Blue Nile Signature Ideal or Ideal?

[mkozaka]

Looked at Hearts on Fire, not impressed and feel like there is marketing cost built into the price. Purchased diamond stud earrings from Blue Nile, Ideal, F, VS2. Very happy with product. Now shopping for engagement ring, 1.25 - 1.50 carat but need advice on cut. Should I opt for the Signature Ideal or will Ideal provide enough brilliance and reflection? Still looking at F and VS2. Price is around 15k. Thanks in advance.

 

[Lorelei]

Date: 1/1/2009 9:40:25 AM
Author:mkozaka
Looked at Hearts on Fire, not impressed and feel like there is marketing cost built into the price. Purchased diamond stud earrings from Blue Nile, Ideal, F, VS2. Very happy with product. Now shopping for engagement ring, 1.25 - 1.50 carat but need advice on cut. Should I opt for the Signature Ideal or will Ideal provide enough brilliance and reflection? Still looking at F and VS2. Price is around 15k. Thanks in advance.

Welcome!

If you prefer to buy from BN, then the Signature Ideal could be a good choice. The term " Ideal" can be used loosely and the only meaningful use of this term pertains to AGS labs and their AGS0 cut grade. So be careful when seeing vendor applied labels such as Ideal Cut as this does not guarantee anything, and evaluate each diamond on its own physical proportions and desirable visual properties.

Other than that with BN diamonds, there could be some GIA Excellent cut grade which might suit you as well as AGS0, you can use the Holloway Cut Advisor to eliminate the lesser performers. GIA Excellent criteria is broad and can allow for some less desirable combos so you need to consider each diamond carefully. Also feel free to post any diamonds here that you are interested in and we can help you determine which are the best cut.

 

[Ellen]

From BN, I would stick to the Signature Ideal selection. But I would also recommend looking at other vendors, and just get the best stone for the best price, where ever that is!

 

[LeilaniRL]

mkozaka,

CONGRATS!!! I have Blue Nile Signature Ideal (AGS 0) in my engagement ring. Honestly, you''ll be happy with an Ideal cut diamond. My friend has an Ideal from Blue Nile and it looks just as fiery as mine (our stones are about the same size so it''s a good comparison).

BTW - I LOVE stuff from Blue Nile! I''ve gotten my ring appraised actually for more money than the appraisal that came with the ring.

 

[mrsv]

Date: 1/1/2009 9:40:25 AM
Author:mkozaka
Looked at Hearts on Fire, not impressed and feel like there is marketing cost built into the price. Purchased diamond stud earrings from Blue Nile, Ideal, F, VS2. Very happy with product. Now shopping for engagement ring, 1.25 - 1.50 carat but need advice on cut. Should I opt for the Signature Ideal or will Ideal provide enough brilliance and reflection? Still looking at F and VS2. Price is around 15k. Thanks in advance.

My ring is a BN Ideal cut, just take the info you find on the grading report and enter it into the HCA to be sure the cut is still good. I have a F SI1 and found Blue Nile to be a much better price. Plus you can have it sent to you for 30 days to ensure that you like it just as much in person.

 

[Fly Girl]

Date: 1/1/2009 12:58:52 PM
Author: mrsv

Date: 1/1/2009 9:40:25 AM
Author:mkozaka
Looked at Hearts on Fire, not impressed and feel like there is marketing cost built into the price. Purchased diamond stud earrings from Blue Nile, Ideal, F, VS2. Very happy with product. Now shopping for engagement ring, 1.25 - 1.50 carat but need advice on cut. Should I opt for the Signature Ideal or will Ideal provide enough brilliance and reflection? Still looking at F and VS2. Price is around 15k. Thanks in advance.

My ring is a BN Ideal cut, just take the info you find on the grading report and enter it into the HCA to be sure the cut is still good. I have a F SI1 and found Blue Nile to be a much better price. Plus you can have it sent to you for 30 days to ensure that you like it just as much in person.

Ditto. This is what I did when I purchased diamonds for studs from Blue Nile. They have a much larger selection of "Ideal" cuts than Signature Ideals. The difference is that the Signature Ideals are in house, and the Ideals are not. So, it doesn''t necessarily mean that a BN Ideal is of poorer quality. It does put more responsibiity on your shoulders, however.

 

[diamondseeker2006]

If you want a diamond that compares to Hearts on Fire, then I''d suggest at least looking at vendors who specialize in hearts and arrows stones (such as Good Old Gold and WhiteFlash). Here is a very nice example:

http://www.goodoldgold.com/diamond/4949/

 

[defen]

Perhaps a bit off topic, but with that stone posted above what is with the "Hearts" image? I''m new to this, but aren''t there too many inclusions for a VS2?

