I hugely value cut and I have been looking at Blue Nile and their signature cut. Obviously, I am paying more for the signature brand. So, I used the more stringent table(60.1 to 61.9) and depth%(55 to 57) values for the signature to filter out some ideals on Blue Nile and James Allen. Am on the right track to get the shiniest diamond?

A: Not necessarily. GIA’s cut grade innovations proved that you can’t look at diamond measurements in a vacuum. It’s the combinations of measurements that matter. Send me the links to the stones you’re considering and I”ll be happy to take a look!

Q: Thanks for the quick response. I have beeen spending a lot of time on your website and am learning a lot from the Q & A’s of others and your responses. I am almost certainly going to order the ring from James Allen and want your advice before I do so. I will start short listing stones real soon. The one thing I couldn’t find something on was the Hearts and Arrows cut on James Allen. Is it worth going for the Hearts and Arrows cut vs the ideal cut? I obviously want to get the best cut possible. I hope the H & A doesn’t increase costs by by a 1000!

Also, I placed an order for the ring yest. evening. It’s tacori style 2616rd65 in white gold http://www.tacori.com/Engagement-Rings/2616RD65. She’s a fan of Tacori and I like this ring because of the crescents and intricate work. The diamonds on it as I’m sure you already know are G and VS. So, my solitaire has to be min. G correct? Do you have any comments on the kind of solitaire I should be looking for? I want to go over carat and below 1.15. the max the ring can hold i’ve been told is 1.2. My budget is 8000 Canadian dollars. I obviously don’t want to max out my budget -unless there is something really worth it.

I will propose on March the 19th (date obviously is imp. ) and the Tacori ring will be here by the first week of March for sure. I plan to order the diamand by then so that I have enough time to set and possibly return it and get another one.

Sorry for the ramble.

A: I think you could actually go down to an H center stone and still have a beautiful white looking ring. The question of H&A is a tricky one. There is a small visual benefit, that’s true, but it’s not exactly mind-blowingly noticeable. It’s subtle. And that subtle difference costs a lot of money, so it’s a call you’ll have to make on your own.

Q: It’s been a while. I’ve just been waiting for the Tacori ring and it is going to be in this week. So, I want to get on the diamond right away since the day is very close.

1) Since you said that the H&A cut costs a lot of money, can you by looking at the technical specs on the James Allen site be able to tell which less expensive Excellent cut would just about make the H&A or is close enough? I don’t want to purchase from Blue Nile simply because of the inability to see the diamond (as you said).

2) You said that I could go also go for a H colour diamond and be fine for the ring I’ve chosen. I’m wondering what effect the colour/cut would have on a diamond. For example, would a diamond with Excellent cut and colour G or perhaps E have the same effect as colour H and H & A keeping everything else constant? Or am I way out to lunch?

3) Based on you response, do you have any recommendations for:

Carat: 1.0 to 1.2 (the bigger the better)
Clarity: Eye Clean
Colour: G or H depends on your answer
Cut: depends on your answer
Budget: Canadian Dollars 8500 max.- I don’t want to max it out for sure . Unless there is something great that you recommend.

I think my ideal case would be SI 1 (eye clean), H&A, G colour in the 7K or less range. But maybe I want my cake and eat it too. Pls. be brutally honest with me if my thought process is nuts!

4) I saw a few H&A SI 1 diamonds on James Allen and they had a black spot in the middle. Surely that would be visible to the naked eye right?

http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/G-SI1-Ideal-Cut-Round-Diamond-1336412.asp

http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/E-SI1-Ideal-Cut-Round-Diamond-1255560.asp

Thanks a lot!

A: nice to hear back from you. The two H&A stones you linked to definitely have great cuts, but their strong black inclusions worry me. I think they will indeed by visible to the naked eye.

Since your ring will be so white with such high color diamonds, I think pushing to a G color might actually be a good idea in this case. Lets see what I can come up with!
http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/F-SI2-Ideal-Cut-Round-Diamond-1334506.asp

I think this stone has it all for you. Let me know what you think!

Q: Thanks for the quick response. That’s a beautiful stone. I would prefer to bring the size down a to 1.15/6 max. I’m concerned the setting may be affected since the jewweller told me that 1.2 is the absolute max.

What about my question, “Can you by looking at the technical specs on the James Allen site be able to tell which less expensive Excellent cut would just about make the H&A or is close enough?” Are the specs for the diamond you gave me for close in terms of H&A and excellent cut?

I saw a few neat ones below. They are all H&A. Would I be overpaying for any of these?

http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/D-SI1-Ideal-Cut-Round-Diamond-1236916.asp

http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/D-SI1-Ideal-Cut-Round-Diamond-1195055.asp

http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/G-SI1-Ideal-Cut-Round-Diamond-1354956.asp

Do you have any ‘steals’ in the H&A category Ira? Because I’m sure only you’d find it.

Thanks again.

