Shopping for an engagement.

[kudy]

Hello good people of pricescope.

I have been lurking around here for about a week, and you all have been nothing less than amazing at enlightening me to the secrets of the seemingly impossible to understand diamond industry. I thank you.

I have been doing research with the intent to buy an engagement ring for my girlfriend, and I am still a bit overwhelmed.

I plan in the coming weeks to visit a few local jewelry stores, to get an idea of carat sizes, as well as a physical familiarity with engagement rings, but I hope to find a good buy online.

My budget isn''t very high, I hope to spend no more than $2000 on the setting and diamond. I have been focusing on 0.5 carat stones, F-H color, and SI1 clarity, but I would like to ask all of you experts to possibly expand my horizons, or give me a few different ideas. I will continue to research, but I figured it wouldn''t hurt to ask for a bit of help.

Thanks a ton for all you do!

 

[Ellen]

Hi kudy,

I would recommend entertaining I and J's. In a very well cut stone (which is what you want as cut really makes the stone), you can go a bit lower in color, and still have a stone face up quite white. And in stones under a carat, it shows even less. Also, you might not dismiss SI2's, there are many out there totally eyeclean. All this will possibly allow you a bit bigger stone, which most women want.

Unless of course your gal has already said she wants this size stone. Then ignore all that.

Also, a very simple setting will allow you to put most of the budget in the stone. I'm thinking like the classic Tiffany setting in White Gold, timeless and beautiful.

HTH!

 

[Regular Guy]

Ellen may give good advice.

Sticking with your own constraints, which I thought were reasonable, something like this one is one you might consider...and on the search by cut utility, WF has your greatest selection available...and a number of settings to choose from.

Welcome to Pricescope!

 

[Ellen]

Date: 6/22/2008 7:57:56 PM
Author: Regular Guy
Ellen may give good advice.

Sticking with your own constraints, which I thought were reasonable, something like this one is one you might consider...and on the search by cut utility, WF has your greatest selection available...and a number of settings to choose from.

Welcome to Pricescope!

lol Thanks Ira.

And I only posted what I did, because he asked us to "possibly expand my horizons, or give me a few different ideas".

 

[Regular Guy]

Date: 6/22/2008 8:02:38 PM
Author: Ellen

Date: 6/22/2008 7:57:56 PM
Author: Regular Guy
Ellen may give good advice.

Sticking with your own constraints, which I thought were reasonable, something like this one is one you might consider...and on the search by cut utility, WF has your greatest selection available...and a number of settings to choose from.

Welcome to Pricescope!

lol Thanks Ira.

And I only posted what I did, because he asked us to 'possibly expand my horizons, or give me a few different ideas'.

And, in the spirit of expanded horizons...you might consider the strategy B I suggest with this one (at $1843 wire pricing), using the one above as a bird in the hand, and getting WF to compare them for you. (The 1 star is associated with it's lack of info, mainly). It does appears finding an SI2 that would take you into the .8 real estate is tough...none are on Blue Nile (sorting for AGS). But...the noted one...someone thought to at least send to AGS. If it is only downgraded for fit & finish, you're golden.

 

[dockman3]

Kudy,

Having just purchased an engagement ring myself, here are a couple of tips. Visit as many local jewelers as you can and see as many different stones as you can in person. Nothing compares to seeing them yourself. Look at as many different color and clarity grades as you can, as well as different cut grades. Not all cuts were made equal and you might find a stone that while it doesn''t have the best cut grade does something else entirely. There are some great deals to be had on the internet, but I would suggest seeing as many stones in person as you can. Also, ask the local jewelers to let you look under a scope and see the inclusions and get a feel for them. An SI2 can save you some money and most of them are eye clean, but you should get a feel for what you consider eye clean. With only $2000 total, the internet is probably the way for you to go to avoid taxes, which will help. I don''t know what kind of setting you were looking for, but I would spend as much as I could on the stone to get the nicest one possible. Remember that cut is most important and can cover for a higher color and lower clarity. Good luck with your search and keep us updated on your progress!

 

[angeline]

Date: 6/22/2008 7:53:07 PM
Author: Ellen
Hi kudy,


I would recommend entertaining I and J''s. In a very well cut stone (which is what you want as cut really makes the stone), you can go a bit lower in color, and still have a stone face up quite white. And in stones under a carat, it shows even less. Also, you might not dismiss SI2''s, there are many out there totally eyeclean. All this will possibly allow you a bit bigger stone, which most women want.

