Thoughts on these Emerald Cuts from VRAI

[Seesportjump]

Hi all,

We've been shopping for an engagement ring with an emerald-cut stone. and were immediately impressed by the low prices at VRAI. I like a big stone (3 carats), and their prices are significantly cheaper than anywhere else we've looked.

I've read a lot of the threads here about issues with VRAI:
- Brown/pink color
- Weak settings
- In-house certification

But the price is so very right…

Would appreciate everyone's thoughts on these three stones.

And, while we're at it, curious if anyone has any backstory on VRAI. It sounds like Diamond Foundry (the source for VRAI MMDs) was selling old VRAI settings on their site a few months back. Then they stopped. In reading threads on here, it also seems like there was a massive price drop on VRAI a couple of months ago. I just think it's interesting so was wondering if anyone knows what the deal is.

Thanks!


3.16 J



3.23 I


2.77 H

 

[123ducklings]

Can’t really evaluate fancy cuts from the numbers the way you can with MRB; need to see how the move, ideally in different lighting conditions.

If you are sensitive to color? Will the stone be set in a white metal? If you like an icy white diamond I would caution you about color. As you say Vrai diamonds are “graded” in house and can tend to show brown tones; an emerald cut that large will definitely show its color.

Here’s some info about ECs that you might want to check out if you haven’t already. You can ask for video and ASET and/or idealscope images to get a sense of light return.

https://www.pricescope.com/wiki/diamonds/emerald-cut-diamond

 

[MRBXXXFVVS1]

I don't have an experience with VRAI diamonds, but I think they are the same company as Diamond Foundry. Emerald cuts show color and clarity easily. Unless you prefer warmer colors, I would go with as high of a color and clarity as possible.

 

[vintageloves]

The pink/brown issue is not unique to Vrai, but it does seem to inflict most of its stones for whatever reason. Their grading is... open to interpretation.

I happen to like their emerald cuts. I prefer a shallow cut emerald and they are not easy to find.

Of the ones you posted I like the H the best.

 

[Seesportjump]

The pink/brown issue is not unique to Vrai, but it does seem to inflict most of its stones for whatever reason. Their grading is... open to interpretation.

I happen to like their emerald cuts. I prefer a shallow cut emerald and they are not easy to find.

Of the ones you posted I like the H the best.

Thanks for responding. What makes you like H the best?

 

[Seesportjump]

Can’t really evaluate fancy cuts from the numbers the way you can with MRB; need to see how the move, ideally in different lighting conditions.

If you are sensitive to color? Will the stone be set in a white metal? If you like an icy white diamond I would caution you about color. As you say Vrai diamonds are “graded” in house and can tend to show brown tones; an emerald cut that large will definitely show its color.

Here’s some info about ECs that you might want to check out if you haven’t already. You can ask for video and ASET and/or idealscope images to get a sense of light return.

https://www.pricescope.com/wiki/diamonds/emerald-cut-diamond

It will probably be set in platinum. I'm not sure how much I care about the color. I think in the end, you aren't looking at it beside a perfect diamond and in day to day wear it gets a little dirty anyways. I'm tough on jewelry. It's not an easy answer - but if I've learned anything here, it never is. Thanks for sharing your thoughts!

 

[sprinklesparkles]

I have one of their emerald cuts! It performs beautifully in my opinion.

Diamond Foundary owns Vrai, and it's their consumer facing company to buy settings from.

Vrai has very good customer service, and their new settings are better made than the custom one my fiance picked out.

Pretty sure the non-well-made reputation on here came from my ring, which wasn't one of their normal designs. I don't want to give them a bad reputation for it when the setting wasn't one they normally offer!

 

[Seesportjump]

I have one of their emerald cuts! It performs beautifully in my opinion.

Diamond Foundary owns Vrai, and it's their consumer facing company to buy settings from.

Vrai has very good customer service, and their new settings are better made than the custom one my fiance picked out.

Pretty sure the non-well-made reputation on here came from my ring, which wasn't one of their normal designs. I don't want to give them a bad reputation for it when the setting wasn't one they normally offer!

Thanks for chiming in! What size is yours and where is it on the color scale?

 

[sparklyshrink]

So interesting. Also, I've noticed some of their stones have IGI certs as well. Like this one:

Sustainably created Round Brilliant diamonds and engagement rings | VRAI

Customizable timeless engagement rings with a modern twist, designed with recycled gold & sustainably created diamonds with no middlemen markups, produced in our own foundry with zero carbon footprint.

www.vrai.com

 

[Seesportjump]

So interesting. Also, I've noticed some of their stones have IGI certs as well. Like this one:

Sustainably created Round Brilliant diamonds and engagement rings | VRAI

Customizable timeless engagement rings with a modern twist, designed with recycled gold & sustainably created diamonds with no middlemen markups, produced in our own foundry with zero carbon footprint.

www.vrai.com

The Diamond Foundry/VRAI mystery continues...

