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Q&A: Help Choosing a 1 Ct. Round Diamond With a $5,500 Budget

By Mike Fried,

Hi Diamonds Pro,

I’m looking to purchase a diamond and I would like a 2nd opinion. I also read on your article, you have some promotions for Blue Nile or James Allen.

Thanks.

Here’s the Blue Nile coupon code: [contact us for your own unique coupon code]

I’m happy to help you select a diamond or review the one you are already considering to make sure there are no issues.

Wonderful! Great that would be greatly appreciated.

I’m looking at a few options:
Blue Nile LD08390801

www.jamesallen.com/loose-diamonds/round-cut/1.01-carat-h-color-si1-clarity-excellent-cut-sku-2593968?a_aid=dmnd1357

I’m looking for the following:
Round
1.00 Carat
H Color
SI1
Symmetry: Ex
Polish: Ex
Florescence: None

Eye clean.

Besides the two I have listed, are there any other ones you recommend?

Thanks!

Thank you for the links.

To be perfectly honest, neither of them is a good choice. The JA diamond comes with an IGI certificate and we recommend avoiding this lab if possible: https://www.diamonds.pro/education/igi/. They are less consistent and they inflate the color/clarity grades by at least one (on average).

The BN diamond is well cut, but looking at the clarity plot, so many clouds will most likely negatively affect its brilliance. I’m happy to help you find a better alternative.

Can you just tell me what style setting (solitaire, pave/side stones/halo) and metal (yellow/white gold, platinum) you want to use? This may affect the colors that I recommend for the center diamond (as we explain in our post on color).

Thank you for the advice.

Yes if you can help me find good alternatives, I would greatly appreciate it.

The setting will be a plain solitaire band with about 2mm thickness, ideally 4 prong with 18k white gold.

Thanks.

Great, thank you for the additional info.

For a simple solitaire setting, you can easily drop in color to an I and it’ll still look beautiful and colorless. I like these diamonds for you:
www.jamesallen.com/loose-diamonds/round-cut/1.01-carat-i-color-si1-clarity-excellent-cut-sku-2727674?a_aid=dmnd1357

Blue Nile LD08412126 (just ask for the report for this one).

What do you think?

The Blue Nile one is pretty good.

Thanks.

I’m glad you like it.

If there’s anything else I can help you with, feel free to get back in touch.

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.
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
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Blue Nile Blue Nile is the largest and most well-known internet jewelry seller. They have a very large exclusive online inventory. Their high-quality images are catching up to James Allens' and their prices are amazing. Save 25% on settings at Blue Nile!

Please enter your email address to receive your 25% off coupon code:

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
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