Help with a 1.5 Carat Round Diamond

[DShopper50]

Hi Everyone,

I have been lurking around and learning for a couple of months, but it is now time for me to jump in. Here is what I know I want:
- Around 1.5 carats
- Round
- Ideal cut
- H or better color

Going in I thought I was looking for VS2 or better clarity, but it seems like many people are of the opinion that SI is okay as long as it is eye clean. I think I am convinced.

As far as a setting, I am looking for platinum. She likes either a real simple petite pave band with a prong setting or a similar band with a halo. I lean away from the halo because I feel it hides such a nice stone.

My budget (including the setting) is around $15,000. Her ring size is a 5.

Does anyone have any suggestions? I have been looking on BlueNile, WhiteFlash, and James Allen but I am feeling a bit overwhelmed. What else should I be looking for in a stone? Do you think my criteria make sense?

Thanks for all the help!

 

[Fly Girl]

I recently helped my DS shop for an e-ring for his girlfriend (now fiancee ) and here is how we did it.

We began with his total budget and subtracted out the cost of the setting, the wire transfer (check with your bank) and insurance (check with your insurer). (DS was on a very tight budget, and those little extras mattered.) That left us with the maximum amount for the diamond.

We decided on a color range of G to I and a clarity in the VS range. A good SI1 would have been fine, but they were all gone right after Christmas. I looked at available diamonds in his price range with Good Old Gold, Whiteflash and Brian Gavin Diamonds. I was 100% comfortable sending him to any of these vendors, because the work of sifting through the best cut diamonds has already been done for him. GOG did not have any candidates in his price range. We selected an Expert Selection G VS2 from Whiteflash and a H VS1 Brian Gavin Blue. He reserved the diamonds and made calls to each of these vendors. He made sure to ask for the PS discount.

The BG Blue H VS1 was a bit less than the Expert Selection G VS2 and came within budget. We found that BG really does pass on a small discount for the fluorescence, and this helped. The ring was ordered, the wire transfer sent, and we picked up the package at Fed Ex a week later. I told him that a wise man would propose, or at least show her the ring, within the 15 day full money back return period offered by BG. He did, and they are now engaged.

It can become more complicated with fancy cut diamonds or with custom settings. For the best use of a budget, as well as the easiest shopping experience, I recommend a well-cut round from a trusted vendor and a stock setting from that same vendor.

Good luck, and we are here to help because we PSers love doing this stuff.

 

[diamondseeker2006]

This is $14,239 with PS and wire discounts:

http://www.whiteflash.com/loose-diamonds/round-cut-loose-diamond-2813921.htm

or

http://www.jamesallen.com/#!/loose-diamonds/Round-cut/1.55-carat-G-color-SI1-clarity-Excellent-cut-sku-186650

 

[Christina...]

Would you consider an amazing pre-loved stone? I think this one may still be available and it's a beauty...

[URL='https://www.pricescope.com/forum/preloved-ps-jewels/1-58-gia-xxx-g-vs1-and-vatche-tiffany-repro-setting-t178939.html']https://www.pricescope.com/forum/preloved-ps-jewels/1-58-gia-xxx-g-vs1-and-vatche-tiffany-repro-setting-t178939.html[/URL]

 

[DShopper50]

This is $14,239 with PS and wire discounts:

http://www.whiteflash.com/loose-diamonds/round-cut-loose-diamond-2813921.htm

or

http://www.jamesallen.com/#!/loose-diamonds/Round-cut/1.55-carat-G-color-SI1-clarity-Excellent-cut-sku-186650

Looking at the two of these diamonds, they both look great. I have a few questions though:

1. With very similar stats, where does the difference in price come from? Is the WhiteFlash diamond considered a better diamond for some reason?
2. From what I have seen, it seems like the next step is requesting ideal-scopes. Is that true?

Thanks!

 

[DShopper50]

Would you consider an amazing pre-loved stone? I think this one may still be available and it's a beauty...

[URL='https://www.pricescope.com/forum/preloved-ps-jewels/1-58-gia-xxx-g-vs1-and-vatche-tiffany-repro-setting-t178939.html']https://www.pricescope.com/forum/preloved-ps-jewels/1-58-gia-xxx-g-vs1-and-vatche-tiffany-repro-setting-t178939.html[/URL]

I would consider a "pre-loved" stone but that one is just slightly out of my price range. I am also still trying to figure out how I feel on fluorescence.

