My diamond decisions!

[Nate]

Here are the diamonds I'm going to purchase for my lady's engagement ring:

$5,439.00
1.33ct SI1 J, H&A, AGS 0 cut, HCA 0.8 EX/EX/EX/EX, BScope High/VeryHigh/High
More info on the center stone here.

$934.48
0.528ct SI2 J, H&A, AGS 0 cut, HCA 1.7 EX/VG/VG/VG
depth 60.5%
table 56%
crown angle 34.9
pavillion angle 40.9
girdle 1.0-1.1%
culet PT
fluor N
dimensions 5.26 - 5.27 * 3.18

$973.42
0.550ct SI2 J, H&A, AGS 0 cut, HCA 1.7 EX/VG/VG/VG
depth 61.6%
table 54%
crown angle 34.7
pavillion angle 40.9
girdle 0.9-1.5%
culet PT
fluor N
dimensions 5.29 - 5.30 * 3.26

And these guys are going into this setting:

$1,300.00
Vatche 3 stone truffle (getting it in platinum not yellow gold)

Grand total is an amazing $8,646.90!!! WAAAY more than I had started out thinking I would spend. I blame it entirely on this forum too. So if anyone is feeling guilty (I won't say any names (Mara, PQ, etc) you all know who you are), donations are being excepted!

(you should use this smilie, Furthermore)

I have no idea what kind of wedding band to put next to this thing, probably just a plain one, you think? But we can worry about this later, we'll probably pick something out together.

What do you guys think? I'm going to purchase these tomorrow.

Speak now or forever hold your peace!

 

[TheDiamondangel]

I would have a custom band made so that it fits right up agains the e-ring seamlessly. Of course she could always wear it on her right hand, and get a diamond band too.

 

[Mara]

----------------
On 6/4/2003 10:19:33 PM Nate wrote:
I have no idea what kind of wedding band to put next to this thing, probably just a plain one, you think? But we can worry about this later, we'll probably pick something out together.
----------------

What?! Plain band?! HAH. Can you say diamond eternity band?!

Wow Nate...as in WOW !!! Those three diamonds are going to look AMAZING when set together, and you got a great deal!!! I sit here with my stone set amidst a melee of small stones for around 2c total weight...and we definitely paid more than you are going to pay for almost 2.5c of stones...you bargain hunter you! You should be proud.

As for donations, HAH again...any future donations from me will go straight into the 'next diamond fund'...you know...the one that goes on my right hand? DeBeers here I come...market to me...please!

Congrats on an excellent sounding purchase and post pictures once you have all the stones set...can't wait to see it. You've come such a long way!!!! I feel like a proud mama letting loose her baby boy into the big old bad diamond world.

 

[pqcollectibles]

Oh My Word! Nate!! WOW! Just WOW!

That is some GORGEOUS ring!!!

Plain band??? HA!

 

[optimized]

VERY nice job, Nate. I think you've got it figured out!

Great job matching the stones too. I suspect the finished ring will be a stunner!

I assume you'll be posting pics of the ring when it's all done?!?

-Tim

 

[Giangi]

Nate... So beautiful!!!!!!! The J's will be very white looking too! I'm sure!

 

[Nate]

Thanks everyone!!!

I'm a little nervous about the J colors and the SI2 stones, even though expert opinions tell me J should be fine with these well cut stones and SI2 should be fine in the smaller stones...

 

[aljdewey]

Nate, these sound positively breathtaking. Can't wait to see pics.

You've come a long way!!! Congrats!

 

[Hest88]

Nate, I would trust that if Jonathan and his people tell you it faces up white, then you should be fine. Just have them verify it.

I think the set will look incredible. If she turns you down, will you marry me?

 

[NagsHead]

Hi all! Nate, your stones look amazing! My fiance and I are also very close to buying a stone off goodoldgold.com as well. I love how your stone performed under the brilliancescope, the stone we are looking at (1.25 f, SI1) on that site only had "medium" listed for White light and Scintillation, which worries me a little. I want it to be really sparkly

Does anyone have any input on this?

Also, I had never thought of going to J for color, but hearing everyone's responses on here that a well cut J will appear very white, I am starting to really consider it. Can all you experts give me some advice about this. Also Nate, I know you said you were nervous about the J, what made you decide to go with it?

 

[Hest88]

Nags, I once compared an F color HoF side by side with an I, and was amazed at how little color difference there was face-up. If you get a RB with a great cut, you should be able to go with a warmer color and still have a very white looking diamond.

