does it matter? Experts unite

[newbie19]

So I am searching for a fairly high quality princess cut diamond but came upon some questions for the experts out there:
For the purpose of these next 2 questions lets say I''m looking at multiple diamonds in the VVS2 class of clarity. Yes I know you need a microscope to see inclusions in this class but,

1.does it matter where the inclusions are in a diamond(eg. corners v. middle)? Should I lean towards the diamond with inclusions in the corners over the one with inclusions in the middle or does it matter?

2.Also does the type of inclusion play a role in looks (eg. cloud v. needle v. pinpoint)? If I had one with 1 cloud or one with multiple needles both in the same clarity class does one preside over the other or does it really matter since both are in the same clarity class?


Lastly, I''m looking at a GIA certified diamond that the vendor says is an Ideal cut, but when I follow the AGA Princess cut chart listed on Pricescope(http://diamonds.pricescope.com/fnc1.asp) It''s table percentage of 70% puts it in the Premium cut range. Which do I go by? Is the AGA chart just guidelines and it is an ideal cut diamond, or is the AGA chart right and the vendor put the diamond in the ideal cut range to inflate the price?

 

[Lorelei]

Date: 1/3/2009 1:00:08 PM
Author:newbie19
So I am searching for a fairly high quality princess cut diamond but came upon some questions for the experts out there:
For the purpose of these next 2 questions lets say I'm looking at multiple diamonds in the VVS2 class of clarity. Yes I know you need a microscope to see inclusions in this class but,

1.does it matter where the inclusions are in a diamond(eg. corners v. middle)? Should I lean towards the diamond with inclusions in the corners over the one with inclusions in the middle or does it matter?

2.Also does the type of inclusion play a role in looks (eg. cloud v. needle v. pinpoint)? If I had one with 1 cloud or one with multiple needles both in the same clarity class does one preside over the other or does it really matter since both are in the same clarity class?


Lastly, I'm looking at a GIA certified diamond that the vendor says is an Ideal cut, but when I follow the AGA Princess cut chart listed on Pricescope(http://diamonds.pricescope.com/fnc1.asp) It's table percentage of 70% puts it in the Premium cut range. Which do I go by? Is the AGA chart just guidelines and it is an ideal cut diamond, or is the AGA chart right and the vendor put the diamond in the ideal cut range to inflate the price?

Welcome!

Firstly with VVS clarity, according to what the experts have taught, the inclusions will be minute and not of consequence regardless of where they are located or what type they, are so nothing to worry about.

Concerning Ideal Cut, don't go by this unless it refers to AGS labs AGS0 cut grade as this is the only recognized use of the term ideal cut. Vendors may use this label to describe certain levels of cut quality but it does not guarantee you a well cut diamond. The AGA cut class chart can be used as a guide certainly - however there aren't a set of proportions that will result in a perfectly cut Princess or other fancy shape, unfortunately it isn't that simple.

When selecting Princess or other fancy shapes it is best to work with a vendor who has in house diamonds, and all the cut analysis done for you such ashttps://www.pricescope.com/communit...-aset-to-ideal-scope-with-fancy-shapes.73949/images, detailed photographs and other tools. You can also consider AGS0 cut grade Princess which should be well cut diamonds, however I believe it is always best to evaluate each diamond regardless. Also if you work with a trusted vendor there are well cut GIA Princess out there, an expert vendor can help you find the better cut ones, as yet GIA do not grade fancy shapes for cut.

If you want to purchase online, the following vendors offer well cut Princess which are part of their inventory so check them out.

www.goodoldgold.com

www.winkjones.com

www.whiteflash.com

www.niceice.com

Alternatively you can use the Pricescope your Diamond tool above, use the search by cut feature and this will bring up well cut diamonds for you to see.

 

[RNgemlover]

I have a .57 G VVS1, ideal, and you can barely see the 2 pinpoint inclusions with a microscope lol. I think you''ll be ok

 

[newbie19]

Lorelei, if you see this- What are your feelings on James Allen? I'm looking at 2 diamonds they have. Diamond 1 they list as a Premium cut with Depth=74.2% and Table=72%. Diamond 2 is listed as Ideal with Depth=72.3% and Table=70%??