Unless of course your gal has already said she wants this size stone. Then ignore all that.

Also, a very simple setting will allow you to put most of the budget in the stone. I''m thinking like the classic Tiffany setting in White Gold, timeless and beautiful.

HTH!

I second this. In an ideal cut and around .5ct to .7ct I think you will be happy with the whiteness of the stone. I had a Whiteflash ACA .77ct J VS2 and I couldn''t see any tint to it. I loved that diamond! And I put it in the WF basic Tiffany setting in white gold, (comes in 4 prong or 6) and it looked fantastic! I find these settings ($250) to be of great quality, very well- made and they will allow you to put most of your budget towards the stone.

Now if I sound like I work for WF I don''t! Just a very satisfied customer.

Here''s a combo that puts you under budget:


.661 J SI1 ACA - $1356 with the $250 Tiff setting = approx $1606.

And if you budget can stretch a couple of hundred:

.73 J SI1 ACA - $2132 with the $250 Tiff setting = approx $2382.

Please don''t discount the I and J stones unless you have a ''mind clean'' issue with them. In no way, especially in the <1ct size, do they look dingy or yellow or of poorer quality (at least to me!)

Good luck and let us know what you think!

 

[DIShayley]

You sound like you are on a similar search to me!

I have a budget of $1600 for stone and setting, and I''m trying to stretch it as far as I can go!

I am trying to strike a sort of middle balance between quality and size, because let''s face it, every girl wants a huge rock on her finger

I''m looking at ''J'' colours and up to ''S12'' in clarity. If I find a diamond that looks good on paper, I''ll ask for more info and photos (I''m looking on ExcelDiamonds) - I''m hoping to find a Princess Cut, but I find a good asscher, emerald, radiant or cushion then I might change my mind. So far I''ve found a .81ct Radiant that fits my bill (and budget!) as well as a few .76/.75cts in Princess Cuts.

Good luck with your search!!

 

[kudy]

I will expand my search to include I''s and J''s. I haven''t talked to her about what kind of stone or ring she would like - I, like everyone else, would like this to be a surprise, so I am having to purchase based only on my budget and my perception of her taste. I imagine she would be happy with a 0.5 carat stone, but bigger wouldn''t hurt

I like the idea of a simple setting, and putting most of the money into the stone - but at the same time, I think she might enjoy a setting with a few accent stones and flourishes more - it''s a tough decision. I am even tempted to just buy the stone, propose only with that, and allow her to choose a setting, but of course she wouldn''t have a ring to wear and show off immediately.

I am just at the beginning of my search, so I will certainly go to as many local jewelers as time allows.

Thanks for the suggestions and links, they have been helpful. Thanks!

 

[kudy]

This seems like a really nice diamond for the price. What do you ya''ll think? I know I could probably get a bit bigger, but this definitely keeps it in my price range with a 18k white gold tiffany setting.

 

[Rhea]

The problem with bluenile is that you are looking at stock photos. It may look nice by the numbers, but you aren''t seeing a photo of the actual stone and you cannot call and get someone at BN to eyeball it for you since they''ve never seen the stone either. I personally think that it''s better to go with a smaller vendor (goodoldgood, jamesallen, brian knox, excel to name a few) and be able to ask them questions. They will also be able to pull a few stones for you and compare them, which BN can''t do.

 

[kudy]

I hadn''t realized they would be so unavailable to help with the purchase, you make a good point. I''ll have to keep researching - luckily this is kind of fun

 

[kudy]

So, I just got home from a tour of local jewelers. Maybe it''s just my untrained eye, or the sparkly lights they all have in their showrooms, or the size diamonds I am looking at, but I am really bad at telling the difference between a J and a D, an I1 and a VS1, etc.

I got a lot of direct interaction with a variety of diamonds today, so I think I know much better what size is the most appealing in my budget range, but I really didn''t get any clearer on clarity or color today. I think I am going to try my best to find a .70 carat or higher, and I might bump my budget up to $2500, and just live with the credit card debt for a few months If anyone is feeling bored, I would love some more help in identifying promising diamonds.

