Which ACA should I go with ?

[s0 g00d]

Hello everyone. I am looking to purchase an engagement ring from WF and I am debating between these stones :

https://www.whiteflash.com/loose-diamonds/compare.aspx?idnos=4007485,4068013,4077122

I have decided that I will go with that setting :
https://www.whiteflash.com/engageme...2459-passion-diamond-engagement-ring-3446.htm

The budget is ideally $8500 with the setting which leaves around $5600(can go as high as $6000) for the stone.
The diamond I'm looking for can be si1 (for as long as its eye clean)
In terms of color I am ok with something as low as J since it will be set in halo setting and the side won't be as visible, plus I don't mind it if it is a little warmer color.
I want ideal cut and prefer ACA but if it is expert selection it is not a deal breaker.

The J color stone I was looking at seems like a good deal but the table is a little high at 57.4 and I was hoping for something up to 56. Does it mean it wont have as much fire ? Any other suggestion apart from the 3 stones I selected ? Thanks in advance !

 

[Siamese Kitty]

Hello everyone. I am looking to purchase an engagement ring from WF and I am debating between these stones :

https://www.whiteflash.com/loose-diamonds/compare.aspx?idnos=4007485,4068013,4077122

I have decided that I will go with that setting :
https://www.whiteflash.com/engageme...2459-passion-diamond-engagement-ring-3446.htm

The budget is ideally $8500 with the setting which leaves around $5600(can go as high as $6000) for the stone.
The diamond I'm looking for can be si1 (for as long as its eye clean)
In terms of color I am ok with something as low as J since it will be set in halo setting and the side won't be as visible, plus I don't mind it if it is a little warmer color.
I want ideal cut and prefer ACA but if it is expert selection it is not a deal breaker.

The J color stone I was looking at seems like a good deal but the table is a little high at 57.4 and I was hoping for something up to 56. Does it mean it wont have as much fire ? Any other suggestion apart from the 3 stones I selected ? Thanks in advance !

Please reserve your short list so it doesn't get poached! Could you ask Whiteflash to do a side by side comparison shot/video? I think when you get to I/J it is important to look at how the color faces up (if the color is important to you). The slightly larger table may actually help brighten the J stone a bit. (I have a larger table with my I ACA and find this to be true.) Is this stone for you or is it a gift?

 

[lovedogs]

Definitely ask to see them side by side. I would personally go with the J for extra size, but I love warmer colors. If this is for someone else, are you sure they will be ok with a J?

 

[sp3]

Sorry for my ignorance but I thought for halo the color of the center stone should be a little bit higher, H perhaps? Being much smaller, the melees tend to look whiter thus one should get a whiter center stone as well.

Do you have to stick with WF? I was able to find a not too bad 0.91 ct E/VS2 (probably overkill with E color) for $4300 last year. https://www.bluenile.com/diamond-details/LD08664323 So I hope you can find a higher color stone within your budget.

 

[lovedogs]

Sorry for my ignorance but I thought for halo the color of the center stone should be a little bit higher, H perhaps? Being much smaller, the melees tend to look whiter thus one should get a whiter center stone as well.

Do you have to stick with WF? I was able to find a not too bad 0.91 ct E/VS2 (probably overkill with E color) for $4300 last year. https://www.bluenile.com/diamond-details/LD08664323 So I hope you can find a higher color stone within your budget.

It depends entirely on the wearer. WF and other vendors make sure the melee and center Stone don't look '''mismatched". There are many gorgeous halos with J (and lower) diamonds. Also, ACA will face up whiter because of the superior cut (same with CBI).

 

[s0 g00d]

It is for my girlfriend ( fiancee to be hopefully). I personally prefer simple setting and larger stone but I know that she likes halo settings so I figured it is more important what she likes rather than what I like haha. I am not 100 percent sure that she will be ok with the J color but with the upgrade policy WF has I am willing to take a chance and see what she says ! I placed the J stone on hold in the meantime .

 

[lovedogs]

It is for my girlfriend ( fiancee to be hopefully). I personally prefer simple setting and larger stone but I know that she likes halo settings so I figured it is more important what she likes rather than what I like haha. I am not 100 percent sure that she will be ok with the J color but with the upgrade policy WF has I am willing to take a chance and see what she says ! I placed the J stone on hold in the meantime .

