Which 2ct diamond should I get?

[Madsal]

Hi all,

I'm looking to buy a diamond for my fiance. We have also decided that it'd be a 2ct diamond, E-G color, VS2.

The problem is, now that I have found pricescope I know I want an ideal cut diamond from CBI/ ACA / BGD and my $20-25k budget don't fit.

1st option is to lower the clarity to SI2. And I'm interested in this one
https://www.hpdiamonds.com/en-us/diamonddetail/HPD10046

2nd option is to go both lower in color and clarity than what we initially agreed on but in return I will get her a significantly larger stone (2.5ct) although I have to spend extra $3000 than my initial budget
https://www.whiteflash.com/loose-diamonds/round-cut-loose-diamond-3907538.htm

The problem is both me and my fiance comes from an Asian background where color and even clarity matters. Her mother only buys D-G VVS diamonds and my fiance has a pair of F VVS earrings. So I am not sure if an H color would be white/ good enough.
Clarity I think as long as it is eye clean she wont mind

Which one would you suggest more?

 

[sledge]

Some alternates...

https://www.whiteflash.com/loose-diamonds/round-cut-loose-diamond-3986365.htm
https://www.whiteflash.com/loose-diamonds/round-cut-loose-diamond-3995840.htm
https://www.whiteflash.com/loose-diamonds/round-cut-loose-diamond-3994062.htm
https://www.whiteflash.com/loose-diamonds/round-cut-loose-diamond-3905126.htm

 

[KirstLWA]

I'm sure once the people in the USA wake up, you will get feedback.

Good luck with your search.

I am sensing that this will need to be a mind clean stone so you and your fiance will need to decide what point that is and go from there.

There are thousands of stones out there so working out your sweet spot will be the best start. Only you and your fiance can decide that.

 

[PintoBean]

Some alternates...

https://www.whiteflash.com/loose-diamonds/round-cut-loose-diamond-3986365.htm
https://www.whiteflash.com/loose-diamonds/round-cut-loose-diamond-3995840.htm
https://www.whiteflash.com/loose-diamonds/round-cut-loose-diamond-3994062.htm
https://www.whiteflash.com/loose-diamonds/round-cut-loose-diamond-3905126.htm

I was going to suggest something similar to what @sledge has curated for you to review. I think that it's a good idea to stick to the color range that your family is comfortable with, and being just shy of the 2.0 ct mark is a great way to stay in budget!

 

[LaylaR]

I can't comment on the diamonds, but I would advise you to go and see some super ideal cuts locally and then decide for yourself what your color and clarity preferences are. It is important that you see the best cut diamonds you can, because both color and clarity appearance are strongly dependent on cut.

 

[Snowdrop13]

You could look around for a well cut GIA XXX instead and ask for ASET images etc, might take a bit longer but definitely possible.

https://www.b2cjewels.com/dd/11462691/round-diamond-E-color-VS2-Clarity?sku=11462691&utm

This one has good numbers but you would have to check if it’s eye clean.

 

[Madsal]

Thanks everyone for the feedback and suggestion.

We definitely want to go for 2ct stone to be mind clean on that aspect. She made it clear that size is her top priority, then color and clarity in that order.

Hence, this would be my top pick among the 4 aternatives provided by @sledge
https://www.whiteflash.com/loose-diamonds/round-cut-loose-diamond-3995840.htm

however it has a group of tiny black inclusions on the side and another cluster of tiny black inclusions under the table. Not sure if we can see those irl or not since they seem to be very small but generally I usually cross out any black inclusions.

what do you guys think of this ACA vs the 2.05 G SI2 diamond from CBI/HPD?

Otherwise I might need to go another route and not get a branded diamond in order to get what she wants within my budget. These stones have blue fluor though so not sure of it impact on a high color diamond

https://www.jamesallen.com/mobile/l...f-color-vs2-clarity-excellent-cut-sku-1887731

https://www.jamesallen.com/mobile/l...e-color-vs2-clarity-excellent-cut-sku-4980309

https://www.jamesallen.com/mobile/l...-color-vvs2-clarity-excellent-cut-sku-4846586

Any idea?

