I’m contacting you for your expert advice, or at lest nudge in the right direction. I am looking at engagement rings with diamonds in the ~10k range.

The Bride-to-be is interested in size over quality, she thinks 1.5ct would be about right. Setting is a Platinum channel setting.

I noticed in one of your daily diamonds you selected a 1.51 and a 1.60 diamonds, both of which seem to still be available. Have you come across any other stock that would be better then these?

A: Thanks for writing and the kind words about the site. What shape are you looking for?

Q: I think we will stick with the round shape.

A: I just took another look, and i still think that 1.60 is your best bet!
http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/I-SI2-Ideal-Cut-Round-Diamond-1310703.asp

Q: I know you will find this hard to believe, but she has changed her mind regarding size. I took her to show what some 1.60 looked like and it is just too big for her hands. So, can you recommend something in the 1 – 1.2 range?

Round shape, with price around $5,000.

A: This looks like the closest I could get for about $5000.
http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/I-SI2-Ideal-Cut-Round-Diamond-1334591.asp
Let me know what you think!

Q: I think it looks fine, but what the heck do I know. I’m a little worried (uneducated about the whole thing) about the SI2, is it worth expanding the value range up to $7,500, or is there no significant increase in “sparkle”.

A: Sorry for the delay! I wasn’t able to respond due to the Jewish Sabbath followed by the holiday of Purim (which is the celebration recounted in the biblical Book of Esther).

I’m pretty confident that stone is clean to the naked eye. As long as that’s the case, then there’s no visual difference. An SI2 and a flawless stone will look exactly alike as long as all else is equal.

Q: I’m sorry to keep bothering you on this, but when I went to place the order today the last diamond you picked out, has now been sold.

A: No problem! Here goes:
http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/G-SI2-Ideal-Cut-Round-Diamond-1362693.asp
http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/I-SI1-Ideal-Cut-Round-Diamond-1235887.asp
http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/G-SI2-Ideal-Cut-Round-Diamond-1326360.asp
http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/I-SI2-Ideal-Cut-Round-Diamond-1338554.asp

Let me know what you like!

Q: Great! I went with this one.

http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/I-SI1-Ideal-Cut-Round-Diamond-1235887.asp

A: Looks like a great choice! Please stay in touch and let me know what you think when it arrives!

A: If all you’re looking for is white, fiery, and eye clean, then you can go much lower than E/F VS2. First question – what kind of setting will this stone be going in?

Q: Setting is Solitar,platnium, (petite trellis solitar from blue nile to be exact)and she wants princess cut diamond. Yes thats exactly what im looking for, something that shines and is sparkly but is clean and white. I dont care about how perfect it looks under i microscope, but rather flashy and no imperfections noticable to the eye. Any help you can give would be great. thx again

A: So here’s what i like for you:
http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/H-VS2-Ideal-Cut-Princess-Diamond-1344657.asp
http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/G-VS2-Ideal-Cut-Princess-Diamond-1329759.asp – great cut. Lighter, but not really any smaller than the one above. Would like to see the pic on this one.

Q: Ira, I emailed james allen and got pictures of the other diamond you said to look at. There looks like brown marks in the diamond, can you take alook and tell me what it is and if its a good clean diamond. Id rather go with a a higher colour like H then G, and have a smaller size stone. So if this one checks out with you ill probably buy it. thx

A: Sure, send me the pics

Q: Its the same picture you sent me. The link is on the page u sent me. if you scroll down on this email and click the link the picture will come up.

A: Aha! Gotcha. That stone is basically perfect. I’d say you should buy it before someone else does. The little orange spot is simply fiery brilliance being caught in a freeze frame. That’s just the colored light being created by the refraction of the light. That’s not a spot in the diamond.

