I bought a diamond

[KarenmO]

Unless I'm missing something, I've yet to see a better H stone on BN to replace spotty dotty even if I increase budget by 6k. https://www.bluenile.com/diamond-details/LD12122700

 

[KarenmO]

How about this 2.31 D VS2? BN says it's eye clean and the strong blue fluor has no effect on the stone. https://www.bluenile.com/diamond-de...DiamondDetails&action=newTab&catalogView=true

I am salivating over this stone. Does it look oily/milky in the video?

 

[KarenmO]

I asked BN to double check if the strong blue fluor affected the stone and I just got this email:

"We have confirmation by the vault manager than diamond XXXXXXXXX does not have any signs of oiliness/haziness/milkiness/cloudiness. It's a brilliant diamond and the fluorescence does not impact the light performance whatsoever."

Do I have the PS blessing to buy this stone? https://www.bluenile.com/diamond-de...DiamondDetails&action=newTab&catalogView=true

@SimoneDi @mrs-b @Dancing Fire

 

[mrs-b]

Nope. This won't get my vote, and I'm happy to tell you why.

1) It's stats are not ideal.
2) I think strong blue fluoro is a red flag REGARDLESS of what BN tells you - and I have had the bad experiences to prove it. To be clear - I don't think this is always the case, but *sometimes* - it is.
3) It's a D color - which I think is overkill and which, personally, I also don't like (I find them a tad lifeless).
4) Amongst its not ideal stats is too much depth - which compromises spread, but which you still pay for.
...and the biggest and most screamingly obvious...
5) You have already said you like size. You buy this ring and it will be the biggest diamond you ever own unless you have an upcoming windfall we know nothing about!

@KarenmO - why on EARTH are you not looking on WhiteFlash? Seriously, their diamonds ARE better. I've been buying from BN for decades - pretty much as long as they've been in business. The last time I bought a stone from them was LAST NIGHT. Great company. Love 'em. But for a large stone? A BIG purchase? No. (I make the regular caveats here: there are exceptions - but they're RARE and you really have to know what you're doing and even then it's a crap shoot.)

So on WF (best customer service in the world and a diamond lover's dream) I found this:

https://www.whiteflash.com/loose-diamonds/round-cut-loose-diamond-4060810.htm

Exactly the same diameter as yours. Which - let's be clear - is NOT what you said you wanted. DSS is real, and in 6 months, I guarantee you, you'll be thinking "I really did want 8.6mm...but why not even 9mm, hmmm?" And if you buy that BN stone - you're stuck.

But say you go with WhiteFlash and save up a couple thousand bucks and for Christmas get yourself *this*:

https://www.whiteflash.com/loose-diamonds/round-cut-loose-diamond-4088727.htm

And then in another 6 months - this:

https://www.whiteflash.com/loose-diamonds/round-cut-loose-diamond-4092518.htm

And then a year after that....BINGO!

https://www.whiteflash.com/loose-diamonds/round-cut-loose-diamond-4022268.htm

Or MAYBE...just because you know you're not wedded to it and can change it on a whim if you feel like it, and because it's an ACA for Pete's sake and the light return is so wonderful it may well be all you see anyway, you skip ALL those steps, drop down to an eye clean I SI1 - RIGHT NOW - and get this:

https://www.whiteflash.com/loose-diamonds/round-cut-loose-diamond-4095779.htm

You will see the extra size. And you will see the better light performance.

Here's the thing. I had some surgery on my heart on Wednesday and I haven't been feeling too great. But this morning I woke up and revisited this thread and wanted to put a little more effort into my response. When I responded before, I was tired and working hard just to breathe. So you didn't get my best response.

For you, someone who is looking for size and performance, this is my best response. WF stones are a little more expensive than BN. But they perform better. Generally a LOT better. And if you're a woman who loves big diamonds but can't quiiiite afford to get where she'd like to go yet, that WF upgrade policy is your salvation.

This is my best answer. I wish you well.

ETA If it were me, I'd get the 2.6ct I SI1, then sit back and enjoy the light show. If side tint bothers you, there's a gazillion ways of setting a diamond to disguise that - and that's IF you can even detect it.

 

[the_mother_thing]

@mrs-b I hope you are feeling better soon, and wish you a full & speedy recovery!

I think she is sticking with BN because of upgrade reasons (trade-up stone was from BN), IIRC. Otherwise, I agree with you on all points.

 

[the_mother_thing]

What about this one? https://www.bluenile.com/diamond-de...DiamondDetails&action=newTab&catalogView=true

At first, I thought it was a regular 60/60, but the HCA is 1.6 and fire is noted to be excellent. And the inclusions look mostly ‘eye clean’ except the one near the girdle which might be prong-able.

 

[mrs-b]

@mrs-b I hope you are feeling better soon, and wish you a full & speedy recovery!

