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Whiteflash ACA 1.83, G, SI1 - Should I keep looking?

bd6845

Rough_Rock
Joined
Dec 30, 2015
Messages
28
Hello!

I visited the Whiteflash Houston store and enjoyed this diamond I had settled on. Before I buy though, I'd like to get your opinion on my "trade-offs."

I would benefit mentally if this stone was at the VS level but I looked at this one for a long time and was pleased with the inclusions it had since it's SI1. I mainly focused on looping it from the top and side since it will be set in a halo. I'm fairly confident it is 'eye-clean' even though their gemologist listed it as non-eye-clean from 6 inches, but eye-clean from 10 (12?).

Budget for everything is around $20-21k so I figured I have around $18k to spend on the stone. I'd like to maximize color and size (the ACA requirements really impressed me) because the future fiance specifically told me a story about her friends comparing diamonds and one of them being upset that her diamond looked yellow.

This is all a secret, but she has given me some hints as to what she likes. Halo, diamonds down the side of the band, round, oval or cushion cut. I chose a Round just because that's what Whiteflash carried, but I'm open to those other shapes.

I was pleased with a Ritani cushion halo they had in the store.

thank you for any thoughts you have!
 

diamondseeker2006

Super_Ideal_Rock
Premium
Joined
Jan 11, 2006
Messages
58,547
A Whiteflash ACA is as good as it gets in terms of cut! I also love Ritani halos, especially the cushion one. You can piece together a ring for less, but it won't be the same quality. I also prefer VS clarity, but if it looked good to you with the loupe, I'd say you have a good SI1!
(I found it and am checking it out.)
 

Andelain

Ideal_Rock
Joined
Mar 10, 2010
Messages
3,524
Need a link.
 

diamondseeker2006

Super_Ideal_Rock
Premium
Joined
Jan 11, 2006
Messages
58,547
Andelain|1451489479|3968414 said:
Need a link.

I found it easily. It's not on hold. Probably better for him not to link. You can find it.
 

diamondseeker2006

Super_Ideal_Rock
Premium
Joined
Jan 11, 2006
Messages
58,547
Well, this is a tough one. Crystal right under the table means that it might be visible when light hits it the right way. Stone is a great size...hard to find and very close to 2 cts in appearance. I'd personally probably go for one of the 1.7 range G VS2's if I could squeeze a little more money into the budget. An 8mm stone is going to be really large in that halo. I'd say if size is her number one priority, it would be worth the risk, but if you think it would bother her to sometimes see a reflection from that crystal, then go for one of the smaller ones.
 

bd6845

Rough_Rock
Joined
Dec 30, 2015
Messages
28
Diamondseeker- Thank you for your input. I was in the process of putting it on hold last night and this morning, she just said she finalized it so I have it for a while.

I did look at quite a few 1.7 VS stones, but in my opinion they had more visible inclusions. It was weird- I could not find the SI inclusion with my eye (could with the loupe) but could definitely see some imperfections on the top of the 1.7s when I moved the back and forth repeatedly. I was mainly going for eye-cleanliness for the top surface. I don't think she ever brought out a 1.7 G though, so next week when I go in I'll ask about those and see how they look. I just know my choices were between a 1.8 G SI and a 1.7 H VS2 and like I said I prefered the inclusions on the 1.8 so it was a no-brainer to get the extra color upgrade as well as the size.

Do you believe the WF sales team when they say their gemologist has really good eyes for inclusions? As in even though he said it was not eye clean at six inches, I still thought it was? Could inclusions that aren't visible to me affect performance in a meaningful way? I was very pleased with the ACA quality restrictions and am confident I will have a great diamond regardless of what I pick from WF. I went to Robinns Bros yesterday as well and I almost wanted to laugh. The sales team was pushing ridiculously flawed diamonds even though I insisted it be eye-clean. Their stones were blatantly bad.

One more question - is there a bad time of year to shop for diamonds? I was just thinking that since Christmas and New Years are going on maybe selection isn't where it usually is. Am I sorting through leftovers?

Thank y'all for your help - truly great material on this site!

EDIT: There IS a little wiggle room in the budget if something obviously worth it popped up.
 

Andelain

Ideal_Rock
Joined
Mar 10, 2010
Messages
3,524
diamondseeker2006|1451489675|3968418 said:
Andelain|1451489479|3968414 said:
Need a link.

I found it easily. It's not on hold. Probably better for him not to link. You can find it.

I can't find it.

Sorry, OP.
 

bd6845

Rough_Rock
Joined
Dec 30, 2015
Messages
28
I'm also not sure what she would want - she just wants it to be white and pretty.

She has small fingers (4.5 is my estimate, im going to check this weekend) and it will be in a halo. So I'm convinced that anything around 1.7 will be good size.

EDIT: Any tips on narrowing down between round, oval and cushion? Her pinterest board had all of them on there. In person I chose a round stone with a cushion halo for the best of two of those shapes...
 

Andelain

Ideal_Rock
Joined
Mar 10, 2010
Messages
3,524
That's a beauty! :love: :love: :love: :love:
 

telephone89

Ideal_Rock
Premium
Joined
Aug 29, 2014
Messages
4,223
If you saw it in person and loved it, then I say go for it. It is a beauty
 
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