 

[JulieN]

Post the pictures.

 

[newbie19]

Can''t find flat out pics on them but here are the links:


http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/F-VVS2-Premium-Cut-Princess-Diamond-1198912.asp?b=16&a=12&c=77&cid=131

http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/F-VVS2-Ideal-Cut-Princess-Diamond-1187863.asp?b=16&a=12&c=77&cid=131

 

[JulieN]

It seems like the first one (1.03) is nicer than the 1.08. Asking for Ideal Scope pictures is the next step, or asking a staff member at JA to compare them for you.

5000 will not get you the top cuts if you are looking at a 1 ct, colorless, VVS2+ diamond.

 

[newbie19]

Really how much difference is there between a ideal cut and say a premium cut though? Is it considerable or would I be fine saving a little $, getting one of these diamonds listed above from JA? Both with the table and depth % and everything else considered seem like great diamonds am I wrong? I basically have about $5000 to spend on a diamond and want to get the best I can. I''m a first time buyer though so it doesn''t have to be the best diamond in the world. And yes I am also looking at VS1''s even though I prefer VVS2 and higher. Also I could care less if it''s above 1.00 carat or not I''m just trying to get one around that size and have been searching anywhere from .92 - 1.10 carat. The JA''s just tend to be the best fitting so far. I know these parameters are hard to find, any cost cutting ideas with keeping a high quality diamond would be appreciated.

 

[Lorelei]

Date: 1/3/2009 7:10:42 PM
Author: newbie19
Can''t find flat out pics on them but here are the links:


http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/F-VVS2-Premium-Cut-Princess-Diamond-1198912.asp?b=16&a=12&c=77&cid=131

http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/F-VVS2-Ideal-Cut-Princess-Diamond-1187863.asp?b=16&a=12&c=77&cid=131

You could request Idealscope images for these, but I would ask Jim Schultz or one of his staff what they can recommend for well cut Princess matching your criteria.

 

[Lorelei]

Date: 1/4/2009 5:10:43 AM
Author: newbie19
Really how much difference is there between a ideal cut and say a premium cut though? Is it considerable or would I be fine saving a little $, getting one of these diamonds listed above from JA? Both with the table and depth % and everything else considered seem like great diamonds am I wrong? I basically have about $5000 to spend on a diamond and want to get the best I can. I'm a first time buyer though so it doesn't have to be the best diamond in the world. And yes I am also looking at VS1's even though I prefer VVS2 and higher. Also I could care less if it's above 1.00 carat or not I'm just trying to get one around that size and have been searching anywhere from .92 - 1.10 carat. The JA's just tend to be the best fitting so far. I know these parameters are hard to find, any cost cutting ideas with keeping a high quality diamond would be appreciated.

Labels such as Ideal and Premium don't mean anything really, the only recognized use of the term Ideal pertains to AGS labs AGS0 cut grade. Your best bet would be to ask Jim as I mentioned before to find you his best cut Princess, depth and table only form a chalk outline of the diamond, experts say to look for the table being smaller than the depth but this is only part of the story and there are other factors involved to make a well cut and beautiful diamond. The staff at JA are a good bunch and will be able to suggest some diamonds you might like!

 

[newbie19]

Lorelei,

I will try and contact James and probably Ariel at Icestore as well (I''ve been in contact with him). Out of all the vendors on Pricescope though could you give some recomendations or maybe ones that might have overinflated prices?

Just so you know what I''m looking for:
Princess cut (A great cut, but I don''t need the best in the world --->first time buyer for a special someone who could care less, but me being me I want quality)
Looking to stay in the D-F colorless range though I could care less where it falls in that range
Clarity=I guess VS1 and up
carat size- anywhere around 1 carat without hitting an inflated 1.00 price (been looking at .90 to 1.10)
budget- $5000 on the diamond- If I purchase one for low enough might get platnium ring, though my girl says white gold and her work fine together


One big question though. With what you stated in your previous message:
Labels such as Ideal and Premium don''t mean anything really, the only recognized use of the term Ideal pertains to AGS labs AGS0 cut grade.....depth and table only form a chalk outline of the diamond

