Help with choosing a jeweller and diamond!

[quinn21]

Hi there!

I've just started shopping around for engagement rings, and I've shortlisted James Allen, Distinctive Gem, and The Art of Jewels, based on reviews. I am looking for something like this:



- pave ring in yellow gold
- princess cut diamond in the 0.7 to 0.9 carat range (as i understand it, the diamond in the image is 0.7ct but no idea what the width/length is)
- kite set

I've reached out to all 3 jewellers to find out more about custom pricing. Does anyone have a recommendation between these 3 jewellers for "custom-set" rings, or any to avoid due to poor workmanship etc? I'm hoping TAOJ works out because their diamond prices are much more competitive!

Also, what considerations are there between choosing a HPHT diamond vs. a CVD diamond? Based on the articles I've read so far, people either recommend HPHT, or they say both are equally fine. I note that the CVD diamonds tend to be cheaper?

Thank you in advance!

 

[DejaWiz]

Hello and welcome to PriceScope, quinn21!
For Princess Cut (just like any other shape), cut precision and optical performance are paramount to get a diamond that glows with brilliance and dances with sparkle.

I would highly recommend that you take a very long look at the in-house Princess Cuts that Whiteflash has: they are fully vetted and validated for light return and optics.

You'd be extremely hard-pressed to find an equally performing PC as this one from the other sellers that you mentioned...does this one fit your budget?

Diamond | 1.00 ct D VVS2 Princess Cut Precision Lab Grown Diamond IGI Certified | 221809

This fabulous 1.00 carat Princess None cut diamond has a clarity grade of VVS2 and color grade of D.It is an excellent choice for engagement rings. | 221809

www.whiteflash.com

Same price realm, slightly relaxed clarity (still within completely clean range):

Diamond | 1.51 ct D VS1 Princess Cut Precision Lab Grown Diamond IGI Certified | 236899

This fabulous 1.51 carat Princess None cut diamond has a clarity grade of VS1 and color grade of D.It is an excellent choice for engagement rings. | 236899

www.whiteflash.com

Diamond | 1.51 ct D VS1 Princess Cut Precision Lab Grown Diamond IGI Certified | 236914

This fabulous 1.51 carat Princess None cut diamond has a clarity grade of VS1 and color grade of D.It is an excellent choice for engagement rings. | 236914

www.whiteflash.com

 

[quinn21]

@DejaWiz

Thanks for your reply! I was actually intending to get a smaller diamond, and my budget is about US$1000-$1200 for the diamond itself hahah

I saw this on TAOJ and it seems like very good value, especially since the width/length is 5.44x5.43mm:

0.93 CARAT Princess | LAB-GROWN DIAMOND | E COLOR | VVS2 CLARITY | super cut CUT | IGI CERTIFIED | STOCK ID: 2284749 | The Art Of Jewels

0.93 CARAT Princess | LAB-GROWN DIAMOND | E COLOR | VVS2 CLARITY | super cut CUT | IGI CERTIFIED | STOCK ID: 2284749

theartofjewels.com

Then I saw it's a CVD diamond and wondered if that means I should reconsider?

 

[DejaWiz]

@DejaWiz

Thanks for your reply! I was actually intending to get a smaller diamond, and my budget is about US$1000-$1200 for the diamond itself hahah

I saw this on TAOJ and it seems like very good value, especially since the width/length is 5.44x5.43mm:

Then I saw it's a CVD diamond and wondered if that means I should reconsider?

No real need to worry about LxW until it starts exceeding 1.02-1.05 (depending on how picky that you want to be) if you want indiscernibly square.

Here's a 1.10 E VS1 HPHT graded by GIA for $951...the LxW difference is only 0.09mm or 0.0035 inch.

V360 Viewer

...seller is loose grown diamond dot com and you can search the grading report number
64
5589
34
86
(this is intentional to hopefully prevent anonymous lurkers from sniping it before you've had a chance to look at it and make a decision).

And here's a handy site that'll give you a comparison of surface area (the only drawback is it shows the single finger instead of the whole hand).
...I ran the comparison to the 0.93 CVD that you just linked to...only an 8% surface area difference:
https://www.diamdb.com/compare/0.93ct-princess-5.43x5.44x3.72-vs-1.1ct-princess-5.6x5.69x3.87/

If you want to stick in the 0.8-0.9 ct range after seeing the comparison for the surface area difference, then say the word and I can see what else is out there.

 

[quinn21]

@DejaWiz

Thanks for your advice!

Yes, I would prefer a smaller diamond because I'm not a fan of rings with huge diamonds that stick out. My style is more understated. I was looking at that 0.93ct diamond on TAOJ just cos it seems like such good value! It's cheaper than the 0.71ct diamond I shortlisted on James Allen, and both are E-VVS2 hahaha

I just saw on PriceScope that a couple of people had bad experiences with TAOJ, so am now reconsidering going with them even though their price is so competitive.

I'm not based in the US, so it's even more critical that I am able to get the ring right the first time, so that I can avoid the hassle of international returns etc. I'm also uncertain about buying a diamond from a separate site and shipping it to the jeweller to get it set, so it would be easier for me to get everything from 1 seller.

While James Allen does have a handful of negative reviews, does it mean I should stick to going with them because they are one of the more established players with still reasonable pricing?

It's getting a little overwhelming, and I'm wondering if I should just forgo this altogether... >_<