Q: Hey Ira, Thanks for all your help with everything. It’s a very kind thing you do helping guys like me with such a expensive purchase like a diamond with no clue with what we are looking at! I purchased the diamond you suggested so i look forward to getting it. With the little research i have done it looks like its a nice diamond and should be saving at least some money then if i were to buy from a retailer, or at least i hope so? Thanks for everything you do, and from all the clueless guys out there like me; we thank you for your time and expertise in such a difficult decision that we have to make.

A: Great news! I’m sure you’re going to love it!

Thanks for your help!

A: Here you go:
http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/I-VS2-Ideal-Cut-Princess-Diamond-1353162.asp
http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/I-VS1-Ideal-Cut-Princess-Diamond-1326994.asp

Q: Thanks for your help! I have almost saved up enough money for the diamond. Of the ones you sent, the first one is not available, so I was looking around and I found this diamond that looks like a good value. What do you think? Is it eye clean? Do you think it is better than the other one you sent?

Thanks for your help

http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/I-VS2-Ideal-Cut-Princess-Diamond-1347625.asp

A: It has great potential! The only issue is that it’s slightly less deep than the vast majority of most princesses. So I would suggest that if you’re interested, you contact JA and ask them to inspect the stone face to face to make sure it’s not dull do to the shallow depth.

Q: I did as you suggested, and here is the report that I got back on the diamond (I threw two more in just for fun because they offered to inspect up to three for free).

Hello xxxx,

Thank you for your patience while waiting for the gemologist inspection of diamonds 1347625, 1360165, and 1360178.

I have great news, our gemologist has determined that diamond 1347625 is perfectly eye clean and faces larger than diamond 1360165. This diamond has superior light performance compared to your other selections and is your best option.

The remaining diamonds do not have the light performance of the your best option. Diamond 1360165 is also eye clean but there is some light leakage under the table which makes the diamond dark in the center. Diamond 1360178 is eye clean as well and faces the largest, as expected. However, this diamond also appears dark under the table.

I believe you will be very happy with diamond 1347625 when you see it in person. This diamond will look gorgeous in any setting.

It sounds like it’s a good stone, so I think I’m going to pull the trigger on it. Here is the diamond again:

http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/I-VS2-Ideal-Cut-Princess-Diamond-1347625.asp

Is there anything that would make you think twice about this purchase, or should I go ahead with it?

Thanks again for all your help! I learned a ton from your site, and I’m actually a Wharton grad as well (December 08), so I’m happy I discovered it.

A: That definitely sounds like the one!

Funny about Wharton! Did you ever have Paul Kleindorfer? I loved that man. What a great teacher.

Q: Haha he’s still around, I never had a class with him though. Professor Shell and negotiations was my favorite!

I think I’m going to purchase the diamond today — I’m pretty excited about it! I think I’m just going to do it through a bank wire transfer, but I’ll make sure when I talk to them that I was referred from your site.

Thanks again for all your help — I feel like a diamond expert now.

A: Sounds great. If you have any questions, please let me know. And please stay in touch and let me know what you think when it arrives!

Best wishes!

http://www.bluenile.com/round-diamond-1-carat-ideal-cut-g-color-si1-clarity_LD01938165
They’re currently holding this diamond for me so

I’ve contacted bluenile to make sure this stone was eye clean and because I was concerned about the strong blue flourescence. I’ve pasted the response I received below. Initially it put me at ease, but after reading your site I’m a bit nervous.

Thanks in advance for your help!

From Bluenile: “The gemologist found that this diamond is completely eye clean and the florescence does not have a milky effect at all. It will be on hold for you for the next 48 hours…”

A: I’m actually in the middle of writing a series of site review articles. Below is the paragraph I just wrote yesterday that’s relevant for you regarding blue nile:
People report that they can call Blue Nile and ask them to inspect diamonds listed on their site to get gemologists’ reports about whether or not a specific stone is eye-clean. All that Blue Nile’s gemologists do in such a case is call the specific vendor who owns the diamond in question and ask them for their opinion of the diamond. The flaw in the system is that since each vendor is motivated to sell his diamond over his competition’s, he’s always going to push his own stones. From the vendor’s perspective, the worst that can happen is the customer won’t be happy and he’ll return it – but if the vendor doesn’t push his stone, he knows he won’t stand a chance of closing the sale.

