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Q&A: Looking for a Round Diamond for a Solitaire Setting With a Diamond Wedding Band on an $8k-9k Budget

By Mike Fried,

Hi,

I’d like to request your expertise in finding a diamond engagement ring:

Round cut, about 1.35ct, 14k white gold solitaire setting, $8~9k budget for just the diamond.
My goal is to get a diamond with a great cut, eye-clean, and as much brilliance as the budget will support 🙂

I’m also looking for a matching diamond wedding band. I like the James Allen Platinum Prong Set Diamond Wedding Ring (.30 CTW.)

Would 0.30 look too small in proportion to the size of the engagement ring?

Thanks for your help!

Thank you for recommendations.

I like this one. What are the specs that make it a good choice? The James Allen site doesn’t show you depth, table, and pavilion angle.

https://www.jamesallen.com/loose-diamonds/round-cut/1.50-carat-i-color-si1-clarity-excellent-cut-sku-8488872?a_aid=dmnd1357

The diamond wedding band I’d like to pair it with has diamonds that are G-H VS1-VS2. Will the disparity in color between the diamond in the engagement ring and the ones in the wedding band be noticeable i.e. look bad?

The melee diamonds aren’t certified and are too small to make a color difference. You can request the cert via their live chat, they will send it to you ASAP. It’s nicely cut and looks clean to the naked eye. If you plan to purchase soon, I suggest putting it on hold as good diamonds get sold quickly as this one is reasonably priced.

I put it on hold 🙂

The scratches (inclusions?) on the top seem prominent but they won’t be noticeable to the eye or affect the brilliance of the diamond?

Those are twinning wisps and 95% of twinning wisps are not visible to the naked eye. Bear in mind those videos are extremely magnified. I suggest zooming out to 10x and checking the diamond. You can also ask JA to confirm the eye-cleanliness, they might have some internal notes. But they won’t affect the brilliance. In my opinion, that stone is eye-clean.

I decided to place the order. Sorry I got the jitters. It’s an important purchase, it’s a lot of money, and I’m buying something I hardly know anything about. Thanks for your guidance.

Of course, I understand. I hope that stone will meet (or exceed) your expectations.

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!

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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.
  • 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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