A: That’s a smart move, because the 1.20ct stone I recommended was particularly large for its weight – it faces up more like a 1.30ct stone.

Sorry I didn’t answer the other question. Unfortunately, I can’t tell for sure re: finding a non H&A that’s close to H&A. I can estimate, but there’s no way to know for sure without seeing the stone up close.

The H&As you linked to look great! This one seems the best to me:
http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/D-SI1-Ideal-Cut-Round-Diamond-1236916.asp

Unfortunately, there aren’t any steals in the H&A category!

Q: Thanks for the reply Ira. I am hoping that you can look at these next few that are in my $8000 range.

http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/G-VS2-Ideal-Cut-Round-Diamond-1354955.asp (not worht the price for a VS2 over the SI 1 that you preferred in the previous e-mail)

http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/G-VS2-Ideal-Cut-Round-Diamond-1344947.asp

http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/G-VS2-Ideal-Cut-Round-Diamond-1317136.asp

Which one is your pick?

Apart from price, which one do you recommend for the style of ring between your pick from above and the your pick for the 7000 range (http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/D-SI1-Ideal-Cut-Round-Diamond-1236916.asp). Would D colour have a big impact as opposed to G?

I honestly am hoping to get something in the 1.05/06/07 range that’s 7000K range. But I don’t see any. Do you?

A: Honestly, you can choose between those three stones by flipping a 3-sided coin. I can pretty much guarantee you that if they were in front of you right now, you would not in any way be able to distinguish them one from the other.

The D SI1 is a much better buy than these. You can definitely see the difference if a D is next to a G. The only thing you gain in the other direction is higher clarity, and that adds nothing to the visual appeal of the stone.

Q: 1) Thanks for the response. I am extremely close to deciding here. I saw the AGS certificate for my shortlisted diamonds and it doesn’t show the inclusions clearly at all. The GIA certs are very clear but the AGS isn’t. Is there a risk with the AGS certification particularly with regards to diamond integrity?? Are the certs much better when viewed in person??

2) Also, my short list has come down to 3 choices and I am hoping that you give me some advice to help me decide. The short list and my comments with respect to each other are as under:

2a) http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/D-SI1-Ideal-Cut-Round-Diamond-1236916.asp
Pros: Colour D. Cons: Size is 1.01 want a 1.05/6/7 ideally.

2b) http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/G-SI1-Ideal-Cut-Round-Diamond-1354956.asp
Pros: Carat is 1.07 Cons: G colour and this huge feather on the left. Would that be visible or affect the integrity of diamond?

2c) http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/G-VS2-Ideal-Cut-Round-Diamond-1344947.asp
Pros: Carat 1.06 Cons: G colour, price is $1000 more.

Ignoring the price, I guess I want you to tell me if the G colour 1.07/6 carat dimond is better or worse compared to the D colour 1.01 carat for my ring style. I feel that the bigger size would mean more surface area causing the diamond to appear to sparkle more. The ring diamonds are VS G. http://www.tacori.com/Engagement-Rings/2616RD65

Thanks a million!
A stressed xxxxxx

A: I still think the D is the better choice. The size difference is only 0.2mm which is just on the border between not noticeable at all, and JUST BARELY noticeable. The difference in color, however, is much more easily noticeable.

Q: So i spoke to a James Allen rep and she said that there is a good enough risk that the diamond inclusion for http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/D-SI1-Ideal-Cut-Round-Diamond-1236916.asp could be seen if held close to the eye. She spoke about how eye clean is about 6 to 8 inches and encouraged to buy a VS2 instead. I am not doubting her integrity but I would like to have your opinion on the matter.

A: I’m surprised she said that. If you’re concerned, ask them to have the stone pulled and inspected face to face by their gemologists to tell you for sure.
…….
Btw, I spoke with a contact at JA about this, and they were very surprised. Do you by any chance remember the name of the person who helped you on the phone who gave you this advice?

Q: I beleive her name was Angelia or Angelina. She said she’s been in the diamond business since 1990. I called JA again since I thought it could merely be opinion. The second person male ( I forgot his name) didn’t strongly say that I will the D stone inclusion would e visible to the eye, but again spoke about the 6 to 8 inches and said upclose it could be a problem. She also spoke about the diamond getting dirty with oil and dirt which may perhaps make the inclusion more vivisble. It obviously made me very nervous. I want to order the diamond today and am hoping to reach a conclusion soon since I am running short on time.

I’ll call JA and ask them to pull the diamond and have a gemologist look at it face to face.

I can’t tell you how much i appreciate your help Ira. Thanks
…….
I called again and ended up speaking to Josh Cales who is manager there and he said that he was very surprised that I got that information about that D 1.01 diamond. He said that he 100% sure that the diamond in question 1236916 is eye clean and said that he’ll pay in advance for the return shipping because I won’t return it since it’s eye clean. He also bet his next pay chequeover it. He asked me the person’s name I spoke to and was disppointed with what I was told. He said that he will use this example as a training tool today.

