Suitable Engagement Diamond - Help I''m losing focus!

[jovansey]

Hi Everyone!

Over the last few weeks I’ve been reading with interest all of the information on these forums.

Whilst I no longer feel like an absolute beginner, I’m still struggling to understand some of the more complicated aspects of diamond buying (i.e. what makes a good cut, and how to analyse a diamond using its measurements & images).

I’m in the UK and am looking to spend the equivalent of $3000 - $3750 USD on a diamond (including ring) from a reputable web-seller – with the end-goal being to propose to my better-half whilst on holiday in Thailand at the end of November.

My fiancée-to-be is certainly no diamond expert so I think that as long as it looks pretty, is big (relatively speaking) & sparkles a lot, she’ll be happy!

From my perspective however, I feel as though my eyes have now been opened (mainly thanks to you guys & girls!) to the common pit-falls & general poor-quality of product sold in traditional mall outlets, so whilst the size is important, I also want to pay particular attention to the cut, clarity & colour.

I’ve looked at Blue-Nile, High-Performance-Diamonds & White-Flash, but there just seems so much to choose from - especially as I think I understand so little about the quality of cut.

Here are my requirements (I really do hope I can borrow some of your ‘expert eyes’ to point me in the direction of some suitable diamonds from some suitable retailers):

circa. 1-carat Princess-cut, VS2 or SI1, colour H or I, set in a white-gold ring

Please feel free to tell me if my budget is unrealistic, or whether I will need to downgrade on certain aspects (i.e. could there potentially be a noticeable difference in looks between an SI1 and an SI2? If so, how do I tell?)

Very many thanks in anticipation,

Paul.

 

[Lorelei]

Date: 10/12/2009 1:16:36 PM
Author:jovansey

Hi Everyone!

Over the last few weeks I’ve been reading with interest all of the information on these forums.

Whilst I no longer feel like an absolute beginner, I’m still struggling to understand some of the more complicated aspects of diamond buying (i.e. what makes a good cut, and how to analyse a diamond using its measurements & images).

I’m in the UK and am looking to spend the equivalent of $3000 - $3750 USD on a diamond (including ring) from a reputable web-seller – with the end-goal being to propose to my better-half whilst on holiday in Thailand at the end of November.

My fiancée-to-be is certainly no diamond expert so I think that as long as it looks pretty, is big (relatively speaking) & sparkles a lot, she’ll be happy!

From my perspective however, I feel as though my eyes have now been opened (mainly thanks to you guys & girls!) to the common pit-falls & general poor-quality of product sold in traditional mall outlets, so whilst the size is important, I also want to pay particular attention to the cut, clarity & colour.

I’ve looked at Blue-Nile, High-Performance-Diamonds & White-Flash, but there just seems so much to choose from - especially as I think I understand so little about the quality of cut.

Here are my requirements (I really do hope I can borrow some of your ‘expert eyes’ to point me in the direction of some suitable diamonds from some suitable retailers):

circa. 1-carat Princess-cut, VS2 or SI1, colour H or I, set in a white-gold ring

Please feel free to tell me if my budget is unrealistic, or whether I will need to downgrade on certain aspects (i.e. could there potentially be a noticeable difference in looks between an SI1 and an SI2? If so, how do I tell?)

Very many thanks in anticipation,

Paul.

Hi Paul,

Concerning the visual difference between SI1 and SI2, the important thing to remember with SI clarity grades is to work with a trusted vendor who has access to the diamond and can advise you if it is eyeclean or not. Also be very specific concerning your expectations, if you don't want to see any inclusions from any angle or distance, make sure you tell the vendor that so you are both on the same page.

I don't think you will be able to get a 1 carat Princess on your budget regrettably, but you could get something around .75 or a bit larger, here is an example -

http://www.whiteflash.com/princess/Princess-cut-diamond-2182408.htm#

http://www.niceice.com/certcopies2007/ags0008841802/index.htm

http://www.goodoldgold.com/diamond/6435/

If you aren't sure of your colour preferences then go to a Jareds if there is one closeby and view some of their AGS0 Peerless Princess, look at I and J colour grades in person and compare those to higher colours, you might be surprised and find that I or J colour in such a well cut diamond will be perfectly acceptable, cut can make all the difference as to how these colour grades look.

