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Second Guessing Lab- Please help me find a Natural Oval

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Win04ever

Rough_Rock
Joined
Aug 3, 2018
Messages
18
Greetings from NE,
My boyfriend and I are getting ready to purchase our diamond. For the past 3 months, I’ve been seriously considering lab made ovals. The reason for lab was because I was under the impression it would be significantly cheaper. The below are the specs to the lab diamond we currently have on hold:

1.08 CARAT
8.05 x 5.97 x 3.64 mm
SI2
Excellent Cut
Excellent Polish & Symmetry
Table 56.5%
Crown 15.5 %
Pavilion Depth: 42%
Girdle: medium
Culet: pointed
Total depth: 61%
No fluorescence

The most appealing part to me is the price of $2300. The person selling the diamond said it was extremely sparkly and a high I.

I am hoping to get this setting in rose gold. I was quoted $620 for the semi mount and $45 for the actual service. https://www.stuller.com/products/bu...ion&recommendationId=194355#/mounting-options

Pretty excited I could be getting what appears to be a sparkly engagement ring for our max budget of $3,000. However, now I’m having second thoughts on my lab diamond and used the search function to find a natural rock. I haven’t really researched this (since I thought I would be priced out), but would you please able to help me source a natural oval to rival the one I found?

Thank you.
 
OoohShiny said:
If you are happy with MMD/LGD, you should ask @Rhino if his August Vintage Inc. Opulence Ovals are going to be cut in man-made stones - he has announced he will be using MMD/LGD (which is awesome!) and the Opulence Ovals are cut to stop any bow-tie negative effects, so it sounds like it would be a perfect solution for you if he is going to cut them in MMD :)

https://www.instagram.com/p/BokDuXZHlKO/?taken-by=augustvintage

https://www.instagram.com/p/Bn6l5YhAOto/?taken-by=augustvintage
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Thank you! It am definitely opened to MMD. It is just that it appears that there are some natural stones within my price range. I’m also beginning to feel that paying for a lab diamond may be wasteful if only for $200 more I could get a natural stone.

Unsure if I should be applying the same parameters of my MMD search into a natural stone and just pay a few hundred more. Hope that makes sense
 
My gut instinct is that you will struggle to find a 1ct natural in any shape if you actually want it to look nice! lol

Check out James Allen and Blue Nile, though - they are some of the cheaper PS-recommended vendors and they have videos too. (You can't really buy fancy shapes off the specs/numbers - it's all about how the faceting works :) )
 
OoohShiny said:
My gut instinct is that you will struggle to find a 1ct natural in any shape if you actually want it to look nice! lol

Check out James Allen and Blue Nile, though - they are some of the cheaper PS-recommended vendors and they have videos too. (You can't really buy fancy shapes off the specs/numbers - it's all about how the faceting works :) )
Click to expand...

I totally understand. I was just reviewing a video and the diamond appeared brown... and then when I selected greyscale, that’s where I saw a shiny clear diamond.

https://www.b2cjewels.com/dd/11955578/Oval-Diamond-J-Color-VS2-Clarity

I’m getting worried that allll of these videos I saw prior to picking my MMD were using grayscale and that’s why the diamond appeared so white.
 
Win04ever said:
I totally understand. I was just reviewing a video and the diamond appeared brown... and then when I selected greyscale, that’s where I saw a shiny clear diamond.

https://www.b2cjewels.com/dd/11955578/Oval-Diamond-J-Color-VS2-Clarity

I’m getting worried that allll of these videos I saw prior to picking my MMD were using grayscale and that’s why the diamond appeared so white.
Click to expand...

To add- I have seen in person I IGI rated RB diamonds and didn’t see any brown. I was told by many that I could go as low as a J in color so long as I use a rose gold setting.
 
