We are reader-supported. Buying through any red colored link on our site may earn us commissions. Learn More.
I’m thinking about getting a 3-stone halo ring from Blue Nile and your website mentioned that you had a coupon code. Can I get that?
Sure, I’m happy to help: [contact us for your own unique coupon code]
I’m also happy to help you select a diamond or review the one you are already considering to make sure there are no issues.
I’m looking at this diamond from James Allen for the center stone:
www.jamesallen.com/loose-diamonds/round-cut/0.57-carat-h-color-si1-clarity-excellent-cut-sku-2532785?a_aid=dmnd1357
And these two for the side diamonds:
www.jamesallen.com/loose-diamonds/round-cut/0.34-carat-h-color-si1-clarity-excellent-cut-sku-2107789?a_aid=dmnd1357
Do those look OK? I don’t exactly know what to look for but those look pretty good from the picture.
I wouldn’t recommend any of them as they have a cloud listed as the only characteristic in their certs. You’d have to have a gemologist to look at them and tell you how much the clouds affect the brilliance of the diamonds.
Also, SKU 2107789 is cut too deep and will lose a lot of its brilliance.
I’m happy to help you find better alternatives if you like.
Is there a reason you want to select the side stones yourself and don’t get a side stone setting with the diamonds already in it?
I was thinking it would be better to pick them out separately to make sure I know exactly what I was getting for the side stones. I found 2 base rings, one from James Allen and one from Blue Nile that are very similar. They call out SI1~SI2 for James Allen and VS2 for Blue Nile.
Do you think I’ll be getting good enough quality from those pre-set stones that I won’t need to pick them out separately?
I also wasn’t sure if I needed to try to match up the center stone exactly to the color, cut, clarity of those side stones. And yes, any advice would be much appreciated on picking out the center stone.
Thank you for your help.
I see, but there’s no need to pick them out separately. Both JA’s and BN’s settings are of a great quality and add a lot of brilliance to the ring.
The center diamond doesn’t need to match the sidestones (you can go one grade down and it’ll still look great).
Can you just tell me your ballpark budget for the main diamond?
Roughly 1600.
Great.
This would be my recommendation:
www.jamesallen.com/loose-diamonds/round-cut/0.55-carat-i-color-vs2-clarity-excellent-cut-sku-2480776?a_aid=dmnd1357
They are beautifully cut and either of them will be very brilliant.
What do you think?
Those both look really good. I’ll probably get the .55 ct. The base ring from James Allen that I want is an extra $1100 to get the platinum. Do you think that is worth it or is the 14k a better value?
There is one similar from Blue Nile that is cheaper but it would be nice to get the diamond and the ring from the same place.
Great, I’m glad you like them!
For metal, we always recommend white gold over platinum because of the huge disparity in upfront costs: https://www.diamonds.pro/education/platinum-vs-gold/. Both metals require upkeep every few years. WG needs to be dipped to retain its color and luster while PT needs to be cleaned and polished because it gets scratched and duller over time. So in the end, platinum costs you more in the beginning and doesn’t end up saving you any money in the long run. And I’d recommend 14k white gold. It’s cheaper and more durable than 18k.
If you want to see more options, here are two beautiful diamonds from Blue Nile that might suit you:
Blue Nile LD08301644
Blue Nile LD08319847
They are fantastically cut.
Let me know your thoughts.
I decided to get one of the original diamonds from James Allen that you sent me. And I picked out a good ring from them as well that I think will be perfect. Thank you very much for the advice!
That’s great news! Thank you for letting me know.
I hope you love it when you receive it. If you could let me know how it looks when it arrives, I’d appreciate it.
What we love about them:
- No questions asked returns within 30 days of shipment. James Allen will send you a paid shipping label to return the ring.
- Lifetime Warranty
- Free International Shipping
- Free prong tightening, repolishing, rhodium plating and cleaning every 6 months
- Provide insurance appraisals
- One free resizing within 60 days of purchase
- Free ring inscriptions
- Best-in-class high quality imagery of all diamonds in stock
- 24/7 Customer Service
- Best-in-class packaging
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
- 24/7 Customer Service
- 100% credit towards future upgrades (must be at least double in value)
- Best in class fulfillment
Still afraid of getting ripped off?
Before you buy a diamond, get personal buying advice from industry veterans. We'll help you get the best diamond for the money.
Ask your diamond purchase question here
DISCLAIMER: We don't use your email for marketing. Period.
