Q&A: Looking for Big Yellow Diamond for Sister

First of all, thank you for having such a wonderful, informative website. I’m so happy I found it!! My soon to be brother-in-law, Greg, is counting on me to help him pick a yellow diamond engagement ring for my sister. When I watched the video at the top of your page dedicated to yellow diamonds, the color of the second diamond shown was absolutely PERFECT!

Greg and I have gone to jewelry stores searching for that color or something close enough. Unfortunately, I’ve either been presented with intense yellow (way too yellow for my sister’s liking) or the fancy light light yellow where its a tiny bit yellow in just the right light at just the right moment and with a little squinting/imagination involved. Needless to say, it was very discouraging. Even the fancy yellow diamonds we had ordered into the store seemed way too pale and uneven in color to be called fancy yellow. Nothing like the one in your video.

I read your positive reviews about James Allen and Leibish & Co. so I finally decided to take a chance on maybe purchasing diamonds online. So far, I have 3 diamonds on hold at Jame Allen. I spoke with their gemologist and some salespeople. To my surprise, they were all so confusing AND they kept contradicting each other. Their opinions differed on fluorescence, crown shallowness and something about 68.5 depth. There were also periods of long silences after some of my questions (such as “what is your opinion of this diamond?”)

Im starting to feel quite defeated at this point and I would be forever grateful if you could help me out and give me some pointers. Were interested in either a radiant cut or cushion cut in a fancy yellow. Greg’s budget is 30, but I know he will pay more if its something special.

I’m going to go ahead and copy the links to the diamonds were looking at below. You are our last hope. Please feel free to call, text, and email any time of the day or night. Seriously, any time!!! And if you have any suggestions apart from James Allen or Leibish & Co, please don’t hesitate to share them!!

1. The gemologist said this one is quite intense for a fancy yellow but that it’s very square. I dont know if that’s a good thing or a bad thing.
https://www.jamesallen.com/loose-diamonds/fancy-color/yellow/radiant-cut-3.31-carat-vs2-clarity-sku-167863?a_aid=dmnd1357

2. This one seems quite pale in color which is what Im afraid of the most.
https://www.jamesallen.com/loose-diamonds/fancy-color/yellow/radiant-cut-3.61-carat-vs1-clarity-sku-198325?a_aid=dmnd1357

3.
https://www.jamesallen.com/loose-diamonds/fancy-color/yellow/cushion-cut-3.36-carat-vs1-clarity-sku-167866?a_aid=dmnd1357

4.
https://www.jamesallen.com/loose-diamonds/fancy-color/yellow/cushion-cut-3.35-carat-vvs1-clarity-sku-118220?a_aid=dmnd1357

The following are from Leibish & Co.

5.
http://www.fancydiamonds.net/view_diamonds/5405.htm#a_aid=y

6. In the video, this seems like a nice color and much lighter than “intense”
http://www.fancydiamonds.net/view_diamonds/12413.htm#a_aid=y

7. I know this says intense, but in the box it seems like a dark fancy
http://www.fancydiamonds.net/view_diamonds/13457.htm#a_aid=y 

They’re not available bc I have them on hold. I’m sorry. I should have made that clear. Would you still suggest the Leibish one?

Thanks for your advice. I’ve listed the prices below of the james allen diamonds. I see that you don’t like the cushion cut I have on hold as much as the 3.36 carat one that you sent me a link to. Is it because the yellow color is so different? Also the cushion I chose does have strong fluorescence and I don’t know how bad that is. Anyway, thank you for your help and advice. I will share it with my brother in law.

https://www.jamesallen.com/loose-diamonds/fancy-color/yellow/radiant-cut-3.61-carat-sku-198325?a_aid=dmnd1357 – $35,390

https://www.jamesallen.com/loose-diamonds/fancy-color/yellow/cushion-cut-3.35-carat-sku-118220?a_aid=dmnd1357 – $38,370