Looking for 1.1 match. What do you think of this one?

[LLJsmom]

Hi Everyone,

So I suck at this decision making crap. My DH thinks I should just use the ering stone, even if most people would probably think it's too nice for an earring. I am glad he has an opinion about this, so I can just eliminate certain options. This means going for the match option.

I am likely not going to go for the E I1, after really scrutinizing it today, and just paying attention to the light performance, compared to mine. (boo-hoo) It's a really nice stone, but now that I see how it doesn't perform as well as my old 16 year old stone, I'm sad... Hard to "unsee" what I already saw... The DH is fine with today's stone. He thinks it's a deal, cause it's half the price that my stone would likely go for now. In absolute dollars, it is a steal (ie: affordable now). But if you put it into the perspective of what I'm getting, it's fair. I see now. There is a reason it's priced the way it is.

So can I get your opinions on this one? It's over what I want to spend, but if I end up getting the other one and upgrading later, the taxes (which I will have to pay twice) will just eat up most of the savings. I've been communicating the GOG about it and they said it was eye clean. I have to go as big as this cause my stone is 6.79 x 6.86, even as a 1.1 carat. This one is still smaller. But I will probably be able to live with it.

http://www.goodoldgold.com/diamond/10905/

Now, I am just paranoid that inclusions will cause light obstruction...

Thanks for your thoughts and help everyone...

 

[diamondseeker2006]

I feel like you are going to want to slap me by the time you finish this project, but I really, really think you need to go with G color! I think F to H is really too big of a jump. And I'd try to get closer to your average of 6.83, too. I'd really want to be into the 6.7 range at least.

 

[diamondseeker2006]

Since you have been talking with GOG, they can call these in if you are interested.

This one at least is G SI2, but not quite as big as I would prefer. But still better than H.

http://www.jamesallen.com/loose-diamonds/round-cut/1.15-carat-g-color-si2-clarity-excellent-cut-sku-258207

This one actually is 6.8mm. Seee if Jon will call them in and verify eyeclean for you. If you don't have him run all the tests, he'll price match or come close.

http://www.jamesallen.com/loose-diamonds/round-cut/1.18-carat-g-color-si2-clarity-excellent-cut-sku-303089

 

[LLJsmom]

I feel like you are going to want to slap me by the time you finish this project, but I really, really think you need to go with G color! I think F to H is really too big of a jump. And I'd try to get closer to your average of 6.83, too. I'd really want to be into the 6.7 range at least.

That's ok DS. You're just chasing me back to the affordable E. I am not willing to spend more than $7K on a stone so if I have to go that high, I'll just get the I1. Because realistically, if I bought it, I likely wouldn't be upgrading anyway. I can't see myself spending another $2K to buy a stone that is the same size (or smaller) in a higher clarity. I would be already happy with the color.

 

[Phoenix]

I really think you should wait. Wait until either you've saved enough money to buy at match for your 1.1ct stone; a G SI1-Si2 would suffice, or alternatively buy another matching pair (smaller and/ or lower in colour, but I wouldn't buy I1 for various reasons other posters have already mentioned on your other thread) and if need to upgrade those later. You wouldn't be able to notice the difference in colours, not in earrings. You could even go lower with a (higher) H. Case in point: I am colour-sensitive and my studs are a G with MBF (which means it looks more like an F) and a mid-H; and unless I hold them up, side by side, right next to each other, I really can't tell them apart.

I've gone through so many purchases, upgrades, resets et.. I've wasted soooo much money, not to mention time and efforts, for "instant gratification" (not sure if that's what you have here, just saying...), buying something "at the moment" just b/c I could. Things that I waited for a long time for - like Holly, like my studs - I am VERY happy with.

(Remind me: your existing 1.1ct stone is your original e-ring, right? So trading that in would not be an option?)

ETA: the size of the stones, I would personally go with stones that are closer in diameters, like within 0.05mm of each other. Otherwise, you might see the difference, even when they sit on your ears; and also the size difference might not be mind-clean enough for you.

