-diamond-infinity-new&id=1130

1.61ct, H, SI2 (confirm this is eye-clean)
http://www.goodoldgold.com/ecommerce/1-61ct-h-si2-superior-round-hearts-and-arrows-diamond.html

If you bump up your budget by $1k, here are two other options:
1.715ct, H, SI1
http://www.whiteflash.com/loose-diamonds/round-cut-loose-diamond-3075972.htm

1.521ct, H, VS2 (if you want a stone with fluorescence)
http://www.briangavindiamonds.com/diamonds/diamond-details/1.521-h-vs2-round-diamond-ags-bl-104076722016
Click to expand...

Hey Rocky- Thanks for all the links! Can you help me understand what Superior Hearts and Arrows means? Is that just Good Old Gold's 'brand' of high end cut? Like Jared has the Leo, and it seems James Allen has the True Hearts? Am I understanding that correctly?
Click to expand...

I believe it is their best line of Hearts and Arrows stones. They also stock 'Premium,' which seem to be inferior to Superior, but I am not positive. If you're interested in that stone, I would just give them a call, and I'm sure they can give you more info!
 
Hey all..

Any thoughts on this stone? It seems like the inclusions are knocking the price way down. However, instead of large black carbon inclusions, they are whispy strands, positioned off center. Are these the best type of inclusions to have in order to maximize value while doing minimal damage to aesthetics?

http://www.whiteflash.com/loose-diamonds/round-cut-loose-diamond-3236280.htm
 
The HCA is 1.1 so looking good. If you ring or live-chat with Whiteflash, you can ask them to look at the stone for you and feed back on the inclusions. It is not in their interest to misrepresent the stone as they have a good return policy and value their reputation.
There are people much more skilled at interepreting Asets than me but there is nothing that would put me off.

The skinniest setting I could find on Whiteflash is a Vatche. They have a very good rep so if you must go thin then it would be a good option, and much better than getting a local jeweller to make one up. The video looks nice, link posted below:
http://www.whiteflash.com/engagemen...-solitaire-engagement-ring-by-vatche-1614.htm
 
Grade1View|1422908385|3826154 said:
Hey all..

Any thoughts on this stone? It seems like the inclusions are knocking the price way down. However, instead of large black carbon inclusions, they are whispy strands, positioned off center. Are these the best type of inclusions to have in order to maximize value while doing minimal damage to aesthetics?

http://www.whiteflash.com/loose-diamonds/round-cut-loose-diamond-3236280.htm
Click to expand...

That is a good pick, but it doesn't have the 'eye-clean' symbol from Whiteflash, which means you may be able to see the inclusions with your unaided eye.

You'll see on the WF option I had posted, the stone has the 'eye-clean' designation.

You may want to ask Whiteflash to pull both stones and do a compare/contrast for you.
 
Excellent advice to request a comparison!
 
Rocky, Zizzy - Thanks for your help! I had a rep pull the stone and describe it to me, but its still hard to get a feel for the inclusions. As it turns out, Whiteflash is located in Houston, TX. I'll be visiting Houston Weds-Sunday this week! I'm going to stop by and see it in person in a few days. That will be also be a nice opportunity to see if I think the A Cut Above designation is worth the extra money.
 
Grade1View|1422912337|3826186 said:
Rocky, Zizzy - Thanks for your help! I had a rep pull the stone and describe it to me, but its still hard to get a feel for the inclusions. As it turns out, Whiteflash is located in Houston, TX. I'll be visiting Houston Weds-Sunday this week! I'm going to stop by and see it in person in a few days. That will be also be a nice opportunity to see if I think the A Cut Above designation is worth the extra money.
Click to expand...

Good call to see the stones in person.

If you decide to buy, ask them to ship it to you out of state (hold at FedEx center, if there is not a good delivery address), so you can avoid the sales tax of buying in-person!
 
Well, I stopped by the Whiteflash store today to see that stone. It was really, really nice. Just about the perfect balance of size, specs and price. I think the ACA designation is worth it, the stone had incredible incredible sparkle.

Unfortunately I had to wait on some pricing info for a couple different settings I had selected. A couple of hours later I got an email with the price of the bands, and about 15 minutes later got another email saying the stone had sold. :wall:

Back to the drawing board.
 
Bummer. I would ask them to pull some similar stones. I had my eye on one and it sold as well and then Liza provided me with some comparable choices. And they also should be able to reserve for you for 24 hours.

