Ira, I love your site and am so glad that I found it. I have read a lot of the information and checked out the James Allen site. I am comfortable buying a diamond online. I am interested in purchasing an engagement ring and have a budget of $3500 for the diamond. I am interested in the most bang for the buck. Solitaire setting, eye clean with no yellowing visible to the naked eye. Can you provide some guidance?? I would really appreciate it!!
Thanks for writing and thanks for the kind words about the site.
Here’s what I found for you:
https://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/H-SI2-Ideal-Cut-Round-Diamond-1279148.asp?a_aid=dmnd1357 – the stone looks completely eye clean and has a phenomenal cut
https://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/H-SI2-Ideal-Cut-Round-Diamond-1274192.asp?a_aid=dmnd1357 – even though the picture looks busy with inclusions, this stone will still be clean to the naked eye and full of sparkle and fire.
Have a look at those two and let me know what you think!
Thank you for the quick response.
I think the first diamond is beautiful. I have a couple of other things to work on and I will let you know what I pick.
Do you routinely put up a “diamond of the week/month” section on your website??
I try to put up a “Diamond of the day” post with a diamond that I recommend, but things have been very busy at home lately, so my pace has slowed down a bit.
I hope this email finds you well and I’m back after a couple of very active months! I missed out on the first diamond that you linked from the james allen site.
Would you mind checking for something more recent?? I apologize for missing the boat on the first link but things have settled down here a bit and I’m ready to propose this summer.
I’m interested in the same as what I had initially posted:
“I am interested in purchasing an engagement ring and have a budget of $3500 for the diamond. I am interested in the most bang for the buck. Solitaire setting, eye clean with no yellowing visible to the naked eye…”
Thanks!
Thanks for getting back to me. And I apologize for the delay in writing you back. I took another look, and here’s what I found for you:
https://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/H-SI2-Ideal-Cut-Round-Diamond-1185073.asp?a_aid=dmnd1357 – eye clean, excellent cut
https://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/H-SI2-Ideal-Cut-Round-Diamond-1314067.asp?a_aid=dmnd1357 – gia triple excellent. The lighting in the picture is very dark, but it looks like it will be eye clean. Although tough to know for sure based on this picture.
https://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/H-SI2-Ideal-Cut-Round-Diamond-1274192.asp?a_aid=dmnd1357 – triple excellent. Great cut. The pic looks busy with inclusions, but this kind of spread-out inclusion layout is almost always eye clean since there isn’t one concentrated area.
Have a look and let me know what you think!
Thanks for the quick response and for all the help!
The first diamond looks very nice to me.
In your opinion is there a large difference between a $3500 diamond or a $4000 diamond? In other words does the extra $500 get you a really noticeable difference in size or quality??
Not really. I searched again, and didn’t find anything significantly better between 3500 and 4000.
Thanks for your help Ira!
My pleasure! Let me know what you decide to go with in the end.
[Four months later…]
I’ve decided to bump up my budget a bit…do you mind checking the james allen site for a nice $4500 budget princess cut??
I really appreciate your time!
Thanks.
Woah! In Hebrew, there’s a great expression for moments like this: Baruch m’chaye haMetim! It means, “Blessed is the one who brings the dead back to life!”
Long time no speak. I’d be very happy to help you look, but my question is this: are you ready to buy now? If you’re not going to be buying for another few months, then there’s no real point in looking now since the inventory fluctuates so often.
LOL I know, I know! Sorry for being a pain!
Yes, I am ready to buy now.
I was hoping to buy in the next couple of weeks. We are taking a trip over thanksgiving and I was going to propose prior to leaving.
Do you think one cut is a better value than another?? say princess vs. marquis??
Hey. Great to hear back from you so soon. personally, I like Princess a lot better than MQ, but that’s a personal call. Here are some PCs for 4500:
https://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/I-VS1-Ideal-Cut-Princess-Diamond-1316740.asp?a_aid=dmnd1357
https://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/I-VS1-Ideal-Cut-Princess-Diamond-1311266.asp?a_aid=dmnd1357
https://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/G-VS2-Ideal-Cut-Princess-Diamond-1326505.asp?a_aid=dmnd1357
Have a look at those and let me know what you think!
All of the diamonds are beautiful.
A question –
What is the real difference between #2 and #3? To my eye #2 looks like a nicer stone but I think that is because the lighting in the pic is better. It is also a bit higher in carat but is $100 less than #3.
Is that because of #3 having different color and clarity designations??
Thanks.
Yes, the price difference is related solely to the different color and clarity grades. Also, as you said, the difference in the pics is primarily due to the different lighting.
What kind of setting are you putting this stone in? It could make a difference in which of those two I recommend.
I was thinking of something simple…like this
What do you think?
It’s a great classic setting. If that’s the ring, then I think you should go for stone #2. It’s larger, and it has a nicer cut. Since the setting is a solitaire, you don’t have to worry about any color matching issues. It’ll look fantastic in that setting.
Ira, thanks for your help.
I’ll send you a couple of pix after purchase!
Great! I can’t wait to hear your impressions!
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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