how can i make it work with a 15k budget

[JOENESS]

im looking to buy an e-ring by the end of jan and was wondering do i buy the setting before the diamond or the other way around? also i want the diamond to be 1.5ct round, H color, SI1 eyeclean, EX cut, NONE fluroscence, at the least and was wondering if its ok to get Very Good for the polish and symmetry? im trying to make all this work with a 15k budget but i need to stay at the 1.5ct weight and was wondering what my best choices were. considering she wants a cushion halo with melee, im not quite sure how im gonna make all this happen. i want to make her happy cause this ring is forever but at the same time i absolutely cannot afford a nickel more. i feel like im already stretching but i want to make this work cause she is my world. please any help will be greatly appreciated

 

[Sakuracherry]

You can make it work. It is better to pick out a stone first because most settings are made to fit diamonds of a certain size. Is there any reason you want to avoid fluo? Let me recommend those two stones for you. Second one has fait fluo, but most likely you'll never see it. If you pick one of those stones, you'll have about 4k left for the setting.

http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/H-SI1-Excellent-Cut-Round-Diamond-1532149.asp

http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/H-SI1-Excellent-Cut-Round-Diamond-1471835.asp

 

[Enerchi]

Hey Joe

Why not reach out to a few of the PS vendors known to work within strict budgets? Contact Yekutiel at IDJ, Jonathan at GOG, Chris or mark at ERD and give David a call at diamonds by Lauren. James Allen is another popular vendor and if you phone directly you'll be able to get advice right away. Personally, I'd start w diamond first then the setting and I'd suggest the bulk of your budget on the best cut diamond you can afford.

Each vendor here would be a great one to work with and tell them you are from price scope!

 

[Niel]

im looking to buy an e-ring by the end of jan and was wondering do i buy the setting before the diamond or the other way around? also i want the diamond to be 1.5ct round, H color, SI1 eyeclean, EX cut, NONE fluroscence, at the least and was wondering if its ok to get Very Good for the polish and symmetry? im trying to make all this work with a 15k budget but i need to stay at the 1.5ct weight and was wondering what my best choices were. considering she wants a cushion halo with melee, im not quite sure how im gonna make all this happen. i want to make her happy cause this ring is forever but at the same time i absolutely cannot afford a nickel more. i feel like im already stretching but i want to make this work cause she is my world. please any help will be greatly appreciated

Im glad you started your own thread, now youll probably get more answers to your question

you want to buy the diamond first!
is there a reason you have to go 1.5 ct? because for fancies a 1.5 ct doesnt all face up the exact same
But yes it is doable
http://www.engagementringsdirect.com/1.50-carat-g-si1-a-cut-beyond-cushion-cut-diamond-gid-106215.html
( just ask if its eye clean)
http://www.engagementringsdirect.com/1.52-carat-g-vs2-a-cut-beyond-cushion-cut-diamond-gid-105725.html
ERD could make your setting too
http://www.engagementringsdirect.com/grace-classic-micro-pave-halo-enagement-ring-bpid-58-18.html


ETA: sorry i had wrong links. too many edits

 

[Sakuracherry]

Oops, I forgot to answer your other question. You might be able to tell the difference between very good and excellent symmetry, but I'm not sure about polish.

I'm trying to find a nice cushion halo setting for a RB, but I haven't found any that I like. Hopefully experts will chime in. Maybe you can have it custom made for 4K if you don't mind CAD instead of hand forged?

