Find your diamond
Find your jewelry
shape
carat
color
clarity

Looking for Emerald Cut diamond - .5 carat - please help

ruby59

ruby59

Ideal_Rock
Joined
Feb 5, 2004
Messages
3,553
I help out on the ebay fine jewelry board. I have been messaging back and forth with someone who is very new to buying on the Internet. We are trying to dissuade him from buying from a drop shipper on ebay (stock photos) who when he called told him that they cannot send him any pictures of the diamond he is interested in.

I have recommended him to you guys. He is looking for an emerald cut in the half carat range. I did send him a link to the data base. I do not think he is familiar with cut. He is from a small town and cannot believe how prices on the Internet are so much cheaper than brick and mortar stores, so he is very skeptical.

Can you guys help him? Recommend some diamonds to him? Answer his questions?
 
Budget. Location (maybe there is a PS vendor in person he can go to nearby).
 
http://www.ebay.com/itm/310867463973?ru=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ebay.com%2Fsch%2Fi.html%3F_sacat%3D0%26_udlo%3D%26_udhi%3D%26_ftrt%3D901%26_ftrv%3D1%26_sabdlo%3D%26_sabdhi%3D%26_samilow%3D%26_samihi%3D%26_sadis%3D200%26_fpos%3D%26_fsct%3D%26LH_SALE_CURRENCY%3D0%26_sop%3D10%26_dmd%3D1%26_ipg%3D50%26_nkw%3D310867463973%26_rdc%3D1

This is the auction he was originally looking at. Then he mentioned .5 carat. Probably in his area a .5 carat is $4,400+. That is why he thought this auction was such fantastic price.

He is in the Ohio, Michigan, Indiana area.
 
Can he go to Pearlmans?
 
Does he need a VVS stone? It is sort of overkill when for the price he can get an eyeclean EC that is bigger for the same amount and the polish and symmetry on the actual stone he is looking at are both good yet rather deceptively on the example which they have on that page it is a much larger diamond with a better cut.

He needs to have a LOT of pictures of an emerald cut, possibly an ASET or be able to go and see a number of them in person to see how they perform. They are not as simple as buying a round stone.
 
I am looking for E-G color, VVS1-SI1 clarity, Excellent-very good cut characteristics, depth no deeper than 66ish%, and a longer/traditional looking emerald diamond. I have seen small looking emerald cuts that were higher carat values compared to diamonds that looked bigger when looking at the face. It was because the diamond with more carats was deeper. I don't want that. I want a long faced diamond.

Cut and paste of what he is looking for. I am trying to get him to sign up and post here.
.
 
Tell him buying that from ebay would be crazy there are NO pictures of the actual stone, it states in the top of the bottom part of the listing it is a good/good stone only and so you will have no idea what it looks like until they send it to you, it doesn't even list the proportions of the actual stone on there because they are giving you a sample one that is bigger and I am going to assume is much better cut than what you will get.
 
This person is very new to buying diamonds. He was floored by the price, but not realizing you get what you pay for.

I have sent him a link to this thread and posting his comments as he sends them to me. Based on my post above of what he is looking for, any recommendations?

And remember, he is very new, so please explain all terms to better help him understand.
 
Ok

Not sure whether to go with budget or carat weight.

A nice 1/2 carat stone costs under $1,500 but his budget is HUGE for what he wants. So I'll just post a few at each carat weight under his budget and he can pick from there???

Here is a nice one at .51 points:
http://www.jamesallen.com/loose-diamonds/emerald-cut/0.51-carat-e-color-vs1-clarity-sku-269881 Gorgeous, big for it's weight. He doesn't need more than VS1 clarity. I have a VS1 EC and can't see my inclusions with a loupe. VS2 is fine too with confirmation that it is eyeclean. SI are not eyeclean as a general rule with Stepcuts, except very rarely.

