Ready to buy - but which one????

[rxfudd]

I'm the med student with the small budget who posted a few days ago - I've narrowed my search to these few diamonds. Please remember that my budget is about $1000-1100 for the diamond alone, but I'd go up a bit if everyone thinks it's really necessary and that it would be worth my money. Please tell me which you would pick and why:

- Round, GIA graded, 0.50 carat, ideal cut (H&A), color H, clarity SI2, 60.2% depth, 57% table, $987.00
- Round, GIA graded, 0.59 carat, ideal cut (H&A), color I, clarity SI2, 60.0% depth, 56% table, $1169.00
- Round, GIA graded, 0.51 carat, ideal cut (NOT H&A), color G, clarity SI2, 61.9% depth, 57% table, $1020.00
- Round, GIA graded, 0.53 carat, ideal cut (NOT H&A), color I, clarity SI2, Depth 60.1%, table 57%, $1058.00

I know that these four diamonds are very, very similar - I suppose that's why I'm having such a hard time, since the $200 between the lowest and highest priced diamond of the four is the difference between being in and out of my budget. What do you think? Between choices 1 and 2, is the extra 0.09 carats balanced by the extra price and lower color? Or should I take the intermediate route (choice 3 or 4), which is not H&A but has a lower price and decent numbers? Thanks very much.

 

[MichelleCarmen]

Hi,

I wouldn't pick ANY of them. Sorry, but SI2 is just too low of clarity, IMO, for an eng. ring. You're paying a bit of a premium for a stone weighing over .5 and so, I'd go under this weight, around .45, H&A with better clarity.

Michelle

 

[phoenixgirl]

I'd go for the 0.59 I SI2, as long as it is reasonably eye clean. The color will be negligible in difference but the size is 18% bigger. Plus I'd go for a H&A over a non H&A sight unseen any day.

 

[caratgirl]

I beg to differ, on a stone that size, an SI2 should be just fine! I have an SI2 stone that is 1.5 carats (pre-upgrade, probably will become pendant), and the positioning on the one feather flaw is such that it is only visible from the pavilion side. There are some really great SI2's out there. If you want more info from the vendor, just ask them to fax you the enlarged map of the flaws.

 

[Hest88]

I've also go for the .59---if you can truly afford it. I'm not an advocate of guys going into debt to buy a ring. If you can't afford it, the .50 H&A.

 

[pqcollectibles]

Hey RX

CaratGirl is right. Smaller stones can be 100% eye clean at SI2.

Don't worry about the size. After you're set up in practice and pulling down the big buck$ you can buy her the diamond of her dreams. Check for a vendor with 100% life-time upgrades so if she will even consider parting with this diamond, you will have that toward your next purchase.

Consider the H&A's first. They will be the sparkliest.

Check with the vendors about the inclusions, types (white, black carbon, feather) and locations in any/all of the diamonds. Have the vendors fax/email you copies of the inclusions plots and Sarin info so you can crunch the HCA. GIA runs Sarin on diamonds they Cert so it's just a phone call for the vendor to get that info. In an H&A or Ideal Cut, I color is not going to be a problem even if you are thinking white gold or platinum set. Look at the diameters, the first 2 numbers of the physical measurements. You want those to be as close as possible. Don't want an out of round diamond.

Ideal Cuts don't look like a regular cut of the same carat weight. I have a .766 carat with the diameter of most 1 carat Maul store cuts. In fact, mine is .15 mm larger than a .9 carat that was posted this past week. While .15 mm sounds small on paper, it is visually larger in real life.

Best of luck to you. Sounds like you have 4 candidates that could give you a good shot at THE winner that will knock her socks off!

 

[Giangi]

A 1/2 ct SI 2 diamond should be eyeclean... I'd go for the 0.59 too... can you post additional data?

 

[Giangi]

A 1/2 ct SI 2 diamond should be eyeclean... I'd go for the 0.59 too... can you post additional data?

 

[Spyder]

Have you considered a princess cut? On a tight budget, a princess cut can look bigger because of the square diagonal.