So you need to take their “gemologists report” with a huge grain of salt.

I think these would be better value for you:
http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/H-SI2-Ideal-Cut-Round-Diamond-1351102.asp – the inclusion is all on the side. Can be covered / obscured by the prong of the setting.

http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/H-SI2-Ideal-Cut-Round-Diamond-1315926.asp – almost certainly eye clean

Btw, you would never be able to see the difference between G and H colors with your naked eye once the stone is set in a ring.

Let me know what you think!

Q: Thanks for the help Ira! I wanted to go back to my local jeweler and look at some H color diamonds next to a G, but haven’t had a chance yet. I’ve also been doing research on indented naturals since one of the ones you recommended has those. With both of these, do you think the inclusions would affect the brilliance at all?

Thanks again, and sorry it took me so long to get back to you. I’ll be faster next time.

…….

Sorry, I thought of a couple more questions…

1. Between the two, which would you recommend? I’m planning to buy a simple platinum four-prong setting.

2. On to the setting…how wide of a band should I get? I’m really clueless when it comes to this. Do women generally have a preference whether it’s 2mm or 3mm? Does the size of the diamond or my girlfriend’s hand size dictate the size of the band?

Thanks once more

A: I like this stone the best out of those two:
http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/H-SI2-Ideal-Cut-Round-Diamond-1315926.asp?a_aid=dmnd1357

As for the width of the setting, I think you might be best off speaking to customer service at JA about this one. IN all honesty, my professional experience is limited to the loose diamond trade. I’m a complete ignoramus when it comes to jewelry!

Q: Thanks, I wasn’t able to find a lot of info about the natural indention. If I decide to go for a 1 ct, that’s the one I’m going to get. I went back to a store today, and am now thinking I might want to go a little bigger, maybe up to as much as 1.2 ct and extend my budget to $6k-$6.3k. Any suggestions? Sorry for bothering you so much, and thanks again.

A: You’re not a bother at all! here’s what I like for you:
http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/H-SI2-Ideal-Cut-Round-Diamond-1334618.asp

Q: I just bought one of the diamonds you suggested! I didn’t go through you, and I’m sorry, but I gave them your full name and everything.
They couldn’t find your promo code, but here’s the diamond if you want to contact them and sort it out.

http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/H-SI2-Ideal-Cut-Round-Diamond-1315926.asp

Thanks!

A: Thanks!

Ideal Cut (I realize GIA doesn’t rate this for princess cuts)
D-F Colour
VVS1-VS2
65-70% Table
65-73% Depth
Excellent-Very Good Symmetry/Polish
Budget $6000-$8000

I have been reading the information on your site and have taken your advice on searching for diamonds on the James Allen website. I think I have found one I like but would appreciate your opinion on this specific diamond and any others you might recommend. I know you have said before that the images are already magnified without the use of the loupe but I do see a black spot on this particular diamond and just wonder if by chance you might be able to see it with the naked eye?
http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/E-VS1-Ideal-Cut-Princess-Diamond-1353414.asp

Thanks very much for your help.

A: That’s a beautiful stone indeed that you linked to! I couldn’t see anything – and I wouldn’t expect to since it’s a VS1. So I’m fairly certain that whatever your seeing is a dark spot due to an artifact of the photography caused by the faceting.

I think your specs are all great except for one thing – you can be a bit more flexible on clarity – as long as the diamond is confirmed to be clean to the naked eye. Clarity doesn’t affect brilliance. So an SI1 and flawless stone will look identical to one another (if the SI1 is eye clean) and all else is equal.

