What diamond spec will be key for this ring??

[JeffK]

I'm yet another new user and I'm pretty clueless about diamonds. I've never owned one, never bought one. I've done some reading to try and learn as much about the basics as I can so that's about where I stand. I'm looking for some tips on what the key specs will be, within my fairly tight budget, on a ring like this:

http://www.tacori.com/Engagement-Rings/2639RD65

or maybe this one if I squeeze my budget:

http://www.tacori.com/Engagement-Rings/2620RDMDP

I'm comfortable spending $6k CDN+tax (total, ring and diamond) but would stretch to $7k CDN if it made a big enough difference. My girlfriend would rather have a nice ring than big diamond and she's fallen for these Tacori rings. This of course makes my budget very tight because the rings are $2500-2900 for me locally.

From the looking I've done online I think I will be in the 0.75-0.80 ct range. What I'm not sure about is which of the 4Cs (or other key specs) are going to be most important for a setting like the above. Do I focus on colour? Am I able to get away with clarity a little because of the small size and halo around the diamond? Help!!

 

[nfowife]

Here is a pic of the 2620 with a J, and a larger one that you are looking at:
[URL='https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/another-tacori-to-share.83712/']https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/another-tacori-to-share.83712/[/URL]
with an H: [URL='https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/my-1-32-ct-round-h-a-with-tacori-2620.150377/']https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/my-1-32-ct-round-h-a-with-tacori-2620.150377/[/URL]
with a G: [URL='https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/my-tacori-2620.89017/']https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/my-tacori-2620.89017/[/URL]

Here's the 2639 IRL: [URL='https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/my-tacori-2639rd-plain-shank-halo-engagement-ring.158675/']https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/my-tacori-2639rd-plain-shank-halo-engagement-ring.158675/[/URL]

I would contact good old gold and see what they can do for you in terms of diamond + tacori setting. Here's a J that looks nice and is well within your budget:
http://goodoldgold.com/diamond/7288/

A few other stones:
http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/J-VS2-Ideal-Cut-Round-Diamond-1392293.asp?b=16&a=12&c=77&cid=131
http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/I-VS2-Ideal-Cut-Round-Diamond-1391336.asp?b=16&a=12&c=77&cid=131
http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/I-VS2-Ideal-Cut-Round-Diamond-1391350.asp?b=16&a=12&c=77&cid=131

There's also this Tacori on Jewel's by Erica Grace's website....it comes with a 1 carat E/VS1well cut stone. I think it's over your budget (not sure what the exchange rate is) and you'd need to stick some sidestones in it. But what a price for a really nice 1 carat and a platinum tacori setting!
halfway down the page....http://jewelsbyericagrace.com/modern_and_estate_jewelry_page_2

 

[JeffK]

Here is a pic of the 2620 with a J, and a larger one that you are looking at:
[URL='https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/another-tacori-to-share.83712/']https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/another-tacori-to-share.83712/[/URL]
with an H: [URL='https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/my-1-32-ct-round-h-a-with-tacori-2620.150377/']https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/my-1-32-ct-round-h-a-with-tacori-2620.150377/[/URL]
with a G: [URL='https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/my-tacori-2620.89017/']https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/my-tacori-2620.89017/[/URL]

Here's the 2639 IRL: [URL='https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/my-tacori-2639rd-plain-shank-halo-engagement-ring.158675/']https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/my-tacori-2639rd-plain-shank-halo-engagement-ring.158675/[/URL]

I would contact good old gold and see what they can do for you in terms of diamond + tacori setting. Here's a J that looks nice and is well within your budget:
http://goodoldgold.com/diamond/7288/

A few other stones:
http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/J-VS2-Ideal-Cut-Round-Diamond-1392293.asp?b=16&a=12&c=77&cid=131
http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/I-VS2-Ideal-Cut-Round-Diamond-1391336.asp?b=16&a=12&c=77&cid=131
http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/I-VS2-Ideal-Cut-Round-Diamond-1391350.asp?b=16&a=12&c=77&cid=131

There's also this Tacori on Jewel's by Erica Grace's website....it comes with a 1 carat E/VS1well cut stone. I think it's over your budget (not sure what the exchange rate is) and you'd need to stick some sidestones in it. But what a price for a really nice 1 carat and a platinum tacori setting!
halfway down the page....http://jewelsbyericagrace.com/modern_and_estate_jewelry_page_2

Thanks for the quick reply! I didn't know there was a section here with pictures of rings, good idea. Unfortunately I can't get into a diamond that big but it's good to see some of the different colours in the setting. Either the 2639 or 2620 would be a slightly smaller size than the ones in the picture so the diamond wouldn't look dwarfed compared to the rest of the ring, everything else would just be smaller.

