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3.0 ct princess?

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bigE

Shiny_Rock
Joined
Jul 27, 2006
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As some of you know I''m trying to acquire a princess cut for a Michael B one sided micropaved regular princess setting. My budget for the diamond itself is about $20k...the only place I could find really large princess cuts, or at least several of them, is on bluenile.com. I know many PS''ers don''t shop there, and might prefer GOG, whiteflash, niceice, superbcert, etc. due to the more advanced technology, pictures of actual diamonds, idealscope images, etc., but I was wondering if anyone thought anything about any of the 3 ct princess cuts on bluenile...

As it seems there are several on there that would fit my budget. I''m looking for a I or better color and VS2 or S1 (eye clean) or better. I was originally planning on going with a 2ct, but after searching bluenile.com it kind of got me excited about the possibility of getting a 3 ct diamond. What do you think? Are these diamonds any good or really can''t tell due to lack of info. Prices too good to be true?

Here''s an example of one of them...
http://www.bluenile.com/diamonds_details.asp?__fun_frm=i&pid=LD00443967&filter_id=0

8.3 mm by 8.3 mm, 3 ct, would be huge!!
 
BigE, I probably got you off track on the size of the stones! You were doing fine in the 2 ct. range! Seriously,though, it is easier to look for a princess by looking for an AGS0 cert. That way you can know you''re getting a well cut one. And all you have to do is ask a vendor like Jonathan at GOG to look for one for you if they don''t have one in stock. That''s pretty common with larger stones.
 
there''s nothing wrong with bn. i do feel however, that looking at ags0 graded diamonds is even more important if you can''t have other valuable information (sarin, idealscope).

i would be especially hesitant with a princess that has a very thin girdle. they are prone to chipping anyway.
 
DS, you didn''t get me off track...just want to get the most bang for the buck and it would be cool to get a 3 ct diamond! However, I do have doubts about the quality of them, but as I said maybe going to an I VS2 or I SI1 would help w/ getting this size of diamond with good quality. Anyone have the requirements for an AGS000? I''ll start looking...
 
The other side of it is, that I don''t care how shiny the diamond looks, it''s going to look awesome by itself w/ it being a 3 ct! Know what I mean?
 
We know what you mean, but the cut quality is number one in importance!
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Just look for stones that have the AGS0 cert. oh wait, since you''re a dentist, I should use this smiley instead...
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DS, I know what you mean (and thanks for the teefs by the way:))...but couldn''t there be a compromise where the quality is very good as opposed to excellent or ideal, and get away with getting a larger diamond. Not sure that bluenile does the AGS0 classification. It does concern me that they don''t even have the crown and pavillion angles, as that would help judge the stones. I''m sure that if I were to go somewhere like GOG or other with AGS0 3 ct. stones in princess cut it would be way more than 20k!!! That''s my budget and I''m stickin to it:)
 
If your budget is $20,000 for the stone, you need to look close to 2 cts. The ones from WhiteFlash will get some sort of discount for mentioning Pricescope and paying by wire.
 
It''s still no 3 carat!:):)
 
Date: 8/12/2006 10:43:32 PM
Author: bigE
The other side of it is, that I don''t care how shiny the diamond looks, it''s going to look awesome by itself w/ it being a 3 ct! Know what I mean?
Click to expand...
ummm....kinda
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but this is a whopping 4cts
http://cgi.ebay.com/CERT-HUGE-4-15CT-SOLITAIRE-DIAMOND-RING-18K-YELLOW-GOLD_W0QQitemZ280014591786QQihZ018QQcategoryZ67726QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

and i bet my .75ct earrings look better than that thing.
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a well cut stone will command just as much attention.
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As one who bought a 1.77c princess at BN last year before I discovered all the valuable information on PS, they are NOT the cheapest vendors out there.

I agree that 3c for just over 20k sounds good, but I would almost guarantee that GOG could get a 3c with those specs for 20k or less.

A very thin girdle on a princess is not a good feature because when it comes to setting that stone, chipping is a very real possibility.
 
No, but you are buying a high quality setting, you''ll be in a respected profession that deals with very precise work, and I don''t think you''ll be happy settling for a mediocre diamond just to get 3 cts. I think a high quality 2 ct. stone is a lot more classy. (Not that my opinion counts...I''m just entertaining myself here!)
 
And in case I haven''t posted enough tonight
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, I''ll tell you a little secret that James Allen is a little cheaper on many of the same diamonds that Blue Nile carries. You''d have to figure out how to determine princess cut quality, though, because they have mostly GIA certs which do not grade cut quality.
 
No way would I sacrifice cut quality just to get a 3 carat. Get a 2.5 or something similar and get the best cut you can. You don't want a big dull diamond. We have all seen women walking around with great big diamonds that are yellow and have no sparkle. Everyone knows they sacrificed just to get that size. A high quality (cut) 2.5 will be huge and incredibly sparkly. That is what you want people to see. Because, while a bigger size may not be uncommon, lots of people know nothing about cut. A diamond that sparkles from across the room is what will knock people's socks off. Then people will think, wow all that size and it sparkles like crazy too!

