Color Blind Male ISO Princess Cut for $3-$3.5K

[cmames99]

Hello All,

I''ve been digging through the posts on this website for a couple of weeks now and am sooooo glad that I got frustrated at the jewelery store and decided to look online. You guys & gals seem to be the real deal and I grateful for whatever help you can be to me.

Now for the important stuff, I am looking for the perfect princess cut diamond for my girlfriend''s engagement ring and I''d like to keep the costs around $3,500 (ring + rock). I have no real preference in regards to the specs of the diamond other than the usual, "I want the biggest, brightest, and clearest" one that falls within my budget.

My girlfriend and I are simple people and are not preoccupied by flawlessness; we just want something that is "eye clean". To confound things, I am color blind and am practically incapable of "seeing" the difference in the color grades. I''d like to go no smaller than .7 ct and would like to get as close to 1 ct as possible without sacrificing too much quality for quantity (and also want the diamond to look square, even if its not exactly).


I''m not sold on a specific setting yet, but I''m thinking something traditional along the lines of these:

http://www.jamesallen.com/engagement-rings/solitaire/solitaire-engagement-ring.html

http://www.whiteflash.com/Engagement-Rings/Styles/Solitaire/4-Prong-tiffany-style-solitaire-for-fancy-cut_756.htm#


With that in mind, here are a couple that I have been looking at (in no particular order):

#1 http://www.whiteflash.com/aca_princess/Whiteflash-ACA-Princess-cut-diamond-664431.htm

#2 http://highperformancediamonds.com/index.php?page=view-id-diamond-infinity&id=345

#3 http://highperformancediamonds.com/index.php?page=view-id-diamond-infinity&id=98

#4 http://www.whiteflash.com/princess/Princess-cut-diamond-2119051.htm#

#5 http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/J-VVS2-Ideal-Cut-Princess-Diamond-1037109.asp

#6 http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/J-IF-Ideal-Cut-Princess-Diamond-1243630.asp

#7 http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/I-VS1-Ideal-Cut-Princess-Diamond-1240228.asp

#8 http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/H-VVS2-Ideal-Cut-Princess-Diamond-1139023.asp

#9 http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/H-VVS2-Ideal-Cut-Princess-Diamond-1139022.asp


I am open to any and all advice, suggestions, and recommendations so please fire away!

Thanks in advance for your time and consideration.

- Chad

 

[jstarfireb]

Welcome! You''ve really done your homework! Regarding color, I would see what her preference is, because you have a really wide range here. Are you red-green color blind, and does that affect your ability to perceive yellow tint? If your color blindness will be a factor in assessing diamond color, definitely get her opinion on which colors she likes. Here''s what I think about your choices...

1) Beautiful - my top choice
2) Beautifully cut, but I''d go above K for an engagement ring
3) Also a gorgeous stone, good choice if she prefers higher colors
4) Not loving the ASET - asymmetrical and too much green, not enough red
5) Worth a look, but the photo looks tilted - ask JA for an IS image and a straight photo
6) Too much leakage in the center
7) Wouldn''t go for an IGI cert (GIA and AGS are better); also looks like leakage on the right and left sides of the table
Worth a look - ask JA for an IS
9) Too much leakage in the center

So I think 1 and 3 are my top picks, and 5 and 8 would also be worth further investigation. Good luck!

 

[cmames99]

Thanks for the reply and advice! Yes I am red-green color blind and have a real hard time seeing "yellow tint", even when comparing a K side by side to something in the upper end of the near colorless range.

I''ll shoot an request to JA for an IS of #5 and #8 and post them on here for your thoughts.

In the mean time, please feel free to post links to other diamonds that are within my price range if you run across something good.

Thanks again for your help!

- Chad

 

[bright&shiny]

Can you read the ASET & Idealscope images accurately? If not, maybe you can post them and someone can edit (point out the colors to you) to help you take advantage of that great technology.

 

[cmames99]

Good idea bright&shiny, as I am pretty much lost on the ASET and IS images and interpretation due to my color blindness. Here are the ASET and IS images for Diamond #1 and Diamond #3 (if they uploaded correctly). I''ll post the IS images for Diamond #5 and Diamond #8 once I receive them from JA.

Any thoughts?

 

[jstarfireb]

Ordinarily I would say 1 has a better ASET than 3. However, 3 is a branded Infinity cut, and all Infinity diamonds are cut to extremely high standards of precision and light performance. So I think you have nothing to worry about. If you're interested in that one, do ask HPD if it's eye-clean to your and your GF's standards.

