14 replies to this topic

[heracles]

Hi everyone. My wife had her eng ring stolen and Im about to buy her another one as a surprise. Its been a month of reading, contemplating, etc and now im tired and want to make the purhase as our anniversary is about 2 weeks out.


I was shopping on blue nile for 3-4 weeks, and honestly it drove me nuts not being able to see the actual diamond. I discovered JamesAllen and although they do not have anywhere near the selection for what I need the pics help.

I was targeting a between a .85 and a 1 ct, with a budget of ~5300 (for diamond). I was going to go with a platinum confort fit ring for 900 on top- but if a nicer diamond popped up I would go with the white gold (~375).


The two diamonds I have on hold at james allen are below- I would love to get her the .91 as its bigger, but the .86 reflects light much much better from what I was told. Even the folks at James Allen rec the .86. As far as my wife she is the type that would be happy with anything. Shes not super picky or any kind of diaomond expert that a diamond needs to fit a certain criteria.

Anyhow, below are the diamonds. If you have any other reccomendations please let me know. Thank you for your help.


This is .86 and is 5180..Looks overall alot cleaner
[url="http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/F-SI1-Ideal-Cut-Round-Diamond-1382855.asp"][url]http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/F-SI1-Ideal-Cut-Round-Diamond-1382855.asp[/url][/url]



This is the .91, not as clean and wont reflect light as well..

[url="http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/H-SI1-Ideal-Cut-Round-Diamond-1370718.asp"][url]http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/H-SI1-Ideal-Cut-Round-Diamond-1370718.asp[/url][/url]

Edited by heracles, 24 September 2011 - 04:17 AM.

[davidelevi]

Based only on the reports, I would have said "go with the 0.86". The difference in size will not be visible, particularly once it's set, and I think it's better cut.

JA presumably has called them in and seen them both, confirming the above. Go for it, and enjoy!

[LaurieH]

My comment would be exactly the same--Davide beat me to it. Oh...and FWIW, just so you know, "Ideal" is James Allen's designation for their top category. GIA does not use that terminology--they use terminology of Excellent, Very Good, etc... Refer to the online copy of the certification for that cut grade, since you're looking at a round (which is the only shape that GIA offers an official Cut Grade at this time).

On a personal note, very sorry to hear that your wife's ring was stolen, but sounds like she's got herself a good guy to be so thoughtful as to replace it as a surprise for her. I'm sure that she'll be very happy

[heracles]

thank you so much Laurie and davidelevi, I was leaning to the .86 also but just getting tangled up in the size. But it sounds like the .86 is a nicer diamond, just a tad smaller.The whoe quality vs size thing

[LaurieH]

I get the whole thing about size, but frankly--you're paying a little more per carat if you go over the .90 mark, and the size difference is so negligible (most people cannot really perceive a .1mm difference, unless you're talking about something small, side-by-side, and even then it can be pretty hard to detect to untrained eyes), that you're really so much better off going with the nicer stone that's almost the same size. Besides, IIRC, the .86 had better symmetry than the .91, and I always say if you can't get Triple EX, put the first in Cut, the second in Symmetry. I think you'll be pleased once you see the .86 and won't give the other a second thought

[heracles]

LaurieH, on 24 September 2011 - 06:28 AM, said:

I get the whole thing about size, but frankly--you're paying a little more per carat if you go over the .90 mark, and the size difference is so negligible (most people cannot really perceive a .1mm difference, unless you're talking about something small, side-by-side, and even then it can be pretty hard to detect to untrained eyes), that you're really so much better off going with the nicer stone that's almost the same size. Besides, IIRC, the .86 had better symmetry than the .91, and I always say if you can't get Triple EX, put the first in Cut, the second in Symmetry. I think you'll be pleased once you see the .86 and won't give the other a second thought

thanks so much!

[heracles]

Starting to think I should prob try and do 1ct. We went to litmans and she tried on a .75 leo, she loved it and didn't think it was small. Her last ring was from when I was in college and couldn't afford,I think it was .5ct.