Some alternates...

https://www.whiteflash.com/loose-diamonds/round-cut-loose-diamond-3986365.htm
https://www.whiteflash.com/loose-diamonds/round-cut-loose-diamond-3995840.htm
https://www.whiteflash.com/loose-diamonds/round-cut-loose-diamond-3994062.htm
https://www.whiteflash.com/loose-diamonds/round-cut-loose-diamond-3905126.htm

 

[TreeScientist]

Knowing quite a few Asians myself, I would say that most only care about the color and clarity. That's not to say that you shouldn't try to get the absolute best possible cut (as we know that this is the most important ) but I think anything beyond GIA XXX is lost on most Asians, and they would rather have something that is at least in the colorless range (D-F) and VS or above clarity, even if it means compromising size. Again, this is just going for the examples I know amongst my asian friends. Cannot speak for an entire group of people.

With that being said, here are two options that are F/VS2, which satisfies the color and clarity requirements. Based on the angles alone they look like they have potential. In addition to the one posted by @Snowdrop13, I would ask B2C for pictures and IdealScope images of these two diamonds below:

https://www.b2cjewels.com/diamond-search/dd/11380356/Round-Diamond-F-Color-VS2-Clarity
https://www.b2cjewels.com/diamond-search/dd/11515757/Round-Diamond-F-Color-VS2-Clarity

 

[OoohShiny]

Check out the Brian Gavin Blue stones if you are happy with Fluorescence (do you need to check if this is 'culturally acceptable'?) - they can be priced lower than equivalent non-fluor stones

That CBI stone looks to be a strong contender to me, though - Twinning Wisps are the 'best' sort of inclusion, as they rarely are visible from a distance and only sometimes impact on light performance.

CBI cuts their stones to maximise light performance and work with the inclusions in the stone, so I doubt they would have cut that stone if its light performance was in any way impacted by the inclusions!

Contact @Wink or @Winks_Elf and ask if you can get a video/skype viewing, as well as if they can undertake an assessment of the twinning wisps' impact (if any) on the perfomance of the stones

The best thing about CBI/HPD (and all the other PS-recommended SuperIdeal vendors) is that you can purchase and then assess it in your own home and all the different lighting environments it will be in day-to-day, and if you don't like it (which I doubt will happen!) you can return it! Do check regarding shipping/insurance costs on returns, though - it is good to be informed up-front.

 

[egemnoel]

Let you eyes do the buying! @OoohShiny has given you great advice. HPD/CBI is the only place I shop and this is purely based on performance of the diamond and my experience with the vendor (check some of the previous threads and comparisons). Everybody has their favourite but go and see for yourself and compare them. All the best.

 

[Katya DXB]

I agree with @TreeScientist. Are you absolutely sure your fiancé will be able to see and/or appreciate the difference between a GIA Triple X and one of the branded cuts in question? Do you know the cut quality of diamonds that her mum buys, or that of her earrings? Have you ever discussed superideals with her and did she mention it was important? Do you think she would rather go for a superideal than stay in her preferred carat, color and clarity range? Personally I think it takes a great deal of knowledge and experience to be able to appreciate a superideal diamond vis-a-vis a great GIA Triple X; many, many posters here will sacrifice weight, color and clarity for a superior cut in a heartbeat but remember these folks are among the most knowledgeable consumers in the world, often with a lot of reference to run comparisons between ideals vs superideals. As much as I’d love to own a superideal, if the alternative was to get a fabulous triple X AND stay mind clean with carat, color and clarity it would be a no brainer. As someone here once said, it’s all about balance, and it’s not the same for everyone.

 

[icy_jade]

The problem is both me and my fiance comes from an Asian background where color and even clarity matters. Her mother only buys D-G VVS diamonds and my fiance has a pair of F VVS earrings. So I am not sure if an H color would be white/ good enough.
Clarity I think as long as it is eye clean she wont mind

Which one would you suggest more?

I’m Asian, color sensitive and clarity bugs me too - but personally I’m willing to sacrifice clarity IF it’s really eye clean. But I’ve seen so called eye clean diamonds that I could match back to the cert defects and it really bugged me so have to be careful.

Does your fiancé wear yellow gold? If not then pls don’t go lower in color. I think the color preference exists for a good reason - skin tones. Many Asians I know look terrible in golden tones and I believe that’s one reason why we are so hung up over higher colors.

Actually why not let her choose the diamond. That way she can’t blame u for a bad choice.

I also agree that a normal triple x could be the way to go unless she’s into super ideals.

