Archive for engagement ring
Q&A: Buying Locally in Los Angeles vs. Buying Online
Posted by: | CommentsQ: Hello Ira, First, thank you for your site. It’s proven quite helpful already.
My question concerns potential vendors. I live in Los Angeles where we have a wholesale jewelry district downtown. An acquaintance, who actually picked out her own engagement ring, swears that I would be a fool to not use one of these local vendors. Is she right? (And if so, would you happen to have anyone here that you recommend?)
I love to buy online but I’m still not entirely convinced that buying a diamond online is the wisest option. Especially with the local options reportedly being so great. Ultimately, of course, I just want the best deal. Perhaps better deals will, in fact, be found online? I intend to go in soon to see for myself and have some basis for comparison, but I’d love to know what to expect. Any insight here would be very welcome. And I thank you in advance.
Best – D
PS – I anticipate going for a round cut, 1.25 or so Carat, and trying to get the cleanest, clearest one I can for *hopefully* under $8k. But that’s just an initial direction. I definitely do not intend to spend more than ten grand, and would be thrilled to find something great that’s closer to five! Anyway, thanks again for your help.
Q: Best diamond for fixed budget. Princess D, E, F VS1 or better $2500 (stone only) She wants a square princess.
Following our previous selection of the best princess cut diamond for $12,000, today we present you with the best princess cut diamond for $11,000.
Here’s the Stats (Or Click Here for a Copy of the GIA Certificate):
Diamond Magnified 20x - Click to Enlarge
Carats: 2.11
Diamond Clarity: SI2
Measurements: 7.10*7.00*5.14
Length/Width Ratio: 1.01
Depth: 73.4%
Table: 70%
Diamond Polish: Very Good
Diamond Symmetry: Very Good
Diamond Price: $11,480
Don’t forget to use our exclusive coupon code TADJ10 with James Allen for 10% off Engagement Ring Settings!
Some of you might be wondering why I selected a stone for my “Daily Diamond” selection today that has a noticeable black inclusion in the table of the diamond. It’s a fair question.
And here’s my answer: I’m 95% sure that this small black inclusion will not be visible to your naked eye. Furthermore, it’s not every day that a nice large princess cut diamond is an SI2, eye clean, and has a killer cut. This stone satisfies all three, so I just couldn’t pass it up.
Now on to the setting. I’ve had a large number of readers recently ask me about this setting, so I’m taking this as a sign that this is a very popular setting these days. Most of those who asked about this setting are, in fact, matching it with a princess cut diamond, so I figured it would make the perfect match to today’s daily diamond selection.
This setting, the 18k White Gold Channel Set Princess Cut Diamond Engagement Ring on James Allen, has 24 pave sized channel set princess cut diamonds weighing a total of 0.60 carats.
The ring costs $1275 in White Gold ($1147.50 after applying the TADJ10 discount) and $1550 in Platinum ($1395 after the TADJ10 discount code).
In White Gold, after the TADJ10 discount, this setting costs $657. In Platinum, it is $1053 after discount.
Click here to be Brought to the Diamond on James Allen
Following yesterday’s selection of the best princess cut diamond for $14,000, today we present you with the best princess cut diamond for $13,000.
Here’s the Stats (Or Click Here for a Copy of the GIA Certificate):
Diamond Magnified 20x - Click to Enlarge
Carats: 2.01
Diamond Clarity: VS2
Measurements: 7.05*7.07*4.97
Length/Width Ratio: 1.00
Depth: 70.5%
Table: 71%
Diamond Polish: Very Good
Diamond Symmetry: Very Good
Diamond Price: $12,860
Don’t forget to use our exclusive coupon code TADJ10 with James Allen for 10% off Engagement Ring Settings!
For today’s ring recommendation, I wanted to go back to a style that’s universally popular nowadays. Additionally, I wanted to find a setting that highlighted the unique beauty of a princess cut.
If I had to guess what is the most popular engagement ring style these days aside from a plain solitaire, I would have to say it’s a simple shank with channel set round or princess cut pave diamonds.
