Q&A: “Am I on the right track to get the shiniest diamond?”

First off, your website has been tremondously helpful for me-a first time diamond buyer.

I hugely value cut and I have been looking at Blue Nile and their signature cut. Obviously, I am paying more for the signature brand. So, I used the more stringent table (60.1 to 61.9) and depth% (55 to 57) values for the signature to filter out some ideals on Blue Nile and James Allen. Am on the right track to get the shiniest diamond?

Thanks for the quick response. I have been spending a lot of time on your website and am learning a lot from the Q & A’s of others and your responses. I am almost certainly going to order the ring from James Allen and want your advice before I do so. I will start short listing stones real soon. The one thing I couldn’t find something on was the Hearts and Arrows cut on James Allen. Is it worth going for the Hearts and Arrows cut vs the ideal cut? I obviously want to get the best cut possible. I hope the H & A doesn’t increase costs by by a 1000!

Also, I placed an order for the ring yest. evening. It’s Tacoristyle 2616rd65 in white gold http://www.tacori.com/Engagement-Rings/2616RD65. She’s a fan of Tacori and I like this ring because of the crescents and intricate work. The diamonds on it as I’m sure you already know are G and VS. So, my solitaire has to be min. G correct? Do you have any comments on the kind of solitaire I should be looking for? I want to go over carat and below 1.15. the max the ring can hold I’ve been told is 1.2. My budget is 8000 Canadian dollars. I obviously don’t want to max out my budget :)-unless there is something really worth it.

I will propose on March the 19th (date obviously is imp. :)) and the Tacori ring will be here by the first week of March for sure. I plan to order the diamond by then so that I have enough time to set and possibly return it and get another one.

Sorry for the ramble.

It’s been a while. I’ve just been waiting for the Tacori ring and it is going to be in this week. So, I want to get on the diamond right away since the day is very close.

1) Since you said that the H&A cut costs a lot of money, can you by looking at the technical specs on the James Allen site be able to tell which less expensive Excellent cut would just about make the H&A or is close enough? I don’t want to purchase from Blue Nile simply because of the inability to see the diamond (as you said).

2) You said that I could go also go for a H colour diamond and be fine for the ring I’ve chosen. I’m wondering what effect the colour/cut would have on a diamond. For example, would a diamond with Excellent cut and colour G or perhaps E have the same effect as colour H and H & A keeping everything else constant? Or am I way out to lunch?

3) Based on you response, do you have any recommendations for:

Carat: 1.0 to 1.2 (the bigger the better)
Clarity: Eye Clean
Colour: G or H depends on your answer
Cut: depends on your answer
Budget: Canadian Dollars 8500 max.- I don’t want to max it out for sure :). Unless there is something great that you recommend.

I think my ideal case would be SI 1 (eye clean), H&A, G colour in the 7K or less range. But maybe I want my cake and eat it too. Pls, be brutally honest with me if my thought process is nuts!

4) I saw a few H&A SI 1 diamonds on James Allen and they had a black spot in the middle. Surely that would be visible to the naked eye right?

https://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/G-SI1-Ideal-Cut-Round-Diamond-1336412.asp

https://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/E-SI1-Ideal-Cut-Round-Diamond-1255560.asp

Thanks a lot!

Thanks for the quick response. That’s a beautiful stone. I would prefer to bring the size down a to 1.15/6 max. I’m concerned the setting may be affected since the jeweler told me that 1.2 is the absolute max.

What about my question, “Can you by looking at the technical specs on the James Allen site be able to tell which less expensive Excellent cut would just about make the H&A or is close enough?” Are the specs for the diamond you gave me for close in terms of H&A and excellent cut?

I saw a few neat ones below. They are all H&A. Would I be overpaying for any of these?

https://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/D-SI1-Ideal-Cut-Round-Diamond-1236916.asp

https://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/D-SI1-Ideal-Cut-Round-Diamond-1195055.asp

https://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/G-SI1-Ideal-Cut-Round-Diamond-1354956.asp

Do you have any ‘steals’ in the H&A category Ira? Because I’m sure only you’d find it.

Thanks again.

Thanks for the reply Ira. I am hoping that you can look at these next few that are in my $8000 range.

https://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/G-VS2-Ideal-Cut-Round-Diamond-1354955.asp (not worth the price for a VS2 over the SI 1 that you preferred in the previous e-mail)

https://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/G-VS2-Ideal-Cut-Round-Diamond-1344947.asp

https://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/G-VS2-Ideal-Cut-Round-Diamond-1317136.asp

Which one is your pick?

