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!

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!

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’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!

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

Click on image for magnified view

Shape: Round

Cut: Excellent

Carats: 1.26

Diamond Color: I

Diamond Clarity: SI2

Measurements: 6.93*6.88*4.27

Depth: 61.9%

Table: 59%

Diamond Polish: Ecellent

Diamond Symmetry: Very Good

Diamond Fluorescence: None

Diamond Price:$7,170

Click here to be Brought to the Diamond on James Allen

I have picked out the setting and like one of the previous readers the diamond will be set in a tension setting similar to this one on James Allen in white gold. http://www.jamesallen.com/engagement-rings/contemporary-rings/ring/item_500-7607.asp

I also had the same concerns that the ring allows more visibility of the diamond, allowing any inclusions and the color of the diamond to be seen more easily. Wondering if it is more important to focus slightly more on clarity and color with this setting?

I really want the diamond to look amazing.

Budget: $5,500 – $7,000

Carat: 1 – 1.20 – can’t be larger than 1.25 to fit in the ring.

Color: I or better if it will make a noticeable difference.

Cut: Ideal

Clarity: Eye clean

These are what I have been looking at. Following your advice I have been trying to find the biggest diamond I can afford that I think is eye-clean. Please let me know what you think and if you have any other suggestions. I am willing to move down in the size of the stone if necessary. I don’t even know if these choices would look noticeably larger that a smaller 1 carat diamond?

http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/H-SI1-Ideal-Cut-Round-Diamond-1308159.asp

http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/I-VS2-Ideal-Cut-Round-Diamond-1331886.asp

http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/H-SI1-Ideal-Cut-Round-Diamond-1349775.asp

http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/I-VS2-Ideal-Cut-Round-Diamond-1344911.asp

http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/I-SI2-Ideal-Cut-Round-Diamond-1345559.asp

http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/I-VS2-Ideal-Cut-Round-Diamond-1349534.asp

http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/I-VS2-Ideal-Cut-Round-Diamond-1188137.asp

http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/G-SI2-Ideal-Cut-Round-Diamond-1344594.asp

http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/I-VS1-Ideal-Cut-Round-Diamond-1334222.asp

Thanks for looking at these and I’m also very open to any suggestions you have.A: Thanks for writing, and thanks for the kind words about the site!

I took a look at all of your selections, and it’s clear that you definitely learned a lot. Almost all of them look to me to be fantastic cuts and if not all eye clean, then some at worst are borderline. If I had to choose one, and it’s almost a toss up, I like this one:

http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/I-VS2-Ideal-Cut-Round-Diamond-1331886.asp

In my mind, it was simply the best value. It will for sure be eye clean, so you won’t need to worry about inclusions being visible from the side. It’s a great price among the bunch. And the cut is fantastic. You won’t get any noticeable increase in size by going with one of the 1.20s. So this is a great sweet spot for value.

Let me know what you decide to go with in the end!

Q: Ira, Thanks for your help and time. I purchased the diamond this morning, it was probably my favorite out of all the ones I sent. It seemed like a great price and a very good looking diamond. I was just wanted your expert opinion in case I was over looking something. Thank you again. You and your site definitely made this easier and saved me money.

I ordered from your email link so I hope that is all that is necessary for James Allen to recognize your help. If I need to call or do something further please let me know.

A: Great! Congrats! No need to worry about the tracking. Looks like it worked OK. Please stay in touch and let me know what you think when it arrives!

Ira

I am looking for a round brilliant around 1.25ct to 1.50ct. My budget is $6,000 to $7,000 for the center diamond.

I think your advice regarding clarity, color, etc. makes a great deal of sense. I am looking for the best value given my parameters.

I am planning to set it in cushion shaped halo, if that matters.

Thank you so very much for your help with this. It truly is an amazing gift you give people.

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

Do you have a link to the ring you want to purchase? I need to know a bit more about the setting before I go looking for a stone.

Also, you say you want a round stone, but you then mentioned a cushion shaped halo. Could you please elaborate on what you mean by this?

Q: Thanks for the quick response.

There should be a picture of the setting below.

To clarify, it is a cushion shaped halo, which the manufacturer says can hold a round diamond. My girlfriend and I like the halo setting and round stone, but we both like how a cushion shaped halo looks with the round stone. Rather than round stone, round halo. Does this make sense? Do you think this is a bad idea?

