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Please help me pick the perfect diamond!

ssayssup

Rough_Rock
Joined
Oct 26, 2011
Messages
8
Hi All!

This is my first post and I admittedly know nothing so please don't flame. I plan to propose to my girlfriend of 5 years in the beginning of December and I've just started researching engagement rings.

Here is my story: My girlfriend has zero clue that I am going to propose. We have discussed marriage some over the last few years but nothing to make her think I would propose now. I plan to keep it that way and therefore cannot get any information from her or her friends. I plan to pick out the best ring I can from a place that allows for returns so that she can return it and get her perfect ring if she so chooses. My price is somewhere in the 5 - 8K range.

I looked at JA and came across three diamonds around 6K that I think would work for me. What do you guys think? Can I do better?

I think I'm looking for a round stone ideal cut, G-H in color, anything SI2 or higher. I want to get her something in the 1 - 1.25 carat range.

Ring 1

Ring 2

Ring 3
 
hi and welcome! I know you want to keep it a surprise, but it might be worth finding out if she even wants a round diamond.

The three you selected might not be eye-clean.
 
I realize I probably should ask her so I can make an informed decision but I really want it to come as a complete surprise. If I ask her anything she will know that I plan on proposing soon.

A big factor in the place I choose to purchase from will be the return policy. My plan is to do the best I can and put her in a position where she can return it and start over to pick her perfect diamond / setting. There is a chance that she loves the diamond I get simply because I picked it which is why I want to do as much research and pick the best diamond I can. However, I'd really like her to be able to get exactly what she wants.

Do you think this is a bad idea? Are the return policies at these places not as good as they seem?

The reason I'm shooting for a round stone is because it seems the most common. Would you recommend a different type?
 
no, round is definitely the most common. however, some women specifically do not like round diamonds. you can return, but I doubt you can return the setting. plus, she might feel bad about returning something that you put a lot of thought into. if you want the proposal to be a surprise, have you considered proposing without a ring? or maybe you could take her browsing to see what she likes?
 
I've considered shopping around for a ring with her but there is really no good way to do it without giving up the surprise. And I've considered proposing without a ring but I really don't think it would go off as well.

The most important thing to me is that she is completely caught off guard. I understand that I might not be able to return the setting and I'm ok throwing away a few hundred dollars to make it a complete surprise. I think I can explain to her that she can have something different after the shock of it wears off the next day and I think she will take some time to look around and see what she falls in love with.

That being said, I took a closer look at the rings I posted above and understand what you mean by not being eye clean. I thought that was the purpose of the clarity rating. So its possible to have a higher clarity rating and still not be eye clean? I thought that SI1 and SI2 would look clean to my uninformed naked eye.
 
ssayssup|1319740011|3048846 said:
I've considered shopping around for a ring with her but there is really no good way to do it without giving up the surprise. And I've considered proposing without a ring but I really don't think it would go off as well.

The most important thing to me is that she is completely caught off guard. I understand that I might not be able to return the setting and I'm ok throwing away a few hundred dollars to make it a complete surprise. I think I can explain to her that she can have something different after the shock of it wears off the next day and I think she will take some time to look around and see what she falls in love with.

That being said, I took a closer look at the rings I posted above and understand what you mean by not being eye clean. I thought that was the purpose of the clarity rating. So its possible to have a higher clarity rating and still not be eye clean? I thought that SI1 and SI2 would look clean to my uninformed naked eye.

SI1 and SI2 may be eye-clean but may not be eye-clean...you have to evaluate on an individual basis.
 
You need to call JA and ask them if they are eye-clean or not. Tell them you are a Pricescoper.
 
tyty333|1319754914|3048983 said:
You need to call JA and ask them if they are eye-clean or not. Tell them you are a Pricescoper.

Thanks for your note. I emailed them this morning and have not heard back. I will give them a call tomorrow.
 
Hi everyone,

I had some back and forth with JA and was finally able to get a few diamonds that I think might work. Let me know your thoughts on these three. The 1.07 diamond she refers to is the second URL and the one that looks the most clean to me (from the picture).

