Need some advice please....

[miggs76]

A friend referred me to this site and I was hoping anyone could chime in for some help. Basically, I am going to buy an engagement ring in the next week from an online retailer (not sure which one yet). I have around 6000 to spend on it. I realize that the setting is going to be about 500, so the diamond itself will have to be about 5500. Could anyone recommend the best value diamond for that amount of money considering the 4 C''s? Like for example, I can get a 1 carat ring with G color, VS2 clarity, ideal cut for about that price. Would it be a better value to sacrifice a little color for clarity, and vice versa, etc. Thanks in advance.

 

[fabcrab]

You could go all the way to SI clarity as long as it''s eyeclean, however I think VS2 is also nice and it''s not necessarily "overkill" when it comes to clarity. With regards to color, it depends on how color sensitive you are and I definitely think G will face up white so you don''t have anything to worry about really.

What kind of setting are you looking for/ your gf prefer? Also what''s the shape of the diamond? You can try searching whiteflash.com...it''s a very reputable PS vendor and I personally had a wonderful experience dealing with them. GOOD LUCK

 

[miggs76]

whoops...it is going to be a round diamond with a tiffany-type setting

 

[cinnamon013]

http://www.whiteflash.com/hearts_arrows/A-Cut-Above-H-A-cut-diamond-292602.htm# Ask if it''s eyeclean. It''s a beauty otherwise! Not quite to the carat mark, but gets you the quality you will love without paying the premium to go to the carat mark. Dimensions are very close to the carat, and will exceed the dimensions of some poorly cut stones.

0.906 ct G VS2 A Cut Above H&A
$5,578.00 Item Available - Ready to ship

Item Code: AGS-8550909
. Report: AGS
. Shape: A Cut Above H&A
. Carat: 0.906
. Depth %: 60.8
. Table %: 56.6
. Crown Angle: 34.6
. Crown %: 15
. Star : 51
. Pavilion Angle: 40.7
. Pavilion %: 42.9
. Lower Girdle %: 75
. Girdle: Thin to Medium
. Measurements: 6.26-6.27X3.81
. Light Performance: 0
. Polish: Ideal
. Symmetry: Ideal
. Culet: Pointed
. Fluorescence: Negligible
This setting is $695 in WG, or $745 in WG with platinum head (recommended)
http://www.whiteflash.com/Engagement-Rings/Styles/Solitaire/-Legato--Sleek-Line_1118.htm

FYI, WF and the other PS vendors will give you discounts if you mention you heard about them on PS.

You can find many eyeclean SI1 and a few SI2s if you''d really like bigger and are comfortable going to the SIs. I have a SI1 and it is eyeclean and a great value. Check this one out:
http://www.whiteflash.com/hearts_arrows/A-Cut-Above-H-A-cut-diamond-312257.htm# Ask if it is eyeclean. It hits your 1 carat mark!

1.013 ct H SI1 A Cut Above H&A
$6,045.00 Item Available - Ready to ship

Item Code: AGS-8491406
. Report: AGS
. Shape: A Cut Above H&A
. Carat: 1.013
. Depth %: 61.5
. Table %: 56.7
. Crown Angle: 34.7
. Crown %: 15
. Star : 55
. Pavilion Angle: 40.9
. Pavilion %: 43.1
. Lower Girdle %: 76
. Girdle: Thin to Medium Faceted
. Measurements: 6.43-6.45X3.96
. Light Performance: 0
. Polish: Ideal
. Symmetry: Ideal
. Culet: Pointed
. Fluorescence: Negligible

Good luck in your shopping! You can also use the Diamond Cut Quality Search on PS to look for diamonds with your desired specs from the various vendors. Also, plug the specs in on the HCA tool to see how it ranks for cut. Remember, cut first, color, clarity.

 

[fabcrab]

What about these dudes:

1.073 I SI2

1.05 I SI1

1.062 H SI2

With regards to the setting do you prefer the simple "Tiffany-Style"

OR

this one which is closer to the real Tiffany ring

 

[cinnamon013]

Oops, just read you want a tiffany setting. This one is $450 in platinum!
http://www.whiteflash.com/Engagement-Rings/Styles/Solitaire/4-Prong--Tiffany--Style_994.htm

 

[fabcrab]

Oh and I forgot to ask, are you looking at gold or platinum?