I told him that I have been consulting you and that your opinion of the matter and he agreed with you 100%. So, I’ve made the purchase. I am very confident that the diamond will be good. I will look at at it closely when it arrives and hope to see nothing.

Once again, thanks a million Ira. Your website helped immensely clear the air on so very many issues with regards to the diamond and made it possible for me to get to the point of buying one. I wouldn’t be able to do it without you.

I will let you know when I receive the diamond. It’ll probably be here on Monday or Tuesday at the latest since I am using bank wire to save some money.

A very grateful xxxxx

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

Q: I got the diamond after a lot of hassle. It was shipped on the Friday before the last and would’ve been here the next day. But the JA guys put the wrong country code and it was on route to Andorra! After a lot of stress, I got it last Thursday-5 days late.

The only good thing out of all that is the diamond. It is absolutely wonderful. It is eye-clean just as you said. I got engaged on Sat and my fiancee loves it! Your recommendation for the D colour diamond instead of the G was excellent. It made the whole setting stand out. I’m glad I went with it.

Thanks a lot once again Ira. I wouldn’t be able to do this without your input and guidance.

A: Glad to hear it all worked out in the end! And thanks for stroking my ego that my call on the D was right!!

If you have the time, do you think you might be able to leave me a review on ivouch? If you could, I would be extremely grateful. HEre’s a direct link should you find the time:
xxxxxxx

Thanks! And congrats!

Q: Done. it was a pleasure. Thanks again.

[LINK TO IVOUCH REVIEW]

A: It’s fantastic!! Thanks so much!!

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!

http://www.bluenile.com/build-your-own-diamond-ring?offer_id=12959&forceStep=STYLE_STEP

Any comments or concerns you have about the ring would be greatly appreciated. We didn’t know if these stones were significant enough in size that we have to worry about color matching to the center stone. Also was wondering how much we should be worried if the side diamonds are eye clean. I had a diamond previously that did have black inclusions (2 fairly small but visible) and it was always disappointing. Even though otherwise it was a beautiful diamond, those black dots always bothered me.

As for the center stone the most important thing to us is that it’s brilliant, white and sparkly. We are looking for a round cut, eye clean and somewhere between 1-1.35 ct. We don’t want to have to pay for something unneccessary, but would like a big wow factor. We realize that there is a lot left open on options for size, but we’re more concerned with the other factors that fit within these size parameters.

Also, I know you often suggest diamonds from james allen just because you can actually see what you are buying before you buy it. If that is the case would we be able to take the setting purchased from Blue Nile and separate center stone to a local jeweler to be set or do you have another suggestion?

Thanks for your site and all your help! It’s much appreciated.

A: That is a beautiful ring indeed! Lets move forward like this – your best bet in this situation would be to have JA match the setting from BN for you. I’ve helped many people in the past accomplish this and they’ve always left very satisfied.

Btw, these side stones aren’t small at all (as far as sidestones go), so you do need to be concerned about color. If JA can make the ring with G/Hs, then it should be perfectly fine to stay in the H/I range for the center stone.

I’m CCing to this email Mr. Jim Schultz from JA who will hopefully respond to us both positively or negatively re: their ability to match this setting for you. Keep in mind also that when JA matches a ring, it is not simply pressed out of a mold, but is rather hand made and considered to be of higher quality.

Best wishes for a wonderful weekend!

Response from James Allen:
Ira/xxxxx,

Thank you for the email. We can reproduce the setting in the link below for $3,000. Production time is approximately two weeks. As a custom design, however, the ring would be subject to a 15% restocking fee if returned.

I want to quickly also point out that we offer a similar setting that is substantially less expensive and also has a matching wedding band. Our item number is 11009p and a link to the design can be found here:
http://www.jamesallen.com/engagement-rings/settings-with-sidestones/ring/item_58-1935.asp

To give you some sense of how this diamond looks with a 1.00ct center diamond, you can view this photograph from our Recently Sold Collection:
http://www.jamesallen.com/engagement-rings/sold/settings-with-sidestones/1502/Engagement-Rings-Side-Stones.html

The 11009p features slightly smaller side diamonds that the other design, but they are still large enough to make a really “pop” next to the center diamond. By reducing the size of those side diamonds by just a few tenth of a millimeters, you can still get a fantastic look, but free up almost $1,300 that can then be applied towards the center diamond.

Hope this helps!

Q: Thanks for the suggestion of having JA custom match the setting. We looked at the setting Jim suggested from JA and have one concern when compared to the one we had picked out from BN. The setting from BN (to us) looks like the first diamond off the center stone on either side is farther to the side, allowing it to be seen better. It seems to us that the first stone on either side of the center stone on JA setting is 1/2 hidden by the center stone. We had actually seen that one and ruled it out previously because of that. Do you think that is a non issue or valid concern? We have discussed possibly going with the JA setting and if we are not satified with the look of it we could return it and have them custom match the other setting at that point. Do you know, if we went ahead with having them custom make the ring would we be able to pick out the side stones or would they just do that as they do with their settings? Thanks for all of your help with this!

