3 replies to this topic

[diamond newbie]

engagement ring background...
my little lady seems to like princess cuts the best
she definitely wants platinum (darn)
she seems to like channel set settings
she has a 4.75 finger... leading me to think i should get a fairly narrow setting
i want to keep the ring under $8K
i am in the northern virginia area and would like to buy the ring in the person

so after a few internet searches i decided to go with something around the following stats...
Something around 1.25 carats
Color: H - I
Clarity: VS2 - SI1
Cut: Very Good or better
Depth: 68 - 73 %
Table: under 75%
Polish: Very Good
Symmetry: Very Good

then after a few internet searches i decided to look at washington diamond.
they are showing me a 1.20ct H VS2 that has a 74% depth and a 69% table and measures 5.79x5.67x4.20 Pol = Ex Sym = GD w/ a GIA report
on this setting...
[url]http://www.washingtondiamond.com/Plat-Channel-Set-Diamond-Engagement-Mounting[/url]
for just about $8K

i don't really have any friends that know about diamonds so i figured i would throw it out here and ask for any warnings or opinions. thanks for any help..

[davidelevi]

Well - the issue is that you won't know anything about the cut; ignore the depth and table %, because they are largely meaningless (and the values in your criteria aren't particularly representative of a well cut princess anyway - way too much leeway). This is fine if:

1. You can compare - ideally to something that you know for sure is well cut
2. You have more info to go on than a lab report: good quality photos, video, ASET/IdealScope images, GemEx scan reports, ...
3. You trust the dealer or you have your trusted expert (read: appraiser) that can advise you on what to buy.

Other than that, the price you are being quoted is too good. I have doubts about the quality of the setting just based on price and description, but it may be OK. I also doubt, given the price, that the cut is at the top of the list. Why? Because there's about 300 stones like the one you are considering listed for sale on the Diamond Finder. There is NO GIA graded princess for less than $7100, which is about $1500 more than your budget including the setting you linked. This tells me that either you have found a bargain (which is possible, but extremely unlikely), or there is something wrong with the stone.

Do you have a scan of the GIA report, or at least the report number?

[jan]

diamond newbie, on 03 June 2011 - 06:21 PM, said:

engagement ring background...
my little lady seems to like princess cuts the best
she definitely wants platinum (darn)
she seems to like channel set settings
she has a 4.75 finger... leading me to think i should get a fairly narrow setting
i want to keep the ring under $8K
i am in the northern virginia area and would like to buy the ring in the person

so after a few internet searches i decided to go with something around the following stats...
Something around 1.25 carats
Color: H - I
Clarity: VS2 - SI1
Cut: Very Good or better
Depth: 68 - 73 %
Table: under 75%
Polish: Very Good
Symmetry: Very Good

then after a few internet searches i decided to look at washington diamond.
they are showing me a 1.20ct H VS2 that has a 74% depth and a 69% table and measures 5.79x5.67x4.20 Pol = Ex Sym = GD w/ a GIA report
on this setting...
http://www.washingto...gement-Mounting
for just about $8K

i don't really have any friends that know about diamonds so i figured i would throw it out here and ask for any warnings or opinions. thanks for any help..

Make sure you get a GIA or AGS lab report on the diamond.

[LaurieH]

I agree with what Davide said (and yes! GIA or AGS ALL THE WAY!) but I would also like to say that if her fingers are that petite, a carat and a quarter is gonna look humongous! Unless she's said something to the effect of wanting a really big rock, perhaps drop down to closer to a carat so you can keep a high quality and still stay in your budget. Cuz perhaps you're seeing, bigger doesn't always guarantee better. Not saying the two are mutually exclusive or anything, but just b/c you can get bigger within the budget you've got, doesn't mean you necessarily should.

Good luck and let us know how things go!