If you arenf 100% sure she will be ok with J, definitely don't waste 3k on a setting you might get rid of. Does it need to be a dojble halo? It's a bunch to spend on a setting Alone, so I would personally try to find a 1200 setting and put the extra 1500 into the stone.

 

[s0 g00d]

If you arenf 100% sure she will be ok with J, definitely don't waste 3k on a setting you might get rid of. Does it need to be a dojble halo? It's a bunch to spend on a setting Alone, so I would personally try to find a 1200 setting and put the extra 1500 into the stone.

My thoughts exactly but I am 100 percent sure she will love that setting. I told her many times that I like simple solitaire settings with larger diamonds but she just loves the double halo so that's what I'm getting.

 

[lovedogs]

Can cut experts like @flyingpig @rockysalamander and @sledge speak to why this missed ACA?

https://www.whiteflash.com/loose-diamonds/round-cut-loose-diamond-3872128.htm

This looks pretty darn good to me, but I'm not as good stuff "reading" the images. This in a simple halo style could allow OP to get a higher color, more size, and still a halo ring style.

 

[lovedogs]

My thoughts exactly but I am 100 percent sure she will love that setting. I told her many times that I like simple solitaire settings with larger diamonds but she just loves the double halo so that's what I'm getting.

No problem, I just wanted to make sure she said "double halo" instead of "halo".

Edit. I totally understand her, bc I don't like solitaires on me at all, I need to halo everything. I just wanted to be sure about the double vs single halo

 

[Wewechew]

Can cut experts like @flyingpig @rockysalamander and @sledge speak to why this missed ACA?

https://www.whiteflash.com/loose-diamonds/round-cut-loose-diamond-3872128.htm

This looks pretty darn good to me, but I'm not as good stuff "reading" the images. This in a simple halo style could allow OP to get a higher color, more size, and still a halo ring style.

At one o'clock... I think it's painting and digging (I may be using the wrong term for what I see)

 

[lovedogs]

At one o'clock... I think it's painting and digging (I may be using the wrong term for what I see)

Ha at least you have a sense of why it missed. I see why it's an SI1, but no clue why it wouldn't reach ACA. but if it's a "close miss" then it might help OP get a great stone at a lower price point.

 

[Wewechew]

Ha at least you have a sense of why it missed. I see why it's an SI1, but no clue why it wouldn't reach ACA. but if it's a "close miss" then it might help OP get a great stone at a lower price point.

Others may be able to say if there are other reasons it didn't make ACA.... I have trouble reading the nuances with the aset.

 

[sledge]

Can cut experts like @flyingpig @rockysalamander and @sledge speak to why this missed ACA?

https://www.whiteflash.com/loose-diamonds/round-cut-loose-diamond-3872128.htm

This looks pretty darn good to me, but I'm not as good stuff "reading" the images. This in a simple halo style could allow OP to get a higher color, more size, and still a halo ring style.

This stone came up in the last couple of days in a thread here. But I thought it was an ACA last time I saw it.

Look at 1pm on the ASET and idealscope. On ASET you will see the extra green near the girdle. Also on idealscope notice the white spot is different? Seen Bryan downgrade an ACA to ES months back for just the ASET imperfection. They are very picky about the brand.

Also look at pavilion. There is a knot. They also have a strict policy on inclusions in their ACA line. For many, knots are a big no.

 

[lovedogs]

This stone came up in the last couple of days in a thread here. But I thought it was an ACA last time I saw it.

Look at 1pm on the ASET and idealscope. On ASET you will see the extra green near the girdle. Also on idealscope notice the white spot is different? Seen Bryan downgrade an ACA to ES months back for just the ASET imperfection. They are very picky about the brand.

Also look at pavilion. There is a knot. They also have a strict policy on inclusions in their ACA line. For many, knots are a big no.

Aha, makes sense. Didn't see the knot, and I think WF doesn't accept knots at all in ACA. damn! It looked so promising!

 

[s0 g00d]

This stone came up in the last couple of days in a thread here. But I thought it was an ACA last time I saw it.

Look at 1pm on the ASET and idealscope. On ASET you will see the extra green near the girdle. Also on idealscope notice the white spot is different? Seen Bryan downgrade an ACA to ES months back for just the ASET imperfection. They are very picky about the brand.

