My girlfriend is very simple and wants a Princess cut solitaire in a four-prong platinum setting. I've been doing a lot of research on what makes a "good" Princess cut and thought I knew what to look for:
1.2-1.3 carats
F-G color
VVS1-VS2 clarity
Ideal cut
Depth % ~74
Table % ~70
Very good symmetry and polish, no fluorescence
$7000-$10000 budget
On Saturday I went to Robbins Brothers (a large SoCal diamond wholesaler) and looked at five different stones, all in the 1.2 carat range and F or G color but with varying clarities and measurements. Here's the problem -- I had a very hard time discerning any real differences in the overall "look" of the stones! The only obvious differences were the shape; some were more rectangular than others. But in terms of brilliance and sparkle, to my eyes they all looked about the same, even one with a really big depth % and SI clarity.
I'm now more confused than ever. Should I just go for the best deal since I don't see any difference (and I'm certain neither would my girl)?
A couple other points/questions. They showed my a stone with SI 1 clarity and I really couldn't see the inclusions very well at 10x. Is an SI stone still a "quality" stone? They seem to be a little cheaper so is this a good option? Also, the stones they showed me were all around $8K, but I've seen stones online with significantly better specs for about the same money. I can't really imagine buying a stone sight-unseen based solely on numbers, but should I be worried?
I'd REALLY appreciate any help as I want to get a ring within the next two weeks. Thanks in advance!
Paul
1.2-1.3 carats
F-G color
VVS1-VS2 clarity
Ideal cut
Depth % ~74
Table % ~70
Very good symmetry and polish, no fluorescence
$7000-$10000 budget
On Saturday I went to Robbins Brothers (a large SoCal diamond wholesaler) and looked at five different stones, all in the 1.2 carat range and F or G color but with varying clarities and measurements. Here's the problem -- I had a very hard time discerning any real differences in the overall "look" of the stones! The only obvious differences were the shape; some were more rectangular than others. But in terms of brilliance and sparkle, to my eyes they all looked about the same, even one with a really big depth % and SI clarity.
I'm now more confused than ever. Should I just go for the best deal since I don't see any difference (and I'm certain neither would my girl)?
A couple other points/questions. They showed my a stone with SI 1 clarity and I really couldn't see the inclusions very well at 10x. Is an SI stone still a "quality" stone? They seem to be a little cheaper so is this a good option? Also, the stones they showed me were all around $8K, but I've seen stones online with significantly better specs for about the same money. I can't really imagine buying a stone sight-unseen based solely on numbers, but should I be worried?
I'd REALLY appreciate any help as I want to get a ring within the next two weeks. Thanks in advance!
Paul