Last Updated on 24th March 2025
| Anonymous Reader
Hi Sebastian! I’ve enjoyed reading your site and I was wondering if you could give me a push in the right direction. I’m looking for a round, 1.6-1.7ct, H/I color, with great cut. Budget is $13k.
My girlfriend is really hoping to find something that will not have any inclusions visible without magnification, even at close distance.
I found a bunch of options on James Allen. They’re all part of their Ideal Hearts offering and all have AGS 0 rating, so I assume their cuts are at least above average, but obviously want the best I can get — and I’d particularly value your thoughts on which are mostly likely to be completely naked-eye-clean.
Thanks for any guidance!
https://www.jamesallen.com/loose-diamonds/round-cut/1.69-carat-i-color-si1-clarity-true-hearts-cut-sku-3257551/?a_aid=1212
$12,080 – 1.69 CARAT I-SI1 TRUE HEARTS IDEAL DIAMOND SKU-3257551
https://www.jamesallen.com/loose-diamonds/round-cut/1.65-carat-i-color-vs2-clarity-true-hearts-cut-sku-4748737/?a_aid=1212
$13,050 – 1.65 CARAT I-VS2 TRUE HEARTS IDEAL DIAMOND SKU-4748737
https://www.jamesallen.com/loose-diamonds/round-cut/1.64-carat-i-color-vs1-clarity-true-hearts-cut-sku-4748745/?a_aid=1212
$12,780 – 1.64 CARAT I-VS1 TRUE HEARTS IDEAL DIAMOND SKU-4748745
https://www.jamesallen.com/loose-diamonds/round-cut/1.62-carat-i-color-vs1-clarity-true-hearts-cut-sku-5457219/?a_aid=1212
$12,630 – 1.62 CARAT I-VS1 TRUE HEARTS IDEAL DIAMOND SKU-5457219
https://www.jamesallen.com/loose-diamonds/round-cut/1.61-carat-i-color-vs1-clarity-true-hearts-cut-sku-5457226/?a_aid=1212
$12,640 – 1.61 CARAT I-VS1 TRUE HEARTS IDEAL DIAMOND SKU-5457226
https://www.jamesallen.com/loose-diamonds/round-cut/1.85-carat-i-color-si1-clarity-true-hearts-cut-sku-1006248/?a_aid=1212
$13,510 – 1.85 CARAT I-SI1 TRUE HEARTS IDEAL DIAMOND SKU-1006248
Your Diamond Teacher |
| Thank you for your inquiry. I am happy to help. I am glad to hear that the information on my website has been informative and enjoyable. Thank you!
The six diamond you selected from James Allen are all an excellent choice. If I lined all the diamonds up in front of you, in person, you would not be able to tell them apart. They are all eye-clean, I color, about the same carat weight, except for the 1.85ct and all excellent cut. With that being said you need to narrow it down to just one. Once we are at this point, all things being relatively equal, your gut instinct also plays a role in the decision making process. Are you leaning more towards one over another? You can’t go wrong with any of these diamonds. |
| Anonymous Reader
Thanks Sebastian, I appreciate the validation. Hard to point to one that stands out — the 3rd, 4th and 5th in particular are so similar! I’ll ask 2 specific questions, if you wouldn’t mind.
1) My girlfriend is the type that will look at the ring, closely, all the time, and if she sees an imperfection, she’ll never unsee it.
So it’s important to me that nothing be visible at all, even at only 5 or 6 inches distance, without magnification. (She’ll never look at it under magnification so I’m not concerned about that.)
I’m curious if you would disqualify any of these stones on that basis. In particular I’m wondering about that last one, the 1.85 SI1. Do you have any sort of feel for the likelihood that the inclusions on that one would be visible from close up without magnification?
2) The AGS report for the 1.85 is a different format from the others. Does that have any significance? Is that one still considered an AGS Triple Zero?
She would never look at it with a loupe, so I’m not concerned about that. Certainly the 1.85 stands out in terms of size. I’m curious about 2.
Your Diamond Teacher |
| Hi,
Your “eagle eye” soon-to-be fiancee will not be able to see the inclusions. 🙂 The different format of the AGS grading report has no relevance. Please let me know if you have additional questions. 🙂 |