Here is a nice .60 point:
http://www.jamesallen.com/loose-diamonds/emerald-cut/0.60-carat-e-color-vvs2-clarity-sku-201915

Pretty 70 pointer:
http://www.jamesallen.com/loose-diamonds/emerald-cut/0.70-carat-f-color-vs1-clarity-sku-267680

84 pointer with potential:
http://www.jamesallen.com/loose-diamonds/emerald-cut/0.84-carat-f-color-vvs2-clarity-sku-257411

Lovely 90 pointer:
http://www.jamesallen.com/loose-diamonds/emerald-cut/0.90-carat-g-color-vs1-clarity-sku-233308

over a carat:
http://www.jamesallen.com/loose-diamonds/emerald-cut/1.00-carat-g-color-vs2-clarity-sku-222925 (can't see as clearly but has potential)

We can do a lot with his budget, needless to say.


And just for kicks. An ASHOKA type: http://www.jamesallen.com/loose-diamonds/emerald-cut/0.97-carat-e-color-vs2-clarity-sku-246417 That looks REALLY lovely. (http://www.finks.com/shop/designers/ashoka-diamond).... Probably the best deal of them all. If you like the look (which I do). Cris cut also looks like this, so does Tycoon. All are branded.

REALLY lovely 96 pointer:
http://www.jamesallen.com/loose-diamonds/emerald-cut/0.96-carat-g-color-vs1-clarity-sku-207034
 
ruby59|1393552167|3624418 said:
I am looking for E-G color, VVS1-SI1 clarity, Excellent-very good cut characteristics, depth no deeper than 66ish%, and a longer/traditional looking emerald diamond. I have seen small looking emerald cuts that were higher carat values compared to diamonds that looked bigger when looking at the face. It was because the diamond with more carats was deeper. I don't want that. I want a long faced diamond.

Cut and paste of what he is looking for. I am trying to get him to sign up and post here.
.
Click to expand...

Tell him that his depth is too restrictive. You can get gorgeous emeralds of any depth. But that 70 an under is where you want to be.

I picked some lovely stones for him.

You buy Emerald cuts from pictures and from ASET images not from numbers on a lab report.

JA provides ASET images: Here is how to read them: http://www.ideal-scope.com/1.using_ASET_scope.asp


Link him to this post. Tell him to come on here and start talking for himself. We do not bite. 8) :wavey: 8)
 
Thank you. I have linked him to the thread. Hopefully, he will post soon.

I just wanted to get him away from that drop shipper with the stock photos. And I knew you guys would come through with great selections.
 
His best bet is buying from a vendor who will have magnified images of the stones and will provide evidence that the light return is good with little leakage. Good Old Gold does this and they frequently will call in stones and even do a video comparison to help you choose. As an example, I will show you the video they made me when I was looking for an asscher (square emerald).

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u7SBfNGxTFE&list=UUEV7slr-i-VduBBnfv9MxhA&index=2

Price on this one is showing up as $2951, if the stone is still available. It has very good images.

http://www.goodoldgold.com/diamond/11733/

I would not do SI1 in an emerald cut because it is so much easier to see inclusions. But I would go to H color. The stone above is a .90 ct stone, so he can do a lot better than a half carat if is budget is around $4k.
 
To our, hopefully, new member:

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. And you need a reliable lab report which means GIA or AGS only.
How well a diamond performs is determined by the angles and cutting. 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. An ideal H will out white a poorly cut F.
So how to we ensure that we have the right angles and cutting to get the light performance we want?

With fancies, (anything other than a modern round brilliant) this is a hard thing unfortunately. Numbers on a lab report tell you well... nothing really. What you need to focus on is faceting and light return only. And that's difficult. An ASET image can help you with that for fancies: http://www.ideal-scope.com/1.using_ASET_scope.asp As it evaluates light performance by TYPE of light. And the the experienced posters on this board can help teach you about whatever fancy shape it is that you are looking for. With EC's in general we say depth greater than table. And look for facets that flash ON (bright) most of the time, and fewer facets that flash (OFF) the majority of the time (DARK), and we strongly recommend shopping at vendors that can provide videos that can help you with that.

:read: :read: :read: :read: :read: :read: I hope you enjoy your time here on Pricescope. We love newbies and helping them learn. So if you ever need something explained to you... just let us know and we'll be happy to help!
 