 

[LLJsmom]

Knowing quite a few Asians myself, I would say that most only care about the color and clarity. That's not to say that you shouldn't try to get the absolute best possible cut (as we know that this is the most important ) but I think anything beyond GIA XXX is lost on most Asians, and they would rather have something that is at least in the colorless range (D-F) and VS or above clarity, even if it means compromising size. Again, this is just going for the examples I know amongst my asian friends. Cannot speak for an entire group of people.

With that being said, here are two options that are F/VS2, which satisfies the color and clarity requirements. Based on the angles alone they look like they have potential. In addition to the one posted by @Snowdrop13, I would ask B2C for pictures and IdealScope images of these two diamonds below:

https://www.b2cjewels.com/diamond-search/dd/11380356/Round-Diamond-F-Color-VS2-Clarity
https://www.b2cjewels.com/diamond-search/dd/11515757/Round-Diamond-F-Color-VS2-Clarity

I am Asian and if I can compare a random CBI OR ACA or even an AGS 000 TO a PS so standard GIA 3x and given enough time I could see the difference. I have brought an Asian friend to do the same comparison and she could too. I would give them a chance.

 

[sledge]

I was going to suggest something similar to what @sledge has curated for you to review. I think that it's a good idea to stick to the color range that your family is comfortable with, and being just shy of the 2.0 ct mark is a great way to stay in budget!

Great point by @PintoBean. If you aren't aware, diamond prices will take significant hikes in price around "magnet sizes" such as 1ct, 1.5ct, 2ct, etc. So sometimes buying a 1.92ct can yield an excellent value as you are below that magnet size and high dollar premium associated with it, and still get a stone that faces up nearly identical.

In my case, I was targeting a 1ct stone and ended up with a 0.867ct that faced up almost the same. It was a great bang for the buck.

Check out the Brian Gavin Blue stones if you are happy with Fluorescence (do you need to check if this is 'culturally acceptable'?) - they can be priced lower than equivalent non-fluor stones

That CBI stone looks to be a strong contender to me, though - Twinning Wisps are the 'best' sort of inclusion, as they rarely are visible from a distance and only sometimes impact on light performance.

CBI cuts their stones to maximise light performance and work with the inclusions in the stone, so I doubt they would have cut that stone if its light performance was in any way impacted by the inclusions!

Contact @Wink or @Winks_Elf and ask if you can get a video/skype viewing, as well as if they can undertake an assessment of the twinning wisps' impact (if any) on the perfomance of the stones

The best thing about CBI/HPD (and all the other PS-recommended SuperIdeal vendors) is that you can purchase and then assess it in your own home and all the different lighting environments it will be in day-to-day, and if you don't like it (which I doubt will happen!) you can return it! Do check regarding shipping/insurance costs on returns, though - it is good to be informed up-front.

My own stone is a BGD Blue. When cut right, and in lower colors I think it enhances the stone in a positive way. If not cut right, or in very white stones it can sometimes give a milky or hazy appearance. In short, this might be a good way for you to cheat on color and put those dollars in cut and/or clarity.

However, when I looked on BGD last night I didn't see any Blue diamonds that fit your criteria (I was looking). Their inventory changes frequently so I'd keep checking. Nice thing is diamonds with fluor normally sell a little cheaper too.

In regards to the HP/CBI diamonds, please take a look. I personally like them, but have never seen in the flesh & blood. They have a different contrast I like, but can sometimes appear dark in photos and videos. From the reviews, I've read, most people really like them. I'm certainly not knocking them and would love to see one in person but just noting some general observations I've made.

Also, in regards to the alternates I suggested, all were "eye clean" per WF policies which I believe is 10" from the top only. FYI, eye clean is a subjective term. I am more sensitive and set my own definition to 6" from top or sides when I was shopping. This all depends on you and your SO's sensitivity and how close people will be examining her ring. IMO, anyone that is within 6-10" of the ring is probably a bit creepy unless it's you or her, lol.

 

[OoohShiny]

Some good points in your post, Sledge

SuperIdeals and those stones close to that standard look bigger due to their edge-to-edge brightness, so buying just below a common 'boundary' is a good idea!

My own stone is a BGD Blue. When cut right, and in lower colors I think it enhances the stone in a positive way. If not cut right, or in very white stones it can sometimes give a milky or hazy appearance.

