Need help...a bit lost but understand SOME basics

[gunk]

Was going with an IGI graded diamond but decided to go for a GIA one instead.

My lady wants something that has good quality and doesn't have to be a huge rock. Additionally, we both decided that we want something ethically sourced and decided on Canadian diamonds. I am also on a very tight budget.

So....how's this?

Princess CUt
Carat Weight: 0.47
Cut: Very Good
Color: D
Clarity: VS1
Measurements: 4.52 x 4.37 x 3.00 mm
Polish: Excellent
Symmetry: Good
Depth: 68.6%
Table: 76.0%
Fluorescence: None
Length-To-Width Ratio: 1.03

Thanks!

 

[aron42486]

Welcome to PS gunk!

It was good of you to go for the GIA diamond vs. IGI. GIA graded diamonds are for more reliable in getting exactly what you pay for. Everyone here is going to recommend that you bump the cut graded up from Very Good to Excellent. Cut is going to be the most important characteristic for sparkle. Is there a reason you are going with a D color? If you dropped your color grade down to an F or G you could probably get an Excellent cut and still be in your budget range. The visual difference between a D and an F or G is minimal.

Where is this diamond from? If this is from a brick & mortar store, have you considered shopping for diamonds online? I would definitely try to not go below very good in symmetry either. FYI, I do not know a lot about princess cuts, but there are plenty here that do.

 

[sleeprequired]

i started where you did... looking for a D.

get a g/h or if you really must, an f to stay in the colorless range...

focus on cut, cut, cut!! this is what makes a diamond quality. not the d color or the clarity. Cut is actually the quality measure.

watch this video on how little difference color makes....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vzBGhkF5C4o&feature=plcp

clarity stick to VS2 or even go for SI1 (but confirm it's eye clean)...

get an AGS IDEAL/IDEAL/IDEAL - cut is king, king, king...

 

[sleeprequired]

others are more qualified to comment on dimensions... i might lead you astray but i've done heaps of research on what i posted above

 

[rubybeth]

For a princess, it's good if you can see it in person or see photos/an ASET image of the stone. Where is this diamond from? Can you request photos and an ASET?

 

[gunk]

Well if I were to swtich to a round diamond, I found one that seems good (I think) but will have to wait until end of month for extra funds:

Round
Carat Weight: 0.52
Cut: Super Ideal
Color: F
Clarity: VS2
Measurements: 5.21 x 5.19 x 3.18 mm
Polish: Excellent
Symmetry: Excellent
Depth: 61.2%
Table: 57.0%
Girdle: Medium, Faceted
Culet: None
Fluorescence: None

 

[bagelboy]

Welcome to Pricescope,
Please read up on princess cut under the knowledge tab. Princess is a fancy cut. GIA does not grade princess cuts on light return. AGS does grade the princess cut using light return. This is the direction I would go. It is the quality of the cutting that determines how much a diamond sparkles. I would recomend checking out Whiteflash and Good Old Gold as they carry AGS princess cuts and/or other square cut diamonds, just in case your lady wants something similar but a little different. I do not like the GIA diamond you posted as I know there are much better cut diamonds, some jewelers like to sell you the the high color/ high clarity equals the best diamond myth. Just means they can sell small diamonds at a huge price that don't really perform well away from the jewelry store lights. AGS ideal cut princess for me. I believe Good Old Gold has Canadian diamonds. Hope this helps. Happy Hunting

 

[TitanCi]

^As bagelboy states, AGS princesses are graded for light return (i.e. Ideal light performance), meaning they'll perform better than most visually; they'll return most of the light that enters the stone. However, you pay more for an AGS stone.

It's not to say excellent looking GIA stones don't exist, but you must do your due diligence in finding one. That means finding a vendor that has the stone and can provide you with ASET images (ideal-scope.com, reflector technology) that help determine how much light return a stone will have.

I'd go down in color to F/G/H and lower clarity like VS1,2 that way you can maximize your budget for a really nice, larger stone!

Not sure what your budget is, but here is something as an example that is slightly larger than your stone:
http://www.whiteflash.com/loose-diamonds/princess-cut-loose-diamond-2763522.htm

 

[DiamondBrokersofFlorida]

The ideal cut AGS princess cut diamonds are mostly pretty nicely cut. But make sure you don't get one too deep. Study up on the cut grades.

 

[rubybeth]

Well if I were to swtich to a round diamond, I found one that seems good (I think) but will have to wait until end of month for extra funds:

Round
Carat Weight: 0.52
Cut: Super Ideal
Color: F
Clarity: VS2
Measurements: 5.21 x 5.19 x 3.18 mm
Polish: Excellent
Symmetry: Excellent
Depth: 61.2%
Table: 57.0%
Girdle: Medium, Faceted
Culet: None
Fluorescence: None

Is this a GIA stone? What is the certificate number so we can run the HCA on it?

What is your budget for the stone, and would your girlfriend prefer a princess or a round? They are very different.

 

[TitanCi]

Well if I were to swtich to a round diamond, I found one that seems good (I think) but will have to wait until end of month for extra funds:

Round
Carat Weight: 0.52
Cut: Super Ideal
Color: F
Clarity: VS2
Measurements: 5.21 x 5.19 x 3.18 mm
Polish: Excellent
Symmetry: Excellent
Depth: 61.2%
Table: 57.0%
Girdle: Medium, Faceted
Culet: None
Fluorescence: None

Is this a GIA stone? What is the certificate number so we can run the HCA on it?

What is your budget for the stone, and would your girlfriend prefer a princess or a round? They are very different.

I wouldn't think it's a GIA stone if it's graded as "super ideal", unless the vendor is grading it like that, right RB?