Also, we see the clarity rating of the diamonds in the JA is slightly less… any way we could make sure they would be eyeclean?
…….
After doing a little more talking and window shopping at local jewerly stores this weekend we’ve decided we are going to have James Allen match the setting from BN. We are also looking for a center stone between 1.25-1.5. We did some searching through JA site and picked out a few that we thought might be possibilities but wanted your opinion on which are the best/cleanest and best value. Also, if you have any other suggestions, we’d love to look at them!

http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/H-VS2-Premium-Cut-Round-Diamond-1280700.asp

http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/G-VS1-Ideal-Cut-Round-Diamond-1344860.asp

http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/H-VS2-Premium-Cut-Round-Diamond-1347641.asp

http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/H-VS1-Ideal-Cut-Round-Diamond-1353926.asp

http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/I-VVS2-Ideal-Cut-Round-Diamond-1360339.asp
We haven’t asked Jim yet if the quote he gave for matching the setting was with diamonds in the G/H range or the F that BN had on their site. We’re going to have it made with G/H diamonds though.

Hope you had a great weekend.

A: I think that’s a great choice! I don’t know if the price of the ring will be any cheaper for G/H color side stones, but I’m sure they can definitely accomodate that request!

Can I assume that 12,000 is your max budget? I think the stones you picked, for the most part, are really nice. My only suggestion would be to allow some lower clarity stones in the mix. I can help you find ones that will be clean to the naked eye. For example:

http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/H-SI1-Ideal-Cut-Round-Diamond-1192013.asp

http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/H-SI1-Ideal-Cut-Round-Diamond-1333866.asp

http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/H-VS2-Ideal-Cut-Round-Diamond-1360374.asp

Let me know what you think of those!

Q: Wow! There sure is a lot to get excited about when looking at diamonds. The 3 you sent us were beautiful. Yes, max budget for the diamond is 12,000. Of course if we can get a great looking diamond for less that’s even better. After we sent off that email last night we did find one more that was a lower clarity and wanted to have you look to see if it would be eye clean.

http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/H-SI1-Ideal-Cut-Round-Diamond-1306843.asp

I guess the question now is where do we go from here. Which of the ones we sent you would you stay away from? Any suggestions as to how to make a decision from the choices we have or should we do more searching for a lower clarity diamond? You have been so extremely helpful in this process!

A: All that’s really left to do is make a decision! You can definitely save a lot of money going with a 1.2ct stone like the one you linked to (which is really nice btw). But going up to a 1.50ct stone will definitely be a noticeable jump in size. It’s about 0.5mm which is very easily noticeable.

Maybe pick your favorite 3 and have JA do a side by side comparison for you?

Q: Wanted to let you know we made a decision. We split the difference on the diamond size. We purchased the 1.36 diamond you had offered as a suggestion.

http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/H-VS2-Ideal-Cut-Round-Diamond-1360374.asp

The customs setting has been ordered and will take a couple of weeks for production. Thanks for all your help, we’ll let you know what we think when we receive the ring!

A: Great! I can’t wait to hear your reaction!!

http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/H-VS1-Ideal-Cut-Princess-Diamond-1356790.asp

http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/H-VS1-Ideal-Cut-Princess-Diamond-1346534.asp

I am thinking of putting it in this setting

http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/H-VS1-Ideal-Cut-Princess-Diamond-1346534.asp

Do you think that the 1.2 Carat will be too high in that setting? Any other diamonds that you can find on there?
The smaller diamond is also not available to see and I tried to get a picture e-mailed but it never came through.

The last question I have is about the Ideal cut. Is there a difference between an Ideal at James allen and a signature ideal at Blue Nile??

xxxx

P.S. I am from canada and have read about the person who was going to save the duty and get it shipped to the states and pick it up. Did they ever let you know how that went?

A: Thanks for writing. Could you please send the link for the setting again? The link you sent was to the 2nd diamond again.

As for the Canada issue, people do it all the time. What’s the closest US State to you?

Q: Thanks for the response

Here is the link for the setting. I don’t know if they do it with a princess cut.

http://www.jamesallen.com/engagement-rings/solitaire/engagement-solitaire-rings.html

so here is another one that is on james allen

http://www.jamesallen.com/engagement-rings/solitaire/18k-White-Gold-2-2mm-Wire-Basket-Solitaire.html

If you could comment on the two diamonds that would be great as well. For details on a diamond, if you would like to search as well, are as follows.

Princess cut, VS1/VS2, Ideal cut, G or H. around 5000 and over a carat

When I started looking at the diamonds i sent you in a little bit more detail i noticed that the 1.2 carat haw quite a large table, 76% i think, thoughts about that??

