Help please I''m torn: EC .9 C, VS1, E color

[reesie1228]

My boyfriend brought an EC sample to show me. I have always been into jewelry, and asked him to get the biggest stone he could afford as long as it didn''t look yellow and was eyeclean. Particularly, it was important to me to have at least a 1 carat stone. I know he''s on a modest budget and so I told him anything above .75 C would be just fine. He brought me a .9 Carat, E color, VS1 Emerald cut with two .25 Carat baguettes. It sparkeled a lot more than I expected from any EC. I am not sure if I should be hung up on size or not because the quality of the center stone is much higher than I was expecting and much higher than I thought he could even afford!

I''m not into halos at all, but do plan to possibly replace the baguettes with more "brilliant" side stones, possibly bullets, trilliants, or moons. I don''t think he will be able to find "bagillions."

I''m debating if I should ask him to find a larger, lower-quality stone or not, what are your opinions?

 

[Lorelei]

Date: 1/21/2010 1:16:14 PM
Author:reesie1228
My boyfriend brought an EC sample to show me. I have always been into jewelry, and asked him to get the biggest stone he could afford as long as it didn't look yellow and was eyeclean. Particularly, it was important to me to have at least a 1 carat stone. I know he's on a modest budget and so I told him anything above .75 C would be just fine. He brought me a .9 Carat, E color, VS1 Emerald cut with two .25 Carat baguettes. It sparkeled a lot more than I expected from any EC. I am not sure if I should be hung up on size or not because the quality of the center stone is much higher than I was expecting and much higher than I thought he could even afford!

I'm not into halos at all, but do plan to possibly replace the baguettes with more 'brilliant' side stones, possibly bullets, trilliants, or moons. I don't think he will be able to find 'bagillions.'

I'm debating if I should ask him to find a larger, lower-quality stone or not, what are your opinions?

Hi reesie and welcome!

Is this diamond GIA graded? This is important to know as GIA along with AGS are the top two grading labs and as such if your diamond is graded by GIA for example, we know the grading will be accurate.

Emerald cuts often require higher clarity as these shapes can show inclusions more easily than rounds as an example. You could go to VS2 perhaps but once you get into SI grades, in this shape it is unusual to find one which is eyeclean. Colour, you could lower if you desired, F G or H will still be very white in this shape, if you decided to go for a round diamond for example then you could lower the colour to I or J if well cut and reliably graded. Its hard to know what to tell you but well cut and attractive emerald cuts aren't always easy to find, if you love this one and it is in fact reliably graded as above, then that is the most important thing.

 

[tyty333]

Did you ask for an EC or thats just what he brought you? Do you have any idea what his budget is? You do know
that some Fancy cuts (EC for example) face up smaller than rounds?

 

[Dreamer_D]

Do you want to stick with an EC?

I personally love the type of setting that you have and am not sure that brilliant sides will look good, but that is just my opinion. Are you pining for a more brilliant diamond generally?

 

[reesie1228]

Hmm, I''m not sure if it''s graded. My boyfriend works in jewelry so I''m sure he''ll make sure its has the certification once he buys it.

 

[Lorelei]

Date: 1/21/2010 2:13:29 PM
Author: reesie1228
Hmm, I''m not sure if it''s graded. My boyfriend works in jewelry so I''m sure he''ll make sure its has the certification once he buys it.

Ok, thats important to know as the type of grading report ( or lack of) can greatly influence price and the accuracy of the grading, so if you could find out that would be helpful.

 

[reesie1228]

I''ve always loved EC''s but yes, but I did ask for a radiant or cushion for more sparkle. I prefer erectangular or oval shapes to squares & circles. RB''s and princesses are not for me.

He told me that the radiants and cushions were priced much higher, so we went back to the original plan of EC.

So to answer both of your questions: yes, he brought me and EC because he knows I love them, but yes, I am hungering for more sparkle, which is why I''m looking non-step cut sides stones.

 

[Gypsy]

An oval seems to fit your requirements best.

You want brilliant instead of step cut faceting. Check.
Elongated Shape. Check.
Spread. Check.
Plus you can go down in clarity (and hence price, then up in size) and stay eyeclean pretty safely.
Affordability. Check.

If you love the EC as it is... then keep it and forget about the .9. I have a 1.09 and honestly the .09 does very little for me on a daily basis. What's the spread on the EC? You can EASILY get a very deep 1 carat plus EC that faces up the same size of smaller than a .9 EC with shallower depth. The measurements are what really matter, not the carats. If your EC is spready and faces up as big as a 1 carat stone, does the carat weight matter at all? Except to make the stone more affordable?
As for your setting... I would look at pics of what you are thinking about and see if you like it. I personally am not a huge fan of traps with ECs. But then again I have a halo on my asscher. You don't want to be stuck with a stone you don't care for, and setting options that leave you cold.

If you do want more everything... sparkle, size, spread... maybe reconsider the EC altogether. As the owner of a step cut... the lack of spread, propensity to get dirty quicker (and then lost sparkle as a result) and the higher color and clarity requirements on a step cut mean that you should really LOVE the cut to own one despite it's 'definciencies.'

Another thing to keep in mind is... if your FI works in jewelry and you don't know the price, and you don't have a certificate to verify color, clarity, etc. You have no idea what he paid. He could have gotten a great deal on THAT ring. Just that one. So... best check your budget before you go switching things up. You may end up with something you like less because of budget restraints if you don't.


Also, as a general rule. If the carat size is of paramount importance to you... and you decide to change things up with the center stone. Just tell him. I know you want to be understanding of budget, and I applaud that. But if the carat weight is the thing that is going to bug you... just let him know up front. Honey I want a 1 carat stone that is at least G color and is eyeclean, and my definition of eyeclean IS.....

 

[MichelleCarmen]

I''d be blown away by the ring your boyfriend bought you! I say enjoy it

 

[Bella_mezzo]

I would

the ring if it is an excellently cut EC. I love the setting you have and would not change it! I don''t tend to like more brilliant cut side stones with step cut centers. You may be able to get more sparkle from a wedding band. If you like EC and it''s a good diamond then I would stick with your ring. If you don''t like EC then it does sound like oval might be more you...

 

[Gypsy]

Whoops. Wrong thread. Thanks dream!

 

[Dreamer_D]

I like Gypsy''s oval suggestion.

 

[marcy]

I think I would love your ring but I am a big EC fan. I would choose qualitiy over size in a diamond and it would not bother me if it is shy of a carat. If you truly don''t like the lack of sparkle you get from the EC maybe look at other shapes (I like the oval suggestion). Also, how sensitive would he be if you ask him to look at getting you something different?