Help me with my limited budget

[whitewave]

NEIL IS A LIAR.

Love how you tried to weasle out of it. That is exactly what liars do.

 

[Niel]

NEIL IS A LIAR.

Love how you tried to weasle out of it. That is exactly what liars do.

Oh honey, whatever you feel like calling me is perfectly fine. People can read. People can certainly make up their own minds. Bless your heart.

 

[whitewave]

Oh honey, whatever you feel like calling me is perfectly fine. People can read. People can certainly make up their own minds. Bless your heart.

NEIL IS A LIAR. SHE LIED TWICE ABOUT ME ON THIS THREAD.

 

[rockysalamander]

@redhorse - Could your budget stretch to this WF stone? It gets into great clarity and higher color. Kinda the best of all recommendations?

Diamond ($4286) - https://www.whiteflash.com/loose-diamonds/round-cut-loose-diamond-3916976.htm
Setting: ($1070) - https://www.whiteflash.com/engageme...ni-1rz7231-solitaire-engagement-ring-3975.htm
Total: $5356

The setting is thinner (2.0 mm) compared to the one you selected at 2.5 mm.

@whitewave and @Niel can your discussion happen elsewhere so we don't dissuade the OP from staying and getting our help for his engagement?

 

[whitewave]

@redhorse - Could your budget stretch to this WF stone? It gets into great clarity and higher color. Kinda the best of all recommendations?

Diamond ($4286) - https://www.whiteflash.com/loose-diamonds/round-cut-loose-diamond-3916976.htm
Setting: ($1070) - https://www.whiteflash.com/engageme...ni-1rz7231-solitaire-engagement-ring-3975.htm
Total: $5356

The setting is thinner (2.0 mm) compared to the one you selected at 2.5 mm.

@whitewave and @Niel can your discussion happen elsewhere so we don't dissuade the OP from staying and getting our help for his engagement?

Sure, Neil can contact me through loupe troop and I will call her a LIAR to her face.

My apologies to OP. You have all good choices.

 

[Niel]

@redhorse - Could your budget stretch to this WF stone? It gets into great clarity and higher color. Kinda the best of all recommendations?

Diamond ($4286) - https://www.whiteflash.com/loose-diamonds/round-cut-loose-diamond-3916976.htm
Setting: ($1070) - https://www.whiteflash.com/engageme...ni-1rz7231-solitaire-engagement-ring-3975.htm
Total: $5356

The setting is thinner (2.0 mm) compared to the one you selected at 2.5 mm.

@whitewave and @Niel can your discussion happen elsewhere so we don't dissuade the OP from staying and getting our help for his engagement?

You’re exactly correct.

Hate to have to air our dirty laudry here,OP.

I think you’re doing a great job and I totally get it. 4k is still a lot of money and I think you’re doing all the right things to make sure you get her as close to perfect as you can get.

I think what you’ve narrowed down is nice and for the reasons I’ve outlined before (size, Gia grading) is Go with the blue nile. I get the appeal of having an upgrade policy, but spending double isn’t going to be hard. To get that same cut color and clarity in a 1.5 ct would be double your current spending amount. And I mean, if you’re going to upgrade that’s a nice place to go to. Plus most women don’t upgrade. But if you think she’s going to want to upgrade from a .8 to a 1.2 or something, whiteflash is best for that.

 

[redhorse]

@redhorse - Could your budget stretch to this WF stone? It gets into great clarity and higher color. Kinda the best of all recommendations?

Diamond ($4286) - https://www.whiteflash.com/loose-diamonds/round-cut-loose-diamond-3916976.htm
Setting: ($1070) - https://www.whiteflash.com/engageme...ni-1rz7231-solitaire-engagement-ring-3975.htm
Total: $5356

The setting is thinner (2.0 mm) compared to the one you selected at 2.5 mm.

i can stretch my budget but the max i can do is $4500.
i am really strapped right now.
i am extending the shop for my business and the cost is about $2800.
my car was totaled while parked infront of my house, so there's that.

what a challenge huh?

@whitewave and @Niel can your discussion happen elsewhere so we don't dissuade the OP from staying and getting our help for his engagement?

you both have been very helpful, it is o.k. to agree to disagree.

 

[redhorse]

You’re exactly correct.

Hate to have to air our dirty laudry here,OP.

I think you’re doing a great job and I totally get it. 4k is still a lot of money and I think you’re doing all the right things to make sure you get her as close to perfect as you can get.