I've been told different things by local jewellers in regards to colour. One told me an I would be fine in it and another said it would be noticeably yellow unless I went E/F. Which should I believe? I've been looking at G/H online mostly but if I is doable that opens things up a little more.

My g/f has been pretty particular on the ring topic so I know what she does/doesn't want and it's basically down to one of those two specific designs. GoG doesn't seem to carry the 2639 and their 2620 is a Princess cut while I'm after a Round.

I like the 2nd one from JA you posted. Would the size on one like this be noticeable and worth the extra few hundred $$:

http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/I-VS2-Ideal-Cut-Round-Diamond-1391353.asp

 

[nfowife]

GOG is a tacori dealer- they will get you whatever you want from tacori. Pricing would likely be better if you get stone/setting from one place. And have your stone set by tacori, not your local jeweler.

the .8 looks nice too, won't be a very noticeable difference with the halo- unless side by side you really won't be able to tell once set. Of course you need to request idealscope and hearts images for the JA stones to really make the final decision.

 

[dreamingoftacori]

Yay! Great choices! The 2639 is my ring! I love it to pieces and get tons of compliments on it. Someone posted my link above. I was debating the 2620 and 2639 and went with the round halo. It's less common and I love to follow my stones natural lines.

I purchased from Gog and they definitely DO carry the model. They just don't list it on the website but they can source any tacori ring model number you want so no worries. And if you buy the diamond from them they will give you a discount on the diamond normally. I think it was 3% for a h&a.

One thing to consider is that Tacori has a price increase scheduled for early august so buy now! Or your diamond budget might shrink more. The last price increase was 10%!

 

[dreamingoftacori]

Also the 2620 plain shank ring is actually slightly cheaper than a 2639 plain shank. From what I remember it was maybe a $100-200 difference in white gold since I think that is also the metal you are considering.

2620rd < 2639rd < 2620rdp < 2639rdp

Letters meaning:
Rd - round stone
P - pave shanks

Just something to consider if you want to play with your budget more and throw that couple hundred toward the diamond.

Also, I think you are fine with a .7-.8 stone in the halo. There are minimal size differences once set. I put my 1.25 next to a 1.5 and the difference was really slight.

 

[JeffK]

Yay! Great choices! The 2639 is my ring! I love it to pieces and get tons of compliments on it. Someone posted my link above. I was debating the 2620 and 2639 and went with the round halo. It's less common and I love to follow my stones natural lines.

I purchased from Gog and they definitely DO carry the model. They just don't list it on the website but they can source any tacori ring model number you want so no worries. And if you buy the diamond from them they will give you a discount on the diamond normally. I think it was 3% for a h&a.

One thing to consider is that Tacori has a price increase scheduled for early august so buy now! Or your diamond budget might shrink more. The last price increase was 10%!

Perfect person to hear from, thanks for your response.

How long did it take you to get your ring from GoG? I'm trying to pull all this together in a relatively small window of time. I'd like to propose the weekend of Aug 12-14 so I need to make this happen now.

And interesting that you mention the price increase by Tacori. My local dealer mentioned an increase was coming August 1st but I thought it was more of a scare tactic than anything. They have the 2639RD for $2440, 2620RDP (small setting for .75+) for $2930, 2620RDP (petite setting for less than .75) for $2730 and I don't have a price with me for the 2620 with the plain shank. Initially she liked the 2620RDP the most but she seems to be changing her mind to wanting a plain shank and getting a wedding band with the small diamonds all around instead so I'm thinking the 2639 is the way to go.

The local dealer is wanting $3500 for a 0.80, I1, G colour, very good cut uncertified diamond and that's not really an option to me. I don't mind spending that much money but I would expect a better diamond for sure. Because timing is an issue I was trying to avoid buying one online but it seems I might have to to get the most for my money.

 

[dreamingoftacori]

Yay! Great choices! The 2639 is my ring! I love it to pieces and get tons of compliments on it. Someone posted my link above. I was debating the 2620 and 2639 and went with the round halo. It's less common and I love to follow my stones natural lines.

I purchased from Gog and they definitely DO carry the model. They just don't list it on the website but they can source any tacori ring model number you want so no worries. And if you buy the diamond from them they will give you a discount on the diamond normally. I think it was 3% for a h&a.

