Q&A: Help Finding a Center Diamond for a White Gold Halo Setting With a $10k Total Budget

Hi. We have been shopping around for quite a while at the local jewelers in our area. I have found plenty of rings I love but the prices are too high. My favorite ring has been the heart’s on fire acclaim with a 1.1 center stone with .6-.8 setting. They wanted over $12k plus tax for that ring and we didn’t even see the diamond certification!

We are now open to buying the diamond and setting online and would love your assistance in finding a beautiful diamond! My boyfriend is willing to purchase up to a 1.5ct center stone. I don’t want the center stone less than .9ct. I am drawn to a cushion cut set in a halo setting (I can send you pictures of the four rings I like).

I want my ring to sparkle and grab everyone’s attention. It would be ideal to spend under $10k on the entire ring.

All of these rings are ones I have seen online that I’m most attracted to:

Thank you… This is much harder online than I anticipated. It’s difficult to determine how each ring would look on due to their similarities. There wasn’t any one that you sent that I was more drawn to. There are two that I would eliminate and those are the split shanks.

I noticed you only suggested James Allen and not any from other online companies like Brian Gavin or Whiteflash. Why so? Do they not offer great quality diamonds?

OK. I have spent some time looking at James Allen and Brian Gavin.

Here are the rings you sent from James Allen that I like. So, now to find a center diamond. My favorite ring that I tried on locally had a 1.2ct center stone so I would want to see quality and price available from James Allen for a similar stone. Cut is most important to me as I love the hearts and fire stone I saw locally. I definitely want my diamond to shine!

www.jamesallen.com/engagement-rings/halo/14k-white-gold-cushion-outline-pave-engagement-ring-item-49493?a_aid=dmnd1357

www.jamesallen.com/engagement-rings/halo/14k-white-gold-cushion-outline-falling-edge-engagement-ring-item-53073?a_aid=dmnd1357

www.jamesallen.com/engagement-rings/halo/14k-white-gold-cushion-shape-floating-halo-engagement-ring-item-55419?a_aid=dmnd1357

www.jamesallen.com/engagement-rings/halo/14k-white-gold-hand-engraved-cushion-shape-halo-engagement-ring-item-49480?a_aid=dmnd1357

That diamond looks great! Although color H isn’t the best but I have been told that H shouldn’t be a problem if the cut is excellent.

However, I have always tried on the halo rings with a cushion cut center stone. I haven’t tried a round stone. Not sure if that would alter the look greatly from what I have seen on my hand. Would you look for a cushion cut?

Also, it was recommended to me that if I was looking to buy a diamond online that I should find 3 diamonds to request other images/idealscopes/eye-clean test reports and in-house gemologist reviews to help select the best one. I believe James Allen offers this service and will place all three diamonds on hold while they send the reports.

Thank you. The second one looks nice. The 3rd one has a very strange cut to it. I think the girdle is so thick you can see it??

It’s hard to compare to that beautiful round you sent. I went back to look at it again and it looks like it’s sold.

Well, I’m going to send the link to the 2nd diamond to my boyfriend! But not sure if I should go try on a ring with a round center before committing! Let me know if there is another diamond you find in place of that third one that I didn’t like the shape.

Hi, my boyfriend and I went ring shopping this weekend and I found two settings I liked AND I decided NOT to get the cushion cut!! I found that the round center diamond looks great in the square like halo.

Here is the setting I really liked. Do you think James Allen has one similar to this?
www.gabrielny.com/engagement-ring/ER12623R4W44JJ

Now that we know what type of setting we want and that we want a round brilliant. I will look for your assistance in finding a diamond online. You sent one round example that was beautiful! It is sold. It looked amazing.

Do you think it’s possible to find an EXCELLENT cut round diamond. With a Holloway Cut score under 2 and ideal specs for table, depth, crown, pavilion, girdle, and culet and carat weight of 1.2 for $6500? Or is that not possible? Will it cost more for a round than it would a cushion?

I have down some research and it appears as if an ideal round stone should meet these specs:
Table 54-57% best could be 52.4-57.5
Depth 61-62.5% best could be 56,88 – 63.92
Crown Angle 34-35 best or 33.7-35.8
Pavilion 40.6-41 best could be 40.2 – 41.25
Girdle Thin – Medium
Culet None

I have been told that the specs above will produce the most brilliant fire from the stone. Do you agree? Or do you think a person could go out of those specs and still get a beautiful stone? Of course, color and clarity needs to be accounted for too. I would think a G color minimum (maybe H?) and of course clarity would need to be eye clean.

Is a 1.2 ct with those specs possible at $6500? If not what price is more reasonable? If we definitely wanted to keep the specs at those high expectations. What would be the largest round stone we could find at that price?

Thank you for your continued help!