Would like to propose Christmas eve

[joshtheman2009]

I was up all night browsing online, reading about diamonds because it suddently hit me that Christmas is just 2 weeks away. I''ve been thinking about proposing, when to propose, how to do it for some time now, but I didn''t realize picking out a ring would be this difficult.

I stumbled on Pricescope and there is a whole lot of knowledge that I am still reading up on. I''m hoping someone might be able to provide some assistance to a semi poor man. See the problem (some background to my main concerns) is my soon-to-be is from a different social background than me. Her family, friends, all are pretty well off and all sport huge rings. I am still in school and hoping to be "well off" soon, but because I wasn''t from the same background, I had some challenges along the way. My lady is not by any means materialistic and will love anything I can give her and is very supportive of my situation (that''s how I know she''s the one). We''re both in our late 20''s so we are somewhat young.

My budget is $2K for the stone and I figured I''ll buy a mounting from ebay or from where I buy the stone that is white gold and simple (so about $2,200 all together).

I want to try to get as close to as 1 CT as possible but I know I won''t get anywhere near that range for the budget. I was looking at whiteflash.com, goodoldgold.com, jamesallen.com, idjewelryonline.com and bluenile.com.

My other option is to purchase something used. I did find a site called doverjewelry.com that sells used rings like a henry something ring that is nice but I''m not sure of the quality of the stone.

Also, she loves the hearts on fire stone, so it will have to be a round stone.

Please give me your opinion and let me know if you can help me find a stone that is of quality.

 

[stone-cold11]

HOF is just a brand name for a Hearts&Arrows ideal cut stone, (H&A).

What I am thinking is buy something that is in budget from a vendor that has an upgrade policy with a simple setting and then upgrade later when you are well off.

 

[joshtheman2009]

Sounds like a great plan. My ideal would be a huge 1.5 ct rock, but unfortunately, I can''t afford that right now. Whiteflash''s selection isn''t that big right now, so I''m checking jamesallen.com.

I''ll post details of potential candidates to get your opinions.

 

[joshtheman2009]

What are your thoughts on this?

.70
I, SI1

Depth: 62.3%
Table: 55.9%
Polish: Ideal
Symmetry: Ideal
Girdle: Thin to slightly thick
Culet: None
Fluorescence: Negligible
Measurements: 5.67*5.70*3.54
Crown Angle: 34.5°
Crown %: 15.10
Pavilion Angle: 40.9°
Pavilion %: 43.10

Does it look eyeclean? I cannot find the inclusions with the loupe but it''s a SI1?


http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/I-SI1-Ideal-Cut-Round-Diamond-1236883.asp

 

[joshtheman2009]

Does anyone have a ring that is around .6 or .7 carat on a size 5 finger that wouldn''t mind sending or posting pictures? Is that too small? I''d hate to push my proposal out... but if I have to so I can save more, I guess I can wait until next year.

 

[stone-cold11]

eye-clean you will have to ask JA, no way to tell from just the loupe image or clarity plot. Idealscope and Hearts image looks good to me.

Just remember JA''s upgrade policy is twice the present stone value, and you get a PS discount, so the stone is $1810. A further 1.5% off with wire transfer.

 

[stone-cold11]

From this thread.
https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/diamond-size-comparison.83517/

More under a carat pics.
https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/under-1ct-diamonds.25028/

 

[joshtheman2009]

Thanks Stone.

What are your thoughts on J color? is it of good color quality for every day wear on the finger? i''m on the search for something even bigger.

 

[stone-cold11]

Put the stone on hold if you are interested in it, else it is likely to get snatch.

J color depends on how sensitive she is, how her social/family circle is on the color as a quality of the stone or just look at its beauty. Do most of them wear lower color or higher color stones and how conscious is she on peer/family pressure?

 

[joshtheman2009]

Hmm.. so a .75 stone covers 38% of a size 5 finger, and a .9 stone covers the same amount of finger on a size 6. Very interesting. Thanks for the chart. I''ll take a look at the links now.

