I have been looking for an Engagement ring for about a month now... I don't know too much about diamonds... I have a brochure for "Ideal Cut" diamonds, and the Four C's... Here is my situation... I've been looking at the Zales Diamond... /2 CT. T.W. DIAMOND OCTILLION SOLITAIRE RING, it runs at $2,999.00... I really like the band because the diamond doesn't appear to sit up so high like so many other Solitaires... but I want a diamond that is in the DEF range for color and at least a VS2 for perfection grades... The ring at the Zales store I have been looking at is a G/VS2 with a 68% table... and that is all I know... I have them looking for a ring that falls within the DEF like I said but so far they haven't come up with any thing and to me it appears as though they aren't looking... What are your opinions on the Zales cut diamond? Recently though I checked with some local jewlers here in town and found out about Ideal Cut diamonds, now I know that the Zales isn't ideal cut and the local jewlers say not to buy a ring that is pre-mounted... At one jewler in town there is a band just like the Zales band which I like and I could buy a round half carat to have set in it... that stone is .45 CT Near Ideal, Color Grade F, and Clarity Grade VS2... I beleive it is near ideal because it is only .45 CT, and that stone I can get for $2160.00 and the band for $600.00... I am trying to stay right around $3,000.00... another thing about that band is that on one side of the band the mounting is kinda off centered from the other side and it bugs me, I don't know if they can fix that or get another one... I need some input please... Am I too picky when it comes to this? I'm sorry for rambling it's just hard for me to explain all of this... any info will be greatly appreciated... Thanks!