Win04ever said:
To add- I have seen in person I IGI rated RB diamonds and didn’t see any brown. I was told by many that I could go as low as a J in color so long as I use a rose gold setting.
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not all "lower" colored diamonds have a brown tone. Some are more yellowish. I wouldn't ever go to IGI, because their grading system isn't as accurate. I would only consider GIA and AGS graded stones for that reason (with a few exceptions from extremely trusted vendors).
 
lovedogs said:
not all "lower" colored diamonds have a brown tone. Some are more yellowish. I wouldn't ever go to IGI, because their grading system isn't as accurate. I would only consider GIA and AGS graded stones for that reason (with a few exceptions from extremely trusted vendors).
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Understood, I wonder if the lights in the jewelry store made them appear better than they are

Do you mind if I ask your thoughts on this JA?
https://www.jamesallen.com/mobile/loose-diamonds/oval-cut/1.01-carat-h-color-i1-clarity-sku-5055697
 
Win04ever said:
Then definitely won’t! Thanks for that.. how about this?

https://www.bluenile.com/diamond-details/LD11404167?

refTab=DIAMONDS&track=viewDiamondDetails&action=newTab&catalogView=true
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Since you are open to brown tint how about this one, it will face up larger than the bluenile one you are considering.

https://www.jamesallen.com/loose-diamonds/oval-cut/0.91-carat-j-color-si2-clarity-sku-5266816

THis is a K but it appears to be high K, it is just a tad smaller but very nice.

https://www.jamesallen.com/loose-diamonds/oval-cut/0.90-carat-k-color-si1-clarity-sku-5055674

I will keep looking but that J will look amazing in Rose Gold
 
lovedogs said:
Ok, so I am NOT an oval expert, but just going by video and trusting my eyes, I like this one:

https://www.jamesallen.com/loose-diamonds/oval-cut/0.92-carat-k-color-vs1-clarity-sku-5484648

I like it because it doesn't have brown tones, which most people don't like (I do, but I'm in the minority). And it doesn't have a strong bowtie, it has more of an X in the middle.
Click to expand...
Great find!


This isn't too bad - bit mushy towards the edges of the table but otherwise performs pretty well across the stone:
https://www.jamesallen.com/loose-diamonds/oval-cut/0.97-carat-k-color-si2-clarity-sku-4751456

That's about all the other options I could find on JA that I liked!
 
In a fancy cut in general, color can tend to show more than in a round. Rose gold will disguise/hide/compliment color some but you need to figure out if that tint in a J will bug you. because you will see tint from the profile of the stone which you will see a LOT when you're wearing it.

I think this would be pretty in a rose gold setting, it has a brown undertone instead of a yellow (which i prefer) it's shallow so it has a good spread, similar to some 1ct stones i looked at.
https://www.jamesallen.com/loose-diamonds/oval-cut/0.91-carat-j-color-si2-clarity-sku-5266816

Wish there was a video of this one:
https://www.b2cjewels.com/diamond-search/dd/11768374/Oval-Diamond-J-Color-SI1-Clarity
 
farrahlyn said:
In a fancy cut in general, color can tend to show more than in a round. Rose gold will disguise/hide/compliment color some but you need to figure out if that tint in a J will bug you. because you will see tint from the profile of the stone which you will see a LOT when you're wearing it.

I think this would be pretty in a rose gold setting, it has a brown undertone instead of a yellow (which i prefer) it's shallow so it has a good spread, similar to some 1ct stones i looked at.
https://www.jamesallen.com/loose-diamonds/oval-cut/0.91-carat-j-color-si2-clarity-sku-5266816
Click to expand...
That has some strong central faceting but, to my eye, is pretty good at not having solid black bow-tie :)

lovedogs said:
Oval experts: What do you think of this one? https://www.b2cjewels.com/dd/11955578/Oval-Diamond-J-Color-VS2-Clarity
I like the faceting, but I'm not sure what the body tone would look like in real life.
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Looks pretty good to me. Not as crisp faceting away from the centre band as previous suggestions but it looks like it's working those virtual facets well (if my understanding of the constantly changing internal reflections that aren't direct bright white light return is correct) :)


I think it's definitely a good idea if the OP can check out some GIA/AGS I/J/K stones in real life, to understand likely tint levels and confirm they will be acceptable to their personal taste, but a creamy K in a warm rose gold band would look great, I reckon :)
 
farrahlyn said:
In a fancy cut in general, color can tend to show more than in a round. Rose gold will disguise/hide/compliment color some but you need to figure out if that tint in a J will bug you. because you will see tint from the profile of the stone which you will see a LOT when you're wearing it.

I think this would be pretty in a rose gold setting, it has a brown undertone instead of a yellow (which i prefer) it's shallow so it has a good spread, similar to some 1ct stones i looked at.
https://www.jamesallen.com/loose-diamonds/oval-cut/0.91-carat-j-color-si2-clarity-sku-5266816
Click to expand...