Thanks again for your help. You site and service are almost to good to be true.

I am a former attorney who now works with low income public schools, so I am a huge fan of using private knowledge base for public good.

A: That makes more sense now. Could you please do me a favor and find out from the guy making your ring what color the pave stones are?

Q: Sure thing. Thanks

…….

This is from the jeweler:

The color and clarity of the diamonds are G-I color and VS2-SI1 clarity.

Depending on the color of the center diamond we can have them change to what

we need. (I believe the highest color would be E-F and the lowest is I-J.)

A: This is great news! Now we can use an I color and get you the best possible value and not worry about it not matching the ring.

So here’s what I like for you:

http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/I-SI2-Ideal-Cut-Round-Diamond-1259391.asp

http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/I-SI2-Ideal-Cut-Round-Diamond-1320132.asp

http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/I-SI1-Ideal-Cut-Round-Diamond-1319124.asp

Have a look and let me know what you think!

Q: Thanks so much. This is amazingly helpful.

To be honest, as I look at them I am really not sure I know enough to be able to distinguish. To my naive eye:

-the SI1 appears a bit brighter and like it has more facets

-the 1.32 ct SI2 appears brighter than the 1.36ct

-the 1.36 ct SI2 carrot seems like it reflects darker colors in the facets.

Caveats:

-I have no clue if the different appearance is caused by the diamond or the camera.

-I have no clue of any of this would be visible to the naked eye.

At this point my thinking is as follows:

1) I am well within my budget, so if there is any naked-eye quality increase with the SI1, then I am inclined to get it.

2) If there is no naked-eye noticeable difference the three, then I would choose the largest and cheapest, the 1.36ct SI2.

What do you think? Any thoughts about which you would choose if it were you?

Thank you once again.

A: The differences you see are definitely due to the camera and not the diamonds. The pictures are really only good for two things: 1) Getting a feel for the cut (but that’s really something only I could tell because of my experience, and 2) getting a feel for the clarity (ie, is it a nice SI1 or SI2 or not).

Brightness, or color can’t really be perceived in these photos.

I think you’re right. The 1.36 seems the best value. Let me know how it goes!

Q: Gotcha. That makes sense.

And, just to check, the SI2 should be eye-clean?

A: yup

Q: Great. Thanks!

…….

Proposed today! (She said yes.) Thank you so much for your help.

She loves the ring. Says it is more beautiful than she could have ever expected.

Also, I am going to come in under budget. And, she said she is really proud I budgeted for the ring and came in under it.

I can’t thank you enough for all your help. It has been a true blessing.

A: Such wonderful news! I really appreciate you taking your time to let me know the great news!

Thanks again! And may you and your fiance share a long life together filled with health, happiness, and love!

I want to buy a princess diamond and my parameters are: square, at least 1.2-1.3 carats (but larger would be great), as good a cut as possible (have been looking mostly at Ideals/Very Good), VS2 or better for clarity, and a color (G or H?) that will look colorless to the untrained eye, but in a platinum setting (thinking about the 2.5mm comfort fit solitaire ring).

Ideally, I’d like to spend less than $7,000-$7,500 on the stone itself (or even less if possible), but can probably be flexible and of course would like to buy something nice. Please let me know if you see anything good.

So far I have liked these diamonds:

(1) 1.23 ct. G http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/G-VS1-Ideal-Cut-Princess-Diamond-1278650.asp

(2) 1.52 ct. H http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/H-VS2-Premium-Cut-Princess-Diamond-1314101.asp (though am worried about color and cloud in the middle)

Thank you for your time!

A: Thanks for writing! I think this might be your best bet:
http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/H-VS1-Ideal-Cut-Princess-Diamond-1260647.asp

THe cut is fantastic. H color will look totally white to your eye and it’s 100% eye clean. And best of all, because of the superior cut, it looks just about as big as the 1.52ct stone you linked to. Check out their respective dimensions.

Q: That does look pretty good, thanks! Do I need to be worried about the extra facet mentioned on the GIA certificate, the surface graining (also on certificate), and the girdle (is thin-to-thick & faceted a problem)? I hadn’t looked at this one as closely before because I was worried that a 1.04 ratio wouldn’t look square enough, but perhaps that is not a problem.

If I decide to spend more, what do you think of this? http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/H-VS2-Premium-Cut-Princess-Diamond-1346397.asp (or is the downgrade in cut very significant?)

