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Seeking help in search for engagement diamond

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pandikembe

Rough_Rock
Joined
Jun 7, 2012
Messages
8
Over the past few weeks, Pricescope has helped educate me on the world of diamonds, but I can no longer lurk and search old posts. The time has come for me to seek out the diamond and I'm hoping some of you with experience can help me out.

Background:
My girlfriend found a very unique setting at a jeweler in her European home country. After some discussions with that jeweler, they are willing to set a stone that I will send to them. (They wanted $8,000 more than setting for 1/2 carat diamond that they chose). I think that premium price has a lot to do with the insane tariffs and taxes they pay on luxury items in their country.

Stone:
I'm looking for a round brilliant stone around 0.5 carats. I'd like to keep it under $1800, but there's some flexibility there. From my research, I think that is do-able. I've been focusing on nicer cuts and colors, and clarity around VS2 in my searches. Beyond the 4 C's is where I get lost and am seeking your help.

In my initial search, I've found something like this ($1,899): http://www.whiteflash.com/loose-diamonds/round-cut-loose-diamond-18976.htm

DIAMOND PERFORMANCE
Polish Ideal
Symmetry Ideal
DIAMOND INFORMATION
Item Code AGS-7416006
Category Premium Select
Shape Round
Carat 0.556
Color F
Clarity VS1
Rating

DIAMOND SPECIFICATIONS
Depth % 62.6
Table % 57.0
Crown Angle 34.8
Star 59.0
Pavilion Angle 40.8
Crown % 15.0
Lower Girdle % 77.0
Measurements 5.21x5.22x3.26
Culet Pointed
Fluorescence Negligible
Girdle Thin to Slightly Thick Faceted

Or this ($1,458): http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/G-VVS2-Ideal-Cut-Round-Diamond-1493072.asp?b=16&a=12&c=77&cid=131

Shape: Round
Carat weight: 0.46
Cut: Hearts & Arrows Ideal
Color: G
Clarity: VVS2
Certificate: AGS
Depth: 61.7%
Table: 56.4%
Polish: Ideal
Symmetry: Ideal
Girdle: Thin to slightly thick
Culet: None
Fluorescence: Negligible
Measurements: 4.96*4.98*3.07
Crown Angle: 35.0
Crown %: 15.30
Pavilion Angle: 40.9
Pavilion %: 43.10


Any comments on these? I realize the size difference. They're probably as large and as small as I'm looking for.

Please post any stones you come across that you think I would be interested. Thank you in advance for your help!
 
Also, this may be a total newbie question, but what should I make of the purple spot at the top picture of the diamond for the first stone I posted?
 
Not crazy about either of those two diamonds.

The whiteflash diamond has green in the ASET around the edge, and the James Allen diamond is mehh.

Other JA Options
http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/F-VS2-Excellent-Cut-Round-Diamond-1479780.asp
http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/G-VS1-Excellent-Cut-Round-Diamond-1370643.asp

Other White Flash Options
http://www.whiteflash.com/loose-diamonds/round-cut-loose-diamond-2290999.htm
http://www.whiteflash.com/loose-diamonds/round-cut-loose-diamond-2671398.htm
http://www.whiteflash.com/loose-diamonds/round-cut-loose-diamond-2756208.htm

Also would you consider going down a bit in color or clarity? You would be able to get a lot more bang for your buck.
Her is a G/SI1: http://www.whiteflash.com/loose-diamonds/round-cut-loose-diamond-2794512.htm
And a I/SI1: http://www.whiteflash.com/loose-diamonds/round-cut-loose-diamond-2795123.htm
 
I appreciate you posting these stones. Definitely some nice options.

I see what you're saying about the green on ASET on the outside of the WF stone I posted. I'm not sure I know exactly what that means though. Any insight?

On size, I know this sounds crazy, but my girlfriend doesn't want anything bigger than 0.5 carats. This was only after much negotiation from my end after she wanted a 0.25 carat stone. She has very small fingers (3.5). The typical stones from Scandinavia are smaller and that's what she prefers. She's very unique, but that is why I love her.
 
I think a .5 diamond will be beautiful on a size 3.5 finger!

I like the WhiteFlash .53 G VS1 the best:

http://www.whiteflash.com/loose-diamonds/round-cut-loose-diamond-2290999.htm

I often will choose the premium select stones, but that one has an older cert that doesn't give light performance and the ASET looks a little different than the ideal cut ones do. So I think it is safer in this case to go with expert selection.

Are you hand carrying the diamond to be set? If not, I would have them make the setting and send it here to be set by the diamond seller (and you'll pay a small setting fee).
 
diamondseeker2006|1339126626|3211591 said:
Are you hand carrying the diamond to be set? If not, I would have them make the setting and send it here to be set by the diamond seller (and you'll pay a small setting fee).
Click to expand...