The closest state to me would be new york state. I talked to a girl on the live chat at James Allen and said that they would have to charge 8% tax if i got it sent there. I might also be able to drive to Pennsylvania to get it if I save $1000 it might be worth the drive.

One last thing. They are going to load up the picture for the 1.05 diamond in the next couple of days. The customer service rep said that it is eye clean, but i would still like to see it.

Thanks again, your site has been amazing and has been a great help for me. If you would like i will let James Allen know that i found the site through you so you can get the referral money.

…….

One last thing
It would be only 3 hours to drive to Erie Penn for me. So it would be worth the 1000

A: I was able to see the rings this time. They’re great – i was simply concerned if there were going to be side stones or not in terms of matching their colors.

I actually think that the categorization of the 1.20 you found as an Ideal Cut is a mistake. Usually, a princess with a table of 73 or larger automatically falls into the “premium” category. Ironically, though, the picture on that stone is amazing, and I would have never had guessed that its table was 76%! I took another look anyway, and found a nicer alternative:

http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/H-VS2-Ideal-Cut-Princess-Diamond-1333885.asp

Thanks! Let me know how it all goes!

Q: I am a little bit concerned with the inclusions in the center of the diamond that you sent me.
Would that be considered eye clean??
They have put the picture up for the 1.05 carat diamond.

http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/H-VS1-Ideal-Cut-Princess-Diamond-1356790.asp

The largest difference between the length or width of the diamond is only 0.4 mm. Would you consider paying $1000 more for the .15 carats??

And I feel like the 1.05 is the nicest looking diamond out of the bunch.

Let me know your thoughts
Thanks

A: There’s no way those inclusions would be clean to the naked eye. The diamond in real life is less than 6 millimeters on a side! That’s almost half a centimeter! Imagine just how tiny those spots are in real life.

Q: There is one more diamond that I found. It has pretty much the same dimensions as the 1.21 that you showed to me. It is 1.06 carats. I currently have it on hold until they get the picture. I believe that it is $4400. I think this is the one for me.

http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/H-VS1-Ideal-Cut-Princess-Diamond-1361952.asp

They will have the picture up either today or tomorrow. I will let you know when they do. Thank you so much for your help, I think i will end up saving $3500 on the ring, and getting a better diamond. I went to a store here, and put a deposit on a ring and then canceled it after i read your site and James Allen.

I want to ask you another quick question. The guy at the store almost sold me a princess, H, VS1, eye clean but it had the corners chopped off. I am thinking that it might have A) either been a radiant or B) been damaged in the cutting process or when they mined it so they just cut the corners off. I believe that he called it a princess cut corner cut and was selling it as very rare.

Either way it only cost $100 to get my deposit back and am going to get a better diamond for a much better price.

A: A “princess cut corner” is a princess cut that got chipped, and so they decided to polish off the other corners to make it symmetrical. “rare” indeed!

I think you’re making a very smart decision!

Q: Sorry to bother you again.

I might be thinking of changing my setting. If I go with the setting below would I have to get a G colour, I am planning on getting a princess cut diamond.
Would an H be alright??

http://www.jamesallen.com/engagement-rings/channelset-rings/ring/item_58-3779.asp

Thanks Again.
Could you possibly find a diamond for this ring. Ideal cut. Around 1.05 to 1.15 carats Eye clean.

Thanks so much

A: I do believe than an H would still be perfectly fine for that ring.

Q: Just want to say thanks for all of the help.
I purchased this diamond in this setting. Diamond # 1361952

http://www.jamesallen.com/engagement-rings/channelset-rings/ring/item_58-3779.asp

Thanks again for everything

A: Can’t wait to hear your first-hand report! Please stay in touch!

A: JA and BN are the only two sites that really have some exclusive inventory. All the other sites share a pool of stones that are semi-publicly available on the major diamond wholesale-only trading sites. This is why you keep finding stones only to have them swept out from underneath you.

Have you tried asking JA about the setting you like to see if they can make it for you? I’ve had many readers successfully do this in the past.

Let me know what they say. If they agree, I’d be happy to help you pick out a stone!

Q: Great, I’ll check with JA about the setting. Thanks for your help, it is much appreciated!

A: Sounds good! I look forward to hearing from you!

Q: Hey Ira, I was wondering if you can give your opinion on a couple of stones? JA will do a custom setting. I’m looking for a princess cut with a budget of about 5 k for the stone. After reading your article on Princess cut I prefer not to go lower than a premium cut and color of H and SI1 clarity if it’s eye clean with a GIA cert. Altough I am open to different options if the diamond looks good to the trained eye. I found a few and was wondering what you thought? Also, the side stones in the setting are F-G color and VS1-VS2 clarity. Thanks, Ryan.

http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/G-VS2-Premium-Cut-Princess-Diamond-1326370.asp

http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/E-VS1-Ideal-Cut-Princess-Diamond-1347481.asp

A: Those two are very nice, indeed. The only suggestion I might make is to consider a stone like this:
http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/H-VS1-Premium-Cut-Princess-Diamond-1327016.asp

I myself am partial to smaller tables and this one looks like a beauty.

