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Q&A: Choosing a Round Diamond for a White Gold Ring With $5k Total Budget

By Mike Fried,

Hello,

I’m starting the search for a great value ring to propose to my girlfriend. I’m looking for something very simple. From my reading on your site and elsewhere I’ve concluded that a solitaire ring with a round diamond (I think that’s the right terminology) is what I’m looking for.

My budget is $5,000 but I’d like to stay around $4,000 if I could find something of great value there. We’re in our early 20’s so I don’t feel a tremendous obligation to buy a boulder, she would understand that my resources are limited. At the same time, I want something that she can be proud of and we can look back on in 10, 20, 30 years and think fondly on. Any help at all would be greatly appreciated as I’m very new to this whole industry.

Thank you!

I found this 0.85 carat stone with great overall specs:

www.jamesallen.com/loose-diamonds/round-cut/0.85-carat-i-color-vs1-clarity-excellent-cut-sku-4442858?a_aid=dmnd1357

It’s very well cut, eye-clean and going to look colorless. It also leaves some space in your budget for the setting.7
https://www.diamonds.pro/education/color/

What do you think?

Does the diamond you shared have a blemish right in the middle? It looks like a clear one but I think I can see it on the 360 view.

At my budget do you think it would be possible to get up to or close to 1ct without sacrificing much on the other Cs? I plan to do a white gold setting (I think). I think I’m mostly concerned with clarity as that may be discernable to my girlfriend, as opposed to color which can be tougher to notice. Is my thinking there correct or am I off-base?

Yes, there’s a light feather on the table. I think that it won’t be visible. But I’m happy to send you more options. Here’s a 0.90 carat:

www.jamesallen.com/loose-diamonds/round-cut/0.90-carat-i-color-vs2-clarity-excellent-cut-sku-4591635?a_aid=dmnd1357

I’m afraid that getting a bigger stone would mean increasing your budget. If that’s OK, let me know. I can have a look for more options.

What do you think of this one?

This one looks great. I think this is a great place to start and under budget for me. I won’t be buying the ring for a short time but I’ll use this as my ideal diamond. Thank you for the help!

Fantastic, I’m pleased to hear that you like my suggestion.

Feel free to contact me again once you’re ready to purchase.

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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