Think I can get a nice 1ct for 7000 or less? I wanted platinum but I would go with 14k white gold to help afford the nicer diamond- thoughts?

[davidelevi]

Define "nice"...

With $6500/7000 you are looking at I-SI2 or J-SI1 or rather unconventional choices like eye-clean I1 (yes, they do exist and can be very nice too) or light yellows (M and lower) where you can afford good clarity and perhaps even a 1.50. Again, they can be beautiful, but they do look different. Or you can go decidedly coloured, and get a fancy yellow or a larger fancy brownish yellow.

FWIW, I would not save the $3-500 on the setting, and get platinum. It's nicer, lasts longer and has far fewer problems linked to allergies, replating and scratches.

[heracles]

davidelevi, on 24 September 2011 - 12:01 PM, said:

Define "nice"...

With $6500/7000 you are looking at I-SI2 or J-SI1 or rather unconventional choices like eye-clean I1 (yes, they do exist and can be very nice too) or light yellows (M and lower) where you can afford good clarity and perhaps even a 1.50. Again, they can be beautiful, but they do look different. Or you can go decidedly coloured, and get a fancy yellow or a larger fancy brownish yellow.

FWIW, I would not save the $3-500 on the setting, and get platinum. It's nicer, lasts longer and has far fewer problems linked to allergies, replating and scratches.

She has a white gold wedding ring; but I know she would love platinum. Would the platinum eng ring look way off compared to the white gold she has? I did see on a site that the difference is very little..but wanted some more opinion..

[LaurieH]

When newly polished, the difference is almost imperceptible, after a little while it's barely noticeable. The biggest difference is after a while of wear and tear. White gold is routinely plated with Rhodium (a naturally white metal in the Platinum family) because white gold is alloyed from yellow to be white, but it's still kinda dish-watery white, and the plating will wear off over time, leaving it a little duller looking. Platinum (and Palladium) will take on tiny scratches from wear over time which develops into what is referred to as a pattina--and it will look a little more grey or antiquey looking. So either one, just have it polished (and/or replated in the case of white gold) and they'll look almost the same again. But they won't look TREMENDOUSLY different side-by-side even if you do nothing, providing she's not unusually rough on her jewelry or wears it swimming or dealing with lots of cleaning products.

[davidelevi]

It's not so much the look - which as Laurie says you can always reinstate. Platinum is just a better jewellery metal IMHO.

[heracles]

thanks guys, still not sure which diamond to get...might just go with .86 since she would be more than happy- I came across somne threads where ladies were saying "Only 1 crt?" Really? A nice one ct will run almost $8K..nothng to shrug at imho. Im going to spend about $6000 thats not even for a ct.

[davidelevi]

Ignore "the ladies" and focus on The Lady. Also, 1 carat is at the edge of gaudy in many places.

[heracles]

Found this 1.01..not sure if its good to go with a SI2, but it looks pretty eye clean- what do you think


Here is the link of the .86 (5100)
[url="http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/F-SI1-Ideal-Cut-Round-Diamond-1382855.asp"][url]http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/F-SI1-Ideal-Cut-Round-Diamond-1382855.asp[/url][/url]

I found this 1.01, its about 1500 more (6500)- but its S2...is this worth the extra money?

[url="http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/G-SI2-Ideal-Cut-Round-Diamond-1388976.asp"][url]http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/G-SI2-Ideal-Cut-Round-Diamond-1388976.asp[/url][/url]

This is the .91 I wouldnt bother with for sameprice as .86, with lower color
[url="http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/H-SI1-Ideal-Cut-Round-Diamond-1370718.asp"][url]http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/H-SI1-Ideal-Cut-Round-Diamond-1370718.asp[/url][/url]

[davidelevi]

The 1.01 seems to be decently cut and it may well be eye-clean (based on one photo - so take with a shovel of salt). Is it worth $1500 more? Not to me. I'd much rather spend the money on a better setting.