So having said that, here’s what I Like for you and your budget:
http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/E-SI1-Ideal-Cut-Princess-Diamond-1352631.asp
http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/E-VS1-Ideal-Cut-Princess-Diamond-1335400.asp

let me know what you think!

Q: Thanks for such a quick reply Ira! In regards to the 1.22 smaller table diamond you picked out (I actually had my eye on that one too) -It’s a very impressive diamond, however the girdle is quoted as “very thin to thick” and I have read that this can be a problem as “very thin” can result in a weaker diamond and may be damaged in setting or just daily wear?? What are your thoughts on that?

Thanks again for your advice…the diamond world is definitely overwhelming!

A: Very thin is still fine. Just stay away from extremely thin.

Q: Hi Ira. I just wanted to let you know that I just purchased the 1.07 diamond through James Allen. All the specs looked great and I just felt like it was the right one. Thanks for your advice. With a big purchase like this, it’s nice to get a second opinion.

Thanks again

A: Sounds great! Please stay in touch and let me know what you think when it arrives!

Click on image for enlarged view

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

Shape: Round

Cut: Excellent

Carats: 1.02

Diamond Color: H

Diamond Clarity: SI2

Measurements: 6.45*6.48*4.00

Depth: 61.9%

Table: 59%

Diamond Polish: Excellent

Diamond Symmetry:  Excellent

Diamond Fluorescence: Faint

Diamond Price:$6,020

Click here to be Brought to the Diamond on James Allen

I have a budget of between 5-7K for the stone, and really want to get the best diamond for my money. Leaning towards buying a round diamond in the J color range between 1.25 – 1.5 Ct size. I’ve looking throught a few online vendors.. blue nile / james allen and found 2 i think are winners.

Here’s the 2 I was looking at, but wouuld appreciate any others you think would fit the mold.

This one I almost purchased yesterday, but had it put on hold while evaulating others.

http://www.bluenile.com/round-diamond-1-carat-ideal-cut-j-color-vs2-clarity_LD01904608

This one I found today on James Allen.

http://www.jamesallen.com/loose-diamonds-search/diamonds/J-VS1-Ideal-Cut-Round-Diamond-1341336.asp

thanks ahead of time for you feedback.

A: Thanks for writing and thanks for the kind words about the site!

The JA stone you linked to looks great. I can’t really comment on the BN stone, though, because I can’t see what the VS2 looks like. I was thinking, though, that you’d get more for your money with a stone like this:
http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/J-SI1-Ideal-Cut-Round-Diamond-1343076.asp

It looks to be completely clean to the naked eye in the picture – so there’s no downside to going with an SI1 instead of VS1. The cut is excellent and it’ll save you $740 without giving up anything noticeable.

Let me know what you thinK!

Q: thanks for the response. I really like the one you picked out, just illustrates how important it is to be able to inspect the actual piece before purchasing.

I’m still in the process of looking, but leaning towards the stone you selected, might go slightly bigger if I can find something of the same quality around the 7K mark. Let me know if you have any suggestions.

A: If you wanted to upgrade color, you could go witih this one:
http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/I-SI1-Ideal-Cut-Round-Diamond-1335851.asp

but honestly, I don’t think it’s worth it.

Q: I slept on that first recommendation and went to purchase it today, but it sold yesterday.

http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/J-VS2-Ideal-Cut-Round-Diamond-1348477.asp

This was the next best I thought in the price range, but @ 11oclock in the internal looks like a big black spot. What do you think? Any other suggestions you can make on what’s avialable?

A: That’s a great stone, and that inclusion won’t be visible to the naked eye. It’s too faint.
This might also be a nice option:
http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/J-SI1-Ideal-Cut-Round-Diamond-1357370.asp

Q: I like that one as well. between the 2, which do you think is the better value? Also what are those squigly looking lines @10oclock?

A: THe SI is the better value. The squiglys are twinning wisps. They won’t be visible to your naked eye.