It was funny, none of the jewelers mentioned cut at all, they just assured me that, "all of their diamonds are hand picked" - and only when I mentioned cut and grading, did they grudgingly talk to me about it. Surprisingly, (or not surprisingly?) most of the diamonds I saw today had no certifications - and some of the wide price differences are probably only explainable by cut.

Of course, I was shown the hearts on fire diamonds multiple times, since I was asking about cut - but I really would rather not pay for the name. I saw two 1 carat stones today, the first an I1, H color, for $2700. The second, an VS1, H color, for $2600 - I guess the difference had to have been the cut, but I really couldn''t tell a difference between them. Also, I only saw 2 inclusions, and those were in I graded stones - maybe I am just blind?

Anyway, it looks like that buying by the numbers and trusting the trained eye of an online jeweler might be my best bet.

Can anyone give me an idea of the turnaround time at these online jewelers? I found a promising looking 3/4 carat yesterday, and 2 hours later it had sold - is that common? Or am I likely to see the same stones listed for weeks at a time?

 

[kudy]

Which setting would look best with a 0.70 carat diamond on a size 8 finger?

http://www.jamesallen.com/products/item_58-2801_build.asp?module=setting

or

http://www.jamesallen.com/products/item_412-1897_build.asp?module=setting

I can''t decide between these two settings - I am sure she will like the sparkly band, so that is why I would like to get one of them. Maybe the second one, since it''s not so thin?

Any input would be greatly appreciated on this matter

 

[E B]

kudy,

You can still buy her something gorgeous and stay out of debt by staying below the .70ct mark and going to, say, .63-.68. She wouldn't be able to tell a difference, and since you're staying right below a certain carat weight, you won't have to pay the premium that comes with hitting it.

That being said, I'll vote for the second band because a) I've always prefered the basket head to the standard claw four-prong, b) at 2.2mm wide, it's still pretty thin, and c) it's cheaper!

 

[E B]

Here''s another option- from Blue Nile. A lot of PSers don''t like Blue Nile because they don''t offer as much information as some of our vendors, but I''ve purchased from them before and have been VERY happy. Customer service reps will verify if a stone is eye-clean or not, and they have a return policy if you aren''t satisfied. I purchased my pendant stone from Blue Nile (AGS Ideal J, SI1) and it is an amazing stone.

.63 I, SI1 GIA EX/EX (EX cut, 1 on the HCA (EX/EX/EX/VG), have Blue Nile verify if it''s eye-clean) $1429

This setting tapers slightly in toward the diamond, which helps the center stone to look bigger:

Blue Nile Tapered Setting, 18k WG

Together, they''re $2079.

Just an idea.

 

[E B]

Here''s another one that might be nice, and it''s getting closer to the .70 ct mark:

.67 ct, J, VS2 GIA EX/EX (1.3 HCA) $1536

You could put this one in a plain, WG setting (Blue Nile has them for ~400) and save/shop for the perfect setting later?

 

[sparxs111]

I KNOW Im going to get my hands slapped on this one, but for budgets like this could I maybe suggest going to a very good cut?? it brings the cost down even more, and will also have a great sparkle to it? I know we are all cut fanatics here, but it is a thought. Doesn''t Have to be an ACA... http://www.exceldiamonds.com/diamond/176332.html
http://www.exceldiamonds.com/diamond/198552.html
http://www.exceldiamonds.com/diamond/201225.html

These would all keep in in the 2 to 2.5K range - SI2 range up to 0.81carats, H colour. I know there isn''t a lot of the info on the site, but call them up and they will send you what you need. I have purchased through these guys, along with many others and they do great work on top of carrying the tiffany replica rings some consider one of the best there is...

 

[sparxs111]

http://www.exceldiamonds.com/diamond/191344.html

 

[kudy]

Date: 7/19/2008 12:00:31 PM
Author: EBree
kudy,


You can still buy her something gorgeous and stay out of debt by staying below the .70ct mark and going to, say, .63-.68. She wouldn''t be able to tell a difference, and since you''re staying right below a certain carat weight, you won''t have to pay the premium that comes with hitting it.


That being said, I''ll vote for the second band because a) I''ve always prefered the basket head to the standard claw four-prong, b) at 2.2mm wide, it''s still pretty thin, and c) it''s cheaper!

