Choices, Choices, Choices

[JT]

Ok, now here is the deal. I'm looking at two different diamonds now and I would like to know what everyone thinks. They are both princess cut.

Diamond 1- SI2 H 1.01 for 4150. I don't know the cut, so this may be hard. I have not seen this diamond (being ordered), but the jeweler really understood that I wanted an "eye-clean" colorless diamond. She showed me a few H's that, from the top, appear colorless and I told her I would be intrested in something like that if she found it.

Diamond 2- SI, I, .99 "000 cut" for 4450. The I appears colorless and is very "eye-clean" The jeweler told me that Triple 0 cut the absolute best cut and it cannot get any better than that. He said because of the cut, it will reflect light different than most I's and make it appear colorless...which it did.

Sorry for all this elementary questions, this is just a big purchase I want to make sure I am getting the best diamond for my budget.

BTW, the other jewler changed his story when I told him to go ahead an order the diamond from Blue Nile. He said he could find one similar. It made me a little mad the guy straight up lied to my face and needless to say I want be doing business there.

 

[JulieN]

Sorry for all this elementary questions, this is just a big purchase I want to make sure I am getting the best diamond for my budget.

But you didn''t ask any questions... How did you like the AGS 0?

 

[february2003bride]

I definitely wouldn''t go with the lying jeweler!

Here are a couple of other options:

http://www.bluenile.com/diamonds_details.asp?__fun_frm=b&pid=LD00342222&filter_id=0&sec=&query=21&page=&sortby=size-d

http://www.bluenile.com/diamonds_details.asp?__fun_frm=b&pid=LD00664444&filter_id=0&sec=&query=21&page=&sortby=size-d The VS1 may be overkill but still, oh so yummy!

If you like BN, why not go with them? They were fantastic to work with when we bought my diamond from them!

 

[JT]

I just wanted to know what everyone thought.

The salesman said the triple 0 was very rare in princess, but I think that was just a sales pitch. Is this true?

What does AGS 0 mean and is that the same as 000?

s it true that a great cut can make a diamond appear colorless? I saw it next to an F and the salesman asked me to point out the F and the I and I really couldnt do it.

Do these prices sound fair? Again, I only know the details that are important to me.

I haven''t seen the H and I won''t till next saturday (8/19), but I think the AGS 0 (?) will be hard to beat. Plus the jewler with the AGS 0 will give me the setting I want, free in 18k wgm and set it for free to make up for going over my budget.

Thanks for taking the time to help

 

[JulieN]

AGS 0 is rare, yes. A very small percentage. About 3% http://journal.pricescope.com/Articles/13/1/AGS-new-cut-grading-of-princesses-a-first-experience.aspx. 000 traditionally means an ideal cut, D, flawless, but it is now used informally to mean ideal light performance, proportions, and finish.

Yes, it's true that great cut can mask color. Put the wrong angles on that I and it will look yellow.

Well, prices are fair depending on how much you think personal service is worth. 1000?

 

[JT]

Honestly, I like what Blue Nile offers and I think they have some great diamonds, but I like the service that most local jewelers offer. Most stores in my area offer free upgrades, free polishing and inspections and a few offer free rhodium plating/polishing for so many years. I also like how I can present the ring in a size that will be close and be able to take it back to the jeweler and get it resized to the exact fit while we wait. I also like how much cheaper the settings are here compared to the BN (around a $800 difference for the exact same setting). I know I could buy a diamond from BN and have someone put it in their own setting, but I would rather have one place do all the work. I also like how most of the stores have really gone out of there way to find the best diamond to fit my budget.

 

[JulieN]

He's not giving you the setting for free, he's just charging you 1K over online prices for the stone to cover the setting.

But I guess the total will come to about the same, so it doesn't really matter?

 

[JT]

Well, the diamond on the link above is a VS2 and 1.03 for 45xx + the setting from blue nile (900) which would come out to be a little more than I can spend.

Also, like I said, I like the great local service, which to me is worth a little extra.