How do I search for a great diamond on pricescope? Doing a search by cut doesn''t come up with much, so by doing a regular price comparision search how do I go about it? Theres zero out there for AGS diamonds in my parameters (really only GIA''s) and

depth and table only form a chalk outline of the diamond
do I still follow the AGA cut chart and put in depth% 64-75 and table % 60-72 or with what you said does that even matter? should I just leave what pricescope puts in those ranges as default?
Thanks for all the help

 

[Lorelei]

Date: 1/4/2009 8:25:39 AM
Author: newbie19
Lorelei,

I will try and contact James and probably Ariel at Icestore as well (I''ve been in contact with him). Out of all the vendors on Pricescope though could you give some recomendations or maybe ones that might have overinflated prices?

Just so you know what I''m looking for:
Princess cut (A great cut, but I don''t need the best in the world --->first time buyer for a special someone who could care less, but me being me I want quality)
Looking to stay in the D-F colorless range though I could care less where it falls in that range
Clarity=I guess VS1 and up
carat size- anywhere around 1 carat without hitting an inflated 1.00 price (been looking at .90 to 1.10)
budget- $5000 on the diamond- If I purchase one for low enough might get platnium ring, though my girl says white gold and her work fine together


One big question though. With what you stated in your previous message:
Labels such as Ideal and Premium don''t mean anything really, the only recognized use of the term Ideal pertains to AGS labs AGS0 cut grade.....depth and table only form a chalk outline of the diamond

How do I search for a great diamond on pricescope? Doing a search by cut doesn''t come up with much, so by doing a regular price comparision search how do I go about it? Theres zero out there for AGS diamonds in my parameters (really only GIA''s) and

depth and table only form a chalk outline of the diamond
do I still follow the AGA cut chart and put in depth% 64-75 and table % 60-72 or with what you said does that even matter? should I just leave what pricescope puts in those ranges as default?
Thanks for all the help

Try the search by cut feature to bring up what should be well cut stones, alternatively ask the vendor of your choosing to recommend some diamonds for you. There are well cut GIA Princess out there, it can just take a bit more work to find them.

You can play around with the proportions and see what comes up. If you are only searching VVS2 then add in some other clarity grades if you are agreeable, say IF to VS2 and see what comes up. If you are only searching for high colour VVS then there might not be many diamonds available, so if you can broaden your search terms to see what that brings up.

 

[diamondseeker2006]

Seriously, the place to cut corners is not in the cut, it is in the clarity. I am very picky about clarity and have a VS1 diamond. In most cases, you cannot see an inclusion in a VS1 using a loupe. I know my diamond has one tiny inclusion, but I cannot see it. You probably could with a microscope, but 10x magnification is good enough for me! I suggest focusing on ideal cut for the stone, and WF and Good Old Gold generally have the largest inventories. Winfield''s carries Infinity, which is also a top cut quality, but the inventory is smaller, I think. You''ll need to stay with F or even G color to even approach your price target. Best of luck to you!

 

[dreamer_dachsie]

Date: 1/4/2009 8:41:37 AM
Author: diamondseeker2006
Seriously, the place to cut corners is not in the cut, it is in the clarity. I am very picky about clarity and have a VS1 diamond. In most cases, you cannot see an inclusion in a VS1 using a loupe. I know my diamond has one tiny inclusion, but I cannot see it. You probably could with a microscope, but 10x magnification is good enough for me! I suggest focusing on ideal cut for the stone, and WF and Good Old Gold generally have the largest inventories. Winfield''s carries Infinity, which is also a top cut quality, but the inventory is smaller, I think. You''ll need to stay with F or even G color to even approach your price target. Best of luck to you!

Great advice!

 

[Paul-Antwerp]

Date: 1/4/2009 5:10:43 AM
Author: newbie19
Really how much difference is there between a ideal cut and say a premium cut though? Is it considerable or would I be fine saving a little $, getting one of these diamonds listed above from JA? Both with the table and depth % and everything else considered seem like great diamonds am I wrong? I basically have about $5000 to spend on a diamond and want to get the best I can. I''m a first time buyer though so it doesn''t have to be the best diamond in the world. And yes I am also looking at VS1''s even though I prefer VVS2 and higher. Also I could care less if it''s above 1.00 carat or not I''m just trying to get one around that size and have been searching anywhere from .92 - 1.10 carat. The JA''s just tend to be the best fitting so far. I know these parameters are hard to find, any cost cutting ideas with keeping a high quality diamond would be appreciated.