I think what you’ve narrowed down is nice and for the reasons I’ve outlined before (size, Gia grading) is Go with the blue nile. I get the appeal of having an upgrade policy, but spending double isn’t going to be hard. To get that same cut color and clarity in a 1.5 ct would be double your current spending amount. And I mean, if you’re going to upgrade that’s a nice place to go to. Plus most women don’t upgrade. But if you think she’s going to want to upgrade from a .8 to a 1.2 or something, whiteflash is best for that.

i dont think she/we are upgrading too. However, i am definitely 100% certain i am getting a wedding band.
that's why i would like to go as close to 1carat if possible. i want to get what is possible now rather than dream and hoping of getting something bigger someday that might never happen.

 

[Niel]

I agree 100% with the “get as big as you can now not imagine what I might get down the road”

Don’t spend more than you are comfortable spending.
If you’re comfortable spending 4500 is that original 3800 1.06 still available?

If you only want to go 4000, then I say don’t go over that.

 

[rockysalamander]

Got it. I just don't like not having an ASET with the CA/PA pairing on the BN option. Let me take one last look...hold tight.

 

[whitewave]

Thanks.

I am getting ready to upgrade my studs from Blue Nile in spring of 2018, so I will have to pay double, going from $2500 to $5000. This is do able and I'm not a size queen so there is such a thing as too large. I haven't looked at inventory yet to see what my choices would be. (In theory, 5k might give me a range that is larger than what I am comfortable with).

I did get "diamond shrinkage syndrome" 4 years after purchase of my asscher (1.5 carats about 12k) and I would have traded it (thought a while about it), but a 25k asscher was too big for my tastes and more than I wanted to spend (wanted to be in the 18k area). So for one time the BN upgrade will likely work for me and the other time it worked against me (so to speak). I wound up resetting it in a custom setting for 4k and my DSS went away. In the end, it all worked out.

My point is, do consider the upgrade policy IF you even remotely think that could be possible. If she wants to go up a little but not double, it might not be possible. For us, the asscher was the new purchase (after like 18 years of marriage). We were poor when we bought our original round engagement ring.

These things might come into play. Having an easy upgrade policy without the 100% requirement is attractive to a lot of people. You just have to decide how much to weigh it for your own situation.

 

[whitewave]

i dont think she/we are upgrading too. However, i am definitely 100% certain i am getting a wedding band.
that's why i would like to go as close to 1carat if possible. i want to get what is possible now rather than dream and hoping of getting something bigger someday that might never happen.

Just saw this. Disregard what I wrote above then.

 

[redhorse]

I agree 100% with the “get as big as you can now not imagine what I might get down the road”

Don’t spend more than you are comfortable spending.
If you’re comfortable spending 4500 is that original 3800 1.06 still available?

If you only want to go 4000, then I say don’t go over that.

the LD09396952 , yes it is still available.

i'll do some numbers in a few and see what i can afford without going into debt.

 

[whitewave]

The only thing I wondered about the 1.06 is if it has brown undertones, and if it even matters.
https://www.victorcanera.com/blog/diamond-color-undertones

 

[rockysalamander]

Here are a few options that are in budget. I set the BN stone as my 'minimum' and looked for bigger or better color. I would put these three (plus the BN stone) on hold. From JA, request through the customer service portal that they send you IS images of the below. Ask if they will honor the setting discount if they can't get you the IS by midnight to review.

JA Setting: https://www.jamesallen.com/engagement-rings/solitaire/platinum-crown-diamond-
engagement-ring-item-53674, $645 (until midnight texas time)

Diamonds:
0.90, I SI2, 6.20 mm. https://www.jamesallen.com/loose-di...i-color-si2-clarity-excellent-cut-sku-3615889 {Also may have a small blemish visible, but this is a good spread. Given that the blemish is not dense, this seems like a good option for spread. For you budget, this gets you to a I color and a really nice sized diamond. Again, good angles}

0.90 I SI1, 6.18 mm. https://www.jamesallen.com/loose-di...i-color-si1-clarity-excellent-cut-sku-2200941 {the lighting on this diamond does it no favors. But it has great angles and the faceting is bright and lively. The inclusions are on the girdle, so I like this better than the SI2 above)

0.90 H SI2, 6.22 mm, https://www.jamesallen.com/loose-di...h-color-si2-clarity-excellent-cut-sku-3648100 {really well cut and pretty stone. Posted by @whitewave above.}

 

[whitewave]

The H is a nice SI2. I would not expect to find something substantially better.