Q: thanks again. I truly appreciate the help. I think I’m going to bite the bullet and buy it. Your the man, I’ll be sure to leave a nice comment on your site. Now its time to figure out how I’m going to pop the question!

A: Sounds great! And please let me know what you think when it arrives!

I am looking for the ’best’ round brilliant or princess diamond in a 5-6K range, not paticular about clarity or colour (maybe, no less than VS2, I) but I’d like at least 1 carat.

I already have a wedding band so I’d like a raised, yellow gold setting to make sure they go togther.

Could I get your opinion on side gemstones. JA has beautiful rings with a round center diamond and square side rubies. I like this idea because it’s something different from the common solitaire, but I wonder if the side stones detract from the center one. What do you think?

A: Thanks for writing! If you like the color red, then ruby side stones are a great idea! I don’t think they’ll take away from the center stone at all. here’s what i like for your budget (since you’re setting it in yellow gold, I’m going to stick to the lower colors):
http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/K-SI1-Ideal-Cut-Round-Diamond-1320047.asp
http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/J-SI1-Ideal-Cut-Round-Diamond-1346316.asp

http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/K-VS2-Ideal-Cut-Princess-Diamond-1331708.asp
http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/I-VS1-Ideal-Cut-Princess-Diamond-1326994.asp

Let me know what you think!

Q: Thanks!

Of course, I do love the size of the 3rd one! If I were to one day change my setting to white gold, do you think the K colour would be visible? If so, I am likely to go with the 4th one.

Do you give advice about settings? I have decided again gemstones but am thinking of this one: http://www.jamesallen.com/engagement-rings/solitaire-rings/ring/item_57-2442_design.asp?module=setting

do you think the thickness of the band will make the diamond less ‘shiny’?

…….

Can you give me your opinion on this diamond:

http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/K-VS2-Ideal-Cut-Round-Diamond-1317163.asp

It has colour K but medium-blue fluorescene (will that compensate?) and I only see one small mark left of center.

A: Yes, if you changed to white gold, the K color stone would definitely have a noticeable warmth to it.

That setting is very nice. I don’t think the thickness of it would make the diamond less brilliant at all.

…….

A beautiful stone!
Let me know what you decide to go with!

Q: Thanks for your patience with me. I am planning to go with this diamond, but am a but anxious about the colour. Even the loupe seems quite yellow. Do you think the medium fluorescence will put it in the I-J range?

http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/K-VS2-Ideal-Cut-Round-Diamond-1317163.asp

A: The stone looks yellow in the picture because of photograph issues. Even the background behind the diamond looks tinted yellow.

In that ring you chose, that diamond will be a great choice!

Q: Thank you! I am going to go for it!

…….

Do you think this stone:
http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/K-VS2-Ideal-Cut-Princess-Diamond-1331708.asp

is worth the extra money over:
http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/K-VS2-Ideal-Cut-Round-Diamond-1317163.asp

(ie. is the extra $400 worth the extra 0.25 carat)?

A: Those are both great stones. The only issue when deciding between them should be which shape do you like better. ie, the princess is only worth the extra money if you want a princess cut!

Q: Don’t know if you recall my diamond search that I had queried you about a couple weeks ago.

Just wanted to let you know that I finally made the purchase today for the http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/K-VS2-Ideal-Cut-Round-Diamond-1317163.asp
and I did use the discount code.

I am very excited and can’t wait to see it. Really hoping the k colour will not be an issue, especially with medium blue fluorescence.

A: Great! Congrats! Please stay in touch and let me know what you think when it arrives!

Q: Don’t know if you remember me but I just wanted to let you know that I have finally received my ring and I love it!

Thanks for all your help and for making such a great website.

A: Thanks so much for writing to let me know! That’s very kind of you and I’m very happy for you!

Click diamond for enlarged image.

