Need help finding ring (and only have about a month)

[Majikow]

Hi all. I'm new here but I've been reading the forums relentlessly and it has been invaluable. It really helped me narrow down what I'm looking for. Now that I'm getting closer to actually buying, I'm kind of freaking out because I really want the ring to be perfect. If anyone could point me in the right direction and help me close the deal, it would be greatly appreciated.

First off, here's what I'm roughly looking for (prefer to spend around $11-12k, please let me know if this is unreasonable):
Round stone
1.3-1.5 carat (My gf is about 5'7", 120 lbs, and pretty thin. We tried on 1.5 carats at a local Jared and although it looked big, it wasn't out of place. However, some people have been saying to just get 1.3 because you won't really be able to tell the difference from looking at it. True?)
Solitaire, simple setting, thin band
Size 5
Ideal Cut
Color at least I (but prefer G or H, leaning towards H)
Clarity at least SI1 (but leaning towards VS2 or VS1)
Girdle thickness: thin, medium, or slightly thick
Fluorescence: medium or below
Culet: none to small
Symmetry/Polish: Excellent
AGS or GIA certified
Preferably a hearts and arrows stone (having studied optics in my undergrad, it makes sense to me why this stone would really shine)

I've looked at WhiteFlash and think I've found a stone that gets close:
http://www.whiteflash.com/loose-diamonds/round-cut-loose-diamond-2715459.htm

Are their "A Cut Above" and "Expert Selection" stones worth the extra money?

Also, are there any other places I should be looking? I'm not really crazy about most of WhiteFlash's settings.

I'm planning on proposing on our upcoming trip to Turkey (we leave Apr 13th), so my time is running short. I also still have to figure out if I can insure the ring while we're traveling, because otherwise I'll probably have to keep it at home and use a substitute.

Thanks in advance!

 

[slg47]

Hi and welcome! other vendors worth checking out are Brian Gavin Diamonds and Good Old Gold (carries a lot of designer settings). what type of setting are you looking for? it's definitely easiest to get the stone and setting at the same vendor especially if you are on a shorter timeline.

As far as WF's ACA and ES stones...I would definitely stick with those since you have a shorter timeline. These stones have already been vetted and have idealscope/ASET images available. With their virtual inventory they do not have these stones in-house and would have to call them in to do any sort of analysis. This can take time.

Is the budget you posted for the diamond or diamond and setting?

 

[diamondseeker2006]

I think the one you linked is an excellent choice, and I'd probably snap it up before a lurker does! At least put it on hold!

As far as settings go, they carry all Vatche settings besides their own. What style are you interested in?

 

[mrssalvo]

I agree, nice choice and please do put it on hold!

 

[Majikow]

The budget is for diamond and setting. I could probably be a little flexible.

She was looking for a plain setting, like a solitaire, with no side diamonds, and at the most maybe a few tiny diamonds in the ring. She preferred a thin band too.

 

[mrssalvo]

WF has some beautiful settings, the sleek line is a favorite here. They also carry Vatche which makes the most stunning Tiffany repro out there if she likes Tiffany's solitaire!

 

[Majikow]

Thanks for the help everyone. Which is the Vatche that looks like the Tiffany solitaire?

 

[JulieN]

This is kind of off topic, but I wouldn't even wear a fake in Turkey.

 

[mrssalvo]

Thanks for the help everyone. Which is the Vatche that looks like the Tiffany solitaire?

It's the U113, diamond seeker has it..

[URL='https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/new-1-58-g-vs1-from-gog-in-vatche-u-113-tiffany-repro.171351/']https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/new-1-58-g-vs1-from-gog-in-vatche-u-113-tiffany-repro.171351/[/URL]

Here it is on vatche's site, dimondseekers pictures are MUCH better..

http://www.dvatche.com/index.php?page=collection&catID=2,18&startRow=66&id=84

 

[Majikow]

I live in Baltimore, so I'm thinking Turkey is probably safer than my block. I'm not so much worried about someone taking it, I just don't want to travel with it uninsured as that just seems dumb.

So I put that diamond on hold. Question is, should I go for something a little under 1.25 rather than right over? Reading around, it sounds like the big jumps are at 1, 1.25 and 1.5.

 

[Lotus99]

If you're going to Istanbul, the Grand Bazaar has some lovely jewelery stores where you could perhaps do your proposal with some kind of promise ring. It's just an idea if you don't want to take the "real" ring with you. I found prices there reasonable (but I probably wouldn't buy an expensive diamond ring there).

 

[diamondseeker2006]

So glad you put it on hold! That is a great stone! I do love my setting, but I will tell you that it is around $1840 or so in platinum. It is about the closest to the real Tiffany setting, but I actually like it better! The WG Legato Sleekline which MrsS mentioned is a beautiful setting at $1236 in platinum if that fits your budget better.

 

[Amys Bling]

Great stone!!

 

[Majikow]

Thanks for the help with the setting. Your ring is beautiful. I like that setting, but it doesn't seem to be showing up on Whiteflash's site. Do they have to special order it or something?

Yeah, I am considering bringing along a substitute ring just so I don't get nervous about the real one and blow it. I don't see it making a big difference to the gf. I think she'll understand. I'm wondering then if I should wait to buy til closer to the trip so in case when she gets back she wants something changed it's still under the 30 day warranty. We're leaving Apr 13th, she gets back the 22nd (can't take the time off from grad school), and I don't get back til May 3rd.