So I figured the perfect ring to showcase today would be James Allen’s 18k White Gold Channel Set Princess Cut Diamond Engagement Ring. This ring has a width that is perfect for most women (2.5mm). It has channel set ideal cut princess cut pave diamonds along the shank which will match very nicely with an ideal cut princess center diamond.
In White Gold, after the TADJ10 discount, this setting costs $1080. In Platinum, it is $1597.50 after discount.
Click here to be Brought to the Diamond on James Allen
Following yesterday’s selection of the best princess cut diamond for $19,000, today we present you with the best princess cut diamond for $17,000. I first looked for a stone for $18,000, but I couldn’t find anything as nice as today’s selection for $17,000. Today’s stone is truly something special. It’s quite evident from the certificate details that this stone was made by a true artisan who took a perfectionists approach to polishing this stone. This stone has several features (perfect square, Ex/Ex, perfect table and depth%) that are rare enough to find by themselves – but this stone has them all together which makes this stone uniquely rare and special.
Here’s the Stats (Or Click Here for a Copy of the GIA Certificate):
Diamond Magnified 20x - Click to Enlarge
Carats: 2.21
Diamond Clarity: VS1
Measurements: 7.20*7.19*5.08
Length/Width Ratio: 1.00
Depth: 70.7%
Table: 69%
Diamond Polish: Excellent
Diamond Symmetry: Excellent
Diamond Price: $16,990
Don’t forget to use our exclusive coupon code TADJ10 with James Allen for 10% off Engagement Ring Settings!
James Allen (as most other online diamond vendors) shows most of their rings by default set with a round diamond. The reason is clear – the majority of consumers want a round diamond, so it just makes sense to show the rings by default with a round diamond. On occasion, though, there are some rings that just look like they were made for a princess cut diamond even though they can easily accomodate a round brilliant cut diamond (or any other shape for that matter).
Today’s suggested ring is one such setting. James Allen’s 18k White Gold Channel Set Princess Cut Diamond Engagement Ring has a small pave size princess cut diamonds channel set right into the shank. These stones provide a beautiful build up to a towering princess cut diamond center stone.
In White Gold, after the TADJ10 discount, this setting costs $1147.50. In Platinum, it is $1395 after discount.
Click here to be Brought to the Diamond on James Allen
Following yesterday’s selection of the best princess cut diamond for $25,000, today we present you with the best princess 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: 2.12
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 Price: $19,640
Don’t forget to use our exclusive coupon code TADJ10 with James Allen for 10% off Engagement Ring Settings!
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 TADJ10 discount, this setting costs $657. In Platinum, it is $1053 after discount.
Click here to be Brought to the Diamond on James Allen
Q&A: Searching for the Best Cushion Cut Diamond for $3000
Posted by: | CommentsQ: Greetings Ira, First, I must write that your site is a must-read for any diamond shopper! Having this wealth of information and your expertise all in one place is such a help – wish I had come across your site before I was already a month into my diamond search! I am looking for a cushion-cut stone, eye-clean, and had narrowed down my list between stones on James Allen and Blue Nile before I came across your site. I have a $3,000 budget for the stone. Below are links to a few of the stones on my short list:
http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/G-VS2-Ideal-Cut-Cushion-Diamond-1276428.asp?a_aid=dmnd1357
http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/G-VVS2-Ideal-Cut-Cushion-Diamond-1278969.asp?a_aid=dmnd1357
http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/G-VS2-Ideal-Cut-Cushion-Diamond-1290917.asp?a_aid=dmnd1357
http://www.bluenile.com/diamond-search#diamonds_pid=LD01695503
http://www.bluenile.com/diamond-search#diamonds_pid=LD01731890
http://www.bluenile.com/diamond-search#diamonds_pid=LD01727659
My bride-to-be has mentioned to friends that she prefers a square-shape, so I’ve been limiting my search to stones with ratios of 1.00 – 1.05. Also, I was able to find out through a friend that she loves this setting from James Allen:
For her, fire and brilliance are more important than stone size, although I would like to find her a 3/4 stone or greater. Am I on the right track with the stones already on my list, or do you see a stone or two out there that might be a better fit for what I’m looking for? Thanks for all your help! We gentlemen certainly have a tall order when it comes to finding that one stone she’ll love – your site eliminates much of the confusion that comes with the search. Kudos to you!
