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Is This a Unicorn? 2 Carat for $20K

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Too Realistic

Rough_Rock
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Hi!
I've been lurking for many months and the time is finally here! I am tasked with finding a couple of 2 carat round brilliant diamonds for my "I'm too busy and you know you want to do it anyway" son to choose from for his big ask.
Her most important thing is sparkle.
His is cut and carat. He wants an excellent cut (to get that sparkle) and it has to be 2 carats (not 1.98 - 2). There is also a prohibition on frozen spit - lol!
The budget is $20,000 stone only.

Am I looking for a unicorn, or can this be a real thing?

Thank you so much if you can help!

Lisa
 

Kim N

Ideal_Rock
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Not at all a unicorn! I love these two diamonds' proportions.


 

Too Realistic

Rough_Rock
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Thanks so much for responding! Will a J look too warm? I worry that she might be color sensitive. Perhaps I am thinking like a PS-er and that's not how real life works? lol
 
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Kim N

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Hi, this is a very nice I, still under $20,000. I have owned several Whiteflash A Cut Above Ks, and they face up very white and I rarely noticed the tint from the side. But color sensitivity varies a lot from person to person. Has she seen well-cut diamonds of different colors in person?

 

Too Realistic

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She has seen nothing except some of her friend's diamonds that she says look like they have schmutz on them and she doesn't want that. That's good to know that the K is still facing up white.
Thanks so much!
 

elizat

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I probably wouldn't go underneath G or a high h unless you know the wearer's sensitivity to color.

From the comment I guess she's probably talking about clarity, but I still would not go below that level for color if you don't know her preference.

Can she not go to a store and ask to see GIA graded stones in the F through J range?
 

OoohShiny

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Over 350 options in the Search tool at the top of the forum using D-M, SI+, 2ct+, $20k, HCA Excellent, AGS000 and GIA XXX filters, although you/he/she will be looking at H and below for the majority of them at that (not unhealthy!) budget:


As above, you will need to confirm colour tolerance/preference and also whether or not Fluorescence is acceptable.

Fluor in anything up to Strong should be zero issue but many people go along with the 'industry' approach of not liking it for no real reason.
 

whitewave

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Explain to him the difference between MM dimensions and carat weight. Mm dimensions are the actual size of the diamond, not the carat weight.
 

tyty333

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She has seen nothing except some of her friend's diamonds that she says look like they have schmutz on them and she doesn't want that. That's good to know that the K is still facing up white.
Thanks so much!

When buying for yourself and you know that slight tint doesnt bother you, thats all fine and good. However, when buying as a surprise for someone else
its better to stay safe if they have not told you specifically. G/H is a safe range for most*. Most* people start to see tint in an "I" colored stone.

I personally would not drop below an "I". G/H if you can swing it.
 

Too Realistic

Rough_Rock
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I probably wouldn't go underneath G or a high h unless you know the wearer's sensitivity to color.

From the comment I guess she's probably talking about clarity, but I still would not go below that level for color if you don't know her preference.

Can she not go to a store and ask to see GIA graded stones in the F through J range?

She could, but she's not supposed to know and all my hint dropping isn't working - lol
 

OoohShiny

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Too Realistic

Rough_Rock
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Over 350 options in the Search tool at the top of the forum using D-M, SI+, 2ct+, $20k, HCA Excellent, AGS000 and GIA XXX filters, although you/he/she will be looking at H and below for the majority of them at that (not unhealthy!) budget:


As above, you will need to confirm colour tolerance/preference and also whether or not Fluorescence is acceptable.

Fluor in anything up to Strong should be zero issue but many people go along with the 'industry' approach of not liking it for no real reason.

The color thing is going to be a real problem - she hasn't seen anything and I've been unsuccessful in getting her to look - boo! Fluor is prob not a problem as long as it doesn't make the stone milky.

Does a triple excellent from GIA mean the same thing as the precision cuts from WF and HPD?
It seems like they are preferred for a reason?
 