The oily/hazy issues are only generally found in Strong Blue or Very Strong Blue fluorescence stones, as I understand it, and even then (IIRC) it's only about 3% of stones, so a very small subset of an already small subset!

It is worth checking with the vendor if there are any concerns, though

 

[TreeScientist]

I agree with @TreeScientist. Are you absolutely sure your fiancé will be able to see and/or appreciate the difference between a GIA Triple X and one of the branded cuts in question? Do you know the cut quality of diamonds that her mum buys, or that of her earrings? Have you ever discussed superideals with her and did she mention it was important? Do you think she would rather go for a superideal than stay in her preferred carat, color and clarity range? Personally I think it takes a great deal of knowledge and experience to be able to appreciate a superideal diamond vis-a-vis a great GIA Triple X; many, many posters here will sacrifice weight, color and clarity for a superior cut in a heartbeat but remember these folks are among the most knowledgeable consumers in the world, often with a lot of reference to run comparisons between ideals vs superideals. As much as I’d love to own a superideal, if the alternative was to get a fabulous triple X AND stay mind clean with carat, color and clarity it would be a no brainer. As someone here once said, it’s all about balance, and it’s not the same for everyone.

I’m Asian, color sensitive and clarity bugs me too - but personally I’m willing to sacrifice clarity IF it’s really eye clean. But I’ve seen so called eye clean diamonds that I could match back to the cert defects and it really bugged me so have to be careful.

Does your fiancé wear yellow gold? If not then pls don’t go lower in color. I think the color preference exists for a good reason - skin tones. Many Asians I know look terrible in golden tones and I believe that’s one reason why we are so hung up over higher colors.

Actually why not let her choose the diamond. That way she can’t blame u for a bad choice.

I also agree that a normal triple x could be the way to go unless she’s into super ideals.

I am Asian and if I can compare a random CBI OR ACA or even an AGS 000 TO a PS so standard GIA 3x and given enough time I could see the difference. I have brought an Asian friend to do the same comparison and she could too. I would give them a chance.

While I agree with both @Katya DXB and @icy_jade regarding the importance of color and clarity, I'm not trying to say that Asians couldn't tell the difference in cut @LLJsmom, as if cut-blindness was some sort of genetically-inherited disease amongst asians . It just that most Asians don't care all that much (with PriceScoper Asians being the exception ). With Asians (and again, I'm making generalizations based on the Asians I know, could be different for other asians) the most important thing is

1.) Being able to say it is "triple X"
2.) High color and clarity

Meaning that, as long as it is a triple X diamond, anything else is just icing on the cake.

Now, I'm certainly not saying that you should just go out and get any GIA XXX diamond, as the cut is still something that should be a primary focus for your own peace of mind in knowing that the diamond will be a great performer. But I do think that, if given the choice between a well-cut* GIA XXX that is colorless and at least VS clarity, or a SuperIdeal that is near-colorless and SI clarity, 99% of Asians would choose the colorless/VS clarity GIA XXX.

But I also agree with @PintoBean and @sledge that finding something in the 1.8 carat range might be a good option if the 2 carat mark is not important to you. Then you could likely afford a colorless/VS clarity SuperIdeal if the SuperIdeal is still important to you.

 

[LLJsmom]

While I agree with both @Katya DXB and @icy_jade regarding the importance of color and clarity, I'm not trying to say that Asians couldn't tell the difference in cut @LLJsmom, as if cut-blindness was some sort of genetically-inherited disease amongst asians . It just that most Asians don't care all that much (with PriceScoper Asians being the exception ). With Asians (and again, I'm making generalizations based on the Asians I know, could be different for other asians) the most important thing is

1.) Being able to say it is "triple X"
2.) High color and clarity

Meaning that, as long as it is a triple X diamond, anything else is just icing on the cake.

Now, I'm certainly not saying that you should just go out and get any GIA XXX diamond, as the cut is still something that should be a primary focus for your own peace of mind in knowing that the diamond will be a great performer. But I do think that, if given the choice between a well-cut* GIA XXX that is colorless and at least VS clarity, or a SuperIdeal that is near-colorless and SI clarity, 99% of Asians would choose the colorless/VS clarity GIA XXX.

But I also agree with @PintoBean and @sledge that finding something in the 1.8 carat range might be a good option if the 2 carat mark is not important to you. Then you could likely afford a colorless/VS clarity SuperIdeal if the SuperIdeal is still important to you.

