Thinking of purchasing this Oval diamond... what do you think?

[jc133]

Hi,

I stumbled upon this site and have found it very useful already! I was hoping to get your thoughts on this diamond that I have waiting for me at Jared. After reading up on diamonds I am going to go back and check how intense the "bowtie" is and look at the inclusions (attached) again, but when I saw it previously it looked beautiful and nothing really stood out to me. However, at the time I wasn't planning on buying so I wanted to go back and really look closely at everything. Below are the specs and after reading more about oval diamonds I will be going back to the store today to look at the diamond further, but just by the numbers what do you think?

GIA Certified
Shape and Cutting Style - Oval Brilliant
Measurements - 8.97 x 6.42 x 3.75 mm
Carat Weight - 1.34
Color Grade - F
Clarity Grade - SI2
Polish - Excellent
Symmetry - Excellent
Fluorescence - None
Comments - Additional twinning wisps, pinpoints and surface graining are not shown
Table % - 59%
Depth % - 58.4%
L/W ratio - 1.397
Girdle Thickness - medium - slightly thick (faceted)
Culet - none

price $8460.00

 

[msop04]

You can't choose fancies based on specs. We'd need to see photo or (preferably videos), as well as ASET/IS, etc...

I wouldn't even consider buying an engagement diamond from Jared.

 

[jc133]

As I've said I'm very new to this... could ASET be done in the store? I don't know what IS is and why wouldn't you buy an engagement diamond from Jared?

 

[msop04]

Look at these:
(must hit Ctrl when clicking on BN links)

This on has a little bow tie, but not a lot of mush, so I'd be interested to see it IRL. (8.24 x 6.0
https://www.bluenile.com/diamond-details/LD08700403

This one is a little smaller, but the faceting looks very lively throughout. (7.99 x 5.95)
https://www.bluenile.com/diamond-search?stockno=LD08168076

Ovals can be tough... there aren't a lot of nice ones.

 

[msop04]

As I've said I'm very new to this... could ASET be done in the store? I don't know what IS is and why wouldn't you buy an engagement diamond from Jared?

Jared won't have any of those imaging tools. IS is Idealscope, and it shows light return. Both ASET and IS will show you if there is any light leakage and if the diamond will be bright.

Jared sells subpar diamonds for high prices. They do carry some GIA graded stones, but their inventory is vastly craptacular. Also, they have very poorly made settings. If you post your budget for the diamond, PS members will be happy to help you find the best cut stone for your money.

I would strongly advise you to steer clear of the "maul" stores... There are many PS-approved vendors to choose from, so there's really no reason to waste money on a subpar stone.

 

[msop04]

I also wanted to add that I am by no means an "oval expert," but there are many PS members that are very good at picking fancies. I have tried to pay attention to their advice over the years.

Don't worry... fancies can be tricky, but you've come to the right place!

 

[jc133]

If I were to buy a diamond from an online store how does it work if the stone becomes lose or worst case lost? Is it possible to get a reasonably priced diamond at a store like Jared? I really wasn't intending on buying anything, but they had it shipped and when I saw it, it looked really very nice. What if I were to purchase an ASET and bring it to the store to take a look or would someone who is trained to use it need to look to have an accurate reading?

 

[msop04]

If I were to buy a diamond from an online store how does it work if the stone becomes lose or worst case lost? Is it possible to get a reasonably priced diamond at a store like Jared? I really wasn't intending on buying anything, but they had it shipped and when I saw it, it looked really very nice. What if I were to purchase an ASET and bring it to the store to take a look or would someone who is trained to use it need to look to have an accurate reading?

You need to have the ring insured, so it would be replaced in that event.
You will pay more for worse quality at stores like Jared. You are much better off to buy online with a PS-trusted vendor. You'd need to know what you were looking at to assess what you see. I am willing to bet money that no Jared employee will even know what an ASET or IS is, much less be able to read it or explain what they see with accuracy or honesty. It's so much easier to use a trusted vendor for such an important and expensive purchase.

 

[jc133]

I have been looking around on a few online sites and haven't really been able to find any oval shaped diamonds that looked as good as the one I saw in the store in the price range/size I was looking for. I just saw you said if I posted what I was looking for someone may be able to find something along the lines of what I was looking for!
My girlfriend definitely wants an oval shape, she mentioned micro-pave halfway around the band, but I was told (by someone at Jared) that these are likely to get loose/fall out so I'm not quite sure if I should go with that or just smaller diamonds on the band (I don't know the name for this). She also want's a gold or rose gold band (I'm a little partial to rose gold myself) and I was looking to spend around 10, but up to 12,000 tops. I will be going to the store today and will try to get pictures/ask about the ASET/IS or if they have any pictures/videos that I could upload. Thank you for all your help thus far!

