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Q&A: Choosing a Radiant Cut Diamond for a Rose Gold Solitaire With Up to $5,000 Budget

By Mike Fried,

I am looking to buy a cushion or round cut diamond for a solitaire setting in rose gold. By budget is around 4k, however my wife would prefer the ring to be under 3k as she plans to wear it often and doesn’t want to be too worried about loosing it. After reading your articles we think we could settle for a J color and eye clean stone. I hope to get your help on finding the biggest (hopefully close or over 1 carat) and sparkling stone under this conditions. What do you think about this ones:
www.jamesallen.com/loose-diamonds/cushion-modified-cut/0.97-carat-j-color-si1-clarity-sku-2446526?a_aid=dmnd1357

www.jamesallen.com/loose-diamonds/round-cut/0.91-carat-j-color-vvs1-clarity-very-good-cut-sku-2471925?a_aid=dmnd1357

I appreciate your help

The cushion cut looks gorgeous. The round is slightly worse as it’s not cut properly. Keep in mind that about 95% of all GIA diamonds get an excellent (~80%) or very good cut rating, so a VG cut can be very poor. Before I comment any further, can you tell me what style setting (solitaire, pave/side stones, halo) and metal (yellow gold, white gold, platinum) you’re putting the diamond in? I just want to make sure the J color won’t be too yellow in the ring.

Thank you for the detailed explanation.

We are looking into a rose gold solitaire setting. We are trying to decide between cushion and round.

Thank you in advance for your help.

Thanks for the info. Because you’re placing the diamond into a rose gold setting (which is something between white and yellow gold), I wouldn’t go lower than an I for a cushion cut.

Let me know when you decide which shape you prefer. I’d be more than happy to help you with the search.

Sorry for the delay of my response, I know it has been some time. During the last couple of weeks, we went to visit some local jewelry stores to see some stone shapes and my wife has shown a preference for radiant shapes (cushions second). It seems like there are less options to choose from for radiant shapes in James Allen. I have looked and found the following ones. Hopefully you can help me identify if they are a good value and if they would have high brilliance. We would be okay going to an I color if it means a bigger stone, but as I said before I could not find many options in JA, hopefully you have better luck or are able to recommend other sites.
www.jamesallen.com/loose-diamonds/radiant-cut/0.97-carat-f-color-vs2-clarity-sku-2586904?a_aid=dmnd1357

www.jamesallen.com/loose-diamonds/radiant-cut/1.04-carat-g-color-si2-clarity-sku-2532875?a_aid=dmnd1357

www.jamesallen.com/loose-diamonds/radiant-cut/0.95-carat-g-color-vs2-clarity-sku-729412?a_aid=dmnd1357

Thank you in advance for your advice!

No worries about the delay.

Unfortunately, H is the minimum you should go with unless you’re putting it into a yellow gold setting. I couldn’t find anything larger anywhere. The three options you sent me were the best choices you could have found.

From them, I’d choose the third one. The size is pretty much the same on all of them, but the last one has a better price.
www.jamesallen.com/loose-diamonds/radiant-cut/0.95-carat-g-color-vs2-clarity-sku-729412?a_aid=dmnd1357

The second diamond isn’t eye-clean. The feather on the side would be very visible.

Thank you so much. So if I understood correctly, for a cushion you would not go beyond an I color and for a radiant you would not go beyond an H in a rose gold solitaire setting.

Yeah, I was wondering if the feather would be visible, I am glad you told me. Do you think the third one you recommended will be very sparkly?

Based on our limited findings, maybe I will need to expand my budget to 4 or 5k. What do you think about this ones on Blue Nile?
Blue Nile FLD08110503
Blue Nile FLD07336327
Blue Nile FLD07186243

There is no reason for the third one to not be brilliant.

As for the last three diamonds you send me from Blue Nile, they are gorgeous. The third option is no longer available, but the first two are both great. You can’t go wrong with either one.

I’d stick with H+ for both cuts (cushions and radiants) unless you decide to use yellow gold for the setting.

Thank you for all the help. Sorry for the hiatus, a personal matter came up and I am just now resuming my purchasing. Last thing we spoke about was getting the following radiant because it was cheaper than the other option we found with no other significant difference.
www.jamesallen.com/loose-diamonds/radiant-cut/0.95-carat-g-color-vs2-clarity-sku-729412?a_aid=dmnd1357

However, I came across this other one below that really caught my attention and I wanted your opinion on whether it is worth the extra 500 provided it is bigger. I know you mentioned that H is the further you would go with a rose solitaire. I would really appreciate your feedback on this one and if you think this makes for a good value shiny radiant, I might consider getting a white gold setting.
www.jamesallen.com/loose-diamonds/radiant-cut/1.12-carat-i-color-vs2-clarity-sku-527289?a_aid=dmnd1357

Thanks again for all your assistance and patience.

It’s a beautiful stone!
It’s actually a bit better value than the one I found before. If you don’t mind spending a bit more than you originally wanted, it’s a perfect choice!

Do you think it would not look yellow in this rose setting, or should I definitely consider going with white gold.
www.jamesallen.com/engagement-rings/solitaire/14k-rose-gold-2mm-comfort-fit-solitaire-engagement-ring-item-41238?a_aid=dmnd1357

Also, is it a better value for the size or is it also about the way it is cut?

Thank you for your assistance, I am hoping to get it today or tomorrow.

Apologies for I missed it’s an I color diamond. However, the stone would look amazing in this particular rose gold setting. If you used a white gold one, you would have to stick with H+.

Both diamonds are beautifully cut. I’d choose either one based on what setting you decide to get.

Oh ok, I actually prefer rose gold. So just to make sure, it will be okay to do a rose gold setting with that I color diamond, correct?

Thanks!

Yes. It won’t be a problem in a rose gold solitaire setting.

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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.
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