--QUOTE
http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/H-SI1-Good-Cut-Round-Diamond-1423164.asp

http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/H-SI2-Ideal-Cut-Round-Diamond-1389375.asp

http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/H-SI2-Ideal-Cut-Round-Diamond-1431472.asp

All of these are completely eye-clean and fall within all the Ideal ranges. Personally, I really like diamond 1389375 (The 1.07ct) because it has great measurements ensure a beautiful wide spread and large appearance and is priced well below other similar diamonds. It is also very brilliant and will face a nice icy white. You get a lot more diamond for great value. Let me know your thoughts as well as if you have a setting in mind or if you want me to help you with that as well.

--END QUOTE

Thanks!
 
The inclusions on the first would bother me. Is that an inclusion at 4 o'clock or dust? Seems like that would be fairly glaring on the diamond in person and might not meet your definition of eyeclean.

The second and the third look eyeclean - I prefer the look of the third personally.

First scores 2.4 on HCA, Second scores 1.9, was not able to get the report/numbers on the third. Seems to say the first should be rejected due to poor performance.
 
Thanks for your feedback. I am going to go back and ask them to send me more that are eye clean. Based on the picture, I agree that the first one does not look to be eye clean. Just so I know, what makes you prefer the third over the second?

Thanks again!
 
While I'm no expert, the arrows on the second stone bother me, esp the ones at 8 and 10 o'clock. While GIA says its excellent symmetry (and just a GIA XXX overall), the symmetry somehow seems off to the naked eye. I prefer the AGS 000 - but at the same time, its possible that the second stone is tilted/off center in the picture which is making the arrows look wonky. I know neither are H&A diamonds but the third seems to have cleaner arrows.
And its very possible that you would not be able to tell any visible difference in the arrows in person or see them at all in many lights.
 
#1 would not be a contender for me because of it's cut grading of "very good". Stick with Ideal for AGS or Excellent for GIA, like the other two stones. Not sure which one I would pick between those two, though for some reason I am finding myself a bit more drawn to the AGS stone...however, let's see what the resident experts have to say! You might also want to ask your contact at JA what his/her definition of eye-clean is...especially since these are SI2 stones.
 
Please post an idealscope of the GIA, but I really like the AGS stone.
 
no, round is definitely the most common.
 
I pick 2. Interesting that they cut shorter lower halves on 1, given the obvious goal of reaching that 1ct mark, but... in any case the depth translates into less horizontal dimension (so, smaller from face-up). And I would want the report on 3 before considering it - typos wrt carat, colour, clarity, price, wrong pic are possible on any website, for one thing.

Decide what eyeclean means to *you*. Clean from 6" face-up? from 12? from the sides as well? and ask if the stone(s) meet your specific requirements, as kal says different vendors have different in-house definitions of the word 'eyeclean' that may or may not match your specifications.


LJL - GIA/AGS don't actually consider optical symmetry at all in their cut grading, only 'physical' (facet-meet) symmetry. Obviously physical symmetry has *some* effect on optical symmetry, but there have been a couple of rare exhibits on here with vg symmetry on the report and clear arrows and hearts patterns!
 
Thanks Yssie! I was hoping a pro would explain that. I imagine those VGs w H&A would be big steals.
 
Thanks again to everyone for helping me through this. I took your responses and worked with JA to come up with a few more diamonds:

http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/H-SI2-Ideal-Cut-Round-Diamond-1389375.asp
http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/F-SI2-Ideal-Cut-Round-Diamond-1430013.asp
http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/H-SI2-Ideal-Cut-Round-Diamond-1431472.asp

I asked them to put these on hold and send them to a gemologist for review. Here is the response:

I have great news for you. After evaluating these diamonds, our gemologist concluded that diamond 1430013 is your best option. This diamond has the best brilliance and fire of your selections and predictable has the whitest color performance. It is also eye clean to the unaided eye, because the inclusions blend well.

Diamond 1389375 is our second choice. This diamond is cleanest of the SI2 diamonds you are considering. It is eye clean to the unaided eye, and have very good brilliance with nice fire. It also has mid to high H color performance.

Diamond 1431472 is simply not recommended. This diamond is visibly hazy from the twinning wisps throughout it. It is not as bright as your other selections, and it has the warmest color tone.

Based on this information would you choose 1430013 or 1389375? I was thinking 1389375 b/c of the size but I think I'll now go with 1430013 unless anyone sees a major issue.
 
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