Budget: 17k – 20k (Lower than 17k is okay too)
Carat: 1.7 or bigger (prefer 2)
Color: G or better
Cut: Very Good or better
Clarity: VS2 or better (must not have imperfections to the naked eye)

Fluorescence: Faint (prefer none)
Table %: Close to 60%
Depth %: Close to 60%

My friend who works at a jewelry store said for the size I want, the table & depth % I mentioned would look best.

A: I apologize again for the delay in responding.

Before i begin sending you recommendations, I wanted to discuss with you your list of parameters. I think there’s some tweaking that can be done to be sure you get more for your money than you were originally planning.

Lets start with color. You specified G or better. If you study a rapaport price list (see my article “truth about diamond prices” if you’re unfamiliar with the term), you’d see that the largest jump in prices between any two colors is between H and G. There’s no real reason for it. It’s just one of the quirks of the diamond business. It’s not like the jump from H to G is any more noticeable than the jump from J to I, for example. Furthermore, the fact is that diamond color grades are so finely separated, that you would never ever be able to perceive the difference between any two stones with adjacent color grades when viewed face-up (ie, as the stone is set in a ring). So this brings me to the conclusion that if you were looking at G, you should really be looking at H – it will look the same, and cost a significant amount less.

Now regarding clarity – you wrote two contradictory things. First, you wrote VS2+, and then you wrote that it needs to be clean to the naked eye. This can be accomplished easily with an SI1, and with a little more difficulty it can be accomplished with an SI2 as well. My opinion re: clarity is that there’s no reason whatsoever to pay for an upgrade that you can’t appreciate. So if an SI2 is eye clean, and a VS2 is eye clean, they’re going to look identical to your eye – so why pay a LOT more for nothing in return?

Cut – No reason to compromise here. Stick with Excellent only. This is the most important factor in determining the stone’s beauty, so you should be most picky here.

Fluorescence – You shouldn’t be afraid of medium blue fluorescence – especially with an H color.

Table/Depth – don’t worry about these. You can trust GIA’s cut grade. You don’t need to delve into the specifics.

So let me know what you think of my suggestions. Lets come to a consensus, and I’ll start the search then.

Q: Thanks for the detailed response.

I really do prefer G, I know there is a price break when you step down to H but I don’t want to unless necessary.

SI1 is acceptable as it is clean to the naked eye. I just prefer VS2 or better.

Cut – Excellent it is

Fluorescence – Since I want to stick to G or better does med. blue fluorescence still apply?

Let me know. I will also be visiting a wholesaler in Downtown LA on Thursday. He’s strictly a wholesaler and I’m only getting in because my co-worker is his cousin. Anything I should watch out for?

A: Here’s are some great options for you:

http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/G-SI1-Ideal-Cut-Round-Diamond-981003.asp?a_aid=dmnd1357

http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/G-SI1-Ideal-Cut-Round-Diamond-1186685.asp?a_aid=dmnd1357

http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/G-SI1-Ideal-Cut-Round-Diamond-1281696.asp?a_aid=dmnd1357

As for the wholesaler you’re meeting today, just make sure you only compare apples to apples in terms of certificates. Don’t buy an EGL stone no matter how much pressure they put on you.

Q: Out of my budget range.

A: The first one is under 20!

Let me know how it goes today at the wholesaler.

Q: Well that was definitely exciting.  Quoted me 1.91 ct E VS2 at $19,500.  Except it was EGL certified.  Why the recommendation not to buy EGL?

…………

http://www.truthaboutdiamonds.com/truth-about/diamond-certificates-gia-ags-igi-hrd-egl/egl/

I just read that.

…………

Another question. I’m looking through your blog posts and you post diamonds from jamesallen and sometimes say it’s flawless to the naked eye. Are you purely basing this on the specifications of the diamond or have you seen them?

Today I was looking at diamonds under a 10x loupe graded VS2 by EGL. Now looking at VS2 diamonds on James Allen, the James Allen diamonds look worse, more hazy and more inclusions. Am I missing something?

A: I base my eye-clean calls on their magnified pictures. I’ve looked at so many diamonds in my career both with a loupe and without, and so I have a feel for what will be eye clean and what won’t be.

As for your comparison between the EGL you saw and what you’re looking at on JA, I’m quite certain it’s due to you not really knowing what you’re looking at (sorry to be so blunt). At Leo Schachter where I worked for 7 years, we trained in the sorting room for about 8 months. It’s not something you pick up in a half an hour.

Trust me on this, the sole motivation for a diamond dealer to sell a diamond as an EGL vs as a GIA is because they can sell it for more money. If they were to be sold for the same price, they would prefer to sell it as a GIA since they’re more liquid than EGLs.

………..

Btw, your stone is probably equivalent to this one (except for being slightly larger):

http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/G-SI1-Ideal-Cut-Round-Diamond-1315392.asp?a_aid=dmnd1357

A GIA G SI1 would probably get E VS2 from EGL.

Search Results for the Stone in Question

Also, just so you know how badly they’re reaming you, take a look at the attached screenshot.

That’s a list of search results from rapnet which is the largest online true wholesale diamond trading site. I searched for 1.91 only E VS2 EGL and got this one result. The owner of this stone “TRS” is in LA, so I know it’s the same stone you saw. It may or may not be the actual guy who showed it to you. It probably isn’t. He probably got it from the owner at the price you see in the screenshot. So this “true wholesaler” is trying to make a 52% profit margin. Dealers in LA are sharks, and when they see an unsuspecting newbie walk in like yourself, they smell blood and go in for the kill.

WIth my brokering service, I could get you the same stone for 14,065.

Q: Please continue being blunt.

So here are my questions to you then.

(1) What’s the biggest stone that looks really good for $17,000?

(2) If I went through your brokering service, can you get me something better than James Allen? I’d be more than happy to pay you the 10% commission.

(3) How do I make sure you won’t rip me off? Can you give me the details on a typical transaction process? (My turn to be blunt).

