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Hello!
Thank you for being a great resource for newbies like myself. I am looking to get an engagement ring for my girlfriend. After reading through the site, I am looking on James Allen mostly and seen a few diamonds I like.
For the setting, I would like to get a solitaire in yellow gold with a skinny band. For the diamond, I am looking to get something around a 1 carat oval lab diamond. I know they don’t hold the value like natural diamonds but I’m not too concerned about needing to resell it!
One that caught my eye was this one here:
www.jamesallen.com/loose-diamonds/oval-cut/1.01-carat-f-color-vvs2-clarity-sku-9799997?a_aid=dmnd1357
However, in reading, I am wondering if I should be downgrading on colour and clarity since from what I’ve read, yellow gold will allow me to come down on the colour scale and we won’t be looking at it with a loupe.
In all, I’m looking to spend $3,500-$4,000 Canadian.
It’s true that a yellow gold solitaire setting definitely allows you to go with a lower color. I’d recommend an H color as the sweet spot – higher grades would look identical and lower grades might have a slight yellow hue. However, as everyone who is familiar with JA’s inventory, I know that the vast majority of lab diamonds there are of higher colors. So even if you search for an H, you might end up with a G/F/E because there was nothing else/nothing lower that would look good.
www.jamesallen.com/loose-diamonds/oval-cut/1.01-carat-f-color-vvs2-clarity-sku-9799997?a_aid=dmnd1357
This diamond is beautiful, you did a great job finding it!
Here’s what I found:
www.jamesallen.com/loose-diamonds/oval-cut/0.97-carat-g-color-vs1-clarity-sku-10125407?a_aid=dmnd1357
www.jamesallen.com/loose-diamonds/oval-cut/1.01-carat-g-color-vs1-clarity-sku-9836613?a_aid=dmnd1357
www.jamesallen.com/loose-diamonds/oval-cut/1.01-carat-f-color-vs1-clarity-sku-9837812?a_aid=dmnd1357
As I said, there were very few H-color options. These three diamonds look amazing, they have a nice cut and a minimal bow-tie.
Thank you for confirming my thoughts about the colour scale. Thanks also for sending over those suggestions. They look great! Since I am able to come down in colour, I was thinking about going a touch bigger to maybe 1.10 carat. Would you have any suggestions at that size?
Here’s something a tad larger:
www.jamesallen.com/loose-diamonds/oval-cut/1.10-carat-g-color-vs2-clarity-sku-9727827?a_aid=dmnd1357
www.jamesallen.com/loose-diamonds/oval-cut/1.19-carat-g-color-vs1-clarity-sku-10039541?a_aid=dmnd1357
Thank you for the recommendations! Once I have decided, I will shoot you an email.
…
I ended up (just) confirming my purchase of the original diamond I sent: www.jamesallen.com/loose-diamonds/oval-cut/1.01-carat-f-color-vvs2-clarity-sku-9799997?a_aid=dmnd1357
Thanks again!
I’m glad that you found The One!
What we love about them:
- No questions asked returns within 30 days of shipment. James Allen will send you a paid shipping label to return the ring.
- Lifetime Warranty
- Free International Shipping
- Free prong tightening, repolishing, rhodium plating and cleaning every 6 months
- Provide insurance appraisals
- One free resizing within 60 days of purchase
- Free ring inscriptions
- Best-in-class high quality imagery of all diamonds in stock
- 24/7 Customer Service
- Best-in-class packaging
What we love about them:
- No questions asked returns within 30 days of shipment. Blue Nile will send you a paid shipping label to return the ring.
- Lifetime Warranty
- Free Shipping
- Free prong tightening, repolishing, rhodium plating and cleaning every 6 months
- Provide insurance appraisal
- One free resizing within the first year of purchase
- High quality images of about half of their diamonds
- 24/7 Customer Service
- 100% credit towards future upgrades (must be at least double in value)
- Best in class fulfillment
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