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help picking a diamond

bigstarturtle

Rough_Rock
Joined
Aug 10, 2017
Messages
4
So i've somewhat narrowed it down of what I would like to buy but i'm having trouble picking up the exact stone. Mainly because the whole you if you go one level lower for Y you can get go up in X. Talking about the 4C's

I'm looking for a round diamond to be placed in a white gold Halo ring.
GIA is almost a must, i'm leaning very heavily on getting it from Jamesallen.
Budget is $5000 roughly on the diamond alone. +/- $500.
Its going to be a 1ct. I'm looking at the H/I ,VS2, excellent cut.


https://www.jamesallen.com/loose-di...-color-vvs2-clarity-excellent-cut-sku-3145697

https://www.jamesallen.com/loose-di...i-color-vs1-clarity-excellent-cut-sku-3166829

https://www.jamesallen.com/loose-di...i-color-vs2-clarity-excellent-cut-sku-3242463

I was suggested this diamond by JA people.

https://www.jamesallen.com/loose-di...i-color-vs1-clarity-excellent-cut-sku-3293135


These 4 are what i'm looking at, i'm very open to suggestions, opinions and other options.



Also, i do have a side question about the actual ring. My original idea was get the diamond online and hit up a local jeweler to get it in the right size and settings. But now that i have a good idea of the size, i'm tempting to get everything online. I might be able to save $500ish online. TAX is a killer too locally.
 
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So i've somewhat narrowed it down of what I would like to buy but i'm having trouble picking up the exact stone. Mainly because the whole you if you go one level lower for Y you can get go up in X. Talking about the 4C's

I'm looking for a round diamond to be placed in a white gold Halo ring.
GIA is almost a must, i'm leaning very heavily on getting it from Jamesallen.
Budget is $5000 roughly on the diamond alone. +/- $500.
Its going to be a 1ct. I'm looking at the H/I ,VS2, excellent cut.


https://www.jamesallen.com/loose-di...-color-vvs2-clarity-excellent-cut-sku-3145697

https://www.jamesallen.com/loose-di...i-color-vs1-clarity-excellent-cut-sku-3166829

https://www.jamesallen.com/loose-di...i-color-vs2-clarity-excellent-cut-sku-3242463

I was suggested this diamond by JA people.

https://www.jamesallen.com/loose-di...i-color-vs1-clarity-excellent-cut-sku-3293135


These 4 are what i'm looking at, i'm very open to suggestions, opinions and other options.



Also, i do have a side question about the actual ring. My original idea was get the diamond online and hit up a local jeweler to get it in the right size and settings. But now that i have a good idea of the size, i'm tempting to get everything online. I might be able to save $500ish online. TAX is a killer too locally.

I'll save everyone the time. All no. They are all steep/deep. Let us post you some good ones and, yes, you should but the halo online. We'll suggest some of those too...how much is your all in budget (diamond + setting?)?
 
Diamond 101.

Cut, the actual faceting of a diamond is the most important C to make a diamond perform. Look for "Excellent" Cut. GIA and AGS rated only.

These are measurements to help you stay in ideal cut territory with a GIA excellent cut round stone, but graded by any lab.
table: 54-58
depth: 59-62.3
crown angle: 33.5-35.0
pavilion angle: 40.6-40.9 (sometimes 41.0)
And the crown and pavilion angles must be complementary which is what the HCA checks for you.

If a stone fits those numbers, then run it through the HCA tool. This is an exclusion tool, but it will eliminate any round that will be an automatic no. http://www.pricescope.com/tools/hca; You want to see Excellent on light return, fire, and scintillation, and very good on spread. An overall score of 2.0 or lower means a diamond is worth exploring further (but a 1.0 isn’t necessarily better than 1.9).
 
The stones that you selected are a no, they are not well cut stones. The stone that JA recommended stone is also a NO.

Here is a stone that I really like. It is smack in the middle of ideal/preferred proportions:

https://www.jamesallen.com/mobile/l...-color-vvs2-clarity-excellent-cut-sku-3244988

The stone has Blue flouro, so I would inquire with JA about any negative effects of the fluorescence.

JA has many nice settings, are you going for a classic solitaire?
 
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I'll save everyone the time. All no. They are all steep/deep. Let us post you some good ones and, yes, you should but the halo online. We'll suggest some of those too...how much is your all in budget (diamond + setting?)?

I thought i did pick the excellent cut diamonds... shows what i know.

I'm looking forward to the suggestions, i'm on here because i know nothing!


Overall budget would be about $7k, OTD.

This is setting i'm leaning on. Something in similar would be ideal.
https://www.jamesallen.com/engageme...amond-engagement-ring-round-center-item-17444
 
+1 to @SimoneDi choice. Put that on hold right away! You'll want to request an ASET and IS.

Your setting is fine. But, go with 14k gold. 18K is softer and more yellow, for white gold (which is a nickel+gold blend), you want whiter and harder. If you budget will allow platinum, even better. It won't stay as shiny as the plated gold, but it will be near zero maintenance and is better for pave. Also, it contains no nickel, so will avoid potential allergies later.
 
I would ask JA if they can get you a 14kt WG palladium alloy. That will remain white and it is vey sturdy. If you can afford plat, that is great, but don't break the bank over it, wg will be just fine, you might need to get it rhodium plated every couple of years, but it's no big deal, at least in my view.
 
I would ask JA if they can get you a 14kt WG palladium alloy. That will remain white and it is vey sturdy. If you can afford plat, that is great, but don't break the bank over it, wg will be just fine, you might need to get it rhodium plated every couple of years, but it's no big deal, at least in my view.
If JA can provide palladium white gold, let us know. Last I heard they did not have it and it would be great if they decided to provide it!
 
So i was able to put this one suggested on 48 hour reserve.

I asked for a ASET and IS. JA does not do ASET on normal shaped stones. But i was able to get a IS.
3244988ID.jpg

Now just working on going over all my halo options and metals. I could get the ring in platinum or 14kg White gold( platinum is only $370 more). Either one is under my budget.
 
The IS looks pretty good. If the price difference is not a problem, then go with plat, less maintenance.
 
Did they say the fluorescence had no negative effect?

+1 on the platinum.
 
Personally, I'm 100% platinum...especially if the white gold is not palladium white gold. I just can't stand the maintenance of white gold ($50-100 every 6-months; something about my skin chemistry; @SimoneDi gets way longer than I do) and the nickel makes my skin most unhappy. I'd just pay the $370 extra up front and be done with it.

Pretty good IS. Thumbs up from me too!
 

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Nice IS....definitely go for the platinum if it is also within budget!
 
You've chosen a great diamond and a classic and timeless setting. Congratulations on a beautiful combination!
 
The ring is going to be lovely. Good on you for taking advice and being decisive.
 
Congrats! The ring will be gorgeous!
 
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