I'm ready to buy a ring! Help!

[larryjenkins]

Hi everyone,

So a few days ago, I suddenly felt it was time for me to begin looking at diamonds. The problem is that I knew very little aside from the 4Cs. After a couple of days of reading articles and such, I'm a bit more equipped at choosing a diamond. BUT, I need a little help here. I'm hoping you guys can help guide me a little towards a diamond that is of quality and that I'm not overpaying. Where should I look? What matters and what matters not so much?

What she loves:
Cartier 1895 Solitaire with Pave

What I want:
Give her a quality 1.5c diamond ring around $16k.

What my criteria is after doing my initial research:
Color: D-F
Carats: close to 1.5
Clarity: VS2 or better
Cut: Ideal
Table %: 56%+
Depth: 60%+

Looking forward to any advice! I'm excited!

 

[Niel]

Contact engagement rings direct. Your budget will mostly be spent on the diamond. So a hand forged setting is probably not in the cards. This company has a whole section of Cartier repro rings, so I'm sure they can custom make you a Cartier ring she is dreaming of.

They had a few in there site that might work for you. Looks like its double for a 1.5 e-f vs2 si1 range. And keep in mind there's nothing necessarily wrong with a SI1 stone. If you can't see an inclusion you can't see it. Regardless of the grading

http://www.engagementringsdirect.com/1.50-carat-e-vs2-excellent-round-cut-diamond-gid-146449.html


Here's one. Has strong fluor, so I'd ask if it has any I'll effects. But I'd not that would be an Huber white stone. And probably keep you near your 16k budget. You'd have to ask for more info on the stone though. An ideal scope would be nice. Or even I picture as they have none

 

[larryjenkins]

Which one would you choose and why? Looks like I'll need to increase my budget, but I'd like to stay at 16k if possible. My goal is size/shine.

1.527 ct G VS2
http://www.whiteflash.com/loose-diamonds/round-cut-loose-diamond-2994226.htm

1.528 ct G VS2
http://www.whiteflash.com/loose-diamonds/round-cut-loose-diamond-2983079.htm

1.716 ct F SI1
http://www.whiteflash.com/loose-diamonds/round-cut-loose-diamond-2982234.htm

1.503 ct G SI1
http://www.whiteflash.com/loose-diamonds/round-cut-loose-diamond-2982229.htm

 

[hawk25]

If your goal is to stay in budget, I think the 1.503 G SI1 is a good choice, but the others are very nice as well. Just make sure to ask WF whether it's eye clean to your standards. Their definition is from a 10 inch distance looking from the top view only. Yours may be 6 inches from all sides. You can ask them to ask their gemologist to take another look at the stone.

If you wanted a color upgrade (IMO it's not necessary), here's a 1.553 F SI1 from BGD that's in your budget. Again, I'd ask them about your eye clean definition.
http://www.briangavindiamonds.com/d...ls/1.553-f-si1-round-diamond-ags-104054186010

 

[Daisyoz]

Which one would you choose and why? Looks like I'll need to increase my budget, but I'd like to stay at 16k if possible. My goal is size/shine.

1.527 ct G VS2
http://www.whiteflash.com/loose-diamonds/round-cut-loose-diamond-2994226.htm

1.528 ct G VS2
http://www.whiteflash.com/loose-diamonds/round-cut-loose-diamond-2983079.htm

1.716 ct F SI1
http://www.whiteflash.com/loose-diamonds/round-cut-loose-diamond-2982234.htm

1.503 ct G SI1
http://www.whiteflash.com/loose-diamonds/round-cut-loose-diamond-2982229.htm

They all are beautiful diamonds! I know you said as size/shine more important to you. But this stage I would enquire about inclusions to get more information to make a decision. There seems to be a dark crystal in the G SI1. You could ask WF to describe the inclusions in all the stones for you. That s what I would do next.

By the way, does anyone know why the G VS2 1.527 is nearly $800 more expensive than the 1.528 ? It seems every thing else is equal, ACA, G, VS2.

 

[Tekate]

Congratulations!! I would recommend you also try B2C Jewels, they are a PS vendor.. I recently bought a small, inexpensive wedding band to go with my engagement ring and I love it, I thought the price was phenomenal .. their diamonds always seem fair priced also.. Best of luck! it's a very exciting time.. I sort remember !!!

 

[larryjenkins]

After some more research, I am moving my budget upward I realize that being the detailed oriented person that I am, I can't stand some of the inclusions I see in diamonds that are in the VS2 to S1 range.

D-G
1.5+
Ideal cut
VS1 or better

How's this one? And does color matter so much in the D-G range? I swear I can't even tell the difference between D-E-F-G. Maybe my eyes aren't trained yet.

http://www.briangavindiamonds.com/diamonds/diamond-details/1.500-g-vs1-round-diamond-ags-104051364011

 

[hawk25]

Just wanted to point out that those images you see are highly magnified. Most properly graded VS2s are completely eye clean (I have one that is), and some SI1s are too at your size. It's much harder, or even impossible to see them in real life without a loupe, especially when you consider the stone's going to sparkle like mad. So you don't necessarily have to raise your clarity criteria to a VS1.

Don't worry, I don't think the vast majority of people could tell the difference between the D-G colors, especially when the stone is in a setting.

Everything being said, the stone you linked is very nice, I quite like it