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Q&A: Best Diamond Under $8K

By Mike Fried,

I am currently looking for a diamond for a platinum setting.

Like the recommendations you gave, I want the color to be somewhere between H and J.

I would like for either an excellent cut or ideal cut.

And ideally the stone would be no more than 8,000.

I am looking for something eye clean but I am having a hard time discerning what would and would not be eye clean on jamesallen.

Currently, I’m looking at these.

https://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/J-SI1-Excellent-Cut-Round-Diamond-1525228.asp

https://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/J-VS2-Excellent-Cut-Round-Diamond-1525604.asp

https://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/J-VS1-Excellent-Cut-Round-Diamond-1531573.asp

Ideally the bigger the better.

Any help would be appreciated!

I’d be happy to make some recommendations and guide you through the process. What type of setting are you considering? Will it be a solitaire or does it have sidestones/pave? This may affect the colors that I recommend for the center diamond (as we explain in our post on color).

Let me know and I’d be happy to send you some suggestions.

I am considering the “Tiffany Setting” or the closest that any other retailers would have.

Also not sure if it matters but the wedding band will probably the one with diamonds all around the band.

Thank you so much for your response and any future help!

I hope you had a nice Thanksgiving weekend.

I’m sorry, but there are a couple of famous Tiffany settings. Do you mean the solitaire setting?

I had a wonderful thanksgiving. Thank you for asking. I hope the same for you!

Sorry I should have clarified that I’m looking at the solitaire setting.

I love the two VS diamonds you selected. I don’t think the SI1 is that eye-clean. It doesn’t save enough money to mess with it.

Thank you so much for your help!

I was wondering if you could be so kind as to recommend me one or two more diamonds in the 7,500 range. One of the VS diamonds you mentioned was already sold. I guess these diamonds have a fast turnaround.

Once again, thank you so much for all the help you have given, either through this thread or your website.

I suggest you jump on the other option, as this was the best alternative I could find:

https://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/J-VS2-Excellent-Cut-Round-Diamond-1529279.asp

It’s beautiful, but it’s smaller.

James Allen James Allen is the leader in online diamond sales. Their imaging technology is the same as inspecting a diamond with a jeweler's loupe. They have the largest exclusive loose diamond inventory online and fantastic prices. They also have the nicest collection of lab-created diamonds online.
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What we love about them:
  • No questions asked returns within 30 days of shipment. Blue Nile will send you a paid shipping label to return the ring.
  • Lifetime Warranty
  • Free Shipping
  • Free prong tightening, repolishing, rhodium plating and cleaning every 6 months
  • Provide insurance appraisal
  • One free resizing within the first year of purchase
  • High quality images of about half of their diamonds
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