Help with a solitaire diamond pendant

[KenV99]

Hello everyone and Happy Thanksgiving,

I would like to buy my new GF a solitaire diamond pendant for Christmas. I had previously lived in NYC and the last time I bought diamonds for my then GF I shopped the diamond district and think that I did pretty well. I now live in Sarasota and am thinking about buying from JamesAllen or Whiteflash.

My budget including the setting is no more than $3000. I was looking for a diamond in the 0.5-0.7 carat range. My GF is 33yo, 5'5" and has a thin, longish neck.

I am currently looking at these two diamonds:
https://www.jamesallen.com/loose-di...f-color-vvs1-clarity-excellent-cut-sku-963463
http://www.whiteflash.com/loose-diamonds/round-cut-loose-diamond-3746449.htm

Is this carat size too small? Should I sacrifice on quality and get a somewhat bigger stone?

What are people's opinions about the solitaire pendant settings from these two dealers? I would like a setting that is first off secure and then nicely showcases the diamond. It might be better to have one that can slide along the chain, but would be open to hearing opinions about this as well.

Any advice or help would be greatly appreciated.

PS the only advice I got from her is that she likes simple jewelry. She usually wears simple bar type pendants.

 

[tyty333]

I can highly recommend Whiteflash...that stone should knock her sox off!
Can I ask why you are so high on the color/clarity chart...if its cultural, that's fine but if not you can probably drop down a little
and gain some size. Like this stone...

http://www.whiteflash.com/loose-diamonds/round-cut-loose-diamond-3739930.htm

I choose a pendant that slides on the chain. I was told the fixed pendants end up crawling around your neck and not staying
where they belong. Maybe someone who has one can comment one way or the other.

 

[KenV99]

As far as the quality goes, we are both perfectionists, so I was thinking that the diamond should reflect that, but a 20% bigger stone like you picked might also be nice...

Thanks for your reply!

 

[ac117]

For a pendant, F VVS2 is definitely overkill. You could maximize size by lower color and clarity but not sacrificing on cut. Whiteflash ACA's are super ideal diamonds and will be extremely sparkly. This is what I'd be choosing if I were you:
http://www.whiteflash.com/loose-diamonds/round-cut-loose-diamond-3751786.htm
http://www.whiteflash.com/loose-diamonds/round-cut-loose-diamond-3752281.htm
http://www.whiteflash.com/loose-diamonds/round-cut-loose-diamond-3759321.htm

Tiny bit over budget but the biggest:
http://www.whiteflash.com/loose-diamonds/round-cut-loose-diamond-3751779.htm

At JA:
https://www.jamesallen.com/loose-diamonds/round-cut/0.64-carat-h-color-vvs2-clarity-ideal-cut-sku-2003468
https://www.jamesallen.com/loose-diamonds/round-cut/0.62-carat-g-color-vs1-clarity-ideal-cut-sku-1064336
https://www.jamesallen.com/loose-diamonds/round-cut/0.74-carat-h-color-vvs2-clarity-excellent-cut-sku-2229192
https://www.jamesallen.com/loose-diamonds/round-cut/0.76-carat-h-color-vs2-clarity-excellent-cut-sku-1960382
https://www.jamesallen.com/loose-diamonds/round-cut/0.71-carat-g-color-vs2-clarity-excellent-cut-sku-2087859

 

[KenV99]

Thanks for these suggestions as well.
I need to work on visualizing the size differences. If the quality is less important in a pendant, that is good to know!

 

[LLJsmom]

If you define quality as color and clarity, I get it.

However, the beauty of a diamond is often judged by how well it reflects light, (IE: SPARKLE) and that is determined by CUT. Whiteflash cuts it's own ACA line, and those are super ideal cuts that will knock your socks off. Super bright, sparkly and edge to edge sparkle. So maybe you should that into consideration. Provided that you don't have a stone with dark inclusions, is super cloudy, etc. Staying at an eye-clean SI should usually keep you out of that zone. Read about "eye-clean" on the Whiteflash website. Color is very personal. Some people are more sensitive, and some less. And some may see more tint and actually prefer it.

So I would take this into consideration as you review your stones.

 

[Snowdrop13]

I went down to I VS2 for my ACA pendant and can't see any color at all, the thing is so sparkly! I'm pretty sure an eye clean SI1 would have been ok too but I was determined that I would not be able to see anything in the stone. I picked their fixed, 4 prong setting and have had no issues with it moving about- I did get it in platinum, maybe the weight helps?? I'm sure you'll find something amazing but I'd highly recommend Whiteflash.

 

[WillyDiamond]

OP
You could also call Leslie at BGD, their signature series is comparable to WF ACA

 

[Dani5577]

I have an eye clean s1 from bgd. It's so super sparkly that no matter how hard I look, I can't see a mark on it. To me, as long as it's eye clean, I don't see the point in spending more money on a higher clarity.

 

[JLW05]

Yes, choose a setting where the diamond can slide. I have a three diamond pendant where the diamonds are fixed. It's beautiful but I rarely wear it because the diamonds always look lopsided.

 

[Queenie60]

This is my bezel milligrain platinum pendant. It's fixed and does not slide. It stays in place, maybe because it is platinum and the weight keeps it from moving on my neck.

 

[JLW05]

Yes, Queenie, I think you're correct. If a pendant is going to be fixed, it needs weight. Otherwise, it will slide, I guarantee it!

 

[SpencerDane]

I think Whiteflash has a wonderful selection of diamonds that would be perfect for a solitaire pendant. And Queenie, your pendant is so lovely! Such a beautiful necklace you have there.

 

[tyty333]

This is my bezel milligrain platinum pendant. It's fixed and does not slide. It stays in place, maybe because it is platinum and the weight keeps it from moving on my neck.

And maybe because its soooo big!!! Beautiful Queenie!

 

[tyty333]

Ok Ken, Here is a relative size difference (on a fake finger) between the .53 you posted and the .628 someone else posted.
As you can see the .63 has 12% more surface area than the .53. You'll have to use your imagination to picture them on a neck
instead of a finger . I find the .628 to be a very good value. The relative width of the ring in the pictures is 2mm.


Here is the size difference between the on you posted and the .70 (over budget) but just for your FYI incase you think you need
to go bigger. The .7 faces up 20% bigger.

 

[KenV99]

That was incredibly useful!
Thanks so much.

 

[tyty333]

You're welcome!