Find your diamond
Find your jewelry
shape
carat
color
clarity

Help Please!

M

mikehadley4

Rough_Rock
Joined
Dec 24, 2018
Messages
21
Hello all I’ve been searching these threads for days ever since I’ve stumbled upon it. As well as the last few weeks YouTube and the internet non stop. I’ve been to all my larger box stores here in the central Indiana area. As well as looked at a few of the “major” online sites you see advertised places. My problem is now that I’ve stumbled across absolutely beautiful stones online with the ASETS, H&A etc. I’ve came to the conclusion the box stores just can’t get the quality I’m after. Everywhere I look online. I’ve done just enough research to try and pick out what I believe to be beautiful diamonds.. but scared enough to not pull the trigger Incase I’m not getting all the quality for my money. I initially wanted to spend around 10k, but believe I need to up my budget some to get a beautiful stone in the 1.25 range. I’m just looking for any recommendations or possibly community picks that I could narrow down the list. I may have waited a little too long as I’m wanting to propose in February at a race we have in Florida. “ we race late models and the location in Florida this particular race is at happens to be her favorite vacation spot as well”. If anyone could help me out I would greatly appreciate it! Originally I thought I needed to have a perfect d if excellent cut. Now all the light performance information is pouring down on me and I’m realizing that’s not necessarily the case.
 
Snowdrop13 said:
You can easily find a nicely cut diamond at that size, even a superideal. Here are a couple to look at to get you started,

https://www.whiteflash.com/loose-diamonds/round-cut-loose-diamond-4065505.htm G VS2 1.208ct

Or dropping colour, a bit over budget,

https://www.whiteflash.com/loose-diamonds/round-cut-loose-diamond-4061062.htm H VS2 1.315ct
Click to expand...


Thank you. Here’s where I’ve got a couple questions. Can I tell a noticeable size difference in something around a 1.45-1.5 versus a 1.25-1.3? Also she wants a solitaire so does that mean I need to get a good color grade so the tint wouldn’t show through, or is that only from the bottom and not the side?
 
mikehadley4 said:
Thank you. Here’s where I’ve got a couple questions. Can I tell a noticeable size difference in something around a 1.45-1.5 versus a 1.25-1.3? Also she wants a solitaire so does that mean I need to get a good color grade so the tint wouldn’t show through, or is that only from the bottom and not the side?
Click to expand...

Imho yes, between 1.3 and 1.5 you will notice. It won't be mind blowing difference, but it'll be apparent if you compare. Color depends on what kind of solitaire setting. If it's open from the side, then your fiance might see color from that angle at an H color, but many people think H is white enough. a majority of people don't notice a tint in E/F/G, although there are exceptions. But largely we tell people they are "safe" to buy theougu H color unless they are 100% sure about preferences of their future wife.
 
Something like a pave I believe they are called band. She does like the smaller diamonds on the band. I know halo is off limits though. “It takes away from the beauty of the center stone” in her opinion which also makes me think I’m needing the best center stone I can possibly get. We are a quality over quantity couple so I’d like to blow her away with something that isn’t going to be seen worn by most everyone around here as a basic “diamond” from the jewelry stores, but definitely something that stands out with the quality/light performance above most of the rest.
 
If you want the best, then sticking with WF or HP diamonds is a great choice. I don't see anything in your budget (and H+ color) at HP diamonds, so I'd stick with wf. If I were you I'd call them and see what they have that they think would best fit your budget and desires .They have settings too so you can do it all at once.
 
lovedogs said:
If you want the best, then sticking with WF or HP diamonds is a great choice. I don't see anything in your budget (and H+ color) at HP diamonds, so I'd stick with wf. If I were you I'd call them and see what they have that they think would best fit your budget and desires .They have settings too so you can do it all at once.
Click to expand...


Thank you. Yes I threw that number out there that I originally thought I would be spending. I found out awful quick that I needed to up that. I have no problem being under 20. Much above 20 I think I would have to start brainstorming how I could sneak the funds by without her knowing they are missing!

Thank you for taking time out of your day to answer my questions. I’m sure they are repetitive on here and it’s like beating a dead horse for some of you with intelligence!
 
Throwing out a budget option. This gets a lower HCA due to the high crown angle. But, if JA can provide a IS, it might be worth pursuing. It might be a dud, but there is no cost to request and ASET. Put the diamond on hold if you go down this route.
https://www.jamesallen.com/loose-di...h-color-vs2-clarity-excellent-cut-sku-5769924

This stays close your you initial budget. Small inclusion on the table that is not visible per WF. Nice color and angles.
https://www.whiteflash.com/loose-diamonds/round-cut-loose-diamond-4042793.htm

This setting (platinum over white gold IMHO).
https://www.whiteflash.com/engageme...eek-line-pave-diamond-engagement-ring-422.htm
 
One additional question for the forum. On clarity. Outside of rarity for if and vvs along with the price inclination. Is there any impact at all within the optical beauty of a diamond between two identical diamonds with one being a vvs and one being an “eye clean” s1? Or is the clarity all in magnification of the stone? Basically curious is it worth it to save money in that area getting an eye clean si1 versus something of higher clarity if I have no cultural beliefs in clarity? I just didn’t want it to impact the diamonds performance from going to a s1 over a vs
 
mikehadley4 said:
One additional question for the forum. On clarity. Outside of rarity for if and vvs along with the price inclination. Is there any impact at all within the optical beauty of a diamond between two identical diamonds with one being a vvs and one being an “eye clean” s1? Or is the clarity all in magnification of the stone? Basically curious is it worth it to save money in that area getting an eye clean si1 versus something of higher clarity if I have no cultural beliefs in clarity? I just didn’t want it to impact the diamonds performance from going to a s1 over a vs
Click to expand...