 

[HVVS]

I'm not picking a fight, just pointing out that an I color in a princess looks really tinted to me, especially from the side. I can see the tint from the top. I color RB, to me, doesn't look as dark. So I'd say H or higher color, probably, unless you're going to put it in yellow gold.

 

[Lorelei]

Date: 10/12/2009 1:24:59 PM
Author: HVVS
I'm not picking a fight, just pointing out that an I color in a princess looks really tinted to me, especially from the side. I can see the tint from the top. I color RB, to me, doesn't look as dark. So I'd say H or higher color, probably, unless you're going to put it in yellow gold.

Actually we do have some here with Princess and other shapes of I and J colour in platinum and white gold which look great, if you prefer YG for these colours personally thats ok and perhaps you are colour sensitive as some folk are, but setting these colour grades in white metal is actually fine and we do have many happy I and J - even K colour owners with white metal rings. Cut can make a tremendous difference as to how these colour grades look, just as an assumption if you haven't viewed well cut and reliably graded Princess then that might be what was making these stones look tinted to you, this has happened to a lot of people viewing these types of diamonds in malls and suchlike, then once they actually saw well cut diamonds of these colours were amazed to see how great they looked. It is also quite possible you are colour sensitive and can detect warmth or tint easily, but I just wanted to point out that there are quite a number of PSers with near colourless diamonds to include Princess set in white metals who are delighted with their rings.

 

[FB.]

As per my thread running about low colours and facing-up white; I would not go below G-H colour for a Princess in white gold and even that would be reluctantly. In yellow gold, I''d go down to I-J.

Your budget translates to about £2400 maximum.

I suspect that your best combination in white gold would be 1.0-1.05ct, G colour, SI1 clarity, with a high cut grade and hopefully eye-clean. That would be right at the high end of your budget and would not include mounting. If the mounting also needs to come from the budget, then try for an "eye clean" SI2, or reluctantly consider dropping to H colour.

 

[Lorelei]

Date: 10/12/2009 1:57:04 PM
Author: FB.
As per my thread running about low colours and facing-up white; I would not go below G-H colour for a Princess in white gold and even that would be reluctantly. In yellow gold, I'd go down to I-J.

Your budget translates to about £2400 maximum.

I suspect that your best combination in white gold would be 1.0-1.05ct, G colour, SI1 clarity, with a high cut grade and hopefully eye-clean. That would be right at the high end of your budget and would not include mounting. If the mounting also needs to come from the budget, then try for an 'eye clean' SI2, or reluctantly consider dropping to H colour.

Thats fine FB and I know thats your preference but just to add a bit of balance here, I have viewed top cut Princess in I and J colour in white metal which looked very white, plus we do have quite a few PSers with these colour grades in Princess and white metal, for example Jstar's fabulous princess in platinum to name one of the top of my head.

For new posters keep an open mind and go and look for yourself, Jareds Peerless Princess are good diamonds to view in I or J colour as an example and see what you prefer. Lower colours such as I and J colour ( GIA or AGS graded) can be successfully set in white metals but please do go and look in person to see what your particular preferences are before purchase if you are unsure.

 

[FB.]

....one more thing that might help narrow down your choices:

A good princess ought to have a number of the following properties:

No feather inclusions in the corners
Table width: 65-72%
Total depth: 68-75%
Total depth slightly greater than table width.
Girdle: medium to thick (better able to take a knock when set in a ring)
Crown height: 8-16%
Very good or better polish
At least good and preferably very good or better symmetry


......

and if you find that Princess cuts are out of your price range, you might be able to find a near-square cushion cut or emerald cut, but they are slightly different types of sparkle to a princess.

 

[FB.]

Lorelei

Regarding my thread on colour - I thought that it brought out quite a few good comments from both sides of the colour v size argument, which is why I hinted to the OP to take a look and make up their own mind, based on the many good points that have been made.

 

[coda72]

You might also want to check out Crafted by Infinity stones. I really think their princess cut stones are the most beautiful of this type of stone.