N00b question regardin where and what

[TC1987]

He said his budget, if the bonus comes through, is $4000 plus maybe another $2000, and the original JA diamond is at $6036 PS discounted wire trans price, plus he'd have to pay 25% VAT on top of that. People are just pointing out other options.

I have H I1, so that must be really gauche, right?

 

[LaraOnline]

No I didn't mean that at all! I have eyeclean SI2 fwiw.
It's just at the beginning of the thread, he wasn't about saving money, he was about getting the most 'far-out' stone in a particular size.
IF clarity DOES have a romantic connotation, if you are that way inclined, right?
I mean, why else would anyone pick IF? It's totally 'mindclean'... it can be a 'flawless' statement about a person, about a romance...

 

[Christina...]

No I didn't mean that at all! I have eyeclean SI2 fwiw.
It's just at the beginning of the thread, he wasn't about saving money, he was about getting the most 'far-out' stone in a particular size.
IF clarity DOES have a romantic connotation, if you are that way inclined, right?
I mean, why else would anyone pick IF? It's totally 'mindclean'... it can be a 'flawless' statement about a person, about a romance...

If my husband was choosing a diamond to symbolize our relationship it definitely wouldn't be FL or IF it would be Slightly imperfect to imperfect. I am madly deeply in love with my husband, and we have a very strong relationship, but if we were to symbolize our joureny in a diamond it wouldn't be one without a few blemishes to represent the challenges that we faced and overcame together. That to me is symbolic and romantic. Just another point of view.

 

[justginger]

I'm not positive 'gauche' is the word you meant to use, Lara. No one would ever consider an ideal cut, H colored diamond crude, or poorly made. Perhaps "average" would be a more, though not entirely, accurate choice of wording.

I think what we are trying to do is let him know that if cost is a factor, there are cheaper alternatives that offer NO VISUAL DIFFERENCE to the one he linked. As I stated earlier, if dropping down in color and/or clarity is not something he is mentally comfortable with, than he should definitely not do it. But people who are just starting to educate themselves often assume that they NEED diamonds in the D/E/F range in order for them to be of 'excellent' quality. That is not true, and that is what we were trying to convey.

 

[Rosebloom]

if I find a very good stone for a very good price i could probably stretch it to 1.0 ct but anything larger she would refuse to wear.

This means Im looking for a stone with the absolute maximum of sparkle around 0.7 ct

C: A meaningful discussion so that I can spend 15-20% of a years income on a ring in some comfort that I wont have to regret it every night for the rest of my life.

I think these three comment from his original post are why people have suggested other options.

 

[GreenBling]

My sweet spot is F VS, still icy white and clean under loupe, and I'd go down on color and clarity for size. But that's me. The most important thing is what the OP and the SO want.

 

[lyra]

I would tend to listen to what Gypsy had to say.

I have a G diamond just slightly under .8 ct. It is VS1 and is bright white and I cannot find the inclusion(s) at all even with a loupe. My absolute sweet spot is G, VS1 - VS2. There is no noticeable tint in my diamond, partly due to size. The larger you go, the more tint you see from the side. Face up, a G is bright white. It represents great value and is not "tainted" in any way.

The original poster said he liked the idea of putting some money toward a second gift, either earrings or a pendant. There is no need to blow the budget on a higher colour, higher clarity diamond when almost no one can tell the difference once a stone is mounted anyway. It is the cut that is most important, not colour and clarity. A G and VS diamond with the best cut IS top of the line. It is not lesser quality. Colour and clarity are the most subjective areas whereas cut is the most important, and is what makes the diamond perform well.

 

[LaraOnline]

I'm not positive 'gauche' is the word you meant to use, Lara. No one would ever consider an ideal cut, H colored diamond crude, or poorly made. Perhaps "average" would be a more, though not entirely, accurate choice of wording.

I think what we are trying to do is let him know that if cost is a factor, there are cheaper alternatives that offer NO VISUAL DIFFERENCE to the one he linked. As I stated earlier, if dropping down in color and/or clarity is not something he is mentally comfortable with, than he should definitely not do it. But people who are just starting to educate themselves often assume that they NEED diamonds in the D/E/F range in order for them to be of 'excellent' quality. That is not true, and that is what we were trying to convey.

Yeah, it was word play: great / gauche
No-one could ever accuse me of being a diamond snob lol

But such high quality stats do carry their own special magic surely, and for a woman who's definite about the size of her diamond, I thought those extra finicky stats carried a special statement.

I do feel that quality is something that can be highly appreciated by a bride over years to come, particularly if said bride is not keen on going bigger and doesn't really like jewellery much...only the op can make the call ateotd

I guess earrings or a necklace would be nice extras...IF/high colour / ideal is its own thing. As a jewellery nut case, I can appreciate all types of stones.

Didn't mean to offend anyone.

 

[Frallan]

Hi again everyone,

Im still confused but now Im confused on a more informed level. I've gotten so far that the next 2 things to do for me now is to take the missus down to a brick and mortar store and look at sizes again (without her understanding why - migt be tricky LoL). Then Ill keep looking and researching until the bonus arrives by that time I should be able to make a choice.

To summarise what Ive learned so far from you all guys:

Mind clean is important but so is an extra pair of ear rings - thats the balance to try to keep for me and now Ill just figure out the how.

Ill kee you updated by posting any developments and at the end a nice pic I hope.

Thank you all!

 

[Gypsy]

I'm going to suggest you put this diamond on hold. http://www.briangavindiamonds.com/diamonds/diamond-details/0.732-g-si1-round-diamond-ags-bl-104061421013 It really is a fantastic stone and will go quickly if you don't. You can always put a deposit on it or just buy it and have them hold it while you decide on a setting. And if it ends up you don't want it, they could just refund you.