Also look at pavilion. There is a knot. They also have a strict policy on inclusions in their ACA line. For many, knots are a big no.

Any thoughts on the stones I was looking at or maybe other better options ? What do you think about the J stone I put on hold ?

 

[Belic]

There is a comparison pic in my latest thread of 2 ACA K and 1 GIA J. Hard too see any color difference for me at least.

The ACA K was 1.3-1.4ct and was 6300$. More size and almost same color!

Edit: https://www.whiteflash.com/loose-diamonds/round-cut-loose-diamond-3983290.htm

 

[lovedogs]

There is a comparison pic in my latest thread of 2 ACA K and 1 GIA J. Hard too see any color difference for me at least.

The ACA K was 1.3-1.4ct and was 6300$. More size and almost same color!

Edit: https://www.whiteflash.com/loose-diamonds/round-cut-loose-diamond-3983290.htm

If he's not sure his intended wants a J I CERTAINLY don't want us recommending a K.

 

[Belic]

If he's not sure his intended wants a J I CERTAINLY don't want us recommending a K.

Agree, but if he request comparisons pics and it looks identical, then the extra 0.2ct might mask the color(eg being more in love) But again, agree but it doesn’t hurt to compare.

 

[s0 g00d]

Agree, but if he request comparisons pics and it looks identical, then the extra 0.2ct might mask the color(eg being more in love) But again, agree but it doesn’t hurt to compare.

I am not interested in K color, J is as low as I am willing to go with

 

[Belic]

I am not interested in K color, J is as low as I am willing to go with

Understod, will go back to my yellow cave

 

[sp3]

It depends entirely on the wearer. WF and other vendors make sure the melee and center Stone don't look '''mismatched". There are many gorgeous halos with J (and lower) diamonds. Also, ACA will face up whiter because of the superior cut (same with CBI).

Understood. Will go back to my white (E F) cave.

 

[sledge]

Any thoughts on the stones I was looking at or maybe other better options ? What do you think about the J stone I put on hold ?

Tough call, you've chose 3 great stones with good proportions and excellent performance & symmetry images to prove they are true performers.

My personal favorite is the 0.92 stone because of the fire it throws. Seriously. Look at the glamour videos. That sucker is like a disco ball. A very close second is the 1.093. While the 0.904 is still awesome, the other two seem to have an edge IMO.

Because the crown & pavilion is so complimentary on both, I think it boils down to the fact the 0.92 stone has a slightly smaller table and a little more depth. If you aren't aware, the smaller the table, the larger the upper girdle facets which is where rainbow light (fire) is produced. In the case of the 0.904 it has a slightly shallower crown which tends to produce more white light instead of rainbow light.

https://www.useloom.com/share/819564a02c9a48f391f6e5b9b9ed8b16

Again, all beautiful and nothing wrong with any of them. I am just being nit picky because you need to reach a final choice. Under normal lighting I doubt the variance will be as noticeable.

This leads me back to color and size. The J offers about 0.40mm in size increase. This is about 1/64th of an inch overall. Most people can see a size difference around the 0.20mm if the stones are placed side by side. It's not a massive difference but I can see it being preferable.

Here's a screen cap using actual dimensions of each stone in a side by side comparison.



You should listen to the advice already given on color. Women tend to be more color sensitive than men. Some are tolerant, meaning even though they may see tint, they are okay with it. @lovedogs and my own fiancee fall into this category. But not all women are color tolerant.

To add complexity, some women find the ring to be very sentimental and would not swap it for that reason alone. Or sometimes, they do not want to offend us, or hurt our feelings, so they will instead not say anything and wear a ring they may not love.

I'd have WF pull the stones and view them in a variety of lighting conditions. Have them send you videos and photos. Ask for their opinion on the color and also the fire/personality of each stone.

Another element with color is each grade is actually a range. The higher the color, the smaller the range. But as you go down lower in the scale, the range for each color grows. Most people can't see the variance between one color grade unless you happen to end up with a weak J and strong I. Ideally, this J would be a very strong J, meaning it's almost an I. Again, WF needs to confirm.