A: Before I even bother with the other stuff, let me ask you a more fundamental question. We started this off with my explanations of why I thought you were not planing to spend your money in the most efficient way. But you didn’t seem too keen on going with what I was suggesting.

Basically, what I’m getting at is this – you could nab a 2.5ct diamond for your budget if you wanted, but you’d have to go down to a J color. Have you ever seen an ideal cut J color in person? If not, I would really suggest you go to a store somewhere and have a look. I think you might surprised.

Likewise, you could land a 2ct G SI2 for under $17. Color is a little easier to understand for me because there really is a difference (albeit very slight) between G and J, but between an eye clean SI2 and an eye clean VS2, there is absolutely no visual difference.

Take a look at this example:

http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/G-SI2-Ideal-Cut-Round-Diamond-1308062.asp?a_aid=dmnd1357

Honestly, I think this stone is your best bet. Probably better than anything I could broker for you as well.

Q: I wasn’t keen on what you were suggesting simply because I didn’t understand how you derived at them. Now that I do, I’m a lot more trusting. I have seen a J color and I can tell that it’s not as white as G or H without comparing them side by side. I’ll add this diamond to my list and let you know. Should I mention your name when I buy it or something else?

A: If you buy from this computer you’re on now, then you shouldn’t have to do anything. If you’re going to make the purchase from another computer, then please just click on that link I sent you in the email on that computer as well.

If you buy it with a setting, you can use the TAD0611 coupon which will give you 10% off the setting. That’ll act as a fail-safe measure if the cookies don’t track. Thanks!

Q: thoughts on this one?

http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/G-SI1-Ideal-Cut-Round-Diamond-981003.asp?a_aid=dmnd1375

A: Have JA’s customer support pull both stones and compare them face to face and give you their opinion.  Based on the pics, I like the SI2 better, but nothing beats a face to face encounter.

Q: Hi Ira,

Here’s what they said to me:

Dear Michael,

When our diamond department reviewed the other diamonds, they noted a variety of factors which caused them to be discarded in favor of diamond:

http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/G-SI1-Ideal-Cut-Round-Diamond-981003.asp?a_aid=dmnd1357

Specifically, diamond:

http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/G-SI2-Ideal-Cut-Round-Diamond-1308062.asp?a_aid=dmnd1357

has twinning wisps and surface graining that have a negative impact on this diamond’s light performance (such as haziness) and its eye cleanliness; and diamonds:

http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/H-VS1-Ideal-Cut-Round-Diamond-1294745.asp?a_aid=dmnd1357

http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/G-VS2-Ideal-Cut-Round-Diamond-1323690.asp?a_aid=dmnd1357

http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/G-VS2-Ideal-Cut-Round-Diamond-1139174.asp?a_aid=dmnd1357

all have proportions and angles that cause darkness and diminished performance.

Diamond:

http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/G-SI1-Ideal-Cut-Round-Diamond-981003.asp?a_aid=dmnd1357

was the shining star of this lot, with an excellent cut and fantastic proportions.

I hope this information was helpful to you. As I mentioned before, we will be able to continue holding this diamond for 24 hours.

What do you think?

A: I say go with their opinion. Nothing compares to seeing the two stones up close and personal.

Good luck!

Q: Well Ira thanks for all your help. I pulled the trigger today on the following:

Item # 981003
Round 2.07 carat G color SI1 clarity diamond
Price: $19,540

Item # 1019p
Platinum 2.5mm Integrated Cathedral Solitaire Ring
Size: 4.5
Price: $1,275

Subtotal: $20,815
Sales Tax: $0.00
Discount (TAD0611): $127
Shipping: $0

Total Amount Due: $20,688.00

When my other friends bite the bullet I’ll make sure to refer you.

A: Great!  Please let me know what you think when it arrives!

Q: Ring arrived.  It’s pretty darn sexy.  Thanks for all your help.  Now the hard part — figuring out how to pop the question.

A: Great news! I love getting these emails

Congrats, and good luck with the popping of the question!

I have decided for this series to lump together the three shapes commonly referred to as the “soft-sided fancy shapes” – the Oval, Marquise, and Pear shaped diamonds.  Just to explain the terminology – any shape that’s not round is called a “fancy” shape.  So to differentiate Ovals, Marquise, and Pears from Princess cuts, Radiants, and Emeralds, they are further broken down into soft-sided and straight-sided.

From a manufacturing perspective that differentiation is important since straight-sided fancies and soft-sided fancies are manufactured from completely different types of diamond rough.  But more importantly for you, the diamond consumer, the differentiation is absolutely crucial.  You see, if you were searching for a straight sided fancy shape diamond and wanted to limit your diamond search to very clean diamonds with high colors, you generally wouldn’t need to see the diamond ahead of time.  You could read the diamond’s measurements from its certificate, and pretty much be able to conceptualize how the diamond will look.  When you’re dealing with 90 degree angles only, it’s easy to explain a diamond using measurements only.

This is not the case at all with the soft-sided fancies.  Nowhere on a certificate does it explain the slope of the curve around an oval.  You can have an oval that almost comes to two points like a marquise, or you could have an oval that looks a little too rounded.  You can have a boxy looking oval that looks like it’s a long radiant just with its corners smoothed out.  None of that will show on a certificate.  There are simply too many measurements that aren’t offered on a certificate relating to get any real understanding of how a soft-sided fancy will look.

So while I always stress that even with rounds it’s very important that you examine a diamond ahead of time (either in person or with a high quality photograph) in order to evaluate a diamond’s clarity, with soft-sided fancies, it’s likewise crucial to examine a diamond to evaluate its cut.

And unlike straight sided fancies, there’s no one thing I could point to to explain how to evaluate a picture of an Oval, Pear or Marquise. You just have to look at it and ask yourself, “does this look beautiful?”