Q: Great, thank you! I think this might be the one!

A: My pleasure! Let me know how it goes! Please stay in touch and let me know what you think when it arrives!

Q: I forgot to take into account the extra cost for my custom setting.. Do you see any good stones for around $4600? Thanks again.

A: Sure thing!
http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/H-VS2-Premium-Cut-Princess-Diamond-1358906.asp
http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/H-VS2-Premium-Cut-Princess-Diamond-1323645.asp

Let me know what you think!

Q: Thanks, I like them both. I can’t make up my darn mind… I’m still even thinking about the first one you recommeded even though it’s a little over the budget.. One more thing, the setting will be a square halo pave and the diamonds around it average F,G. Will there be a noticable diffence with an H color center stone, especially in the larger sizes? I’m wondering if I should look for a G color? The halo will be similar to thos one. Thanks.

http://www.jamesallen.com/engagement-rings/pave/18k-White-Gold-Pave-Set-Diamond-Engagement-Ring.html

A: An H will still be OK. I wouldn’t suggest going down to an I, but an H will still be fine. Let me know what you decide to go with in the end!

Q: Thank you. One last question, how big of a difference is a 1.1 c compared to a 1.22 c stone? Will it be that noticeable in size difference?

A: The answer is simply that you need to only look at the actual LxW measurements. Some 1.22ct stones will look exactly the same as some 1.1ct stones. It all depends on the cut.

Q: Thank you so much for all of your help Ira. I ended up buying the 1.1 carat diamond that you sent me a few days ago. The LxW were almost the same size as the 1.22 so I figured it will look almost the same and it is around the price I wanted to spend. I can’t thank you enough for helping me out, I really learned a lot from you and your website. I’m so glad this search is over with, I have been stressed out and you really made it easy. I would offer a donation but I read on your site that you don’t accept and you are making money from the cookies. I would like to leave an ivouch review but cannot find your site on there. Do you have a link you can send me?

A: It was my pleasure to help! I’d love to have you write me an ivouch review! Here’s a link for you:
xxxxxxxxxxx

Thanks so much!

[LINK TO IVOUCH REVIEW]

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!

We were looking at 1 ct princess cuts for a 2mm-solitare setting.

Anything under $5500 is ”money in the bank” and I like money in the bank!

Was looking at diamond 1359966 on james allen…

Any reccos from you would be great too! Especially looking for a good cut stone since the princesses lake the cut on the GIA…

 A: Thanks for writing! I think you can do a bit better than that stone you linked to:
http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/I-VVS2-Ideal-Cut-Princess-Diamond-1343921.asp – great value just under 1.00
http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/I-VS1-Ideal-Cut-Princess-Diamond-1327167.asp
http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/I-VS2-Ideal-Cut-Princess-Diamond-1244485.asp

I believe an I color is fine when mounted in a solitaire.

Q: First off, thank you for the quick response. Your service is truly innovative and I applaud you on the business idea. I hope it is enough income to keep you happily working from home in Israel.

Before work this morning I quickly glanced over the stones you selected. The are all beautiful and I definitely think they have a little more elegance to the cut the the stone I sent you. I was up until 330AM last night with a 700 AM wake up call looking at diamonds. It definitely can get addicting and overwhelming. It is great to feel like I have someone “on my side” in the search.

I remember looking closely at the 1.00 stone you picked, the middle one. I remember the price. Although I think my favorite of the bunch is the last one, if for no other reason than it’s slightly bigger.

Although I have no fears of buying such an item online, the soon bride to be is not as big of a fan of the idea as I am. She likes the diea of being able to walk in someplace if we ever have problems or she would like a cleaning. But the savings, as well as the comfort of knowing someone with your history helped pick the stone (not SELL the stone!) overweighs that in my book. $1000 will pay for a lot of cleaning anyways

and if it ever needs plating, James Allen will be there. We’ve been together for 5 years and as soon as we started this “marriage” talk, things are moving fast and she’s looking for results. I need to get put her on a mission to figure out her ring size while I am out of town this week so I can place the order fast and just spring it on her! There’s no way she’d turn one of those stones down!

Well I’m going to see what I can get her to do in the ring size department and I’ll let you know how things go..

Thanks again for your help and I hope you are enjoying the Lysol wipes!

Let me know what you think!

[IRA FORWARDED THE PREVIOUS MESSAGE TO THE QUESTIONER IN 'LYSOL WIPES' Q&A WITH THE FOLLOWING EXPLANATION:]
I thought you’d like this. Look at the last line in his email.