Other than cultural significance, your eye won't be able to tell differences between vs and vvs. And with an eye clean SI1, it's awesome bc you aren't paying for stuff you can't see. The only exception is if the major inclusions in an SI stone are clouds, then it can impact performance bc the stone looks cloudy. So on the report, it's helpful to check out what the inclusions are.
 
lovedogs said:
Other than cultural significance, your eye won't be able to tell differences between vs and vvs. And with an eye clean SI1, it's awesome bc you aren't paying for stuff you can't see. The only exception is if the major inclusions in an SI stone are clouds, then it can impact performance bc the stone looks cloudy. So on the report, it's helpful to check out what the inclusions are.
Click to expand...

This. No need to go above VS1 for the clarity grade. You'll never be able to tell the difference between a VS1 and an IF. There are plenty of eye-clean VS2s for that matter. VS2-VS1 is a great range to search within.

SI clarity grades are a bit of a mixed bag. I would not recommend buying an SI clarity stone unless you're buying from one of the vendors with in-house diamonds like the SuperIdeal vendors. Or unless you're prepared to send a stone back if it's not to your liking. It is simply too hard to try and figure out whether the stone has inclusions that could impact light performance when dealing with vendors who sell overseas diamonds. With the SuperIdeal vendors, they can pull diamonds from their inventory and take comparison shots and videos with a diamond of higher clarity (say SI vs VVS) so you can see for yourself whether or not the inclusions in a particular SI clarity stone bother you.

When I'm searching for stones on the open market, I usually set the search parameters to VS2-VVS2 (sometimes VVS2s are reasonably priced). Plenty of good deals to be found on the open market within that range. :)
 
TreeScientist said:
Ah, just saw your post that you would be okay with $20k haha.

In that case, this diamond is better cut (no clustering around the arrow shafts). Seriously, this would be comparable to SuperIdeal performance judging by the ASET and H&A images provided. Right at $14k for bank wire price:
https://enchanteddiamonds.com/diamo...5-Carat-G-Color-VS1-Clarity-Diamond-298170230
Click to expand...

I do have another “dumb guy” question. Laser enscribed - no. I’ve seen the diamonds with the Gia numbers etc. how would you know if this stone is actually the one sent to you, and/or during cleanings knowing your getting the right one back. Or am I just under thinking it and it would be quite noticeable?
 
mikehadley4 said:
I do have another “dumb guy” question. Laser enscribed - no. I’ve seen the diamonds with the Gia numbers etc. how would you know if this stone is actually the one sent to you, and/or during cleanings knowing your getting the right one back. Or am I just under thinking it and it would be quite noticeable?
Click to expand...

Come again? All GIA diamonds are laser inscribed (this diamond included). They have "GIA <insert number>" inscribed on the girdle. Take a look at the "Inscriptions" section of the report:
https://www.gia.edu/report-check?reportno=1182489265

It says
"Inscriptions: GIA 1182489265"

The inscription can easily be seen with a 20X or 40X loupe as long as it is not covered by a prong. You don't need to worry about the online vendors. They'll send you the stone you ordered, don't worry about that. As for future jewelry repair: If you don't want to send it back to the original vendor, find a local jeweler that you can trust that has a long-standing reputation within your city. They won't put their 30 year reputation at risk to switch out a 1.5 carat diamond.
 
58CE628D-EE7F-4290-B99D-6959001CD564.png
I was looking at the laser inscribed portion. I understand what your saying. I didn’t know they were all marked. That’s what I was worried about. I understand exactly what your saying though. Thank you!
 
Also since this sites been so helpful. One other question has came to mind. Do pave style bands have an impact on the main diamond? I didn’t know if the quality of the band diamonds would impact the color etc of main stone.
 
mikehadley4 said:
Also since this sites been so helpful. One other question has came to mind. Do pave style bands have an impact on the main diamond? I didn’t know if the quality of the band diamonds would impact the color etc of main stone.
Click to expand...

Another good question! :)

Yes, the quality of the pave diamonds does matter. Mainly the color of the pave diamonds is what you need to be concerned with. Most jewelers use either F-G or G-H color pave. In general, you want the pave diamonds to match the color of the center stone or to be either one color grade higher or lower than the center stone. For example, if a ring had F-G colored pave, it would go best with a center stone anywhere from E-H color.

The reason is that smaller diamonds generally look whiter to begin with than center stones (large diamonds "show their color" more). It's usually okay to go with a center diamond that is one color grade lower than the pave color, but beyond that people can usually start to tell the difference, especially if they are color sensitive. As in, the center diamond will look yellow in comparison to the pave diamonds.