 

[NagsHead]

Thanks Hest88

In your opinion, of the three that we are debating between (all Hearts and Arrows), the 1.25/SI1/F is $7500 (with only a Medium on the Brilliancescope for white light and Scintillation), the 1.253/SI1/J is $5100 (with VERY HIGH on the Brilliancescope for all three!), or 1.33/J/VS1 $6400 (with VERY HIGH on the Brilliancscope for all three), which is the best choice? It is going in a platinum four prong antique setting. Thanks in advance for all the help!! We are trying to make this decision soon!

 

[Mara]

If you are looking at a stone that has medium on brilliance and scint and VH on fire..that means that the stone will appear very fiery to you *as opposed* to white brilliance. Don't know what I mean? You will when you see the stone. My stone faces up very white brilliance which means its almost always very white and bright. However, its not as fiery inside. My coworker has a fiery stone that looks like it has little fires inside of it. But its not very white looking, in fact ends up looking more colorful all around than white. Some may feel it looks very 'warm'. I don't know if a J warm/fiery stone would look more yellow just because of all the fire.

Personally I would go with a stone that had VH across the board on the Bscope--esp if you are not sure of the visual differences between white brilliance and fire. You may go for the fire stone and then realize you don't like that look. The VH across the board on a stone means you will have a great balance of scint, fire and brilliance..so the appropriate lighting will bring out each detail.

Hope this has helped a bit. In the end its your decision and your gut. I would also ask Jonathan what he thinks of your choices and his selection. Good luck!!

 

[Hest88]

What's your budget? I'd definitely go for the VHs, and whether you choose the 1.33 VS1 or the smaller SI1 would depend on how much money you can safely spend.

 

[69gm]

nate,

great job, buddy! she's gonna absolutely flip out!

can't wait for your eye-candy (i should talk...i still haven't posted anything yet. don't have a digital camera though...).

 

[NagsHead]

Mara, thank you so much for the info! This is exactly what I need to hear! What are your thoughts on a J color H&A?

 

[Mara]

Nags..check out Anna Magdalena's thread here:

http://www.pricescope.com/forum/topic6038.html

She posted regarding her J SuperbCert stone, and has tons of pictures. They look pretty darn white to me and to many others as well.

Nate is purchasing 3 J SI stones for a 3 stone ring and from what we have seen, the pictures look amazing. It's said that J H&A or ACA or similar stones face up much whiter than a typical J..but its just all about your eyes.

PQCollectibles viewed a J ACA against a H ACA and she was saying that she couldn't see any other difference face up, it was only when you looked underneath they looked a little different.

So the general consensus is that well cut J's look pretty white I guess.

Though I will throw in here that a few months ago, a poster..I don't recall who..ordered a J H&A from GOG and returned it because they were not happy with the color--they felt it was a little too warm for their tastes. They got an H from GOG and were very happy with the color at that point. So again..its all about preference, and all about YOUR eyes.

There's always G/H/I in between F and J you know--its nice to have many options.

Good luck!

 

[NagsHead]

Mara, very helpful thread! Her J does look very white, but like you said, it depends on the person, and I am very afraid of getting it here and feeling it is too yellow (I have only seen up to an H in person)! I just found another one on GOG, it seems to good to be true, so I am going to start a new thread about it! I would love your opinion

 

[Nate]

Hest

NagsHead, what made me decide to go with a J is simply I had to in order to get the large diamond I wanted with the awesome cut. So I decided to go all the way down to the lowest acceptable levels of color and clarity because size and cut are more important to me. I too looked at the 1.253ct SI1 J for $5100 but ended up deciding on the 1.33ct stone. Just make sure you don't rush your decision.

I'll be sure to post many many pics!

I have a 1.3 MP camera but can borrow a 4.0 MP from a friend if needed.

Waiting on the side stones to come in, then I'll get to see these bad boys in person!

 

[NagsHead]

Nate, thanks for the input! Your package looks like it will be amazing!! I will await the posting of your photos. Do you have the large stone yet? Is the J color that noticable?

 

[pqcollectibles]

Hey NagsHead, if you get a J Ideal Cut and you feel it is too warm for you, most vendors will let you return it. You really have to see them in regular, everyday type lighting. The light it will be worn in inside. Indirect sunlight. Candlelight for those darker lighting restaurant dinners.

Brian Gavin at White Flash told me there was no wrong choice before they shipped the H and the J. Honestly I didn't believe him. But, I was a bit curious. I wanted to see for myself. Once you see, you believe. Face Up, absolutely, positively, No Difference! Only the slightest bit more "body" to the J.