Also, any thoughts on the 1.2 carat vs the 1.3 carat? Will that save me a lot of money and look relatively similar? I know she'll be blown away by anything over 1 carat, and since she's pretty thin and her hands are really small, im wondering whether it makes more sense. I think I've decided just about everything else that I want, except what size to go with.

 

[diamondseeker2006]

Thank you! WhiteFlash is a Vatche dealer and can get all their settings even though they don't show them all on their site. My inclination would be to go for the 1.3 if you can swing it. I just think that is a great size for long term, whereas if you go with a smaller one, she might wish it was larger later. My original diamond was a 1 ct. and my husband got me a larger stone many years later. I think if I had started out with 1.3, though, it would have been great forever.

I don't know whether this will help you any or not, but when we were looking for my new anniversary diamond, I had Good Old Gold take some pictures of different size stones for me. The third one shows a 1 ct., 1.2, 1.5, and 2.0. So you can picture the 1.3 being a little larger than the 1.2 but not as large as the 1.5.

 

[frankiextah]

this one looks great :

http://www.briangavindiamonds.com/diamonds/diamond-details/1.338-h-vs1-round-diamond-ags-104055873010#!prettyPhoto[gallery2]/2/

and a delicate setting option :

http://www.briangavindiamonds.com/engagement-rings/solitaire/tapered-tiffany-style-half-round-18k-white-gold-5540w18

 

[frankiextah]

better price:

1.31 H VS1
http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/H-VS1-Ideal-Cut-Round-Diamond-1453546.asp

 

[mrssalvo]

I'd definitely go with the 1.3 if you can swing it. Diamonds have a funny way of shrinking after a short while

 

[Majikow]

1.3 it is. Thanks for helping me make up my mind.

So I have until 7 PM (EST) to make a decision on this stone. My worry is that if I order it, WF only has a 30 day return policy which puts me at the end of March/beginning of April. She likely won't see the ring until she or I get back (Apr 22nd/May 3rd). At that point it will be too late to return if she doesn't like anything about it. What are the odds that I could find a similar stone if I held off until maybe late March to buy so that it was still under warranty when she finally gets to see it? I don't want to make a hasty decision if there's a good chance I could wait and get a similar stone for a similar price (especially since I noticed prices seemed to be on a downward trend). Everyone here seems to be really knowledgeable about this kind of stuff, thanks for all your help! I'm getting really excited/nervous.

 

[Majikow]

Any thoughts on this stone vs. the original one?
http://idjewelryonline.com/diamond_details1.php?id=35717589&shape=B&pricefrom=0&priceto=500000&caratfrom=1.2&caratto=1.35&colorfrom=G&colorto=H&clarfrom=VS1&clarto=VS2&polish=ANY&cert=Any&symmetry=ANY&depthfrom=&depthto=&tablefrom=&tableto=&cut=Array&item_id=

It gave an HCA of 0.7, while the other was like 1.3.

 

[distracts]

For insurance, I recommend Jeweler's Mutual. It's what I use. My fiance got the ring the same day we left on the trip on which he proposed, and sent the paperwork off and called on the phone and they confirmed that we'd have coverage from the day the paperwork was postmarked. I don't know if that's always how they do it or if he badgered them into it (or if they really would have covered the ring if something happened to it), but at any rate it worked out. JM covers the ring from pretty much everything except, as the policy states quite clearly, damage from a nuclear explosion (which I am really not worried about).

Another travel tip for rings - if you guys are uncomfortable with her wearing it out or leaving it in your room, if you get a sturdy chain/ribbon/cord long enough so that the ring hangs under her shirt, then she can wear it out, and no one else can see it but she will be able to feel it and know it's still there.

 

[Majikow]

Does anyone have a thought on this Brian Gavin Signature stone, vs the White Flash Select one I posted above?

http://www.briangavindiamonds.com/diamonds/diamond-details/1.227-H-SI1-Round-Diamond-AGS-104055873009?a_aid=y&chan=x

It seems Brian's stones are highly regarded around here, but I am worried about that one large inclusion in the middle. I'm going to have to pull the trigger on something soon, so any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks!

 

[OCgirl]

Does anyone have a thought on this Brian Gavin Signature stone, vs the White Flash Select one I posted above?

http://www.briangavindiamonds.com/diamonds/diamond-details/1.227-H-SI1-Round-Diamond-AGS-104055873009?a_aid=y&chan=x

It seems Brian's stones are highly regarded around here, but I am worried about that one large inclusion in the middle. I'm going to have to pull the trigger on something soon, so any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks!

If you want to consider Brian, I like this stone better:
http://www.briangavindiamonds.com/diamonds/diamond-details/1.230-g-si1-round-diamond-ags-104052883016#!prettyPhoto[gallery2]/3/
The inclusion looks better... situated.

My engagement ring is from Brian Gavin and I have a 1.22 ct G SI1. I LOVE the cut!!!
I am sure you can call Brian and ask him about the inclusion on the 1.227 H SI1 you listed. He's pretty honest about it. You can ask him to look at it from ANY distance and he'll tell you what he sees. You can also ask him to line up all the stones you are considering (from their signature or blue collection) face-up, face-down... etc. It's a good way to see any size difference, color difference... etc.