 

[joshtheman2009]

As far as how conscious she is, she is definitely conscious but as for me, I would want to give her something respectable, so I guess that means J is out of the picture?

I''ll check out Brian Gavin''s website. Thanks for the tip.

 

[Laila619]

Hi there,
What you should do is put the diamond in a halo mounting. That is a way to make the diamond appear much larger on her finger.

 

[joshtheman2009]

Hi Laila,

That is an idea I like but being my budget is so small, to make a bigger budget for the mounting, I would have to take the funds from the stone....

 

[joshtheman2009]

So the JA stone is on hold and they verified the stone is eye clean in all lightings, because the inclusions are internal, but not sure if it is eye clean from all angles. What do you think?

Do you think it''s worth trying to get up in size or if it''s better to pick a stone that is smaller but is whiter in color with a better clarity?

 

[ImpatientOne]

You mentioned upgrading at a later time. Have you looked at JA''s upgrade policy? It is not as generous as some of the other vendors...

 

[Laila619]

josh,

I think in the size range you are looking at an 'I' color diamond would still be very white. J would probably be safe too, as long as it is well cut.

 

[joshtheman2009]

What do you think about this stone from bluenile? I would upgrade her ring eventually but probably not for at least another 5 years or maybe longer. In the meantime I want her to have something nice.

GIA #6117444023
Carat weight:
0.79
Cut: Ideal
Color: J
Clarity: VS2
Depth %:
61.1%
Table %:
57%
Symmetry:
Excellent
Polish:
Very Good
Girdle:
Medium to Slightly Thick
Culet:
None
Fluorescence:
None
Measurements: 5.94 x 5.98 x 3.64 mm

Thank you for your time in this project. I feel lost and overwhelmed.

 

[yssie]

Date: 12/15/2009 5:47:06 PM
Author: joshtheman2009
What do you think about this stone from bluenile? I would upgrade her ring eventually but probably not for at least another 5 years or maybe longer. In the meantime I want her to have something nice.

GIA #6117444023
Carat weight:
0.79
Cut: Ideal
Color: J
Clarity: VS2
Depth %:
61.1%
Table %:
57%
Symmetry:
Excellent
Polish:
Very Good
Girdle:
Medium to Slightly Thick
Culet:
None
Fluorescence:
None
Measurements: 5.94 x 5.98 x 3.64 mm

Thank you for your time in this project. I feel lost and overwhelmed. No need, we've all been here!

.

REPORT CHECK: http://www2.gia.edu/reportcheck/index.cfm?fuseaction=home.showReportVerification&reportno=6117444023&weight=0.79
Numbers look nice!

 

[stone-cold11]

BN do not have a upgrade policy, so you will not be able to sell back the stone to them for a larger stone.

Yap, numbers look promising.

EDT:
That stone is not a sold as a H&A so if you want a H&A similar to HOF, then that may not be the one.

 

[joshtheman2009]

BTW, I just saw the legato setting that Whiteflash has and I feel it is very elegant. Now if they would have something around .7 for my budget, that would be the winner.... I guess I''d be going over my budget for the setting, but it might be worth it for as much as I like the setting. Or maybe I''ll just end up getting a smaller stone? Can I get a woman''s opinion on this? My eyes aren''t obviously size sensitive. Is it that much more noticeable between these 2 sizes?

 

[canuk-gal]

Date: 12/15/2009 6:14:57 PM
Author: joshtheman2009
BTW, I just saw the legato setting that Whiteflash has and I feel it is very elegant. Now if they would have something around .7 for my budget, that would be the winner.... I guess I'd be going over my budget for the setting, but it might be worth it for as much as I like the setting. Or maybe I'll just end up getting a smaller stone? Can I get a woman's opinion on this? My eyes aren't obviously size sensitive. Is it that much more noticeable between these 2 sizes?

