Blue Nile signature cut vs. very good cut - is it worth it?

[realron75]

I''m just about done with my decision for a princess cut diamond. I''ve looked at other sites like White Flash but I''ve decided to go with Blue Nile even though its a little more expensive. I like the piece of mind.

Anyway, I''m looking at a F or G color 1.25-1.50 carat princess cut diamonds. I''m really stuck trying to understand if its worth paying a substantial amount more for a signature ideal cut vs a very good cut. When all things are equal, table/depth etc is it really worth the premium?

 

[belle]

it''s more than just the table/depth....you would have to take into consideration the crown height, girdle, pavillion angles as well....
is it worth it? there''s not enough information here to decide.

 

[solange]

I am wondering why you feel you will have more peace of mind buying from Blue Nile. Many people have bought from them and been very satisfied but they are known to be more expensive.
There are several other vendors here with whom you can also have complete peace of mind. I bought a beautiful stone from Whiteflash. I found them to be extremely reliable.

What I wanted was difficult to find but Lesley looked for several weeks. They had the stone sent to them for inspection and then Brian, the cutter, discussed the stone with me at length. It was well below my budget but he said it was an exceptional stone.They sent the stone to an independent appraiser where I could see it. They then arranged to have it shipped back to them for setting.
The day before the ring was ready to be shipped to me, Brian sent me a picture of the stone in the setting. Until this point, I had paid Whiteflash nothing. They did not even ask me for a deposit although the setting had to be made for my stone because it is large.

I sent them the money and received the ring the next morning by overnight Fedex. If I had seen the stone at the appraiser and did not like it I was under no obligation to take it and I had no responsibility for the insurance of the stone because it was never in my posession.

There are several other vendors who will search for a stone for you if they do not have it in their inventory and operate in the same way as Whiteflash. If you are happy with the selection at Blue Nile, I have nothing to say against them. But do they have the stones on hand and can someone discuss the merits of each stone with you and help you decide? No matter where you buy, I would suggest that you discuss the stones with someone who either has it in their inventory or will send for it and examine it. They are in a better position to tell you which stone is better. Then you might want to have one or both stones sent to an appraiser to help you make a decision and determine if the stone is as described and has no problems. With Blue Nile you will have to pay for both stones before they are shipped to the appraiser and you will be responsible for having insurance while they are in your possession.

I understand that their return policy is very fair as are the return policies of most Pricescope vendors.

 

[oldminer]

A diamond is exactly the same regardless of who offers it for sale. It depends on how well it is cut, the color and clarity more than any other things how it will appeal to your eyes. We are human and this is where the whole thing gets altered on us. Personalities come into play. Not only the personalities of the vendors, but the consumer's personality also plays a big part in which vendor is right for them. Certain inventory types are also in short supply, so sometimes a large part of the decison process boils down to who has the diamond you really want.

Both of the firms you mentioned are well qualified to satisfy consumers. Both have excellent policies in place to assure satisfaction. No doubt, there are differences in these policies and personality differences, so one needs to eventually choose......But you don't need to be fearful of either firm.

I hope this helps you get what you really want. Any unresolved doubts can be handled by firms like my own that hold the consumer's hand during these big purchases. Everyone here is dedicated to you succeeding in your quest to be a smart shopper.

 

[realron75]

Thanks for the advice. I actually emailed White Flash to give them a shot. The idea of being able to see my diamond before I buy it is huge. Plus...I''m really finding that blue nile is a lot more expensive than some other vendors.

 

[Cath]

Since it sounds like you have selected Blue Nile I will just address your basic question...

If "all things are equal" then no, I don''t think the Signature Ideal premium is worth it. I do, however, think that with Blue Nile''s Signature Ideal, you are assured of getting a nice diamond without needing to do much research or spend much time on the phone with a vendor. You are paying a premium for the convenience, which to many people is worth something.

I am not an expert by any means, and certainly not with Princess cuts...however I have looked at Blue Nile''s Signature Ideal Rounds vs. their standard "ideal" rounds, and found that they carry many standard "ideal" rounds that are just as nice as their Signature ones. The down side is that it takes a little more time to weed through and find them, and you have to know what you''re looking for. But it is possible.

 

[Cath]

Well I guess my post came a little too late.

Whiteflash is a great choice, I bought from them before and was happy with the purchase. Good luck!

 

[realron75]

I''ve done that too but blue nile only lists crown height % for the signature cuts. They don''t list them for the very good cuts. I''ve been able to find some pretty darn good table/depth %''s in the very good cuts but there''s no crown %, its pretty tough to know what exactly I''m getting if I only buy a very good cut.

 

[Cath]

Again, don''t know much about Princess cuts, but...Blue Nile will give you a Sarin report for rounds if you ask them. I''m sure they will do the same for any Princess diamond. The Sarin report will give you the crown % and all the other #s you''d need. So I guess you''d have to get on the phone with them, which somewhat negates the convenience factor...but you can get it if you want it.