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Hi, what a great site! OK, I am looking to buy a replacement engagement ring. The original ring is no more because the diamond fell out about a year ago, not to be found. Although I could afford much more, my bride would kill me even if she knew I spent my proposed budget.
Notionally, my budget for rock and ring is about $2500. The ring would probably be a solitaire 4 or 6 prong, white gold. That said, I can see a budget of $2000 for the diamond. Based on my reading at this site, current thinking is:
round, near colorless, eye clean. I’d like to get the biggest decent diamond for the budget, and I look to you for any advice you could offer with the above in mind. I saw some data about how price between say .69 and .7 can be a big step, so any of my initial specs are open to your guidance, including a small bump in budget.
Thanks so much for this.
Thanks for writing and thanks for the kind words about the site! Here’s what I like for your budget:
https://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/I-SI2-Ideal-Cut-Round-Diamond-1354977.asp – eye clean. AGS triple zero ideal cut.
https://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/I-SI1-Ideal-Cut-Round-Diamond-1350242.asp – eye clean. GIA triple excellent.
let me know what you think!
Both nice picks. When I look with virtual loupe, item# 1354977 seems to have some yellowish marks in the center. The item 1350242 doesn’t have this. Would I see those yellowish marks with naked eye?
I can go either way, $100 delta is minimal. Do you have a preference?
Also, going with a solitaire setting. Do you advise 6 prongs or 4? I don’t like basket style as much, as they seem to obscure the diamond.
Thanks, I am ready to buy after our reply.
Those yellow marks are probably there because someone in the room was wearing a yellow shirt or there was some yellow on the wall. You wouldn’t see yellow like that in the stone. Either way,I think I would recommend the other stone since GIA is a tiny bit stricter in color in this range, so just for the extra measure of security, I’d say to go with the GIA certified stone. Otherwise, they’re so similar, you wouldn’t be able to tell the difference between them.
Let me know how it goes!
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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