Ritani Diamonds Recommendations for $20K

Q:

Hi Liz,

I am trying to buy an engagement ring for my girl:

Around $20,000
Carat: 1.5ct – 2.0ct range
Color: D – I
Clarity: VS1 – SI2

I would be hesitant to buy something in the SI range unless it was truly eye-clean. She wants a light rose gold setting, split shank band with 4 prongs holding the gem.

Is there a point at which because of the cut, ie, ideal, a 1.5 carat diamond could actually have a similar radius to a 2.0 carat diamond with a lesser cut? I’ve talked to her about rings and she is quite adamant about it being closer to 2 carats while I think cut is a little more important and that it may be possible to get a lower carat ring that is actually quite close to the diameter of a 2 carat ring.

Thank you,

Mark

A:

Hi Mark,

Is $20K only for your loose diamond, or for the entire ring?

If your girlfriend likes rose gold, then you can definitely get away with a lower color grade (J, K, L-Z) to maximize carat weight. This is because a diamond absorbs the surrounding color that it is set against. Since an ideal cut diamond faces up whiter, brighter, and appears larger for its carat weight I would definitely recommend only going for ideal cut diamonds. With ideal cut diamonds you are evaluating both light performance (brilliance) and cut precision (hearts and arrows optical symmetry). I don’t recommend compromising on light performance. However, if you are looking to save cash you may opt for a GIA triple Excellent diamond that is still within AGS ideal proportions that may or may not have perfect hearts and arrows. If she wants a 2.0ct that will be big and sparkly then here are some diamonds that I recommend (this way everyone is happy):

Here are some diamonds that are ideal cut, close to 2.0ct and perfectly eye-clean:

1.8ct H VS1 for $19,327.00: http://www.ritani.com/diamonds/round-diamond-1-80-Carat-H-color-GIA-certified/D-D37Q7B

2.18ct J VVS2 for $19,084.00: http://www.ritani.com/diamonds/round-diamond-2-18-Carat-J-color-GIA-certified/D-1M51YF

Ritani’s magnified HD videos allow a virtual shopper to view the diamond from all angles to evaluate clarity. This 2.18ct J VVS2 was set in an 18k rose gold setting offering the perfect balance of ideal cut performance as well as maximizing carat weight for a $20K loose diamond budget.

2.01ct I VS1 for $17,803.00: http://www.ritani.com/diamonds/round-diamond-2-01-Carat-I-color-GIA-certified/D-M2MFV7

Here is a split shank ring from Ritani, that can be made in 18k rose gold: http://www.ritani.com/engagement-rings/double-french-set-diamond–v–engagement-ring-with-surprise-diamonds-in-18kt-rose-gold/12274

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

Kind Regards,

Liz

Q:

Hi Liz,

Sorry for such a late response, I just started another school program and became extremely busy over the past month. I’m looking to pick up the ring in the third week of July. And yes, 20k for the loose diamond.

This ring looks perfect, exactly what she wants. What about the diamonds on it, would they make a J colored diamond look poor when contrasted with the small white diamonds on the ring?

The diamonds that you sent look great, though why is it that you can go with a yellower diamond using a rose gold ring? What about yellow gold, does that still make sense?

How do you know if its a “GIA triple Excellent diamond that is still within AGS ideal proportions?”

How important is the ring size? I have no idea what size the ring should be…

Also, whats the deal with fluorescence, I’m thinking I want a diamond without it. Ritani’s ability to let you see the ring before you purchase it seems great to me.

Thanks,

Mark

A:

Hi Mark,

The french-set diamonds in the setting are ‘H’ color which will look fine with a ‘J’ color center stone diamond. The general rule is to keep them within 2 color grades. Since the ring will be set in 18k rose gold the diamonds will all absorb some of the surrounding metal color, which is why many people like yellow/rose gold. It essentially allows them to go lower in color grade without it visually impacting the color of the diamond since everything blends well together.

GIA and AGS have different criteria for what they consider their top cut categorized diamonds. I go into detail about this here in my article: https://www.onlinediamondbuyingadvice.com/diamond-education/diamond-certification/gia-vs-ags/

Because GIA has a wider set of proportions for their ‘Excellent’ cut grade, many diamonds fall within GIA’s ‘Excellent’ cut grade but wouldn’t make it in AGS’s tighter specifications for an ‘ideal’ cut diamond. AGS has published their accepted ideal cut proportions on their website. You can find it here: https://www.agslab.com/proportion-based-cut-grade.php (See AGS proportion charts, pdf)

Therefore, if a diamond has an ‘Excellent’ GIA cut grade and also falls withing AGS’s ‘ideal’ cut proportions, the diamond is cut very well and is within the top 5% of all cut diamonds in the world.

Ring size is important, but if you get it incorrect you can send the ring back for re-sizing. I think Ritani offers one sizing free of charge, but you will most likely have to pay for shipping/insurance both ways. It is more of an inconvenience than anything else.

Fluorescence is simply another characteristic that diamonds may have. About a third of all diamonds have some blue fluorescence. The fluorescence is noticeable under certain UV light situations and can give the diamond a bluish glow. The only time fluorescence can be a negative characteristic is when a diamond has ‘very strong blue fluorescence’ which can sometimes make the diamond appear milky or cloudy looking all the time. This affects overall brilliance and light reflection, so in these cases it is not a good thing. However, most diamonds do not have this issue, so fluorescence is just another characteristic.

Kind Regards,

Liz

Q:

Thanks Liz,

I watched that video and read your website about the colors and decided to go with the 2.18ct J VVS2 for $19,084.00.

Just wanted you to know that I received the diamond and everything went great!!

Mark