I think she is sticking with BN because of upgrade reasons (trade-up stone was from BN), IIRC. Otherwise, I agree with you on all points.

Thanks @the_mother_thing. I wondered if that was the case, but didn't have the energy to read the entire thread. I read her first post and everything prior to when she asked for my help, and she didn't mention it, so figured I had range to suggest outside BN. I wonder if she'd be better off selling what she has privately so she could go a different route?

I do wish people would post their parameters right from the get-go when they request help.

Anyway, if this is the case, I'm sure the D VS2 will be fine.

 

[the_mother_thing]

@mrs-b It may have been in a previous thread, but I agree - posting parameters in any new thread is most helpful for folks to help buyers.

@KarenmO It’s your business what you set as a budget, but I can’t help but suggest you give serious thought to what you really can/want to spend. Your original thread noted a budget of $18K, now you are up to $25k. It’s your money & your business, but I would just caution continuously upping your budget to chase potential diamonds. It’s easy to go down a rabbit hole in this scenario and get too deep to find your way out. Just a suggestion.

I also think @mrs-b has an excellent point about maybe selling your current stone and going with an alternative vendor. This would open up so many more options, including potentially preloved diamonds that may get you much closer to what you really want and for a better price than BN. Again, just a suggestion.

If you stick with BN, personally, I would drop to an I color, where there are far more options in your budget.

 

[mrs-b]

@the_mother_thing -

There's always the option of the OP keeping the diamond she currently has and using it as a pendant and using the money she was planning to use as an upgrade towards a new diamond with a different company, then upgrading from there. If @KarenmO's original budget was 18k, then I'm guessing her original stone was in the 9k vicinity. If that's the case, and she's now looking at spending 25k, the balance between those 2 is 16k - which is still a very nice budget to work with!

Most people who love diamonds like many of us on PS do, end up with more than one diamond piece, and a 9k diamond in a pendant would be a knockout!

Sorry to be chatting about you, @KarenmO; just killing time until you get back.

 

[the_mother_thing]

I agree that would be a good approach to take @mrs-b ... or perhaps buying a new diamond now with WF, HPD, BGD with the extra budget, and (if she doesn’t want to keep the old one for a pendant), putting the old one out for sale privately and when it does eventually sell, use that money to then later upgrade with the new vendor for the bigger/higher color diamond.

 

[KarenmO]

Hello all-

Good heavens, @mrs-b! How are you doing post op? I can only imagine how your week has been. I hope you are feeling better today. I have enjoyed reading your PS posts through the seasons, from your dozen projects to your Pricescope meet up with champagne and cupcakes! In all sincerity, I wish you a full and speedy recovery.

So here's the financial situation with my ring fund. Yes, it is a Blue Nile upgrade. I've been wanting to change my 60/60 I colored stone FOREVER. I don't like how it performs and I do not like staying at an I, I do not like it, Sam I am. Not with a knot, not with a dot!

I am purchasing the new ring from Blue Nile with the original value of my stone which I honestly don't even remember the amount-- I think it's $7k, I need to double check. In addition, I am liquidating one of my Birkin bags to fund the purchase. It's a bag with sentimental value that I rarely wear so if I let it go, it's got to be for a nice stone that I will enjoy wearing EVERYDAY and be nice enough to pass down to my daughter. I could sell two Birkins to fund a Whiteflash stone now but I don't want the diamond that much.

I know what Whiteflash diamonds look like because I'm wearing a pair of G VS2's in my ears right now and they are stunning. If they were a married couple, what is there to fight about? The crisp light performance speaks for itself and I'm really fortunate to be the owner of these beauties. However, if I start over with Whiteflash for my engagement ring, I'll HAVE to start teeny tiny and I don't want to wait and eek by upgrade by upgrade over the years. I want it big and I want it now. I'm sure many here can relate. I don't want a big pendant and I don't need studs. At this stage in my life and after trying on stone diameters in person, an 8.4mm would be perfect and 8.6 is just a bit big but fabulous and would accommodate DDS should it eventually return. I want an H at least.

For reference, here's my finger with a 7.4mm, 8.2mm, 8.4mm and 8.65mm. I thought the 8.4 was a stunning size and the 8.6 huge and dreamy but a bit, "How am I going to Safeway with this?"


One thing I do know for sure is that I am cancelling my order for spotty dotty. I really wanted it to work out because it was a well cut 2.5 H with fluor on paper but for whatever reason, every time I look at that stone, my back hurts: https://www.bluenile.com/diamond-details/LD12122700

I really thought I hit the 2.31 D VS2 out of the park. It scores well on the HCA, is in the AGS and GIA ideal range, transparent, eye clean, has a tiny table, 75 LF and a D! But from what you're telling me, it's not a good option. https://www.bluenile.com/diamond
de...DiamondDetails&action=newTab&catalogView=true

P.S. I just looked at WF's inventory and if I privately sell my stone and apply the rest of my fun funds, I think I could start in the 2 carat I SI1 region. I swear to g-d, if I do this, they better not go out of business.

