Advice on Stone Details Please...

[slwbalci]

I need some help and most of you sound very experienced and knowledgable when it comes to diamond details. I''ve just started looking for a stone for an engagement ring, and found one that seems very good for the price (I''m starting smaller than I originally planned, but hope to upgrade sometime in the future). However, my fiance is very suspicious of the price. What do any of you think? Maybe it''s just an incredible deal?? Maybe some of the specs aren''t good? I don''t really know as I''ve just started to educate myself on these matters. Thanks in advance.

.76 Princess Cut
H Color
IF Clarity

4.91 x 4.79 x 3.64 Length-to- Width
76 Depth
72 Table
STK-TK Girdle

Excellent Polish
Very Good Symmetry
No Fluorescence

$2,276

 

[NyssaLynne]

I don''t propose to be an expert and have just joined to get info on a proposed new purchase myself, but I would be suspicious of that price for a princess stone that is H, IF and 3/4 carat. I paid $4000 for my 1.02 carat H, SI1 radiant.

 

[belle]

the price isn''t way off. it could be said it is on the low side though. and the stone is a bit deep. have you seen it?

 

[slwbalci]

I haven''t seen it in person yet, but I''ve seen some pictures. I''m currently overseas. Is the depth really bad? What does too much depth do? Would it be better to go for a lower clarity and better color (D,E,F or G)? The cut is a premium cut. It is GIA certified. I was really excited to find an IF stone I could afford, and H color is still good...still near colorless. This process has been a bit confusing. I want a good deal but don''t want to end up with a lemon, of course.

 

[valeria101]

There are a few things...

Not just the depth (around 65% would be "nice") but the thick girdle eat up material and make the stone look rather small.

IF is nice, but you will definitely not see any difference between IF and VS1. Does this matter ?

As color goes, H would not be as white in a deep cut diamond as it would in a less deep cut (say, a round). The shape and proportions of the cut help allot to show color - very good if this was fancy intense something, not so good if you want the stone as colorless at it gets.

 

[valeria101]

That size (near 5mm square but not quite) should be about 55-60 points. And there is one D-VS1 that gets just there (link).- just one options of many, of course.

If "IF" means something more special than "D color", than nothing more to talk about - this is just a matter of personal prefference. No inclusions show in VS clarity diamonds.


Now, there is no standard for "ideal" princess cuts. The respective stone down the link, as well as yours had their "cut grades" set by the seller. Ok, if there is any explanation for the name calling. Those numbers on the cert by themselves do not guarantee brilliance or anything. In absence, no idea what "ideal" or "Excellent" cut may mean

 

[slwbalci]

Wow. Thanks for all your help everyone, Ana especially. I would like to stay with at least a .75 carat stone. So will the depth take away the sparkle and make the diamond look dull? Would this diamond look better than the IF one:

.76, H, VS1, 71.6 depth, 71 table, M girdle, G polish, Good symmetry, 5.07 x 5.00 x 3.58 length-to-width?

The clarity is less and the polish/symmetry is also not as good, but since the depth is not as deep, would it make a difference? This ring would cost just a bit more... $2,353.

I guess I don''t know which qualities should be taken into account over the others in order to ensure a sparkling, great looking diamond on a budget $2,000-3,000...