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Should I return this 1.51 carat K VS2?

C

Cherubian

Rough_Rock
Joined
Jan 9, 2018
Messages
12
I ended up buying this Oval 1.51 K VS2 from JA:
https://www.jamesallen.com/loose-diamonds/oval-cut/1.51-carat-k-color-vs2-clarity-sku-3896013

I asked for the PS discount, and my final price was $3,820. I want to see it in person to see how yellow the K is.
I know the depth isn't excellent, and there is fluorescence (which to my understanding is generally considered a positive thing at lower color levels like K).

I'm wondering if you guys think this is a good deal or not. If not, do you have other links to Ovals or Rounds within the $4k price zone (plus minus a few hundred) at this carat weight which would work well with this setting. My goal is to maximize eye-clean stone size for budget. Any advice or feedback is greatly appreciated.

The setting is yellow gold and has to be made. 14k gold setting is $3,500 I believe. Seems expensive to me, but she's in love with it...
Here are some pics:
https://scontent-sea1-1.cdninstagram.com/t51.2885-15/s480x480/e35/14374296_290764011307725_9027461299830784000_n.jpg?ig_cache_key=MTM1NDY3MTIwMzIzMTk3OTIwNw==.2

https://www.greenwichjewelers.com/erika-winters-laurel-solitaire-diamond-ring.html

Thank you and it's great having the PS community as a resource!
 
Erika Winters is a high end quality setting and yes, expensive. So that part sounds right.

I'm not good with ovals, so I defer to someone else...
 
Have you thought about spending more on the stone and less on the setting? I do love the setting though but you're trying to get a lot of stone on
a small budget.
Are you the guy or girl?

I would have never recommended that K (I wish you had ask). The light return on it is not good. Return it.

My advice (or feedback) is to find another setting that you love just as much that is less expensive. Use the money you save to get a nicer oval.
 
Not even sure if this is eye-clean and it is $6k so you are about $1800 off. This is one of the lower price nicer ovals I could find (in that size).
https://www.jamesallen.com/loose-diamonds/oval-cut/1.52-carat-j-color-si2-clarity-sku-3889445

This is a better looking K than the one you posted but it is an IGI so not sure if it is even a K (but the faceting is nicer). May not be eye-clean either.
Price is right though.
https://www.jamesallen.com/loose-diamonds/oval-cut/1.54-carat-k-color-si1-clarity-sku-3377851

I'll keep looking but...
 
Thank you for the advice tyty333.

I can always return it I figure, and I may! :)

I wish I could get a different setting, but she's more focused on the setting than the stone oddly enough. I could probably cut the diamond size down to 1ct and she'd be happy. I just figured this was the sweet spot, but maybe it's a bit too far past the sweet spot. Do you think the color is too low to work?

I see very comparable stuff with a slightly better depth at a similar, but slightly lower price point: https://www.adiamor.com/Diamonds/1.50-ct-K-VS2-Excellent-Cut-Oval-Diamond/D41064050

I'm not worried about a few hundred here or there, but I am a bit worried if the K will be too yellow in that setting. Should I also be worried about the depth or fluorescence?

tyty333 said:
Have you thought about spending more on the stone and less on the setting? I do love the setting though but you're trying to get a lot of stone on
a small budget.
Are you the guy or girl?

I would have never recommended that K (I wish you had ask). The light return on it is not good. Return it.

My advice (or feedback) is to find another setting that you love just as much that is less expensive. Use the money you save to get a nicer oval.
Click to expand...
 
If size matter I would take that and halo it and it could be gorgeous.
 
Dont worry about the depth too much as long as the facets are reflecting light well...

Give me a sec and I'll look on adiamor
 
Last edited:
So...thinking about things...and you saying she would be happy with a 1 carat...I'm thinking you should split the difference and go in the 1.25 range
(look for one that has a decent length). Go with a slightly higher color, really nice faceting and light return. The color wont be as distracting if its
a pretty stone. That really is a gorgeous setting (your GF has good taste). Seems like you should sacrifice some size to get a
prettier stone.

