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Help us find a GIA 2.5+ RB engagement diamond!

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letsgo

Rough_Rock
Joined
Aug 22, 2013
Messages
4
Hi all,

Finally joined PriceScope after lurking for many months...we've learned a lot! We are currently in search of a diamond for our engagement ring and was hoping you experts could find us several choices to pick from. My bf has been actively searching for a diamond for the last 2 months with several local jewelers (we're from Southern California) but it's been difficult to find one that has a good HCA score. I'm guessing they're a little more traditional, so we haven't seen Idealscope images and they think XXX is good enough...but I want a diamond that really catches peoples' eyes and SPARKLES! :love: Rather than driving over to the jewelers every week and then discovering that the diamonds they've brought in don't meet our requirements (--HCA has really been the main troubling factor), we are expanding our search to the internet. However, we have no idea where to start... :confused: Please help us!

I've already decided that I'd like to have a RB solitaire in the Vatche U118 setting.

Here is what we're looking for:
Size: ~2.5+ carats
Color: D/E/F
Clarity: VS2/VS1 or better. (We've seen some really awful VS2's....hesitant to put VS2 because the range of inclusions is so vast. Must be eye-clean.)
Ex/Ex/Ex
Fluorescence: None (I suppose Faint is acceptable if everything else is astounding, but if possible we'd like None)
HCA: 1.5 or better
Budget: $60k

We are quite picky and really want to find the best diamond for our money. I've read that the HCA score tends to favor smaller tables, but ideally I would like a diamond with a larger surface area without sacrificing the integrity/brilliance/fire. I hope you guys can help!! :)

Lastly, is it better to call an online company and work with one of their experts? If so, any recommendations on which company and who? I've seen several retailers such as Good Old Gold, IDJ, Brian Gavin, on the forum...any advice to who is best to work with from each? Open to suggestions...but really, we want a TOP NOTCH diamond!

Thanks in advance!!! :) :)
 
The search tool at the top of the page doesn't turn up much - WF has a 2.5 E VS1 for 60k but it's a virtual stone so you'd probably have to pay for it to be brought in and analyzed.

If it were me, I would call some of the PS vendors and tell them what you are looking for so that they can scour around for a stone. I think you'd be much more successful that way.

Your parameters for a stone are yummy - can't wait to see what you come up with!!
 
Have you been looking at only GIA stones? That might help with color and clarify issues.
 
MissGotRocks|1377601379|3510496 said:
The search tool at the top of the page doesn't turn up much - WF has a 2.5 E VS1 for 60k but it's a virtual stone so you'd probably have to pay for it to be brought in and analyzed.

If it were me, I would call some of the PS vendors and tell them what you are looking for so that they can scour around for a stone. I think you'd be much more successful that way.

Your parameters for a stone are yummy - can't wait to see what you come up with!!
Click to expand...

Yeah, I've found that it's a bit harder to find something that fits our favored specifications...didn't think it'd be this difficult!
Who is considered a PS vendor? Is there a particular individual from a vendor you recommend?

Hamishsubedei|1377604653|3510505 said:
i could do 2.5 ct E+ / VS2 EX/EX/EX nil florescence, but HCA is only 3.8 :( .
$52,000
Click to expand...

That's been happening to us a lot--we've come across a number of diamonds that meet all criteria except a low enough HCA. It's so discouraging! :knockout:


mom2boys|1377626106|3510759 said:
Would you be willing to go down to a G color?
http://www.briangavindiamonds.com/diamonds/diamond-details/2.690-g-vs1-round-diamond-ags-104065097025
Click to expand...

We'd to stay within the colorless D/E/F range, but thanks for your suggestion :)
 
I just don't think that there are many 2.5 carat stones in house and if you up the ante to D-E-F colors they will be very difficult to find. They are out there - the vendors will just have to get them from their suppliers. These are costly stones and if they are not readily selling due to price, vendors are not just going to have them in their inventory. Too costly.

Some of the vendors here are WhiteFlash, Good Old Gold, ID Jewlery - there are others. Their ads roll over at the top of the page and I wouldn't recommend one over the other nor would I recommend one sales associate over another. They will all be happy to speak with you and help find exactly what you are looking for.
 
I would pick either IDJ or GOG as they are both Vatche dealers.
 
I would pick Good Old Gold because they will ensure that you are getting top cut quality. They can access stones from multiple cutters/suppliers. WhiteFlash cuts their own stones (ACA- A Cut Above) which are outstanding, but they may or may not have what you are looking for (and I do not see any in stock now). I will tell you that a G color stone that is ideal cut is very white. You may have some difficulty with the 2.5-2.9 range as there will be a lot more stones in the 2.0-2.5 range.

Just FYI, GOG just posted this video the other day of a top cut D Flawless stone with some stones that were not as well cut. They had the stone cut for a client.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cp94DI3xTA0
 
For round brilliant diamonds, I would choose Brian Gavin or Whiteflash over Good Old Gold. Both Whiteflash and Brian Gavin are in the Houston area -- would you consider a short plane trip from Southern California to meet with those vendors in person? And I would suggest that you not rule out stones that you can see in person at a jewelers just based on the HCA. The HCA is useful for narrowing an online search, but it tends to eliminate stones that are just fine, and beautiful in person. What I would do is buy an Idealscope and use that when viewing diamonds at your local jewelers. The Idealscope, properly used, will tell you much more than an HCA score alone. My guess is that given your size, color, and clarity preferences, whomever you choose to work with -- whether it be an online vendor or a local jeweler -- will need to call stones in that meet your specifications.
 
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