iso "small" but beautiful...

[velouriaL]

My boyfriend''s brother has enlisted me to help him with the e-ring for his girlfriend. He has already developed a relationship with a custom jeweler in his area, but she is flexible with sourced diamonds, so really, it''s just down to the diamond.

His girlfriend is a runner, has simple/kinda of hippyish style, and works with kids, and she says that she wants anything "too big." The first ring he picked out had a really cool/timeless style, but had a diamond that was less than .25 ct. I was thinking that it might be better for him to go up to .40 - .50 ct. The setting he liked was quoted at around $1000, and if he went for something like this...

http://www.whiteflash.com/loose-diamonds/round-cut-loose-diamond-2231220.htm#
or
http://www.whiteflash.com/loose-diamonds/round-cut-loose-diamond-2229298.htm

...he could still come in under budget. I think he was thinking somewhere between $1500 - $2000.

What are your thoughts?

Do you think it''s a good guess to bump up from less than .25 to around .40+? Maybe I''m too deep into PS shrinkage, but when I think a girl asks for something on the small side, she''s envisioning closer to 1/2 ct than less than 1/4.

There are a ton of well-cut rocks on WF and elsewhere in that range. Do you think coming in at less than $700 is a good goal? What should be most important in that size? Color? Is dropping down to J okay? Clarity? Are inclusions harder or easier to see at that size? Any other thoughts on getting the most bang for your buck in the under .50 size? Any special considerations for that size?

Sorry to be a total noob at diamonds! I''ve always been a colored gemstone girl myself...

 

[stone-cold11]

both color and clarity are less noticeable when the stones are smaller, but color depends more on her color sensitivity.

The WF ES stone looks good, the other stone is a virtual stone that needs to be call in by WF and probably not eligible for the upgrade policies. Also the GIA report is not even uploaded by WF so that we can use the cut adviser as a rough rejection tool.

https://www.pricescope.com/cutadviser.asp

 

[Dreamer_D]

I do think that going closer to 1/2 ct. is a good idea. It is a nice modest size that will still have some finger presence.

At that size clarity can easily go to SI1 since inclusions are harder to see in smaller stones. But I personally think a nice high color would be better becuase it will make the stone pop a lot -- I find that colorless stones are a little more eye catching than lower colored stones. I would personally aim for F color or G at the lowest. I would also max out cut to make sure it is a real stunning little gem! So I personally would opt for a branded cut from WF or BGD.

In that size clarity and color do not actually have a *huge* effet on price, so it is easier to get more colorless stones.

Here are some examples keeping the diamond under $1000:

http://www.whiteflash.com/loose-diamonds/round-cut-loose-diamond-2229298.htm
Here is a nice option if it is eye clean: http://www.briangavindiamonds.com/diamond/diamond-detail/?product_id=AGS-1040399040014
And my faqvourite color and clarity combo: http://www.briangavindiamonds.com/diamond/diamond-detail/?product_id=AGS-1040366640135

 

[velouriaL]

ok, so bumping up the color a little, what do you guys think of these?

http://www.whiteflash.com/loose-diamonds/round-cut-loose-diamond-2176269.htm

http://www.briangavindiamonds.com/diamond/diamond-detail/?product_id=AGS-1040399040017

 

[Dreamer_D]

Date: 4/6/2010 10:14:52 PM
Author: velouriaL
ok, so bumping up the color a little, what do you guys think of these?

http://www.whiteflash.com/loose-diamonds/round-cut-loose-diamond-2176269.htm

http://www.briangavindiamonds.com/diamond/diamond-detail/?product_id=AGS-1040399040017

clickable

 

[Dreamer_D]

There is a nasty black table inclusion on the WF stone, I would not like that.

The BGD one looks good and the inclusions are all white, good chance of eye clean!

 

[velouriaL]

oooh! Good catch! Thanks!