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

Shape: Cushion

Carats: 1.28

Diamond Color: H

Diamond Clarity: VS2

Measurements: 6.35*5.97*4.10

Depth: 68.7%

Table: 57%

Diamond Polish: Very Good

Diamond Symmetry: Very Good

Diamond Fluorescence: None

Diamond Price:$6,360

Click here to be Brought to the Diamond on James Allen

I’m currently in Bahrain with the Navy and am planning on proposing to my girlfriend a few months after I get home (need to have the ring made). She likes a modern-looking ring and is particularly enamored with a platinum half-bezel solitaire setting (I don’t have the link to the site; will get it to you later).

I’ve heard stories of guys who have had diamonds they bought here appraised for significantly more than they paid for them. However, I only have a few more days here and don’t want to pull the trigger too fast just to have a diamond – I just want a beautiful stone that I’ll be glad I bought and that she will love.

I’d like to keep my budget around $6-8k for the stone and ring; more if I have to. My girlfriend hasn’t set any requirements for size or anything, which is nice, but I’m starting my search around 0.90ct and going up to 1.5ct or so. Based on the setting, a round brilliant makes the most sense to me, though a princess cut would be fine (though I’m nervous about there not being an organization that will classify princess cuts).

I’m torn right now because I did find an absolutely beautiful stone last night – a 0.9ct round brilliant, SI1 D GIA certified stone that was absolutely radiant compared to the other stones I saw. The dealer quoted me $3,600 or so for the stone alone, and I feel like I’m paying a lot for the perfect color (which will be relatively unnoticeable once the stone is set) that I could get back in a little more size for the same money.

Any guidance you could provide would be wonderful – thanks in advance.

A: Thanks for writing! I hope I’m able to help. If that dealer was showing you a 0.90ct round diamond for $3600, then that’s an unbeatable deal. It’s so good, in fact, that it makes me wonder if you’re being cheated. If it’s GIA certified with a dossier (small cert), then the girdle of the diamond should be inscribed with the cert number. You should check that to make sure it’s the same diamond on the cert.

Also make sure the cut is at least VG and it doesn’t have strong blue fluorescence.

Let me know what you discover!

Q: I’ll check the diamond tonight – is the laser engraving relatively easy to see on the girdle with 10x magnification? I looked at your loose diamond pricing tool last night as well and from everything I could see, it looked like I was getting the diamond about $700-1000 below comparable stones, which is hard to believe.

I had been planning on going back to buy it yesterday evening, but became engrossed in the rest of your articles. Assuming that the diamond is the one on the cert, I’m thinking that I’m paying a lot for the D color, which will end up being far less important, and could even get a larger stone for roughly the same money.

Again, I’m not part of the “bigger is always better” crowd, but my girlfriend is tall (6′) and wears a size 7 ring, so I don’t want to get her a diamond that’s going to look underwhelming on her. Thoughts?

Last – some of the stones I looked at seemed to positively explode with fire, and others seemed completely lackluster. Obviously the latter I’m staying away from, but what’s the difference with the others? Is it simply the cut is that much better?

Thanks again!

…….

So I returned to the store tonight and confirmed that indeed it is the diamond in question – the ID number on the stone matched the paperwork. However, I also determined that while the stone exhibits no fluorescence, it’s rated a fair cut, not VG like you recommended.

I just looked up the pricing for a similar stone on your website and included the additional fluorescence, polish (rated excellent) and symmetry (rated good), and only two stones were left in the category, one at $4,219 and one at $4,470. Obviously I’m not exactly comparing apples to apples since you don’t have a “Fair” cut option, but equally obvious is the fact that I’m not looking at as great a deal as I initially thought.

I’m probably talking well past my experience level, but the diamond in question is exceptionally brilliant, more so than any of the other stones I’ve looked at in the last few days. There are two conclusions I can draw from this. One possibility is that most of the other diamonds are pretty inferior stones as a whole, so this one simply shines in comparison (there are very few stores here that carry GIA certified diamonds – most are IGI and I’ve been less than impressed with most of them). The other option is that the cut was rated a little low due to it being borderline in some way, which I find hard to believe.