I'm not sure they are willing to send it here. After going through all the duties, fees, VAT, etc, I may end up getting a temporary setting here and having it set in that setting when we get some time to go over there. That way we could bring it on the plane with us and not be charged the ridiculous taxes.
 
So today I went to a local jeweler who has the largest inventory of diamonds in my metropolitan area. I wasn't expecting much, as I'm more of an online shopper. Mostly wanted to compare prices to online vendors. Told them I was looking for something around 0.5 carats. He showed me stones ranging in size between 0.42 carats and 0.55 carats in mostly colorless. Varying clarities. Mostly very good, some excellent cuts. All GIA certified.

Long story short, I ended up really liking a stone that I thought on paper I wouldn't like as much. Here are the details:

GIA: 2126491956
5.00 - 5.03 x 3.03 mm
Carat Weight: 0.47 carat
Color: F
Clarity SI2
Cut: Excellent
TD: 60.4%
TS: 60%
CA: 34.5 degrees
PA: 40.8 degrees
CH: 13.5%
PD: 43.0%
SL: 50%
LH: 80%
Girdle: THN to STK
Faceted (3.5%)
Cutlet: None
Polish: Excellent
Symmetry: Very Good
Fluorescence: None
Comments: None


I was quite skeptical of the SI2 as I had mostly been looking at VS2 and VS1. It was definitely 'eye-clean'. I couldn't pick up anything with the naked eye. Under the loupe, he pointed out the inclusions. There was a white speck or 2, but it looked cleaner than I had expected for SI2. It also was the most brilliant of all the stones he showed me. When I ran the stats through the HCA tool here, it gave me 2.0, so now I'm a little worried about it as I've seen it's best to be under 2.0.

We didn't discuss pricing until after we picked a few finalists, but the odd thing was this was far less expensive than I was expecting at around $1000, and less expensive than the other finalist stones. I mean I have the budget to get a clearer stone, but at the same time, I'm not necessarily looking to spend money just to spend money. Maybe the extra $1000 could go towards another gift for her. (Probably not a popular option on this forum)

If seeing it in person counts for anything, I was surely impressed. Is there any red flag I'm missing with this stone? Is the HCA of 2.0 something that should be a deal-breaker?

Any information is greatly appreciated. Thanks!
 
The stone is okay. I would ask for an Idealscope/ASET Image on the stone you saw. The rule of thumb though is that B&M options are always going to be more than online as you have to pay for more overhead.



If you are going to lower your clarity requirements (which I think is a good idea, I bought a J/SI2 in my diamond search) then your options are going to expand dramatically.

Here are some decent stones.
http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/F-SI1-Excellent-Cut-Round-Diamond-1483397.asp


http://www.briangavindiamonds.com/diamonds/diamond-details/0.434-F-SI1-Round-Diamond-AGS-104055878062#!prettyPhoto[gallery2]/1/
http://www.briangavindiamonds.com/diamonds/diamond-details/0.452-G-SI1-Round-Diamond-AGS-104057888022#!prettyPhoto[gallery2]/1/
 
Thanks for posting those stones. I'll see if I can get any images of the stone I saw.

I'm also not opposed to spending closer to my original budget if the right stone comes along with a nice cut, etc. I was just surprised at what I liked in person today. Although I am far from an expert.
 
One thing to keep in mind is that jewlery store lighting makes diamonds look the prettiest. So they have the ability to make blah diamonds look very nice. With that said the angles on the diamond you posted where pretty good. People here tables lower tahn 58. The stone you posted had a 60 table which will give a brigther less fiery look.
 
I'm almost considering finding a stone that I like online. Maybe something like one of the AGS Ideal cuts posted above, and ordering that sometime next week. Then comparing the online stone vs. the B&M stone side-by-side. If I ended up liking the B&M stone better, I'd just be out the shipping and return cost. Decisions... Decisions...
 
So I went ahead and ordered two stones from James Allen to compare them side-by-side with the local jeweler.

http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/F-SI1-Excellent-Cut-Round-Diamond-1483397.asp
http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/G-VVS2-Ideal-Cut-Round-Diamond-1493072.asp?b=16&a=12&c=77&cid=131

The first JA stone is actually slightly cheaper than the local stone, but it is SI1 vs. SI2 and EX symmetry vs. VG. Also, HCA is 1.6 vs 2.0.

I'm planning to compare all 3 and see which I like best and decide if the extra price for the Hearts & Arrows is worth it.

I''ll return whichever stone(s) I don't like, since James Allen ships for free and has free return shipping with no restocking fee.

Thanks again for the earlier recommendations.
 
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