Stone Margin and Pricing Question

[drk14]

I would like to comment on the jeweller and what they've demonstrated to you - you've got a sizeable amount to spend and instead of respecting that and showing you stones which would make spending that amount of money worth your while, they've shown you poorly cut, quite included stones. I would not be comfortable continuing to work with someone who has demonstrated their willingness to palm their duds off onto you. Unless they don't know any better, in which case they shouldn't be selling such expensive things!

I would just like to make the observation that the diamonds offered by this vendor seem to have above-average spread (to the detriment of light performance). It could be that OP specifically directed the vendor to find the largest available diamonds within his budget, or it could be that the vendor uses maximum spread as the main criterion to select all of their diamonds (i.e., that this is their business model -- to offer diamonds that have larger spread than average). This, of course, is anathema to PS!

In either case, I agree that OP should not feel obliged to keep working with this vendor, even if they've established some rapport. If OP wants a nice-looking diamond for his gf, then this vendor is not a good fit.

OP: If you go back to look at these vendor's diamonds (or any other vendor's diamonds) in person, make sure that you view the diamonds in natural light (not in direct sunlight, though) and/or in a normally lit office environment (e.g., fluorescent lights at normal ceiling height). In addition, since you are considering a Tiffany-style head for the setting, you must examine the diamonds viewed from the side, as well (as this profile view will be the view that your fiancee will see more often than the face-up view when she looks at her hands while typing, etc.). If the diamond body looks noticeably tinted when viewed from the side, then you need to make sure your gf is ok with that look.

 

[Dan W]

Thank you everyone for the feedback. When you say look at the stone from the sides and top and normal light and see if there is tint, what color should I be looking for? Should I be looking for certain colors or overall less sparkle?

Also, I am not familiar with James Allen. Are they a online storefront with access to the same wholesale supply as other jewlers, or something different? Are their prices negotiable like other jewlers?

 

[drk14]

When you say look at the stone from the sides and top and normal light and see if there is tint

I want to clarify what you are being advised to do, because there are a few different things to look for, and you don't want to get them mixed up.

First, to evaluate how sparkly a diamond is, the diamond table should face towards you (face-up), and you should tilt the diamond ever so slightly back and forth. This test should not be done under jewelry showroom lights, because such lights are designed to make even the worst-performing diamonds look deceptively sparkly. Thus, you should check for sparkliness in natural light (e.g., by a window, but not in direct sunlight), and/or in an standard office environment (assuming your gf works in an office, and thus will be viewing her ring in this environment for a good part of the day).

Second, a completely different test, because you have been offered low-color diamonds (with brown tinge, too boot), and because you claim not to be able to see the difference between an L and a higher color, is to look more carefully at the diamond color. Again, the jewelry showroom lighting can create sparkles that hide unattractive coloring, so you should do your test in a more natural light environment to produce a more representative picture of the diamond's appearance. Furthermore, body color in a diamond is much more apparent when you view it from the side, especially if you look straight through the pavillion from the side. As I mentioned above, this test is relevant, because your gf will see this side of the diamond when she wears her ring. Most people associate diamonds with a clear "white" appearance, and would expect their diamond to not have noticeable body color. Thus, when viewed from the side, does the diamond body look like clean water or like dirty dishwater (with apologies to the low-color aficionados of PS for such a crude analogy...)?

OK, yes, some people prefer a "warmer" tone in the diamond color instead of what they might consider a "cold" or "sterile" white. My point is that if the diamond's color is perceptible, then you need to make sure that your gf is one of those individuals who enjoy such coloring.

 

[drk14]

Also, I am not familiar with James Allen. Are they a online storefront with access to the same wholesale supply as other jewlers, or something different? Are their prices negotiable like other jewlers?

James Allen (JA) is an online vendor with access to so-called "virtual" diamonds from suppliers across the world. I believe they may have exclusivity arrangements with some suppliers, while some of their suppliers also make their virtual inventory available to be offered by other vendors. They have a number of suppliers in NYC, and for those diamonds, they are able to call the diamond in for inspection by their in-house gemologists and imaging using IdealScope, ASET, and other reflector technology.

I don't believe their prices are negotiable, because of the already low margins for internet diamond sales, but there are some tricks to get a few hundred dollars' discount.

 

[OoohShiny]

Kudos to @drk14 for the very helpful, wise, comprehensive responses in this thread

 

[drk14]

Kudos to @drk14 for the very helpful, wise, comprehensive responses in this thread

Aww shucks!!

Thanks for the kind words. To be fair, this thread also has some great contributions from PS heavy-hitters such as @diamondseeker2006 and @John Pollard.

 

[diamondseeker2006]

Thank, drk! I truly am not in the same league in technical knowledge as you and John! I do hope I can help him find a better diamond, though!

Just FYI, James Allen is owned by a diamond supplier, so their diamonds as well as those from various other cutters/sources are shown on their site. It is unusual to have videos of so many stones even though not all are in house.

To the OP, to think about color, compare a glass of water to a glass of gingerale. D color is the water, and L-M-N-O is in the gingerale range. Color has little to do with sparkle as sparkle has to do with cut. Cut is the number one factor in a diamond's beauty. But color can affect brightness in combination with cut. I wouldn't normally recommend going below J color for a modern round brilliant engagement ring, but I went to K color since it sounds like a large size is a top requirement for the diamond. James Allen is a big and well known online diamond vendor. They have a good return policy, so there is zero risk. A gemologist will examine the stone for you to be sure it is eyeclean (which I think the stone I linked is). There are other diamond vendors that I like as well, some with stores. But that 3.5 was the best stone I could find close to your budget.

 

[vintagelover229]

I realize this is smaller than you had hoped but here is a great options in the preowned market
https://loupetroop.com/listings/loose-stones-diamond/2-dot-55-ags-ideal-round-brilliant
It's on consignment and has a video. High color and clarity too!

Are you open to antique cut diamonds?
You may be able to find something in your size/budget that way too.
https://loupetroop.com/listings/rin...-gia-antique-diamond-platinum-engagement-ring

http://www.jewelsbygrace.com/2-91ct-old-european-cut-diamond-gia-l-vs1

Another person to reach out to would be IDJ-I'm pretty sure if you give him your specs that he's really good at finding large stones/budgets/eye clean.
https://idjewelry.com/

I know you said round but I can't help but show you this
http://www.jewelsbygrace.com/3-43ctw-emerald-cut-diamond-5-stone-ring-by-leon-mege-gia-f-si1

This is on hold but maybe come up again!
http://www.jewelsbygrace.com/2-64ct-old-european-cut-diamond-tapered-french-cut-setting-by-leon-mege