HI:

Sorry, which two sizes?

ETA:

http://www.whiteflash.com/diamonds/Compare_Diamonds.aspx?idnos=2176260,2228589,2141795

I compared these stones, each sequentially seperated by 10 points ctw--and observe the diameter difference. Would you be able to see that visually? Maybe some eagle eyed PS'ers and diamond dealers and cutters,

but I doubt I could tell (OKOK maybe between the 60 and 80

). Often, however, the carat weight is a mental note for folks. For e.g, a 3/4 carat ctw (or .75 point stone), is a benchmark size and may "mean more" to some than say, 60 point or ctw, stone. KWIM?

Best bet, buy a well cut stone, get a elegant setting and make sure you have a "good" upgrade policy with a vendor. BTW, email Brian Gavin Diamonds, as they might have something in stock in a size near to your needs. Doesn't hurt to ask!

cheers--Sharon

 

[joshtheman2009]

Date: 12/15/2009 6:09:29 PM
Author: Stone-cold11
BN do not have a upgrade policy, so you will not be able to sell back the stone to them for a larger stone.

Yap, numbers look promising.

EDT:
That stone is not a sold as a H&A so if you want a H&A similar to HOF, then that may not be the one.

I assumed all GIA excellent cuts and all AGS ideal cuts will display a H&A pattern. Is this not the case? This makes the shopping a bit harder.

 

[joshtheman2009]

Date: 12/15/2009 6:17:25 PM
Author: canuk-gal

Date: 12/15/2009 6:14:57 PM
Author: joshtheman2009
BTW, I just saw the legato setting that Whiteflash has and I feel it is very elegant. Now if they would have something around .7 for my budget, that would be the winner.... I guess I''d be going over my budget for the setting, but it might be worth it for as much as I like the setting. Or maybe I''ll just end up getting a smaller stone? Can I get a woman''s opinion on this? My eyes aren''t obviously size sensitive. Is it that much more noticeable between these 2 sizes?

HI:

Sorry, which two sizes?

cheers--Sharon

Sorry, I know I''m rambling. I can feel the time slot closing in on me... I''m looking at size .5 ct vs. .6 ct vs. .7 ct. My budget is only $2K for the stone. Would you notice the difference between those sizes?

 

[stone-cold11]

Date: 12/15/2009 6:21:40 PM
Author: joshtheman2009

Date: 12/15/2009 6:09:29 PM

Author: Stone-cold11

BN do not have a upgrade policy, so you will not be able to sell back the stone to them for a larger stone.

Yap, numbers look promising.

EDT:

That stone is not a sold as a H&A so if you want a H&A similar to HOF, then that may not be the one.

I assumed all GIA excellent cuts and all AGS ideal cuts will display a H&A pattern. Is this not the case? This makes the shopping a bit harder.

Nope, that is not the case. To verify if a stone is H&A, we will need to see the Hearts and Arrows image of the stone, usually an Idealscope can double as a Arrow image so just need an additional Hearts image.

 

[joshtheman2009]

Date: 12/15/2009 6:27:33 PM
Author: Stone-cold11

Date: 12/15/2009 6:21:40 PM
Author: joshtheman2009

Date: 12/15/2009 6:09:29 PM

Author: Stone-cold11

BN do not have a upgrade policy, so you will not be able to sell back the stone to them for a larger stone.

Yap, numbers look promising.

EDT:

That stone is not a sold as a H&A so if you want a H&A similar to HOF, then that may not be the one.

I assumed all GIA excellent cuts and all AGS ideal cuts will display a H&A pattern. Is this not the case? This makes the shopping a bit harder.

Nope, that is not the case. To verify if a stone is H&A, we will need to see the Hearts and Arrows image of the stone, usually an Idealscope can double as a Arrow image so just need an additional Hearts image.

