Stone Help

[JonT]

Not having bought a diamond online before I have been doing a lot of studying and find this site most helpful, but would like some input from the more knowledgeable folks out there, and some opinions on the following stones I have found on the James Allen site.

http://www.jamesallen.com/loose-diamonds/round-cut/1.02-carat-i-color-si2-clarity-excellent-cut-sku-223115 1.2 on the HCA

http://www.jamesallen.com/loose-diamonds/round-cut/1.01-carat-h-color-si2-clarity-excellent-cut-sku-217962 1.8 on the HCA

http://www.jamesallen.com/loose-diamonds/round-cut/1.04-carat-i-color-si1-clarity-ideal-cut-sku-82887 2.6 on the HCA

Any comments on these or suggestions of others would be greatly appreciated!!

Just saw another one:

http://www.jamesallen.com/loose-diamonds/round-cut/1.09-carat-h-color-si2-clarity-excellent-cut-sku-206246 1.6 on the HCA

I realize that three of them are Si2. Is that necessarily a bad thing, especially looking at their HCA rating ??

Thanks for any help!

 

[marymm]

Took a quick look at your links, and my best guess is that #1 and #4 would not be eyeclean due to the dark-colored inclusions - and I think it likely that your #3 choice also would not be eyeclean. #2 looks to be quite pretty and may well be eyeclean - worth following up with JA to ask if eyeclean to your preference and for an IdealScope as well.

 

[JonT]

Thanks for the info. Will keep looking and also check with JA. I must say that I am at a loss as to how to spot an eye clean stone on the JA site. Any suggestions on what specifically to look for? My budget is between $5,000 and $6,000, and I definitely would like a stone which looks very clean to the eye.
To me, this one looks very clean in the online photos, and it is 2.4 on HCA. It is a bit over my budget but it really caught my eye! What do you think?


http://www.jamesallen.com/loose-diamonds/round-cut/1.07-carat-h-color-si1-clarity-sku-181267

 

[msop04]

Thanks for the info. Will keep looking and also check with JA. I must say that I am at a loss as to how to spot an eye clean stone on the JA site. Any suggestions on what specifically to look for? My budget is between $5,000 and $6,000, and I definitely would like a stone which looks very clean to the eye.
To me, this one looks very clean in the online photos, and it is 2.4 on HCA. It is a bit over my budget but it really caught my eye! What do you think?


http://www.jamesallen.com/loose-diamonds/round-cut/1.07-carat-h-color-si1-clarity-sku-181267

Hey JonT! The HCA score you should shoot for is <2, but it is just an elimination tool, not a selection tool. I think you are doing great and are on the right track by educating yourself! As far as determining if a stone will be eye clean, that depends on your definition of eye clean. (yeah... confusing, huh?) Personally, I don't want to pay for a clarity that my eye can never appreciate... So my definition is not being able to see an inclusion from about 5-6 inches. Sometimes you can get lucky and find an SI1/SI2 stone with that "perfect" inclusion that can be pronged or isn't seen. If you can't see it with your unaided eye, then it's clean IMO.

I will look a little and see what I can find.

 

[msop04]

Is $5-6K the budget for the stone only or the whole ring? If for the whole ring, what type setting are you looking for?

 

[JonT]

Thanks for the info. Will keep looking and also check with JA. I must say that I am at a loss as to how to spot an eye clean stone on the JA site. Any suggestions on what specifically to look for? My budget is between $5,000 and $6,000, and I definitely would like a stonit is note which looks very clean to the eye.
To me, this one looks very clean in the online photos, and it is 2.4 on HCA. It is a bit over my budget but it really caught my eye! What do you think?


http://www.jamesallen.com/loose-diamonds/round-cut/1.07-carat-h-color-si1-clarity-sku-181267

Hey JonT! The HCA score you should shoot for is <2, but it is just an elimination tool, not a selection tool. I think you are doing great and are on the right track by educating yourself! As far as determining if a stone will be eye clean, that depends on your definition of eye clean. (yeah... confusing, huh?) Personally, I don't want to pay for a clarity that my eye can never appreciate... So my definition is not being able to see an inclusion from about 5-6 inches. Sometimes you can get lucky and find an SI1/SI2 stone with that "perfect" inclusion that can be pronged or isn't seen. If you can't see it with your unaided eye, then it's clean IMO.

I will look a little and see what I can find.

Thanks for your response. I learn a bit more with every one! So, if I understand correctly, HCA score, even though it measures light return and fire, etc, the stone may also have inclusions such as clouds which appear as darker areas, feathers, etc......yea, confusing! But further learning and persistence will get me there!
Anything else you can send my way is appreciated!! What do you think of the stone above?

 

[JonT]

Is $5-6K the budget for the stone only or the whole ring? If for the whole ring, what type setting are you looking for?

$5 to 6K is my budget for the stone, and I am looking at a very simple setting such as:
http://www.jamesallen.com/engagement-rings/solitaire/14k-white-gold-2mm-knife-edge-solitaire-engagement-ring-item-7115
I like the more simple settings because they seem to keep the focus on the stone, which is what I am after.

However if the stone is a bit above budget, such as the one I mentioned above, and it comes back as a great stone at a good price, I can go higher.

