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!
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!