Looking for advice on radiant engagement ring

pikespeak14 · Jun 4, 2016

This forum has been a great help in getting me started with the engagement ring purchase. I'm getting closer to a selection and thought I would ask the input of this community for advice.

I am looking for a radiant stone, somewhere between 1.75 and 2.25 carats. The other 3 Cs are equally important, and I'm really looking to get the best value in a stone in this size range, while still having a very attractive stone. Generally speaking I'm thinking VS1/VS2, F-H and a VG/excellent cut. Flexible on all items to get the smartest purchase, and hopefully paying attention to table and depth.

Emerald and round cuts are also options, if smarter options.

Here are some diamonds I have looked over, if a little on the high side:

Blue Nile

http://www.bluenile.com/build-your-own-ring/diamond-details/LD07133436

http://www.bluenile.com/build-your-own-ring/diamond-details/LD07115992

from Price Guide

https://www.solomonbrothers.com/diamonddetail/93535766/shop?affiliate=9318613A-AD0C-4530-A456-0409DFEFB8DE&utm_source=PriceScope

I will need to select a setting too, and am just beginning on that phase. Any suggestions on getting the stone to a jeweler are warmly welcomed also.

Thanks in advance to the users here. It's a nice bunch.

Niel · Jun 4, 2016

I wouldn't buy a fancy cut, especially a radiant, from blue Nile. You need to be able to see the stone to make sure it sparkles. And believe me, some radiants don't.

What's your total budget, setting and stone? What kind of setting are you looking for? What style?

pikespeak14 · Jun 4, 2016

Thanks Niel.

She wouldn't want a cathedral setting. Ideally, she would like a three stone setting with the center stone larger and two smaller stones on the side. Platinum would be her preferred setting.

However, I would like to keep the whole thing between 15 to 18K and realize that a cathedral setting can quickly add up.

Hope this answers your questions -- this was the input I received from her close friend.

Sounds like it is difficult to shop for a radiant/fancy cut online.

Best,

John

Gypsy · Jun 5, 2016

I don't think you know what "cathedral" means.

So you want a three stone for your lady that costs 18k or less. Can do.

And did she ask for a radiant specifically? You say radiants and emeralds are options. Does she have a pinterest account? Has she shown you what she wants?

Also, if she did ask for one specifically. Does she want a rectangular radiant or is a square radiant acceptable?

Fancies are not that hard to shop for online. But you have to stick to vendors that will provide you with the right type of information. Specifically ones that will provide you with pictures, videos and ASET images. None of which Blue Nile does.

The entire purpose of faceting a diamond is to reflect light.
How well or how poorly a diamond does this determines how beautiful it is.
How well a diamond performs is determined by the proportions and the faceting. This is why we say cut is king.
No other factor: not color, not clarity has as much of an impact on the appearance of a diamond as its cut.
With ovals all that matters is the faceting and the performance of the stone. By performance we mean: how well it reflects light because this determines how bright the stone is, how much it sparkles, and how lively it is. And how big it looks. A well performing diamond will always look larger than a diamond with compromised performance, even if the compromised stone has actually larger dimensions. With fancies what you need to determine this is images of the stone. Preferrably a video And finally an ASET scope image.

So what is an ASET scope image and why is it important? http://highperformancediamonds.com/education/performance-tutorial/

Basically an ASET tells you how well the diamond you are evaluating reflects light and where the light is coming from. This matters. .

So that's what you need to focus on.

Gypsy · Jun 5, 2016

Gypsy · Jun 5, 2016

If you like the oval (that's a nice oval) you can do a setting like this:

Or this:

And if you like rounds, then you can do a nice oval three stone with pear sides:
http://www.briangavindiamonds.com/engagement-rings/three-stone/grace-3-stone-pears-platinum-5557p
Or all round:
http://www.briangavindiamonds.com/engagement-rings/three-stone/diana-platinum-5981p

With this center stone:
http://www.briangavindiamonds.com/diamonds/diamond-details/1.545-h-si1-round-diamond-ags-104066186016

Niel · Jun 5, 2016

https://www.jamesallen.com/loose-diamonds/emerald-cut/1.72-carat-d-color-vs2-clarity-sku-289640
https://www.jamesallen.com/loose-diamonds/emerald-cut/0.41-carat-d-color-vvs2-clarity-sku-802491
https://www.jamesallen.com/loose-diamonds/emerald-cut/0.40-carat-e-color-if-clarity-sku-802486

You'd have to get the setting elsewhere, and you'll have to ask if the strong fluorescence is negatively affecting the stone .