This is the same one I suggested above, I love the color on it
 
lol! I did not even notice you had posted! I walked away and came back a good while later and finished my post so mustve been in that time you posted. i LOVE the brown undertones in it, rose gold would showcase it beautifully.
 
farrahlyn said:
lol! I did not even notice you had posted! I walked away and came back a good while later and finished my post so mustve been in that time you posted. i LOVE the brown undertones in it, rose gold would showcase it beautifully.
Click to expand...

haha great minds think alike
 
OoohShiny said:
That has some strong central faceting but, to my eye, is pretty good at not having solid black bow-tie :)


Looks pretty good to me. Not as crisp faceting away from the centre band as previous suggestions but it looks like it's working those virtual facets well (if my understanding of the constantly changing internal reflections that aren't direct bright white light return is correct) :)


I think it's definitely a good idea if the OP can check out some GIA/AGS I/J/K stones in real life, to understand likely tint levels and confirm they will be acceptable to their personal taste, but a creamy K in a warm rose gold band would look great, I reckon :)
Click to expand...

This is a good idea. We will be contacting our local jewelers to see this in person. I didn’t mind a J in RB, but different shapes. Thanks for the suggestion.
 
Win04ever said:
This is a good idea. We will be contacting our local jewelers to see this in person. I didn’t mind a J in RB, but different shapes. Thanks for the suggestion.
Click to expand...

Just make sure you are looking at a GIA/AGS J, otherwise you might be looking at something with a J label that's actually a much lower color.
 
lovedogs said:
Just make sure you are looking at a GIA/AGS J, otherwise you might be looking at something with a J label that's actually a much lower color.
Click to expand...

Will do! I looked at IGI and was surprised by how colored blind I was. Didn’t notice anything with the color, it seemed fine to me. That’s why I’m hopeful GIA in J could work
 
Win04ever said:
Will do! I looked at IGI and was surprised by how colored blind I was. Didn’t notice anything with the color, it seemed fine to me. That’s why I’m hopeful GIA in J could work
Click to expand...
Just wanted to chime in and say that my oval is smaller, .7, but it’s a GIA faint green and seems really white to me. I went through brilliance.com which isn’t really a favorite site here but got the whole solitaire for just over $1500 and really love it so much. I’m definitely not a diamond expert but it scratches my itch just fine! CB990120-E945-41E3-8C94-E9C389934EF0.jpeg
 
hollandaisey said:
Just wanted to chime in and say that my oval is smaller, .7, but it’s a GIA faint green and seems really white to me. I went through brilliance.com which isn’t really a favorite site here but got the whole solitaire for just over $1500 and really love it so much. I’m definitely not a diamond expert but it scratches my itch just fine! CB990120-E945-41E3-8C94-E9C389934EF0.jpeg
Click to expand...
That’s beautiful! and you even have it in a white gold setting.

Thanks for sharing, I’m getting more excited. Do you remember if your diamond appeared brownish in those upclose videos?

Edit: accidentally double quoted
 
KKJohnson said:
Since you are open to brown tint how about this one, it will face up larger than the bluenile one you are considering.

https://www.jamesallen.com/loose-diamonds/oval-cut/0.91-carat-j-color-si2-clarity-sku-5266816

THis is a K but it appears to be high K, it is just a tad smaller but very nice.

https://www.jamesallen.com/loose-diamonds/oval-cut/0.90-carat-k-color-si1-clarity-sku-5055674

I will keep looking but that J will look amazing in Rose Gold
Click to expand...

Thanks for looking for us. These are awesome. I was browsing and also found this—https://www.brilliance.com/loose-di...-make-si2-clarity-gia-certified-SKU-D17155631

Do you mind if I ask you your thoughts on this?
 
Win04ever said:
What part of it isn’t good? Is this one better?

https://www.brilliance.com/loose-di...l-make-if-clarity-gia-certified-SKU-D16942793
Click to expand...

The cut is way better and it’s an IF which mean internally flawless (no inclusions) this stone also will be the largest face up natural diamond out the ones you have posted. The video looks great, I would put this on hold and ask if they can get an ASET image for you to check for light leakage. I would guess it will be a very nice preformer in person

To answer your question on the previous one, the cut was not good and it had a dead area that would appear black most of the time and that’s not what you want

111F134A-8992-418B-BA7D-A45E478E2388.jpeg
 
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