 

[sprinklesparkles]

I have one of their emerald cuts! It performs beautifully in my opinion.

Diamond Foundary owns Vrai, and it's their consumer facing company to buy settings from.

Vrai has very good customer service, and their new settings are better made than the custom one my fiance picked out.

Pretty sure the non-well-made reputation on here came from my ring, which wasn't one of their normal designs. I don't want to give them a bad reputation for it when the setting wasn't one they normally offer!

Not sure, as I don't have the cert. My fiance had a friend keep it so I wouldn't find it before the proposal and we haven't retrieved it yet.

I do know it's a VVS range clarity, and between 1.5 to 2 ct.

 

[Seesportjump]

Not sure, as I don't have the cert. My fiance had a friend keep it so I wouldn't find it before the proposal and we haven't retrieved it yet.

I do know it's a VVS range clarity, and between 1.5 to 2 ct.

I think your ring is beautiful! Would love to know the color when you find out. I would be very happy with that diamond, too Congratulations!

 

[sprinklesparkles]

I think your ring is beautiful! Would love to know the color when you find out. I would be very happy with that diamond, too Congratulations!

Thank you! Here it is next to a cheap step cut cz for color context. I had no idea it was this color till I held them side by side!

 

[mrsthirdcharms]

Hey there, I just bought a RB 3ex VS1 I color from Vrai. I got it loose, and had it set locally. I don’t know if it’s the case for all their diamonds, but I could only see the in-house cert online. However, it shipped with an IGI certificate that matches the specs.

Here are some pictures of mine. I’m thrilled with it. I don’t tend to be overly color sensitive, but this diamond never looks “brown” to me.

https://imgur.com/a/sjRVbpU

 

[OoohShiny]

I don’t know if it’s the case for all their diamonds, but I could only see the in-house cert online. However, it shipped with an IGI certificate that matches the specs.

This sets off alarm bells (as I think I might have commented in your thread?) but I guess that as long as someone buying is aware of the potential 'soft' grading and the price reflects that, it's not the end of the world.

 

[Jilliri0218]

Hi. I think I can help. I have a diamond from them. It is an emerald 4+ carat and measures about 5 carats. 11.5 x8. Color k. I chose the K color specifically because I love the slight pink color. I thought it would be something different and unique since my other diamonds are all pretty white. it’s a personal preference but I thought that I would include some pictures with my diamond paired different ways so maybe you could get an idea of the color. It is set in platinum but I paired it with a rose gold option and a non-rose gold option for your reference. I used Kegan at Frank Darling To source the stone from the diamond foundry for me so I could see it first before I committed. She’s an excellent option if you want to do that. This is also under closet lighting that Makes it look a lot more pink. In natural light it looks a lot whiter

 

[Seesportjump]

Hi. I think I can help. I have a diamond from them. It is an emerald 4+ carat and measures about 5 carats. 11.5 x8. Color k. I chose the K color specifically because I love the slight pink color. I thought it would be something different and unique since my other diamonds are all pretty white. it’s a personal preference but I thought that I would include some pictures with my diamond paired different ways so maybe you could get an idea of the color. It is set in platinum but I paired it with a rose gold option and a non-rose gold option for your reference. I used Kegan at Frank Darling To source the stone from the diamond foundry for me so I could see it first before I committed. She’s an excellent option if you want to do that. This is also under closet lighting that Makes it look a lot more pink. In natural light it looks a lot whiter

Thank you so much for sharing your ring and your experience. It's beautiful, and this was really helpful! Those pairings really give a sense of the color. That slight pink tint is lovely. You also clearly have great taste in shoes

 

[mrsthirdcharms]

This sets off alarm bells (as I think I might have commented in your thread?) but I guess that as long as someone buying is aware of the potential 'soft' grading and the price reflects that, it's not the end of the world.

There’s a second link on the site for the IGI report, which I couldn’t get to load. They have a solid return policy, so I wasn’t that worried. The diamond came with a hard copy of the IGI report, which I confirmed online. I inspected it in different lights, and had my jeweler inspect it as well. I knew that I could send it back. They also have a buy-back program, which not every lab diamond vendor does. You can upgrade for life, and they’ll buy it back for 100% of what you paid, towards a purchase of at least 50% more. That seems fair to me, and much less risky than buying sight-unseen from China or India.

 

[sparklyshrink]

I agree. It looks like a lot of the stones on the Vrai site have IGI reports (at least the round brilliants do) on top of their sketchy 'in-house' GIA reports. Because of the return policies and upgrade policies, I still prefer buying from Vrai, and other US-based companies. I'd be so paranoid buying such an expensive stone from Tianyu, I've heard returning to them is tough.