 

[Lorelei]

Date: 1/1/2009 5:18:52 PM
Author: defen
Perhaps a bit off topic, but with that stone posted above what is with the ''Hearts'' image? I''m new to this, but aren''t there too many inclusions for a VS2?

It could be inclusions reflecting and that is what you are seeing, this happens sometimes with these images and you might not see them in real life.

 

[Ellen]

Date: 1/2/2009 4:59:10 AM
Author: Lorelei

Date: 1/1/2009 5:18:52 PM
Author: defen
Perhaps a bit off topic, but with that stone posted above what is with the ''Hearts'' image? I''m new to this, but aren''t there too many inclusions for a VS2?

It could be inclusions reflecting and that is what you are seeing, this happens sometimes with these images and you might not see them in real life.

Yes, and in a VS2, chances are most likely you couldn''t see them in real life.



Luv the new av miss.

 

[Lorelei]

Date: 1/2/2009 10:12:15 AM
Author: Ellen

Date: 1/2/2009 4:59:10 AM
Author: Lorelei

Date: 1/1/2009 5:18:52 PM
Author: defen
Perhaps a bit off topic, but with that stone posted above what is with the ''Hearts'' image? I''m new to this, but aren''t there too many inclusions for a VS2?

It could be inclusions reflecting and that is what you are seeing, this happens sometimes with these images and you might not see them in real life.

Yes, and in a VS2, chances are most likely you couldn''t see them in real life.



Luv the new av miss.

Fankies!!! Luv yours too!!

 

[dcsearcher]

I purchased an Ideal diamond from BN.

I asked their customer service department what the major difference between the two classifications were. She said the only major difference is that the Signature Ideal collection comes from a very small set of their vendors - basically, they have certified (and manage) those vendors very closely. In return, those vendors get to have their stones marketed as Signature Ideal and thus carry with them a higher price point.

I looked through the Ideal cut group and found an AGS0 stone (there are many actually), that looked great. When I had the customer service rep look at it, she said that it would fit exactly into the BN Signature Ideal range based on all of its speicfications. But, it didn''t come from one of their specific "Signature Ideal" vendors, so they could legally not call it or market it as such.

I think that saved me some $$''s.

Still a rookie here to this board, but I think I''ve learned a bit

I think if you found an AGS0 stone at BN in the Ideal cut category and then called them, they would be able to tell you if it should qualify for Signature Ideal if it came from one of those vendors.

 

[mkozaka]

Thanks to everyone for responding.

 

[mkozaka]

Follow up question if anyone is still viewing this thread. She is 5''1, 105, very petite. Don''t know her ring size (yet) but assume it''s on the small side. Is a 1.25 - 1.5 carat appropriate for her size (sidestones add another .75c) and will anything larger look ridiculous? Thanks again.

 

[Lorelei]

Date: 1/2/2009 12:22:57 PM
Author: mkozaka
Follow up question if anyone is still viewing this thread. She is 5'1, 105, very petite. Don't know her ring size (yet) but assume it's on the small side. Is a 1.25 - 1.5 carat appropriate for her size (sidestones add another .75c) and will anything larger look ridiculous? Thanks again.

I think that size diamond would be lovely, substantial yet still classic even with the side stones - and you could go larger still if you wished. Do you know her preferences for the size range?

 

[mkozaka]

I know she does not like solitare or three stone. She has mentioned that she loves the look of sidestones covering the visable portion of the band. I am just unsure about the carat size at this point. Her friend recently received a 2+ carat ring and my girl did not like it, too large for her taste.

 

[Lorelei]

Date: 1/2/2009 12:31:10 PM
Author: mkozaka
I know she does not like solitare or three stone. She has mentioned that she loves the look of sidestones covering the visable portion of the band. I am just unsure about the carat size at this point. Her friend recently received a 2+ carat ring and my girl did not like it, too large for her taste.

Then you should be on the right track with the sizes you have in mind if she didn''t like the 2 ct+ diamond.

 

[Ellen]

Date: 1/2/2009 12:33:29 PM
Author: Lorelei

Then you should be on the right track with the sizes you have in mind if she didn''t like the 2 ct+ diamond.

Yes. I would lean towards the 1.2ish range.

 

[chaoticdreams33]

A lot of their ideal cuts have just as good HCA scores as the signature ideals