Personally, because so many people grab my hand and want to see my ring, I would be a little embarrassed to show off a dull and/or yellowish and/or included diamond. Having a larger diamond size, I find that lots of people like to really examine my diamond. It seems they are looking for a yellowish color or inclusions because most people don't think that you can get a big diamond and have it be top quality as well. I wouldn't want to go the 3 carat route.
 
you might also check with Bill S at www.icemine.com. he gets in AGS0 princess stone. So does Wink Jones at winfields and Bill Pearlman at Pearlmans. I know you're wanting the michael b so you might check with Bill on pricing if you buy both the diamond and setting from him.
 
Good points DS...I, just like most of you, get a kick out of shopping around to "make" your own favorite ring. There''s no doubt I want a quality diamond, it''s just that the diamonds I was looking at on BN that were 3cts all had very good polish, symmetry (AKA cut) so I''m sure this in itself would cause a diamond to sparkle. That is a little bit of a concern of mine though...I want it to look big, but not gaudy and maybe a 3 ct diamond would look gaudy...do you think? She''s not that way at all and I''m probably more into this than my future fiance.

Guess I''m just out there searching for the biggest best diamond I can get, again with I/VS2 just b/c I or my gf can''t tell the difference b/t this and a D/IF...so I''m not going to pay the money, and therefore want to get as biggest of a diamond with these C''s as possible. Go to bed DS...you respond to too many of my posts. We''re PS dorks.
 
Date: 8/12/2006 11:11:03 PM
Author: bigE
There''s no doubt I want a quality diamond, it''s just that the diamonds I was looking at on BN that were 3cts all had very good polish, symmetry (AKA cut) so I''m sure this in itself would cause a diamond to sparkle.
Click to expand...
Good polish and symmetry are NOT good cut. They are not the cause of a diamond''s sparkle.
 
then what is a good cut:)?
 
A diamond's cut can be determined by examing the table and depth %'s, pavillion and crown angles and/or %'s, girdle thickness, and symmetry and polish. The role of the last 2 is not as influential as the others.
 
Are the whiteflash "expert selection" diamonds AGS0 classified? It''s just hard determining a good quality princess w/o any real definable "ideals"...seems like the best way is just to see the diamond in front of you.

By the way, would a 3 ct diamond on the michael B princess setting look "gaudy"?
 
Thanks for the info Jasmine, I''m new to this...forgive my ignorance!!
 
Date: 8/12/2006 11:14:44 PM
Author: jazmine

Date: 8/12/2006 11:11:03 PM
Author: bigE
There''s no doubt I want a quality diamond, it''s just that the diamonds I was looking at on BN that were 3cts all had very good polish, symmetry (AKA cut) so I''m sure this in itself would cause a diamond to sparkle.
Click to expand...
Good polish and symmetry are NOT good cut. They are not the cause of a diamond''s sparkle.
Click to expand...
exactly. thank you jazmine.
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ags0 is anything with a grading report from ags lab that has the ''0'' grade in ''light performance'' (most important) ''proportions'' and ''finish''
ags is the only lab that officially grades princess cuts as ''ideal''
 
Pretty diamond Belle, how did you pick it out though...I know the "ideal Princess cut" is a big debate, but what tools do you use as far as percentages to determine a great cut or is it better to just find a site that posts brilliancscopes and light tests? Just not a whole lot right now in bigger (2.5 ct ) diamonds on GOG and superbcert. Thanks!
 
Date: 8/12/2006 11:11:03 PM
Author: bigE
Good points DS...I, just like most of you, get a kick out of shopping around to ''make'' your own favorite ring. There''s no doubt I want a quality diamond, it''s just that the diamonds I was looking at on BN that were 3cts all had very good polish, symmetry (AKA cut) so I''m sure this in itself would cause a diamond to sparkle. That is a little bit of a concern of mine though...I want it to look big, but not gaudy and maybe a 3 ct diamond would look gaudy...do you think? She''s not that way at all and I''m probably more into this than my future fiance.

Guess I''m just out there searching for the biggest best diamond I can get, again with I/VS2 just b/c I or my gf can''t tell the difference b/t this and a D/IF...so I''m not going to pay the money, and therefore want to get as biggest of a diamond with these C''s as possible. Go to bed DS...you respond to too many of my posts. We''re PS dorks.
Click to expand...
BigE, you''re in NC, right? Are you staying here after you graduate? If so, I''ll tell you that 2 cts. is in the top tier of diamond e-rings. It would be just right without being overdone.
 
Sounds good DS...I''m sure you''re right...how bout 2.5 ct?:) There''s just something about us PScopers that makes us say "just a little bigger":) Get some sleep;)
 
Haha! I will, I promise! I''d look between 2.0 and 2.5 but be open to H VS2 and SI1 as well as I VS2 and SI1. I''d rather have a 2.0 H VS2 than a 2.5 I SI1, but having a little wider color/clarity range will give you some more choices.
 
Date: 8/12/2006 11:43:16 PM
Author: bigE
Pretty diamond Belle, how did you pick it out though...I know the ''ideal Princess cut'' is a big debate, but what tools do you use as far as percentages to determine a great cut or is it better to just find a site that posts brilliancscopes and light tests? Just not a whole lot right now in bigger (2.5 ct ) diamonds on GOG and superbcert. Thanks!
Click to expand...
i posted that one because

1. you were looking at stones from bn
2. it is an ags0
3. it is BIG
4. it is within your budget

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