Working with a smaller budget

[Stardust]

A friend told me the other day that she has a budget of $1,500 to include stone and setting. She likes round stones and really fancy antique-looking settings. All she cares about is size, colorless to the eye, and no visible flaws. And, as seems to be common, her boyfriend wants D - IF.

She and I are emailing settings and stones back and forth that she''s then taking to her bf to show him. Any ideas on stones and settings? I''m horrible at looking for well cut rounds.

 

[Ellen]

I gave a thousand for the stone.

If eyeclean. This one has biggest diameter.

http://204.17.89.15/diamond/3465/



http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/I-VS1-Ideal-Cut-Round-Diamond-1036502.asp



If eyeclean.

http://www.whiteflash.com/hearts_arrows/A-Cut-Above-H-A-cut-diamond-395256.htm

 

[ponderer]

I am not good at finding random ideal cut round stones, but as my recent shopping experience has taught me you cant go wrong with a WF ACA or ES. Here are a few.......

http://www.whiteflash.com/hearts_arrows/A-Cut-Above-H-A-cut-diamond-395237.htm
http://www.whiteflash.com/hearts_arrows/A-Cut-Above-H-A-cut-diamond-395236.htm
http://www.whiteflash.com/hearts_arrows/A-Cut-Above-H-A-cut-diamond-395238.htm
http://www.whiteflash.com/hearts_arrows/A-Cut-Above-H-A-cut-diamond-395240.htm
http://www.whiteflash.com/hearts_arrows/A-Cut-Above-H-A-cut-diamond-395241.htm
http://www.whiteflash.com/hearts_arrows/A-Cut-Above-H-A-cut-diamond-395242.htm
http://www.whiteflash.com/round_ideal_cut/Round-Ideal-Cut-cut-diamond-292650.htm


You could pair any of these stones with a simple wg solitare and have a gorgeous ring (if she wants to maximize stone size). If she is dead set on a fancy antique looking setting she will have to drop down to about .4 ct to get the stone and setting under budget. There is a significant diameter difference between a .4 ct and .5 ct (to my eyes). Good new is, if she has to have the fancy setting, you can always upgrade!