Thanks for clarifying. I chatted with someone from their website and was told they cannot provide those images. Back to the drawing board.

 

[yssie]

Date: 12/15/2009 6:31:34 PM
Author: joshtheman2009

Date: 12/15/2009 6:27:33 PM
Author: Stone-cold11

Date: 12/15/2009 6:21:40 PM
Author: joshtheman2009

Date: 12/15/2009 6:09:29 PM

Author: Stone-cold11

BN do not have a upgrade policy, so you will not be able to sell back the stone to them for a larger stone.

Yap, numbers look promising.

EDT:

That stone is not a sold as a H&A so if you want a H&A similar to HOF, then that may not be the one.

I assumed all GIA excellent cuts and all AGS ideal cuts will display a H&A pattern. Is this not the case? This makes the shopping a bit harder.

Nope, that is not the case. To verify if a stone is H&A, we will need to see the Hearts and Arrows image of the stone, usually an Idealscope can double as a Arrow image so just need an additional Hearts image.

Thanks for clarifying. I chatted with someone from their website and was told they cannot provide those images. Back to the drawing board.

You're on a budget (as are most of us), so unless having a perfect H&A pattern - which you can't actually see - is important to you, I'd suggest considering a non-H&A ideal-cut excellent performer and going up as much as possible on size. In those sizes even a tenth of a carat makes a difference - I'd say you can definitely see the difference between a 0.5 and a 0.7.

 

[Dreamer_D]

Yes, if you want to upgrade one day (which is a great plan!) then stick with a vendor with a really good policy. That means GOG, WF, or BGD. I searched the three and the best bets are from BGD (Brian Gavin Diamonds). They are a top knotch vendor, don''t even worry one bit working with them. the contenders are below. You will need to ask about eye clean, but Brian told me that he is being very picky about the diamond he buys, so I think you can assume it will be eye clean. You need to go to his site to get more info and then simply call Lesley. All these diamonds will be spectacular, for me with this vendor I don''t worry about the IS and numbers and all that.

I like these ones for you (apply a 2% PS discount):

AGS-1040381680052 Brian Gavin H&A 0.764 I SI1 55.8 61.5 $2,232.00
AGS-1040375560010 Brian Gavin H&A 0.765 J VS2 56.6 60.8 $2,155.00
AGS-1040381680059 Brian Gavin H&A 0.718 G SI2 56.6 61.6 $2,167.00 This will not technically be "eye clean" because Brian says they do not consider SI2s to be so BUT it is great value and would be blindlingly white which would look more impressive.

 

[Dreamer_D]

Date: 12/15/2009 6:36:15 PM
Author: yssie

You''re on a budget (as are most of us), so unless having a perfect H&A pattern - which you can''t actually see - is important to you, I''d suggest considering a non-H&A ideal-cut excellent performer and going up as much as possible on size. In those sizes even a tenth of a carat makes a difference - I''d say you can definitely see the difference between a 0.5 and a 0.7.

Ditto to this. But JA is the best place to get a stone like this and their upgrade policy is not as liberal. Still pretty good though.

 

[stone-cold11]

Well, he stated his gf likes HOF, so I think that implies a H&A stone for her?

 

[yssie]

Date: 12/15/2009 6:44:22 PM
Author: Stone-cold11
Well, he stated his gf likes HOF, so I think that implies a H&A stone for her?

I liked HoF best too when I didn't know anything about diamonds. They DID sparkle more than the generic rather more poorly cut stones they were surrounded by, and that they had a place of honour within the store - all that blue velvet and spot-lighting and all those extra sales attendants just for HoF shoppers - well, then I loved HoF

Just a thought. I imagine that if she loved the sparkle of the HoF, like I realized I did thanks to PS, the sparkle of any well-cut top performing stone will wow her. If she loved the HoF brand, though, then even another brand of H&A isn't the same. Of course it's up to Joshtheman, and I do agree with dreamer about the best vendors for upgrading.