 

[JOENESS]

im sorry i think i need to clear up that she needs a round brilliant in a cushion shaped halo with diamonds melee. i was told fluro looks milky so it makes me want to get NONE in that cetgory. am i wrong? what about the polish and symmetry? i really dont want to compromise in cut and the H color, i really want G color but then i cannot afford the halo setting she wants. i am working with a diamond broker in nyc but have not gotten a chance to meet up with her yet. i dont want to compromise 1.5ct weight cause that seems like the norm in this area. to get an idea of what halo setting she chose here is the link below. i dont like the quality in diamonds for that price

http://www.bluenile.com/halo-diamond-14k-white-gold-engagement-ring_25641

 

[Sakuracherry]

Don't worry about faint fluo. Most likely you'll never see it. You might be able to see medium or strong fluo under the sun, but not all the stones with fluo look milky. Each stone needs to be examined by an expert. I actually love fluo and would love to own one. Do you live in NYC? Who are you working with?

 

[Niel]

oh well then thats a whole different ball game. As for flours, about 1% of flour diamonds get that milky quality (from what Ive read) If you ask a trusted vendor to tell you if it has any negative effects and they say no, then really its a benifit. Flour makes them cheaper and face up whiter. I would advise looking at some stones with flour before you automatically dismiss them

[URL='https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/show-me-your-blues.178213/']https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/show-me-your-blues.178213/[/URL]

You dont want to compromise on cut with a round. If you NEED the size you might have to compromise on color or clarity. Though clarity is a good concession because eye clean is eye clean, you know. Doesnt matter if its a SI2 or a VVS2 if you cant see any thing than there you go.

http://www.whiteflash.com/loose-diamonds/round-cut-loose-diamond-2813923.htm
http://www.whiteflash.com/loose-diamonds/round-cut-loose-diamond-2347525.htm


http://www.whiteflash.com/engagement-rings/diamond-settings/grace-diamond-engagement-ring-by-vatche-256.htm

 

[JOENESS]

on engagementrings direct i actually like the "ADA" mark premium one but im afraid to know how much that is. shes looking for a halo setting where the melee and the center stone are near the same height. that one u sent me seems like the center stone is a bit higher for her taste. what do u think about this diamond from bluenile and is the GIA cert good enough to pick out a diamond without looking at it? it seems like there price is pretty good

http://www.bluenile.com/diamond-search?track=head#diamonds_pid=LD02906977

 

[ame]

I have a stone with medium to strong blue and there is ZERO milkiness or haze at all. NONE. At all. Ever. Period. So you can get that fear out of your mind. The benefit to a medium blue is not only a cost savings but you can go down to an HIJ color and get a really nice stone at a better price point and the blue helps cut some of the warmth you might see in some J stones.

 

[Sakuracherry]

Why do you want to buy from bluenile? There are many pricescope vendors that offer pictures, idealscope images and ASET images.

 

[Niel]

if she wants them the same level as the melee then what about a bezel, this can be set for a round
http://www.engagementringsdirect.com/celine-cathedral-milgrain-micro-pave-engagement-ring-bpid-228-18.html

As them to find you a stone and provide the ideal scopes. ERD should be able to find you an eye clean 1.5 G/H/I in your budget.

 

[diamondseeker2006]

Another here with a GIA XXX round with strong blue fluoro with no negative effects. Brian Gavin sells a whole like of stones with fluorescence. So don't be afraid of it because of some ignorant information out there. It is a super way to save some money and the fluoro can make a stone look whiter as a bonus!

 

[JOENESS]

yes i saw that thread and FLURO does not bother me anymore. thanks for clearing that up guys. as for the actual ring, she wants the full ring look like the "ADA" on ERD but doesnt like how the halo looks on the ADA cause she thinks the melee is much lower then the center stone but then again pictures can be deceiving and they are taken from all different angles. so are u saying that if i stick to an eyeclean clarity no matter if its a SI1 or SI2 and dont compromise on cut then i should be ok? also since its a halo setting and if i get a H center stone, do i have to get the melee in H color too? would my center stone stand out if the melee were G?

 

[Niel]

yes eye clean is more important than what grade it is, if the gemologist tells you you are safe with a SI1 than dont worry about that.
And the halo usually they advise the melee be around the same or 1 color grade off from the center. ususally the melee is around g/h so you should be perfect with that. Dont worry about the CAD images those are missleading.