So without further ado, I present the best Oval, Pear or Marquise for $20,000+:

Here’s the Stats (Or Click Here for a Copy of the GIA Certificate):

Diamond Magnified 20x - Click to Enlarge

Shape: Pear

Carats: 2.27

Diamond Color: F

Diamond Clarity: VS2

Measurements: 11.41*7.27*4.18

Length/Width Ratio: 1.57

Depth: 57.5%

Table: 56%

Diamond Polish: Excellent

Diamond Symmetry: Excellent

Diamond Fluorescence: None

Diamond Price: $23,030

Don’t forget to use our exclusive coupon code TAD0611 with James Allen for 10% off Engagement Ring Settings!

Click here to be Brought to the Diamond on James Allen

Here’s the Stats (Or Click Here for a Copy of the GIA Certificate):

Diamond Magnified 20x - Click to Enlarge

Carats: 2.12

Diamond Color: G

Diamond Clarity: VS1

Measurements: 7.02*6.99*5.05

Length/Width Ratio: 1.00

Depth: 72.2%

Table: 69%

Diamond Polish: Excellent

Diamond Symmetry: Good

Diamond Fluorescence: None

Diamond Price: $19,640

Don’t forget to use our exclusive coupon code TAD0611 with James Allen for 10% off Engagement Ring Settings!

James Allen Engagement Ring

Going back to the classics, one of the most popular engagement ring styles is the simple look of a thin band studded with round pave diamonds.

James Allen sells a number of rings each with a slightly different take on this theme.  Some have a cathedral style band where the band is raised at the top of the shank near the center stone.  Some have smaller pave, others larger.  There are a variety of different prong styles that are matched with the setting.

James Allen’s most popular version of this style is probably their 18k White Gold .32ct French Cut Pave Diamond Engagement Ring.

In White Gold, after the TAD0611 discount, this setting costs $657.  In Platinum, it is $1053 after discount.

Click here to be Brought to the Diamond on James Allen

Here’s the Stats (Or Click Here for a Copy of the AGS Certificate):

Diamond Magnified 20x - Click to Enlarge

Carats: 2.05

Diamond Color: H

Diamond Clarity: SI1

Diamond Cut: Ideal

Measurements: 8.11*8.16*5.05

Depth: 62.2%

Table: 55.0%

Crown Angle: 34.6°

Crown %: 15.5%

Pavilion Angle: 40.8°

Pavilion %: 43.1%

Diamond Polish: Ideal

Diamond Symmetry: Ideal

Diamond Fluorescence: None

James Allen Engagement Ring

Diamond Price: $19,550

Don’t forget to use our exclusive coupon code TAD0611 with James Allen for 10% off Engagement Ring Settings!

As popular as pave-based styles are these days, a very large percentage of people still look for the simplistic elegance of a plain solitaire setting.  Surprisingly, though, the selection of plain solitaires is quite varied with many different styles to choose from.  Some people prefer the classic Tiffany Solitaire with its signature “knife edge” shank.  Others prefer the rounded “comfort fit” look.

One of the most common styles around is the “Cross Prong” look.  In fact, this style is one of James Allen’s most popular.  The best example of this style is this ring: James Allen’s White Gold Cross Prong Diamond Solitaire Ring.  This ring has a wider 3.3mm shank which is great for women of all sizes.  Also, it will look great with today’s daily diamond selection because it’s such a big diamond that it won’t look swallowed up by the wide shank.  Keep in mind that the shank is 3.3mm wide, but the diamond is well over 8mm wide!

Click here to be Brought to the Diamond on James Allen

Today, we begin with the best Cushion Cut Diamond for $20,000.

Here’s the Stats (Or Click Here for a Copy of the GIA Certificate):

Diamond Magnified 20x - Click to Enlarge

Carats: 2.52

Diamond Color: G

Diamond Clarity: SI1

Measurements: 8.12*7.58*5.33

Length/Width Ratio: 1.07

Depth: 70.3%

Table: 66%

Diamond Polish: Good

Diamond Symmetry: Good

Diamond Fluorescence: None

James Allen Engagement Ring

Diamond Price: $20,580

Don’t forget to use our exclusive coupon code TAD0611 with James Allen for 10% off Engagement Ring Settings!

James Allen also has a large variety of engagement rings to choose from to pair with today’s daily diamond selection.  When looking for a ring to match with a diamond as significant as today’s selection, it’s probably best to choose a band that isn’t too thin and delicate as it will look overpowered by the stone.  A great design that will balance quite nicely with today’s large diamond is James Allen’s 18k White Gold 4mm Rounded Cathedral Solitaire Diamond Ring.  This ring will really bring out the beauty in today’s cushion cut.

As always with our Daily Diamond selections, today’s stone is completely clean to the naked eye.

Click here to be Brought to the Diamond on James Allen

A: I’m so sorry I didn’t get back to you sooner. My mother and in-laws are both visiting us now in Israel and life has been a little crazy.

Would you mind telling me your budget? This would help me greatly. This way I can tell you the best Princess and Round you can get for your budget and then it will be a lot easier to decide between the two.

I look forward to hearing from you!

Q: Thanks for getting back to me, and Happy Chanukkah-my family just visited for the holiday as well so I know what it’s like! I’d prefer to spend at or below 20k. However, if there is something that dazzles the senses I might be able to manage 23-25k. Also, I know I said a 2 carat was optimum, but after reading your stories/advice-I am thinking maybe I should go bigger, and not waste the money on top shelf 4c’s, just so its “eye-clear” etc.(except Cut- I think the cut has to be near ideal/excellent to get the brillance-fire, right?).  Also, if your broker/commission service would produce a better price, and be mutually beneficial, that may be of interest-please advise. I was hoping to give it on Jan 15. I am in Las Vegas. Well, I reallly appreciate your help!

A: I think your revised priorities are right on track.  I would recommend you get an H or I color stone with SI2 clarity that I will verify to be eye-clean.  As you mentioned, you should definitely stick to ideal/excellent cut grades.

It seems like you can get a stone in this quality range clearly under $20K at 2.5cts.  That’s a significant and noticeable bump from 2cts.  If you wanted to get a full 3 cts, that would probably be around $25,000.

