Time to start the search over...?

[anangel]

My order at With Clarity has been delayed at least two more weeks because I diamond I wanted is in India/CoVid-19. They offered this diamond - here is the cert - as a replacement with no additional costs.
It's the same size, one color grade higher, but I'm out of HCA calculator entries, so just looking at the angles, I'm not sure they play as nice as the one I previously ordered.
If the diamond they're offering isn't a good choice, I'm seeing this as a golden opportunity to cancel the order all together and start over.
@swaye2010
@OoohShiny
@lovedogs
@mrsgreeneyes
What would you do if you were in my boat? My budget is about $3k for diamond and setting. Cut is most important, followed by clarity, and color, I think I'd like to shoot for an H or I. I'd like to get at least 1.25 carats, but would prefer 1.5 carats if possible. I like a 6 prong cathedral solitaire, love Vatche Royal Crown's look!, and if the budget allows, platinum.
I've looked at so many diamonds, they're all starting to look the same. I would truly be appreciative for any help or feedback at this point.
This community is the BEST by the way! We have such smart, talented people on here, I feel so lucky to be a part of it!

 

[lovedogs]

My order at With Clarity has been delayed at least two more weeks because I diamond I wanted is in India/CoVid-19. They offered this diamond - here is the cert - as a replacement with no additional costs.
It's the same size, one color grade higher, but I'm out of HCA calculator entries, so just looking at the angles, I'm not sure they play as nice as the one I previously ordered.
If the diamond they're offering isn't a good choice, I'm seeing this as a golden opportunity to cancel the order all together and start over.
@swaye2010
@OoohShiny
@lovedogs
@mrsgreeneyes
What would you do if you were in my boat? My budget is about $3k for diamond and setting. Cut is most important, followed by clarity, and color, I think I'd like to shoot for an H or I. I'd like to get at least 1.25 carats, but would prefer 1.5 carats if possible. I like a 6 prong cathedral solitaire, love Vatche Royal Crown's look!, and if the budget allows, platinum.
I've looked at so many diamonds, they're all starting to look the same. I would truly be appreciative for any help or feedback at this point.
This community is the BEST by the way! We have such smart, talented people on here, I feel so lucky to be a part of it!

Can you remind me what diamond you had before?

 

[anangel]

 

[lovedogs]

Your potential new stone has an HCA of 1.4
I am a bit nervous about the 41 pavilion of this new one and personally prefer your original one.

 

[anangel]

@lovedogs
Thanks for checking that. I prefer the look of the original one too. Even with the lower color grade, it had nicer contrast, and pavilion depth below 41.

 

[lovedogs]

@lovedogs
Thanks for checking that. I prefer the look of the original one too. Even with the lower color grade, it had nicer contrast, and pavilion depth below 41.

Do you have a video of the original one?

 

[anangel]

Do you have a video of the original one?

Here is the original in motion

 

[lovedogs]

Here is the original in motion

I thought I was imagining it, but now that I've seen videos of both I think the newer alternative one looks more tinted than the original J. Tint/color doesn't bother me at all, but just FYI that I can see more body color in the I vs. the J

 

[anangel]

I thought I was imagining it, but now that I've seen videos of both I think the newer alternative one looks more tinted than the original J. Tint/color doesn't bother me at all, but just FYI that I can see more body color in the I vs. the J

I also feel the inclusions are more obvious in the I.

 

[anangel]

@lovedogs
What do you think of this diamond?

 

[lovedogs]

@lovedogs
What do you think of this diamond?

I like the video! The HCA calculator link is broken for me (asked about it on RT). But I'll check the values once it's back up. But I like the video better than the other J.

 

[anangel]

I like the video! The HCA calculator link is broken for me (asked about it on RT). But I'll check the values once it's back up. But I like the video better than the other J.

I broke down and bought an HCA key. It scored in the mid 2’s. I’m about ready to give up at this point. In a final attempt to find my diamond in the rough (bad pun, I know), I requested several images from Ritani tonight. Their platinum solitaire prices are very reasonable, so even if their diamonds are a touch more expensive, I can make up for it with the savings in the setting and still get a nice brand.
I can’t remember the last time I was so frustrated with a purchase.

 

[lovedogs]

I broke down and bought an HCA key. It scored in the mid 2’s. I’m about ready to give up at this point. In a final attempt to find my diamond in the rough (bad pun, I know), I requested several images from Ritani tonight. Their platinum solitaire prices are very reasonable, so even if their diamonds are a touch more expensive, I can make up for it with the savings in the setting and still get a nice brand.
I can’t remember the last time I was so frustrated with a purchase.

