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James Allen diamond grading

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jrich

Shiny_Rock
Joined
Nov 17, 2011
Messages
138
Thanks to this forum I am learning so much and am having a ton of fun. Can I quit my job and go to diamond school?? :naughty:
I've decided to go with James Allen for my pending ering diamond as they seem to have great prices and a setting I have fallen in love with. (I was going to go with Adiamor, and am happy I changed my mind). I really want to get it all done in one place to make it easier on my boyfriend.

Unless I am crazy, James Allen's gradings are often not matching up when you click on the GIA report. For example on their diamond spec page they may list the diamond as excellent and then you click the GIA report and it lists it as Very Good. Does this just mean their experts are saying the diamond is misgraded by GIA and their assessment is more accurate?

FWIW to maximize on our budget I am going to go with a 1.1-1.2 J colored stone, likely an eye clean SI2, set in a yellow gold halo, and I REALLY want to get a GIA excellent cut stone (our budget isnt going to allow for the James Allen Hearts and Arrows) so this is why this unmatching of the gradings is worrying me!

Any help, comments, etc would be so much appreciated!

Jessica
 
You should trust the GIA reports over the James Allen website. I found numerous mistakes on that website on stones measurements and grading. It has to be input errors by JA employees. I also notice that JA inventory on Ideal cut grades is getting low. Probably holiday shoppers are buying them up. Other than that, James Allen is a great vendor. I bought 3 stones from them and they were appraised to GIA reports.
 
I should also add that I'd equally love an AGS Ideal cut. And yes, the diamonds on James Allen seem to be slim pickings these days.
 
I don't think it's an unmatching of gradings, but rather that JA uses different criteria for their Excellent/Premium/etc categories. Use the HCA tool to narrow down your choices (pricescope.com/tools/HCA) and then request idealscope images (JA will let you request up to three). Or if you post your budget we can help you pick some candidates.
 
SLG- Thanks so much. I think I may be "waiting" just a couple of more months so don't want to pick out a stone that is likely to no longer be available. But I will get to help with the selection if I want to, but part of me wants to be more traditional and let him do it. It's a tough decision.

Can anyone tell me why why why Adiamor's diamond prices seem to be so much cheaper than same sized GIA diamonds through other vendors? It is so tempting not to go there to get closer to the 1.25 mark, but I know James Allen has better reviews.

Very frustrating!
 
jrich|1323284351|3076253 said:
SLG- Thanks so much. I think I may be "waiting" just a couple of more months so don't want to pick out a stone that is likely to no longer be available. But I will get to help with the selection if I want to, but part of me wants to be more traditional and let him do it. It's a tough decision.

Can anyone tell me why why why Adiamor's diamond prices seem to be so much cheaper than same sized GIA diamonds through other vendors? It is so tempting not to go there to get closer to the 1.25 mark, but I know James Allen has better reviews.

Very frustrating!
Click to expand...

different vendors offer different business models...JA provides pictures of their diamonds, can provide idealscope images, and has a trade in policy.

if you want your BF to select, make sure to tell him about the resources on PS (HCA tool, idealscope images) if you want him to use those in his selection!
 
Re: James Allen diamond grading- PLEASE help!!

Thanks for the replies so far. After further research- James Allen's stone prices and inventory just do not compare to Adiamor's. I understand Adiamor doesn't have stones in house often, but they say they can get them in and evaluate if they are eye clean. Not sure if they can send idealscopes. It looks like I can get an a GIA tripple EX or even Affinity (their signarure cut) 1/J SI1/SI2 with flourencence around 1.15c for the same price as a 1.0 J SI2 EX at James Allen. I love the setting I've picked from JA and will not stray. I know some people won't think .15 or so carats is worth giving up the ability to see the actual stone and go with a more popular vendor, but getting over a carat is really what I have my heart set on. So if the Adiamor stones have been determined eye clean and all the measurements have checked out, would you all still advise against this? I really wanted to do this all with one vendor, but the Adiamor selection is honestly the best I am seeing and I'm doing a ton of research. It looks like JA is happy to set a stone from another vendor.

My engagement isn't coming up for a couple of months so I am not looking to compare specific stones at this point as I don't want to waste anyone's time, but I do want to finalize this decision so when the BF tells me we can pick out the ring, I know exactly what I want to do.

Please help, I am going nuts over this!