So, I have to ask...did you notice a difference between the ACA and Expert selection stones?? I'm in the process of deciding between the two and do not have the luxury of seeing in person! I'm leaning towards the Expert since it is a tad larger and price is better but if ACA is visually better I would pay for it. Thanks!
 
mns12|1423237009|3828292 said:
I would ask them to pull some similar stones. I had my eye on one and it sold as well and then Liza provided me with some comparable choices. And they also should be able to reserve for you for 24 hours.
Click to expand...

Glad to hear the stone was awesome, sorry to hear about the temporary outcome.

The quoted post above is a great one. I would ask them to pull you some comparable stones and see what they can do with you price-wise.
 
Time for an update!

Let me start by saying that the folks at White Flash are AWESOME. As I said in my last post, the stone I checked out at the WF show room was perfect! Unfortunately (at the time) the stone sold online an hour or so after I left the show room (while I was waiting on further pricing info). I think my situation struck a chord with the people in the office, since I had come all that way to see the stone in person, and had every intention of buying it as soon as the pricing info for the setting came through. The people at WF made a special effort to get me something comparable while still staying as close as possible to my budget. Without getting into too much detail, they were able to work something out which got me an even nicer stone and the setting that I wanted, all without blowing my budget out of the water! I feel like they really went above and beyond for me. :clap:

The money has been wired, and now I am waiting the 4-5 weeks for my setting to be made. I must say, if the rest of the transaction goes half as well as the first, WF has gained a customer for life. There is a night and day difference between the time I spent shopping in their showroom versus the time I spent at Jared, Kay, Tiffany and my local jeweler. There was absolutely none of that 'salesman' vibe, no pushy conversations, no gimmicky store credit nonsense (WF's trade up deal is very generous), and obviously WF beats them all hands down on price.

Now for the goods:

1.67ct H ACA Round Brilliant:
http://www.whiteflash.com/loose-diamonds/round-cut-loose-diamond-3227670.htm

Simon G 18kt White Gold Caviar:
http://www.whiteflash.com/engagement-rings/solitaire/simon-mr2478-caviar-diamond-engagement-ring-3548.htm

Feedback welcome. Hopefully I can post a pic when it gets here. Thanks for the help everybody!
 
Grade1View|1423696195|3831059 said:
Time for an update!

Let me start by saying that the folks at White Flash are AWESOME. As I said in my last post, the stone I checked out at the WF show room was perfect! Unfortunately (at the time) the stone sold online an hour or so after I left the show room (while I was waiting on further pricing info). I think my situation struck a chord with the people in the office, since I had come all that way to see the stone in person, and had every intention of buying it as soon as the pricing info for the setting came through. The people at WF made a special effort to get me something comparable while still staying as close as possible to my budget. Without getting into too much detail, they were able to work something out which got me an even nicer stone and the setting that I wanted, all without blowing my budget out of the water! I feel like they really went above and beyond for me. :clap:

The money has been wired, and now I am waiting the 4-5 weeks for my setting to be made. I must say, if the rest of the transaction goes half as well as the first, WF has gained a customer for life. There is a night and day difference between the time I spent shopping in their showroom versus the time I spent at Jared, Kay, Tiffany and my local jeweler. There was absolutely none of that 'salesman' vibe, no pushy conversations, no gimmicky store credit nonsense (WF's trade up deal is very generous), and obviously WF beats them all hands down on price.

Now for the goods:

1.67ct H ACA Round Brilliant:
http://www.whiteflash.com/loose-diamonds/round-cut-loose-diamond-3227670.htm

Simon G 18kt White Gold Caviar:
http://www.whiteflash.com/engagement-rings/solitaire/simon-mr2478-caviar-diamond-engagement-ring-3548.htm

Feedback welcome. Hopefully I can post a pic when it gets here. Thanks for the help everybody!
Click to expand...

Well, that certainly worked out well for you!

I have had dealings with Whiteflash customer service, as well, and have nothing but good things to say about the way they treat customers.

They definitely got you set-up properly - that is a great stone.

Nicely done!
 
Woohoo! I'm delighted for you and for your lucky girlfriend.
So pleased to hear that Whiteflash were amazing. I didn't end up buying from them because my boyfriend surprised me with a ring bought elsewhere, but the service I had from Shaheera was fantastic.
Don't forget to post pictures and hand shots when it comes through!
 
Oh wow! That is going to be lovely.
 
That setting is beautiful! The diamond too of course. It's has exactly the same properties I was looking for. She is going to be beyond thrilled. Congrats : )
 
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