ETA again: I'd also make sure the optical performance is matching, or as close as possible. THAT you would definitely be able to tell otherwise.

 

[Sunstorm]

I would say no to this stone; without a plot it is tough but I see a lot of black inclusions then why go up in price? I also think the difference in diameter is too big, even in different ears at this size you want to go as close as possible in diameter and I would not go as low as an H either.

 

[LLJsmom]

I would say no to this stone; without a plot it is tough but I see a lot of black inclusions then why go up in price? I also think the difference in diameter is too big, even in different ears at this size you want to go as close as possible in diameter and I would not go as low as an H either.

I agree with your logic. If there are black inclusions here, and the diameter difference is more significant, why pay more? Theoretically, because GOG has a performing stone, and there would not be any light obstruction from the inclusions, which would mean the inclusions are not black.

If I pay $1700 more, I want it to have NO light obstruction from inclusions, and meet the size and color requirement. Why go down in 2 colors, and drop in size so that the difference would be noticeable? Just for a little more sparkle??

I can say for sure that the size difference did bother me, when looking at smaller, just over 1 carat stones. I thought it wouldn't, but it did. That is a mind issue that I will not compromise on. At most 0.1 mm difference. The E was at 0.03 x 0.04 difference (smaller) and it was much less noticeable. I asked strangers to compare, and one could tell the F was bigger, and one could not. I can certainly live with it.

I also asked strangers to compare which was the most sparkly, and one of them picked the E. Goes to show. My husband could not tell. My 8 year old daughter could tell the F was more sparkly. I could only tell after staring at it for half an hour, doing side by side comparison. However, once in a setting (we placed it in a temp setting) you could barely notice the light obstruction. It looked fantastic!! I wonder why that is??

 

[LLJsmom]

I really think you should wait. Wait until either you've saved enough money to buy at match for your 1.1ct stone; a G SI1-Si2 would suffice, or alternatively buy another matching pair (smaller and/ or lower in colour, but I wouldn't buy I1 for various reasons other posters have already mentioned on your other thread) and if need to upgrade those later. You wouldn't be able to notice the difference in colours, not in earrings. You could even go lower with a (higher) H. Case in point: I am colour-sensitive and my studs are a G with MBF (which means it looks more like an F) and a mid-H; and unless I hold them up, side by side, right next to each other, I really can't tell them apart.

I've gone through so many purchases, upgrades, resets et.. I've wasted soooo much money, not to mention time and efforts, for "instant gratification" (not sure if that's what you have here, just saying...), buying something "at the moment" just b/c I could. Things that I waited for a long time for - like Holly, like my studs - I am VERY happy with.

(Remind me: your existing 1.1ct stone is your original e-ring, right? So trading that in would not be an option?)

ETA: the size of the stones, I would personally go with stones that are closer in diameters, like within 0.05mm of each other. Otherwise, you might see the difference, even when they sit on your ears; and also the size difference might not be mind-clean enough for you.

ETA again: I'd also make sure the optical performance is matching, or as close as possible. THAT you would definitely be able to tell otherwise.

Phoenix, I can see you're trying to stop me from "making the same mistake that I did!!" I really appreciate that.

It's interesting that you also prioritized the size factor, along with DS and OVincze. I do really agree with the 0.05mm difference tolerance level. I didn't think the difference would bother me, but it did. Mind issues. Going with something that is .1 difference would be a stretch. It would have to perform and be suuuuper sparkly so I would not notice the difference.

And you also think color matching is important too. Good, I'm glad I was prioritizing that too. I've never seen an H from GOG, so I was hoping it would be close...

Unfortunately my DH and I both love this little stone that he bought me. Now that I see how gorgeous it actually is, super clean, sparkles from the center all the way to the edges, like in those GOG videos, I am not going to give it up.

At this point, I think I'll sleep on it some more days, and we'll see if I change my mind. If I bought the E, it WOULD be instant gratification. The idea of a G, VS2 maybe is growing on me. I would have to put it on hold. Ok, maybe year end. Let that bling fund accumulate. I've gone this long with plain gold studs...