Let me look for you! I can't tonight but can try to help tomorrow! Size requirements? Budget? Oops you already said 1.25ct, H/I/J color, 3k budget including setting

 

[anangel]

Let me look for you! I can't tonight but can try to help tomorrow! Size requirements? Budget? Oops you already said 1.25ct, H/I/J color, 3k budget including setting

That’s really kind of you... according to the site I was using to search, I’ve looked at about 400 diamonds, so I think my judgement just isn’t great. I’m hoping to get 1.25 to 1.5 carats, near colorless- I think a high J would a great cut would be nicer than an H with an average cut, and eye clean. I’d like to spend about $3k including setting, but maybe I have champagne dreams and a beer budget. If I’m totally off base, or being unrealistic, let me know- I think I got really spoiled by cheap moissanite.

 

[lovedogs]

That’s really kind of you... according to the site I was using to search, I’ve looked at about 400 diamonds, so I think my judgement just isn’t great. I’m hoping to get 1.25 to 1.5 carats, near colorless- I think a high J would a great cut would be nicer than an H with an average cut, and eye clean. I’d like to spend about $3k including setting, but maybe I have champagne dreams and a beer budget. If I’m totally off base, or being unrealistic, let me know- I think I got really spoiled by cheap moissanite.

I think 3k for the stone is potentially doable, but 3k for stone and setting might be tricky

 

[anangel]

I think 3k for the stone is potentially doable, but 3k for stone and setting might be tricky

If it’s not doable, don’t worry about it! I can always wait a few months until the budget gets bigger.

 

[swaye2010]

That’s really kind of you... according to the site I was using to search, I’ve looked at about 400 diamonds, so I think my judgement just isn’t great. I’m hoping to get 1.25 to 1.5 carats, near colorless- I think a high J would a great cut would be nicer than an H with an average cut, and eye clean. I’d like to spend about $3k including setting, but maybe I have champagne dreams and a beer budget. If I’m totally off base, or being unrealistic, let me know- I think I got really spoiled by cheap moissanite.

I think finding a diamond these days is so frustrating. I don’t know if this is a good recommend or not but I interviewed Vijay for the moissanite company he has but he also sells lab diamonds and is focusing quite a bit more on this. I only say this because you are looking at lab diamonds already that are going through mark up and if you bought it through etsy, at least you are covered if it is a PP or CC transaction. I don’t see anything as high as 1.5 but if you tell him that you are looking for something in at least at I/VS quality and stick with a CVD one that has an IGI cert. You can tell him you are on reddit as well and read the interview and see what he comes back with. I know he is working from home right now because they are on stay at home orders but he can track one down at the source potentially and you will get more carat weight for your money. I was talking to him yesterday about doing a 5 stone 1ctw (E/F) CVD in gold and he quoted $600 and Cherry still came back with $960 so it was quite a bit cheaper from India.

OurosJewels - Etsy

Shop Lab Grown Diamonds (HPHT/CVD) Designer Jewelry Store by OurosJewels located in Surat, India. Top shop for gifts. Buyers bought gifts from this shop and gave them 5-star reviews!

www.etsy.com

 

[anangel]

So, brief update. I ended up going with the original 1.35 carat J I posted because they actually had it and didn’t know when anything not in their inventory would be coming in.
I know I’m being picky, but I hate the prong work, and the first thing my friend said when she saw it was “It’s warm in color”. I didn’t expect the J to be 100% colorless, but the bad prongs are the tipping point.

About 90% sure it’s going back at this point.

 

[lovedogs]

So, brief update. I ended up going with the original 1.35 carat J I posted because they actually had it and didn’t know when anything not in their inventory would be coming in.
I know I’m being picky, but I hate the prong work, and the first thing my friend said when she saw it was “It’s warm in color”. I didn’t expect the J to be 100% colorless, but the bad prongs are the tipping point.

About 90% sure it’s going back at this point.

I also strongly dislike the prongs. It's hard for me to tell about the color from the pic, but the prongs were the first thing I noticed. They are super long.

 

[anangel]

I also strongly dislike the prongs. It's hard for me to tell about the color from the pic, but the prongs were the first thing I noticed. They are super long.

They really are the deal breaker. For what I paid, I could ALMOST deal with the tint but the setting looks chunky and cheap- I get better prong work from Tianyu or StarsGem.

 

[lovedogs]

They really are the deal breaker. For what I paid, I could ALMOST deal with the tint but the setting looks chunky and cheap- I get better prong work from Tianyu or StarsGem.

I'm so sorry such a pain!

 

[Alexiszoe]

If this diamond performs well, would you consider setting this stone in unplated white gold head and rose gold? I saw the original video and it looks like it has a pinkish/brown body tint, and that might complement it better than a white metal. I find that setting makes a huge difference in how the stone looks. I have loved/hated the same stone because of different settings.

 

[anangel]

If this diamond performs well, would you consider setting this stone in unplated white gold head and rose gold? I saw the original video and it looks like it has a pinkish/brown body tint, and that might complement it better than a white metal. I find that setting makes a huge difference in how the stone looks. I have loved/hated the same stone because of different settings.