A: An extra facet is definitely nothing to worry about. Thin to thick is perfectly fine as well. As far as squareness goes, GIA defines anything 1.05 L/W and down as square, so I think you can rely on that.

That stone you linked to is OK, but it’s an awfully large jump in price, so I’m just not sure it’s worth it.

Q: Here’s what JA had to say below when I asked them to compare my original 1.23 ct. to the 1.24 that you recommended.

Both diamonds are eye-clean. The first one, 1278650 is nearly square. It has 4 chevrons, so 48 facets. Ideal table and depth. The second, 1260647 is has a length to width of 1.05, so not perfectly square like the first, but close. It has 3 chevrons, so 36 facets, plus one extra, or 37. Assume the extra one was required due to the shape of the rough that the diamond was cut from. I would not think this is an issue. The grading report identified surface graining. This could be noticable in a one carat, princess cut diamond especially if it is on the table. Just like wood has grain, so does a diamond. If seen, this is not desirable.
Site unseen, I would lean toward the first diamond. The squareness, the 4 chevrons versus 3, plus the surface graining issue in #2. The number of facets (chevrons in the case of a princess), influence the performance of the stone. A princess usually has 2, 3, 4, or even 5 chevrons. Some people like the bolder look of less chevrons. It is a matter of taste. Based on my own preference, I prefer the 4 chevron appearance as I think it is more traditional for a princess.

Unfortunately it doesn’t seem like they actually took a look at them. I’m leaning towards the 1.23 because of the risk with the surface grain issue and don’t mind spending an extra $800 to not worry about it (and I guess I am getting a slightly better color and a squarer stone, though it probably doesn’t matter much). Hopefully the 1.23 does not look too small (she has a 8-8.5 finger size) and I hope the cut is good (parts of the picture look a little dark).

Will likely decide and place an order tomorrow – thanks for your help so far, I really appreciate it.

A: I agree. Go with the one they suggested. The cut on that stone is fantastic – you have nothing to worry about.

I just noticed it’s not available – was that you who purchased it?

Q: I did purchase that one before New Year’s, but unfortunately they came back to tell me that it was chipped and they were not able to sell it to me. So I ended up ordering this one:

http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/H-VS1-Ideal-Cut-Princess-Diamond-1346533.asp

at their recommendation. It was a little bit cheaper than this one:

http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/H-VS1-Ideal-Cut-Princess-Diamond-1260647.asp

and hopefully will be good.

I’m looking to spend about $7,000 total for a ring and diamond. The ring will be a classic style Tiffany style solitaire in white gold with four corner prongs.

The real challenge for me has been the diamond. I am looking for a princess cut around 1.3-1.5 carats. I prefer VS2 and H color or better but not set on it if it’s a great stone. I really just want a diamond that is clean, bright and durable.

Can you point me to some solid options?

Thank you for any help you can provide.

A: I’m very happy to help. Here’s what I like:

http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/H-VVS2-Ideal-Cut-Princess-Diamond-1324388.asp

Eye clean. Perfect cut.

Q: Thank you for the great recommendation! I went ahead and purchased it and expect it to arrive in the next few days.

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

Q: Unfortunately, James Allen called me and told me that the beautiful diamond you recommended was damaged during setting.

They recommended an alternative stone but it was not really in the range of carats I was looking for: http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/H-VS1-Ideal-Cut-Princess-Diamond-1260647.asp

Would you be willing to take a look and see if there is anything else out there that you would recommend?

A: You should definitely go for that stone they recommended. It’s actually larger than the original 1.30 in terms of LxW. It’s a better cut overall as well. Smaller table, lower depth. Consider this whole episode a blessing!

Q: Please know that I honestly appreciate your feedback. It was a wonderful stone. However, the carat size was one of those things that I was wrestling with…while I was considering it, the stone was taken.

I am optimistic that another option will be found and I will inform jamesallen.

A: I applaud your optimism! Let me know what happens!

Q: After more searching I am now considering extending my budget by $500 to $7500 for setting and diamond. What do you think about this one for that price range?

http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/I-VS2-Ideal-Cut-Princess-Diamond-1350543.asp

It seems like a monster for a size 4 solitaire ring but it just seemed like a great deal since I was looking for 1.3 (or greater) to begin with.

Am I missing something? Would that pinpoint inclusion show up?

