Looking for help- Round Brilliant - 5-6k Budget

[AS1016]

Hello. I was hoping I could get some assistance finding a 1 carat or larger Round for 5-6k. I would like it to be at least H color, VS2, ideal cut but i'm open to suggestions. I've been poking around on Blue Nile but after reading the posts on this site, i'm second guessing it.

Here is the setting: http://shop.nordstrom.com/s/bony-le...m_sp=personalizedsort-_-searchresults-_-1_1_A

Thank you in advance for your suggestions.

 

[Gypsy]

That setting is for a cushion and it takes a 7mm stone.



We can find you similar for a round stone.

 

[AS1016]

They said they would be able to customize it based on the stone shape.

 

[Gypsy]

They said they would be able to customize it based on the stone shape.

And stone size?

You aren't going to get an H VS2 1 carat stone WORTH BUYING for your budget.

You should drop to eyeclean Si1 clarity and consider I color as well.

 

[Gypsy]

For you:

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 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. And GIA Ex is not enough. And you must stick to GIA and AGS only. EGL is a bad option: [URL='https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/egl-certification-are-any-of-them-ok.142863/']https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/egl-certification-are-any-of-them-ok.142863/[/URL]
So how to we ensure that we have the right angles and cutting to get the light performance we want?
https://www.pricescope.com/wiki/diamonds/diamond-cut
Well one method is to start with a GIA Ex, and then apply the HCA to it. YOU DO NOT USE HCA for AGS0 stones.
https://www.pricescope.com/wiki/diamonds/holloway-cut-advisor
The HCA is a rejection tool. Not a selection tool. It uses 4 data points to make a rudimentary call on how the diamond may perform.
If the diamond passes then you know that you are in the right zone in terms of angles for light performance. Under 2 is a pass. Under 2.5-2.1 is a maybe. 2.6 and over is a no. No score 2 and under is better than any other.
Is that enough? Not really.
So what you need is a way to check actual light performance of your actual stone.
That's what an idealscope image does. https://www.pricescope.com/wiki/diamonds/firescope-idealscope
It shows you how and wear your diamond is reflecting light, how well it is going at it, and where you are losing light return. That is why you won't see us recommending Blue Nile, as they do not provide idealscope images for their diamonds. BGD, James Allen, GOG, HPD, ERD and WF do.

The Idealscope is the 'selection tool'. Not the HCA.
So yes, with a GIA stone you need the idealscope images. Or you can buy an idealscope yourself and take it in to the jeweler you are working with to check the stones yourself. Or if you have a good return policy (full refund minimum 7 days) then you can buy the idealscope, buy the stone, and do it at home.


Now if you want to skip all that... stick to AGS0 stones and then all you have to do is pick color and clarity and you know you have a great performing diamond. Because AGS has already done the checking for you. That's why they trade at a premium.

On color:

It is important to remember is that color is graded FACE DOWN. Where there is NO light return. Not face up where there is light return and refraction. You wear diamonds set. FACE UP.

Within one color grade, even the labs can't agree on the color grades of stones and something could be a "high" H or a "low" E. So... no. Not really. Within 2 color grades it is hard. Not impossible. But very hard. And it gets harder once set. If you are talking ideal rounds, or any stone with ideal light return and no sharp corners it gets harder still because the ideal light return masks body color.

This is how I think of it.

Ever gotten one of those HUGE paint fan decks? Where there are literally 100s of colors of whites? And when they are RIGHT next to each other you can TOTALLY tell that one is bluer/colder and one is a bit warmer and which one is one is TOTALLY warmer. One there's one that's slightly greener. One that's slightly pinker? But really. They are all white?

Then you pick one after agonizing over this white or that white and when it's on the walls and people are like: Oh. You painted again. And it's STILL white. Great.

And you're all... BUT it's BLUE white. Or it's a WARM white now. It used to be ____ white. It's TOTALLY different.

It's like that. You are talking about shades of white. D is colder... J is warmer. But it's all white.

YES. If you have an accurately graded F and an H THAT HAVE THE SAME PERFORMANCE you are going to be able to tell them apart when you compare them. Just like you would be able to tell if you painted your walls a warm white, but painted the crown molding a cold/straight white. But both are STILL white.

I want you notice all the qualifiers thought. I'm talking about stones with the SAME performance. An ideal H will out white an F that has compromised light performance from a poor cut.

NOTHING impacts the appearance of a diamond as much as cut. CUT is king.

You want the shinest whitest and brightest diamond out there: Cut is King. No other factor, not color or clarity or anything else impacts how white bright an shiny a stone is.

 

[Gypsy]

Here are the best options JA has to offer in your budget.


http://www.jamesallen.com/loose-diamonds/round-cut/0.92-carat-i-color-si1-clarity-excellent-cut-sku-290538 Very clean I Si1, great spread (faces up like many full carat stones). 60/60. And under budget (great value, this stone)

If eyeclean (high likelihood it will be) this one is only slightly over budget and is the nicest option over a carat: http://www.jamesallen.com/loose-diamonds/round-cut/1.10-carat-i-color-si1-clarity-excellent-cut-sku-297375 the medium fluorescence will help it face up white than the I color.

http://www.jamesallen.com/loose-diamonds/round-cut/1.02-carat-i-color-si1-clarity-excellent-cut-sku-303197 60/60



Put them on hold (no obligation or cost) and ask for an idealscope image.

 

[Gypsy]

Two lovely options at WF:

http://www.whiteflash.com/loose-diamonds/round-cut-loose-diamond-2972977.htm
http://www.whiteflash.com/loose-diamonds/round-cut-loose-diamond-3022066.htm