Apart from price, which one do you recommend for the style of ring between your pick from above and the your pick for the 7000 range (https://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/D-SI1-Ideal-Cut-Round-Diamond-1236916.asp). Would D colour have a big impact as opposed to G?

I honestly am hoping to get something in the 1.05/06/07 range that’s 7000K range. But I don’t see any. Do you?

1) Thanks for the response. I am extremely close to deciding here. I saw the AGS certificate for my shortlisted diamonds and it doesn’t show the inclusions clearly at all. The GIA certs are very clear but the AGS isn’t. Is there a risk with the AGS certification particularly with regards to diamond integrity?? Are the certs much better when viewed in person??

2) Also, my short list has come down to 3 choices and I am hoping that you give me some advice to help me decide. The short list and my comments with respect to each other are as under:

2a) https://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/D-SI1-Ideal-Cut-Round-Diamond-1236916.asp
Pros: Colour D. Cons: Size is 1.01 want a 1.05/6/7 ideally.

2b) https://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/G-SI1-Ideal-Cut-Round-Diamond-1354956.asp
Pros: Carat is 1.07 Cons: G colour and this huge feather on the left. Would that be visible or affect the integrity of diamond?

2c) https://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/G-VS2-Ideal-Cut-Round-Diamond-1344947.asp
Pros: Carat 1.06 Cons: G colour, price is $1000 more.

Ignoring the price, I guess I want you to tell me if the G colour 1.07/6 carat diamond is better or worse compared to the D colour 1.01 carat for my ring style. I feel that the bigger size would mean more surface area causing the diamond to appear to sparkle more. The ring diamonds are VS G. http://www.tacori.com/Engagement-Rings/2616RD65

Thanks a million!
A stressed xxxxxx 🙂

So i spoke to a James Allen rep and she said that there is a good enough risk that the diamond inclusion for https://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/D-SI1-Ideal-Cut-Round-Diamond-1236916.asp could be seen if held close to the eye. She spoke about how eye clean is about 6 to 8 inches and encouraged to buy a VS2 instead. I am not doubting her integrity but I would like to have your opinion on the matter.

I believe her name was Angelia or Angelina. She said she’s been in the diamond business since 1990. I called JA again since I thought it could merely be opinion. The second person male ( I forgot his name) didn’t strongly say that I will the D stone inclusion would e visible to the eye, but again spoke about the 6 to 8 inches and said upclose it could be a problem. She also spoke about the diamond getting dirty with oil and dirt which may perhaps make the inclusion more visible. It obviously made me very nervous. I want to order the diamond today and am hoping to reach a conclusion soon since I am running short on time.

I’ll call JA and ask them to pull the diamond and have a gemologist look at it face to face.

I can’t tell you how much i appreciate your help Ira. Thanks
…….
I called again and ended up speaking to Josh Cales who is manager there and he said that he was very surprised that I got that information about that D 1.01 diamond. He said that he 100% sure that the diamond in question 1236916 is eye clean and said that he’ll pay in advance for the return shipping because I won’t return it since it’s eye clean. He also bet his next pay cheque over it. He asked me the person’s name I spoke to and was disappointed with what I was told. He said that he will use this example as a training tool today.

I told him that I have been consulting you and that your opinion of the matter and he agreed with you 100%. So, I’ve made the purchase. I am very confident that the diamond will be good. I will look at at it closely when it arrives and hope to see nothing.

Once again, thanks a million Ira. Your website helped immensely clear the air on so very many issues with regards to the diamond and made it possible for me to get to the point of buying one. I wouldn’t be able to do it without you.

I will let you know when I receive the diamond. It’ll probably be here on Monday or Tuesday at the latest since I am using bank wire to save some money.

A very grateful xxxxx

I got the diamond after a lot of hassle. It was shipped on the Friday before the last and would’ve been here the next day. But the JA guys put the wrong country code and it was on route to Andorra! After a lot of stress, I got it last Thursday-5 days late.

The only good thing out of all that is the diamond. It is absolutely wonderful. It is eye-clean just as you said. I got engaged on Sat and my fiancee loves it! Your recommendation for the D colour diamond instead of the G was excellent. It made the whole setting stand out. I’m glad I went with it.

Thanks a lot once again Ira. I wouldn’t be able to do this without your input and guidance.

Done. it was a pleasure. Thanks again.

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