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Irish guy looking to buy engagement ring-€3000-3500

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walshy12

Rough_Rock
Joined
Jul 24, 2015
Messages
8
Hi,

I am looking to buy an engagement ring as outlined above. Have a good idea of what girlfriend wants.

Cushion/tiffany style. large. she is not massively interested in quality from what I can gather.

Got a quote from Geretti, Antwerp for the following:

0.71 ct
SI1

Image below

ring_137.jpg

What you guys think?

Price quoted is €3700

Thanks!!
 
Hello Walshy12,

I think you will get a better response from the prosumers on this forum if you can provide more information about the diamond you are considering. Does it have a lab report? If so from whom? Can you provide more information than just carat weight and clarity?

Lastly - I would recommend trying to find out, for certain, how much quality your intended is willing to sacrifice for size.

Quality matters in all of the 'other' C's. Is she OK with noticeable warmth (color), inclusions (clarity) or light performance concerns (cut), or does she simply want the largest possible size that is still near-colorless, eye-clean and excellent cut?

Hopefully with a little more information along these lines you will get the feedback you are looking for.

Happy Hunting.
 
Have you tried Weldons off Grafton St? The have some great well priced rings, been in a few times and very helpful.
 
Hi Guys,

Thank you for your comments.

I have requested lab report or similar on the diamond.

The ring is made up of 18kt


The jeweller sent me the following close up image of the diamond with the following caption:

'As you can see the SI1 inclusion is not visible with the naked eye and the stone has a good white colour'

ring_2_13.jpg

Hopefully I will have more information shortly.

Thanks
 
Thanks Diamond_Hawk,

I have uploaded another picture there and am awaiting more info from the jeweller.
 
Hi from England Walshy :wavey:

Are you set on Antwerp?

They seem to be giving you a small selection.

The Tiffany Halo I think of more with a cushion.

I had a quick look through James Allen and here are some nice stones around your budget

http://www.jamesallen.com/loose-diamonds/cushion-cut/?Color=K,J,I,H,G,F,E,D&ViewsOptions=Images&TabSelected=3&DiamondID=576729,582822,170663,352891,323452,480225,566340,574173,523107,445065,435861,380635,512629

My standout larger (more expensive) cushion is

http://www.jamesallen.com/loose-diamonds/cushion-cut/1.01-carat-i-color-vs1-clarity-sku-512629

My standout smaller one is probably

http://www.jamesallen.com/loose-diamonds/cushion-cut/0.70-carat-f-color-vs1-clarity-sku-566340

And a curiosity is this Daussi style cushion

http://www.jamesallen.com/loose-diamonds/cushion-cut/0.90-carat-j-color-vs2-clarity-sku-170663

which is rather shallow and will have less fire than a usual cut at the expense of facing up larger. That is the least safe choice.


To which you could add

http://www.jamesallen.com/engagement-rings/halo/14k-white-gold-pave-halo-and-shank-diamond-engagement-ring-cushion-center-item-17429


For the diamond, ask for the Advantage discount which will take about $100 off (give or take a bit). Sometimes there is also a discount on settings... not sure.

Also for the diamond, you could choose three you like and ask for ASET images which help evaluate light performance. Then post them here for more advice.


Another alternative is Brilliantly Engaged who are recommended for cushion selection and good quality settings.

Good Old Gold also have a good selection of cushions.


I'm not sure what your import tax will be in Ireland so don't forget to add that on.
 
Also, how low in colour are you willing to go, as DiamondHawk says?
 
For completeness... and if I haven't scared you off with informational overload... I'm not even sure you're actually looking for a cushion but another option people suggest is the Blue Nile Signature Cushion.

I have seen these in person. Doubtless they are 10/10 for performance - firey from edge to edge and with great light return - but they lacked a little personality for me. I found them a little uniform and too much like a round brilliant (for me). But if I didn't have a round brilliant I'd probably love them. It is a very safe and good choice.

http://www.bluenile.com/uk/diamond-search?stockno=LD05700018

http://www.bluenile.com/uk/diamond-search?stockno=LD05400357

are two from many.

Click on the GCAL report at the bottom on the right, to see images of the actual stone.

Also Blue Nile Europe ship from Dublin so that'd make returns etc much easier.

