Please help select 2 ct. diamond.

[ragrave]

Hi everyone,

This is my first time posting here. I plan to purpose my girlfriend soon but can't find the diamond yet.
I am looking for 2-2.5 carat round diamond, excellent/ideal cut, VS2, H or I color.
My prince range is between 20,000-25,000. I found two diamonds that might be good

http://www.jamesallen.com/loose-diamonds/round-cut/2.20-carat-h-color-vs1-clarity-excellent-cut-sku-583946
Total Visual Performance0.7 - Excellent within TIC range

http://www.jamesallen.com/loose-diamonds/round-cut/2.03-carat-g-color-vs2-clarity-excellent-cut-sku-541450
Total Visual Performance2.8 - Very Good - Worth buying if the price is right

I think the first one is better. Also my local Kay jewelry outlet told me that they will have promotion for next week: every $1000 I spend, I get $300 gift card. However, their diamonds are so expensive. http://design.kayoutlet-diamonds.com/loose-diamonds-search
Last time I talked to them, they offered me about 20-25% from the price shown in the link above.
The similar diamonds to JameAllens's are cost about $40,000 at Kay Jewerly.
Let assume that I can negotiate it down to $32,000 plus $9,600 gift card. Is it worth it to spend extra for their warranty? I read the review and did not see any good thing about their warranty.


Which way do you recommend?

 

[sugarski]

Whatever you do, don't buy a diamond from Kay Jewelers! James Allen is much better.

Get an ideal cut, not necessarily super-ideal, but "very good" cut is not good enough.

This one seems great to me within your parameters, though I am not one of the PS experts at all:
http://www.jamesallen.com/loose-diamonds/round-cut/2.01-carat-i-color-vs2-clarity-ideal-cut-sku-597146

 

[UrsTx]

I echo sugarski's comment about not buying from Kay. As you've discovered by price comparing with James Allen, you're overpaying when you don't have to.

I like the first JA diamond you listed, the H color with faint fluorescence. I think you should call them to research it more if you're interested. JA also has a great 30-day, 100% refund, free shipping return policy if you don't like it. I also like that they offer GIA and AGS certified stones. I'm not sure what you were looking at at Kay's but I know they use GSI (and GIA but for a higher price).

I must add I've never made a purchase from JA but other PSers have and their diamonds/rings are beautiful. Good luck!

 

[UrsTx]

Oh and let me talk about the Kay warranty. If you get your own insurance on the diamond and setting, you don't need a "warranty." Insurance covers theft, usually mysterious loss, and repairs.

The Kay warranty will give you (if you buy the setting from them) free ring sizing, free rhodium re-plating for white gold settings (so it's a waste if you have yellow gold or platinum, plus rhodium dipping costs about $50 so it's not unaffordable), and they'll replace the little diamonds that can fall out of the setting from time to time, if the setting has any. If you buy the center diamond plus the setting from them, the warranty also replaces the center stone if it falls out of the setting - but not theft/loss of the ring so you'll still need insurance.

And if you don't bring your ring in every six months for an inspection, you'll void the Kay warranty.

So I say get insurance and skip the warranty.

 

[hearts-arrows_girl]

I love the 2.20. It looks amazing! I didn't care much for the other one you posted. I like a smaller table.

 

[MissGotRocks]

I too like the 2.20. If you are really interested in it, place it on hold as there are lots of lurkers around.

DO NOT buy from Kay Jewelers - no matter what gimmicks they have, in the long run you will be overpaying for a stone.

 

[diamondseeker2006]

The 2.20 H looks beautiful! But you might want to choose three stones and then ask JA to provide you with idealscope images and post them here. That will help narrow them down further.

 

[KobiD]

Another vote the 2.2 from JA looks like a winner.

 

[ragrave]

Thank you. I already told the lady at Kay that I was not going to buy from them.