 

[ringo865]

Leave your wallet locked safely at home and let us know what they show you.

 

[msop04]

I have been looking around on a few online sites and haven't really been able to find any oval shaped diamonds that looked as good as the one I saw in the store in the price range/size I was looking for. I just saw you said if I posted what I was looking for someone may be able to find something along the lines of what I was looking for!
My girlfriend definitely wants an oval shape, she mentioned micro-pave halfway around the band, but I was told (by someone at Jared) that these are likely to get loose/fall out so I'm not quite sure if I should go with that or just smaller diamonds on the band (I don't know the name for this). She also want's a gold or rose gold band (I'm a little partial to rose gold myself) and I was looking to spend around 10, but up to 12,000 tops. I will be going to the store today and will try to get pictures/ask about the ASET/IS or if they have any pictures/videos that I could upload. Thank you for all your help thus far!

Although micropave is delicate, a well-made setting shouldn't have stones falling out... a setting from Jared will be shoddy. I would have David Klass make that setting for you. You could probably have a lovely micropave shank in 14K rose gold for around 1000-1500. I would use rest of the money for the diamond about ($10K).

 

[jc133]

Man you sound like you really hate this store, but I did mean to say "more likely to fall out"... anyway I've attached a few pictures from yesterday (I didn't have time to upload last night I apologize). I was going to speak with them today and see if they can get the computer images from their internal network sent to me today. I wasn't exactly sure how to take pictures of the stone, but after looking at it with the naked eye and through a 10x and 30x microscope I wasn't able to see any of the inclusions with the naked eye from the top of the rock, I was however able to see the "feather" when looking at it from the side. Would this even be noticeable with a 6 prong setting? I also had the manager walk me outside (twice) with the diamond to see how it looked in natural lighting. It was however, very sunny but we looked at it I had him walk about 10/15 feet away and was still seeing a lot of sparkle (not sure if there's a name for this) but could see a variety of colors and it was very shiny, even in the shade. Please let me know if there's anything else I can do or say here to help you help me decide, it's a very big and important decision so I definitely want to get it right!

 

[jc133]

Also there are no black spots whatsoever, all the inclusions are transparent/white. As stated I could see them through a 10x and 30x but not with the naked eye except one that ran a descent length through the rock but only when looking from the side.

 

[WillyDiamond]

Hey OP, its your coin, people on this forum are telling you to stay away from Jareds. People on this forum have had bad experiences with them. Let some of the fancy experts find you a stone for your GF. Best of luck.

You may want to check out Good Old Gold, they have the ability to bring in lots of ovals.

 

[jc133]

I'm not sure if they have Good Old Gold where I live in San Diego?

 

[doberman]

Micropave does not necessarily fall out; It all depends on the skill of the designer. Suffice it to say that a stock setting at Jared is at the low end of the skill spectrum. Have you seen any ovals other than this one? It's hard to judge diamonds without some comparison, particularly fancy shapes prone to bowtie.

 

[jc133]

I have not seen any others besides some online, I thought it would be nice to have one from a place that is all over (since we will be heading back tot he east coast) where she could take it to get cleaned/resized/repaired all for free for a pain free experience on her end. I think I may have them ship out a few more to look and compare a few different ones to see in comparison. Can you tell from the images if that is a large bowtie in the middle or not? It didn't seem as dark as some pictures I saw so I didn't think it was too bad, but again I'm a novice when it comes to this...

 

[ac117]

From the pictures, the stone does look to have a very large bowtie. Anyone on this forum would urge you to stay away from Jared's - you could do better for your money elsewhere. When you move, you can find a reputable local jeweler who could clean your ring and inspect which is typically done for free....