You could add their stock halo setting. Search for reviews of their micropave work on pricescope, I can't advise either way.

http://www.bluenile.com/uk/build-your-own-ring/cushion-shaped-halo-diamond-engagement-ring_41205?elem=img&track=product


If you like cushions, you have three other stylistic options:

i) Good old Gold or Victor Canera Replica Antique cushions (will look gorgeous in a halo)

http://www.goodoldgold.com/ecommerce/10425.html
http://www.goodoldgold.com/ecommerce/0.91ct-j-si1-august-vintage-cushion-diamond.html

ii) Brian Gavin Signature Cushion
Again Guaranteed ideal light performance, possibly at the very subjective and marginal cost of a little personality

http://www.briangavindiamonds.com/diamonds/diamond-details/0.846-i-vvs2-cushion-diamond-ags-104079637007

Brian Gavin can make you a halo setting, others will know more about the quality and pricing of those.

iii) Brilliantly Engaged have a range of proprietary cushions

https://www.brilliantlyengaged.com/

And will also make a good quality setting.

Of course if you have decided on a Princess cut (your last post) this is all moot, let us know and hopefully someone will come along who knows about princesses.
 
Hey Coralfish,

Thank you so much for all the suggestions and links!!!

Your really giving me a lot of options now.

Some would be stretching the budget but I see some that could really be perfect and I know she will love.

Just have to spend some time going through them all in detail.

The guys in Geretti, Antwerp have sent me on some more detail on the ring. I have an image of the GIA Report which I have attached ( I think)

Ill write it in anyway:

Shape and Cutting Style: Square Modified Brilliant
Measurements: 5.01 x 4.85 x 3.53 mm

Carat Weight: 0.71
Colour Grade : F
Clarity Grade: SI1

Polish: ........................Excellent
Symmetry............. .......Very Good
Florescence:................. None
Clarity Characteristics: ....Cloud, Crystal, Feather
 
http://www.gia.edu/cs/Satellite?reportno=5186701760&childpagename=GIA%2FPage%2FReportCheck&pagename=GIA%2FDispatcher&c=Page&cid=1355954554547

That's a link to the GIA Report on the Diamond.

So the Jeweller is quoting me €3700 for the diamond above and ring described as follows:

The ring is in 18KT Palladium white gold.

Alongside the central diamond you have 0.55 ct of small round brilliants on the ring.

Any opinions on this greatly appreciated. Does this seem like good value.

I have been told that the ring can be returned within a week? seems a bit short.

Thanks again.
 
Coralfish|1438012571|3907962 said:
Hi from England Walshy :wavey:


My standout larger (more expensive) cushion is

http://www.jamesallen.com/loose-diamonds/cushion-cut/1.01-carat-i-color-vs1-clarity-sku-512629

My standout smaller one is probably

http://www.jamesallen.com/loose-diamonds/cushion-cut/0.70-carat-f-color-vs1-clarity-sku-566340

.
Click to expand...

Nice suggestions, Coralfish, love these two and the bluenile suggestions, too!

Hey Walshy, we can't comment on cushions without photos/video/ASET.

What makes them pretty is how they sparkle and reflect light, and we can't say that from the report.

You are safe going with a bluenile signature cushion sight unseen, sticking with VS2 and better, I'd venture.

For James Allen, you need to put up to three cushions on hold and ask for ASET images- you can post them here for feedback if you wish. Coralfish's standouts look lovely- the faceting is crisp and they are pretty, cushiony, shapes.

Can you provide images for the stones Antwerp is suggesting? Face on and close, and with ASET images, if possible?
 
Hey Apacherose,

I'm going to request and ASET image from the jeweller so and see if they can send me one.

screenshot_2015-07-27-15-29-25.png

This was the image he sent when I asked for a closer one of the diamond.

Hopefully he can send me better.
 
Thank you ApacheRose! :wavey:

ApacheRose is totally correct with everything she says about evaluating cushions.

What you have shown us is a princess-cut diamond.

Is that specifically what you are after? It has a rather different look and feel to a cushion.

Have a look at the image at the top, here.

https://www.pricescope.com/wiki/diamonds/fancy-shape-diamonds

The far left ring is a cushion cut. It is squarish, with rounded edges. The far right is a Radiant. It is square, with clipped corners.
The one you have shown us is a princess cut. It is plain square.

