Looking for advice

[rduffy5]

Hi Pricescope!

So I'm looking at getting a ring...obviously. As I am a recently graduated law student, the budget is a little short. First, i'm wondering if I should get the diamond online and then get it set at a store (and wondering what a store would charge for that). My girlfriend doesn't like the idea of getting a ring online, but she understands that it's generally cheaper, so she's okay with it-- but I think it'd be nice to get it set at a real jewelry store. Also, does anyone know if you'd get the local jewelry store box even if you only get the diamond set there?

Besides that, I'm looking for a .95-1.2ct Round, I-F, SI1-VVS2, Very Good-Ideal cut diamond for under $3800 for the diamond itself.

Also, when I search all I get is B2C and USA Certed. I wish they had James Allen-like photos and 3d views but alas, they do not. Not sure as to the legitimacy of those sites. Any help would be greatly appreciated! Thanks!

 

[whitewave]

Then can probably email you that if you ask them.

I don't have time to look at the moment, but I'm sure someone will be by to help.

Check james allen, whiteflash and good old gold while you are waiting.

Use these search parameters:
Depth 60-62.3
Table 54-58
Pavilion 40.6 to 40.9
Crown 34-35


And see which stones give you less than 2 when you use this tool:
https://www.pricescope.com/tools/hca

 

[rduffy5]

Thank you for the advice. So based on your suggestions, this comes out to be pretty good huh? http://diamonddealfinder.com/enquiry.php?id_field=6114657

That has a HCA of 1.8.

 

[bmfang]

My girlfriend doesn't like the idea of getting a ring online, but she understands that it's generally cheaper, so she's okay with it-- but I think it'd be nice to get it set at a real jewelry store

There are some jewellers who would do that. They may require you to purchase the setting from them though. But if you are going to get something like a plain solitaire, even those are usually cheaper online as well and the quality of the setting is usually better than a B&M too. Also don't have to worry about what happens if the setter were to cause damage to the diamond when setting it if you purchase a stone and setting from the same online vendor.

As for the diamond, most jewellers in B&M stores have terrible inventory if they have stones in-house (apart from those that are PS recommended). The quality of stones you can find online will usually exceed that of a B&M (especially if you are going with a super ideal vendor like Whiteflash, Brian Gavin Diamonds, High Performance Diamonds, Good Old Gold, Victor Canera, etc). Heck, even the stones from B2C, Blue Nile and James Allen are for the most part better in cut quality than B&M stores.

 

[bmfang]

Thank you for the advice. So based on your suggestions, this comes out to be pretty good huh? http://diamonddealfinder.com/enquiry.php?id_field=6114657

That has a HCA of 1.8.

A HCA score under 2 does not mean that the stone is one that you should select automatically. All it indicates is that a stone is worthy of further consideration. HCA is a filtering tool that helps you to reject poor performing diamonds based on those 5 data points and to have some that you can consider further after you have further information on the stone.

For that stone you linked to, the Crown Angle is a little too high for my liking (usually with a Pavilion angle of 40.6, we'd say that a crown angle of 35.5 max can work sometimes). You would want to see photos and/or videos of the actual diamond to see whether the crystals under the table are white or black in colour and whether the medium blue fluorescence negatively affects the transparency and brilliance of the stone. Idealscope and ASET images also will assist in you and the PS community working out whether the stone has ideal light performance or otherwise.

 

[rduffy5]

Thank you for your great replies everyone. I just found this one which looks like it is great. I'll have to request an image or video from USA Certed to see if the inclusions are truly bad or not.

http://diamonddealfinder.com/enquiry.php?id_field=6114151

 

[whitewave]

I haven't used Martin, but he has great reviews. I believe he can send you a photo, aset and possibly a video. Call him Monday and tell him what you want. You would need to verify that it is an eye clean SI1.

What type of setting does she want? I ask because for something like a halo, you will need to verify that your jeweler will do one correctly.

Martin has a very limited setting selection shown on his website, solitares if I recall correctly.

 

[rduffy5]

I haven't used Martin, but he has great reviews. I believe he can send you a photo, aset and possibly a video. Call him Monday and tell him what you want. You would need to verify that it is an eye clean SI1.

What type of setting does she want? I ask because for something like a halo, you will need to verify that your jeweler will do one correctly.

Martin has a very limited setting selection shown on his website, solitares if I recall correctly.

She want's a platinum pave setting. Unfortunately, Martin hasn't responded to me yet.