New member here, so I thought I would take the time to introduce myself. First off, I have to say that this is one of the best web forums I’ve ever come across. I’m a member of many online forums, but this is by far the most active and the people on here are always respectful and constructive toward one another.
As you might guess, I discovered this forum while researching diamonds. I am starting to look for a diamond ER, even though I don’t plan on proposing until spring or possibly summer of next year. I suppose I’m likely allowing myself more time to shop than 90% of men do, but I want to make sure I do this one right since it’s a fairly significant decision (financially and personally). I’m also really enjoying learning all the nuances of diamonds – probably because I have a penchant for expensive things.
Anyways, I was hoping to solicit some opinions on when the best time of year is to buy a diamond, what kind of diamond I could expect to get within my budget, and any suggestions for how to conduct my diamond search. I consider myself reasonably well read at this point, as I’ve done at least 20 hours of research on the finer points of diamonds, but I’ve got a lot to learn still. I’ve also visited a few jewelers (T&Co included) to learn a bit in person and see if I can discern differences in color, clarity and cut.
So here’s where I’m at right now. My girlfriend is very traditional and conservative, so I think she’d like something as classic/timeless as possible (which is what I would pick anyway – we have very similar tastes). Therefore, I’m looking for a RB solitaire with the classic 6-prong Tiffany-style platinum setting. Some might call that unadventurous, but the subtle elegance of it is perfect for my tastes. I’d much rather put my efforts and money towards finding a spectacular stone than try to design a custom setting that I wouldn’t feel as confident would appeal to her. I would like to keep it around $30k, with a hard limit at $35k. From looking at stones and everything I’ve read, my minimum requirements are as follows:
Cut: Ideal with Hearts & Arrows
Color: H
Clarity: VS2
I’m not really willing to compromise further on any of those, so I’m hoping to just get the biggest stone I can afford with these quality standards (I care much more about having a lot of fire and brilliance than a larger stone). From what I can tell, I can get up to about a 2.3ct if I buy it right. I’ve read a lot of positive reviews on here about Whiteflash, so their reputation (as well as their B&M store in Houston – I would consider flying down to look at the stones before the final decision) really appeals to me. Any advice that anybody is willing to offer me on how they would buy such a diamond if they were in my shoes would be much appreciated.
Sorry for the long-winded post, but thanks in advance. You guys are awesome.
As you might guess, I discovered this forum while researching diamonds. I am starting to look for a diamond ER, even though I don’t plan on proposing until spring or possibly summer of next year. I suppose I’m likely allowing myself more time to shop than 90% of men do, but I want to make sure I do this one right since it’s a fairly significant decision (financially and personally). I’m also really enjoying learning all the nuances of diamonds – probably because I have a penchant for expensive things.
Anyways, I was hoping to solicit some opinions on when the best time of year is to buy a diamond, what kind of diamond I could expect to get within my budget, and any suggestions for how to conduct my diamond search. I consider myself reasonably well read at this point, as I’ve done at least 20 hours of research on the finer points of diamonds, but I’ve got a lot to learn still. I’ve also visited a few jewelers (T&Co included) to learn a bit in person and see if I can discern differences in color, clarity and cut.
So here’s where I’m at right now. My girlfriend is very traditional and conservative, so I think she’d like something as classic/timeless as possible (which is what I would pick anyway – we have very similar tastes). Therefore, I’m looking for a RB solitaire with the classic 6-prong Tiffany-style platinum setting. Some might call that unadventurous, but the subtle elegance of it is perfect for my tastes. I’d much rather put my efforts and money towards finding a spectacular stone than try to design a custom setting that I wouldn’t feel as confident would appeal to her. I would like to keep it around $30k, with a hard limit at $35k. From looking at stones and everything I’ve read, my minimum requirements are as follows:
Cut: Ideal with Hearts & Arrows
Color: H
Clarity: VS2
I’m not really willing to compromise further on any of those, so I’m hoping to just get the biggest stone I can afford with these quality standards (I care much more about having a lot of fire and brilliance than a larger stone). From what I can tell, I can get up to about a 2.3ct if I buy it right. I’ve read a lot of positive reviews on here about Whiteflash, so their reputation (as well as their B&M store in Houston – I would consider flying down to look at the stones before the final decision) really appeals to me. Any advice that anybody is willing to offer me on how they would buy such a diamond if they were in my shoes would be much appreciated.
Sorry for the long-winded post, but thanks in advance. You guys are awesome.