Please help with an $8500 budget

[The sun is shining]

Hello all!

I am looking for a diamond within an $8500 budget (lower if it can be managed!). My preferences are size, Cut, clarity (no lower than Si1, unless the Si2 is TDF!) and GIA cert. The colour part is where I am hazy as I am not sure exactly how colour sensitive I am. I had thought I wanted an "I", but now, as I search, I can get a heck of a stone if I drop the colour.

I have found this stone

1.78, K, SI1
62.3% Depth,
55% Table,
Crown 36*
Pav 46.0*
Cut Grade – Excellent,
Polish – Excellent,
Symmetry – Excellent,
Faint Fluorescence, No Culet, Medium to Slightly Thick Faceted Girdle, the diamond measures 7.76 x 7.71 x 4.82mm.

My concern with this stone is the colour - Though the Flour might make it "whiter"

For a smaller stone almost within the parameters, but for the cert is this one
1.46 I SI1
62% Depth
55% Table
35.1° Crown
40.8° Pavillion
dimensions 7.28-7.31x4.52
AGS

Both seem to come up well on the HCA.

Advice?
Opinions?
Stone suggestions?

Thanks!

 

[stone-cold11]

The K stone has a PA of 46.0???

Or is that 40.6?

Both numbers look good. Is there an Idealscope image available?

 

[stone-cold11]

This look like a nice J SI1, just outside your budget after discount.

http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/J-VS2-Ideal-Cut-Round-Diamond-1260801.asp

Request an Idealscope image from JA and ask if it is eye-clean if you are interested in it.

 

[The sun is shining]

40.6 :p!!Whoops.


I will email Them and ask. thanks!

 

[yssie]

I''ve read here that you need med fluor to see a difference, generally.

That said, I think the K is a fantastic deal!

Something to consider, perhaps, if it applies: I have darker skin (looks like it''s perpetually tanned) and it makes even my ex/ex/ex lower J diamonds look stark white, even with the plat settings. Any colour you see from the side is generally attributed to reflections from my skin, or something.

 

[The sun is shining]

Yssie, I am envious of you! My skin is so white I almost burn just by looking at the sun!

I was wondering about the whole flour thing... Although I have emailed the vendor to ask for some picture.

Thanks for the advice!

 

[LadyLilac]

Hi Sun-
I''m no expert, but my "priorities" were very similar to yours when we were diamond hunting, so I wanted to pitch in with your search! I found the following stone that may be something for you to look into.

1.83 K SI1
GIA cert
Ex cut
61.3 depth/55 table/thin to medium girdle
VG polish/VG symmetry
Strong Blue Flouresence
7.88-7.95x4.85
It is listed on the buydiamonddirect.com website for $7,676.39

A strong blue flouresence will likely improve the apparent color of this stone by one or two color grades. We purchased an L color stone with VSB flouresence from Roni at BuyDiamondDirect.com and could not be happier! It''s apparent color in virtually all lighting conditions is in the H-I range.

We knew exactly what I wanted, and walked away unbelievably happy and spending much less that we would have elsewhere. BUT, we did take a risk... Roni does NOT do photos/IS/ASET/etc. He will hold your hand, and tell you everything about the stone, but the reason his prices are so low is that his overhead is so low. You can return the stone for any reason after you recieve it, but you''ll incur the shipping charges.

However, if you like this stone but want to see ASET/IS, etc. you could definately see if a different vendor would bring it in and you would probably still end up under your $8,500 budget.

Good luck with your search!

 

[The sun is shining]

Ok - this if the1.71 J VS2 IS

 

[The sun is shining]

Here is 40x Magnification - They don''t have an IS for it.

 

[The sun is shining]

And another

 

[The sun is shining]

Oh.. and the 1.46 has sold.

 

[The sun is shining]

I am so forgettful today!

The 40x mags are of the K 1.78. Please accept my apologies for the confusion.

 

[stone-cold11]

How close are the camera from the stone? That is quite a bit of shadow on the first pic.

The JA stone''s IS looks good to me.