I’m saying that without proper education, and proof of seeing in person, Asians may not care. But with both, I think some can and some do and these are not Pricescopers. I ask that you not generalize and allow the opportunity in every case for education and if possible real life viewing for validation.

 

[icy_jade]

While I agree with both @Katya DXB and @icy_jade regarding the importance of color and clarity, I'm not trying to say that Asians couldn't tell the difference in cut @LLJsmom, as if cut-blindness was some sort of genetically-inherited disease amongst asians . It just that most Asians don't care all that much (with PriceScoper Asians being the exception ). With Asians (and again, I'm making generalizations based on the Asians I know, could be different for other asians) the most important thing is
.

I find that so offensive to read. How many Asians do you know? I could say the same about nearly all races including Caucasians or whichever race you are...

Are you trolling?

 

[Dancing Fire]

Now, I'm certainly not saying that you should just go out and get any GIA XXX diamond, as the cut is still something that should be a primary focus for your own peace of mind in knowing that the diamond will be a great performer. But I do think that, if given the choice between a well-cut* GIA XXX that is colorless and at least VS clarity, or a SuperIdeal that is near-colorless and SI clarity, 99% of Asians would choose the colorless/VS clarity GIA XXX.

True!, a friend of mine showed me 3 high color,high clarity GIA XXX stones he bought in HK, and all 3 stones would be labeled as steep/deep cuts here on PS.

 

[TreeScientist]

I find that so offensive to read. How many Asians do you know? I could say the same about nearly all races including Caucasians or whichever race you are...

Are you trolling?

Not trying to offend anyone at all. Sorry if you took it that way. I was trying to say that Asians CAN see cut (saying they were NOT cut blind). But of the Asians I know, the color is definitely high on the list of what they want, even if sacrificing cut a bit.

I lived in Hawaii for a few years (where asian asian/mix make up over 50% of the population) and my fiancee is also asian, so I would say that I know quite a few.

 

[TreeScientist]

I think with any of these decisions it is best to ask either the woman directly or someone in her family if you want to keep it a surprise (as @icy_jade mentioned). We can make generalizations all day here (which I agree aren't too helpful, so sorry for that ) and/or make recommendations about what brand of diamond you should buy, but at the end of the day it should be about what your girlfriend wants. I do agree that a near-colorless eye-clean SI SuperIdeal would be a lovely diamond indeed, but it wouldn't do a darn bit of good if your girlfriend (or nosy members of her family) really wanted something in the colorless and/or VS clarity range.

So the best advice I could give would be to figure out what HER requirements/desires are first and then come back here and update us. Then we can help you find a nice diamond.

 

[PintoBean]

If you're not wedded to super ideal vendors, I would contact ID Jewelry and ask for Yekutiel (yeh-coo-tea-el) or his sister Shulamit (shoe-la-meet). They are masters at getting you the best bling for the budget. Any virtual stone you see on JA that's in the US they can call in and examine with their eyes and provide images for you to post on the forum for feedback.

 

[Madsal]

Thanks again everyone for the great advice and feedback.

So me and my fiance have discussed a little bit more about her preferences

Her preferences are:
#1 size. 2ct.
#2 cut. The ideal cut would be great but she has not seen one in person so she does not know what to expect and how the cut compared to her triple excellent GIA diamonds. But she definitely want a sparkly diamond and the idea of the possibility of seeing/ owning a "super ideal cut" diamond excites her.
#3 color. E-G. Again, she doesn't know how cut could affect color and since we live in a country where no one sells the CBI/ACA/BGD makes it harder for her to say if she would be fine with an H in an ideal cut diamond or not.
We went to a Tiffany store and under the typical jewelry store lighting she was still fine with the H color there although she could see the slight yellow tint from the pavillion. But generally she is open to lowering the color to H with some condition below
#4 clarity.
She said if she were to get a E-F color then she is ok to get a lower clarity diamond. Because she understands that I have a budget to work with and the higher color will def require a sacrifice (In this case an eye clean SI1 or SI2 would do. She specifically said she's ok with clear inclusion but NOT black inclusion).
BUT with H color she prefers to
get a VS1 or a high VS2. Her mother even cringe on her bringing up our discussion of getting a VS diamond for the engagement ring but I guess she would not be able to tell the difference between VVS and VS anyway.