My other option is to go back to the 1.24 that James Allen recommended (to replace the one that you first recommended – it was chipped during setting). http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/H-VS1-Ideal-Cut-Princess-Diamond-1260647.asp

Of course, the latter one is quite a bit cheaper with a nice physical size as you mentioned before.

A: I agree – that’s a great find!

- ’Excellent’ Cut

- ’I’ Color or Better

- ’SI1’ Clarity or Better

- Not much more than $7000

- As big as possible

I’m not exactly clear on Fluorescence. If I’m getting an ’I’ Color Diamond, would it be preferable to get one with ’Medium Blue’ Fluorescence over one with ’Faint’ Fluorescence? Similarly, would it be preferable to get one with ’Faint’ Fluorescence over one with No Fluorescence?

A: Thanks for writing! As regards your question about fluorescence – Faint has no consequence whatsoever on the look of the stone and medium blue might ever so slightly whiten the color, but it’s not a guarantee and even if it happens the affect is really and truly minimal. I’ll put it like this – if you happen to find a stone that looks great and happens to have medium blue fluorescence also, consider yourself lucky. But to start rejecting nice alternatives because they don’t have fluorescence would be crazy.

I took a look for you and here’s what I came up with:

http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/I-SI1-Ideal-Cut-Round-Diamond-1335872.asp?a_aid=dmnd1357 – this is your largest alternative, but there’s no pic or cert yet. Definitely worth contactign JA and requesting one.

http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/I-SI1-Ideal-Cut-Round-Diamond-1295750.asp?a_aid=dmnd1357 – slightly smaller and slightly cheaper. Eye clean. Triple excellent.

http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/I-SI1-Ideal-Cut-Round-Diamond-1328986.asp?a_aid=dmnd1357 – another great option

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

Q: That second one looks pretty good. Yeah, I’m seeing a difference between certain ‘SI1′ diamonds, so I wanted to make sure to get one that is eye-clean.

Any other similar diamonds that are eye-clean?

Thanks

A: There’s plenty more, but they’re all smaller. I was aiming for the largest within your budget that was still eye clean.

Q: Thanks for your help. I’m looking to buy soon. I’ve been looking at these diamonds. Do these diamonds look ‘eye-clean’ to you? Are there any other diamonds that I should be looking at?

http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/I-SI1-Ideal-Cut-Round-Diamond-1335096.asp?a_aid=dmdn1357

http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/I-VS2-Ideal-Cut-Round-Diamond-1342719.asp?a_aid=dmnd1357

And again, I shouldn’t be concerned when buying an ‘I’ Color diamond right? My girlfriend doesn’t analyze diamonds for a living or anything.

Thanks for all the help.

A: Those are all fantastic choices, but I think I actually like this one the best:

http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/I-VS2-Ideal-Cut-Round-Diamond-1342719.asp?a_aid=dmnd1357

You shouldn’t worry at all about buying an I color stone. It will look completely white to you when you see it.

Q: What don’t you like about the 1.36 carat diamond. Is it because it has a slightly thick Girdle?

And I see on your website in big bold letters that you say not to pay extra for triple excellent diamonds. Is there any other diamonds on the James Allen website that I should be looking at that isn’t triple excellent? I just want to get the best value that I can.

A: The 1.36 wasn’t visually larger than the 1.27, so I saw no reason to spend more for the larger stone. Plus, the cut seemed nicer in the picture on the 1.27.

The thing about this stone is, there isn’t much of a premium here for the fact that it’s triple ex. I took another look, and I think this might be a better value. Just as large, but significantly cheaper:

http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/I-SI1-Ideal-Cut-Round-Diamond-1335177.asp?a_aid=dmnd1357

Q: Last question!

Yeah, that diamond you sent me looks good. I can see the ‘feathers’ a little bit off center in the photo. Do you think I will be able to see those without magnification when I get the diamond? Would this diamond be a little bit better for $300 more?

http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/I-SI1-Ideal-Cut-Round-Diamond-1182113.asp?a_aod=dmnd1357

A: That stone I linked to will be 100% eye clean. As for this stone you linked to, I didn’t recommend it because it offers nothing in return for the extra $300. It’ll most likely look identical to the other stone, so why pay an extra $300 for it?

Q: Thanks for all of your help! I ended up ordering this diamond. Its in my budget and eye-clean and seems plenty big enough. I’ll let you know how it ends up!

Thanks

A: Sounds great! Congrats! Please let me know what you think when it arrives!!