Help Please!!! Choosing a diamond

[tmick09]

Hello!
I'm new here and I'm in need of some help. My boyfriend will be proposing soon and I'm helping him with the search for a diamond. I've been trying to educate myself on diamonds and all of the necessary data to look at. It's actually a little overwhelming and therefore I need the help of you experts. Budget $4500, round solitaire, .70 carats and up, D-G color, VS1 and above. He's having a custom setting made. French cut pave with belt of diamonds around basket on white gold or platinum.

Here's what our jeweler has found so far:

$3300-round solitaire
Color: H
Clarity: IF
Carats: .76

Triple EX on cut/polish/symmetry
No Fluorescence

Depth: 59.8
Table: 60
Crown: 33.5
Pavilion: 41

I don't have any images yet.

 

[the_mother_thing]

@tmick09 Does your $4500 budget include the setting, or is that diamond only? Is there a reason for the IF clarity? That a very high clarity grade (for what you may not be able to even see), and it’ll likely eat up a lot of your budget; going down in clarity a bit (but still ‘eye clean’) would yield more options and a little more diamond size/spread. But if that’s a firm preference/criteria, that’s what I’ll search for.

 

[tmick09]

@tmick09 Does your $4500 budget include the setting, or is that diamond only? Is there a reason for the IF clarity? That a very high clarity grade (for what you may not be able to even see), and it’ll likely eat up a lot of your budget; going down in clarity a bit (but still ‘eye clean’) would yield more options and a little more diamond size/spread. But if that’s a firm preference/criteria, that’s what I’ll search for.

Does not include setting budget. The custom setting is $1775. No particular reason for the IF clarity, it's just what the jeweler found and thinks would look great in the setting. My preferences are pretty much what I listed above. I moreso care about cut, color, clarity, and carats in that order. I do prefer a colorless diamond but would be willing to go down in color for a more well rounded diamond and lower price. I'm just hesitant on the H color diamond having a yellow tinge to it and not as "sparkly" in various lights. The diamond above is priced at $3300. Is that a good price for that particular diamond?

 

[the_mother_thing]

Does not include setting budget. The custom setting is $1775. No particular reason for the IF clarity, it's just what the jeweler found and thinks would look great in the setting. My preferences are pretty much what I listed above. I moreso care about cut, color, clarity, and carats in that order. I do prefer a colorless diamond but would be willing to go down in color for a more well rounded diamond and lower price. I'm just hesitant on the H color diamond having a yellow tinge to it and not as "sparkly" in various lights. The diamond above is priced at $3300. Is that a good price for that particular diamond?

The specs you noted for that diamond are outside of the ‘ideal cut’ parameters normally recommended on here for great cut, which is what makes your diamond sparkle (not color). So given that, with no pictures/video/etc., I can’t say that diamond is worth the price. But I can say we can probably find you one or more that will be better in your budget!

So if a diamond is ‘eye clean’ from a normal viewing distance (say 10-12 inches), you are okay going down in clarity grade?

 

[tmick09]

The specs you noted for that diamond are outside of the ‘ideal cut’ parameters normally recommended on here for great cut, which is what makes your diamond sparkle (not color). So given that, with no pictures/video/etc., I can’t say that diamond is worth the price. But I can say we can probably find you one or more that will be better in your budget!

So if a diamond is ‘eye clean’ from a normal viewing distance (say 10-12 inches), you are okay going down in clarity grade?

I would say H is my limit for color and SI1 is lowest clarity. I would love some other suggestions please!

 

[the_mother_thing]

I would say H is my limit for color and SI1 is lowest clarity. I would love some other suggestions please!

Here are a few lined up for you to see their specs. All are eye clean, and all but one are A Cut Above (super-ideal) diamonds, meaning they have the best cut and will be great performers. You’d have to ask Whiteflash why the one Expert Selection didn’t make ACA, as it’s specs all look in line with those for ACA stones. These diamonds can represent a great value if they narrowly missed the branding (and associated price hike) due to some spec you may or may not be able to see.

https://www.whiteflash.com/loose-di...80143,3961914,3954416,3916973,3964554,3903330

Hopefully others will chime in with their thoughts and more suggestions/options as well.

 

[the_mother_thing]

Here are a few more from HPD, and all are Crafted By Infinity (also super-ideal) diamonds, meaning they also will be outstanding performers in terms of cut. They should be all eye clean but you’d need to confirm that with Wink, as they don’t note this up-front the same as Whiteflash.

https://www.hpdiamonds.com/en-us/diamonddetail/HPD9741
https://www.hpdiamonds.com/en-us/diamonddetail/HPD9763
https://www.hpdiamonds.com/en-us/diamonddetail/HPD9639
https://www.hpdiamonds.com/en-us/diamonddetail/HPD10039
https://www.hpdiamonds.com/en-us/diamonddetail/HPD8949
https://www.hpdiamonds.com/en-us/diamonddetail/HPD9102

 

[the_mother_thing]

Hopefully some of those help you to see what draws your eye in and appeals to you.

 

[tmick09]

Here are a few lined up for you to see their specs. All are eye clean, and all but one are A Cut Above (super-ideal) diamonds, meaning they have the best cut and will be great performers. You’d have to ask Whiteflash why the one Expert Selection didn’t make ACA, as it’s specs all look in line with those for ACA stones. These diamonds can represent a great value if they narrowly missed the branding (and associated price hike) due to some spec you may or may not be able to see.

https://www.whiteflash.com/loose-di...80143,3961914,3954416,3916973,3964554,3903330

Hopefully others will chime in with their thoughts and more suggestions/options as well.

Thank you so much for your help! I will take a good look at these selections! Hopefully others will chime in too!

 

[natasha-cupcake]

Here are a few more from HPD, and all are Crafted By Infinity (also super-ideal) diamonds, meaning they also will be outstanding performers in terms of cut. They should be all eye clean but you’d need to confirm that with Wink, as they don’t note this up-front the same as Whiteflash.

https://www.hpdiamonds.com/en-us/diamonddetail/HPD9741
https://www.hpdiamonds.com/en-us/diamonddetail/HPD9763
https://www.hpdiamonds.com/en-us/diamonddetail/HPD9639
https://www.hpdiamonds.com/en-us/diamonddetail/HPD10039
https://www.hpdiamonds.com/en-us/diamonddetail/HPD8949
https://www.hpdiamonds.com/en-us/diamonddetail/HPD9102

HPD indicates whether diamonds are eye clean or not for SI stones. They don't list the designation for VS or higher. This is shown to the right of the sample diamond picture at the top left of the diamond detail page. It took me a while to notice that only the SI diamonds said this.

"This Crafted by Infinity masterpiece weighs 0.91 carats, with eye-clean SI1 clarity and a color grade of G."

 

[the_mother_thing]

HPD indicates whether diamonds are eye clean or not for SI stones. They don't list the designation for VS or higher. This is shown to the right of the sample diamond picture at the top left of the diamond detail page.

"This Crafted by Infinity masterpiece weighs 0.91 carats, with eye-clean SI1 clarity and a color grade of G."

Thank you! My eyes are tired; it’s been a loooong day.

 

[tmick09]

HPD indicates whether diamonds are eye clean or not for SI stones. They don't list the designation for VS or higher. This is shown to the right of the sample diamond picture at the top left of the diamond detail page. It took me a while to notice that only the SI diamonds said this.

"This Crafted by Infinity masterpiece weighs 0.91 carats, with eye-clean SI1 clarity and a color grade of G."

Thank You!

 

[natasha-cupcake]

You're very welcome!