Picking out my engagement ring!

[zcoop7]

Hey! I am a first time poster and long time lurker on the site (: My boyfriend and I have talked about getting married for a while now and he told me 2 weeks ago that I should let him know what kind of ring/diamond I want because he knows how picky I am! I tried some rings on at a few stores in the mall and hated them ALL! We have been doing a lot of research online since then and have fallen in love with asscher cut diamonds! I have also finally decided that I want a solitaire setting so that I can spend more of the budget on my asscher and make it the real focus of the ring. My budget is around $3500 (for the setting/diamond) and I want an Asscher that is at least a carat. We have looked at bluenile, rokstok, and adiamor but quickly figured out we need to actually see the diamond we are getting before we purchase it! I really like a setting from James Allen, the 2mm knife edge solitaire, so I will most likely get my diamond from there too. The only thing is they seem to have only a few asschers within my budget and they don't seem to add new ones very frequently ): I chatted with them Thursday and they said they don't add many new asschers weekly, mostly round diamonds. I have looked at exceldiamonds, and GOG too, but I haven't seen much I like setting wise. Any other sites I should check out that have pics of the actual diamonds they sell? I have decided I need to see the actual diamond before I purchase. I didn't realize how different asschers can look from one another. Our budget is kind of low for what I want but I think if I will be patient I can get a nice ring!

 

[snoopkat]

Here's an option from ERD:

http://www.engagementringsdirect.com/1.01-carat-j-si1-excellent-asscher-cut-diamond-gid-41544.html

I don't know how you feel about J SI but the fluor should help make the diamond face up whiter. I'll leave it to the experts to chime in about its other stats.

Might also be worthwhile checking out DB if you're open to a preloved diamond.

 

[zcoop7]

Thanks I will check that site out! What is DB? Sorry I am new to a lot of this!

 

[Gypsy]

Here's an option from ERD:

http://www.engagementringsdirect.com/1.01-carat-j-si1-excellent-asscher-cut-diamond-gid-41544.html

I don't know how you feel about J SI but the fluor should help make the diamond face up whiter. I'll leave it to the experts to chime in about its other stats.

Might also be worthwhile checking out DB if you're open to a preloved diamond.

No image of actual stone. You CANNOT buy asschers with pictures and expect to get a nice one.

If you wanted to work with ERD for an asscher you would need to call Mark and give him your requirements and have him get stones in for you.

Here is a lovely one at GOG though:

http://www.goodoldgold.com/diamond/9401/ I would TOTALLY buy this one. It's 3800. But we can get you a setting to fit it for 200 or so on ebay or diamondbistro (DB). Finding a GOOD asscher under 4k at one carat is HARD. I would seriously consider buying this one if I were you. And then worry about the setting separately.

 

[Gypsy]

If you want to work with James Allen here is the only one I would recommend to investigate further: you can ask for an ASET image of it and post it when you have it and I'll tell you if it is any good:

http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/H-VS1-Ideal-Cut-Asscher-Diamond-1489019.asp It faces up small for the carat weight though, but it is likely to perform well. Still the one from GOG is cheaper AND bigger (5.5 instead of 5.3 which in these sizes is a big difference).

You really do need to raise your budget though... and save up for 6 months or so to get another 1000 toward the ring. Or you need to be okay with a smaller stone.

If it were me? I'd buy the stone from GOG, unset. And save up to get the setting you want. Then set it.

 

[zcoop7]

Gypsy,
I've seen both of those from GOG and JA and they are gorgeous! I think I like the GOG one the best. I know my budget is low but there's not much I can do at the moment. I wish it could be higher. I have had a bad year of dental work which has left me with about $1500 left to pay on that (2 root canals and still need 3 crowns, ugh) ): I absolutely love the JA setting I mentioned above so I guess I'm just going to wait around and see if any more diamonds are added in the next few months that are decent. I've been looking at VS2 clarity and above, I color and above, and a good depth and table. I know I could get a round diamond that was bigger and probably less money but I guess I am just hung up on the unique look of the asschers. Thanks for your suggestions (:

 

[Gypsy]

I do understand. If it were me, I'd find a way to buy that GOG asscher for 3,800 though. Then I'd just wait until I could afford to set it. Seriously.

 

[webdiva]

I do understand. If it were me, I'd find a way to buy that GOG asscher for 3,800 though. Then I'd just wait until I could afford to set it. Seriously.

Plus I'm sure GOG can source something similar - it's not a hard setting to find. Buy the diamond now and set it when you can afford the $400 for the solitaire. They also have financing for 6 months. Gypsy is master at Asschers and some lurker is going to snap that up. Good asschers don't come up every day...

 

[Christina...]

I 100% agree with Gypsy! The GOG asscher is a really great find! And as WD posted if you don't get it on hold immediately it will get snatched up by someone else. I'm a former 1ct Asscher owner as well, and you're working with a really tight budget for what you want. You may be able do it, you'll just have to be very patient in the mean time. If you aren't able to make the GOG stone fit right now, or you aren't willing to be patient waiting for another great one to come up within your budget than you may want to consider a different stone shape. I think Gypsy already mentioned it, but asschers face up smaller than any other cut, so visually a 1ct asccher is going to look much smaller than a round, or a pear, for instance. I recently sold my asscher for this reason. It always felt very small on my finger, so if size is important to you then you should consider this.

I'd contact ERD and ask if they can call in the one that was linked as well. You can NOT buy asschers based on the numbers alone, but the table and depth did look like it may have promise, but again you have to SEE images because in the end the numbers don't really mean much.

I did a quick search at JA as well and I couldn't find anything else to add.

Gypsy Looks like the JA asscher we kept begging someone to buy, sold! Lucky girl! Might have been a good fit here, although I think it was just over 4k wasn't it?

 

[zcoop7]

I know they face up smaller than most diamonds but that doesn't bother me. I have tried to make myself like other cuts but just keep going back to asschers. Thanks for all the help and opinions you guys have given me, you are right. I will just have to be patient, very patient at that. Or I can up the budget somehow...we shall see (:

 

[tyty333]

I do understand. If it were me, I'd find a way to buy that GOG asscher for 3,800 though. Then I'd just wait until I could afford to set it. Seriously.

This is what I would do too...thats a beautiful asscher!

 

[Asscherhalo_lover]

Since you have most of the money and only need a few hundred more see if GOG can set up a special lay a way for you or do the 6 month financing. You have most of the money so you would only be financing a little. Diamond prices go up quick sometimes, that stone could be over 4k in a matter of weeks for all we know. I would hop on it now!