Q&A: Choosing a Center Diamond for a Solitaire or Halo Setting Within a £3500 – £4500 Budget

Hi,

Firstly, thank you for all of the great information on your site. I’m currently working my way through the online wormhole of information on diamonds, looking for the perfect diamond and ring to propose.

I’m looking to keep purchase price between £3500 and £4500, and have mainly been looking on BlueNile and James Allen to date. I would prefer to buy from BlueNile to avoid import tax in the UK.

I initially wanted to go around 1.2 Carats, however price wise I am finding better value at 0.9 and 0.96. The stones that are standing out the most to me are within VVS1 and 2, however, a lot of opinions I’ve read suggest you can get VS1 and even SI1 that look just as great to the naked eye, and just wanted to get an opinion on whether I am looking at the right stones.

Below are some I’ve picked out, I can see visible inclusions on those which are in the SI area, but wanted to gauge whether or not these would actually be visible to the naked eye or whether you had any better suggestions?

https://www.jamesallen.com/loose-diamonds/round-cut/0.96-carat-h-color-si1-clarity-excellent-cut-sku-4288855?a_aid=dmnd1357

https://www.jamesallen.com/loose-diamonds/round-cut/0.96-carat-g-color-si1-clarity-excellent-cut-sku-4309410?a_aid=dmnd1357 – appears scratchy

https://www.jamesallen.com/loose-diamonds/round-cut/0.90-carat-g-color-vvs2-clarity-excellent-cut-sku-3575581?a_aid=dmnd1357 – looks beautiful, but paying too much for the high spec?

Blue Nile LD10272788

Blue Nile LD09213444

Thank you very much for your time and advice.

Haven’t decided on an exact setting yet, but looking at solitaire.

Will take a look over them! Still not 100% on a setting as yet. As I mentioned my partner has made comments about some solitaires and there prongs being overbearing, and that she likes more sparkle, but nothing garish, so I’m also considering a low key pave setting.

Would this make any impact on what colour you’d recommend, or impact any other factor?

In one way I’ve been lucky with Royal Weddings, and upcoming friends weddings. My girlfriend has made a fair few comments on rings which should help me out! But it has changed the style I was initially looking at! I’m now swaying more towards a halo setting.

Thanks for that, unfortunately, it seems to have sold!

Have been looking for similar, and also looking at slightly larger sizes, around 0.9 to compare prices. Some suggestions would be great.

Ordered, and will now be out of your hair! Thanks for all the help.