If I find a stone for you here in Israel, I could probably also get it set in something very basic for you to propose with, unless you already know exactly what she wants, in which case it might be better if you get it set yourself.

If you compare these prices with what you find on James Allen right now, you’ll see it’s basically the same.  Let me find a few actual stones and give you real prices, and then it will be much easier to compare.  I’m almost always able to beat the prices online, it’s just a matter of finding the right stone.

If I can’t beat the prices, then I’ll definitely let you know and help you pick the best stone online.

……

I wasn’t able to find a lot today, but I did manage to spot a very nice 2.51 I SI1 GIA certified Excellent Cut VG/VG Pol/Sym.  Your price on the stone would be 18,222.

That’s a good example of how I can be cheaper than the stores online.  Let me know if you’d like me to pursue this one further.  I can get you a scan of the certificate tomorrow and possibly even a photo of the diamond.

Q: Ira, thanks, a good start. I’m in meetings all day, but will get back to you this evening.

……

That’s a good range on carat size, 2.5 to 2.75, no need to go to 3. Yeah, I think ideal/excellent cut is a must. What’s the chance of finding a G/H and VS1/2 in my carat/price range. I know that’s mighty wishful, but it might happen. Let me know what you come up with. Talk to you soon.

A: I just checked for you and while I don’t have any specific stones now that I’m seeing, I have a feel for the price range, and it’s going to be way out of your budget.  An excellent cut H VS2 2.50 carat stone is going to be around 30,000.

But I honestly don’t believe there’s any added benefit to going that high in clarity.  If I find you an eye-clean SI2, it’s going to look exactly the same to your eye, but feel a lot different to your wallet.

……

Actually, I just saw a 2.62 H VS2 triple excellent for 28750.  It’s still significantly over your budget, but I did want to let you know about it anyway.

……

So here’s what I accomplished today. The I SI1 from yesterday is no good. IT has a black inclusion in the center that’s eye-visible.

I found two new stones today. Attached are their certs.

One is a 2.52 I IS1, and one is a 2.62 I SI2. Both triple excellent GIA. Both gorgeous stones with very nice translucent/whiteish inclusions that are totally eye clean. They both look totally white face-up. They are two killer stones. I also managed to get a picture of them both. But honestly, they’re both so nice and eye clean, that you can’t really tell them apart in the picture.

The price for the SI1 is 20,000 even. The price for the SI2 is 18500.

Cert of 2.52ct Stone

2.52ct & 2.62ct Diamonds

Cert of 2.62ct Stone

2.62ct & 2.52ct Diamonds

Q:Hi Ira, understood. 28k to 30k is too far over budget. Let’s just aim for the best that’s out there around my budget. 20k I liked the stone you mentioned, just wanted to see if there was some room to go up 1 step in clarity etc. Oh, what is” triple ” excellent?

A: Triple Excellent means that GIA gave the diamond the highest grade possible for Polish, Symmetry, and Cut.   Basically, it means the cut on the diamond is as good as it can be.  It’s top quality.

Q: Great work. I will view them today and get back to you. Going into meeting right now. Thanks Ira!

…..

Both those stones look amazing. You probably hear this alot, but, I am trusting your judgment-you have the best knowledge and experience. You certainly impressed me and I am grateful for your insight and help. To me, they look like near twins. Although, the 2.52 I SI1 appears just a hair brighter/clearer/H&A-ish. So, I guess that is the front runner to me.

One is drawn to the larger 2.62, but doesn’t the picture and lighting (or diamond itself) seem slightly less bright/clear/fire in comparison?

What do you think? Is there a difference between the two?

Is it worth going to an H color?

For what its worth, Bluenile had some 2.55 GIA Ideal H SI2 for 18-21k. However, as you pointed out, not all inclusions/color are what they say on paper and requires a trained eye to inspect it (i.e., the first one you spotted-w/ black marks).

Also, at some point, I will need to know how the whole payment-shipping will be accomplished. I will probably have it first set in a simple setting to propose. If the stone happens to be in Israel already, a setting with your contact may be easiest, especially with my desired timeline. Thanks!

A:  One thing I forgot to mention – the two stones were switched between the two pictures The stone on the right in both pictures was simply facing the camera more directly, that’s why you were able to see the H&A patterns easier. I actually think you should go for the 2.62. There’s one more stone that a vendor here in the bourse is returning from Hong Kong that is due to arrive today. I want to examine that stone first, and then we should make a decision. I very much appreciate your trust, and I want to make sure we get the best stone for you for the money.

Getting a simple setting shouldn’t be a problem, either. There might be one small issue with it, though. I’ll get back to that in a second.

The way it works when I broker stones for people in Israel is the customer wires money to my friend’s company. You can take a look at their site. www.fancydiamonds.net. Maybe while you’re there, see if anything they have looks interesting to you. They specialize in fancy color diamonds. (ie. this stone http://www.fancydiamonds.net/view_diamonds/3483.htm is 3.19 carats fancy yellow cushion cut for just under $20k) Since only official members of the Israel diamond bourse can buy and sell, they handle my transactions for me (and take a fee, of course). I’ll send you the wiring instructions when you’re ready.

The issue is that it’s very hard to get wholesale trading companies to agree to allow a return. All transactions in the bourse are final once the traditional “mazal u’vracha” (hebrew for “luck and blessing”) has been said and a handshake given. So asking a vendor to allow a return for up to a week or two is usually like pulling teeth. Getting it is difficult but usually not a problem, but it’s generally not more than a week or two. So having the stone set will simply take another day or two out of that window for you. I’ll leave that decision up to you.

So I’ll get back to you as soon as I’ve seen the new stone. Let me know if you have any more questions.

Q: Great Ira, I look forward to seeing what the Hong Kong stone is like.  Also, for clarity, which is the 2.62 diamond in the pics, they both look so much alike in size.

A: The HK stone won’t arrive until Sunday as it turns out. Do you have time to wait?

Q: No problem, Sundays fine.

A: Great. I’ll get back to you then.  Enjoy your long weekend!