With a G colored center stone, you're safe in that regard. As I said, most vendors use either F-G or G-H colored pave. :)
 
Thank you Tree. I know the diamonds people have suggested here are obviously pretty much the best performing ones around period. I’ve just been skimming the online sites. Could you give me your opinion on this one here.
https://www.gia.edu/report-check?reportno=6312054945&s=1545843056042
Also not sure about the website it’s on but it’s for a little over 12k. I’m going to guess it’s worth the difference in the diamonds suggested over this one?
 
mikehadley4 said:
Thank you Tree. I know the diamonds people have suggested here are obviously pretty much the best performing ones around period. I’ve just been skimming the online sites. Could you give me your opinion on this one here.
https://www.gia.edu/report-check?reportno=6312054945&s=1545843056042
Also not sure about the website it’s on but it’s for a little over 12k. I’m going to guess it’s worth the difference in the diamonds suggested over this one?
Click to expand...

I found it online. The cut looks nice, but I would avoid this diamond due to the inclusions. This is a SI1 with clouds as the grade-setting inclusion. In general, it's best to avoid clouds as the primary inclusions in SI-clarity diamonds, as there's a high likelihood that they'll cause a reduction in transparency (i.e. haziness). I can see quite a few of the clouds in the video for this diamond, so I'm pretty sure it may have transparency issues IRL.

Is it the bigger size that you're after? Because this diamond is also well cut (although you would need to ask for an ASET or IdealScope image from the vendor, since I don't see one) and is 1.61 carat for about the same price as the first diamond I posted:
https://www.adiamor.com/Diamonds/1.61-ct-G-VS2-Excellent-Cut-Round-Diamond/D42584446?
 
It is the size I’m after but unfortunately now my gf which is pretty active/athletic said she doesn’t want one that’s “gaudy”. And thinks 1.25 range is as big as she would want to wear. So my search starts over!

It seemed like the face up side was larger then some on the one I shared. And I had read about you can find some eye clean s1 that are really worth the value. But you showed me I didn’t know enough to pick out an eye clean one that was worth it. Was more so wanting feedback on the quality of that one. I’ll stick to the suggestions from now on though!
 
Not sure if you've thought about this, but if you think you will ever want to upgrade to a larger stone then look for the vendors with the most generous upgrade policies, like WF or HPD.
 
@Lookinagain thank you very much. I do need an awesome upgrade policy because I can almost guarantee she will end up having the shrinkage mindset and wanting to go to at least that 1.5 if not a 2 range within a couple years. So I will need a great upgrade policy. GOG doesn’t have the upgrade policy generous like WF or HPD do they? Only because I’ve seen a couple stones from them in that range. Maybe I can post the specs and you could let me know if they compare to the ones on wf or hpd
 
mikehadley4 said:
@Lookinagain thank you very much. I do need an awesome upgrade policy because I can almost guarantee she will end up having the shrinkage mindset and wanting to go to at least that 1.5 if not a 2 range within a couple years. So I will need a great upgrade policy. GOG doesn’t have the upgrade policy generous like WF or HPD do they? Only because I’ve seen a couple stones from them in that range. Maybe I can post the specs and you could let me know if they compare to the ones on wf or hpd
Click to expand...

GOG does have the same trade-up policy as WF & HPD, but honestly their selection has not been the same ever sense Jon left the business. Even if you find something you like now, there's no guarantees that they'll have what you want in the future, as their selection of in-house SuperIdeal diamonds has gone down tremendously in the last year. If you know you'll be trading up in the future, then probably best to stick with WF or HPD. Since you're going smaller than planned anyway, WF will be in your budget. The 1.2 G/VS2 posted by @Snowdrop13 is an excellent choice. :)

https://www.whiteflash.com/loose-diamonds/round-cut-loose-diamond-4065505.htm?source=pricescope
 
Completely understand your inputs. Gog just comes from the YouTube videos as I’ve been searching. Is John with another company now or on his own? I thought he was a very informative guy. Also do I need to worry about finding a “face up” side that appears to be as large as possible in the best quality stone? Or does that not really matter when we are talking in the 1.25 range?
 
mikehadley4 said:
Completely understand your inputs. Gog just comes from the YouTube videos as I’ve been searching. Is John with another company now or on his own? I thought he was a very informative guy. Also do I need to worry about finding a “face up” side that appears to be as large as possible in the best quality stone? Or does that not really matter when we are talking in the 1.25 range?
Click to expand...

Yes, his videos are outstanding. :) His video series on diamond color is the best I've seen:

He went off on his own and started August Vintage Inc. He started out only carrying his August Vintage old-cut diamonds, but he has recently started to carry some MRBs as well:
https://www.augustvintageinc.net/

Not sure about the August Vintage trade-in policy, or if they even have one yet. Any input @Rhino?
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
GET 3 FREE HCA RESULTS JOIN THE FORUM. ASK FOR HELP
Jewelry Blog
PriceScope-Concierge-Ad
Find prime cuts.
Top