Ring shopping soon! WWYD?

[karpouzi]

We are going ring shopping next week!

I've been on PS for a while now and it's given me plenty of time to think about what I want. I've decided on an elegant solitaire and just found out that the budget for the stone is about $2000. This seems perfect to me and I think we'll be able to get something really nice.

I really want something around 3/4 carat, ideally a 6mm or larger round. To stay within the budget, this obviously means compromising on cut, color, and/or clarity. I definitely want the best cut possible, especially considering that a great cut will compensate for lower color and clarity, at least to some degree. So my question for you is, would you compromise on color (to the K-L-M area) or clarity (SI2 or even I1 depending on the type and location of inclusions)? I kind of go both ways on this. On the one hand, a lower color isn't a flaw, it's just a preference. On the other hand, color affects the entire stone, while clarity only affects a small portion of it.

(I know I could post this in Rocky Talky, but I feel that LIWs can relate more because it's more imminent for us IYKWIM. It's easy for people in Rocky Talky, who already have their diamonds and maybe even have upgraded a few times, to say, "oh, you should get a 0.3 carat in the best possible cut, color, etc. etc." because they aren't the ones who'll be wearing it!)

If you had this dilemma, what would/did you do?

 

[Agent P]

If I were searching for my ering for the first time and had $2000 I would get the largest ideal cut stone I could with lower color and since you are looking for a round I would go with SI1 or better clarity. If it were me I would pick one like this:

http://www.exceldiamonds.com/Loose_...Carat_L_Color_SI1_Clarity_diamond-583799.html

I'm sure a lot of experts would probably disagree but it's all about personal preference IMHO.

 

[slg47]

We are going ring shopping next week!

I've been on PS for a while now and it's given me plenty of time to think about what I want. I've decided on an elegant solitaire and just found out that the budget for the stone is about $2000. This seems perfect to me and I think we'll be able to get something really nice.

I really want something around 3/4 carat, ideally a 6mm or larger round. To stay within the budget, this obviously means compromising on cut, color, and/or clarity. I definitely want the best cut possible, especially considering that a great cut will compensate for lower color and clarity, at least to some degree. So my question for you is, would you compromise on color (to the K-L-M area) or clarity (SI2 or even I1 depending on the type and location of inclusions)? I kind of go both ways on this. On the one hand, a lower color isn't a flaw, it's just a preference. On the other hand, color affects the entire stone, while clarity only affects a small portion of it.

(I know I could post this in Rocky Talky, but I feel that LIWs can relate more because it's more imminent for us IYKWIM. It's easy for people in Rocky Talky, who already have their diamonds and maybe even have upgraded a few times, to say, "oh, you should get a 0.3 carat in the best possible cut, color, etc. etc." because they aren't the ones who'll be wearing it!)

If you had this dilemma, what would/did you do?

have you seen diamond colors in person? that can help you decide if you are OK with K/L/M.

$2000 can get you this ideal cut 0.73 carat J VS2 diamond that is upgradable (wire price $2089, ask for PS discount)
http://www.briangavindiamonds.com/diamond/diamond-detail/?product_id=AGS-104049771015

or this 0.84 K SI2 for $1670
http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/K-SI2-Ideal-Cut-Round-Diamond-1346321.asp

I would definitely go look in person and see what your color tolerances are. I think you can get something lovely in your budget without compromising too much!

 

[suchende]

I personally would take inclusions over K-L-M which is just too yellowed for my taste. I really like inclusions though, depending on their shape, placement and nature. As I have posted about many times, I have an I/I1 right hand ring and I can only see inclusions sometimes, in some lighting, and I like being able to pick them out once in a while. They don't really interfere with sparkle. I start being able to notice face-up color at J/K and I don't particularly care for it. I think the type of inclusion and where it is matters a lot more than the terminology.

What I'd do with your budget:
http://www.goodoldgold.com/diamond/5122/

 

[confusedaisy]

Ooh! I like the Brian Gavin slg posted. You get the size you want and J isn't too much of a compromise. Plus having the option to upgrade later is a big bonus. Either way- so excited you're at that stage now!

 

[captainmcgee]

Congrats first of all!

If it were me (and it was) I would compromise on clarity. I would definitely be looking at SI2 maybe even I1 depending on the inclusions and get the best possible cut and then color. I ended up with a triple ex, E color and compromised on the clarity to get exactly what I was after and it couldn't have turned out better

Good luck, keep us posted!

 

[hearts-arrows_girl]

I would probably go somewhere in the middle and get a Very Good cut with VG - EX polish and symmetry, G-I color, and SI1 - SI2 clarity. I did some reading and Very Good cuts can be VERY sparkly.