Q: Hi Ira, any word yet?

A: Sorry about the delay. The company claims it had issues with Israeli customs when it was shipped back from HK. Give me tomorrow – if they don’t deliver, then its clear they’re playing games. I’ll give you an answer either way tomorrow.

…….

Ok, got some good info for you today.

The 2.51 we spoke about is finally in. The good news is that this SI1 is cheaper than the other one. This one’s 18,700 vs. 20,000 for the other one. The bad news is that the SI1 is a small black spot in the center of the stone. With a jewelers loupe you see it right away, but with the naked eye, you don’t see it right away. It’s the kind of thing where if you held the stone up to the light and looked at it very closely, you’d be able to spot it after 10 seconds or so. So you’ll have to decide for yourself whether this will bother you (and your fiance) or not. My wife’s diamond has a similar spot, and she never noticed it.

I also found for you a 2.31 I SI1. This one also has a great price, but also has a blackish inclusion in the center. But this one is even more faint than the other (and likewise harder to see). This one costs $16,500. That’s a really great price.

I also found a 2.28 H SI1. Price on this one is 19,200. The SI1 on this stone is perfect. The only downside to this stone is that it’s a VG cut, but face up it really looks beautiful. It’s very very hard to notice any real difference in sparkle.

The certs and pics of the stones are attached. The 2.51 is in both of the pics.

In my opinion, the 2.31 is the best deal out of any of these. The stone has Medium blue fluorescence which actually makes the I look a tiny bit whiter. There’s no discernable difference in color between the I with the Medium Fluorescence and the 2.28 H Color. From 12 inches away, the stone is eye clean. I just think you’re getting more for your money vs. the other four stones we’ve discussed. Even though it’s 20 points lighter than the 2.51, it’s only 0.09mm smaller in diameter. That difference in size isn’t even perceptible to the naked eye, so it really looks like a full 2.5 ct stone.

I look forward to hearing from you!

2.51ct & 2.28ct Diamonds

Cert of 2.28ct Diamond

2.51ct & 2.31ct Diamonds

Cert of 2.51ct Diamond

Cert of 2.31ct

Q: My finace will not care if a jeweler notices a small inclusion under a loup, but I definitely want it to be eye-clean. She WILL be showing it off-not b/c a snobby girl, just one that puts a lot of attention and pride in her jewelry. If looking with naked eye she can see inclusions/black outs-i want to pass on those diamonds. Thus, I’m a little hesitant about the 2.51.

The 2.31 seems like a good choice, especially b/c you favor it too. Again, I assume that b/c the black inclusion is faint and smaller than the 2.51, this will not be noticeable to the naked eye. I also like the price.

The prior emailed 2.62 is a very impressive stone also, and without the black out inclusions, this has got to be in the running too.

I do have a couple follow up questions:
1.Does the blue flour. give any milky tone to the stone in the 2.31?
2.you and i were impressed by the prior 2 diamonds(2.5/2.62), especially the white inclusions/cleanliness and triple excellent cut. So, how does 2.31 compare? Why go with the 2.31 over the 2.62?

Thanks for all your help; I think we are near a decision.

A: About the fluorescence: there’s absolutely no milkiness/cloudiness in that stone.  Med fluorescence on an I color will never be milky.  I actually recommend specifically seeking out this combination in my article about Fluorescence (http://www.truthaboutdiamonds.com/truth-about/diamond-fluorescence/ – see the “bottom line recommendation”)

It’s true the 2.62 is a great stone, but i’m not sure it’s worth $2000 more.  The cut (which is most important) is just as nice on the 2.31.  The color on the 2.31 is slightly better due to the fluorescence.  And both are clean to the naked eye.  And remember, the 2.31 is an SI1 whereas the 2.62 is an SI2.  So the cheaper price is really significantly cheaper.  If both were SI2s, then you could understand the price difference would be related to the size.  If the underlying price level were the same, then the 2.31 should be about the same price as the 2.62 because it’s an SI1 and the 2.62 is an SI2, but it’s still $2000 cheaper.  It’s just a significantly better value.

There’s one more issue.  The vendor that owns the 2.62 is a very rigid company. They have the largest inventory in the Israel market for large excellent cut GIA certified stones.  Their business model is that they ask high prices and wait for the right customer.  That’s why the prices last week were just OK.   But it might also be an issue with them to guarantee a certain amount of time to allow you to return the stone.  Since all transactions in the Israel diamond bourse are final wholesale transactions between dealers, we need to request a special exception in your case to allow you to return the stone.  I can’t take the risk of owning the stone myself.

The owner of the 2.31 is just a regular company looking to move their merchandise at a price they’re comfortable with.  They like to turn their inventory as fast as possible (unlike the owner of the 2.62 who is much more patient).  So it wont’ be a problem getting them to agree to a return period.

Let me know what you’d like to do!  The quicker you decide, the better the odds they won’t be sold to someone else.

Q: Your advice is sound and good. Let’s go with the 2.31 SI 1 . I need to know exactly how to pay for the diamond. Totals,wiring instr. etc. Do they accept any VISA or all in cash.

When Can you have it here? I leave January 14th, and need my guys here to set it in a ring first.

Many thanks! I am confident the ring will be great!

A: I think that’s the best choice.  You can pay by credit card via google checkout or paypal, but we’d have to add on about 5% to cover the expenses.  The best option is to send a wire transfer.  See the attached file for instructions.

If you send the wire today (tomorrow for you – Wednesday), then we’ll have it on Thursday and ship it then.  In that case, you’ll have it on Friday.

Let me know if you have any questions!

Q: Thanks for the wire instructions. Becuase of my timeline, I cannot spare the week long delay of bank procedures in order to wire the full amount. So, I will wire half, and pay the rest through credit card paypal. Does this cover everything:
($8,250) wire, ($8,250) paypal; 5% CC fee ($412.50).