So now it's either:
2ct E-F SI
Or
2ct G-H VS

I personally prefer an ideal cut diamond so let's see if we could find something within my budget.

I think with any of these decisions it is best to ask either the woman directly or someone in her family if you want to keep it a surprise (as @icy_jade mentioned). We can make generalizations all day here (which I agree aren't too helpful, so sorry for that ) and/or make recommendations about what brand of diamond you should buy, but at the end of the day it should be about what your girlfriend wants. I do agree that a near-colorless eye-clean SI SuperIdeal would be a lovely diamond indeed, but it wouldn't do a darn bit of good if your girlfriend (or nosy members of her family) really wanted something in the colorless and/or VS clarity range.

So the best advice I could give would be to figure out what HER requirements/desires are first and then come back here and update us. Then we can help you find a nice diamond.

 

[Madsal]

@icy_jade no she doesnt wear yellow gold. She has actually provided her preference

It's either 2ct E-F SI or 2ct G-H VS

If it were you, which one would you prefer more?

I’m Asian, color sensitive and clarity bugs me too - but personally I’m willing to sacrifice clarity IF it’s really eye clean. But I’ve seen so called eye clean diamonds that I could match back to the cert defects and it really bugged me so have to be careful.

Does your fiancé wear yellow gold? If not then pls don’t go lower in color. I think the color preference exists for a good reason - skin tones. Many Asians I know look terrible in golden tones and I believe that’s one reason why we are so hung up over higher colors.

Actually why not let her choose the diamond. That way she can’t blame u for a bad choice.

I also agree that a normal triple x could be the way to go unless she’s into super ideals.

 

[Snowdrop13]

https://www.whiteflash.com/loose-diamonds/round-cut-loose-diamond-3956080.htm?source=pricescope

H VS2, above 2ct.

Do you have to tell other people the exact specs of the diamond?

The above stone will be a better cut than the stones at Tiffany, I bet.

 

[Lorelei]

Hi all,

I'm looking to buy a diamond for my fiance. We have also decided that it'd be a 2ct diamond, E-G color, VS2.

The problem is, now that I have found pricescope I know I want an ideal cut diamond from CBI/ ACA / BGD and my $20-25k budget don't fit.

1st option is to lower the clarity to SI2. And I'm interested in this one
https://www.hpdiamonds.com/en-us/diamonddetail/HPD10046

2nd option is to go both lower in color and clarity than what we initially agreed on but in return I will get her a significantly larger stone (2.5ct) although I have to spend extra $3000 than my initial budget
https://www.whiteflash.com/loose-diamonds/round-cut-loose-diamond-3907538.htm

The problem is both me and my fiance comes from an Asian background where color and even clarity matters. Her mother only buys D-G VVS diamonds and my fiance has a pair of F VVS earrings. So I am not sure if an H color would be white/ good enough.
Clarity I think as long as it is eye clean she wont mind

Which one would you suggest more?

Hi Madsal,

The Infinity is stunning, but from what you say that you and your GF ( unless I'm reading it wrongly) have decided to go E - G and VS, I'd talk to her again and ask her if she'd be ok with lower clarity with G colour. Just in case she might prefer smaller and higher specs but as it sounds like this isn't a secret, I'd ask her again what she wants.

 

[rockysalamander]

It's either 2ct E-F SI or 2ct G-H VS

I don't mean to be judgemental, but the logic here does not make sense to me. If she can see color, then she can see color. So, that should set the base color at H. Her willingness to go for eye clean should set the clarity at "eye clean". I feel like there is a perception that by accepting a lower grade in one area, she should bump in another. However, diamonds don't work that way. Higher clarity won't offset lower color. Higher color won't offset visible clarity issues. If it was me, and I'll always routing for the wearer, I'd open up your search to over 2 carat, H, SI1 (eyeclean). Don't eliminate options at this time as getting her top goal (Size) is going to be hard enough.

 

[TreeScientist]

It's either 2ct E-F SI or 2ct G-H VS

I don't mean to be judgemental, but the logic here does not make sense to me. If she can see color, then she can see color. So, that should set the base color at H. Her willingness to go for eye clean should set the clarity at "eye clean". I feel like there is a perception that by accepting a lower grade in one area, she should bump in another. However, diamonds don't work that way. Higher clarity won't offset lower color. Higher color won't offset visible clarity issues. If it was me, and I'll always routing for the wearer, I'd open up your search to over 2 carat, H, SI1 (eyeclean). Don't eliminate options at this time as getting her top goal (Size) is going to be hard enough.

