Diamond engagement ring question

[mooncancook]

I was looking for a diamond engagement ring and i need some help on determining whether the price is fair. The salesperson showed me a .53 carat, J color, SI2 clarity, Ideal cut, round brilliant cut diamond. He's asking for $1795 OTD. I think it's too expensive for that level of color and clarity. But the special thing about this diamond is that it shows "heats on fire" under the magnifying scope. Looking from the bottom i can see a ring of hearts, and from the top I can see a ring of symmetrical arrows (kind of makes a star). Do all ideal cut round diamonds exhibit this property, or is it a really rare cut?

 

[Maximus96]

you mean hearts on fire....

 

[PingSpike]

Who cares what it does under the magnifying scope? Most people don't carry one of those around with them.

Sounds overpriced to me, and I haven't been diamond shopping for awhile.

 

[WhiteKnight]

True, absolutely symmetric hearts and arrows is indicative of a well-cut diamond, though it may take practice to be able to determine such a stone even when viewing it through an H&A scope. Normal "ideal" cut stones may display some hearts and arrows characteristics, but there are often subtle differences in the shape and symmetry of the pattern. For the specs you quoted, .53/J/SI2, I think that the price is a little high, even if it is a true H&A. If your budget allows, I'd say go no lower than an eye-clean SI1.

 

[Amplifier]

You'd be better off getting two 512mg 6800u's.

 

[Leejai]

FYI< that is way too much for a poor quality diamond.

A good place to lookup is BlueNile.com. Keep in mind they're retail; so you should be able to find one ~60% of their price.

My friend recently proposed and I went hunting with him. He eventuall got:

0.83 carat
H Color
VS1

OTD was 2600 w/ a Platinum band.

 

[Doboji]

/thread

 

[LordSnailz]

Agreed, it's overpriced just looking at the specs. Try bluenile.com, 3 of my coworkers bought from there, 3k, 6k and 10k. Free shipping, no tax and there's a 10% coupon.

 

[dullard]

Originally posted by: mooncancook
I was looking for a diamond engagement ring and i need some help on determining whether the price is fair. The salesperson showed me a .53 carat, J color, SI2 clarity, Ideal cut, round brilliant cut diamond. He's asking for $1795 OTD. I think it's too expensive for that level of color and clarity. But the special thing about this diamond is that it shows "heats on fire" under the magnifying scope. Looking from the bottom i can see a ring of hearts, and from the top I can see a ring of symmetrical arrows (kind of makes a star). Do all ideal cut round diamonds exhibit this property, or is it a really rare cut?

I think that is expensive for that diamond (unless it includes a fancy ring with it). You should be getting a notch or two better on both the clarity and the color for that price and with a ring. As far as I can tell, all round diamonds have that "hearts on fire" property (some better than others, but you as a consumer don't have the skills to tell them apart). It is a marketing tool and nothing else. Don't fall for it. Find a diamond wholeseller, and get it for much less.

 

[iamwiz82]

Originally posted by: mooncancook
I was looking for a diamond engagement ring and i need some help on determining whether the price is fair. The salesperson showed me a .53 carat, J color, SI2 clarity, Ideal cut, round brilliant cut diamond. He's asking for $1795 OTD. I think it's too expensive for that level of color and clarity. But the special thing about this diamond is that it shows "heats on fire" under the magnifying scope. Looking from the bottom i can see a ring of hearts, and from the top I can see a ring of symmetrical arrows (kind of makes a star). Do all ideal cut round diamonds exhibit this property, or is it a really rare cut?

I paid less than half of that for a .51/G/SI2/Ideal round brilliant.

 

[tami]

Originally posted by: LordSnailz
Agreed, it's overpriced just looking at the specs. Try bluenile.com, 3 of my coworkers bought from there, 3k, 6k and 10k. Free shipping, no tax and there's a 10% coupon.

it's much better to use a wholesaler. bluenile isn't really "wholesale."

Who cares what it doesn't under the magnifying scope? Most people don't carry one of those around with them.