ETA: Great idea for someone to change the colors on the ASET! Are there certain colors that you can distinguish better? I wish I could help with that, but my Photoshop skils are very limited.

 

[cmames99]

I think I may have found another potential candidate:

#10 http://www.goodoldgold.com/diamond/5775/


It would push me a little past my budget, but I''d be willing as long as its worth it

Your thoughts???

 

[Lorelei]

Date: 7/8/2009 1:34:29 AM
Author: cmames99
I think I may have found another potential candidate:

#10 http://www.goodoldgold.com/diamond/5775/


It would push me a little past my budget, but I''d be willing as long as its worth it

Your thoughts???

The 2 diamonds above will be gorgeous as well as this one. A J colour will still be white but a bit softer white rather than icy. You might detect a very slight hint of warmth from the side, but Jon at GOG is the best person to advise you on how the J colour shows itself, it could be an excellent choice.

 

[cmames99]

Thanks for the feedback!

Below are the images for the updated list of potential candidates. I really like the size of Diamond #10 (GOG) and think that my GF would be more wowed by bigger size than better quality (assuming that they are all good quality). I say that because she had no preference for color, cut, and clarity when we were looking at the mall''s chain stores and even expressed interest in most of the "no spec" diamonds that they had there.

I am a little concerned about the color of Diamond #10 though as I am unable to discern the difference between G, H, I, J, and sometimes even K because of my color blindness.

Would there or could there be that big of a difference in color between Diamond #1 (I) and Diamond #10 (J) or is that "splitting hairs"?

Does anybody have any other reservations about Diamond #10?

Thanks again!

 

[stone-cold11]

Probably not that much of a difference between I/J. You would notice a difference between E/J though especially side by side.

 

[jet2ks]

I or J in a well cut diamond is pretty hard to tell the difference, even if side by side. Both with be a warm white, rather than icy white. Any of those three diamonds is going to be stunning! If the budget will take it and you want the extra size, the GOG stone is a great choice.

 

[Lorelei]

Date: 7/8/2009 10:09:41 AM
Author: cmames99
Thanks for the feedback!

Below are the images for the updated list of potential candidates. I really like the size of Diamond #10 (GOG) and think that my GF would be more wowed by bigger size than better quality (assuming that they are all good quality). I say that because she had no preference for color, cut, and clarity when we were looking at the mall's chain stores and even expressed interest in most of the 'no spec' diamonds that they had there.

I am a little concerned about the color of Diamond #10 though as I am unable to discern the difference between G, H, I, J, and sometimes even K because of my color blindness.

Would there or could there be that big of a difference in color between Diamond #1 (I) and Diamond #10 (J) or is that 'splitting hairs'? Not to my eyes, no difference between I and J colour when comparing in person.

Does anybody have any other reservations about Diamond #10? None whatsoever!

Thanks again!

 

[cmames99]

Scratch Diamond #10. I went to reserve it this morning and got the dreaded:

"We''re sorry, but this item has been put on hold by a customer, pending purchase."

I talked to Sarah at GOG and she confirmed that it had been sold. She asked me to email her my specs and she would check and see if she could find something simliar so we will see...

 

[Lorelei]

Date: 7/8/2009 12:24:53 PM
Author: cmames99

Scratch Diamond #10. I went to reserve it this morning and got the dreaded:

''We''re sorry, but this item has been put on hold by a customer, pending purchase.''

I talked to Sarah at GOG and she confirmed that it had been sold. She asked me to email her my specs and she would check and see if she could find something simliar so we will see...

Oh thats a shame....Never mind, see what Sarah can come up with!

 

[jet2ks]

Sorry to hear that. There was another poster that started a thread Monday looking at the same diamond. See what Sarah and Jon can come up with. The good news is that you still have two great stones to choose from.

 

[cmames99]

Thats good to hear. Hopefully he or she got it and it wasn''t one of those pesky lurkers that I have read about...

In additional to communicating with Sarah @ GOG, I''ve also been emailing back and forth with Sheerah @ WF about possibly bringing in a couple of diamonds that they have on their website for to get a picture, Sarin report, and IS (but I have to pay for shipping if it "doesn''t perform").

Stay tuned...

 

[bright&shiny]

Sorry about the stone. I think I saw that one in person a month ago...it was nice. At that time, they had several really nice options and I''m sure they''ll find something for you. Can''t wait to see what they find for you!