I completely agree. It seems weird to have this as an either-or scenario. I think the logical decision would be to focus on finding an eye-clean diamond at whatever clarity that happens to be while at the same time getting the highest color possible. With your budget and wanting a SuperIdeal, it seems like a G/SI1 that is eye-clean would be the best option.

I'm all about paying for what you can see, so to me, the clarity doesn't matter as long as it's eye-clean. Color is something that can be seen, especially in larger diamonds, so I would focus on this first.

Are you totally against dropping below 2 carats? If not, this would be a nice option at 1.917 carats:
https://www.whiteflash.com/loose-diamonds/round-cut-loose-diamond-3986365.htm

It looks very clean in the video, as all of the inclusions are white/transparent. Very nice for an SI1, and gets you into the colorless range too.

 

[icy_jade]

@icy_jade no she doesnt wear yellow gold. She has actually provided her preference

It's either 2ct E-F SI or 2ct G-H VS

If it were you, which one would you prefer more?

It’s hard to answer unless you have the examples. I’ll rather have a well cut G than a lousy cut E for example, but obvious blemishes on a SI is also a no for me.

I did the side by side test and I can tell F and G apart so personally I’ll try to stick to F and try my darn best to look for a really eye clean SI in the right cut/size. Higher color will drive the price up significantly so will pass on an E. But the definition of eye clean differs between stores and affects people differently so quite hard to say if she will be totally fine. At least based on the examples I’ve seen, so called eye clean SI can drive me nuts and once I’ve spotted the blemish it can never be a mind clean diamond. You may want to bring her shopping at smaller chains to have a look. Eg in Singapore I think Taka Jewellery n some of the diamond distributors do carry lower clarity diamonds. http://www.jewelrynotes.com/what-are-eye-clean-diamonds/

Also if you have discussed with her I seriously doubt it’s a surprise so will suggest that you pick two or three diamonds of different color/clarity/cut combinations that’s within your budget and let her choose. It’s a win-win since you don’t need to get stressed or be blamed for the final diamond decision and more importantly she gets to choose the stone that she likes better.

Good luck! If you can pls let us know your final decision/diamond.

 

[TreeScientist]

It’s hard to answer unless you have the examples. I’ll rather have a well cut G than a lousy cut E for example, but obvious blemishes on a SI is also a no for me.

I did the side by side test and I can tell F and G apart so personally I’ll try to stick to F and try my darn best to look for a really eye clean SI in the right cut/size. Higher color will drive the price up significantly so will pass on an E. But the definition of eye clean differs between stores and affects people differently so quite hard to say if she will be totally fine. At least based on the examples I’ve seen, so called eye clean SI can drive me nuts and once I’ve spotted the blemish it can never be a mind clean diamond. You may want to bring her shopping at smaller chains to have a look. Eg in Singapore I think Taka Jewellery n some of the diamond distributors do carry lower clarity diamonds. http://www.jewelrynotes.com/what-are-eye-clean-diamonds/

Also if you have discussed with her I seriously doubt it’s a surprise so will suggest that you pick two or three diamonds of different color/clarity/cut combinations that’s within your budget and let her choose. It’s a win-win since you don’t need to get stressed or be blamed for the final diamond decision and more importantly she gets to choose the stone that she likes better.

Good luck! If you can pls let us know your final decision/diamond.

Agreed, "eye clean" is different for everyone. For example, my eyes have fairly poor resolution (I have an astigmatism), but they are extremely sensitive to color. So a large white inclusion would probably escape my slightly blurry eyes, as it would blend in with the white diamond. But I would be able to notice even a small speck of black carbon in a diamond because of the color contrast (although it would look like a blurry spec ). That is to say that, everyone notices certain types of inclusions differently, so one person might look at a diamond and not notice a thing, and another might see a small minefield.

For WhiteFlash diamonds, I believe their definition of "eye-clean" is not noticable from the face-up position at 10 inches. But with these being in-house diamonds, you can ask them to pull any diamond you're interested in and they'll give you their opinion on just how eye-clean it is. Other people on this site have asked them to let them know if the diamond is eye-clean at closer distances. Say, 6 inches. And they're more than happy to tell you. That's the great thing about working with a dealer who has in-house diamonds.