This ring is similar and from ERD
[URL='https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/were-engaged-pics-of-my-avc-in-erd-custom-micro-pave-halo.151072/']https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/were-engaged-pics-of-my-avc-in-erd-custom-micro-pave-halo.151072/[/URL]

 

[diamondseeker2006]

Yes, a combination of G-H is great!

 

[JOENESS]

i just showed her the link to that AVC from GOG with the setting from ERD and she loved it. now making things a lil bit more interesting and more variety i have the option of gettin a cushion cut. are cushions less expensive in any means because its not as much in demand as the round cuts?

 

[JulieN]

AVCs are branded and are relatively expensive compared to a generic cushion.

 

[Niel]

But ERD does sell those vintage cushions like I linked you earlier. Other vendors sell vintage cushions. Its just that AVC as the PP said are branded and are therefore more expensive.

 

[justginger]

I know buying the diamond first is always the best idea, but since you are locked into having a relatively expensive setting, I would figure out the general pricing for that and mentally deduct it from your budget. Then you'll have a good idea of your diamond-only budget. You don't want to find a spectacular $11k diamond and buy it, only to discover that NO ONE will source you a halo for less than $4k, ya know? Just find a few settings tht would work, sort out their costs, and then find the largest ideal/G-H-I/eye clean stone you can with your remaining money. If you do it the other way around and have to sacrifice on the setting, that may change the whole feel of the ring - since she's been specific about what she wants, she may be pretty disappointed.

 

[bigdiamondtinygal]

I agree with justginger. It sounds like your gf has a pretty specific idead and taste for the setting she wants.
And as others have said that setting is going to cost you several thousand dollars especially if you are looking
For a high quality setting in that style. I think finding the actual setting she is happy with
Price it out and deduct it from your budget to see how much you have left for the center stone.
In reality, stone specs, size clarity or setting quality may have to give a little to fit what she wants into your budget. That said you will find a gorgeous stone and setting in that budget.

If you are open to non-branded cushions. I think the center stone in his ring has a lot of potential.
And JBEG (Jewels by Erica Grace) will sell the center stone to you without the setting. They also make a beautiful custom halo setting in the style you are looking for. It is a bit smaller than you are looking for but a GIA I color which should be nice and white and has good clarity. In a halo setting it should look close to a 1.5.

http://jewelsbyericagrace.smugmug.com/Jewelry/Rings-Antique-Vintage/122ct-Antique-Cushion-Cut/23077037_XWKFBm#!i=1863180379&k=Lj77LzD

Happy hunting!

 

[JOENESS]

yes eye clean is more important than what grade it is, if the gemologist tells you you are safe with a SI1 than dont worry about that.
And the halo usually they advise the melee be around the same or 1 color grade off from the center. ususally the melee is around g/h so you should be perfect with that. Dont worry about the CAD images those are missleading.

This ring is similar and from ERD
[URL='https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/were-engaged-pics-of-my-avc-in-erd-custom-micro-pave-halo.151072/']https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/were-engaged-pics-of-my-avc-in-erd-custom-micro-pave-halo.151072/[/URL]

yes that ring is very nice but do u think mark can customize it where the center stone could be dropped lower and closer to the melee? do u kno the cost of that particular setting in the thread? i really didnt think i had to spend that much on the setting.

 

[JOENESS]

I know buying the diamond first is always the best idea, but since you are locked into having a relatively expensive setting, I would figure out the general pricing for that and mentally deduct it from your budget. Then you'll have a good idea of your diamond-only budget. You don't want to find a spectacular $11k diamond and buy it, only to discover that NO ONE will source you a halo for less than $4k, ya know? Just find a few settings tht would work, sort out their costs, and then find the largest ideal/G-H-I/eye clean stone you can with your remaining money. If you do it the other way around and have to sacrifice on the setting, that may change the whole feel of the ring - since she's been specific about what she wants, she may be pretty disappointed.

yeh i totally agree with u. im gonna look into that and then weigh out my options on the diamond. 4k on the setting seems like a whole lot to me

 

[Niel]

So you want the girdle right up against the melee? That is very low, just cushions are more "rock" like, a round wouldnt sit that high up. I would imagine they would do that as best they can t keep it low. A high quality setting is going be more expensive. And you're going to want to spend it if she is being as specific as it sounds like she is( nothing wrong with that )
The one I linked you was sub 3k so I would imagine the Ada is about the same.