A: My pleasure! Thanks for this very kind email – and I have to say, I’m impressed you read that whole Q&A! It’s really massive!

If you have any further questions, please don’t hesitate to ask!

[THE FOLLOWING MESSAGE WAS A RESPONSE TO IRA FROM THE 'LYSOL WIPES' QUESTIONER]

That’s great… At least you know people are reading it. I also loved the Q&A. BTW, Erica is loving her ring. Everyone comments on how amazing the stone is. I’m very happy with the purchase.

…and by the way, you should tell xxxx that he ABSOLUTELY needs to buy online. It saved me a forture and James Allen wil clean, re-plate and maintain the ring for free. Not to mention that there is just as much (if not more) risk with the store. Who’s to say they won’t move, get sold, merge or go out of business. The chances of James Allen and Blue Nile going out of business are virtually none, since they have much lower overhead.

Having looked at the offerings in-store, the only place I would even consider buying is Costco. Prices are comparable with JA (except for Sales Tax).

Hope all is well with you

[MESSAGE FROM IRA TO 'LYSOL WIPES' QUESTIONER]

Man, I should hire you!

[MESSAGE FROM 'LYSOL WIPES' QUESTIONER TO IRA]
Why don’t you? I’m bored at work… hahaha…

Seriously though, it’s easy to recommend something that’s common sense. A buddy of mine had to buy an engagement ring at Tiffany’s of all places (his fiancee only wanted her ring from there). He spent $25K (+ Tax) on a ring that he could have got from James Allen for $17,500 (and all because of that blue colored box).

I told him to cheat and buy a “cheap” ring at Tiffany’s (for like $200), then get the engagement ring from James Allen and switch the boxes Hahaha…

A: I forwarded your message to xxxx, the guy who sent the lysol wipes because I thought he’d get a kick out of the fact that people are actually reading his Q&A. He wanted me to send you the following message: [QUOTED ABOVE WITH STARTING SENTENCE: "That's great...At least you know people are reading it."]

Q: Great insight from xxxx. Let him know I said thanks… I don’t know if many people read as much as I did on the site but I did read nearly all everything under the top headers, at least those that applied to my purchase. I’m a little crazy detail oriented like that… I don’t just like random stats like, you need an XX carat and XX cut. I like to know the why. I like to know the motivation of the person sending the information to me as well. That is why I really enjoyed the read on your blog post about how you make money and how internet advertising sales work. Very intriguing for me…

I think I’ve decided to just buy online. As I said, I am already comfortable with it, and I am pretty sure she won’t care once she has a ring on her finger after 5 (pushing 6) years together! We went ring shopping together already so it’s no secret it’s going to happen, but I did send her the txt today that she needed to get me her ring size. She replied “6ish”, and I said “that’s not close enough…” She hates surprises and just not knowing the exact date/time/ring will be enough to drive her crazy…

Once I get a ring size, we’ll talk a little more on specific diamonds. I’d hate to pick one out and have it disappear online before I can purchase it!

We’ll check again for diamonds soon, hopefully she got the hint that I was looking now!

A: Sounds like a plan! I look forward to hearing from you!

Q: In case she moves fast to get a ring size, I requested the “Idealscope” image from James Allen for the 1.01 from your list below. I also asked if I could place it on hold until after I get the image and am able to review it… With you of course!

–No need to reply, just giving you a heads up…

…….

In some more conversations, color seems to be very important to her for reasons unknown, regardless of what I tell her. She’s concerned she could tell the difference when comparing rings to others. Sounds shallow to me but hey, who am I to judge when I drive a lifted 4×4 pick-up truck. She has come up with a size of 6.5 at work. I asked her to test some of her other rings at home against one of this size-circle charts to see if that agrees with what she came up with. I’d just hate to have to take the ring away from her to have it resized right after she gets it!

In the G/H Color range, is there a diamond or two that stick out to you… I’ll throw you a couple I was looking at and I am sure you will find one better!

I thought this one looked pretty flawless and fit in your suggested parameters… 1.08 H VS2

http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/H-VS2-Ideal-Cut-Princess-Diamond-1360134.asp

…….

I put it on as well while talking to a James Allen associate since you won’t be able to see it, price is $4240…

…….

Sorry to flood you with emails, hopefully I hear from you after you soon after you wake up, obviously I am getting a little excited!

The only eye-flaw I saw in the diamond I sent you was in the lower left corner and I think that would be at least disguised a bit by the setting, and the $700 over the I-Colors we were looking at is safe so I can tell her I “went with the better color” to appease her probably unfounded worries…

As I said though, let me know your opinion and you opinion comparing the 1.08 H VS2 to the 1.01 I VS2 you sent at the start of our exchanges (should still show below). And as I said, let me know what you see in that 1-carat G/H color range out their with my $5k budget in mind.

You are a real help and glad I stumbled across you site. It’s amazing how much time I can spend looking at pure internet junk before finding something valuable like truthaboutdiamonds.com.