Valeria's opinion of the .90 H. Generally speaking if you don't know her color preferences, an H is a safer choice than a J.

 

[redhorse]

Here are a few options that are in budget. I set the BN stone as my 'minimum' and looked for bigger or better color. I would put these three (plus the BN stone) on hold. From JA, request through the customer service portal that they send you IS images of the below. Ask if they will honor the setting discount if they can't get you the IS by midnight to review.

JA Setting: https://www.jamesallen.com/engagement-rings/solitaire/platinum-crown-diamond-
engagement-ring-item-53674, $645 (until midnight texas time)

Diamonds:
0.90, I SI2, 6.20 mm. https://www.jamesallen.com/loose-di...i-color-si2-clarity-excellent-cut-sku-3615889 {Also may have a small blemish visible, but this is the largest by spread. Given that the blemish is not dense, this seems like a good option for spread. For you budget, this gets you to a I color and a really nice sized diamond. Again, good angles}

0.90 I SI1, 6.18 mm. https://www.jamesallen.com/loose-di...i-color-si1-clarity-excellent-cut-sku-2200941 {the lighting on this diamond does it no favors. But it has great angles and the faceting is bright and lively. The inclusions are on the girdle, so I like this better than the SI2 above)

0.90 H SI2, 6.22 mm, https://www.jamesallen.com/loose-di...h-color-si2-clarity-excellent-cut-sku-3648100 {really well cut and pretty stone. Posted by @whitewave above.}

which BN stone, this LD09611990 ?

OK, will call jamesallen now.

 

[redhorse]

Here are a few options that are in budget. I set the BN stone as my 'minimum' and looked for bigger or better color. I would put these three (plus the BN stone) on hold. From JA, request through the customer service portal that they send you IS images of the below. Ask if they will honor the setting discount if they can't get you the IS by midnight to review.

they can't provide an IS image because it is with their overseas dealer.

 

[rockysalamander]

i i am definitely 100% certain i am getting a wedding band. that's why i would like to go as close to 1carat if possible. i want to get what is possible now rather than dream and hoping of getting something bigger someday that might never happen.

I'm not sure I understand what you wrote here...I think this was mentioned above, but when asking someone to marry you, it is the custom to only present an engagement ring. Both parties will tend to choose their own wedding band.

Just a note for you, you mention a "shop" addition. Assuming that means you work with your hands, you may want to look at alternative ring options. Many men, especially those that work with their hands, forgo a wedding band to avoid injury or use a silicon band at work. My FIL is a machinist and wore a tungsten band (long before they were fashionable) as they will shatter rather than bend.

they can't provide an IS image because it is with their overseas dealer.

On any of the three?

 

[redhorse]

I'm not sure I understand what you wrote here...I think this was mentioned above, but when asking someone to marry you, it is the custom to only present an engagement ring. Both parties will tend to choose their own wedding band.

Just a note for you, you mention a "shop" addition. Assuming that means you work with your hands, you may want to look at alternative ring options. Many men, especially those that work with their hands, forgo a wedding band to avoid injury or use a silicon band at work. My FIL is a machinist and wore a tungsten band (long before they were fashionable) as they will shatter rather than bend.


On any of the three?

all of the three is not in their new york office. everything is overseas.

understand. thank you

 

[rockysalamander]

Of the three, with eyeclean and lacking an IS, I prefer JA #2, then #1. (pasted below). If they were rated by AGS (strickter on cut), they would both get Ideal/Excellent. Safe and solid numbers with complimentary angles. I prefer brown over yellow tint for tinted diamonds, so LD09396952 woudl work for me, but I'd like to see a 41 PA with the 35 CA; same is true of BN LD09611990. They may be fine, but without an IS I would worry about leakage.

So, I think the two below are better choices without IS images.

JA #2) 0.90 I SI1, 6.18 mm. https://www.jamesallen.com/loose-di...i-color-si1-clarity-excellent-cut-sku-2200941

JA #1) 0.90, I SI2, 6.20 mm. https://www.jamesallen.com/loose-di...i-color-si2-clarity-excellent-cut-sku-3615889

This is the budget blowout choice, but very safe color and clarity. Images look great. Good upgrade, but smallest in spread. Since you don't care about the upgrades, I'd eliminate this one.
WF) https://www.whiteflash.com/loose-diamonds/round-cut-loose-diamond-3916976.htm

@Niel @whitewave thoughts?