 

[chamois]

Can I also suggest investigating a trade option with HPD or Whiteflash. Might be worth asking.

Good luck with your search

 

[KarenmO]

 

[kmoro]

Hello all-

Good heavens, @mrs-b! How are you doing post op? I can only imagine how your week has been. I hope you are feeling better today. I have enjoyed reading your PS posts through the seasons, from your dozen projects to your Pricescope meet up with champagne and cupcakes! In all sincerity, I wish you a full and speedy recovery.

So here's the financial situation with my ring fund. Yes, it is a Blue Nile upgrade. I've been wanting to change my 60/60 I colored stone FOREVER. I don't like how it performs and I do not like staying at an I, I do not like it, Sam I am. Not with a knot, not with a dot!

I am purchasing the new ring from Blue Nile with the original value of my stone which I honestly don't even remember the amount-- I think it's $7k, I need to double check. In addition, I am liquidating one of my Birkin bags to fund the purchase. It's a bag with sentimental value that I rarely wear so if I let it go, it's got to be for a nice stone that I will enjoy wearing EVERYDAY and be nice enough to pass down to my daughter. I could sell two Birkins to fund a Whiteflash stone now but I don't want the diamond that much.

I know what Whiteflash diamonds look like because I'm wearing a pair of G VS2's in my ears right now and they are stunning. If they were a married couple, what is there to fight about? The crisp light performance speaks for itself and I'm really fortunate to be the owner of these beauties. However, if I start over with Whiteflash for my engagement ring, I'll HAVE to start teeny tiny and I don't want to wait and eek by upgrade by upgrade over the years. I want it big and I want it now. I'm sure many here can relate. I don't want a big pendant and I don't need studs. At this stage in my life and after trying on stone diameters in person, an 8.4mm would be perfect and 8.6 is just a bit big but fabulous and would accommodate DDS should it eventually return. I want an H at least.

For reference, here's my finger with a 7.4mm, 8.2mm, 8.4mm and 8.65mm. I thought the 8.4 was a stunning size and the 8.6 huge and dreamy but a bit, "How am I going to Safeway with this?"


One thing I do know for sure is that I am cancelling my order for spotty dotty. I really wanted it to work out because it was a well cut 2.5 H with fluor on paper but for whatever reason, every time I look at that stone, my back hurts: https://www.bluenile.com/diamond-details/LD12122700

I really thought I hit the 2.31 D VS2 out of the park. It scores well on the HCA, is in the AGS and GIA ideal range, transparent, eye clean, has a tiny table, 75 LF and a D! But from what you're telling me, it's not a good option. https://www.bluenile.com/diamond
de...DiamondDetails&action=newTab&catalogView=true

P.S. I just looked at WF's inventory and if I privately sell my stone and apply the rest of my fun funds, I think I could start in the 2 carat I SI1 region. I swear to g-d, if I do this, they better not go out of business.

I think the D is lovely. I will join the rest of the PS crowd to say you will get better value without seeing any difference in colour if you go down a couple of grades. I have to give the good advice. Having said that, I chose a D for myself, and I love it. I had my personal reasons for going with D, but my mind-issues are loving the choice. It is the rarest colour, I certainly do not think it looks cold, not even close to lifeless (ACA), it is just very pretty white, it is fiery and just beautiful. I never look at it and wonder if I can see a tint, lol (I would not with an E either, and actually did consider E but there were none in inventory for the size I wanted ... plus it didn’t quite fit into the symbolism that I was after). I would personally be looking for tint in an F, even if I couldn’t see it. In my mind, F is too close to G, and I can see a tint in a G ... personal preference and all, I prefer no tint ... and I want it good to my mind above all else, lol.

BUT, you will get much much better bang for your buck if you go below D colour.

Just my two cents.

 

[KarenmO]

I think the D is lovely. I will join the rest of the PS crowd to say you will get better value without seeing any difference in colour if you go down a couple of grades. I have to give the good advice. Having said that, I chose a D for myself, and I love it. I had my personal reasons for going with D, but my mind-issues are loving the choice. It is the rarest colour, I certainly do not think it looks cold, not even close to lifeless (ACA), it is just very pretty white, it is fiery and just beautiful. I never look at it and wonder if I can see a tint, lol (I would not with an E either, and actually did consider E but there were none in inventory for the size I wanted ... plus it didn’t quite fit into the symbolism that I was after). I would personally be looking for tint in an F, even if I couldn’t see it. In my mind, F is too close to G, and I can see a tint in a G ... personal preference and all, I prefer no tint ... and I want it good to my mind above all else, lol.

BUT, you will get much much better bang for your buck if you go below D colour.

Just my two cents.

Thank you for your input, kmoro! When you said the D was lovely, do you mean the 2.31 D VS2 stone is lovely or having a D color in general?