Another nice but smaller stone.
https://www.adiamor.com/Diamonds/1.30-ct-J-VVS1-Very-Good-Cut-Oval-Diamond/D40971940
 
Thank you for the links! $4.5k is within the budget.
You mentioned the diamond I bought as having poor light performance. I'm familiar with ideal scope way of measuring that, you think the light performance looks poor from the photos or why do you think that out of curiosity?

I do like that 1.3 J quite a bit actually... :) That's great looking.

tyty333 said:
Can you stretch up to $4.5k?

This is a 1.3 J but the size (length) is longer than the K you currently have (but the J is thinner).
https://www.adiamor.com/Diamonds/J-VVS2-Excellent-Cut-Oval-Diamond/D40830079

Edit...this one has really nice light return and beautiful faceting but it is smaller
https://www.jamesallen.com/loose-diamonds/oval-cut/1.25-carat-j-color-vs2-clarity-sku-4241980
Click to expand...
 
I thought the stone you picked out was very lively. Good eye. To me it is an interesting diamond...it looks slight « champagne « and the fluorescence may may give it additional character in certain lighting situations. It is certainly worth seeing in person.

My two cents.

Whoops...a little behind in the conversation. Great picks, tyty.
 
Hi OP,

Have you gotten a quote from Erika Winters or Greenwich jewelers for the setting? She doesn't work in 14 kt golds, only 18 kt. You can ping her directly too, her contact info is on her website. Just don't want to you get surprised when you are planning your budget!

http://erikawinters.com/engagement-rings-01.html
 
tyty333 said:
Have you thought about spending more on the stone and less on the setting? I do love the setting though but you're trying to get a lot of stone on
a small budget.
Are you the guy or girl?

I would have never recommended that K (I wish you had ask). The light return on it is not good. Return it.

My advice (or feedback) is to find another setting that you love just as much that is less expensive. Use the money you save to get a nicer oval.
Click to expand...

Ditto to every word. The setting is very overpriced. David Klass can make a pretty custom brushed gold solitaire for maybe a third of that amount. There are many different design elements that could make the setting equally as beautiful. Put $6500 toward the stone and no more than $1500 toward the setting.
 
Perhaps I'll contact David Klass to see what he can do. I would be curious. She is quite fond of that setting though, so I'll likely end up going with it. She's more into the setting than the stone I believe.

We also looked at settings from Single Stone which she liked. Those settings were like $4,500 without the stone.

diamondseeker2006 said:
Ditto to every word. The setting is very overpriced. David Klass can make a pretty custom brushed gold solitaire for maybe a third of that amount. There are many different design elements that could make the setting equally as beautiful. Put $6500 toward the stone and no more than $1500 toward the setting.
Click to expand...
 
Have you looked into CvB ID? I find her style to be similar to EW, perhaps a bit more vintage gave inspired, but Caysie’s team can create beautiful settings!
 
I have a modified version of that setting. Mine holds a .85ct OEC, so the little leaf shaped prongs are tiny, but oh so perfect.

I think if she wants that setting, and is willing to get a smaller stone, you should listen to her. She may never be truly happy with her ring, otherwise. Good luck with your decision.
 
Since it sounds like you two have looked at things and discussed rings together, can you just ask her if she would rather have a smaller diamond but in the EW setting or a larger diamond in a setting that's similar but not from Erika Winters?
 