 

[jstarfireb]

Too bad! Your other choices are still lovely, and you can put the K Infinity (#2) back in the running if she doesn''t mind warmer colors. That would get you back into the 0.9ct range. However, my personal preference is I and above for princesses.

Here''s one from JA that looks really well-cut and would get you over the 1ct mark:
http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/I-SI1-Ideal-Cut-Princess-Diamond-1240771.asp

 

[cmames99]

I found this on WF and confirmed that it is an AGS Ideal 0, unfortunately they do not have it in-house and would have to bring it in to get a picture, a Sarin report, and an IS.

. Report: AGS
. Shape: Princess
. Carat: 1.030
. Depth %: 72.4
. Table %: 65
. Girdle: M-STK
. Measurements: 5.61-5.54X4.01
. Polish: Ideal
. Symmetry: Ideal
. Culet: Pointed
. Fluorescence: Negligible


The catch is, as Sheerah w/ WF stated in an email:
"If we bring it in and the numbers are good and you decide not to purchase it,
you will be charged for shipping."

Which she later stated would be around $45.

Do you think its worth it to have them bring it in? I''m assuming that the numbers are going to be "good" (who knows what their definition of "good" is) and I will have to pay $45.

This may be a dumb question, but I''m a first time buyer so I will ask anyway: can an ASG Ideal 0 (with the above specs) be bad or unfavorable? And if so why? (I apologize for the subjective terminology)

Any thoughts?????

Thanks!

 

[stone-cold11]

Ask them if the AGS report has the computer simulated ASET image. If so, have them scan it and send it to you. At least that will give you a first gut on how the ASET perform.

EDT:
Like in this stone's report.http://www.whiteflash.com/aca_princess/Whiteflash-ACA-Princess-cut-diamond-114363.htm#

 

[jet2ks]

Date: 7/9/2009 10:23:47 AM
Author: cmames99

This may be a dumb question, but I'm a first time buyer so I will ask anyway: can an ASG Ideal 0 (with the above specs) be bad or unfavorable? And if so why? (I apologize for the subjective terminology)

Any thoughts?????

Thanks!

I suppose it is possible, though I have a hard time imagining a scenario where it would happen, outside of a diamond that has good light performance but is not eye-clean. AGS is pretty strict in their parameters to earn the Ideal grade. What are the color and clarity grades?

Good idea from SC to see if they will send a scanned copy of the report before bringing in the stone.

 

[cmames99]

Date: 7/9/2009 10:23:47 AM
Author: cmames99

. Report: AGS
. Shape: Princess
. Carat: 1.030
. Depth %: 72.4
. Table %: 65
. Girdle: M-STK
. Measurements: 5.61-5.54X4.01
. Polish: Ideal
. Symmetry: Ideal
. Culet: Pointed
. Fluorescence: Negligible

I apologize for leaving out the color and clarity as I had incorrectly thought it was included in the above info.

Color = J
Clarity = VS1

 

[jet2ks]

Date: 7/9/2009 10:39:42 AM
Author: cmames99

I apologize for leaving out the color and clarity as I had incorrectly thought it was included in the above info.

Color = J
Clarity = VS1

Thanks. I think it would be worth bringing in if the price is in your budget. If they will email the cert ahead of time, that is still the way I would go.

 

[cmames99]

I sent an email to WF asking for a copy of the ASET image and am awaiting their reply.

Here are the specs from the AGS DQD cert (sorry for the blur, thats the way they sent it to me):

 

[stone-cold11]

When was the report generated?

 

[cmames99]

The report was generated in 2006.

WF''s reply to my request for a copy of the ASET was:

"This is a 2006 certificate and so does not include the ASET image--these
performance certificates have only been instituted within the past 6 months.
The manufacturer would have to send the diamond back to the AGS in order to
have the updated cert. "


I think I may have to bite the bullet and have them bring it in....

 

[stone-cold11]

Ya, the ASET pic is only available in the recent report.

 

[Lorelei]

It looks as if it could be worth bringing it in, it is an AGS0 cut grade so should be of good cut quality and be an attractive stone.

 

[cmames99]

I just got off the phone w/ Sheerah @ WF and they are going to bring the 1.03ct diamond in, so I will hopefully have an ASET and IS for you guys & gals to critique tomorrow or the next day.

Thanks again for all your help!

 

[cmames99]

Here are the images, please let me know what you guys think and if you would have any reservations about this diamond.

Thanks again!