Which Is The Best Value Diamond For My $15K Budget?

*Note: ODBA no longer recommends EnchantedDiamonds.com

Q:

Hello Liz

Really appreciate your guidance on this. I’m searching for a diamond with the following specs:

Budget: $12k – $15K
Carat: Around 1.50ct
Color: Near Flawless? – Your recommendation is appreciated, I was thinking something around G – H
Clarity: VS2 and above?

I also read your article on table/depth/polish/cut and that’s definitely important to me as well.

Thanks again,

John

A:

Hi John,

Thanks for letting me know your diamond requirements.

There are many different options for what you are seeking. Generally, you can play around a lot with color/clarity/carat weight for your $15K budget. To show you what I mean, I did a search based on what is currently available in diamond inventories today. Here is what I can recommend for you:

1.60ct I VVS2 for $10,393.00: http://www.zoara.com/diamonds/p_round_excellent_cut_i_vvs2#p=5420689

1.683ct J VS1 for $13,065.00: http://www.briangavindiamonds.com/diamonds/diamond-details/1.683-j-vs1-round-diamond-ags-104078700001 (super-ideal H&A diamond!)

1.50ct G VS1 for $13,700.00: https://enchanteddiamonds.com/diamonds/view/R150-LGWDN1

1.71ct F VS1 for $14,529.00: http://www.zoara.com/diamonds/p_round_excellent_cut_f_vs1#p=4679993 (strong blue fluorescence)

From Left: 1.60ct I VVS2 for $10K, 1.68ct J VS1 for $13K, 1.50ct G VS1 for $13,700, and 1.71ct F VS1 for $14,500

Please let me know what you think and if you have any questions.

Kind Regards,

Liz

Q:

Hi Liz,

Thank you very much for providing me with these options. Just curious, for clarity grade such as SI1, will you be able to see the flaws with naked eye? Do you also think there’s a huge different between color such as ‘I’ compared to ‘F’? It seems to me that it’s very hard to see the true whiteness of the diamond with all the different shades of ambient lighting these days.

Thanks again for taking the time to do help me. If there’s any referral links you’d like me to use i’d be happy to oblige.

Cheers,

John

A:

Hello John,

Clarity grades are based on what is visible to an experienced professional when viewing the diamond at 10x’s magnification. Technically, an SI1 diamond means that with 10x’s magnification a viewer would be able to find the inclusions easily. To the unaided eye, these inclusions may or may not be visible and this depends on many factors including age and eye-sight. In a nut shell, all SI1’s are different and should be evaluated on an individual basis.

If you were to compare an ‘I’ colored diamond next to an ‘F’ colored diamond, then yes you would see the difference. It is slight even for the novice, but it is there. If you are setting any of the diamonds in a solitaire setting however, you would not readily notice any ‘yellow’ or warmth as there is nothing to compare to. Color grades of G, H, I, and J are all near colorless and thus are not yellow by any means! As you are getting an ideal cut diamond, it will reflect light beautifully and sparkle. This will be what you and she notice most of all.

Please let me know if you have anymore questions. And yes, when you are ready to purchase please click on any of the links provided in your email so that the vendor knows that ODBA has referred. I do very much appreciate it!

Kind Regards,

Liz