A very good question, newbie.

Since some vendors do not have a clear definition of ''ideal'', definitely not in fancy shapes, it may mean that there is no difference at all. At least not in their inventory. Maybe they can explain the difference and how it affects the light performance?

Live long,

 

[newbie19]

Alright, all of this leads me to 3 big questions:

1. From Lorelei:
"you can use the Pricescope your Diamond tool above, use the search by cut feature and this will bring up well cut diamonds for you to see."

- I don''t understand why you can even do a search by cut for Princess cut. When you click on search by cut it states, "utilizes the Holloway Cut Ranking (U.S. Patent 7,251,619) for automatic evaluation of the visual appearance of a round diamond." So how does it evaluate what''s a good Princess cut or not? In that search engine most of the result diamonds with my parameters (.90-1.10 carat, Color=D-F, Clarity=IF-VS1) have a table of 73,74,75 while the GOG diamond is 68%. The 68% is the only one that falls under AGA cut chart''s Ideal cut and the rest are 2 steps below at international fine trade cut. I know you probably would take the "search by cut" over AGA cut chart, but with not knowing how Pricescope comes up with Princess "search by cut" I''m a little lost with which one I should follow. So do I use search by cut results of depth/ table percentages or do I follow AGA cut chart depth/table percentages when doing a normal search?

2. From Lorelei:
"Labels such as Ideal and Premium don''t mean anything really, the only recognized use of the term Ideal pertains to AGS labs AGS0 cut grade.....depth and table only form a chalk outline of the diamond, experts say to look for the table being smaller than the depth but this is only part of the story and there are other factors involved to make a well cut and beautiful diamond."

-With doing a "search by cut" all diamonds but 1 have a bigger table then depth. I know you said there are other factors, but are the other factors of this search outweighing the smaller table than depth quote or are the other diamonds decent and the GOG diamond with a smaller table than depth the supreme diamond.

3.From Lorelei:
"Labels such as Ideal and Premium don''t mean anything really, the only recognized use of the term Ideal pertains to AGS labs AGS0 cut grade. You could request Idealscope images for these, but I would ask Jim Schultz or one of his staff what they can recommend for well cut Princess matching your criteria....Your best bet would be to ask Jim as I mentioned before to find you his best cut Princess....The staff at JA are a good bunch and will be able to suggest some diamonds you might like!"

I understand calling a vendor and asking them to find me only their best cut diamonds but isn''t it a little weird that I would be calling a vendor who puts an Ideal or Premium label on a bunch of their diamonds that in fact may not be ideal cuts? Wouldn''t they just tell me over the phone instead of internet, "Here is one of our ideal (GIA certified)diamonds" when it may not be? I may just be missing what your getting at here. I just don''t see how over the phone would change a recomendation.


Thanks for all the great help I know I''m digging into this one pretty far, but I''m really close to making a purchase and am quite the diamond layman in comparison with all of you.

 

[Lorelei]

Date: 1/5/2009 10:36:37 AM
Author: newbie19
Alright, all of this leads me to 3 big questions:

1. From Lorelei:
'you can use the Pricescope your Diamond tool above, use the search by cut feature and this will bring up well cut diamonds for you to see.'


- I don't understand why you can even do a search by cut for Princess cut. When you click on search by cut it states, 'utilizes the Holloway Cut Ranking (U.S. Patent 7,251,619) for automatic evaluation of the visual appearance of a round diamond.' So how does it evaluate what's a good Princess cut or not? In that search engine most of the result diamonds with my parameters (.90-1.10 carat, Color=D-F, Clarity=IF-VS1) have a table of 73,74,75 while the GOG diamond is 68%. The 68% is the only one that falls under AGA cut chart's Ideal cut and the rest are 2 steps below at international fine trade cut. I know you probably would take the 'search by cut' over AGA cut chart, but with not knowing how Pricescope comes up with Princess 'search by cut' I'm a little lost with which one I should follow. So do I use search by cut results of depth/ table percentages or do I follow AGA cut chart depth/table percentages when doing a normal search?

