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I’m looking for a round brilliant diamond to replace the one my wife lost many years ago. Budget is $10,000. I’m a bit confused by the cut appearance which seems to vary a lot on the pictures on your website. I want the largest and most brilliant diamond for the money and agree with your VS2 recommendation.
I’d be happy to make some recommendations and guide you through the process. What type of setting are you considering? Yellow gold or white gold/platinum? Will it be a solitaire or does it have sidestones/pave? This may affect the colors that I recommend for the center diamond (as we explain in our post on color).
Let me know and I’d be happy to send you some suggestions.
I’m actually looking for a loose round diamond that my wife can add to a custom wedding ring she just had made. So I just want to purchase the least expensive setting available to just hold the diamond so I can surprise her with it in late Dec this year. Then she will add the diamond to her new ring. So I want to get the largest quality diamond that $10,000 can buy.
What is the custom setting like? Depending on the metal type and the style (sidestones/pave/solitaire), I would recommend different color grades. If I want to maximize the size, I need to know how far I can drop in color.
I’ll get you a picture.
Sounds good.
Here you go
I would go with this diamond for that setting style:
https://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/I-SI1-Excellent-Cut-Round-Diamond-1477776.asp
I wouldn’t drop to J with that setting.
It looks good. With the SI1 clarity for this particular diamond, it appears to me that any flaws are not visible, at least I can’t see any. Are you suggesting the SI1 because of the ring she has? Would VS2 be worth it given her ring?
I’m willing to pull the trigger on this one but just want to be reassured a bit before I shell out $10,000.
Eye-clean is eye-clean. It doesn’t matter if it’s an SI2 or a VVS2. That diamond is such a great value because its an SI1 (which is cheaper than a VS but it’s completely eye-clean. I think you are getting great bang for you buck with that diamond.
Ok, I’m on it. Thanks very much for your help on this.
Thanks for the kind words. Please let me know how it looks when it arrives.
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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