 

[LaraOnline]

Yes, at .75 colour is not so easily seen, inclusions are not easily seen.
But as a girl whose first engagement ring was 'just another piece of jewellery' to my loving-but-misguided man, I say get her the best you can afford, to the parametres you know she wants.
Don't simply pocket the difference in price, or buy other jewellery that she may not appreciate or wear regularly.

Perhaps what she wants is actually a larger stone, but in an easy-to-wear bezel or half-bezel rub over setting.
I think you should be certain about her size and setting desires, particularly if you are prepared to go down to more ordinary quality.

Often, even women are themselves not too sure about what it is they actually want...until they really start looking.
Sometimes things are not always about saving every dollar, and in my view this is one of those times.
I'm not sure you should be reducing your budget for the ring.

Hope I don't get flamed for this, but I do feel we should be advocating in the interests of your girl....

 

[Christina...]

Yes, at .75 colour is not so easily seen, inclusions are not easily seen.
But as a girl whose first engagement ring was 'just another piece of jewellery' to my loving-but-misguided man, I say get her the best you can afford, to the parametres you know she wants.
Don't simply pocket the difference in price, or buy other jewellery that she may not appreciate or wear regularly.

Perhaps what she wants is actually a larger stone, but in an easy-to-wear bezel or half-bezel rub over setting.
I think you should be certain about her size and setting desires, particularly if you are prepared to go down to more ordinary quality.

Often, even women are themselves not too sure about what it is they actually want...until they really start looking.
Sometimes things are not always about saving every dollar, and in my view this is one of those times.
I'm not sure you should be reducing your budget for the ring.

Hope I don't get flamed for this, but I do feel we should be advocating in the interests of your girl....

How are we not advocating for his wife? Frallen has only expressed that she has a size preference not a color and clarity preference. As you said yourself, sometimes people don't really know what they actually want, as a consumer forum, I think it's responsible to advise that a person may not see color and clarity differences at certain levels and yet the price difference can be enormous. The OP certainly has the right to take or leave that advice.

You seem to have gotten hung up on the colorless internally flawless piece of the equation. Frallen has never stated that he is looking for perfection, only that he was searching for a high quality stone at price that won't keep him up at night regretting his decision. I fail to see how a FGH VS1 VS2 stone is ordinary. As PSers we see large ideally cut quality stones all the time so there is a feeling that this is what the average consumer is wearing. There was a thread not so long ago ( I'll see if I can find it and post it ) asking PSers what they thought the average color and clarity of the average diamond wearers stone was and I believe that the concensus was J K SI1-I1 and probably not well cut or GIA AGS certed. So, I'd argue that we are certainly NOT advocating that Frallen purchase an ordinary or lesser quality stone, only that he continue to research and be comfortable with whatever decision he happens to make. We are simply providing options and resources to help him make the best informed decision he can. Should he choose to purchase an E IF then I'm sure everyone here will support his decision and help him find the best possible diamond with that criteria.

 

[LaraOnline]

Some people ARE motivated by the pleasure of knowing they have the 'best of the best'...IF/Ideal - and E comes pretty darn close.
Maybe the moral of the story is that the guy's element of surprise is just an opportunity for a big messup when it comes to women and diamonds.
Personally, I can't think of anything worse than missing out on the shopping expedition of the century!

If my man downgraded my colour/clarity specs, I'd want to go up in size, for example. Not just reduce the budget for the sake of a short term saving.

In any case, I'd definitely want to be in on the conversation. (ie go shopping for my ring)

 

[Akvileja]

In most B&M stores in Sweden they will tell you that a top quality diamond is TWVVS. They will not say anything about the cut though. It is very personal what preference you have in colour and clarity, and you have already been given good advice.

One thing to consider when ordering from the US is that they do not have the same strict nickel regulations as we have in Sweden/EU. For me, nickel WG is not mind clean, even if I don't have any allergies. For one piece I have ordered from the US, the vendor was able to make it in palladium WG. For other pieces I have chosen platinum. Unfortunately, both choices are more expensive than the regular WG. Just something to consider in the total budget.

If you want a Swedish vendor, diamantia.com offers GIA certified stones. And I am sure they have other settings than shown on their website. But I would not hesitate to order from the PS vendors in the US. You have to pay the VAT regardless of where you buy from.

 

[Christina...]

Some people ARE motivated by the pleasure of knowing they have the 'best of the best'...IF/Ideal - and E comes pretty darn close.
Maybe the moral of the story is that the guy's element of surprise is just an opportunity for a big messup when it comes to women and diamonds.
Personally, I can't think of anything worse than missing out on the shopping expedition of the century!

If my man downgraded my colour/clarity specs, I'd want to go up in size, for example. Not just reduce the budget for the sake of a short term saving.

In any case, I'd definitely want to be in on the conversation. (ie go shopping for my ring)

I suppose we have to agree to disagree. If I had a $35k budget for a new car, I wouldn't pass up a gorgeous $25k one that I loved and fit all of my criteria simply because I could afford to spend another $10k. I could think of several other ways to spend that money as could most young couples and families. I guess I just don't see the need to spend all the budget just for the sake of spending all the budget. And as of yet there hasn't been any conversation about what the wifes expectations are other than size, it could go either way, she could be dissapointed knowing that OP spent twice as much on a stone that has the same visual appearance as one that would have cost half as much. Who knows? If Frallen doesn't then he should probably consult her and it sounds like he is going to attempt just that.