Newbie about to buy a diamond, please help!

[dleo98]

Soooo happy I came across this forum, I have been a long time lurker but about to pull the trigger.
Im currently looking at the following:
GIA Certified 1.30 Carat
Color: M
Clarity: VVS2
Cut: Excellent
Price $4500
This is not set, just the diamond.

What are your thoughts? Is it a good deal?
Specs of diamond look good?

Any info would be greatly appreciated!!

 

[hawk25]

Did you have a setting material in mind? If this is for a ring, IMO it could work in a yellow gold setting, but not in WG/Platinum. Have you seen a M color stone before? I've heard that the lower colored stones are more of a personal preference, and they can look very different in various lighting.

Unless the clarity is very important to you, you might be paying a little too much for the VVS2, and could instead upgrade the color instead. Most VS2s are considered eye clean.

 

[dleo98]

Yes this is for a ring, the M color has thrown me for a curve ball.
I have seen some other M color's before, and I don't know if its my eyes but it seems it can vary from diamond to diamond.
I was thinking WG or Platnium for the setting, or something similar to this:

http://www.jamesallen.com/#!/engagement-rings/solitaire/18k-white-gold-surprise-diamond-solitaire-engagement-ring-item-9171

I wish I could be able to inspect the diamond in person and check out the color by eye but unfortunately its a internet sale.
Cant tell much from the picture of actual diamond.

 

[dleo98]

Other then color, would the specs be on par for price?
Its all a bit overwhelming, hopefully its the only time I will ever have to do it

 

[JulieN]

It looks good.

 

[dleo98]

I see, I think I follow you on the color issue.

Im not really to sure about must haves, I think for sure it needs to be GIA certified, eye clean, and a little bigger then 1 Carat. (oh and that she says yes!)
I know theres so many factors that come into play when it comes to pricing.
My budget is about $6000 total.

 

[hawk25]

(Sorry, I must have deleted my last post by accident somehow) I think for a platinum/WG setting head, a lot of people would say to stick above a J color (I myself have just bought an I color). I've seen a K stone before in a WG setting, and to my eyes it stuck out like a sore thumb (it was an excellent cut also). I'd imagine when most girls picture a diamond, they think of a whiter color than an M. But only you know your girlfriend and what she likes. To get a J color or higher, you'll have to sacrifice the size with your budget, but it might be possible to get above the 1ct mark. I'll leave it to a more experienced PSer to suggest a stone from a PS vendor.

If you want just eye clean, then VVS2 is on the excessive side.

The good news is that the stone you originally picked out had a great cut with a good HCA score, if I imputed it correctly, so good job

 

[JulieN]

You know it is really hilarious.... one prior poster wanted a 2 ct H+ for an impossibly low budget.. like less than 15K. Would not look at I/J colors, said they were too yellow. Went shopping with fiancee, ended up with an L.

I would definitely stick to K/L unless she is involved, and that is already pushing it. You can get a J 1 ct for about $5000.

I could see this going into the setting you posted: http://www.jamesallen.com/#!/loose-diamonds/round-cut/1.20-carat-j-color-si2-clarity-excellent-cut-sku-203055

 

[MrSpencer]

I would say increase the color and reduce the clarity

 

[dleo98]

Would it be safe to say most SI1 or SI2 would be eye clean?

I know my budget is not much but even at this price it took me many months to save up.
I didnt want to just throw it on a credit card and start out together in debt, but thats a whole other story...

I think I will hold off on the M color stone. I live in NY and think maybe since I have the opportunity, it would be best to do some shopping in person.
Might try and head too Good Old Gold in LI and ID Jewelry in diamond district, they're names seem to pop up in a lot of posts.

Thanks for pointing out the color issue, I have been so focused on specs that the diamond having a slight yellow tint never really crossed my mind.

 

[JulieN]

Enough are that it is worth your while to seek them out on a tight budget. Also best to look at SIs in person, these blown up pictures are not a good representation of reality.

 

[hawk25]

Would it be safe to say most SI1 or SI2 would be eye clean?

It depends on what you consider eye clean to be. Eye clean from 10 inches? 6 inches?

I just went through the same dilemma (limited budget, wanting eye clean stone). I was looking at an SI1 which was eye clean according to WF's standards of 10 inches (which is a comfortable viewing distance), but they noted that there was a visible inclusion from 6 inches (a not so comfortable distance). It helped in my case that it was off to the side and partially prong-able, so I went for it.

So to answer the question, its not safe to assume they are eye clean, but a lot of them can be. I'd definitely take a look in person, and when you're searching online make sure to check the vendor's eye clean definition, since they are all different.

 

[dleo98]

Excellent, thanks for all the great info!

 

[ecf8503]

Just to echo what others have said - drop the clarity and up the color. I have several SI1's and they are all eye-clean - it can be done. Even with some SI2's (of course all stones need to be evaluated on a case by case basis).

 

[bunnycat]

I would also suggest dropping the clarity down to SI1 or even SI2 depending on the type of inclusions and having it checked to see if you think it's eye-clean.

In a modern stone, I probably wouldn't do an M. I'd agree that somewhere near K is probably pushing it, though I have seen some K rings on here that I though looked great! Maybe try to find one with some fluorescence to help it face a little whiter. The numbers on your current choice seem fine, I'd just make some adjustments to color and clarity.

I know this is probably not quite what you are looking for with your budget, but it will at least give you an idea of what a K with fluor could look like:

http://www.briangavindiamonds.com/diamonds/diamond-details/1.098-k-vs2-round-diamond-ags-bl-104062032020

 

[TC1987]

M color is a very light yellow. There is no getting around that. You will see the light yellow tint from the side. You might see a candlelight ivory or a light yellow or that tint that you saw in that James Allen photo. And it changes with the lighting. The "warmer" or Cape color diamonds can face up very white and silvery in certain lighting when they exhibit a lot of brilliance. They can appear "dark" or yellow in dimmer light. All warm diamonds are a bit changeable like that.

If you want an engagement ring diamond to look white, then probably don't drop below I color range. L and M will not be white. They are pale yellow. J and K, to me, are more of a dingy white than an actual yellow. I don't mean that in a bad way. But, some white paper is 96 whiteness and some is 80-something, and the J/K is definitely down there with the 80-somethings.

You can most certainly set a cape color diamond in a very white metal like platinum. The best thing to do with any diamond that's below a I color (and this is just my opinion) is to look at it dropped into white gold, yellow gold, rose gold, and platinum, and determine which metal is the most flattering to it. I have diamonds that range from E on down, including a probably K (my avatar ring), a J and an L or M, all RB diamonds. Any modern H&A RB in the ideal/superideal class will have a lot of brilliance that will help wash out tint face-up. My L/M is in very white rhodium plated white gold and it looks great. My J, however, is in YG because it was obvious that YG was tryly the most flattering color. The ring in my avatar is platinum, and it's a big diamond (almost 2ct) and it is an estate price that came in that mounting, but I would never have set it in platinum. imo, J and K are two of the most twitchy colors to work with, exactly because they are neither truly white or truly yellow, but they can lean a little one way or the other.

L and M are pretty colors, by the way. You just have to like pale yellow, because that is what they are.