Agreed re diamonds -- personally don't believe in buying brand name consumer diamonds.
If you are keen on the VCA then definitely prioritise the purchase; 5% on that price point does add up to a fairly tidy sum.
Also if of interest to you I think Kate Middleton has this necklace (not sure if in the exact colour/stones), but recall seeing her in them and she looked really classy. There's also this lovely elderly lady on instagram who reads poetry (lol random I know) and she has worn this before and looks beautiful wearing it even at her age. Try a google search!

Definitely timeless and not a trendy piece; most people get the uniformed motif pieces! Good luck and let us know what you decide