Or maybe look at getting an estate ring. I know Tiffany resale rings go for about 1/3 their original price if you buy from the original owner. I got my T&Co eternity band for about 1/3 the cost of a new one.

Good luck with your search.

 

[shihtzulover]

I would probably want to look at the differences in person, to see what I truly preferred. I would go around to lots of different jewelry stores, and see what they had to offer. Even if I didn't actually buy from them (since they usually tend to be more expensive than Internet vendors), that would at least give me an idea of what I liked the most. Some people are super color-sensitive, and some are more bothered by inclusions. Some really love to see that ideal cut grade, and others think that GIA diamonds with 'very good' cut grades are absolutely gorgeous, and that they don't sparkle any less (or maybe just a slight difference) than GIA excellent cuts or even AGS ideals.

Also, remember that you'll be wearing the diamond, and not the grading report. You should definitely use the report as a guide, and I recommend only looking at diamonds with reports (so that you at least know exactly what you're looking at), but I believe that you should let your eyes make the final decision. Just be sure to look at all different types of diamonds (different colors next to each other, and ideal cuts next to lesser cut grades), so that you can adequately compare them. Also, if possible, try to look at them in all different types of lighting, since jewelry stores have spotlighting that makes every diamond look amazing.

I think that it's a bit riskier to buy a lesser cut grade on the Internet, because you then can't rely on your own eyes to make the decision (since it's impossible to tell how much a diamond actually sparkles without seeing yourself). Because of this, if you do decide to buy online, I would definitely purchase from a very reputable vendor, preferably with IS/ASET images, and with a good return policy.

Good luck, and happy shopping!

 

[karpouzi]

This is all great advice, thank you ladies so much! We're going to look at stones this week, and I'll remember to keep an open mind, even though I'm not sure how well I trust my eyes to pick out the best stones.

 

[suchende]

This is all great advice, thank you ladies so much! We're going to look at stones this week, and I'll remember to keep an open mind, even though I'm not sure how well I trust my eyes to pick out the best stones.

You should trust your eyes to see what you like! Just make sure to push them to let you look at them under a lighting other than showroom lighting (by the window or something). Don't get so worked up about the "best" stone. Get a stone with characteristics that appeal to you.

 

[MayFlowers]

This is all great advice, thank you ladies so much! We're going to look at stones this week, and I'll remember to keep an open mind, even though I'm not sure how well I trust my eyes to pick out the best stones.

You should trust your eyes to see what you like! Just make sure to push them to let you look at them under a lighting other than showroom lighting (by the window or something). Don't get so worked up about the "best" stone. Get a stone with characteristics that appeal to you.

Big ditto! You may have certain characteristics you are looking for, but keep an open mind because you just might see a diamond and fall in love with it, even if it doesn't meet your requirements!

 

[karpouzi]

Update!

We went to look at stones over the weekend. The store that we chose is very focused on cut, but she was showing us stones that were out of our budget and still smaller than I wanted, because they were high colors. I asked for a lower color and she showed me an I. I was beginning to think it was hopeless, but then she started flipping through her box of diamonds and muttering out loud to herself, and I heard her say "N."

I said, "Did you say N? Can we see it?" She said, "Sure, but you're not going to like it."

I think my mind was made up right then and there. No one tells me what I like and don't like! She showed us the N, an Infinity of just over a carat, and it was gorgeous. Definitely tinted, but just beautiful... well, it's an Infinity.

It was still out of our price range, but once I saw the N, I knew what to do. So we are seeing if they can get in a diamond I saw on their website, a 0.86 L/VS2 with faint fluorescence, GIA triple-ex with a 1.6 HCA score. I don't know why I'm saying "we" because I asked her to communicate with my FF from now on (and I instantly regretted it!). Now to go reread that thread on how to keep from snooping...

 

[Winks_Elf]

I personally would not go lower than an SI1 in clarity (SI2 if it's AGS graded ideal cut), and indented naturals are complete deal breakers for me (that's just my pet peeve...don't like feeling the groove). Even a P-Q-R colored diamond can be very cool in a yellow gold setting if the cut is screamin'.

If your budget for the entire ring is $2k, perhaps looking to vintage and estate jewelry is for you. Are there any antique shops nearby that specialize in vintage jewelry? There are even good deals to be found on like at places like New York Estate Jewelry, Perry's in Charlotte, NC (although they tend to be a bit pricey), Antique Engagement Rings, and a few other places. There's also flower or cluster rings, cocktail rings, and precious gem rings like sapphire or spinel, which would give you more bang for the buck. There are really a lot of options for rings under $2k. You just need to get creative in where you shop.