Beautiful but not worth the price. I think 10k would be a more reasonable price but with recent price inflation I could be out of touch! Also depends on if there is a lab report on the stone and who issued it, I assumed it was in-house grading.
Hmm has the stone been graded by a lab? That would help to determine whether it's worth it. If the stats on the stone were assigned by an appraiser and are afghani lower if graded by a reputable lab then the pricing would be different.
Singlestone's prices are going to be retail to high retail- you aren't likely to find a ridiculously "good deal". The reason is, you're paying for peace of mind, purchasing from a reputable seller who you can trust. And presumably who stands behind their product. And the mounting should be in top-notch condition. That's actually no small thing- most antique mountings are quite worn, and the work required to fix them can be expensive, and can be done quite poorly. So, is it a steal of a deal? No. But you definitely can trust the seller. Also, finding OECs that are truly above J color is rather difficult.
ETA: So really the thing is, antique pieces are one of a kind, and if it's exactly everything you want in a ring and you're not compromising anything? "Worth" is not necessarily just about the price tag. Sometimes if you find the absolutely perfect thing paying high retail is the correct decision, for you.
While it would be a high price if offered on eBay, you are definitely paying for peace of mind. I know that Ari only offers gorgeous stones, so I'm sure that it is even more beautiful in person. Have you spoken with him about it? He's super approachable and reasonable. I'd give him a call and talk to him about it. See if he'd send you a photo of the ring on Heather's hand....you have nothing to lose by asking....
100% agreed that Singlestone is a very reputable vendor and that they do beautiful work. However, even with the current market price hikes on diamonds, 14K for 1.5 ct I/SI1 diamond seems pretty high (even for Ari!). Many of their stones are not certified, so I'm assuming that is the case here as well but please let us know if it that is not the case.
I think you can get more ring (and a higher quality stone) for that price.
Have you checked out Jewels By Erica Grace?? They're great to work with and many people here have purchased from them.
I'm not a diamond expert so I could be wrong here but i'm under the impression that just because a diamond faces up larger then it is suppose to would not cause a dramatic increase in the price. If anything it can cause you to question it as it could mean the diamond is shallow cut.
Also, I'm pretty sure SS doesn't negoitate on their pricing.