Also,

PEARLMANS JEWELERS is in Battle Creek Michigan, and if he can get there... he will be in EXCELLENT hands: http://www.pearlmansjewelers.com/ :wavey:

If he doesn't want to buy online.
 
Gypsy|1393553927|3624435 said:
PEARLMANS JEWELERS is in Battle Creek Michigan, and if he can get there... he will be in EXCELLENT hands: http://www.pearlmansjewelers.com/
Click to expand...

2nd Pearlman's. Some of us (myself included) have visited them, and they are extremely knowledgeable, and are the nicest most patient people ever. They have a huge selection of settings too (more than the many, many on their site!).

And FWIW, I bought a J color 1ct EC from James Allen last summer, and I love it. It came in well under the budget he has. Now J color scares some people, myself included (I was a die-hard DEFG fan), but I have to say this J is so beautiful. It faces up very white, and the only time I really see any body color is in direct sunlight - in fact I think I prefer it this way - gives it a little personality. I also have a D color round, and putting them side by side I would describe the J color as "softer" as opposed to the hard iciness of the D. And I love them both.

Look hard at James Allen - you can pick 3 stones and request ASET images and the gemologist's opinion.

Also you would be in great hands at Good Old Gold - as mentioned before they can get stones (some of the same stones as JA) and work them up for you (ASET, idealscope, inclusion photos, and even a video, in addition to the expert eyes of Jonathan and his crew who can help guide you to the best for the money).
 
I love Pearlman's, but they are getting ready to move and I am not certain what stock they have at the moment. He should call and tell them what he is interested in before making a trip there.
 
wow thanks a lot. so I can join that and start poating in the thread u started? r those ppl diamond dealers? im still not sure how im guaranteed to bot get ripped off. ive done a lot of "trust" deals on internet forums but non exceeded several hundred dollars. we're talking thousands here. I will sign up this evening after work. I saw they said my depth spec was too restrictive. I only said that because u could c right thru a couple that I saw with a depth of 68% .
..


The above is the latest message. I wanted to thank everyone, especially you Gypsy. You guys made it comfortable enough for him to want to sign up. As you can see he is a bit skittish about buying off the Internet, which is why I wanted to keep him away from ebay.

His last message to me stated that he was actually looking in the 1 to 1.5 carat range. I thought one of his emails to me did say .5 carat. Maybe he now sees he can get more for his money.

He is going to continue to post in this thread. And I know you guys will find him an amazing diamond at a great price. Thank you again.
 
I stuck to James Allen because you said he was wary.

He call look them up with the Better Business Bureau and I believe they are a Google Trusted Store as well. They are direct competitors to Blue Nile.

So they are large, verified and safe for him.
 
Hey guys! I am "the guy" that ruby59 has directed here from ebay. I can't thank her enough for her services, and readiness to help! Truly amazing. I can't stress enough I need a 1-1.5 carat emerald cut. I believe I may have accidentally sent ruby a message saying I needed a .5 carat diamond when typing on my smart phone. Many of our messages were typed on my smartphone, and I type lots of errors on it when I get going fast. I probably missed some characters and just typed ".5 carat." I believe my other criteria of F-G color and VVS1-SI1 clarity are my other specifications. I know the emerald cuts' cut is really important, and it is what I know least about. I, as a "no0b", can tell big differences in similar diamonds with different cuts. It is what is least discussed by websites I visit and actual "brick and mortar" stores, so it is the biggest mystery. I want an emerald cut that looks very clear, but also has lots of those pretty rainbow colored sparkles when the light dances on it. My future fiance' likes a mild amount of that. Not too much though!

You have all mentioned some places like Perlman's and this Good ole' Gold place. Are these establishments able to get these diamonds at these great prices that you have access to? When I go to town at "brick and mortar" stores I am told the diamond I am looking for is $7k. I turned towards the internet to save the dime AND still get the great diamond my woman deserves.

I am located in northwest Ohio about an hour south of Toledo and am about 2hr 20 mins south of Battlecreek, Michigan.