This is exactly what I'd go for if I were you. I'd ask JA for a PS discount and also get $100 off with a referral code which you could get if you have 2 email addresses:
Stone: https://www.jamesallen.com/loose-diamonds/oval-cut/1.50-carat-g-color-vs2-clarity-sku-2775241
Setting: https://www.jamesallen.com/engageme...pave-crown-diamond-engagement-ring-item-53125 (go to recently purchased oval under shape and there's a lovely 1.5 oval as an example...the stone above would look whiter bc it's a G. I'd also ask them for delicate claw prongs)

Someone just got the setting above with a princess cut and it was lovely: https://www.pricescope.com/communit...-value-for-a-purchase-from-jamesallen.231275/

 

[farrahlyn]

All you have to do is a quick search here or a google search about Jareds and you'll see the amount of bad reviews and experiences. Many with pave falling out of the settings. Sure, they are convenient because they're everywhere and it's a good thing because you'll be going regularly for repairs. FWIW, i have micropave in my setting. I've had it for 2 years, wear it daily and have yet to lose a stone.

Pretty much any jeweler will do a cleaning for free. Buy online or use a recommended vendor. When you move, actively search for a good local guy and have your cleanings and inspections done there. And there are absolutely B&M stores that are awesome. if you're set on that, there are some recommended vendors located in Los Angeles, i know it's a drive for you but you could call and get the ball rolling, have some stones brought in and make a trip over there one day to choose a stone. You're dropping a lot of money so the added time is absolutely worth it.

That said, love the oval posted above and that setting is SO gorgeous Definitely my favorite pave setting on JA right now!

 

[jc133]

What about if the stone gets chipped or worst case lost? With Jared if it's brought in every 6 months and anything like that ever happens they will replace the stone with equal or "better" gradings.

 

[jc133]

Also if I do go with JA do I have to purchase basically site unseen? Do they do ASET/IS testing as @msop04 previously mentioned?

 

[ac117]

JA does ASETs for stones that are in NY - you will need to ask them if they could provide one. However, fancy cuts are difficult to shop for and while an ASET will help, the video is also extremely telling.

As for the chipping or lost question, you need to get insurance on the ring. Your insurance policy (just like a car), covers you in the event your ring is lost/stolen/damaged. Jewelers Mutual, Lavalier, GemSafe are all companies you could ask to get a quote from. If you have home or rental insurance, they sometimes also offer adding jewelry insurance to it. You'll need to check with them directly.

 

[jc133]

I guess I just feel more comfortable being able to see the stone in my hands and purchasing offline. I don't want to think I'm getting something but have something totally different show up. Also living with my girlfriend it would be tough to have it sent to the house and not have her receive the package, these are really the only reason I began looking at a B&M store.

 

[WillyDiamond]

GOG is a PS vendor, not in San Diego, you buy online with proper specs and help from forum members who know fancies. You can return stone to them within return period if you do not like.

 

[jc133]

what does it mean to be a "PS vendor"?

 

[WillyDiamond]

PS= PriceScope......a sponsored vendor on this forum with lots of sales and solid happy customers

OP, I also just re-read a concern about having your GF see the package......you could either send it to your office, or most PS vendors use FEDEX and you could send it to the FEDEX depot and pick it up anytime during the day. I do the latter because I am not home and don't want to tip off the wife!

 

[jc133]

Got it, I guess I meant how do I go about obtaining sales being a PS user? The FEDEX option would actually be perfect, I'd just be a little nervous holding it for long (not planning to propose until January). Is this (https://www.pricescope.com/featured-sponsors) the list of all PS vendors? I'm really happy I found this site, I do like the diamond I had seen in store but have a ton of time to pick the very best and appreciate all the help I've already gotten thus far. I actually called and told them not to set the stone and that I wouldn't be purchasing yet as I would like to shop around a bit more to really get the best deal.

 

[jc133]

So what would you say is the best way to go about purchasing a ring... shop around and get ASET results/GIA certs and post them here or start a new thread asking for help?

 

[jc133]

One more question... She said she would like a gold or rose gold setting, I'm partial to rose gold but wanted to ask if there are any common issues with either rose gold or gold that should be taken into account? Which is more durable? Which will last for the rest of our lives without extra special care (ie more than just regular cleanings)?

 

[ac117]

James Allen has free 30 days returns...no questions asked. Most places will not provide ASETs (most don't even know what they are) - if they do and can provide them, then yes post them here for advice. Videos are also helpful for fancy cuts, in addition to ASETs.

There's a thread going on right now about possible porosity issues with rose gold and that it's a harder metal to work with so yellow gold would probably be safer. That being said, I personally wouldn't let that dictate what I buy. Many people have bought rose gold with no issues.