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Please help me make my GF happy

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ConnectFour

Rough_Rock
Joined
Aug 14, 2008
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I am a terribly indecisive person (it regularly takes me an hour to decide what I want at a restaurant) so I''m dying for your help.

PS has already helped me narrow my engagement ring search to two vendors: Whiteflash and James Allen and I have probed my girlfriend enough to have sort of a clue of what she wants. Anyway, here is where I''m at:

Ring one

White Flash http://www.whiteflash.com/hearts_arrows/A-Cut-Above-H-A-cut-diamond-471533.htm

.744
ACA
E
SI1
$3,653 (before discount)

It would be set in the following:http://www.whiteflash.com/Engagement-Rings/Styles/Diamond-Settings/Petite-Open-Cathedral_1211.htm

Ring Two

James Allen http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/F-SI2-Ideal-Cut-Round-Diamond-1113293.asp

.91
GIA E,E,E
F
SI2
$3,870 with discount

It would be set in: http://www.jamesallen.com/engagement-rings/settings-with-sidestones/ring/item_58-2801_design.asp?module=setting



Her priorities are this:

1. Size (she couldn''t get over the size of 1ct I2 diamond at Shane Co even though I could see massive inclusions)
2. Color (She likes whiter diamonds, she could notice the difference between J and F)
3. Cut (She wants a "sparkily" diamond and band)
4. Clarity (See above)

Mine are like this:

1. Cut (I think thats my way of setting her ring apart from others)
2. Size (Want to be at least 3/4 ct)
3. Clarity (As long as I can''t see inclusions)
4. Color


So which diamond should I go with? The smaller one with the premium cut that will satisfy me. Or the large flawed one that will satisfy her?

Which is a better value?

I''m also open to more suggestions but I''m pretty firm about either JA or WF

My budget is a firm $4500 as a set up a new CC with 0%, cashback, etc just for this purchase.

Thanks for any help!
 
So just cause she could notice the color diff. from to J to F in Shane co diamonds, does that mean she could notice the difference from F to G in ideal cut diamonds? And even if she could *notice* the difference (presumably when viewed unmounted from the side), would she be willing to pay more or get a smaller diamond to get the F color vs. a G color???

I ask because you will save booku bucks by going just a smidge lower in color. Since your girl is color sensitive, I am not recommending an I/J stone but !!! she was drooling over size so maybe moving to a G (or even an H) is warranted. And remember the ideal cut will make the color much less noticable!
 
An I2 at Shane Co will in no way compare to an SI2 at one of the PS vendors. I have had a 2ct F SI2 from WF and it was eye-clean to me. I could not see any inclusions. At all. The vendor will be upfront in how eye-clean it is, you just have to ask. So don''t let the Shane Co diamond put you off the lower clarities.

Also please consider at least going down to G. It will definitely be white. Seriously, I compared a WF 2ct E to a WF 2.4ct I and I could barely see a difference in the color. The superior cut makes a LOT of difference.

Oops just read what Cara wrote. So ditto to her!
 
I know you said only JA and WF but Good Old Gold have a stellar reputation here too. Here''s a .80ct F SI1 that is H&A and looks magnificent. It''s $4k, not sure if that leaves enough for the setting..

Linky
 
Hmmmm, both are stunning, but I might actually go in a different direction. I would ask jamesallen.com whether the F/SI2 stone is eye clean, because it may not me.

I would personally drop in color to the G/H range (still very white in a well-cut stone, yes really!) and stick around SI1 unless there is an exceptionally clean SI2 you are considering (they are out there, I have one).

This would allow you to get to the same .9 range and have a clean stone. If size is her thing, I''d really try to get near the one carat range. I love the settings, just stunning!!
 
and here''s another WF that is about $300 cheaper than the one you listed above and is an ACA..

.745 E SI1

I know it says reserved (maybe by you!) but they don''t always get bought. Worth watching.

Also just wanted to add that don''t go by the magnified pic as to clarity. Sometimes something that looks riddled with black spots is eye-clean and something that looks clean isn''t. Ask the vendor they will be upfront with you, and make sure you also ask what their particular definition of eye-clean is e.g. from 3 inches, 8 inches etc..
 
I''m a size girl too. I would look at the J''s. A well cut J is beautiful and a whole lot cheaper.
31.gif
 
it seems like the most important thing to you is making her happy, which is wonderful, but i think you could find something in your price range that would satisfy you both! don''t limit yourself to those two stones, keep looking until you find something that would be perfect for both of you!

i definitely don''t think that she''d notice if you dropped in color, either. that could save you quite a bit of money!
 
I think you picked two stunners -- but if I were your GF and I wanted size I think you''ve got the perfect match in the James Allen F/SI2. I do agree with the other posters that you could probably drop down in color with an ideal cut diamond and your GF would likely not notice the difference.

Good luck!
 
Have you checked the James Allen stone is eyeclean to your own specifications (distance, angles, lighting)?

If it is, then it''s a great diamond.

As an alternative, I found a 0.82ct I VS2 for $3417 which is a lovely diamond and will face up nice & white due to the cut. This is about the biggest I can get for that kind of money in my searches.

The WF stone is lovely. :)

Maybe the Good Old Gold one can please both of you? ;)

x x x
 
I totally agree that you should really SEE a well cut G or H. The difference between F and J WILL be apparent, but the difference between F and G, especially in a really well cut stone, should not be. G color (and usually H) will be perfectly white in a round. That way, you could go BIGGER for her and not sacrifice sparkle either. You are very right that cut is the most important and if you go with one of these vendors, you can''t go wrong!
 
