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newbie looking for engagement ring diamond help.

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papi19

Rough_Rock
Joined
Nov 13, 2010
Messages
8
A little help is needed for a newbie. I am looking for an engagement ring diamond. My gf and I went looking recently where she found a gorgeous setting she loved and the following diamond to go with it. Now we are obviously both newbies. She has the typical bigger is better mentality and really loved the below 1.5 diamond. We did not look at it through a loup. Now with it being EGL certified, I have learned that with its SI3 grading we can come to the conclusion it is probably more like a clean I1 which i did explain to my gf. I also noticed the depth seems higher than what is expected for the most part?? The hard part is that it is priced at a really good deal for my budget....im sure for a reason. From the following info, should I stay away from it and look elsewhere? After explaining a few things to my gf I learned from some minor research, she seemed to not be bothered by it (the numbers etc) and was happy with the diamond.

Another question....It would be going in a halo- type setting. With that known, would that help the fact that there may be some minor inclusions if looked upon extremely closely or under a loup? I figure if the ring is a bit busier all around, that would draw some attention off a bit of imperfection? lol.

Again, my gf is adamant about getting a diamond roughly around 1.5 ct. She is by no means pushing for the perfect diamond...obviously. lol. She is being extremely understanding about working with my budget. She is very color sensitive. The diamond we want is a G and up against an I, she was able to see the difference very quickly. The G also flows better in the setting with the setting being H i believe.

Any help is appreciated for a newbie and I look forward to getting to know many of you and learning much more.


Weight-1.50 ct.
Color- G
Clarity- SI3
Cut- Round Brilliant
measurements- 7.14 - 7.10 x 4.6mm

depth- 64.6%
table- 57%
crown- 15.4%
pavilion- 43.3%
girdle- SL THICK FACETED

cutlet- none

polish- very good
symmetry- very good

fluorescence- faint
comments- laser inscribed EGL
 
You could look for a better clarity diamond online that is the same size as the one she likes; maybe you could get a better price that way. If she is happy with the diamond you both looked at; that is the most important thing. I know a lady who wanted a one carat princess cut and the only way they could afford it was to buy one with a big fat black inclusion you could see across the room. She loved it - my point is as long as she loves it that is what matters.
 
Did you compared with a GIA graded I stone or are you just comparing it with a EGL I stone?

Carat weight is not equivalent to face up diameter which is what you see.

cut_comparison2.jpg
Both gems in this image are the same diameter and could be cut from the rough diamond. The well cut diamond on the left weighs 0.84ct and the dull drab stone weighs 1.00ct. Because it is a carat it will sell for more.

A well cut 1.5c should be around 7.35mm, compare to this stone which is only 7.1mm, you are paying for the extra weight and getting a worse light return. For a 7.1mm, a well cut stone would only weigh around 1.35carat.
 
Yes, we were only comparing it to a EGL I....not a GIA I which is a good idea to do. I will start searching for a well cut GIA I and see what I find. I may find one that is roughly the same price and shows much better right? Another reason for leaning towards the above is because I would be getting an extra 15% off making it very attractive. I should look online though. Any reputable online jewelers you guys reccomend or any comparable diamonds you guys can post as a link from a vendor?

Thanks!
 
Price quoted is $5295.00
 
appreciate all this help/referrals. You are probably right on the 15% off deal. Its a family friend jeweler but not sure if that means anything at all anyways. I just wanna get a diamond that is beautiful to the eye. She is ok with inclusions etc.

Should the jeweler im working with be able to provide some type of ideal scope or light test for this diamond or is that something that only certain jewelers do?
 
In general you get what you pay for. Perhaps you should take your GF to a store that carries some AGS0s to see if she would prefer a smaller ideal cut? If size is what she is after then that is fine too but you want to make sure before you purchase.

Also if you are going for a halo setting the halo adds a lot of size so perhaps she would not need the 1.5 carat (but if this is her preference, by all means get it). Most jewelers do not have idealscope, the ones that Stone listed do.
 
I understand that your GF wants a 1.5, but buying something that is 1.5ct but worth waaaaay less than what a 1.5ct should be isn't the best way to go.

I totally understand wanting the size, but I think that in the end you GF might become disappointed if she sees her friends rings who are- maybe smaller- but brighter, more sparkly, and clean of inclusions.

If you don't mind sharing your budget, there are many people here who would love to help you find a diamond that meets your GF needs.

Also- consider buying from a reputable vendor with an upgrade policy. If at this point in time you can afford a nice .9, 1.0, 1.2 ct stone, these vendors allow you to trade the diamond back in and then get a bigger once you have a little more money saved up.

I have to be honest, when my FI was looking at rings he asked me if it was better for a bigger stone, or a sparklier stone. MY inital reaction was bigger! Well I am glad that he got me an excellent cut stone...sure the 2.0ct "good" cut stone would have been nice, but the sparkles and flashes of color my 1.55 excellent cut stone gives off make it more impressive.