I am hoping to get a diamond rounded up within a week or so. I also have a specific ring picked out that I have been told is $2500 from my local store. Can you guys tell me how to get a hold of it at a cheap price too?
http://artcarvedbridal.com/Jewelry.action?details=&jewelry=43670
 
Hi. And welcome :wavey: !
What is your budget?
 
What metal is the 2500 quote for? It makes a difference in the price. Thanks.
 
not sure what the quote was but I'd like to get 18k white gold.

EDIT: The quote was for $2150 in 14k white gold. I'd like 18k, but 14k is alright too actually.

OVERALL my budget is $7000 (ring and diamond), BUT I hope to come no where near that. Maybe $4500-$5000 for the ring and diamond or so judging by the prices you guys are throwing around.
 
Schroeder|1393629021|3624966 said:
not sure what the quote was but I'd like to get 18k white gold.

EDIT: The quote was for $2150 in 14k white gold. I'd like 18k, but 14k is alright too actually.

OVERALL my budget is $7000 (ring and diamond), BUT I hope to come no where near that. Maybe $4500-$5000 for the ring and diamond or so judging by the prices you guys are throwing around.
Click to expand...

I think there was a mistake-- . We can do a 1 carat diamond for 4500. But the setting is extra.

If you look above, out quotes were for the 1/2 carat diamond that we originally thought you were looking at.

Let me see what we can do for your budget. But you are probably going to be close to the 7k including the setting.

EDIT: The point of shopping with us is we can make sure you are getting A) the right price B) confirmed quality in a diamond with images and tests from reputable vendors who aren't drop shippers.
 
Only 2 one carats RIGHT NOW that are under 4500 for you. So put it on hold (no cost, no obligation) and ask for a ASET (will take three days):
http://www.jamesallen.com/loose-diamonds/emerald-cut/1.00-carat-g-color-vs2-clarity-sku-222925
http://www.jamesallen.com/loose-diamonds/emerald-cut/1.01-carat-h-color-vs1-clarity-sku-233751 (H color is still very white and also conservative).


And I would put it on hold with one of two from JA in my post above:
http://www.jamesallen.com/loose-diamonds/emerald-cut/0.90-carat-g-color-vs1-clarity-sku-233308
http://www.jamesallen.com/loose-diamonds/emerald-cut/0.97-carat-e-color-vs2-clarity-sku-246417
 
JulieN|1393632738|3624996 said:
Gypsy|1393630727|3624981 said:
Only 2 one carats RIGHT NOW that are under 4500 for you. So put it on hold (no cost, no obligation) and ask for a ASET (will take three days):
http://www.jamesallen.com/loose-diamonds/emerald-cut/1.00-carat-g-color-vs2-clarity-sku-222925

http://www.jamesallen.com/loose-diamonds/emerald-cut/0.97-carat-e-color-vs2-clarity-sku-246417
Click to expand...
The first one is not a good choice.

The second one is not technically an emerald.
Click to expand...


The second one is a branded cut and it has a brand inscription. Like an ASHOKA or a TYCOON. It's actually a lovely look if someone likes it.

As for the 1 carat G. It might ASET out okay. THat's why I put it on the list. The video is blurry.
 
I know that you know it is not a step cut emerald. I just want to make sure the buyer knows it, too.
 
JulieN said:
Gypsy|1393630727|3624981 said:
Only 2 one carats RIGHT NOW that are under 4500 for you. So put it on hold (no cost, no obligation) and ask for a ASET (will take three days):
http://www.jamesallen.com/loose-diamonds/emerald-cut/1.00-carat-g-color-vs2-clarity-sku-222925

http://www.jamesallen.com/loose-diamonds/emerald-cut/0.97-carat-e-color-vs2-clarity-sku-246417
Click to expand...
The first one is not a good choice.

The second one is not technically an emerald.
Click to expand...

what's wrong with the first choicr? I dont understand. are the rotating views of the diamond the actual diamond?
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
GET 3 FREE HCA RESULTS JOIN THE FORUM. ASK FOR HELP
Jewelry Blog
PriceScope-Concierge-Ad
Find prime cuts.
Top