 

[whitewave]

Of the three, with eyeclean and lacking an IS, I prefer JA #2, then #1. (pasted below). If they were rated by AGS (strickter on cut), they would both get Ideal/Excellent. Safe and solid numbers with complimentary angles. I prefer brown over yellow tint for tinted diamonds, so LD09396952 woudl work for me, but I'd like to see a 41 PA with the 35 CA; same is true of BN LD09611990. They may be fine, but without an IS I would worry about leakage.

So, I think the two below are better choices without IS images.

JA #2) 0.90 I SI1, 6.18 mm. https://www.jamesallen.com/loose-di...i-color-si1-clarity-excellent-cut-sku-2200941

JA #1) 0.90, I SI2, 6.20 mm. https://www.jamesallen.com/loose-di...i-color-si2-clarity-excellent-cut-sku-3615889

This is the budget blowout choice, but very safe color and clarity. Images look great. Good upgrade, but smallest in spread. Since you don't care about the upgrades, I'd eliminate this one.
WF) https://www.whiteflash.com/loose-diamonds/round-cut-loose-diamond-3916976.htm

@Niel @whitewave thoughts?

25% the setting is very attractive. I also like the I color for an unknown preference more than a J so of these picks, I like JA 2 .90 I SI 1

@rockysalamander link the setting again

 

[rockysalamander]

25% the setting is very attractive. I also like the I color for an unknown preference more than a J so of these picks, I like JA 2 .90 I SI 1

@rockysalamander link the setting again

https://www.jamesallen.com/engageme...inum-crown-diamond-engagement-ring-item-53674

SKU 53674, six prong. Crown head.

 

[whitewave]

Yes, LOVE the crown head. Mentally, though, I would add a week to whatever JA says the ship by date is. Even whatever date they email

 

[redhorse]

25% the setting is very attractive. I also like the I color for an unknown preference more than a J so of these picks, I like JA 2 .90 I SI 1

@rockysalamander link the setting again

is this the one? https://www.jamesallen.com/loose-di...i-color-si1-clarity-excellent-cut-sku-2200941

so BN doesnt give IS images and JA can't give us either due to stones being overseas.
*sigh*

this is really appealing for strecthed bdget and Niel likes this LD09396952

 

[rockysalamander]

is this the one? https://www.jamesallen.com/loose-di...i-color-si1-clarity-excellent-cut-sku-2200941

so BN doesnt give IS images and JA can't give us either due to stones being overseas.
*sigh*

this is really appealing for strecthed bdget and Niel likes this LD09396952

Neil has a good eye. With an IS or ASET image confirming performance, LD09396952 would be well worth the stretch provided the J color would be ok. Its fine for some, but most people start to see tint at I, so J will have clear tint from the side. But, the angles are outside what I personally am willing to get without an IS.

 

[redhorse]

Neil has a good eye. With an IS or ASET image confirming performance, LD09396952 would be well worth the stretch provided the J color would be ok. Its fine for some, but most people start to see tint at I, so J will have clear tint from the side. But, the angles are outside what I personally am willing to get without an IS.

Got it.

so this option, diamond and setting
https://www.jamesallen.com/loose-di...i-color-si1-clarity-excellent-cut-sku-2200941

https://www.jamesallen.com/engageme...inum-crown-diamond-engagement-ring-item-53674

is better than the BN option, diamond and setting?
BLUENILE
Nouveau Knife Edge six prong engagement ring in platinum
$900
LD09611990
round 0.90 ct. diamond
$3,107
6.14 x 6.16 x 3.82 mm
total: $4007

 

[rockysalamander]

Got it.

so this option, diamond and setting
https://www.jamesallen.com/loose-di...i-color-si1-clarity-excellent-cut-sku-2200941

https://www.jamesallen.com/engageme...inum-crown-diamond-engagement-ring-item-53674

is better than the BN option, diamond and setting?
BLUENILE
Nouveau Knife Edge six prong engagement ring in platinum
$900
LD09611990
round 0.90 ct. diamond
$3,107
6.14 x 6.16 x 3.82 mm
total: $4007

To me...yes. Put it on hold while you ponder, we do have diamonds that get scooped by lurkers...

 

[Niel]

Oh man I just really don’t like that ja setting.
Hate to throw a wrench in there.

 

[rockysalamander]

Oh man I just really don’t like that ja setting.
Hate to throw a wrench in there.

I usually like the Petite flower or tulip, but they are a bit more and not as nice with the small stone. Suggestions? With a $4500 budget - $3660 stone = $840 + $100 email signup = $960.