Help!! Newbie trying to understand how to pick a diamond

[Parkerswife]

Hi everyone

I have been lurking around for the past few weeks trying to make sense of all the jargon, but am struggling still! We have been married for 11 years & are looking to upgrade my engagement ring.

We are looking for a stone between 0.75 & 1ct, hearts & arrows if possible, we don't mind warmer stones down to a J & eye clean. Hubby says he didn't want to have a "budget" but wanted to concentrate on quality/value. We would get a bezel setting in yellow gold with platinum around the stone either from the vendor or just purchase the stone and have a local jeweller set it.

Here are some choices I have found but can people possibly tell me what I might be missing when I am comparing? And maybe which diamond you would choose please? I have tried to use the HCA tool, & know to avoid EGL. Most of the stones I seem to like are AGS rated. Oh and one more thing, we are in Australia, so does anyone know much about how the http://www.adgl.com.au/ compares to AGS & GIA?

http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/I-VS2-Ideal-Cut-Round-Diamond-1391350.asp
http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/I-SI1-Ideal-Cut-Round-Diamond-1391365.asp
http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/I-VS2-Ideal-Cut-Round-Diamond-1391336.asp
http://www.goodoldgold.com/diamond/8290/
http://www.briangavindiamonds.com/diamond/diamond-detail/?product_id=AGS-1040407590004
http://www.briangavindiamonds.com/diamond/diamond-detail/?product_id=AGS-104049673005

Thanks so much for your help & sorry if this comes across as demanding or impossible requirements.

 

[stone-cold11]

Request for the hearts image and idealscope image for the JA stones.

 

[stone-cold11]

These could work too. Ask if eye-clean and request for idealscope image if interest.

http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/J-SI1-Premium-Cut-Round-Diamond-1184016.asp

http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/H-SI1-Ideal-Cut-Round-Diamond-1384048.asp

http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/F-SI1-Ideal-Cut-Round-Diamond-1382855.asp

 

[Lula]

Hello, and welcome to Pricescope, and congratulations on 11 years of marriage!

Your requests are not demanding at all. Just taking a quick look at the links you've posted, you've done a great job of narrowing your choices done to some stones with excellent potential. James Allen will e-mail you a hearts image for the stones you've linked; the hearts image is needed because the stone is being sold as a Hearts and Arrows cut.

A word to the wise -- call or e-mail the companies and ask for the stones to be put on hold while you wait for posters to give you their opinions on the stones. JA will put up to three (I believe) stones on hold for your until the images are sent to you. There is no charge for this service. I'm not sure of Brian Gavin's or Good Old Gold's policies, but they also will put stones on you; just give them a call. This prevents other people reading this forum from buying the stones while you're considering them.

As for settings, it's easier to buy the stone and setting from the same vendor, so as you are looking at stones, check with the vendor (or look at their settings pages on their sites) to see if there are any bezel settings you like. Most vendors can work with you on obtaining a specific style of setting even if they don't carry it.

 

[Lula]

And to answer your question about which I'd choose, I'd choose the J VS1 from Good Old Gold. If you are okay with a J color, that's a nice price for a well-cut one carat stone.

 

[Parkerswife]

Wow - thanks for the responses everyone! So fast!! I didnt think about asking to put stones on hold - what a great idea - thank you Lula!!

Will get onto James Allen about those images & checking if the stones you suggested are eye clean too thanks Stone-cold11

I LOVE pricescope - sooo helpful for trying to work out what you are actually getting - all the chain B&M stores here are selling absolute garbage where if you are prepared to do your research you get a MUCH better quality stone for the same price. Its just crazy!

Thanks so much for your reponses!!

 

[OCgirl]

And to answer your question about which I'd choose, I'd choose the J VS1 from Good Old Gold. If you are okay with a J color, that's a nice price for a well-cut one carat stone.

I second this. I think this is a great stone.

BGD "Blue" has a similar stone 1.02 ct J SI1 for $5,300 after discount http://www.briangavindiamonds.com/diamond/diamond-detail/?product_id=BLAGS-104052029005

The GOG one is a better deal though since it's better clarity.

 

[Parkerswife]

Thanks for the recommendations - if you were going to choose a 0.75 from my selection which would you choose? I am personally concious that $2000 is a lot of holiday/mortgage repayment

And Aussies - who is the best jeweller to use if we were to just buy the stone?

Thanks again everyone!!

 

[Parkerswife]

We have reserved the 1ct from GOG but I am really feeling guilty about spending so much money just on the stone - can anyone tell me what they think of this one please?

http://www.goodoldgold.com/diamond/8329

And if not this one, which of the other around $3500 stones would be best?

Thank you!

 

[Gypsy]

It's a nice diamond. I do like the J better though.

http://www.briangavindiamonds.com/diamond/diamond-detail/?product_id=AGS-104052896002 Too far over budget? If I were spending around 4K on a diamond I'd want at least 6mm's in spread.

 

[Parkerswife]

http://www.briangavindiamonds.com/diamond/diamond-detail/?product_id=AGS-104051391002

What does The clarity grade of this diamond is partly based on clouds that are not shown mean?

 

[stone-cold11]

It means that the VS1 clarity grade is base on both the crystal, that is plotted on the inclusion map, and on clouds that are not plotted on the inclusion map.
Not worries for inclusions of VS1 and better.

 

[Gypsy]

http://www.briangavindiamonds.com/diamond/diamond-detail/?product_id=AGS-104051391002

What does The clarity grade of this diamond is partly based on clouds that are not shown mean?

Good price and almost 6mm (within .2 is considered close enough). I think this one has potential. How do you want to set it. BGD has great settings and honestly, from the way most Aussie's talk, getting the setting here is cheaper than getting it locally.

 

[Parkerswife]

Thanks everyone, after much back and forth feeling guilty about spending that much $ on just me hubby decided to just go for it because "you're worth it" & wired the money to GOG for the J this morning Soooo excited!!!!!!

We were thinking a simple bezel solitaire setting in yellow gold with platinum around the stone.

Thank you sooooooooooooooo much to you all for your help & to Pricescope for an amazing site!!!