One thing to consider is that Tacori has a price increase scheduled for early august so buy now! Or your diamond budget might shrink more. The last price increase was 10%!

Perfect person to hear from, thanks for your response.

How long did it take you to get your ring from GoG? I'm trying to pull all this together in a relatively small window of time. I'd like to propose the weekend of Aug 12-14 so I need to make this happen now.

And interesting that you mention the price increase by Tacori. My local dealer mentioned an increase was coming August 1st but I thought it was more of a scare tactic than anything. They have the 2639RD for $2440, 2620RDP (small setting for .75+) for $2930, 2620RDP (petite setting for less than .75) for $2730 and I don't have a price with me for the 2620 with the plain shank. Initially she liked the 2620RDP the most but she seems to be changing her mind to wanting a plain shank and getting a wedding band with the small diamonds all around instead so I'm thinking the 2639 is the way to go.

The local dealer is wanting $3500 for a 0.80, I1, G colour, very good cut uncertified diamond and that's not really an option to me. I don't mind spending that much money but I would expect a better diamond for sure. Because timing is an issue I was trying to avoid buying one online but it seems I might have to to get the most for my money.

I'm getting married next month and I'll post a picture of my complete set when I get home. I got a custom made diamond band instead if the matching tacori (didn't look as good and double the price of the one I got made for me). With the pave sides, I find they look beat with the matching band which runs about $3-4k last I checked. Hopefully seeing my set will give you a better idea of how her set may look down the line and help you decide whether pave is right for you or not.

Early august might be hard to get the ring by.... Tacori typically takes 4-6 weeks to make. Gog will ship the diamond to them to set. Tacori sends it to gog who will send it to you. And with impending increases, their wait time starts to head toward the 6 weeks mark. So best is to order ASAP and see if someone can work with you to get it rushed. I would email Marie at gog and see what she can do? And maybe get a better idea for timeframe

Did you see any in house stones at gog you like?

 

[nfowife]

I think your timeline is very short- it can take 4-6 weeks to get a ring from Tacori which seems to be the standard. I would NOT compromise on having it sent to Tacori to be set- there have been stories here of folks whose rings have been mangled by jewelers. You are paying a premium for the fine Tacori setting, so have it done right- don't try to make shortcuts here.

I would also NOT buy an uncertified I1 stone. Whose word do you have, other than this jewelers, that the stone is what he says it is? I wouldn't trust that. You will generally do much better pricewise online because you have access to a much larger inventory than most brick and mortar stores and pricewise there is less overhead. No reason to try and avoid online shopping, especially with a round diamond. Those are the easiest to determine if it's a winner or not from the numbers and idealscope images.

 

[dreamingoftacori]

For $3500 you can do much better! What about this one?

Premium almost perfect H and A .7 F color Vs1 $3521 (can ask if qualify for 3% discount)
http://www.goodoldgold.com/diamond/8329/

F vs1 is my favorite color and clarity combo for an e-ring. It is what I have and it looks incredible in the setting. Very impressive grade. But if you want more size you can drop both, depends on what you want.

 

[nfowife]

I like that one DreamingofTacori posted, it looks fab! And in the halo you will not notice the difference between .7 and .8. I would grab it, order the setting from GOG, and hope you get it in time!

 

[dreamingoftacori]

Also with a .7 you are able to get the petite setting. As the setting size moves into next step the price increases too to accommodate the stone.

 

[JeffK]

Thanks again for the responses. I just came from a local custom jewellery store and looked at a diamond that looked very nice to me and nicer than anything else I've seen in person in my price range. It was gia certified as well.

$3500
0.75 ct
http://www2.gia.edu/reportcheck/index.cfm?fuseaction=home.showReportVerification&reportno=13725915&weight=0.75

Thoughts? It was a 1.8 hca if that's a good sign?

 

[dreamingoftacori]

The cut/polish/sym is only VG and clarity is si1..... and for the same price at GOG, you get triple excellent near h&a and up two clarity grades!!! not worth it for a gain of .05 carats. And with the GOG diamond, you get the complete long version of the GIA report with the clarity plot.

Regardless of where you go Tacori will have to make the setting for you and so your wait time will not change. Were you planning on getting the Tacori setting from the local vendor?

And here is the picture of my set as promised to give you an idea of how it will look with a wedding band if you get a plain shank and a diamond band.