Jessica
 
I've made two purchases so far from JA this year. The first, a little anxiety as my order was put on hold due to the price the stone was listed (significantly lower than what it was graded at and JA saw my post on here...) However, over that weekend they approved the sale and I couldn't be happier with the e-ring. The second just arrived today (platinum studs, .74 tcw) and again, 0 disappointment.

I will agree with other posters, go by the reports. Every diamond I purchased was wither AGS 000 or GIA EX-EX-EX w/ sub 2 HCA scores and are absolutely brilliant with sparkle. One even has a Canadian flag w/ HA inscribed on it. NONE of them was listed as H&A or ideal cut on the JA site. That's not to say that JA HA or Ideal wouldn't be even better than what I purchased, but you're paying a premium for their judgement that the market otherwise wouldn't apply to the diamond based on the AGS or GIA marks.
 
what is the setting you like? can adiamor get a similar one? you might not end up saving that much once you account for shipping and mounting fees so you would want to take that into account
 
jrich|1323370622|3077188 said:
http://www.jamesallen.com/engagement-rings/pave/-18k-Yellow-Gold-Pave-Set-Diam-Engagement-Ring.html

Here's the link to my setting at JA. Adiamor's closest match doesn't make me a fraction as happy as this one does!
Click to expand...

If you really like the setting at JA better, I would advise you to get a diamond from JA.

here's why

1) you will avoid shipping/mounting fees
2) the stone will be covered during the setting process
3) since you are getting a halo setting, the difference between 1 carat and 1.1 carat is negligible since the halo adds so much size. a 1 carat round diamond measures 6.5 mm and a 1.1 carat round diamond measures 6.6 mm. The halo adds ~3 mm of size, so instead of comparing 6.5 vs 6.6 mm you are comparing 9.5 vs 9.6 mm which is less % difference. also, depending on how the setting is made (check with JA), the exact same size setting may be used for a 1 and 1.1 carat diamond, so the ring would be the exact same size.
 
Thank you so much SLG, when you really break it down like that it doesn't seem to be worth using a different vendor when it doesn't sound like I'll even notice the difference. Now, if this were between a 1.0 and a 1.2 for close to the same specs and price, do you think it would be worth it??
 
jrich|1323372325|3077210 said:
Thank you so much SLG, when you really break it down like that it doesn't seem to be worth using a different vendor when it doesn't sound like I'll even notice the difference. Now, if this were between a 1.0 and a 1.2 for close to the same specs and price, do you think it would be worth it??
Click to expand...

I would compare the actual width/length of the 1.0 and 1.2. If the 1.2 is bigger in mms, and the cost is minimal, it might be more 'mind clean' for you to get the bigger face up size. This is assuming that cut/clarity/color are the same. Good luck!

I love the setting you chose. :love: I started a thread a while ago with halos with plain shanks. When you get it, would you add photos to that thread?

[URL='https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/show-me-halos-with-plain-shanks.157864/']https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/show-me-halos-with-plain-shanks.157864/[/URL]
 
ask JA if they make the setting to fit each stone individually or if they use the same size for 1 and 1.2 carat diamonds...that might help in your decision!
 
SLG, here is what I found out through a JA chat rep:

Sal: The halo is build around the center stone. Depending on the center stone it will determine the size of the halo.

Sal: Diamonds with the same carat weight can have very different measurements. Physical measurements are not determine by carat weight, but I can give you an estimate range, however this can vary greatly. Just one second while I pull up some averages.

you: thanks, I think this helps. I was trying to decide if a bigger stone would make the overall ring bigger or if the same setting was used anywhere from a 1-1.2 carat and it sounds like the bigger sone would make the ring be bigger

Sal: The min is about 6.28mm and the max will be 6.55mm in diameter, the depth varies from 3.86mm to 4.10mm. You are correct, if its a bigger diamond it will have a bigger halo and smaller diamonds will have a smaller halo.

Oh now I am even more confused on what I should do! Do you think the JA setting looks "high"? Someone mentioned that it looked like it might be on another thread unrelated to me.

Thanks again for all the help!

ETA: 6.28-6.55 can't be right- most of the 1.1 carats I have looked at are bigger than 6.55, so how would that even fit?? This person I am speaking with is making me nervous!!
 
