Q&A: Help Choosing a Round Diamond For a White Gold Infinity Setting With a $3,500 Budget

Greetings. Thanks for all the information and insight you provide with your website. I’m in the market for a diamond engagement ring. Unfortunately, my GF is VERY picky and she only likes one ring from Brilliant Earth. I found what I had seen several people mention online, the same diamond on both JamesAllen.com and Brilliant Earth, same GIA certificate. JA has it listed for $3780 and BE has it for $4430.

I’m thinking about ordering the setting from BE but since they don’t sell settings only I have to put the cheaper 6mm stone I can get from them which is $300. 6mm is the size as I plan to buy a .8 carat diamond which is what is in my budget. I’m looking at Ideal cut, G color, IF, faint fluorescence at .8 carats. That would save me $350 but I would still have a stone for some accessory.

My questions.
1. Is it recommended to get the stone and the setting from different sources

2. Based on how BE has such inflated prices, I’m tempted to think their settings are probably of a lower quality compared to settings from say JA of similar price. Are settings from BE of quality and comparable to settings from other sources like JA or BN?

3. I’ve seen some jewelry stores can build a custom make ring. Is this recommended? Is there a particular vendor you recommend for a custom built setting?

Sorry for the long-winded request. Have a great weekend!

Thanks for your response and valuable insight. She’s starting to like some of the settings from James Allen. Given the fact that custom making a setting would take close to 10 weeks for what jewelers have told me, we prefer to stick with JA settings, or whoever I get the diamond from.

Based on research from your website I’m thinking about getting a bigger diamond with lesser specs. I’m not interested in paying for anything that would require trained eye or a loupe.

A few more questions…

1. Will a J color diamond look white to the naked eye on a white gold setting? I’m specifically looking at diamonds with medium blue fluorescence as per your website.

2. Will the inclusions in the diamonds below be visible to the naked eye or will they look less sparkly?

3. Is it accurate to say that cut is the more important than color and clarity?

4. What other sites do you recommend besides James Allen and Blue Nile?

Here are a few diamonds that caught my attention.
www.jamesallen.com/loose-diamonds/round-cut/1.03-carat-j-color-i1-clarity-excellent-cut-sku-2652805?a_aid=dmnd1357

www.jamesallen.com/loose-diamonds/round-cut/1.01-carat-j-color-i1-clarity-excellent-cut-sku-2309626?a_aid=dmnd1357

www.jamesallen.com/loose-diamonds/round-cut/1.01-carat-i-color-i1-clarity-excellent-cut-sku-2366758?a_aid=dmnd1357

www.jamesallen.com/loose-diamonds/round-cut/1.03-carat-j-color-i1-clarity-excellent-cut-sku-1872819?a_aid=dmnd1357

If there’s a particular diamond(s) that you think would offer a better value than the ones above, please feel free to recommend. I want a good looking 1 carat diamond without paying for anything not visible.

If I purchase from JA or any of the sites you recommend I will certainly use this email 😉

Thanks again.

Thanks again for your help and patience guiding me in this process.

This is the setting I’m buying her.
www.jamesallen.com/engagement-rings/solitaire/14k-white-gold-infinity-solitaire-engagement-ring-item-53313?a_aid=dmnd1357

So far, here’s the criteria I’m using to find a diamond at jamesallen.com. Most of the criteria I’ve learned from your website in order of importance.

– ~$3K (plus or minus a few hundred)
– Round
– Ideal Cut
– Eye Clean (I really need help here!) VS2?
– 1 Ct (if necessary, down to .9 ct to stay in price)
– J+ Color
– Lab: GIA
– Excellent Polish and Symmetry
– Depth max 62.6%
– Table 54 – 59%
– Medium Blue Fluorescence (for G – J color)
– Holloway Cut Adviser

1. The J+ color stone would look white with the setting linked above, correct?

2. Am I missing something in the criteria above?

3. Am I wasting money in any single criteria above? Can I be more lenient in any of them without losing value?

4. How can I tell if a diamond is eye clean?

5. Is it possible to find a 1 Ct diamond with desirable specs for around $3K? Do I need to get less carats or spend more money?

6. Can you please make some diamond recommendations from JA?

7. I found this diamond with good specs but not sure if the medium yellow fluorescence is desirable and not sure if it would be considered eye clean. Your thoughts?

Sorry again for my long message.

Thanks!