A: That H VS2 you linked to is a great option. I think you’re better off going with this – it’s for her after all, so why screw around? Get what you know she’ll like. Listen, in the end, there’s no real value to diamonds themselves. We only buy them for the psychological reaction it creates for the women. So not buying what she says she wants kind of defeats the purpose.

The inclusions in the corner would be completely invisible to your eye whether you cover them or not, so don’t worry about that. And don’t bother with an Idealscope. I don’t think it adds anything – especially with princess cuts.

Q: Great help and advice. She will be off to get her ring size checked at a Jewelry Store after work today to make sure what she came up with is correct, and I will most likely place the order as soon as we get off the phone and have the coveted ring size in hand.

I’m more proud more than anything that the H VS2 is a diamond that I picked out after “learning the ropes” so to speak from yourself. I told you earlier I don’t just like blank recommendations, I like to understand the reasoning. I’m detailed oriented and want to know each characteristic and its real effect myself. A step beyond that, I really like to being able to take that knowledge of diamonds (knowledge you almost single-handedly helped me gain by the way), and take the examples you gave me as a learning tool, and go out and find a stone myself. That will make it that more special to us both. I get the sense of accomplishment and knowledge, and she gets the ring she’s dreamed of.

I’ll be sure to use the coupon code and will let you know how things work out in the end.

A: Sounds great! I look forward to hearing good things from you!

Q: Still awaiting ring size for another day… Work didn’t let her out in time to get sized.

I did a search to see if anything new turned up and found this diamond…

http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/H-VS1-Ideal-Cut-Princess-Diamond-1359966.asp

The other diamond I picked was this one…

http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/H-VS2-Ideal-Cut-Princess-Diamond-1360134.asp

Price difference is +300 for the VS1. Does one have more ideal proportions (table/depth) in your mind than the other? If so are we splitting hairs? To me it appears slightly more ‘brilliant’ but I believe its a camera focus issue…

I’ve asked James Allen the same question..

A: I don’t think there’s any reason to switch. They’d probably look identical to you if you had them in front of you right now.

Q: Order placed on 136014.

Thanks again so much for your help! You really do provide a value-added service. While making a decision where advice you can trust is difficult but twice as hard to find, you definitely filled the niche, at least for me. I don’t know if I ever have the opportunity to recommend you site or your advice, but if I do it will be quick and convincing.

I wish you and your family the best and I will pray for a peaceful resolve in the middle east for Israel with all of you in mind.

I will be sure to update you when the ring arrives and the imminent “Yes!” I have no doubts as to the quality. One of the uneasiest parts of ordering online (and I order EVERYTHING online) is waiting to see if your first purchase from a new source is as described and performed professionally. Due to your site reviews, countless Q & A’s on your website, and your diamond knowledge has completely mitigated that feeling.

I truly applaud you for the business as much as I do the help. You probably don’t hear this as much as you do thank you’s for the guidance but I appreciate the ingenuity. It’s times like these I wonder, how would I explain this transaction to anyone, even myself, 20 yrs ago?

Any way, I am rambling as I have tendency to do. I appreciate your help, and will stay in touch when the ring arrives next Thursday…

…….

FYI: Big diamond image link from JA…

http://www.jamesallen.com/DiamPics/ads-9824pic.JPG

A: Looks great! Thanks so much for all your kind words! Your prayers are always needed, so please continue!

Q: We have not communicated since you helped me with my diamond order. I do not consider ourselves friends or acquaintances but I felt the need to write this letter anyways. After the President of the United States made his speech today, I was embarrassed and felt the need to reach out to you with my support for yourself and your country. I am sure you may receive many notes to this affect, but I needed to stand somehow, and you are my only contact I have ever had directly with anyone in Israel. Although the President of the United States may not stand for a free defensible Israel, many people in the United States do, and I am one of them. I stand with Israel. And I believe so does the majority of this Christian nation, at least they would if they were knowledgeable of the issues.

As I said before, I am sure these are tough times in your part of the world and I pray for you and the people of Israel. I am sure there is nothing I can do myself but stand for what I believe in and voice my beliefs. I do so for those like yourself in Israel. Good will prevail, God will prevail.

God Bless

A: Your email is very kind and welcome. I haven’t received any notes to this effect, as a matter of fact. This speaks very strongly of your character as an individual. I only wish there were more people like you. Your support is very welcome and needed.

Please do what you can to get Obama out of office!

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

Click on image for enlarged view.

Shape: Round

Cut: Excellent

Carats: 0.63

Diamond Color: J

Diamond Clarity: VS2

Measurements:  5.48*5.51*3.41

Depth: 62.1%

Table: 56%

Diamond Polish: Excellent

Diamond Symmetry:  Excellent

Diamond Fluorescence: None

Diamond Price:$1,730

Click here to be Brought to the Diamond on James Allen

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!