Yeah, going from princess to round is quite different - do you know what she wants?

 

[gunk]

ok she wants princess for sure......and ethically sourced

budget is very limited....diamond with halo setting, $4175 is max I can go

 

[DiamondBrokersofFlorida]

Good idea to stick with GIA or AGS. You shouldn't have any problem with that budget. Maybe even a little larger.

 

[rubybeth]

ok she wants princess for sure......and ethically sourced

budget is very limited....diamond with halo setting, $4175 is max I can go

Do you already have a setting picked out? If so, how much of the budget it going toward the setting?

Edited to add: just found this on James Allen's site, if you click on the certificate it says that the diamond is inscriped with Leo, so I'm guessing it's a Leo Diamond, which are ethically sourced: http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/I-VS2-Excellent-Cut-Princess-Diamond-1498338.asp and http://www.leofinejewellery.com/conflict-free-diamonds and James Allen's diamonds are conflict-free: http://www.jamesallen.com/conflict_free.html

If you like it, put a hold on the stone so it doesn't get snatched up by a lurker. You'd have a healthy budget for a nice halo setting with a 3/4 carat for that price.

 

[gunk]

if I wasn't clear $4k is the highest I can go and that includes the center diamond and a halo setting. my other question is, is it advised to get the diamond and ring together on a site or can i just get the diamond and get it set at a brick and morter jeweler? i'm located in brooklyn, so the diamond district isn't far but i've had negative experiences with them

anyhow i have found this:

Shape: Princess
Carat weight: 0.70
Cut: Excellent
Color: F
Clarity: VS1
Certificate: GIA
Depth: 73.7%
Table: 72.0%
Polish: Very Good
Symmetry: Very Good
Girdle: Medium to extremely thick
Culet: None
Fluorescence: None
Measurements: 4.84*4.65*3.43
Ratio: 1.04

however it is not inscribed by leo

with this setting:
http://www.jamesallen.com/engagement-rings/pave/18k-white-gold-pave-halo-and-shank-diamond-engagement-ring-17308w.html

 

[Dancing Fire]

if I wasn't clear $4k is the highest I can go and that includes the center diamond and a halo setting. my other question is, is it advised to get the diamond and ring together on a site or can i just get the diamond and get it set at a brick and morter jeweler? i'm located in brooklyn, so the diamond district isn't far but i've had negative experiences with them

anyhow i have found this:

Shape: Princess
Carat weight: 0.70
Cut: Excellent
Color: F
Clarity: VS1
Certificate: GIA
Depth: 73.7%
Table: 72.0%
Polish: Very Good
Symmetry: Very Good
Girdle: Medium to extremely thick
Culet: None
Fluorescence: None
Measurements: 4.84*4.65*3.43
Ratio: 1.04

not square .. if i was looking for a princess cut "it better be square"

 

[rubybeth]

if I wasn't clear $4k is the highest I can go and that includes the center diamond and a halo setting. my other question is, is it advised to get the diamond and ring together on a site or can i just get the diamond and get it set at a brick and morter jeweler? i'm located in brooklyn, so the diamond district isn't far but i've had negative experiences with them

anyhow i have found this:

Shape: Princess
Carat weight: 0.70
Cut: Excellent
Color: F
Clarity: VS1
Certificate: GIA
Depth: 73.7%
Table: 72.0%
Polish: Very Good
Symmetry: Very Good
Girdle: Medium to extremely thick
Culet: None
Fluorescence: None
Measurements: 4.84*4.65*3.43
Ratio: 1.04

however it is not inscribed by leo

with this setting:
http://www.jamesallen.com/engagement-rings/pave/18k-white-gold-pave-halo-and-shank-diamond-engagement-ring-17308w.html

Can't comment on the diamond without images, and like DF said, it's not square, which would be my preference with a princess (and I have a square radiant, so prefer that look). I understand the budget is $4k, all in, just wondered if you had your heart set on, say, a $2k halo, so the remaining stone budget was more like $2k. I do like that James Allen setting, I was going to suggest it! What about this? http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/H-VVS1-Good-Cut-Princess-Diamond-1495131.asp

Just FYI, you can have James Allen pull 3 stones to have them inspected by their gemologists for free, they will give you an opinion on the color, whether or not it's eye-clean to your standards (explain what your standards are), and get an ASET image for each stone to compare (you can post them here for the experts to analyse so you don't have to figure everything out yourself). Also with James Allen, if you pay by wire transfer, you can get the PS Wire discount, which on the stone I posted above is over $200. That's a nice chunk of change you can save or put toward the setting. I also wanted to point out this setting, as I personally love a halo with a plain shank, gives you many more options for a wedding band (a plain band or a diamond band look equally great) and then there are fewer tiny diamonds to worry about, as well as not having diamonds between your fingers which can bother some people: http://www.jamesallen.com/engagement-rings/pave/18k-white-gold-pave-halo-diamond-engagement-ring-17303w.html

I would also recommend getting the diamond and the setting from the same place. When you do that, they accept the liability for anything that happens to either the diamond or the setting during the setting process. With a princess cut especially, because of the corners, you'll want to be protected in case of a chip or crack. Unlikely, but it has been known to happen. If you buy the stone, and then take it elsewhere to have set, they will not accept the liability, so you'd need to get the stone appraised loose, then insured, then set, and then the whole ring re-appraised, and get it insured as a complete piece. Kind of a pain, costs more money, possibly worth it if you have your heart set on a particular setting that's only available one place (like a Victor Canera piece, for instance), but it sounds like you have a lot of options in terms of where you buy.

 

[gunk]

Thanks so much for your responses....I've learned a great deal from you all. I'm still searching.....so some more time is needed, which is good for me, can add some $$ to the budget.