Thanks for the ideas EBree - Since initially posting this thread, I''ve actually done exactly what you suggest, and found a few stones in the 0.63-.69 carat range.

As for the band, maybe my links weren''t done correctly, but I don''t think either of the settings I posted are 2.2mm?, and both have a 4 prong head?

sparxs111: Thanks for the suggestion - do you mean that in the smaller size diamond, the jump from ideal to "very good" might not be noticeable? Of course, with online diamonds, I can''t really make any judgments myself, and I have to rely on the service rep of the company I go with to gauge the diamond for me - so I am leaning towards ideal - but I guess if a smaller size makes it harder to tell a difference, I should consider a few.

 

[E B]

kudy,

Sorry for the confusion. This is the setting I was talking about, and it appears to be the thinner version of your second option:

White Gold Basket 2.2mm

They're both four prong, but if you look at the profile of the setting I linked to, see how the diamond sits in sort of a basket? That's what I meant. I just prefer that look over the standard four prong settings where the bars go straight up the diamond as on your first option.

 

[sparxs111]

An ideal cut is an ideal cut. No matter what they will be stunning. However, if cost is a major issue, and you would like to still have great clarity and colour, the going down to a Very good cut will still give you a GREAT stone. Im personally a cut guy, so I would stay with Ideal, but there is nothing wrong with very good. you find most BM stores will carry good to very good, with a lot of fair stones mixed in. So for most people a very good cut would be great and your money will go a little further...

 

[kudy]

Well, I did it - I placed my order today.

Here is the diamond: http://www.jamesallen.com/diamond.asp?find=1&cid=130&item=1177308

I decided to go with an ideal cut, after what you said sparxs - I just want it to sparkle a ton. I went with the 0.62, because as my sales rep explained, it is so close in size to a 0.70 that it''s a negligible difference. Now I play the waiting game, and I hope it is everything I am expecting.

I ended up using the 11012W setting. I can''t believe how nervous I am now that I''ve actually placed an order. I guess I always have the 30 day return period. Now I just have to think of a way to actually present her with the diamond.

 

[kudy]

I got the ring today! Possible pics are on the way, if I can find time to have a photo-shoot without my girlfriend around

I have a concern - I noticed while inspecting the ring right after I picked it up, that the setting has what looks like a tarnished area on the side - I know that white gold can''t tarnish, so I am not sure what it is. Either way, it is not shiny, and is making the metal look discolored. I am wondering, maybe it''s just oils from my hands? Whats the best way to clean white gold? I need to find out if this is a big issue, because I only have a few weeks to send it back to JamesAllen if I need to.

Thanks folks!

 

[jstarfireb]

Date: 8/9/2008 9:06:59 PM
Author: kudy
I got the ring today! Possible pics are on the way, if I can find time to have a photo-shoot without my girlfriend around


I have a concern - I noticed while inspecting the ring right after I picked it up, that the setting has what looks like a tarnished area on the side - I know that white gold can''t tarnish, so I am not sure what it is. Either way, it is not shiny, and is making the metal look discolored. I am wondering, maybe it''s just oils from my hands? Whats the best way to clean white gold? I need to find out if this is a big issue, because I only have a few weeks to send it back to JamesAllen if I need to.


Thanks folks!

There may be a problem with the rhodium plating, and the ring may need to be redipped. This usually happens after months to years of wearing a ring and should NOT be present on a BRAND NEW ring. Please let JA know, and they should offer to redip it for you for free!

 

[MMT]

Can''t wait to see your pics.

 

[kudy]

My girlfriend went out to a movie, so I am attempting some pictures now, even though I don''t have any sunlight to make it really sparkle.

I am a bit worried about the rhodium thing... now that I have the ring, I don''t want to go sending it off again! Especially if it will have to be sent back again for re-sizing (I don''t think it will, since I think I know the right size, but I could be off by a bit).

Is there any way for me to try and clean it, besides rubbing it with a cloth, to find out if it is the rhodium coating? I am trying to get some pics of the problem, but I doubt they will come out with my amateur equipment and photography skills.

Pics to follow shortly!

 

[kudy]

Here are a few pics taken with the flash - they turned out okay.

 

[kudy]

#2 of 3

 

[kudy]

#3 of 3