You can get a referral discount to get 100 off, that would leave about 3300 for the setting.

pikespeak14 · Jun 5, 2016

Gypsy,

She is fine with a radiant, emerald or round. I sensed she preferred the radiant, but liked the other two also. She prefers rectangular for the radiant. Thank you for the information on what to look for fancies. It is a great help.

I have attached the images she has sent me.

Thanks,

John

pikespeak14 · Jun 5, 2016

Niel,

Thanks for the helpful links. Especially because I am uncertain on size of the additional diamonds to coordinate with the center stone. It's also helpful to get ballparks on setting cost.

John

Niel · Jun 5, 2016

Those diamonds I showed you would end up about looking like this, for proportions sake.

3k could get you a very nice setting.

tyty333 · Jun 5, 2016

Leon on has 3 stone cushion...its $19k but 'Make an Offer". You can probably put it together for less but I thought I'd
post.
https://www.leonmege.com/portfolio/shop-now/engagement-rings/three-stone-true-antique-cushion-ring-detail

pikespeak14 · Jun 5, 2016

Thanks Niel. That app with finger interposed is really helpful.

So I am advised today that she would prefer a large single radiant/rectangular stone over a smaller center stone with two side stones. So, using some of the suppliers and information (cut being foremost!), I have looked up some newer stones for which I invite your opinions, or improved suggestions:

https://enchanteddiamonds.com/diamonds/view/D201-1W67RZ ( In general, the cut scoring on this site is helpful)

https://enchanteddiamonds.com/diamonds/view/D203-JPU5TZ (this had Idealscope image)

https://www.jamesallen.com/loose-diamonds/radiant-cut/?CaratFrom=2.00&CaratTo=2.20&Color=H,G,F&Clarity=SI1,VS2,VS1&PriceFrom=&PriceTo=&ViewsOptions=List&advancedParameter=Flour&showAdvanced=show&Polish=EX,ID,VG&Symmetry=EX,ID,VG&Lab=GIA&Flour=None,Negligible&DepthFrom=45&DepthTo=80&TableFrom=50&TableTo=83

https://www.solomonbrothers.com/diamonddetail/152800/shop?affiliate=9318613A-AD0C-4530-A456-0409DFEFB8DE&utm_source=PriceScope

Will post more shortly. The help of this community is invaluable.

Thanks,

John

tyty333 · Jun 5, 2016

pikespeak14|1465155563|4040547 said:
Thanks Niel. That app with finger interposed is really helpful.

So I am advised today that she would prefer a large single radiant/rectangular stone over a smaller center stone with two side stones. So, using some of the suppliers and information (cut being foremost!), I have looked up some newer stones for which I invite your opinions, or improved suggestions:

https://enchanteddiamonds.com/diamonds/view/D201-1W67RZ ( In general, the cut scoring on this site is helpful)

https://enchanteddiamonds.com/diamonds/view/D203-JPU5TZ (this had Idealscope image)

https://www.jamesallen.com/loose-diamonds/radiant-cut/?CaratFrom=2.00&CaratTo=2.20&Color=H,G,F&Clarity=SI1,VS2,VS1&PriceFrom=&PriceTo=&ViewsOptions=List&advancedParameter=Flour&showAdvanced=show&Polish=EX,ID,VG&Symmetry=EX,ID,VG&Lab=GIA&Flour=None,Negligible&DepthFrom=45&DepthTo=80&TableFrom=50&TableTo=83

https://www.solomonbrothers.com/diamonddetail/152800/shop?affiliate=9318613A-AD0C-4530-A456-0409DFEFB8DE&utm_source=PriceScope

Will post more shortly. The help of this community is invaluable.

