new guy needs some help please

[aaron2012]

Hi folks...
i have been doing research from this site for many months now. I have gotten serious about getting my girl the most beautiful ring(diamond) that i can afford. I have seen diamonds that sparkly like heck and ones that dont. I want one that is amazingly brilliant. My cap on the diamond is ~$7-8k. My girl loves D.vatche so i will probably wrap it in the comfort fit royal x prong.

here is my criteria -
- Must be high quality cut H&A or AGS000 stone.
Round shape, H & A, 1–1.2 cts, E–G color, VS1–VS2 clarity

On this site i found several diamonds. Just not sure who to go with.

Good ol Gold seems great. Read alot good things about them and they have very competative prices.
I also like the warrenty and return/trade policy you get with these guys.
http://www.goodoldgold.com/diamond/3885/
http://www.goodoldgold.com/diamond/3739/

USACerted also has several great stones. but i am not sure if they are as reputable.
How the heck can they sell stones so much cheaper than everyone else? are these good stones?
Here is 1 example...
http://search.virtcert.com/cgi/u/1012/v.cgi?stock=6967934&_s=1012&_p=sdf348gd743&_c=&_fs=1&prestock=&_ln=ps

Abazias and whiteflash have some pretty great deals too.

HOW the heck do i choose a stone

Can anyone provide some insight and possible an example of a stone they like and why.
Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Any other info about buying a diamond would be awesome as well.

thanks everyone!! Aaron

 

[Ellen]

Hi aaron,

Out of the two GOG stones , both are very nice. If you made me pick one, I''d go with the 3739.

As for USA Certed, make sure you''re comparing apples to apples.

While it is a G VS2, and close to 1 ct. the Symmetry and Polish are not as good as the GOG stones. Also, it doesn''t look like it may be cut quite as tight as GOG''s. All those cutting nuances or lack of, will affect the price. There have been many happy people who''ve gotten diamonds from them.

As for who to chose, read up on reviews, look at their policies in depth. ie. upgrade, return, and go with whoever you feel most comfortable with and who has a price you like.

 

[nottypicallyperfect]

I''m new here as well, but it seems to me that the one diamond that is cheaper provides you with a lot less info on it. It doesn''t provide the crown angle or pavillion angle. The girdle is also thin to med and with what I''ve read that means it''s easier to chip. Like I said I''m new too, but I wouldn''t purchase the cheaper one unless they were will to give you a lot more info on the diamond.

As far as Good old Gold, everyone on here seems to speak pretty highly of them.

Just take your time and you''ll find something that''s just perfect for her.

Good luck

 

[Ellen]

Hi ntp, welcome to PS!

Actually, Thin to Medium is just fine for a girdle on a round. It''s when you get to Very Thin or Extremely Thin that you need to pass.

 

[Sparkalicious]

Hi Aaron! Welcome!

Sounds as though you have been busy researching and have done a pretty good job.

Whiteflash is a popular PS vendor and they have a great line of branded "super" ideal diamonds called "A Cut Above" and some ideal cut diamonds branded as "Expert Selection". Many PSers have them and they come with rave reviews. Since these diamonds are known for their cut, providing everything else falls into line, i.e., color, clarity etc, they should be safe and beautiful choices.

I found a couple Whiteflash - some ACA and some not - that you might be interested in. Click the links to check them out ...

1.081 G VS2, ACA, $7,757 (bank wire/PS discount price)
1.08 G VS2 Expert Selection, $7,174 (bw/PS disc)
1.20 G VS1 Expert Selection, $8,535 (bw/PS disc)
1.126 G VS1, $7,765 (bw/PS disc)
1.07 F VS1, Expert Selection, $8,034 (bw/PS disc)

I hope you this helps and that you find something you love!

 

[aaron2012]

Thanks folks for your help. i really appreciate the feedback.

 

[Sparkalicious]

Have you found anything yet? If so, spill the beans ...we''re a curious bunch.

 

[Shay37]

I worked with Martin and USA certed in the past. He''s a great guy but keep in mind his site is in Canada. Exchange rate will come into play as well as possible import duties. Just something to consider.

shay