Select Princess from the first box which says shape then select search by cut, that will bring up Princess cuts which have cut info provided.

Once you have the Princess on screen using the search by cut as above, then you can judge which are the best ones using the ASET, Idealscope images which are often provided, also you should get AGS0 cut grade Princess within these which can help narrow the field. AGS are the only lab to grade Princess for cut quality at this time and as such are considered to be well cut diamonds, but it is always best to evaluate each diamond IMO by using the above images and trusted vendor/ appraiser advice.

2. From Lorelei:
'Labels such as Ideal and Premium don't mean anything really, the only recognized use of the term Ideal pertains to AGS labs AGS0 cut grade.....depth and table only form a chalk outline of the diamond, experts say to look for the table being smaller than the depth but this is only part of the story and there are other factors involved to make a well cut and beautiful diamond.'

-With doing a 'search by cut' all diamonds but 1 have a bigger table then depth. I know you said there are other factors, but are the other factors of this search outweighing the smaller table than depth quote or are the other diamonds decent and the GOG diamond with a smaller table than depth the supreme diamond.

With Princess and other fancy shapes, the table being smaller than the depth is a guideline and really the only way to compare diamonds is to have actual examples and their images, plus a document which gives detailed measurements of a particular diamond. Generally speaking, " commercial cut" Princess I have read can have larger table to depth, but the cut and light return of a diamond is much more complex than that.

3.From Lorelei:
'Labels such as Ideal and Premium don't mean anything really, the only recognized use of the term Ideal pertains to AGS labs AGS0 cut grade. You could request Idealscope images for these, but I would ask Jim Schultz or one of his staff what they can recommend for well cut Princess matching your criteria....Your best bet would be to ask Jim as I mentioned before to find you his best cut Princess....The staff at JA are a good bunch and will be able to suggest some diamonds you might like!'

I understand calling a vendor and asking them to find me only their best cut diamonds but isn't it a little weird that I would be calling a vendor who puts an Ideal or Premium label on a bunch of their diamonds that in fact may not be ideal cuts? Wouldn't they just tell me over the phone instead of internet, 'Here is one of our ideal (GIA certified)diamonds' when it may not be? I may just be missing what your getting at here. I just don't see how over the phone would change a recomendation.

No, different buyers want different things, different levels of cut, size, colour etc etc. Also GIA do not use the term Ideal and as I said previously, AGS are the only lab to grade Princess for cut at this time. It is best to be clear with your vendor as to what you are looking for, I don't know what criteria JA use to decide which of their diamonds get an Ideal Cut, Premium cut label etc, but many of the vendors describe some of their goods in this manner, this is nothing unusual. What I was trying to say was this - call JA if you want to work with them ( they are a great vendor and have an excellent rep BTW) and if you want the best cut Princess you can get, ask them to source you some top make ( cut) diamonds for consideration. I am not saying they can do this but it is worth asking if they could show you some AGS0 Princess which as I said before are generally considered to be well cut diamonds, and really the only meaningful use of the term Ideal applies when referring to an AGS0 cut grade Princess. If you want to purchase a certain level of goods such as a top cut Princess it is definitely worth communicating with a vendor by telephone or email so they can best assist you. JA might know of a contact who has just what you are looking for, or know of some diamonds coming in, this way you have a vendor who is clear on what you want and can use their expertise to help you. JA deal with all kinds of diamonds of various qualities and cut qualities so telling them what you want narrows the field. Once you have some contenders then the next step is to judge the diamond for cut by using ASET if possible, Idealscope and your own eyes, so see if you can compare some diamonds of known cut quality in person such as AGS0 Princess ( Jareds sell them) so you have a point of comparison to use when choosing your own diamond. Also you could consider a branded cut Princess which are often AGS0 if you wished.




Thanks for all the great help I know I'm digging into this one pretty far, but I'm really close to making a purchase and am quite the diamond layman in comparison with all of you.