On the above page, please click on all of the links that read:

Fancy Diamond Shapes in this Tutorial

Princess
Radiant
Emerald
Asscher
Cushion
Oval
Marquise
Pear
Heart
Trillion

to be exactly sure which shape you want.

Which would you like to buy? All the one's I've suggested are variants on cushions.

Onto your diamond.

I see from the GIA report:

Depth
72.8 %
Table
71 %

Admittedly I know very little about princess cuts, but a large table which is similar to the depth (speaking for the general case!) will in general mean less fire, and a more glassy look to the stone. The reason is that the 'top' of the diamond is very mostly table, with only a small area of crown facets, so the super-fire is rather restricted to the edges.

Also you have an SI1 princess with the grade making inclusion being 'cloud'. I just saw a post by Garry Holloway saying that in his experience Princess diamond inclusions tend - tend (disclaimer!)- to be in the middle of the table (I guess due to how the diamond is sawn from the octahedral crystal). So without an extremely good close up I'd tend to be warier that it is eyeclean.

Also it is a little off-square.

Then we have to try and extract the price of your stone from 'stone + Setting'. Do you know he is offering you a double halo (two rows of diamonds round the central stone, per the first picture) - is that what you and she actually want?

Let's say the diamond is 2800 euro. Is this a good/fair price?

Looking at James Allen, they have a selection of 'True Hearts' ideal Princess Cuts. They are graded by AGS (a lab as good as the GIA - canvass for opinions on here if you are not sure) - to have AGS Ideal Light Performance. This will mean edge to edge light return and fire.

http://www.jamesallen.com/loose-diamonds/princess-cut/?CaratFrom=0.70&CaratTo=15&Color=K,J,I,H,G,F,E,D&Cut=TrueHearts&PriceFrom=&PriceTo=&Sort=Price,%20DefaultOrder&ViewsOptions=Images

(I've selected the princess shape, then moved the 'cut' slider to 'True Hearts'.)

Here is a F VS1

http://www.jamesallen.com/loose-diamonds/princess-cut/0.70-carat-f-color-vs1-clarity-sku-581041

for $2620. I feel confident in saying this is a much better diamond than the one your seller has proposed. Do you see how the crown and pavillion angles are written there? Someone has cut this diamond for performance, not weight.

If you can drop down to J in colour

http://www.jamesallen.com/loose-diamonds/princess-cut/0.92-carat-j-color-vs1-clarity-sku-453485

That's just with a cursory look. Of course there are non 'ideal' diamonds that will fit the parameters and might be able to be had cheaper, it will just take a bit of looking. Also there might be better AGS Ideal Princesses if that's what you want, would have to look in more detail at the inventory.

For a variation in taste, Good Old Gold sell a Solasfera Princess (look on their youtube channel for more details)

http://www.goodoldgold.com/ecommerce/diamonds/princess/solasfera-cut.html

And if you like the clipped corner square, these radiants are lovely:

http://www.goodoldgold.com/ecommerce/diamonds/radiant.html

Just look at that faceting - they are guaranteed to be stunning, if you like the shape. Again have a look on their youtube channel, you will learn a lot about what you like.

https://www.youtube.com/user/DiamondInfoMan

Have a think and let us know. I really feel for your budget you can do better than what your seller is offering you.
 
Hey guys,

Thanks again.

I guess the princess cut was what they sent me in the cushion setting from Antwerp so that kind of started me looking at cushion cuts.

But with all your help now, and extensive research at this stage I think I have narrowed it down.

I am going to go with JamesAllen.com based on their reviews and the fact that I have now found out my brother also went with them and are extremely happy with the outcome.

I am going to hopefully be able to avoid the duty for shipping by maybe getting it sent to my family in the states first for them to check it out and then send on to me or possibly transport home in person.

I am thinking of going with one of the halo with cushion outline for settings as I know this is what she wants.

http://www.jamesallen.com/engagement-rings/halo/14k-white-gold-cushion-outline-pave-engagement-ring-item-49493

So next is to choose a good diamond from their collection for max €2500.

I notice the cushion diamond does not allow you to filter for cut quality?

Any suggestions on a round or cushion diamond of decent size and quality?
 