So the stone you picked is showing good light return in the center only (in the donut hole). What you should see is as the stones turns towards you
more nice facets lighting up (see blue arrows area) stretching out towards an end. You are getting very little good light return in this area.
In the area where you are not getting good light return you tend to see a concentration of color (K).
https://www.jamesallen.com/loose-diamonds/oval-cut/1.51-carat-k-color-vs2-clarity-sku-3896013
oval light.PNG

Compare it with this stone...where you will see a big area of brightness in the center and as the stone turns it says bright (reflecting light). This is a "J"
so one step up from the "K" you picked (and you cant really compare color on a screen from different shots) but I think you will agree that the stone
is much brighter (due to a nicer cut/faceting pattern).
https://www.jamesallen.com/loose-diamonds/oval-cut/1.25-carat-j-color-vs2-clarity-sku-4241980
big area oval.PNG

I ditto anyone who said talk to CVB and/or David Klass. CVB is an artist and does lovely work. David Klass also does very nice work.
https://www.etsy.com/shop/CVBinspiredDesign?ref=listing-shop2-all-items-count#items
https://www.pinterest.com/search/pi...eta[]=klass|typed&term_meta[]=solitaire|typed
 
I have 4 rings made by CVB and she does outstanding work, but she will not replicate a ring made by someone else. She has some gorgeous solitaires that don't cost nearly as much.

2017-11-09 13.47.11.jpg
CVBacaciaSolitaire.jpg
CVBabbysolitaire1.jpg
CVBchloe2.jpg
Any of these can be in yellow gold, and she can do a brushed finish. Obviously the ones with diamonds on them will cost more than the ones with all metal, but I believe all are well under the cost of the one you posted.

Tyty is really helping you with the diamond. The one she posted is so much better. I definitely would not go under J color in an oval because the light return generally is not good enough in ovals to mask the color, and also, color can concentrate in certain areas. I color would even be better.
 
Thank you both tyty and diamondseeker for your help and thoughtful advice. Seeing what you see in the light return of the diamond definitely helps me understand what you're talking about now. :)

I did have concerns on the K color, but a lot of the stuff I read online said "K color is fine if the setting and prongs are yellow gold since the setting color will come through anyway", but I did have concerns it would be seen in the tips of the stone as an oval. I'll check it out when I receive it, but now I can judge light performance from online pictures a bit better I hope. :)

I may reach out to CVB about some of those rings as well. They are beautiful. It does increase the "risk" though, because as platinum-blonde pointed out, she does love it and is probably expecting it. I could discuss alternatives, but we've gone through several iterations of this, and I'll admit I'm starting to get a bit of decision fatigue and exhaustion! Haha.

Thanks everyone for the help and advice!
 
.

The Laurel setting is a clever design... I am ever more into perfectly executed classics !

Then, a RBC would show reliably less tint than an oval.

2c
 
Yes, ideal cut round brilliants show less color. That is what you were probably reading about, but it doesn't translate to other shapes which are very rarely as well cut.

Here are a couple more of my CVB favorites (first two are the Elsa and last two are Sienna):

CVBelsa3.jpg
cvbElsarosegold.jpg
CVBsienna1.jpg
CVBsienna2.jpg
And here's the Chloe with a marquise, kind of showing what the side view of an oval would look like. She may be able to alter it to allow a band to sit closer, too.

CVBchloemarquise2.JPG
 
One more...the Acacia I posted above, but a CAD showing an oval stone. I adore this, and if I can ever find the right oval, I'd be very tempted to make this ring!

2017-11-20 15.01.36.jpg
 
Well, the diamond arrived today. Sorry for the bad pics.

When I put it against white paper it definitely looks yellow, but when I put it against something gold-ish in color it looks fine (to my eye). Since the setting is yellow gold it might be OK. I'll probably order one of the diamonds suggested earlier, just to compare and contrast. I'm not really sure it'll make a difference to a non-PS regular person, but maybe! My girlfriend can't even tell the difference between a diamond and CZ! ha.

A JA representative told me you can only return 3 stones, which they don't mention on their return policy, so that's good to know since I was going to order a bunch. Has anyone had experiences ordering from them and returning the ones you didn't want?

Thank you all for the help. When I order the other one and it arrives, I'll upload more pics.

image-20180112_112552.jpg image-20180112_115237.jpg image-20180112_112034.jpg image-20180112_111433.jpg
 
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