 

[mrg1]

Mine's a "Jubilant" custom-cut round, G color, 1.5 ct with no florescence. Was a GIA Ideal diamond before it was recut with extra facets on the crown (it's my understanding that GIA doesn't grade custom recuts). Very fiery and lots of scintillation. The stone is actually an SI2 but the inclusion is completely covered by my setting so it's not visible. Custom cuts are often priced higher than regular cuts, but this diamond was priced extremely competitively. My jeweler sourced mine but I know that ID Jewelry sells them, too.

 

[mrg1]

Ack! Cut is called "Jubilant Crown," not Jubilant. ID Jewelry doesn't have any now. Try jubilantcrown.com.

 

[Fly Girl]

This is $14,239 with PS and wire discounts:

http://www.whiteflash.com/loose-diamonds/round-cut-loose-diamond-2813921.htm

or

http://www.jamesallen.com/#!/loose-diamonds/Round-cut/1.55-carat-G-color-SI1-clarity-Excellent-cut-sku-186650

Looking at the two of these diamonds, they both look great. I have a few questions though:

1. With very similar stats, where does the difference in price come from? Is the WhiteFlash diamond considered a better diamond for some reason?
2. From what I have seen, it seems like the next step is requesting ideal-scopes. Is that true?

Thanks!

1. I notice for the JA diamond that the GIA certificate notes that the grade-making inclusion (the inclusion that is listed first on the certificate) is a cloud. Clouds could affect the brilliance of the stone, and would be a reason for the lower price. So, I would ask to have the JA gemologist inspect it in person for you before purchasing. The photo shows a lot of junk in the diamond, so I would definitely ask about that.

2. Whiteflash has already posted the ideal-scope and ASET of the diamond on their website. I would ask them why the diamond did not make the ACA classification. Ask them if eye-clean from the side, as well as the top. For JA, I would make sure that the clouds are not a factor and that the stone is eye-clean from the top and sides (eye-clean is defined as clean from the top view only, but I hate seeing junk from the side in my diamonds), then ask for the ideal-scope.

 

[DShopper50]

I was thinking the JA diamond looked to have some junk based on the picture but did not know what to make of it. I will check into that. Thanks for the help!

 

[Christina...]

Would you consider an amazing pre-loved stone? I think this one may still be available and it's a beauty...

[URL='https://www.pricescope.com/forum/preloved-ps-jewels/1-58-gia-xxx-g-vs1-and-vatche-tiffany-repro-setting-t178939.html']https://www.pricescope.com/forum/preloved-ps-jewels/1-58-gia-xxx-g-vs1-and-vatche-tiffany-repro-setting-t178939.html[/URL]

I would consider a "pre-loved" stone but that one is just slightly out of my price range. I am also still trying to figure out how I feel on fluorescence.

I think that fluorescence is a really cool characteristic, but not everyone does. When there is no negative impact on the stone it can be a really fun to view. BGD actually has a line of 'blues' that are all ideal cuts with fluorescence. It's something that you have to embrace and be comfortable with though. If you decide that you are interested though, I'd contact the seller through the link I posted and see if she may be willing to negotiate price.

 

[diamondseeker2006]

This is $14,239 with PS and wire discounts:

http://www.whiteflash.com/loose-diamonds/round-cut-loose-diamond-2813921.htm

or

http://www.jamesallen.com/#!/loose-diamonds/Round-cut/1.55-carat-G-color-SI1-clarity-Excellent-cut-sku-186650

Looking at the two of these diamonds, they both look great. I have a few questions though:

1. With very similar stats, where does the difference in price come from? Is the WhiteFlash diamond considered a better diamond for some reason?
2. From what I have seen, it seems like the next step is requesting ideal-scopes. Is that true?

Thanks!

WhiteFlash offers 100% of the purchase price on the stone as trade-in on another stone later. That is part of the price difference. They do have idealscope images on their site. You can request one on the James Allen stone. James Allen does not always have their stones in-house as they are partly owned by a large diamond supplier, whereas WhiteFlash has their stock specially cut and it is in-house. There is a little premium for that. I will say, James Allen certainly has some nice new features on their website with the stone videos!

 

[Christina...]

JA also offers 100% of the purchase price of the stone if you upgrade later, however you must spend twice the original purchase amount. DS will know better, but I believe that with WF you get 100% and you only need to upgrade color,clarity or size.

 

[Fly Girl]

And, just to complete the conversation on purchase policies, if you buy from a private individual you forgo the benefits of purchasing from an established business, including any future upgrades and the ability to change your mind and swap out a diamond during the return period (if there even is one). Before I would purchase a pre-owned piece of jewelry, I would want it to be exactly what I want, including very close to my ring size, and I would expect a substantial discount over the price of the piece new from an established vendor.