 

[msop04]

Here is a stone that is almost identical in size (diameter) to the 1.02 ct I/SI2 you posted. I'm almost certain it would be clean. You can always have JA put up to 3 diamonds on hold and they will check for cleanliness and give ASETs or other info.

I would put this on hold ASAP before someone else grabs it! It is a really nice stone and within budget.

http://www.jamesallen.com/loose-diamonds/round-cut/1.01-carat-i-color-vs2-clarity-sku-240407 $5700 (HCA 1.0)

 

[msop04]

...HCA score, even though it measures light return and fire, etc, the stone may also have inclusions such as clouds which appear as darker areas, feathers, etc......yea, confusing! But further learning and persistence will get me there!
Anything else you can send my way is appreciated!! What do you think of the stone above?

This is exactly right! Even if a stone scores well on the HCA, you still wouldn't want a lot of inclusions in it. I'd rather have one that scored Very Good that was eye clean than a 1.2 with visible inclusions.

 

[msop04]

http://www.jamesallen.com/loose-diamonds/round-cut/1.07-carat-h-color-si1-clarity-sku-181267

What do you think of the stone above?[/quote]

I think that stone has way to many small inclusions that may cloud it and it's more expensive. Have you checked out the last stone I linked?? It's so sooo pretty!!

 

[msop04]

Is $5-6K the budget for the stone only or the whole ring? If for the whole ring, what type setting are you looking for?

$5 to 6K is my budget for the stone, and I am looking at a very simple setting such as:
http://www.jamesallen.com/engagement-rings/solitaire/14k-white-gold-2mm-knife-edge-solitaire-engagement-ring-item-7115
I like the more simple settings because they seem to keep the focus on the stone, which is what I am after.

However if the stone is a bit above budget, such as the one I mentioned above, and it comes back as a great stone at a good price, I can go higher.

I like that you're going with a classic solitaire. FWIW, that same setting in a 6 prong will accentuate the roundness of the stone and make it appear a little larger (this is because it forces the eye all around the stone instead of just to the four corners). Just a suggestion.

 

[JonT]

Here is a stone that is almost identical in size (diameter) to the 1.02 ct I/SI2 you posted. I'm almost certain it would be clean. You can always have JA put up to 3 diamonds on hold and they will check for cleanliness and give ASETs or other info.

I would put this on hold ASAP before someone else grabs it! It is a really nice stone and within budget.

http://www.jamesallen.com/loose-diamonds/round-cut/1.01-carat-i-color-vs2-clarity-sku-240407 $5700 (HCA 1.0)

Thanks I will put it on hold along with a couple others, and also thanks for the six prong suggestion. I had considered that but wasn't sure if JA had that setting in a six prong.

 

[msop04]

Thanks I will put it on hold along with a couple others, and also thanks for the six prong suggestion. I had considered that but wasn't sure if JA had that setting in a six prong.

No problem! Here are some links with similar sized stones set in them, so you can compare the looks for yourself! (This is one of the reasons I love JA's site!) The daintier the band, the larger the stone looks.

SIX PRONGS
Handmade 6 prong - 18K ($870) - my favorite of all
http://www.jamesallen.com/engagemen...-solitaire-engagement-ring-handmade-item-2537

2mm Knife Edge 6 prong - 14K ($180) - best value, IMO
http://www.jamesallen.com/engagemen...solitaire-engagement-ring-six-prong-item-7990

2mm Comfort Fit 6 prong - 14K ($345)
http://www.jamesallen.com/engagemen...solitaire-engagement-ring-six-prong-item-7995

FOUR PRONGS
2mm Comfort Fit 4 prong - 14K ($345)
http://www.jamesallen.com/engagemen...mfort-fit-solitaire-engagement-ring-item-7086

2mm Knife Edge 4 prong - 14K ($180)
http://www.jamesallen.com/engagemen...nife-edge-solitaire-engagement-ring-item-7115

1.8mm Double Bevel Knife Edge - 14K ($525) - this is the prettiest 4-prong, IMO
http://www.jamesallen.com/engagemen...le-bevel-knife-edge-engagement-ring-item-7850

1.6mm Double Claw 4 Prong - 18K ($700) - this is pretty, too
http://www.jamesallen.com/engagemen...d-double-claw-prong-engagement-ring-item-5816

Also, I would recommend getting 14K if you can (if not listed as such, I would ask JA if you can order it in 14K). It will stay white longer (will need to be rhodium plated less often) and it is less expensive than 18K or platinum.

Hope this helps you get a better visual for how many prongs and the width of band you prefer.

 

[JonT]

Yes, I have decided on the six prong knife edge 2mm. Classically simple with nothing to detract from the stone. I am going with the 14carat white gold but was not aware that it actually required less replating than 18, so thanks for that info! And thanks for all your help and suggestions.....it makes the process much more doable for a novice like me!! So now it's wait for the three stones I put on hold to be reviewed and make the final decision! I'll let you know what I end up with!

 

[msop04]

Yes, I have decided on the six prong knife edge 2mm. Classically simple with nothing to detract from the stone. I am going with the 14carat white gold but was not aware that it actually required less replating than 18, so thanks for that info! And thanks for all your help and suggestions.....it makes the process much more doable for a novice like me!! So now it's wait for the three stones I put on hold to be reviewed and make the final decision! I'll let you know what I end up with!

Yaaaaayyyy!!! I'm so excited for you, JonT!! Can't wait to see what they say about the stones!