Too Realistic

Rough_Rock
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THANK YOU!!! So many of you taking time to respond. What a great group!
 

OoohShiny

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Six stones here with extra filtering - no SI stones, no fluor, H+.

The small-table options could be nice and fire-y.


I'd be tempted by these - H VS1 and H VVS2 should be basically colourless and *definitely* eye-clean.




EDIT: The VVS is 'Faint' fluor on the GIA report, so the listing is wrong, but Faint should basically have zero effect day-to-day, the clarity plot is cleeeeean, and short LGFs, high crown and small table should make it a fire-monster :))
 
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OoohShiny

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The color thing is going to be a real problem - she hasn't seen anything and I've been unsuccessful in getting her to look - boo! Fluor is prob not a problem as long as it doesn't make the stone milky.

Does a triple excellent from GIA mean the same thing as the precision cuts from WF and HPD?
It seems like they are preferred for a reason?
GIA XXX is much (!) wider than AGS 000 (which all the SuperIdeal cuts are), and there are some very dodgy crown/pavilion angle combinations under GIA XXX.

AGS 000 basically means you don't need to even worry about light performance, whereas GIA XXX needs careful assessment.

The Holloway Cut Adviser (HCA) tool under the Tools tab at the top of the forum is a tool to check if the C and P angles are complementary, so help filter out dodgy GIA XXX, but the Search tool I've already linked to has the HCA results already in it, which means you don't have to check each stone you're interested in :))
 

Too Realistic

Rough_Rock
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Starting a new thread- son just found out that gf mentioned to someone that a princess cut is the thing! So sorry!!
 

OoohShiny

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Starting a new thread- son just found out that gf mentioned to someone that a princess cut is the thing! So sorry!!

Just to check... has the GF seen and tried on Princess cuts?

What looks good in the window does not always look good on the hand...


Do you need to enforce a shopping trip to try things on? :D
 

Too Realistic

Rough_Rock
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Just to check... has the GF seen and tried on Princess cuts?

What looks good in the window does not always look good on the hand...


Do you need to enforce a shopping trip to try things on? :D
I would love nothing more than a shopping trip. I will try again. This surprise stuff is hard! Although, if he picks from whiteflash, he can exchange easily enough, right?
 

OoohShiny

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I would love nothing more than a shopping trip. I will try again. This surprise stuff is hard! Although, if he picks from whiteflash, he can exchange easily enough, right?

I"m pretty sure WF Returns policy allows 30 days - do read the T&Cs carefully, just to make certain, as custom-tweaked shanks and stones cut to order are both likely to not be included! :)
 

Mlh

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ID jewelry is really good at working within a specified budget. They are great.
 

diamondseeker2006

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Ughhh, I wish she realized that princess cuts are not as timeless as rounds. We see extremely few princess cuts sold these days on the forum.
 
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elizat

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I think princess cut is more popular in the real world. If you Google it, it comes up as the second most popular shape in almost every bridal ring guide from wedding magazines and general articles.

I see tons in real life.

It's her call and if she wants a princess, just get a good one that performs well- what you'd want for any stone.

I don't think everyone loves a modern round. If I was given one for an engagement ring, or for any reason, I'd either ask to return it or never wear it.
 

nala

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I think princess cut is more popular in the real world. If you Google it, it comes up as the second most popular shape in almost every bridal ring guide from wedding magazines and general articles.

I see tons in real life.

It's her call and if she wants a princess, just get a good one that performs well- what you'd want for any stone.

I don't think everyone loves a modern round. If I was given one for an engagement ring, or for any reason, I'd either ask to return it or never wear it.

Agree.
 

nala

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Ughhh, I wish she realized that princess cuts are not as timeless as rounds. We see extremely few princess cuts sold these days on the forum.

PS is not representative of the real world. Maybe we should be supportive rather than critical of her taste. I don’t see why you have to put down her choice. Not cool.
 

Ella

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Closing this thread since the OP has moved on.
 
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