Heres some more examples of there work
[URL='https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/3-14ct-omb-in-hand-forged-halo-setting-by-mark-at-erd.174860/?hilit=ERD']https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/3-14ct-omb-in-hand-forged-halo-setting-by-mark-at-erd.174860/?hilit=ERD[/URL]
[URL='https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/my-harry-winston-inspired-rb-halo-from-erd.168484/?hilit=ERD']https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/my-harry-winston-inspired-rb-halo-from-erd.168484/?hilit=ERD[/URL]

a 1.5 ct cushion is in your range and a 1.5 ct ish eyeclean round would be harder to find but would be too

http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/H-SI1-Excellent-Cut-Round-Diamond-1513726.asp

ETA: she doesnt like this Tiffany esc setting? The bezel makes for a super low profile to the diamond, that would free up enough money for a stone like the one above.
http://www.engagementringsdirect.com/celine-cathedral-milgrain-micro-pave-engagement-ring-bpid-228-18.html

 

[JOENESS]

So you want the girdle right up against the melee? That is very low, just cushions are more "rock" like, a round wouldnt sit that high up. I would imagine they would do that as best they can t keep it low. A high quality setting is going be more expensive. And you're going to want to spend it if she is being as specific as it sounds like she is( nothing wrong with that )
The one I linked you was sub 3k so I would imagine the Ada is about the same.



Heres some more examples of there work
[URL='https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/3-14ct-omb-in-hand-forged-halo-setting-by-mark-at-erd.174860/?hilit=ERD']https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/3-14ct-omb-in-hand-forged-halo-setting-by-mark-at-erd.174860/?hilit=ERD[/URL]
[URL='https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/my-harry-winston-inspired-rb-halo-from-erd.168484/?hilit=ERD']https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/my-harry-winston-inspired-rb-halo-from-erd.168484/?hilit=ERD[/URL]

a 1.5 ct cushion is in your range and a 1.5 ct ish eyeclean round would be harder to find but would be too

http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/H-SI1-Excellent-Cut-Round-Diamond-1513726.asp

ETA: she doesnt like this Tiffany esc setting? The bezel makes for a super low profile to the diamond, that would free up enough money for a stone like the one above.
http://www.engagementringsdirect.com/celine-cathedral-milgrain-micro-pave-engagement-ring-bpid-228-18.html

how come the JA diamond has an inscription of the canadian leaf? i think? yeh i really want to stick with the round cut and i do like marks work. sub par 3k so i guess i have 12k to work with on the diamond if i were to go to EDR for the setting

 

[Niel]

its canadian, of course
no, I believe that indicates the origin, meaning that diamond is conflict free, though i think all JA diamonds are supposed to be

 

[Niel]

http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/H-SI2-Excellent-Cut-Round-Diamond-1512081.asp

good HCA score , you should for sure have them reserve that take a look at it, 1.4 if i put it in right. Though it may or may not be eye clean

 

[JOENESS]

how do u find out the HCA score? ppl say to look into AGS score and stuff like that. not really sure what that means

 

[Niel]

https://www.pricescope.com/tools/hca

you use this calculator. You get all the info off the GIA cert if its graded that way (theres a diagram on them with all the numbers for rounds), if it has an HCA report it would say what it is on there, but usally youll only see that when its a branded cut like an H&A

 

[JOENESS]

theres seems to be a carbon spot around 8 o clock on that diamond