A: That should work fine.  Can you get the wire out today so we can arrange the shipment tomorrow?  The diamond bourse is closed on Friday (not because it’s 1/1 – it’s closed every Friday), so the next available day to ship would be Sunday (it’s opened Sunday – Thursday.  Sunday is a regular work day in Israel).

I emailed Yossi Polnauer, CEO of Leibish Fancy Diamonds, requesting him to send you an invoice for 8662.50.  He just got back to me quickly that he prefers Google Checkout.  It works the same way.  Let me know if it’s a problem.

Q: Should get it done, in the works! If it doesn’t go out till Sun. that should be enough time too.

……

Sent full payment to Yossi today 1/2 by wire, 1/2 by Google. I gave him my shipping address too. Your help was immense. Thank you! I’ll check back with you soon.

…..

The diamond arrived today! Looks great. Taking it to get set& will let you know how it goes!

A: Great to hear! I knew you’d love it. I’d love to hear how the ring turns out.

Here’s the Stats (Or Click Here for a Copy of the GIA Certificate):

Diamond Magnified 20x - Click to Enlarge

Carats: 2.31

Diamond Color: G

Diamond Clarity: VS2

Measurements: 7.44*7.40*5.14

Length/Width Ratio: 1.01

Depth: 69.5%

Table: 66%

Diamond Polish: Excellent

Diamond Symmetry: Excellent

Diamond Fluorescence: None

James Allen Engagement Ring

Diamond Price: $20,900

Don’t forget to use our exclusive coupon code TAD0611 with James Allen for 10% off Engagement Ring Settings!

James Allen also has a great selection of engagement rings to choose from to match with this diamond.   It’s a unique challenge to find an engagement ring setting that will look especially nice set with a large princess cut diamond.  I always loved the look of a large center stone surrounded on both sides by nicely sized side accent diamonds.  This look is especially nice with James Allen’s Platinum 3-Stone Channel-Set Diamond Engagement Ring (see on the right) is the perfect setting to match with today’s diamond.

Today’s diamond is truly something special.  It’s rarely nice on two separate accounts.  Firstly, the diamond has a depth percentage of only 69.5%.  This means the weight of the diamond isn’t being waste in its depth.  The diamond is quite large, and shows itself even larger because of its prime depth percentage.  But even beyond that, it’s also rare to find princess cuts with such a nice small table.  It’s very hard to find a princess cut diamond with a table percentage less than 70% as well.  Today’s diamond has a table percentage of only 66%.

Click here to be Brought to the Diamond on James Allen

A: Thanks for writing.  Let me clear up a few things before we begin:

1) There are two services I provide.  One, I will help you choose the best diamond for your budget from online stores.  This service is free for you, as the various stores I work with (and I only work with the biggest and best and cheapest) pay me a commission for this service.  The other service I provide is I will help match you up with a stone direct from a wholesale company.  For this service, I charge you 10%. With your budget, it will most likely be cheaper with the 2nd brokering option.

2) The reason why rounds are more expensive has nothing to do with demand.  The reason is due to the yield from rough.  Yield from rough for princess cuts is over 80% whereas yields for round stones are about 40%.

Having said that, lets get to work!

In terms of rounds, it looks like it will be tough to get in your budget.  Here’s a the cheapest 3ct  J VS2 on James Allen:
http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/J-VS2-Ideal-Cut-Round-Diamond-1261945.asp

James Allen didn’t have any J VS2 Princess Cuts, but they did have this:
http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/J-VS1-Ideal-Cut-Princess-Diamond-1235954.asp

Compare that with the attached screenshot.  This is a search I did on Rapnet, the largest industry-only wholesale trade site.  The first stone (too deep) and 2nd stone (table way too big) have a ugly makes , but the 3rd stone looks VERY nice.  So your price would be what’s written there + another 10%.  So that would be 17,627.

See the next screenshot for Radiants.

Have a look at all of these, and let me know what you think!

Click to Enlarge

Click to Enlarge

Q: Thank you. If you offer me significant savings, I would rather you find me the perfect diamond. But do you refer me to the dealer? How do I pay the diamond?and do I get a return policy? If recive the stone and have to get it set I suppose. Sorry I am a bit time restrained. I work in Dubai and need this to shipped to the U.S. and forwarded to Thailand or just forwarded to Thailand. I am meeting my girlfriend in Bangkok on the 16th of December to propose. Sorry after some research from you sight. I am set on a brillant round, 3carat+, ideal, SI1, J, fnt blue flourescent if possible. I can go up to 23k. Thanks.

A:  Hey C. Got the perfect stone for you:

http://www2.gia.edu/reportcheck/index.cfm?fuseaction=home.showReportVerification&reportno=1106603427&weight=3.01

The total price including my commission will be 21,452.

The diamond can be shipped as soon as the money is paid. The way I usually work is that you pay me and the stone’s owner separately.  This way you know I’m only taking exactly my 10% fee and nothing else. And also, you can feel better knowing you’re wiring your money to an established diamond wholesale company and not some stranger you met on the internet.

Since every time the deal is with a different dealer, I can’t make a set return policy.  Usually the dealers are understanding and want future business, so they’re willing to give me some time.   You’ll have at least a week or two for sure, but I will try to negotiate for a little more.

We could have to stone shipped either to you in the US, or direct to Dubai or Thailand.  Not a problem.  Btw, I used to work quite a bit in Dubai as well.  Leo Schachter, my former employer, has an office in the Gold Land building in the Gold Souk.  I used to go there every month or so from Israel (through Jordan – one of the few countries in the region with relations with both countries).

But if you’re concerned about having the stone inspected during the window of time when you can return it, I would recommend you take delivery in the US and bring it to a local professional independent jewelry appraiser.

Let me know what you think.  If you are interested in this stone, I’ll make the call tomorrow.

Btw, how are you going to have the stone set?  Would you like me to help you with this as well?

Enjoy your Sunday!