Rubybeth, This thread is amazing!! Thanks for showing it to me! I am going to have to look into ML2 and Laila's rings. ML2 got her stone from JA but didnt go with their setting which is similar to the one she did choose... I am trying to figure out why!
 
slg47|1323389220|3077405 said:
ask JA if they make the setting to fit each stone individually or if they use the same size for 1 and 1.2 carat diamonds...that might help in your decision!
Click to expand...

Hi slg,

The answer is sorta "both". Since this design is one that we price more aggressively, we precast it in various sizes, but don't handmake to fit each center stone. For a 1.20ct diamond the model we would probably use has sixteen pave diamonds vs fourteen stones in the 1.00ct version. You can see an example here:

http://www.jamesallen.com/engagement-rings/sold/pave/4027/Engagement-Rings-Pave.html

Lastly, the pave diamonds we use are a little larger and closer together than the 3D imaging would suggest.

All the best,
 
Thank you for the James Allen response. Unfortunately I just chatted with one of your reps who told me a different story. Sal said each ring IS made for EACH specific diamond and that it would be different whether I got a 1.0, 1.1, or 1.2. So it looks like you're saying it would be bigger for a 1.2 versus a 1.0, but what about a 1.1? I know this question is getting so detailed, but I am wondering at what size I would need to be at for the overall ring to be bigger than the 1.0 cast.

Thank you so much for the help!
 
jrich|1323452777|3077883 said:
Thank you for the James Allen response. Unfortunately I just chatted with one of your reps who told me a different story. Sal said each ring IS made for EACH specific diamond and that it would be different whether I got a 1.0, 1.1, or 1.2. So it looks like you're saying it would be bigger for a 1.2 versus a 1.0, but what about a 1.1? I know this question is getting so detailed, but I am wondering at what size I would need to be at for the overall ring to be bigger than the 1.0 cast.

Thank you so much for the help!
Click to expand...

jrich,

I just spoke to the production manager and the models are based on center diamonds of 0.30ct, .50ct, 0.75ct, 1.00ct, 1.25ct, 1.50ct, 1.75ct and 2.00ct

In the models from 0.75ct thru 1.50ct, the stone count is sixteen, but there is a slightly larger gap between the pave diamonds. So in your case, it wouldn't matter which size center - the ring would have sixteen pave diamonds. A 1.10ct diamond would probably be set into the 1.00ct model, as it's generally better to have the diamonds closer together and make sure there is no gap between the center diamond and the halo.
 
Hi everyone- I am so so frustrated about this James Allen setting. I can't seem to get a straight answer about the halo dimensions. As you see above, they said there were cast models based on a 1.0, 1.25 etc sized stone. Now the person I just talked to said they are cast but they "adjust" the halo part so that it fits the center diamond. So how is that cast then?? This really makes a difference to me, because I know it affects the space between the halo and center diamond.

If it's a cast and left as is, which is what I thought whoever writes on PS for James Allen was saying, then I would do everything I could to get to at least a 1.20 diamond, so they can use the 1.25 cast and there isnt a big gap.

If they are going to "adjust" it, then maybe I'd get a better stone at 1.1 or 1.15 so they can adjust the 1.0 cast to be big enough to fit, but if not, I'm paying for the extra size that is going to have the overall same dimensions as a 1.0 carat in the halo.

If it is a CAST, and I'm using the 1.25 CAST model, then the dimensions should not vary- they should be the same for each 1.0 cast, 1.25 cast, etc. It doesn't look like they adjust them to me, if you click on recently purchased and scroll through, you can see some with bigger gaps between the halo and center. And this is FINE with me if this is true, its a fairly inexpensive setting so I don't expect it to be anything but cast, but if this is true, there should be set dimensions of the halo, and I want to know what they are!

The person who posted here from JA and the rep I have been emailing with both say they got their answer from the production management, but unless I am misunderstanding, these are 2 very different answers and do not match.

This is driving me crazy. Can anyone explain or help me get this figured out?

http://www.jamesallen.com/engagement-rings/pave/-18k-Yellow-Gold-Pave-Set-Diam-Engagement-Ring.html

Jessica
 
BUMP! I know this isnt as exciting as all the Christmas bling stories, but any help is greatly appreciated!! Thank you!

Jessica
 
I am not sure about what they told you because it sounds confusing to me...but I would just get the best stone you can within your budget. I think the difference between a 1 carat and a 1.15 carat in a halo setting will be very small.
 
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