Remember- an excellent/ideal cut stone will appear larger because of it's light return and the cut..,whereas a good, fair, etc stone will look smaller because it will be duller.

StoneC pointed out something very important to you--- because a stone is 1.5ct, doesn't mean that it's the same appearance as a 1.5. Some poorly cut stones are cut waaaay tooo deep just so that they can have the weight of a 1.5 ct but in reality the diameter (what you are looking down at) may only be the diameter of a 1.2 ct and all that extra carat weight is in the girdle or depth- something that does not add to the "large appearance" of a stone.


Make sure a 1.5ct stone you are looking at is around 7.35, 7.3mm range. That is where a 1.5 ct RB should be measuring up in terms of diameter size.
 
OK- this one seems a bit shallow- so it actually faces up bigger than the stone you had looked at/were considering. Its listed at 6,211 for a wire price.

http://www.whiteflash.com/loose-diamonds/round-cut-loose-diamond-2536736.htm



Here is an 1.22 stone- around the 6,000 mark. Smaller, but excellent cut- eye clean, hearts and arrows image...

http://www.whiteflash.com/loose-diamonds/round-cut-loose-diamond-2329030.htm


here is another- excellent cut- under 5,000- it's 1.23 J SI1
http://www.whiteflash.com/loose-diamonds/round-cut-loose-diamond-2490758.htm

here is another- excellent cut- under 5,000 1,23 J SI1
http://www.whiteflash.com/loose-diamonds/round-cut-loose-diamond-2490758.htm

just some suggestions. Honestly, the most important thing is that your GF is happy and gets the stone SHE wants. People on here are just giving options, alternative choices, personal experience, and input. Truly it's up to your GF to decide what is and what is not important to her when it comes to her engagement ring.


best of luck!
 
That diamond is cut so poorly and deep you could get a 1.3 diamond which faced up like that 1.5. I think it's a much safer bet to go with GIA/AGS graded diamonds. I'd trust their grading more than EGL. People will be quick to tell you SI3 isn't really a grade.
 
KELPIE- That last ring you sent me seems really fitting. Can you chime in on what I should look for in this diamond and what to request in terms of information on how the diamond performs in light? Does James Allen provide anymore info on there diamonds? Can anyone else chime in on the following diamond? What would be the negative aspects of the following.

http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/E-I1-Ideal-Cut-Round-Diamond-1107215.asp

Shape: Round
Carat weight: 1.58
Cut: Ideal
Color: E
Clarity: I1
Certificate: AGS
Depth: 61.6%
Table: 54.4%
Polish: Ideal
Symmetry: Ideal
Girdle: Thin to medium
Culet: None
Fluorescence: Negligible
Measurements: 7.48*7.52*4.62
Crown Angle: 34.1°
Crown %: 15.40
Pavilion Angle: 40.8°
Pavilion %: 43.10
 
What does JA say about inclusion visibility?

The numbers are "fine" - request IS and have your rep confirm eyeclean to your standards if interested.


As an aside, is it specifically important to stay in a very high colour range - I saw earlier you were looking at Gs? Colour in the D-G range as graded by AGS in these sizes has no real-world effect on light return; you could easily drop to F/G or even H and not note any visible difference when set, depending on your personal visual acuity and preference, and bump clarity up..
 
When I did the HCA on this diamond it read:

Shallow pavilion can cause a fish-eye. Should not be considered for purchase.

fish eye means what?
 
Ditto, numbers should be fine. I am more worried if the stone is eye-clean.
 
You are right...inputed the numbers wrong. Oops! :wink2: Next step is to get a hold of them and find out if its eye clean and request an Idealscope?
 
Yup.

First decide what eyeclean means to you - from 8"? 12"? from face-up and crown tilt viewing angles? if you're looking for clean from the side this stone definitely isn't it..
 
Yssie- Thank you for the help! What would determine that this stone would most likely not be clean from the side?

Shape: Round
Carat weight: 1.58
Cut: Ideal
Color: E
Clarity: I1
Certificate: AGS
Depth: 61.6%
Table: 54.4%
Polish: Ideal
Symmetry: Ideal
Girdle: Thin to medium
Culet: None
Fluorescence: Negligible
Measurements: 7.48*7.52*4.62
Crown Angle: 34.1°
Crown %: 15.40
Pavilion Angle: 40.8°
Pavilion %: 43.10
 
Well, nothing in those numbers tells us that it is definitely not eye clean from the side, but according to typical clairty grading SI1=2 stones are/can be eyeclean face up but visible eye inclusions from the side view. THis is how my stone is- I can easily see them from the side view, but looking straight on.... I need a loupe. Because this stone is graded I1, you would be lead to believe that either you can see some sort of inclusions from the face up positions and more likely than that, you will be able to see them through the side view.

here are some articles/tutorials on clarity. You really need to inquire with the vendor as to whether or not inclusions can be seen from looking down at the stone or through the side.

https://www.pricescope.com/wiki/diamonds/diamond-clarity/

http://www.octonus.com/oct/projects/movies8.phtml
 
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