Cinnamon, I love your choices!!!

I think it''s really up to you whether you are willing to sacrifice color and/or clarity a little bit to hit that one carat mark. The 0.906 ct that cinnamon suggested is very close to a 1 ct and I believe the only way you can really tell that it''s not is if you have a 1 ct IDEAL stone sitting right next to it. Like she mentioned, it will exceed the dimensions of some poorly cut stones (which is what you see majority of the time i.e. mall stones).

 

[miggs76]

looking for white gold or platinum

 

[diasurfer]

Unless you're trying to keep from even hinting about what you're up to, if at all possible, try to find out what her priorities are. I was originally looking at that G VS2 0.9 for my gal, thinking it was pretty close to a carat. Then we had a chance to look at well cut J (an eightstar) and she didn't notice the color at all. Got bored while I was discussing the technical stuff with the jeweler. I realized as long as its eye-clean and not the color of beer, her main priority was AT LEAST ONE CARAT. I think she could have lived with 0.98 carats, but those are pretty rare, and I didn't want her to be thinking it's "almost" for the rest of her life. ["Upgrades" are popular on PS but I don't think my gal is the type].

I ended up ordering an eye-clean Si1 color I 1.2 carat ACA. She's got size 7.5 fingers, so she's going to be super stoked on the size I think. My budget is $1-2K more than yours, but you should easily be able to get one carat with a quality cut if that's what she wants. Is size isn't important, and whiteness is, go for the G or something like it. Man, that was long-winded. But again, think hard or try to find out what HER priorities are.

 

[FacetFire]

I like this one A LOT. http://www.winkjones.com/specials/sa_diamonds.php

Scroll down to the 1.07 H SI2 for $5600. It's eyeclean and you don't have to drop much in color.

Or this one http://www.jamesallen.com/diamond.asp?cid=53&item=1060575 1.02 H SI1 for $5400.

Or, if you want to go bigger but a little lower in color. http://www.goodoldgold.com/diamond/1743/ 1.16 I SI2 wire price is under $5200.

 

[cinnamon013]

Date: 6/29/2007 5:58:14 PM
Author: diasurfer
Unless you''re trying to keep from even hinting about what you''re up to, if at all possible, try to find out what her priorities are. I was originally looking at that G VS2 0.9 for my gal, thinking it was pretty close to a carat. Then we had a chance to look at well cut J (an eightstar) and she didn''t notice the color at all. Got bored while I was discussing the technical stuff with the jeweler. I realized as long as its eye-clean and not the color of beer, her main priority was AT LEAST ONE CARAT. I think she could have lived with 0.98 carats, but those are pretty rare, and I didn''t want her to be thinking it''s ''almost'' for the rest of her life. [''Upgrades'' are popular on PS but I don''t think my gal is the type].

I ended up ordering an eye-clean Si1 color I 1.2 carat ACA. She''s got size 7.5 fingers, so she''s going to be super stoked on the size I think. My budget is $1-2K more than yours, but you should easily be able to get one carat with a quality cut if that''s what she wants. Is size isn''t important, and whiteness is, go for the G or something like it. Man, that was long-winded. But again, think hard or try to find out what HER priorities are.

Agreed, but mine is an H&A ACA from WF, and is a .831 RB. People would never know it''s not a carat. Most people who see it think it''s more than a carat. I can live easily with that!

 

[cinnamon013]

Searched a non PS vendor. Found a 1 carat, GIA certified, fair cut. Dimensions were 6.2x6.27x4.08. A .9 ACA H&A beats that in size! Just saying that a well cut stone will face up larger and appear larger than a 1 carat that''s not so well cut!

In the examples I gave you, the price difference is only about $500 to get the mark of 1 carat (if that''s important to you), being that the 1 carat I listed is a pretty good price. But you also go from G to H, and VS2 to SI1, although in reality, that would not bother me a bit!