Q&A: “Best Budget Diamond” for $6K Budget

Hello, Ira. Thanks for your site, it’s very good. I’m a huge web surfer and I think you’ve got great info.

I have settled on the setting:

https://www.jamesallen.com/engagement-rings/channelset-rings/ring/item_57-171_design.asp?module=setting

I am looking for the best budget diamond. In the past I’ve always (I was married before) been told to buy a D or an E, VVS2, Ideal – then you’re kinda safe. Now that I’m getting married again, I’m on a fixed budget. The setting above is quite expensive at about 2k, so I was hoping to get a round diamond with a max price of maybe 5 or 6k. The funny thing is there don’t seem to be that many there on James Allen, unless I’m just being a bit picky. I would even consider a princess cut – they are so popular these days. But I think side by side the round is just way more brilliant to look at. not sure if you had any thoughts on the shape either.

Thanks again for your site. Not sure if you’re doing updates or still giving people advice on purchases.

Thanks again.

Hey, Ira – thanks for the fast response.

Yeah, I’m over the D and E and VVS ranges.

I was looking at much lower per your guidance. I totally read your whole site and others as well. 🙂

So at the upper end I see ones like this:

https://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/I-SI1-Ideal-Cut-Round-Diamond-1370663.asp

The setting is already 2k, which is why I was targeting maybe 4 – 5K for the diamond if I can get something nice for that. I’m ok with rolling up to 6K if I need to to ensure something is nice.

Thanks again

Thx so much for your response. In the first one do you think the black dot towards the middle is ok? The second one seems nicer?

Next, do you think the round is better than princess? Side by side round seems way more brilliant? Thanks again. Looks like I have to wait a few days, so hopefully those stones will be there or others will come up. Thanks again, man, I truly appreciate it as we’re under a lot of pressure in life and our wedding….I have 3 kids and we’re expecting already…. 😉

Thx so much for your emails. I will finalize my budget and pull the trigger this week and will send u another email soon. Thx again.

Hey, Ira – thanks for your site and responding to me below.

I’m in escrow on a house and am now finally fully prepared to make the move on the ring.

I’m trying to go with jamesallen – but lately the selection of diamonds – for what I’m looking for – seems to be weaker than like a couple months ago – is there some seasonalism or something? It doesn’t matter because I need to make my purchase within the next week.

I have settled on a setting:

https://www.jamesallen.com/engagement-rings/channelset-rings/Engraved-Princess-Cut-Ring.html

I’m going with platinum – and thanks for your coupon- so it’s like almost 1700 just for the setting.

that being said – my range for the diamond is 5000 – 7000 – I was trying to stay at around 6,000, but it seems almost impossible.

I’ve been focused on I color and S1 or S2.

I’ve looked at all of them over and over again, using the loupe and everything.

I have noticed that some of the photos are kinda low resolution or crappy – so it seems like you cannot tell much about the occlusions – do I need to avoid those or just look more carefully.

I assume something like this has obvious occlusions that one might see with the naked eye?

https://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/I-SI2-Ideal-Cut-Round-Diamond-1383115.asp

Is it worth considering something that has markings peppered around the diamond like this? or will those marking reduce brilliance?

https://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/I-SI2-Ideal-Cut-Round-Diamond-1384479.asp

This photo on this one seems bad and thus seems to hide some cloudiness?

https://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/I-SI2-Ideal-Cut-Round-Diamond-1384914.asp

I narrowed to these for more expensive ones:

– one with a relatively bad photos – but the GIA makes it seem the occlusions are not that bad:

– https://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/I-SI2-Ideal-Cut-Round-Diamond-1379136.asp

– And this one – see on the lower left the markings there?

– https://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/I-SI1-Ideal-Cut-Round-Diamond-1370729.asp

– and this one is smaller but is priced similar:

– https://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/I-SI1-Ideal-Cut-Round-Diamond-1381466.asp

– and this one

– https://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/I-SI1-Ideal-Cut-Round-Diamond-1383041.asp

Less expensive:

– https://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/I-SI2-Ideal-Cut-Round-Diamond-1385345.asp

– Will the center show? there is a mark there –

– https://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/I-SI2-Ideal-Cut-Round-Diamond-1389281.asp

– This one seems like a solid consideration at $5,700:

– https://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/I-SI2-Ideal-Cut-Round-Diamond-1388925.asp

i’m a bit confused by everything – like does a 1.10 Carat really look much bigger than a 1 carat? I thought I shoudl go with the smaller better looking one – but since everything I’m looking at is color I and S1/S2, I guess it really boils down to whether between a 1.02 and a 1.13 for example – I want to pay the difference of the $800 for the 10% larger diamond?

thanks for all your advice and help – really empowering to people on the internet who enjoy researching and purchasing.

IRA!! HA – I have pulled the trigger.

thanks again, so much for your help.

I decided to stretch a bit and go with your recommendation below.

https://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/I-SI1-Ideal-Cut-Round-Diamond-1370729.asp

I wanted to stay below 8 grand, but I figured once I went platinum it was going to be a bit higher potentially.

And thanks for answering all my questions – definitely seems to be an increase in prices latest – so you just confirmed my suspicions. I hope it’s not inflation. 🙂

OK – well the ring will arrive this week.

Just know what you have yet another appreciative person through your site.

Awesome, man.

Hey, Ira, is a very nice ring and looks great. She loves it. I proposed on the beach in San Francisco. I do believe that a person can probably tell the difference between a d color and vvs1 or something if they were side by side with this ring/diamond, but overall I’m very satisfied as my overall budget only allowed 8.4k vs. something higher. I really like the ring and it looks great.

Thanks again for all your help!

Take care.