Well, you can order up to three ASETS from James Allen and we can see how they do. Based on your lady's preference for size, I think you could easily be at H-I color, to get the most from your budget. Here is one that might ASET okay:

http://www.jamesallen.com/loose-diamonds/cushion-cut/0.90-carat-i-color-vvs2-clarity-sku-352891

I like your .81 F VS2.

If your lady did not express a preference for diamond shape, consider putting a round diamond into a cushion halo. Rounds face up large for their carat weight compared to cushions, and getting a well cut round will be very sparkly and bright.

http://www.jamesallen.com/loose-diamonds/round-cut/0.71-carat-h-color-vs2-clarity-ideal-cut-sku-584732

87f91f5c7ba53f18d451c6dd41b13992.jpg
 
walshy12|1438257323|3908969 said:
Some of the diamonds I'm looking at:

option 1- This is a gud size with decent clarity rating and looks decent under the closer zoom?

http://www.jamesallen.com/loose-diamonds/cushion-cut/0.80-carat-f-color-vvs2-clarity-sku-524006

options 2- once again gud carat size,

http://www.jamesallen.com/loose-diamonds/cushion-cut/0.81-carat-f-color-vs2-clarity-sku-568299

option 3-smaller carat but E colour

http://www.jamesallen.com/loose-diamonds/cushion-cut/0.71-carat-e-color-vs1-clarity-sku-304685
Click to expand...

Hi Walshy

To be honest, I don't really like any of these.

If you want a round brilliant these are much easier to buy, the one Apache Rose linked to is very nice. You can't really go too far wrong with an ideal cut round on James Allen.

I would suggest possibly start a thread with a new title - something like 'Help my pick 3 James Allen cushions for ASETs, budget x'

Include a link to this thread.

Then - work out your budget in US Dollars, just for the stone. It'll make it easier for us to pick.
Also include the budget for your setting, the budget for your total ring (I'm presuming you are now not paying VAT and duty) and the type of setting you want (attach a picture) so we'll see if you've allocated the correct amount to stone, and to the setting.

Did you see my post with a couple of cushions in it? It's not too easy to pick a cushion.

A lot of people on here ask for Gypsy's help - she is a cushion expert. You could put that your title too to try and get her attention.

She links people to this thread:
[URL='https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/new-and-looking-for-help-choosing-cushion-cut-diamond-to-oz.205195/']https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/new-and-looking-for-help-choosing-cushion-cut-diamond-to-oz.205195/[/URL]

I'm going to link you to Charmypoo, another cushion expert. See how the GIA facet diagram so heavily influences the look of the cushion?

[URL='https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/cushion-101-my-experience-in-making-a-harry-winston-halo.183473/']https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/cushion-101-my-experience-in-making-a-harry-winston-halo.183473/[/URL]

As your cushions are under 1 carat GIA won't print the facet diagram, but we can sift through the poor candidates.

Have a look too at this thread.
[URL='https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/searching-for-8-main-cushion.205103/']https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/searching-for-8-main-cushion.205103/[/URL]

8 main cushions are very popular.

By poor candidates, if you've read the above links, you'll see that what we mean by poor is that the diamond sort of appears mushy and grey under the table. It has poor light performance. Reference what ApacheRose said about crisp facets - that's what you want.

Contrast the first 2 cushions I posted, with your three choices. Do you see a difference?

You only get three JA ASETs per purchase so don't waste them. Get experts to suggest cushions. My two suggestions are above in my post. ASETs are incredibly useful to see how the diamond will perform in terms of light return and fire.

You mentioned your GF prefers size over quality. How low in colour will you go? We've asked this a couple of times... how low in clarity?
So we can determine the tradeoff in size for your budget. No one (with few exceptions) face-up tell the difference between D and F. Most will be happy down to G or H, and down to eye-clean SI1.

Did you see my brief cushion guide in my earlier post? If you like Round Brilliants and Cushions, the Blue Nile Signature Cushion is a very safe choice. I'd strongly suggest considering these.

As you'll see finding a nice generic cushion is a bit of hard work by comparison. BN sig cush is a safe bet. Should be a picture on the last page of Charmypoo's thread.

See also the Brian Gavin cushions I linked to above.

Anyway have a read through everything once again, then let us know your thoughts, or as I say poss. start a new thread.


Edited to add:

For information about the utility of ASETs wrt cushions, watch this

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1O7H8E_MYRM

and this

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cfnhPchwg-c
 
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