I only have a day left in town, so any advice you could provide would be greatly appreciated. I also haven’t bargained with the proprietor much, and that’s pretty common here–what would be a truly fair price for the stone as it is right now? Of course, if you believe I’m barking up the entirely wrong tree, point me to the right one.

A: Now everything makes more sense. If it’s a “Fair” cut, then the price you were shown is really nothing special. THe reason is simply that a 0.90 with a fair cut is most likely a stone that is cut too deep, so even though it weighs 0.90cts, it’s going to look like a 0.70ct stone. You’d do much much better with your money just buying an ideal cut 0.70ct stone which will be the same size (in terms of diameter) and be much more brilliant. You should most definitely pass on this stone.

For example:
http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/D-SI1-Ideal-Cut-Round-Diamond-1308045.asp

This stone has an “excellent” cut from GIA, and I’m willing to bet that it’s got larger dimensions than the 0.90ct stone you’ve been shown.

Q: Glad I decided to pass before I got your email! You were pretty adamant on the cut quality being there in your email and articles, so I decided to take your word. I don’t have the dimensions of the stone I was looking at in front of me, but I think you’re right – the “excellent” stone from JA has larger dimensions…

Thanks for steering me the right way; I’ll be sure to touch base with you again when I get back to the States and have a chance to look at some more GIA diamonds in person. I’m continuing to read your articles and get smarter about this process for later on.

Thanks again!

A: My pleasure! Stay safe. And if you stop by israel on your way home, you’ve got a cold beer waiting for you!

Q: I’m back – have finally had a chance to look at what my girlfriend likes and have an idea of where to start at least. The ring she’s interested in is linked below:

http://www.turgeonraine.com/detail.asp?pid=1032

I hadn’t been looking at anything except round diamonds before so I’m trying to get a handle on this area. I’m also finding out the proportions of the CZ that’s in the linked picture; will advise when I have that info. She seemed to be picking things with approximately a 1.5 ratio. Right now I’m thinking 0.95-1.49 carats, VS2-SI2 clarity, F-H color. My budget is still $6-8k for the diamond. Any ideas you could give me would be excellent – I appreciate your help.

A: Looks like you got out of Bahrain just in time! What shape is she looking for? In the past we were discussing rounds, but now you said you’re looking for something with a 1.5 ratio.

Q: Ira, thanks for the quick reply! You’re right; I was just talking to my friends about how lucky we were to get out of Manama when we did…

My apologies on not mentioning the actual cut – she’s liking the look of an oval now. Any ideas? Thanks again!

A: Here are some I like:
http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/E-SI2-Premium-Cut-Oval-Diamond-1353366.asp – have JA inspect this one. If they say it’s eye clean, then this is a real winner. It’s borderline to me based on its picture.
http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/G-VS2-Ideal-Cut-Oval-Diamond-1342819.asp – not quite as elongated, but still very nice.
http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/E-VS1-Premium-Cut-Oval-Diamond-1337284.asp – another beauty

Have a look at those and let me know what you think!

Q: Thanks for getting back to me so quickly as usual. I’ve got an email in to JA to inspect the first diamond for eye cleanliness; I agree, the quality of the picture isn’t as good and I wonder how much it will really “pop” and scintillate based on that picture.

I had seen the second one but wondered a little about the lower color grade (we’re debating 18k white gold or platinum; my girlfriend is leaning more towards the white gold now) and the inclusions on the right side of the picture. The facet pattern seemed a little odd to me on this one as well, somehow; the clouds of reflections on the sides of the diamond seemed a little off-putting, but what do I know?

We both really like the last one you picked; I think that’s a winner. We’ll talk about it some more and I will definitely let you know how it all turns out. Thanks again for all your expertise and help – you’re truly one of a kind.

A: My pleasure! I look forward to hearing from you!