Ditto going for a ideal cut G Si1 stone and maximising the size. If your gf really wants close to the 1ct mark, I would drop the colour and maximise size just to avoid disappointments. Also, I would recommend WF due to their excellent customer service and upgrade policies etc. If you find your gf is unhappy you could always swap it for something more along her preferences for size.
 
Your settings are really nice! I would definitely go for something closer to the 1 carat mark. Especially if you think size is important to her. That setting would look stunning with a 1 carat stone. I too think you should come down in color. H or I could get you into the size you want. Maybe you could take her out and show her some H or I colors that are not sitting next to an E. These colors look really white to me. If the budget is tight, and size is important, you may want to go just below an "Ideal" cut. Excellent cuts that fall just short of the Ideal mark can be real sparklers too. Well, good luck on your search!
 
If a carat knocked her socks off, I would try to get as close as possible and you will ''make her happy'' as you desire. It is probable that she will not be able to see the difference between a G and an F - wouldn''t go lower than that if she is sensitive. An SI2 is not necessarily horribly ''flawed'' - you just have to know what to look for as not all Si2s are equal. Realize that clarity grading is done at 10x magnification, so if you magnify any of the stones enough they will be ''flawed'' - consider it a birthmark from mother earth. Just find one that is pleasing/acceptable to your eyes.

Consider
$3936 0.92 G si2
http://www.bluenile.com/round-diamond-1-carat-or-less-ideal-cut-g-color-si2-clarity_LD01291914?filter_id=0


$3981 0.93 Gsi1 (with strong blue fluoro, yum - can actually make it appear whiter)
http://www.bluenile.com/round-diamond-1-carat-or-less-ideal-cut-g-color-si1-clarity_LD01378626?filter_id=0

Blue Nile does not offer IS images, but they can be pretty honest with you if you call them and explain your concerns - for stones they don''t have physically present in house they will place them on hold for you while they get information for you. THey do have a very nice long return period.
You need to check how eyeclean they are (making sure they define what eyeclean means), and if the fluoro affects the stone in any negative way (rare to happen but need to check - it is unlikely the fluoro is negatively affecting this one as they often discount for negative effects from fluoro)

I looked at Wink''s website and see one larger stone, out of your budget (and an H color) that I would love to post but won''t bc I don''t want to make you go over budget!

You also may want to look at this one which is a 1.08 carat G AGS0 for $3480 -it is an I1 clarity, but there are some rare ''eyeclean'' I1s - call James Allen and ask why it got I1 and about eyecleanliness - this one may be a real find. It looks to me like it has definite eyeclean potential.
http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/G-I1-Ideal-Cut-Round-Diamond-1087021.asp?b=16&a=12&c=77&cid=131
 
Count me as yet another person in favor of dropping down in color to a G or so and sticking with an S1 clarity stone.
 
I just bought a 0.826ct F SI2 (eye-clean) AGS0-Ideal H&A (scores 1.0 on HCA) for $3415. so if you keep looking you might find bigger stones at better deals. 0.8ct range are sometimes hard to come by tho. i dunno what youre time constraints are but thats just imho
 
G color is the way to go. In my honest opinion, F is the worst price/value trade in diamonds. If you want colorless, go with a D and get a much smaller stone. F and G are identical. Most G colors get sent back to GIA and other graders grade them F's. Many F colors are really G's. No F's are D's.

So I think the increase in size you can get for a G vs an F will definitely make your GF happy.
 
A well cut I or even J is going to look much, much whiter than a so so cut at Shane Co. Also, keep in mind that Whiteflash has a great upgrade policy, which means if you or she wants to go bigger in the future, you can trade in your diamond and get the full purchase price towards another one.

Also, ACAs are hard to beat for cut, and the ACA you chose is probably better cut than the James Allen diamond, as GIA doesn''t grade for light performance and AGS (lab that grades ACAs) does.
 
Did you check out Whiteflash''s Expert Selection line? They have several .8 and .9 G, H and I diamonds in your budget. Some of the ES diamonds are very close to ACA, so it''s worth having a look. I got two ES I VS2s that were almost ACAs for earrings and they face up extremely white.
 
Thanks for all your advice and now thinking more towards a G color

any thoughts on this one?




Stone

G Color
SI
.91ct
EX, EX, EX
 
Date: 8/15/2008 9:07:59 AM
Author: stone_seeker
G color is the way to go. In my honest opinion, F is the worst price/value trade in diamonds. If you want colorless, go with a D and get a much smaller stone. F and G are identical. Most G colors get sent back to GIA and other graders grade them F''s. Many F colors are really G''s. No F''s are D''s.

So I think the increase in size you can get for a G vs an F will definitely make your GF happy.
Click to expand...
F and G really aren''t identical.

Yes, there is a range of colours that diamonds come in - and all diamonds fall somewhere on that scale. Some F-colour stones may be whiter than others, depending on whether or not they are closer to an E or a G... but they are still definitely F colour, because they are neither white enough to be an E, nor tinted enough to be a G.

Colour grading *is* subjective, and a stone that is graded one grade by one lab may be graded differently by another - either up or down. However, this is true for ALL colour grades.. not just for Fs.

It may be difficult for some people to tell the difference between F and G colour stones... but others can tell the difference easily. Just becaus it can be hard to distinguish between two colour grades does not make them the same.

If they were the same there would not be such a great price difference between the two - it is not for nothing that we pay more for higher colours.

x x x
 
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