BN GIA ideal/F/SI or IDJ “PS quality”?

[syndrome]

I’m about to purchase a 5 stone band from Blue Nile but just received a quote from IDJ. The question is, would you rather have Blue Nile GIA certified ideal cut, f color, S11&2 diamonds with 360 pictures or IDJ “Pricescope quality”, sight unseen?

Price and carat weight is negligibly different. Due to wife’s smaller finger size, IDJ may be better at making the larger stones lay nicely. I could order both and return one but I don’t want to make one party do the work and not get the business.

 

[winnietucker]

For me personally it would come down to price difference. I’d go with IDJ if the price difference was large.

 

[syndrome]

This is the ring from BN with the diamonds that I selected individually. BN and IDJ is just about equal in terms of price/carat weight. The main difference is the setting bench (BN making a non-stock size vs IDJ) and that BN's stones are GIA certified.

5 stone setting.
Diamond 1
Diamond 2
Diamond 3
Diamond 4
Diamond 5

 

[OoohShiny]

This is the ring from BN with the diamonds that I selected individually. BN and IDJ is just about equal in terms of price/carat weight. The main difference is the setting bench (BN making a non-stock size vs IDJ) and that BN's stones are GIA certified.

5 stone setting.
Diamond 1
Diamond 2
Diamond 3
Diamond 4
Diamond 5

Don't forget that the 'Ideal' label is being applied by BN rather than GIA - GIA only grades to Excellent (with AGS using Ideal) but BN does seem to call some stones 'ideal', perhaps as a marketing tool.


WRT the stones:

1 - SI2 with Cloud as the grade setting inclusion is risky, although the angles look like they should work in the HCA tool.

2 - looks good in terms of angles etc., and although the inclusion is in/under the table, it should be small enough to be lost in the sparkle of all the stones, I reckon.

3 - Angles look fine, Cloud in SI1 is less risky but may need inspection to confirm it hasn't got any negative effects.

4 - could be worth running the angles through the HCA tool - might be a touch steep/deep. 'Knot' as an inclusion could potentially be risky, depending on where it is, but the inclusions are not plotted so it's impossible to know without inspection. It is last on the inclusions list, though, so smallest / of least impact of all the inclusions.

5 - Cloud in SI1 so previous comments apply, but it does look very clean in the video! Angles look fine.


All comments IMHO, of course

Don't forget to check out Brian Gavin's 'Advance selection' - the prices are a bit lower but I'm not sure how they compare to IDJ or these ones.

 

[syndrome]

Thank you! This is so helpful. Happiest Holidays to you!