Q: Ira,

I took a look at the link. It doesn’t have all the information like a regular GIA report. I like to know how the inclusions look like, even if not very accurately in the diagrams thats usually on the report. I have look through your site pretty extensively and or thru all the online diamond inventories. I am finding similar stones on blue nile for approximately the same price as your service. Do you have access to the stones. Due to the size, I want this stone to be eyeclean as you call it. In fact, I have found larger stones such as this http://www.bluenile.com/round-diamond-3-carat-ideal-cut-j-color-si2-clarity_LD01553603 that looks from the diagram  ”eyeclean”.

These two are still available at Bluenile after the discount comes to your approximate price.

http://www.bluenile.com/round-diamond-3-carat-ideal-cut-j-color-si1-clarity_LD01597600

and

http://www.bluenile.com/round-diamond-3-carat-ideal-cut-j-color-si1-clarity_LD01582937

If you can let me know that the stone you recommended is better, find a bigger diamond of similar quality for a similar price or can haggle with the sender for me, its hard for me risk the return policy and add the additional time with the setting.  I value your service and you site is a vault of information. If we can both benefit from this exchange.

Worst case scenario, I am actually in Afghanistan on a project for next few weeks and returning to Dubai mid December before heading to Thailand. If you have contacts there, and we are unable to find a diamond before then, I can always take a short trip to the Souk.

A: There must be something in the air.  You are the 3rd person in the last month who is based in Afghanistan to contact me for help.  I will take a look at these stones in a bit and get you an answer.  I can get you a scan of the other stone, but I need to request it from the stone’s owner and they’re not working today.  The GIA report check was all I have available today.

Btw, what discount are you referring to from BN?

Q: Ira,

Haha.. yes a lot of money is being poured into Afghanistan. I am here to get my little chunk or rather the biggest chunk for my company. Yes if you get me the report, that would be fantastic Ira. I decided to get married, short notice, and have to shop online while I am here on this project.

I meant the wire discount, unless you have a top secret code your willign to share for a percentage!

A: No, I wasnt’ aware of any, that’s why I was asking if you knew about one!

I’ll ask for the cert tomorrow.  I’m in the middle of a long email to you now.  You’ll get it in a sec.

……

I checked the three stones.  Here’s the thing about eye-cleanliness:

Odds are on a 3 carat stone that an SI1 is eye clean.  There’s certainly no guarantee, but the odds are probably between 60-70%.  I2s, however, are most likely NOT eye clean on a 3 ct stone.

You shouldn’t be fooled by inclusion plots on a GIA cert.  They give you absolutely no indication of eye-cleanliness.  You can have a feather that’s a dead white inclusion, or you could have a feather that’s completely translucent.  But on the plot, they will look exactly the same.  The plot only tells you type and location of the inclusions.  It doesn’t tell you anything of their strength or color, which are the most important factors determining eye-cleanliness.

For the SI1 I was recommending, I was going to have a colleague inspect it in NY before it shipped to you.

As far as your three suggestions go, I like the 2nd stone the best.  Ironically, it’s owned by my former employer Leo Schachter in Israel.  I had already seen the stone in the Rap results I generated this morning when I found the faint fluorescent stone I sent you earlier.  That stone was listed at 28% back and this stone from Leo Schachter is listed at 25% back. I called them to see if they could lower their price so I could offer you another stone.  I am still waiting for their response.  Needless to say, I will make sure to beat BN’s price to make it worth your while to buy through me.   I can also have the stone set for you in NY, or alternatively, I can have the stone shipped to Dubai for you to pick it up there.  I also spoke to them about extending the return window to 30 days.  If I can get them to go down to 28% back, so I could provide you that same stone for 21,455. That’s about $500 cheaper than BN.   Additionally, I could go into the diamond bourse myself and inspect it with my own eyes to guarantee eye cleanliness or not.

Q: Ira,

I think I will rely on you expertise. Shopping from some data on certs seems crazy. Do you operate out of nyc? I am a New Yorker myself out of brooklyn.

Can you view the stone you suggested first as well?

Once I know, I can make a decision and find a setting from Tacori or alike.

A: I’m in Israel, but I have a close friend in NY I can send to inspect the stone.  I myself can inspect the stone in Israel.

Both of my parents are brooklynites.  Both went to Midwood.

I’ll let you know about the cert for the first stone tomorrow, and whether or not my former employer can lower their price.

Q:  Ira,

How are we doing on the hunt?

What do you think of this stone below?

http://www.bluenile.com/round-diamond-3-carat-ideal-cut-j-color-si1-clarity_LD01493739

A: That stone says not available.  And also don’t know if it’s eye clean.  The SI1 looks concentrated dead center based on the plot. Not conclusive, but needs to be checked.

Called for the cert once already today.  They weren’t in yet.  About to call again.

Still don’t have a definitive answer from my former employer about the other stone.  I’ll have all the answers soon for you.  Sit tight!

……

Update: they didn’t have a scan, so in the meantime they faxed me a copy. I’ll scan it and email it to you in a bit. I’m writing to you now from my blackberry as I give my baby a bath before bedtime

…..

Update:  The fax was really poor quality. So I called them back and asked them to scan it.  The secretary then passed me to the boss and he told me that the SI1 is not a nice SI1.  He said if you study it carefully you can definitely see the SI1 with your naked eye.

So lets move on to the other option.  The one owned by my former employer.  I’m still waiting their answer.  I hope they’ll be able to give it to me tomorrow.

I’ll be in touch.

……..

Click to Enlarge

I found this stone which was priced ridiculously cheap.  It’s a J with Medium Blue, so it will face up like an I color.  It’s priced at -36% back, where most of the J SI2 EX cuts are priced at around -25%.

There’s just one downside – the stone is in India.  So I can’t check it, and I don’t have anyone to check it.

The owner says it’s a very nice SI2 and is eye clean.

He says he’ll give you one week to return the stone for a full refund, but for 30 days he said he would need to charge you 3%.

The cost of the stone is 15,411, so your final total including my fee would be 16,952.

I think it’s worth going for.  You just need to time it well that you can have an appraiser look at it for you within that week.

Let me know what you think.

