Asscher decision: Blue Nile vs. Union Diamond

[asscherfan]

I''ll try to keep this short:

Recently purchased an asscher from Blue Nile. It was from their signature collection and it''s a very lovely stone (from what I can tell, but I''m a complete novice). Here are the stats

Measurements: 5.55 x 5.55 x 3.71

Weight: 1.04
Depth: 66.8%
Table: 61%
Girdle: Slightly Thick to Thick
Culet: Slightly large
Polish: Ex
Symmetry: Ex
Clarity: VS1
Color: H
Flourescence: None
Price: $5973

I felt good about the price because I had only compared to local retail jewlers and the stone was much cheaper and prettier than what I could find locally. I chose to go with the Blue Nile signature soley because I was nervous about buying on-line sight unseen and I figured they would certainly make sure it''s a quality stone if they attached their reputation to it.

Then I found Pricescope.

Turns out many competitors offer similar diamonds substantially cheaper.

Long and short. I found a diamond from Union Diamond that''s cheaper by almost $400.00 a color grade up, a little larger and similar finish and geometry.

Here are the stats:

Measurements: 5.72 X 5.71 X 3.97
Weight: 1.10
Depth: 69.5%
Table: 60%
Girdle: Thick
Culet: None
Polish: Ex
Symmetry: Ex
Clarity: VS1
Color: G
Flourescence: None
Price: 5561

Tony at Union Diamond took a look at it and tells me it''s a beautiful diamond and a great buy. He sounded very knowlegeable and was extremely helpful on the phone. The folks at Blue Nile were as well. But Tony seems especially knowlegeable about the asscher in question.

Here are my questions. Do you think it''d be worth the trouble to swap these diamonds? Will the diamond appear any larger? Is Union Diamond as reputable and secure as Blue Nile? Will the color grade make a noticible difference (I always planned on a G - but settled for an H due to price on Blue Nile).

I guess I''m a little be miffed at Blue Nile for being so far off of the market of their primary competitors - so I''m tempted to return it on principle alone. The main problem is it sets back my time frame for a proposal - sometime before the New Year.

Any thoughts at all on either the stones or Blue Nile or Union Diamond would be greatly appreciated.

 

[valeria101]

From what info is available, I would say that, if placed side by side, the second diamond will appear a bit bigger and perhaps a slight difference in color mai be visible with some struggle. The second has atractive cut given the bigger (but not too much so) depth and smaller table, where "attractive" stands for the hope of better sparkle and a rather overcelebrated pattern of internal reflections within the stone. Wether the stones are different enough to warrent a swap, it would be very hard to tell without having seen them, or as much as a picture. But most arguments I can think of lean towards the second.




Speacking of cut: there are several industry guidelines for what exectly a successful emerald cut (square included) should be like, for example this set. Not sure wether these may make a difference, but it could give you an idea why BlueNile consider their stone a premium cut. I am curious what criteria made that stone stand out for BlueNile... and why?




About UnionDiamonds I have no firts-hand experience, but there were quite a few PriceScope posts with the same inquiry about them. If you have no done this basic searh already, well, there are not too many bad things about them, if any. It is not just the price at BlueNile or the principle, but I somewhat shun the idea of buyin a stone someone else decided to call "premium cut" (or "signature" or whatever) and ask for an unexplained premium for that claim.


However, non of those two stones presents any detraction to speak of. SO? Good luck with your purchase!, whatever you decide...

 

[oldminer]

The recent find sounds like a good deal and the original one not such a poor deal either. The 1.10 will look a bit larger in diameter. They might pass as a pair of well matched diamonds if they were in earrings.

I doubt you could tell them apart based on anything but apprarent size unless you become somewhat expert in color grading.

Of course, a G is supposed to cost a little more than an H color. A little color difference is what makes this market react. And, in this case the G is less costly. The choice based on what info we have is the 5500 stone, not the 5900 stone. A very simple comparison.

 

[stephcola]

Hi,




I recently purchased a round brilliant stone from Blue Nile with the tremendous help of the contributors on Pricescope. I had a fabulous experience with Blue Nile and for me...the few hundred $$$$ wouldn't make me return a stone I love. I returned a stone to them first that I did not like the color of (I) and they were great. I was just nervous sending it back and was on pins and needles until they got it back into their inventory. The second stone I got, I really love. Also, shipping will cost some $$$ as well. You know what yours looks like but what happens if you switch and like the first one better. The proverbial bird in the hand!!




Anyway, I met Tony at Union Diamonds and he is great and knows alot!!! I went up to see him in Atlanta and he has a very upscale shop as well as an online business. He got several stones in for me and would not give up the search!!! His staff is great as well. Tony called in a stone for me to see and I went to Atlanta to see it. It was an AGS000 so I was excited. This was not a stock diamond and Tony had not seen the stone before. When we both looked, there was a black spot I did not like. I returned home and found the Blue Nile stone. I had it appraised by Rich Sherwood and he gave it the thumbs up. Tony still tried to find the stone. I would love to see him get your business as he was a great businessman. So there you go...a great report on both. I gave all the vendors a shot and for my budget, size and color reqt. Blue Nile had the "one". I would definitely have bought a stone from Union Diamond though. Good Luck!!!