Praxis
Rough_Rock
- Joined
- Dec 9, 2023
- Messages
- 3
Hi folks! Reading through threads (and using the diamond search) here over the last few days have been extremely helpful, so first, thanks!
Now, on to the question (and said reading has suggested I ping @DejaWiz and @Kim N about this). I'm looking for a great-performing RB in the 3-3.5ct range, and trying to stay about $3000 for the diamond to leave headroom for a very nice setting (I will cover this below).
I've looked through the search engines here and stonealgo, and then directly through Ritani, LGD, DreamStone, Adiamor (discarding Whiteflash, JA, etc as pricey). I've focused on DEF VS1 stones, though I'm doubtful D (or even E?) is worth the premium for us.
Currently Adiamor seems to have the best pricing; I found the following candidates. I've mostly been looking at GAI and GCAL since I was slightly concerned based on research that IGI might be a bit soft on color, something I would think is hard to confirm when buying online. All of these appear to have good table/depth/crown angle/pavilion angle, though not ideal. On the other hand, I don't know my sparkle from my elbow when it comes to looking at loupe360 vids, so that's one big reason I'm here!
Low end (and slightly concerning there's no imagery on Adiamor's site, but the cert number has a loupe360)
www.adiamor.com
www.gia.edu
loupe360.com
Only a bit more for a jump to 3.3ct, and this has a video at the vendor
www.adiamor.com
www.gia.edu
loupe360.com
3.25ct and no imagery, but the numbers look good and it's an E
www.adiamor.com
www.gia.edu
loupe360.com
A dollar more for 1/5th a carat more, but back to F (and imagery)
www.adiamor.com
www.gia.edu
loupe360.com
Lastly I found this GCAL 8x (well, it's representative of ~4 or so like it). It's considerably more expensive and only ("only", heh) 3.06ct, and the numbers (or imagery) don't look meaningfully different to me, so I'd be interested in why it's so much more per ct (and if it should be worth considering despite the budget stretch).
Now, on to the Bonus Setting Question (which perhaps deserves its own thread). Background (feel free to skip to next paragraph
My girlfriend and I have been talking about marriage for a while, and I was figuring to propose sometime around the end of this year or early next year. But her family is going to be in town over the holidays, and we agree it'd be much better to celebrate the engagement while they're here (i.e. by the end of December). Only came to that realization in the last week or so though, alas. With that context, the setting issue. We're concerned that a setting from one of these cheap online vendors will be, well, cheap. Heard some not-great things about Ritani's, for example. By contrast a Tacori setting she liked in a B&M store was 4.5k. So I suggested getting a custom setting, since all the ones she's seen so far have been not _quite_ perfect, and it's likely to be only a few thousand as far as I can tell. The problem with _that_, of course, is time. So now, after this recipe-intro-like background, the core questions.
Now, on to the question (and said reading has suggested I ping @DejaWiz and @Kim N about this). I'm looking for a great-performing RB in the 3-3.5ct range, and trying to stay about $3000 for the diamond to leave headroom for a very nice setting (I will cover this below).
I've looked through the search engines here and stonealgo, and then directly through Ritani, LGD, DreamStone, Adiamor (discarding Whiteflash, JA, etc as pricey). I've focused on DEF VS1 stones, though I'm doubtful D (or even E?) is worth the premium for us.
Currently Adiamor seems to have the best pricing; I found the following candidates. I've mostly been looking at GAI and GCAL since I was slightly concerned based on research that IGI might be a bit soft on color, something I would think is hard to confirm when buying online. All of these appear to have good table/depth/crown angle/pavilion angle, though not ideal. On the other hand, I don't know my sparkle from my elbow when it comes to looking at loupe360 vids, so that's one big reason I'm here!
Low end (and slightly concerning there's no imagery on Adiamor's site, but the cert number has a loupe360)
3.07 Carat F VS1 Round Brilliant Lab Grown Diamond GIA Certified 6462796620 Affinity Cut - D53615424
3.07 carat, Round, F Color, VS1 clarity, GIA Certified Diamond, GIA Certificate 6462796620, Affinity Cut Lab Grown Diamond, D53615424
www.adiamor.com
GIA - Report Check
www.gia.edu
Loupe360
Only a bit more for a jump to 3.3ct, and this has a video at the vendor
3.30 Carat F VS1 Round Brilliant Lab Grown Diamond GIA Certified 5466189509 Affinity Cut - D53430191
3.30 carat, Round, F Color, VS1 clarity, GIA Certified Diamond, GIA Certificate 5466189509, Affinity Cut Lab Grown Diamond, D53430191
www.adiamor.com
GIA - Report Check
www.gia.edu
Loupe360
3.25ct and no imagery, but the numbers look good and it's an E
3.25 Carat E VS1 Round Brilliant Lab Grown Diamond GIA Certified 2466907778 Affinity Cut - D55937739
3.25 carat, Round, E Color, VS1 clarity, GIA Certified Diamond, GIA Certificate 2466907778, Affinity Cut Lab Grown Diamond, D55937739
www.adiamor.com
GIA - Report Check
www.gia.edu
Loupe360
A dollar more for 1/5th a carat more, but back to F (and imagery)
3.43 Carat F VS1 Round Brilliant Lab Grown Diamond GIA Certified 2466354257 Affinity Cut - D56233721
3.43 carat, Round, F Color, VS1 clarity, GIA Certified Diamond, GIA Certificate 2466354257, Affinity Cut Lab Grown Diamond, D56233721
www.adiamor.com
GIA - Report Check
www.gia.edu
Loupe360
Lastly I found this GCAL 8x (well, it's representative of ~4 or so like it). It's considerably more expensive and only ("only", heh) 3.06ct, and the numbers (or imagery) don't look meaningfully different to me, so I'd be interested in why it's so much more per ct (and if it should be worth considering despite the budget stretch).
Now, on to the Bonus Setting Question (which perhaps deserves its own thread). Background (feel free to skip to next paragraph
My girlfriend and I have been talking about marriage for a while, and I was figuring to propose sometime around the end of this year or early next year. But her family is going to be in town over the holidays, and we agree it'd be much better to celebrate the engagement while they're here (i.e. by the end of December). Only came to that realization in the last week or so though, alas. With that context, the setting issue. We're concerned that a setting from one of these cheap online vendors will be, well, cheap. Heard some not-great things about Ritani's, for example. By contrast a Tacori setting she liked in a B&M store was 4.5k. So I suggested getting a custom setting, since all the ones she's seen so far have been not _quite_ perfect, and it's likely to be only a few thousand as far as I can tell. The problem with _that_, of course, is time. So now, after this recipe-intro-like background, the core questions.- She wants a cathedral-style setting where the shank has rope/twist styling and where there's a taper. Is there a non-custom, lifetime-quality setting like this where a loose diamond can be set? (Or at a vendor where diamond prices are reasonable). This is somewhat close (although the pave would be better on the shank) https://www.ritani.com/products/cob...gagement-ring-with-double-pave-v-prong-head-2 and this would be great if it had the cathedral rise https://www.jamesallen.com/engagement-rings/pave/platinum-twisted-pave-engagement-ring-item-53678 (though both lack taper, of course). Here's the Tacori, which lacks the braiding. https://www.tacori.com/engagement-ring-founders-collection-ht2581rd8/ but even if it had it, it's, uh, pricey.
- Failing that, as seems likely, our plan is to buy a super-cheap setting for the diamond so I can propose, and meanwhile start the process of making a custom setting (and likely also a custom band for the wedding). Assuming this makes sense, anyone you folks would recommend who would fit that style well? There's some local options (Green Lake, e.g.), but again online seems best.
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