Q: This stone sounds like a good deal. Is this a stone you just found? What are the spec’s? carat weight? If I can see the GIA report, even better a picture, I think I will go for it. As for the return policy, I am having it send to California to my relative to check it for me. This one week does not include the shipping time right? It’ll take 2-3 days to reach California. Can we push for 2 weeks?

The diagram looks pretty clean. You look at these certs everydays and the actual stones. Seems most of the inclusions are concentrated outside of the table. How do you free about it? If we can clarify on the return date, or a possible extension of a week due to delivery time involved, I think this will be a good choice for the price. If they would be so kind to provide picture, we can finalize this sale.

How does this work? I wire money directly to the wholesaler. How can I pursue the return with a wholesaler, outside of the U.S.  Will I be provided an invoice? SInce they operate in India, I am a bit shaky on the business. I can wire the money and not get anything. I am sure you have done this quite a few times. With there be a sales agreement with the wholesaler.. etc? Thanks Ira

A: In all honesty, you can’t tell what a stone will look like based on the inclusion plot.

I’ll make sure the 7 days doesn’t include shipping time.  There’s almost no chance they’ll be able to take a picture.  I’ve never met a wholesaler who has this service.

Yes, you would wire money directly to the wholesaler, and you would send me the money one of several ways.  I’d prefer it if you could just pop into a bank of america and deposit it directly into my account.

As far as this dealer being trust worthy, you can’t become a member of rapnet unless you’re an upstanding member of the trade.  So just by dint of the fact that they’re on Rapnet, it’s enough to trust that they’ll ship this stone.

As far as the return procedure goes, I’ll have to ask him.  Since there’s very high VAT & Customs in India, I’m assuming he’d have to send you an invoice along so you can send it back to prove that it’s a return of an export and not a new import.

I’ll inquire about these various issues and get back to you asap.

Q: zoomed in on the diagram. There looks to be a big cloud in the center with a smaller one in the table.. I am going to need a picture. Its a big purchase with a foriegn vendor.

The stone, I linked you in Blue nile is one they have on hold for me hence unavailable. Its looks from the Diagram to be extremely clean(perhaps a bad scan).  The price is $22,816. If you can not locate anything on RAPS, this seems to be a good choice. Perhaps we can bypass bluenile on this and can both profit on the diamond. Worst case, you can give an opinion on the stone and you can refer me to the diamond, so you can take a comission from Bluenile.

A: It wasn’t meant to be!  See email below from the vendor in India.

I have more options better than BN. Don’t give up yet!

Sent from my BlackBerry

the stone is 80 percent eye clean.

KUNAL A NAHAR

Ok!  It’s been a busy morning.  Here’s the update:

The 2nd stone is in California, so I still haven’t heard from them.

The first stone was sold.

But since I got my friend Yossi involved, he started asking around the diamond bourse today and found two other options.

He has both stones in his office now.  Attached are the certs.

Click to Enlarge

Both are triple excellent ideal makes.

1) The first stone is Strong Blue fluorescence, which is actually a plus for a J color stone.  If you see my articles on Color and Fluorescence, I recommend as such as well.  On occasion a SB stone can look milky or cloudy, so in general when buying online sight unseen I don’t recommend it, but Yossi inspected the stone and said there is no milkiness at all.  He did say that the Fluorescence makes the stone look like an I or even an H.  With the loupe, you can see very small black dots in the table.  He said that from 5-10cm (about 4 inches) if you look very hard you can see them with your naked eye, but beyond that they aren’t visible to the naked eye.  This stone is 19,900 (including my commission).

2) The 2nd stone has no fluorescence.  This stone is completely eye clean.  The SI1 is white and completely invisible to the naked eye.  This stone is 23,950 (including my commission).

Lucky for us, Yossi has a great photography setup in his office (for his website – did you see it yet?).  Attached is a photo of the two stones. The stone on the left is the one with fluorescence.  I don’t think you can see the black inclusions in the pic because he focused at a lower depth in the stone.

Click to Enlarge

I personally think the stone with Fluor. is a much better deal.   It’s a better make.  Most ideal cut aficionados prefer smaller tables (53-57%).  The 2nd stone has a 60% table.  Also, it’s just much better value.  There’s an unfair stigma on Strong Blue stones across the board in the industry, when, in fact, the stigma should only apply to higher color stones (D-G).  It’s very rare that an I/J/K color stone with Strong Blue shows milkiness.  So it’s only because of this misplaced stigma that this stone is so much cheaper.

The only caveat I would have is if you or your fiance-to-be are the type of people who are very fastidious, then seeing the tiny black spots at 4 inches might get on your nerves.  Generally, people use 10-12 inches as the standard for judging eye-cleanliness.   Four inches is very close.

Click to Enlarge

Here’s the Stats (Or Click Here for a Copy of the GIA Certificate):

Diamond Magnified - Click to Enlarge

Carats: 3.00

Diamond Color: Natural Fancy Yellow

Diamond Clarity: VS2

Measurements: 8.60 X 8.69 X 4.58

Length/Width Ratio: 1.01

Diamond Polish: Good

Diamond Symmetry: Good

Diamond Fluorescence: None

Diamond Price: $21,000

This stone has a depth of 54.9% which helps bring out the color better, but more importantly, it gives the stone a huge spread face-up.  The stone looks like a 4ct diamond.

Click here to be Brought to the Diamond on Fancy Diamonds Leibish & Co.

Here’s the Stats (or Click Here for a Copy of the GIA Certificate check on gia.edu):

Diamond Magnified 20x - Click to Enlarge

Carats: 2.43

Diamond Color: G

Diamond Clarity: SI1

Measurements: 7.93*7.26*5.03

Length/Width Ratio: 1.09

Depth: 69.3%

Table: 63%

Diamond Polish: Very Good

Diamond Symmetry: Very Good

Diamond Fluorescence: Medium Blue

Diamond Price: $20,760

Don’t forget to use our exclusive coupon code TAD0611 with James Allen for 10% off Engagement Ring Settings!

Click Here to be Brought to the Diamond on James Allen