Q&A: Looking for a Round Diamond for a Platinum Filigree Setting from James Allen for Under $6k In Total

Hello, I’ve found the information on your website to be very helpful on my search for an engagement ring for my SO, so thank you very much on educating me on things I never thought I would consider when buying a diamond ring. I have found my setting I want, as well as the size of diamond I like best on that setting. There are 2 diamonds that I’ve been looking at that keep me in my price range on James Allen, and I was hoping you might be able to weigh in on which would be the better option, or if you could suggest a better option.

I’m hoping to order this ring sometime next week.

Budget for Diamond+Setting: ~$4000-6000
Carat: 1 ct
Color: D, E, F
Cut: Ideal, True Hearts (I think both the ones I reference say Excellent, so not sure where that falls between these two)
Clarity: SI2 (or if you can recommend any other route to still keep me within budget, I’m open for that too. But I’ve found some pretty good SI2s that allow me to stay within budget and still have a 1ct diamond (and I don’t think anyone is going to look at the ring with a jeweler’s loupe when they see it).

Setting: Platinum Diamond Filigree Engagement Ring (SKU:17450P)

Here are the two SKUs of the diamonds I’ve been looking at:

1.) SKU: 2396034 (GIA cert, and it looks pretty flawless (also ~$800 more than one below, and under clarity it says it has some cloudiness and surface graining that isn’t shown)

2.) SKU: 972645 (IGI cert (not as desirable), but looks pretty clean for a SI2, the only thing that worries me is the fluorescence being so strong)

Any expert advice on this would be very much appreciated. Thanks so much for all you do!

Thank you so much for getting back with me. Actually soon after I sent this email, I thought to myself if lowering the color would help me find a better quality diamond and I was amazed at how much price difference there was.

With the setting I chose, do you think I could get away with the “I” colored diamond? It would fit my budget the best and still give me the one carat with the excellent cut and VS1/VS2 clarity.

Wow, that is a really nice SI1, and I know it isn’t a huge difference, but I would like to stick with still getting a full 1carat diamond if I can. Is there any option with a 1 carat diamond that would be close to my budget?

You know, the more I considered it, the more I decided that this was the diamond. I just put the ring and the diamond in my cart, as well as a wedding band.

However, when I clicked on the ring in my cart to go back and look at the diamond again, it said the diamond was unavailable. Do you know if this is an error and I should just wait or? I’m quite confused that the exact diamond I was looking at would get bought at 12:30 am after it had been put on the ring in my cart. I don’t see how they could buy it out from under me when I have the item in my cart.

I had planned on purchasing the ring tomorrow once the money is cleared for me.

If you have any suggestions or have had this happen in the past, please let me know.

I contacted them today and they say that the diamond was purchased.

I’m looking to get a ring ordered today or tomorrow, since their sale ends tomorrow, and I’d be saving a few hundred by ordering in their sale. I’ll keep looking throughout the afternoon but if you find some other options in the 0.9-1 carat range similar to the one I was going to purchase, I would be very thankful.

I really appreciate you taking the time to help me with this. I’ve spent the last two months deciding on a setting and researching about diamonds, and having you guys an email away has really eased the stress of finding the right diamond.

……

I have found a diamond that I think may work. Let me know what you think.
www.jamesallen.com/loose-diamonds/round-cut/0.90-carat-h-color-si1-clarity-excellent-cut-sku-2335762?a_aid=dmnd1357

It’s a little more expensive but has good table and depth percentages, good crown and pavilion angles, and doesn’t have any really noticeable inclusions on the table of the diamond.

I did so when I ordered it today. Thank you so very much for all your assistance.

What can I do to make sure you get credit from James Allen for helping me find the right diamond?

The email I used to set up an account with them is this one.

Thanks again, I’ll be sure to let you know how things turn out!