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Hello! What are your thoughts on lab diamonds, more specifically Diamond Foundry’s selection. I’m just starting to look for engagement rings and she prefers lab, vintage, mined stones in that order. I’ve read that Diamond Foundry’s master cutters are Israel Itzkowitz and Maarten de Witte (Hearts on Fire). Thanks for setting up a forum and allowing me to submit a question.
I’m sorry but we are the wrong people to help you with that. Lab created diamonds are terrible value. Our goal is to help people get the best bang for their buck. Lab diamonds certainly aren’t that.
1) Lab created diamonds don’t have legit (GIA or AGS certificates). At best they have IGI which inflates the color/clarity grade. So you actually aren’t saving much (if anything).
2) Diamonds are not a good investment, but you shouldn’t ignore that entirely. Lab created diamonds have zero resale. Lets say you buy a natural diamond for 10k. If you need to sell it the next day, you’d lose 5k. But if you buy a lab created diamond, the next day you’d be lucky to sell it for 1k. As time goes on a natural diamond will appreciate in value and maybe you’ll get your entire value back (or make more).
So considering that you are saving a couple of percent at best, you lose all your money. That is why its a terrible value.
Thanks for the advice and help.
My pleasure. Let me know if you need more help?
Thanks for reaching out. We went to our second shop yesterday and looked at some stones and settings. I think I’m going for this one. Thoughts?
Thanks.
That’s not a good choice. Never buy an SI/I diamond that has a “clarity grade based on clouds not shown.” This means there is a very large cloud that covers a large percentage of the diamond and saps the brilliance from it.
Also, we usually recommend staying with SI2+ diamonds: www.diamonds.pro/diamond-clarity.
Is 5,500 your budget you want to spend on a diamond? Also, what style setting (solitaire, pave/side stones/halo) and metal (yellow/white gold, platinum) are you considering?
Whew. Thanks for the save. She has a preference for tapered/knife edge band solitaire settings with or without halos and round stones. Platinum basket/halo and with rose gold or yellow gold band. No side stones.
I’m hoping to find a 1.49+ ct stone for a good value under $8K, if possible. Priority wise it’d be carat, cut, color, clarity.
She has a good eye for noticing color and the local shop this weekend told us they highly recommend D,E,F Color stones for their ROSE gold settings because for some reason the rose gold bounces a lot of yellow into a G+ color stone. Is this true?
Once again, thanks again for all the help.
The color of the gold makes your eye not see the warmish color in the stone. I wouldn’t go higher than J in color for a solitaire in rose gold. Especially, when you need 1.5ct for only 8k.
I’d recommend this combo:
www.jamesallen.com/loose-diamonds/round-cut/1.51-carat-j-color-vvs2-clarity-excellent-cut-sku-1071369?a_aid=dmnd1357
Both of the diamonds have medium fluorescence which will help them look slightly whiter. Even if you increase the color by one grade, it would be extremely difficult to find a 1.5ct natural diamond for that price.
Thanks for helping me out. I now think the budget might need to go up. I’m worried the medium fluorescence will have too much haziness. I think I should save more to get that extra $2k-3k for a better quality stone.
Thanks.
It’s very rare that a medium fluorescence makes a J diamond hazy. You can ask JA’s gemologists to inspect it. They will give you a detailed report about both stones (if they are available for inspection).
Your site and others give Brian Gavin’s blue a good rating. For my future fiance we’re narrowing down the type of metal and setting.
As of late, she’s leaning towards a rose gold solitaire. I’ve noticed some designers have put some warmer stones, like faint brown/champagne color vs. faint yellow stones in their designs. I’m considering something like this:
What are your thoughts on faint brown vs faint yellow for a rose gold setting. Please let me know your thoughts.
The diamond you picked on BGD is gorgeous. It’s not faint brown, it’s just slightly warmer and I think it would look fantastic.
As for those champagne/faint brown stones, it’s a personal preference. If you like them, then why not.
I think I love that BGD and for the price. What color spectrum would you recommend for a rose gold setting? I saw that your color guide recommended up to M for yellow gold. How about 14k/10k rose gold?
K color on the BGD diamond is a perfect choice. I wouldn’t go lower (we usually recommend lower grades for yellow gold settings).
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
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