Need help finding diamond & setting

[ozzy11]

I keep seeing posts on here that say if you post what you're looking for - PriceScope will help you find a diamond & setting - I'm not sure where to ask. And is the help only to buy through this website?

My finance wants me to pick several rings that I love and he will surprise me with one. One issue is he won't tell me his budget. I'm not comfortable spending a bunch of his money - we are not poor but we don't have much savings and I have 1 kid in college and 1 about to go next year. Also the money he spends will come out of the same account he is keeping our wedding and honeymoon savings.

My idea is to find a website that allows you to pick the diamond and then the setting. That way I can send him 3 or so settings I like and then a range of different diamonds to choose from so he can decide on how much he wants to spend on the diamond.

I really want to keep the price range around $1300 to 2300.

After doing research here is what my stone request is right now:

Princess cut
Color: H or I
Clarity: VS2 or SI1
Cut Parameters for Princess Cut Diamonds:
Depth: 65% to 75%
Table: Below 75%
Polish/Symmetry: Good, Very Good, or Excellent
Carat range: .5-1 (I really would rather .75 to 1 but it's big price jump)
Metal - platinum or palladium (I'm allergic to nickel but could do white gold if mixed w/ palladium)

for setting I like simple - trellis solitaire or center stone with side stones. I looked up "active lifestyle" and found a bunch on this website: http://www.sunjewelry.com/active-wear-styles-engagement-rings.html -- but the site is hard to search and I'm not sure about it's reputation.

Questions:

I know this is more of an opinion question but with princess solitaire setting - how small would be too small? i tried on a .5 carat and that seemed too small - we are on a budget so... i did see that the nicer cut/quality stone - the better .5 carots looked.

Any recommendatiosn on where to buy? Seems like whiteflash and james allen are popular websites here - we want to get the most bang for our buck.

What about blue nile? I found a setting i like there and can't find it on james allen or whiteflash.

Any input would be great!! thanks...

 

[wakingdreams53]

Hey Ozzy!
You're right. People on this forum are immensely helpful and will help you find exactly what you're looking for. However, this post should be in Rocky Talky.

In response to some of your questions, princess cut stones face up smaller than round brilliants, but the best possible cut will always make the stone look better and bigger.
Blue Nile isn't recommended here too often because their diamond inventory is virtual and here on PS we need a lot more stats on diamonds than they can give. I personally like James Allen because they have pictures. However, with a Princess cut stone, you need to be ready to ask for ASET images which JA and WF can get you.

Nonetheless, your post will get much more traffic once in Rocky Talky. Good hunting!

ETA, don't forget to use the PS diamond search on the homepage. You're not buying it through Pricescope, but rather, Pricescope is giving you the chance to see many sellers' inventories prior your purchase.

 

[ozzy11]

Thanks for the reply.

I was wondering - from a regular person's perspective - will I have to get the ASET images ? I'm ok with something not totally perfect - just want sparkly and not to get ripped off.

I'll post my questions in in Rocky Talk.

 

[ozzy11]

Oh and what is it about Princess cut that is different making a need for additional info?

Would it be easier for me to find a nice ascher or other square shaped stone?

thanks!!!!

 

[wakingdreams53]

Round stones are the most popular. There are more systems in place to assume the best without seeing it. An ASET would show you wherethe diamond gathers light. Which is ultimately what you're looking for-- a sparkly stone. Because you're buying online, it's better to have more information than less.

Take this WF stone for instance. It's a little bit above your budget, but you couldn't go wrong with it.
http://www.whiteflash.com/loose-diamonds/princess-cut-loose-diamond-2642462.htm

ETA, in the vein of squares, it might be easiest to find a princess, since it's only second to round. And asking for an ASET will not get you ripped off, for sure.

 

[ozzy11]

The red and green image is the ASET image?

What am I looking for in that image?

Sorry to be so ignorant!!

 

[wakingdreams53]

No problem! Red is best. It shows that the light is entering from above.
More on ASET here: http://www.ideal-scope.com/1.using_reference_chart_ASET.asp

This is also a beautiful princess, but see for yourself the differences between this one and the other one I posted.
http://www.whiteflash.com/loose-diamonds/princess-cut-loose-diamond-2599694.htm

More light leakage seen in the IdealScope, less red in the ASET. But definitely more budget friendly, and negligibly smaller.

 

[vintagelover229]

Have you considered getting one already put together? I mean there are lots of budget friendly ways to do it and avoid the massive mark up by paying retail.

http://www.antiqueengagementrings.com/
http://www.jewelsbyericagrace.com/
http://www.doverjewelry.com/
www.newyorkestatejewelry.com
www.rubylane.com

There's lots to be found on ebay if you know what to look for, where to look and get one with a good return policy and get it checked out by an appraiser.

 

[ozzy11]

thanks for the info - going to dig through these links...!