Please help me choose between these 2 diamonds

[proposing222]

https://www.ritani.com/diamonds/round-diamond-1-02-Carat-F-color-GIA-certified/D-GM7FFW
Price: $10,244
Carat: 1.02
Color: F
Clarity: IF
Polish, symmetry, cut: Excellent
HCA Score on https://www.pricescope.com/tools/hca : 1.6

http://www.bluenile.com/diamond-details/LD06481118
Price: $10,425
Carat: 1.05
Color: F
Clarity: VVS1
Polish, symmetry, cut: Excellent
HCA Score on https://www.pricescope.com/tools/hca : 1.4

For what it's worth, I somewhat prefer Ritani just because they have the setting most similar to the Tiffany Harmony that I've been able to find: https://www.ritani.com/engagement-rings/solitaire-diamond-tulip-cathedral-engagement-ring-in-platinum/5660

 

[Bailey_Lou]

Is there any way for you to post ideal scope and ASET images? That would actually help when deciding and the vendors should hopefully be able to provide them for you.

 

[proposing222]

I'm requesting the imagery from Ritani. In the meantime, there is a GCAL report for that diamond on Bluenile which they say is similar to idealscope (not sure how to link to it but if you search for LD06481118 you can see the GCAL report at the bottom)

 

[Gypsy]

The Blue Nile diamond is the one I prefer. But the other one is similar.

Is there a reason you are going for such high clarity? Cultural?

Because otherwise, you could drop down to a very nice VS2 that is eyeclean and not tell the difference at all to the naked eyes.

 

[proposing222]

Thanks for your input Gypsy. I'm a newbie to diamonds, so I'm not at all familiar with the effect of clarity on the look of the diamond with the naked eye. In the end, the naked eye is all that will matter, right? So if VS2 and above is fine, that widens my search considerably, and might save a good deal of money. Thanks!

I really want to get the Tiffany Harmony setting, so if I can get one with a 1ct diamond for less than $20k I would much rather go that route. I'm going to visit the store this week, and will take your clarity suggestion with me. In the end, I just want something that will look great and make my (future) finacee happy.

 

[Gypsy]

Make sure the stones are GIA or AGS graded. Go to hearts on fire.

I will find some gorgeous stones for you later today.

 

[Gypsy]

So your preference is the 'real thing'. Completely understandable. I would go for the lowest clarity they offer that is eyeclean. And even happily drop to G or even H color if I were you.

But it is best to see them in person.

Which Harmony setting is it you want. There seem to be a few of them.

 

[Gypsy]

Brian Gavin can custom make any setting you want (they will have to modify anything copyrighted 20% by law).

So I think if the "real" Tiffany doesn't work out they are the best vendor for you to work with.

You can go a little larger than a full carat like this: http://www.briangavindiamonds.com/diamonds/diamond-details/1.232-g-vs2-round-diamond-ags-104081959008

And put it in a lovely custom setting for her.


Whiteflash can do the same thing, with the custom setting.
And here's a lovely stone from them:
http://www.whiteflash.com/loose-diamonds/round-cut-loose-diamond-3621245.htm

 

[proposing222]

Thanks for the diamond recommendations! I'll ask those two jewelers if they can make something very similar to the one I was looking at at Tiffany's, this one specifically: http://www.tiffany.com/engagement/rings/tiffany-harmony-1853

I just saw it in person today, and it is the best setting I've seen so far in my search. I'm definitely not attached to name brands in any merchandise category (in fact I tend to avoid the ones with the highest markup just for the name), and neither is my girlfriend. But there is a certain understated elegance to that setting that really appeals to me, and would to her as well I'm sure. It just feels so stupid to overpay for the diamond just because I like the setting.

I saw some G color stones there today. Maybe it was just a lucky guess, but I was able to tell the difference between E and G with my naked eye, in a blind test the saleswoman made me do :-/ Most people can't tell the difference, at least if you believe the saleswoman. Can some people tell the difference?

 

[Gypsy]

Okay.

Wait, your lady didn't pick it herself?

The reason I ask is because of the basket. Most women want a setting that allows for a flush, or near flush, fit regular STRAIGHT band.

You'll notice how that one is only paired with notched bands? That's going to limit her wedding band choices, significantly. And that's not something I would pay the Tiffany premium for without checking with her.

Is there a way you can have her mother, sister, cousin, best friend, someone check with her to see if she prefers that. Or something like this:

Are you sure she wants a round?

Also, does she have a Pinterest account? If so I HIGHLY recommend you consider going on there to see what she's pinned. We've had SO many guys do this only to find out that what they had thought their lady wanted wasn't even close to the reality.

And finally, if you have a 20k budget, you can get a REALLY lovely 1.5 carat in a setting like this one, which will check all the boxes in terms of wedding band flexibility and still has that look of the shank tapering toward the head like the Harmony:
http://www.whiteflash.com/engagement-rings/solitaire/legato-sleek-line-solitaire-engagement-ring-728.htm
or
http://www.briangavindiamonds.com/engagement-rings/solitaire/classic-truth-solitaire-18k-white-gold-5369w18
or
http://www.briangavindiamonds.com/engagement-rings/solitaire/melissa-18k-white-gold-5366w18


And all of those are stock at those vendors (made in house and designed in house, but stock for them) and that means if she doesn't care for the setting or wants to change it, it would be returnable.

 

[proposing222]

She didn't choose it, as it's going to be a surprise (at least, I think so) on our 2 year anniversary. I've picked the setting style based on knowing her pretty well. She leads a fairly active lifestyle going hiking, camping, snowboarding, etc. so I don't want something that will snag a lot. She's reserved, so would definitely not prefer something very show-y like a big diamond or prominently displayed diamond like the classic Tiffany setting. And she has thin fingers relative to her knuckles, so while a bezel setting may make the most sense for the lifestyle component, it might look bad on her finger shape (thin, essentially). Of course I have no way of knowing this for sure, as she never wears rings.

Anyway, all of that leads me to something of an in-between setting like the Tiffany Harmony. It doesn't prominently display the diamond, it seems relatively snag-resistant, and it won't look bulky at all.

The Melissa style you pointed out is almost exactly what I'm looking for.