Please Help Me Select a Princess Cut from ASET Images!!

[techguyia]

Hello Everyone,

I'm considering three princess diamonds from James Allen for an engagement ring for my girlfriend. I've attached the specs and ASET images for the stones I've selected below. All of the stones are princess cuts certified by GIA and priced within a few hundred dollars of each other. Any thoughts on which one is best would be appreciated. Thank you!

Stone 1:
0.98 Carats
E Color
VS-1
Very Good Polish / Symmetry
1.02 L/W Ratio
Girdle Thick
68.5 Depth
71 Table

Stone 2:
1.01 Carats
F Color
VS-1
Excellent Polish / Very Good Symmetry
1.02 L/W Ratio
Girdle Slightly Thick - Thick
69 Depth
70 Table

Stone 3:
1.01 Carats
F Color
VS-1
Excellent Polish / Very Good Symmetry
1.02 L/W Ratio
Girdle Thick - Very Thick
71.50 Depth
70 Table

The ASETS are below, ordered one two three respectively, I couldn't get this website to embed them in the correct places above or with titles, sorry about that. When I look at the images, I feel like I am seeing concentrated light leakage in the center of the table especially on stone 2, and also stone 3 to some degree. However, stones 2 and 3 also seem to have more red, especially stretching out to the perimeter of the stones so I'm really not sure which is best. I'm leaning toward stone 1 right now. For what its worth, James Allen's gemologist said that they didn't like 3 as much as the other two, but didn't rank 1 and 2.

Any thoughts at all would be greatly appreciated. Thank you all for your help!

 

[tyty333]

If number 1 is not symmetrical as far as light return that would be a no go for me.

Number 2 will have a dark area in the center but has a decent amount of red.

Can you provide the links to the stones?

 

[techguyia]

These are the links:

1: http://www.jamesallen.com/loose-diamonds/princess-cut/0.98-carat-e-color-vs1-clarity-sku-316026

2: http://www.jamesallen.com/loose-diamonds/princess-cut/1.01-carat-f-color-vs1-clarity-sku-304251

3: http://www.jamesallen.com/loose-diamonds/princess-cut/1.01-carat-e-color-vs1-clarity-sku-306080

I think the symmetry on the first stone is more an issue of how the ASET was conducted than with the actual stone, but I'm not sure. I'm really having a hard time deciding because three was actually the one I liked the best before I saw the ASETs. They all seem to have strengths and weaknesses. Stone 1 doesn't have as much red, and might have a symmetry issue. Stone 2 has the light leakage in the middle, and Stone 3 is a combination of the first two but was the one the gemologist liked the least and I liked the best!

 

[tyty333]

Did you ask JA about the symmetry with the first stone?

Well, I'm going to give you my opinion on what *I* like so feel free to totally ignore...

#2 isnt really doing anything for me. Don't know why because its not a bad stone.
#1 has a cut with a lot of pavilions which is not one of my favorites (this is a personal preference...so if you like it, great!) and I would
want to make sure that it is symmetrical as far as light return (which may just be the way the aset was taken as you suggest...ask
JA. I just dont want 3 areas reflecting and 1 area not. I dont mind if 2 areas reflect a certain way and then the other 2
reflect another way, just dont want 1 odd area out).

so, actually #3 is my favorite. Looks like it has decent, symmetric light return and has less pavilions like I like.

Like I said, it's my personal preference...

Edit - taking anther look at the asets, #3 certainly doesnt have as much red. Tough choice.

 

[techguyia]

Thanks for the advice about asking JA about the first stone's symmetry, I emailed them about it so we'll see what they say. I keep changing my mind on which one I like better overall! Thank you for your input, I really appreciate it.

 

[telephone89]

I like #2. Looking at the video, its not too dark in the middle, which is nice, lots of red, fewer chevrons (as tyty333 mentioned, this is personal preference, and this what I personally prefer).

 

[techguyia]

I just spoke with James Allen's customer service and they think that the symmetry is actually off on diamond #1, so that one is pretty much out now.

I'm still having a hard time deciding between the other two stones. Thank you both for your input!

 

[telephone89]

I stand corrected. I still like that it looks a bit chunkier than the others

 

[techguyia]

Thank you all for your input!

 

[tyty333]

I like #2. Looking at the video, its not too dark in the middle, which is nice, lots of red, fewer chevrons (as tyty333 mentioned, this is personal preference, and this what I personally prefer).

#2 actually has the maximum amount of chevrons (4) according to the report.

I believe there can be more than 4.

Check the ags lab report on this one. Somebody (might have been Karl K but not sure), said they have even seen 6.

http://www.jamesallen.com/loose-diamonds/princess-cut/1.08-carat-j-color-vs2-clarity-sku-21405

 

[two_little_birds]

I would keep looking.

If you want a princess cut, select one that has AGS grading - they are the only ones that grade princess cuts based on cut.

OR

Select a stone from Whiteflash's "A Cut Above" line.

Not sure what your budget is, otherwise I would have suggested a few.

 

[Texas Leaguer]

I like #2. Looking at the video, its not too dark in the middle, which is nice, lots of red, fewer chevrons (as tyty333 mentioned, this is personal preference, and this what I personally prefer).

#2 actually has the maximum amount of chevrons (4) according to the report.

I believe there can be more than 4.

Check the ags lab report on this one. Somebody (might have been Karl K but not sure), said they have even seen 6.

http://www.jamesallen.com/loose-diamonds/princess-cut/1.08-carat-j-color-vs2-clarity-sku-21405

That's an interesting find tyty! 4 chevrons is about the max you normally see, unless you get into very big sizes. The more chevrons you cut the higher the probability that you will not get an AGS Ideal as it is really hard to maintain symmetry and it is more likely that the cutter will run into a polishing direction that causes a polish fault.