I would personally try to find out your girl's color sensitivity and tolerance before purchasing myself. This comes from a guy that didn't do that and bought his fiancee an H VS2. Then learned afterwards his fiancee is color sensitive and easily sees the (minimal) tint in the H stone, but is thankfully also color tolerant. Still it bothered me greatly in the beginning and when/if we ever upgrade her stone I will also be upgrading the color as a result.

 

[sledge]

Understood. Will go back to my white (E F) cave.

Good questions. IMO, melee is the supporting cast that can make your center stone shine or bomb it. It's very important!

WF uses H&A quality melee. F/G color and VS clarity. Given the amount of melee on the setting the OP chose it'd be a good idea to visit and make sure they can properly color match. I'm sure they can, but it never hurts to double check.

https://www.whiteflash.com/about-di...above-hearts-and-arrows-diamond-melee-938.htm

 

[sledge]

Agree, but if he request comparisons pics and it looks identical, then the extra 0.2ct might mask the color(eg being more in love) But again, agree but it doesn’t hurt to compare.

Lots of people sacrifice color for size. Only they can decide if that's right.

However, the bigger a stone gets the larger the body of the diamond. Remember, color is seen (and graded by the labs) using the body, or pavilion, of the diamond. So in a sense, if you prefer a more white stone, you should probably get more strict on color as you increase the size vs relaxing the color requirement.

Understod, will go back to my yellow cave

LOL, not really yellow but I hear you. Man, that is my pet peeve. Stones show tint, but don't really get yellow until much, much further down the line.

https://www.whiteflash.com/about-diamonds/diamond-education/the-4-cs-color.htm

 

[lovedogs]

Yeah, I certainly don't dislike color, I wanted a low colored stone. I just get nervous recommending lower colors to new posters who don't know the preferences of their intended.

 

[Wewechew]

LOL, not really yellow but I hear you. Man, that is my pet peeve. Stones show tint, but don't really get yellow until much, much further down the line.

https://www.whiteflash.com/about-diamonds/diamond-education/the-4-cs-color.htm

I don’t know... I’d actually argue it depends how color sensitive you are and the actual body tone of the stone. I recently got a K and have been surprised just how warm it is.

ETA- I LOVED my J. Enough so that I’m buying it back for a right hand ring. Don’t know if it’s a different body color or because it was a smaller size.

 

[sledge]

I don’t know... I’d actually argue it depends how color sensitive you are and the actual body tone of the stone. I recently got a K and have been surprised just how warm it is.

ETA- I LOVED my J. Enough so that I’m buying it back for a right hand ring. Don’t know if it’s a different body color or because it was a smaller size.

That's a fair statement. Definitely depends on the color acuity of the wearer.

Not sure the size difference in your stones, but sounds like the increase in body size and drop in color may have been a bad combo for you. I'm sorry. Also, perhaps you had a strong J and the new stone is a weak K?

Was cut quality the same on old and new? As already mentioned, well cut stones tend to face up whiter than normal or poorly cut stones .

Also, did you change your setting? My fiancee's stone pavilion is almost completely visible, which is where you see the most body color. Slapping it into a more traditional setting so the pavilion isn't so exposed would likely make it appear more white.

 

[Wewechew]

That's a fair statement. Definitely depends on the color acuity of the wearer.

Not sure the size difference in your stones, but sounds like the increase in body size and drop in color may have been a bad combo for you. I'm sorry. Also, perhaps you had a strong J and the new stone is a weak K?

Was cut quality the same on old and new? As already mentioned, well cut stones tend to face up whiter than normal or poorly cut stones .

Also, did you change your setting? My fiancee's stone pavilion is almost completely visible, which is where you see the most body color. Slapping it into a more traditional pavilion that isn't so exposed would likely make it appear more white.

I’m pretty sure it was a combination of things. They were both CBIs: .81ct to a 1.27ct. Face up both are white; it’s in dimmer light or at angles I start to see it.

Still a beautiful stone, and I’ve started to appreciate the color, but it did take me aback when I first got it after not seeing a tint with the J.

 

[s0 g00d]

So I asked them to take pictures/video comparing the J stone with an I stone, will post it here as soon as I get it. I also asked if the J is closer to an I or closer to a K. As of right now I lean towards the J diamond but once they send the pics I will make a final decision. I appreciate your help. You guys are awesome !!!