Sounds overpriced to me, and I haven't been diamond shopping for awhile.

i agree 100%. you're not going to be carrying a loop with you, so who cares what it looks like when you look closely at it with a magnifying scope?

 

[Doboji]

Text

Round Brilliant
.575ct H SI1 H&A Ideal Ideal M-slthick
$1,556.00

 

[KarenMarie]

that diamond ia a rip off for that price.

j is not colorless, not really.
SI2 is only one above I which is visable to the naked eye. offer him $70.. for the diamond... that is a generous offer.

edit: that should be $700. not $70.

 

[SouthPaW1227]

" You'd be better off getting two 512mg 6800u's. "

hilarious. Seriously though that sounds a bit high. I shopped for months and in the end, Bluenile.com got my business. No tax (HUGEEEEE SAVINGS) + 10% off coupon sealed the deal. Take the money you'd spend in tax, middle man costs, and gas driving to different malls and get a nicer ring at Bluenile. Free overnight shipping, too.

 

[Doboji]

I just finished shopping my ass off... and you do not want to go to BlueNile... seriously... go to www.pricescope.com

Key on www.dirtcheapdiamonds.com or www.whiteflash.com. Both are excellent vendors who sell WAY below Bluenile prices for excellent diamonds. The price you were quoted was absolutely terrible. Also H&A isnt really that much better... if you get an vg+ cut diamond that thing will sparkle and flame very very well.

-Max

 

[dullard]

Originally posted by: SouthPaW1227
No tax (HUGEEEEE SAVINGS).

Technically you still owed tax, but you ignored state laws and didn't bother to pay it on your own.

 

[DBL]

Too expensive. Here is what that amount of money should buy you.

.51 F VS2 Ideal Cut

 

[Doboji]

Text

Round Brilliant Ideal H&A
.526ct H VVS2 Ideal Ideal 61.3 55
$1,615

 

[SouthPaW1227]

Originally posted by: dullard

Originally posted by: SouthPaW1227
No tax (HUGEEEEE SAVINGS).

Technically you still owed tax, but you ignored state laws and didn't bother to pay it on your own.

Screw that. I don't pay tax on Buy.com purchases, NewEgg purchases, any purchases in which the e-tailer doesn't have a prescence in my state. Anyone who does is a moron.

This crappy excuse of a government takes entirely too much of my money before Ieven see it, so they can blow me.

 

[dullard]

Originally posted by: DBL
Too expensive. Here is what that amount of money should buy you.

.51 F VS2 Ideal Cut

That is almost the exact stats that the ring I bought my wife. Hers was 0.53 though and looked a tad clearer on the magnifying glass (same F and VS2 grading though). About the same price too.

 

[SouthPaW1227]

And holy crap, I just realized you people were talking about JUST the diamond (without setting)....even those "dirt cheap prices" are INSANE in my book!

 

[DBL]

Originally posted by: Doboji
Text

Round Brilliant Ideal H&A
.526ct H VVS2 Ideal Ideal 61.3 55
$1,615

Nice but the clarity and color are not good matches.

 

[dullard]

Originally posted by: SouthPaW1227
And holy crap, I just realized you people were talking about JUST the diamond (without setting)....even those "dirt cheap prices" are INSANE in my book!

A good gold ring will add just ~$100 to the price including mounting.

 

[Doboji]

Originally posted by: DBL

Originally posted by: Doboji
Text

Round Brilliant Ideal H&A
.526ct H VVS2 Ideal Ideal 61.3 55
$1,615

Nice but the clarity and color are not good matches.

meh.... I seriously doubt he or his fiancee would be able to detect the difference between and H and an F.... however... The diamond I bought was a F VS2.

More realistically if around 1800 is his budget....

this would be more impressive for his woman.

 

[SouthPaW1227]

Originally posted by: dullard

Originally posted by: SouthPaW1227
And holy crap, I just realized you people were talking about JUST the diamond (without setting)....even those "dirt cheap prices" are INSANE in my book!

A good gold ring will add just ~$100 to the price including mounting.

Well I guess that's okay...I went the platinum route so I'm coming from another angle. saved my arse off for that thing