 

[newbie19]

1. From Lorelei:
''you can use the Pricescope your Diamond tool above, use the search by cut feature and this will bring up well cut diamonds for you to see.''

- I don''t understand why you can even do a search by cut for Princess cut. When you click on search by cut it states, ''utilizes the Holloway Cut Ranking (U.S. Patent 7,251,619) for automatic evaluation of the visual appearance of a round diamond.'' So how does it evaluate what''s a good Princess cut or not? In that search engine most of the result diamonds with my parameters (.90-1.10 carat, Color=D-F, Clarity=IF-VS1) have a table of 73,74,75 while the GOG diamond is 68%. The 68% is the only one that falls under AGA cut chart''s Ideal cut and the rest are 2 steps below at international fine trade cut. I know you probably would take the ''search by cut'' over AGA cut chart, but with not knowing how Pricescope comes up with Princess ''search by cut'' I''m a little lost with which one I should follow. So do I use search by cut results of depth/ table percentages or do I follow AGA cut chart depth/table percentages when doing a normal search?

Select Princess from the first box which says shape then select search by cut, that will bring up Princess cuts which have cut info provided.

Once you have the Princess on screen using the search by cut as above, then you can judge which are the best ones using the ASET, Idealscope images which are often provided, also you should get AGS0 cut grade Princess within these which can help narrow the field. AGS are the only lab to grade Princess for cut quality at this time and as such are considered to be well cut diamonds, but it is always best to evaluate each diamond IMO by using the above images and trusted vendor/ appraiser advice.

I do understand how to use the search by cut and then still evaluate the results and I have been doing these steps to try and get proper dimensions for an ideal cut princess, but still my question remains ( Maybe I wasn''t clear). How does pricescope come up with their results for "search by cut" for Princess cuts? It''s obvious they use HCA for round brilliants in "search by cut" but it does not explain how they come up with results for princess cuts . I''m especially curious because not all the results have AGS certificates. Are the results all diamonds that someone on pricescope sees their sarin reports, OGI, etc. etc. and deams them great cuts and puts on here? Just wondering how much trust to put in this search Or if I should give more weight towards using AGA cut chart for diameters and sort through those results.

 

[Lorelei]

Date: 1/6/2009 8:28:41 AM




I do understand how to use the search by cut and then still evaluate the results and I have been doing these steps to try and get proper dimensions for an ideal cut princess, but still my question remains ( Maybe I wasn't clear). How does pricescope come up with their results for 'search by cut' for Princess cuts? It's obvious they use HCA for round brilliants in 'search by cut' but it does not explain how they come up with results for princess cuts . I'm especially curious because not all the results have AGS certificates. Are the results all diamonds that someone on pricescope sees their sarin reports, OGI, etc. etc. and deams them great cuts and puts on here? Just wondering how much trust to put in this search Or if I should give more weight towards using AGA cut chart for diameters and sort through those results.

Ok I see what you are saying, the diamonds listed are mainly AGS0 ( which are considered to be top cut quality) and some which have GIA reports which are also deemed to be of excellent cut quality by experienced vendors who have all the info available to support this claim. I would imagine this is how these diamonds are included in the cut quality search as the cut quality info is provided, unlike with the many virtual diamonds where this info isn't readily available.

Also you can use the AGA charts as a guide but again this is no guarantee of a well cut diamond as many possible ' looks' and performances are possible through one set of numbers - you can use the chart as an initial guide, but I would recommend you use ASET, detailed photographs, and Idealscope to narrow your selections for purchase. Maybe you would hit your target more easily of finding a top cut Princess by concentrating on AGS0 cut grade and or branded cuts such as Crafted by Infinity Princess ( Wink Jones sells these ), or A Cut Above Princess from Whiteflash etc.

 

[newbie19]

Lorelei,
Thank you. You hit on what I''ve been looking for in an answer. I just didn''t know how they came up with those results as good cuts.

