Blue Nile

[aequitas]

Hi,

I am planning on buying an engagement ring very shortly here and I live in a town that is fairly remote so I was hoping to find a reputable online retailer. Blue Nile so far has caught my eye and I am just wondering what are people's thoughts on this company?

I am also wondering on how my budget should be. I am thinking of spending around 3500 on a diamond and not yet sure on the setting price. I was hoping for a 1 carat diamond that is relatively well cut and good quality. Is that reasonable?

Update: I am looking at diamonds and this one seems around what I was looking for.

Princess Cut:
Carat weight: 1.01
Cut: Good
Colour: H
Clarity: VS2
Depth %: 79.1%
Table %: 74%
Symmetry: Good
Polish: Very good
Girdle: Thick to extremely thick
Culet: None
Fluorescence: None
Measurements: 5.68 x 5.12 x 4.05 mm
Length/width ratio: 1.11
Price: C$3,313

 

[Lorelei]

Date: 11/7/2008 4:03:20 AM
Author:aequitas
Hi,

I am planning on buying an engagement ring very shortly here and I live in a town that is fairly remote so I was hoping to find a reputable online retailer. Blue Nile so far has caught my eye and I am just wondering what are people's thoughts on this company?

I am also wondering on how my budget should be. I am thinking of spending around 3500 on a diamond and not yet sure on the setting price. I was hoping for a 1 carat diamond that is relatively well cut and good quality. Is that reasonable?

Update: I am looking at diamonds and this one seems around what I was looking for.

Princess Cut:
Carat weight: 1.01
Cut: Good
Colour: H
Clarity: VS2
Depth %: 79.1%
Table %: 74%
Symmetry: Good
Polish: Very good
Girdle: Thick to extremely thick
Culet: None
Fluorescence: None
Measurements: 5.68 x 5.12 x 4.05 mm
Length/width ratio: 1.11
Price: C$3,313

Welcome to Pricescope,

Unfortunately we can't tell anything about the all important cut quality of fancy shapes with numbers so much, we really need detailed photos and reflector images such as ASET if possible. Unfortunately to the best of my knowledge, BN do not offer such services. Having said that, this diamond does not appear to be the best cut stone, and as a result it may not sparkle or look as good as it could do.

Your specs are fine for colour and clarity, for the budget I would look for some SI clarity if verified eyeclean by a trusted vendor. I would also recommend if you want to stick with BN to look at their Signature Ideal Princess as they are thought to be their best cut stones, or consider some other vendors who have in house diamonds with all the info you could want supplied.

Check out

www.winkjones.com

www.goodoldgold.com

www.whiteflash.com

www.niceice.com

www.jamesallen.com

Have a look around these websites to see which you like. Also you might consider lowering the carat weight a bit to help the budget, a well cut stone of lower weight can look more impressive than a lesser cut full carat.

 

[aequitas]

Thanks alot! I was looking at James Allen and they have the pictures right there which is very helpful. I am wondering how much carat weight would make a noticeable difference. I want the diamond to be near to 1 carat so how far is too far when reducing size?

 

[Lorelei]

Date: 11/7/2008 5:19:10 AM
Author: aequitas
Thanks alot! I was looking at James Allen and they have the pictures right there which is very helpful. I am wondering how much carat weight would make a noticeable difference. I want the diamond to be near to 1 carat so how far is too far when reducing size?

You are welcome!

That is a tricky one to answer especially for fancy shapes such as Princess....What you want to look for is the diameter measurement of each diamond. Carat is a weight as you know, and diamonds can hide weight in various ways - especially with fancy shapes where the depth doesn't always relate to how big face up the diamond will look, as it can with round diamonds. Also for example a poorly cut 1 carat diamond may look a similar size to a .90 for example if the carater is poorly cut and the smaller stone is well cut, due to superior light return. Diamonds are often cut for maximum weight retention, because cutters will often choose to get the maximum weight out of the rough diamond and in order to do this, sacrifice some cut quality to achieve this result. It comes down to dollars, so what you want to look for is a diamond which has been cut with top cut quality and visual performance in mind.

As to how much weight to reduce....What I would do is try to find the best cut Princess you can, and look at G to H colour for now, and possibly the SI clarity grades in order to get the most from the budget. If you want to make it easy, then look for AGS0 cut grade Princess, that way much of the guesswork is reduced in choosing a well cut stone. Or work with a vendor who has GIA graded diamonds with in house stones and photos and ASET/ Idealscope images. Avoid the ' magic weights' as they are called, such as the .75 ct and 1 ct, and see what is available in the between sizes. This way you will get closer to the look of a carat but without paying the price. Maybe look at .80 to .95 to begin with and broaden the options as needed.

 

[oldminer]

Princess Cut:
Carat weight: 1.01
Cut: Good
Colour: H
Clarity: VS2
Depth %: 79.1%
Table %: 74%
Symmetry: Good
Polish: Very good
Girdle: Thick to extremely thick
Culet: None
Fluorescence: None
Measurements: 5.68 x 5.12 x 4.05 mm
Length/width ratio: 1.11
Price: C$3,313

The physical problem zones are red-highlighted. It is a diamond with more depth than others which compete with it. The table is okay, but a smaller percentage may provide more sparkle. The girdle is heavier, thicker, than competing stones and when a girdle is thick it is akin to a steak with more fat on it which could be trimmed allowing for more meat at a given weight. Thick girdles contribute to smaller diameter, and therefore to a smaller visual size appearance.

Not every diamond is cut to superb standards. Many customers want a certain weight, color and clarity for a budgeted price. It is all a matter of intelligent shopping and compromise. Remember, you will have the stone for a considerable length of time, so shop well and buy only when you have learned enough. You'll get all the help you need on Pricescope from some great advisers and vendors.