I think the whole ring really just didn’t go as expected. Coming from being a huge moissanite fan (and still am), I didn’t think body color would bother me- heck, I have an R color AVR and I LOVE IT! But I’m finding that in a MRB, I am far more color sensitive than I thought I was. Then, the setting- I’m not looking for super posh Tiffany’s expectations, however, the whole execution of this setting is so very clunky, those oversized claws just dwarfed the poor diamond- it never had a chance! Finally, when my best friend saw it, her first words were, “That’s a warm diamond.” I’m not upset about it at all, I’m truly appreciative of her honesty because it only confirmed my initial thoughts on it.
I’m not faulting the vendor for the diamond- the HCA was solid, the clarity is good, and I’m not even debating the color grading because in some lights, it does face up very nice. I am faulting the setting for being the main factor for the return.The vendor only allows one return every 6 months, so I really don’t want to return the ring, have them pull the stone, and invest more money in a nicer setting to compliment it. Right now, I want a nice diamond that is worth resetting 5 years down the line, not a stone that needs an immediate setting make over.
At the end of the day, I think it will just cost more than expected to get what I want. I came from moissanite prices, where hearts and arrows can be found for a hundred dollars a carat. When I’m making the price jump from a couple hundred to a few thousand, I find myself being much, much picker. And that’s okay

 

[Alexiszoe]

@anangel, I know what you mean. I feel like with something as emotional (and expensive) as an e-ring, the initial reactions to it and how those important to us feel about it can be a make or break difference. What are your next steps? Are you going to pause for a while or increase your criteria for color?

 

[anangel]

@anangel, I know what you mean. I feel like with something as emotional (and expensive) as an e-ring, the initial reactions to it and how those important to us feel about it can be a make or break difference. What are your next steps? Are you going to pause for a while or increase your criteria for color?

The ring was supposed to be an upgrade for our 15 year anniversary since it does not appear travel is in the cards for us this year. I really appreciated the honesty of a friend as opposed to second guessing myself- before I even ordered the J, I read through so many PS J colored diamond threads, and 90% of the time they looked near colorless to me, but every now and then, you spot the picture where your first response is “Yup, that’s definitely a j or maybe even a nice k, but certainly has body.” I really thought I was going to enjoy the warm, but I just don’t in a MBR. That’s so disappointing to me because, at least when it come to vintage cuts, I thought every color was lovely, so a J really didn’t seem risky (Some of the winks high performance diamonds jump up to an M and face up so perfectly you’d never guess).
but to answer your question, I’ve already put in an order for the most high spec’d diamond I can find in my price range. I probably didn’t get a bargain, unlike someone who spends time shopping for the whitest K they can find, or the I1 unicorn that magically is eye clean, however, I feel confident in my choice, and did look at the video with critical eyes, reviewed the clarity chart, and run the numbers through the HCA. This order is at the tip top of my budget- if it doesn’t workout, I will just stick to my moissanite

 

[lovedogs]

The ring was supposed to be an upgrade for our 15 year anniversary since it does not appear travel is in the cards for us this year. I really appreciated the honesty of a friend as opposed to second guessing myself- before I even ordered the J, I read through so many PS J colored diamond threads, and 90% of the time they looked near colorless to me, but every now and then, you spot the picture where your first response is “Yup, that’s definitely a j or maybe even a nice k, but certainly has body.” I really thought I was going to enjoy the warm, but I just don’t in a MBR. That’s so disappointing to me because, at least when it come to vintage cuts, I thought every color was lovely, so a J really didn’t seem risky (Some of the winks high performance diamonds jump up to an M and face up so perfectly you’d never guess).
but to answer your question, I’ve already put in an order for the most high spec’d diamond I can find in my price range. I probably didn’t get a bargain, unlike someone who spends time shopping for the whitest K they can find, or the I1 unicorn that magically is eye clean, however, I feel confident in my choice, and did look at the video with critical eyes, reviewed the clarity chart, and run the numbers through the HCA. This order is at the tip top of my budget- if it doesn’t workout, I will just stick to my moissanite

Ooooh I'd love to see what you went with!

 

[Alexiszoe]

Ooooh I'd love to see what you went with!

Me too!

 

[anangel]

@lovedogs
@Alexiszoe
Well, since you asked ......
Here it is!
I didn’t say it was cheap, but I think if I’m not happy with that, I’m probably looking for something that doesn’t exist.

 

[lovedogs]

@lovedogs
@Alexiszoe
Well, since you asked ......
Here it is!
I didn’t say it was cheap, but I think if I’m not happy with that, I’m probably looking for something that doesn’t exist.

Ooooh pretty!!! Cant wait to see what you think IRL

 

[anangel]

Ooooh pretty!!! Cant wait to see what you think IRL

Your response is exactly what I’m hoping to say when I receive it. I just want a diamond where I’m not thinking about color, or clarity, or not hitting a size that I like (7.5 mm seems to be my magic number).