Thanks,

John

The enchanted diamond stones do not have good light return. The one with the aset definitely does not. Unfortunately
their cut scores dont really work for anything except rounds.

The solomonbrothers stone is just a sample image so we have nothing to go on.
Here is one from JA that might* be nice. Request an Aset (they can only do if it's local). Most Pricescoperes dont like
radiants so you're probably not going to get a lot of positive input on radiants. Radiants tend to be mushy in the centers and
have a lot of leakage. The more square ones tend to be less leaky but you're looking for rectangular so it's going to be a little
harder to find.
Here is the only one that I thought might be worth looking at in your budget (unless you want to go more square).
https://www.jamesallen.com/loose-diamonds/radiant-cut/1.90-carat-h-color-vvs2-clarity-sku-827481
In the JA link you provided you went up to $25k. I thought your budget was $15-$18k?

pikespeak14 · Jun 5, 2016

Two more, with ASET images:

http://www.b2cjewels.com/dd-8342345-2.01-carat-Radiant-diamond-G-color-VS2-clarity.aspx

http://www.b2cjewels.com/dd-8308293-2.01-carat-Radiant-diamond-F-color-VS2-clarity.aspx

Gypsy · Jun 5, 2016

The second one has promise.

Your lady wants trillion sides. That's at least 5k for the setting. So that's going to put you way over budget with that stone.

Niel · Jun 5, 2016

Gypsy|1465176047|4040638 said:
The second one has promise.

Your lady wants trillion sides. That's at least 5k for the setting. So that's going to put you way over budget with that stone.

I believe he said she's willing to get a soli if that meant a larger diamond

Gypsy · Jun 6, 2016

Niel|1465177956|4040644 said:
Gypsy|1465176047|4040638 said:

The second one has promise.

Your lady wants trillion sides. That's at least 5k for the setting. So that's going to put you way over budget with that stone.

Click to expand...

I believe he said she's willing to get a soli if that meant a larger diamond

Ahh, I missed that. Thanks Neil.

Three stone settings are expensive, but one with baguettes may not be out of budget.

Can you ask her if she likes the below. If she does ID Jewelry can make you that setting for your stone with the sidestones included for about 2000-2500k I'd estimate. You would just want to specify that you want a gallery that can accommodate a close fit wedding band, and not a boxy one. I'm sure Yekutiel would be happy to do that for you.

Niel · Jun 6, 2016

I've always liked this one from Brian Gavin. Only 2k ish in platinum (you'll have to pay them to set a stone you don't buy from them) but still gives her that 3 stone feel without taking money from a large center
http://www.briangavindiamonds.com/engagement-rings/three-stone/emerald-and-baguette-platinum-5449p

Niel · Jun 6, 2016

https://enchanteddiamonds.com/diamonds/view/E201-4P12GQ
2ct H

pikespeak14 · Jun 6, 2016

Thanks. After listing those I thnk I found better stones with the B2C diamonds.

pikespeak14 · Jun 6, 2016

Thanks Gypsy. I think she and I are at the point where we are going to focus on a great center stone and work on possible sidestones down the line. By "close fit" I understand that the side stones are mounted close/almost flush to the band?

pikespeak14 · Jun 6, 2016

Niel,

That's a great stone and I am looking at it. It's a great option.

John

Gypsy · Jun 6, 2016

That's a fantastic EC. We have lurkers that steal nice stones. I would advise you to put it on hold now. It is stunning.

pikespeak14 · Jun 8, 2016

Gypsy/Niel,

I called and did ask to hold -- but it had already been sold to a buyer in India, apparently. Bad luck for me.

If you get bored, I am still looking -- unfortunately nothing that nice found yet. And I will probably send you stone links via PM now (and reveal later) due to the possibility a lurker jumped me on the last one.

Many thanks,

John

Looking for advice on radiant engagement ring

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