I have been searching non stop and am currently receiving info. from vendors so I''ll probably be on here soon with my top picks asking for advice before I make my purchase. Only two small questions I can think of and I should be good till I receive info.:

1. Looking at search by cut- https://www.pricescope.com/sift.aspx
I like the $5300 GOG diamond but it''s a little more than I want to spend so I am also looking at ones like JA''s $4550 and $4080. I have not received reports on all these diamonds yet but lets say I''m willing to purchase any of the three, and all the reports came back saying they are nice enough cuts for me to purchase. Those three diamonds have different symmetry and polish levels. ex/ex, gd/gd, and vg/vg respectively. How big of a factor should symmetry and polish be for a purchase?

2. Seeing some prices in a B&M store I highly doubt I could afford a "Hearts on Fire" Princess Diamond (I think the Princess cut is called "dream" cut or something) for my first diamond purchase, but I was wondering if there are any online vendors out there that show price so I can get an idea of internet prices for these babies and see if it''s even possible.

 

[jstarfireb]

If you're looking for a nicely cut princess in the 1ct range and close to $5000 (based on the JA stones), I can recommend a few:
1.01 F VS1 for $5300 by bank wire
0.96 F SI1 for $4800 - just under 1ct is a great money-saving size!
0.90 F SI1 for $4500 (I prefer the first 2 because this faces up a tad small because of its depth; however, some say that a 77-78% depth is the ideal number for princess light return
=515&src=loupe:2o8h065d]0.92 H VS1 - a beautiful Infinity; this one is available through trusted PS vendor Wink Jones

I also highly recommend Whiteflash and their ACA line (my princess is one), but they don't seem to have too much in your range at the moment.

ETA: Forgot to say what I think about the JA stones you linked to. They both look like they have some pretty significant leakage in the center, particularly the second stone. So I'd favor the first, but I personally wouldn't buy it - I'd look for a tighter cut. Also, while JA is a reputable vendor, they don't provide ASET images, which I think are the single most helpful tool for evalating fancy cuts. IS images are hard to interpret for princesses.

 

[blueauratus]

I second contacting Whiteflash for a ACA Princess. I have seen one in person and they are most definetely the most sparkly princesses I have seen and it is an I and faces up pretty darn white!

 

[blueauratus]

Here is an Xfactor from WF, looks like it should be an eye clean SI2:
http://www.whiteflash.com/xfactor/X-Factor-cut-diamond-168641.htm#

 

[newbie19]

Any takers on my previous question: How big of a factor should symmetry and polish be for a purchase?

 

[Lorelei]

Date: 1/7/2009 7:40:12 AM
Author: newbie19
Any takers on my previous question: How big of a factor should symmetry and polish be for a purchase?

This should answer your question.

http://diamonds.pricescope.com/symm.asp

http://diamonds.pricescope.com/polish.asp

It is said that the naked untrained eye will not be able to tell the difference between good and above for polish and symmetry. Those who want the ' best' they can get will naturally expect excellent to Ideal ( AGS) for both as part of their diamond's craftmanship and finish, but the overall proportions and their ability to return light to the eye are the main engines of the diamond, moreso than polish and symmetry.

 

[Judah Gutwein]

Newbie19,

1. When you go all the way up to VVS for clarity, I'd say that (at this level of the game) the location of the inclusions, mostly impacts personal/emotional/psychological considerations. Ultimately, such a diamond would be completely eye-clean, so whether the inclusions are off to the side of the crown or smack in the table, is mostly a personal consideration.


2. In my experience and certainly when dealing with a vvs clarity graded diamond (a legit vvs, which should be the case with GIA/AGS graded stones), there is no such thing as a "better" or "worse" inclusion vis a vis the visual appeal of the diamond.

3. This has been bounced around many times on this forum and you can sift through some of the previous and informative postings on this topic. However, suffice to say, the term "IDEAL" as an actual grading cut designation is reserved for an AGS-0 Ideal princess cut, since AGS is the only lab that currently issues this type of documented cut grade for this shape. (yes, I know that there are many experts who might be inclined to jump on this and point out that there are many "ideally" and beautifully cut princess diamonds which have been graded by other labs than the AGS and which may indeed be just as beautiful as an AGS certified Ideal princess cut diamond...these experts will assert that they have no less a right than AGS to categorize and define an Ideal princess cut diamond....and indeed...their definition may even closely dovetail with that of the AGS, nonetheless the aformentioned salient point remains.)


Best of luck!