Feedback on Price for 1.5Ct Princess Cut

[envelope]

Hey all!

Trying to pick up an engagement ring for the future wife (let's assume she says yes). For now just getting the rock, and just want to make sure I'm not getting completely ripped off. I checked comparable specs on other sites and this seems okay. Doesn't have to be the super-best deal, just making sure I'm being responsible.

Thoughts on http://www.bluenile.com/diamond-details/LD03371937 ?


1.50-Carat Princess Cut Diamond
$8,231
Carat weight
1.50
Shape
Princess
Cut

Very Good
Color

F
Clarity

SI1
Length/width ratio

1.00
Depth %

74.2%
Table %

73.0%
Polish

Very Good
Symmetry

Good
Girdle

Extremely Thin to Thick
Culet

None
Fluorescence

None
Measurements
6.20 x 6.19 x 4.59 mm


Thanks in advance!
envelope

 

[ac117]

We can tell nothing about fancy cuts from the stats alone. We generally only recommend buying fancy cuts (princess cuts included) from vendors like James Allen who provides you with videos of the stone because they are super hard to shop for and you don't want to end up with a dud. BN signature line would be an exception but they would still need to be evaluated on case by case basis.

Are you sure your intended wants a princess cut? Did she specifically say so? They're not very in style right now and the corners are also prone to chipping so we always like to make sure.

Are you open to other vendors? Why such high color? What's your budget?

https://www.jamesallen.com/loose-diamonds/princess-cut/1.52-carat-h-color-vs2-clarity-sku-2012844

http://www.whiteflash.com/loose-diamonds/princess-cut-loose-diamond-3620431.htm#

 

[envelope]

Hi AC,

Yes, she was specific on the princess cut, which was to my surprise as well. Budget is about 8-8.5k. At first I was okay with a lesser color, but the more I thought about if she wanted to change the band to something whiter, the more it'd be noticeable if it were off/less clear.

As we're incredibly boring, we both picked out this rock of a handful (so she's really not going to get a surprise hah!). I was actually hoping if there was anything more to be learned by the GIA report as included in the BN website:

http://pics.bluenile.com/certs/1156345647.pdf?params=Y291bnRyeT1VU0EmcHJvZHVjdD1CTiZwaG9uZT0xKzg4OC01NjUtNzY0MSZsaW5rPWh0dHAlM0ElMkYlMkZ3d3cuYmx1ZW5pbGUuY29tJTJGX0xEMDMzNzE5MzcmY3VycmVuY3k9VVNEJmxhYj1naWEmc2t1PUxEMDMzNzE5Mzcm

 

[tyty333]

How can you pick a fancy cut (princess) without knowing how it looks and whether it has good light return or not?

I would not have picked that stone (if I did pick them from the cert which I dont do). Part of it's girdle is EXTREMELY
THIN. Corners on princess cuts dont take pressure well and if the Extremely thin is near a corner it could be bad.

Also, a lot of SI1s can be eye-clean but not all SI1 stones are eye-clean. This has got inclusions
in the middle of the table. How do you know whether it is eye-clean or not?

You should use a vendor that provides images and aset images to check on light return. James Allen is a good choice.
Enchanted diamonds and b2c are also ones to check out.

Blue Nile does have a good return policy so you do have that going for you.

 

[envelope]

Hi all,

thanks for suggesting james allen... we had no idea we'd get such a diverse look/sparkle on such similar specs!

We have narrowed down 2 diamonds we really like the look from, but they came out to be priced higher than what this online estimator quoted. thoughts:

https://www.jamesallen.com/loose-diamonds/princess-cut/1.51-carat-i-color-vs1-clarity-sku-1071772
https://www.jamesallen.com/loose-diamonds/princess-cut/1.51-carat-h-color-vs1-clarity-sku-1141760

thanks a ton in advance,
envelope

 

[Gypsy]

if you go with Blue Nile, stick ONLY to Signature Line stones.

 

[Gypsy]

The entire purpose of faceting a diamond is to reflect light.
How well or how poorly a diamond does this determines how beautiful it is.
How well a diamond performs is determined by the angles and cutting. This is why we say cut is king. With fancies though (anything other than a round brilliant), that is a little complicated. But no other factor: not color, not clarity has as much of an impact on the appearance of a diamond as its cut.

There really is no other way to determine if you have a good princess is to see images of the stones, and then you need is a way to check actual light performance of your actual stone.

That's what an ASET image does. http://www.highperformancediamonds.com/index.php?page=education-performance Please read.
And ASET shows you how and wear your diamond is reflecting light, how well it is going at it, and where you are losing light return That is why you won't see us recommending vendors like Blue Nile, as they do not provide images or ASET images for their diamonds. James Allen and Good Old Gold do this. So do Brian Gavin and Whiteflash and High Performance Diamonds.

Read here: [URL='https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/princess-cut-diamond-input-feedback-needed.200247/']https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/princess-cut-diamond-input-feedback-needed.200247/[/URL]

 

[Gypsy]

Also did she specifically request a princess diamond by name?

If not, why did you chose a princess?

Does she have a Pinterest account?

 

[envelope]

Hi Gypsy, thanks for all the help. She unfortunately doesn't have a pinterest account, but she did specifically request a Princess cut after looking at the variety in-store.

If I understand the ASET image properly, Jamesallen doesn't provide those, but instead has the 360 degree rotation? As you've mentioned, we're learning how what you've said about CUT being king holds true! that said, we're not really clear on how to articulate how we enjoy the 'sparkle' other than how the light pattern bounces back and forth dark and light.

We do prefer (~$8.5k):
https://www.jamesallen.com/loose-diamonds/princess-cut/1.51-carat-i-color-vs1-clarity-sku-1071772
but are not sure if the shallow depth is of any concern, as we want to have a halo. There's also what looks like a cloud smack in the middle, but from the images we really can't tell (because the high quality cut?) Regarding the color, we're okay with the I since we plan to have a yellow gold band.

And secondarily (~$8.5k):
https://www.jamesallen.com/loose-diamonds/princess-cut/1.51-carat-h-color-vs1-clarity-sku-1141760

thoughts?

 

[tyty333]

Hi Gypsy, thanks for all the help. She unfortunately doesn't have a pinterest account, but she did specifically request a Princess cut after looking at the variety in-store.

If I understand the ASET image properly, Jamesallen doesn't provide those, but instead has the 360 degree rotation? As you've mentioned, we're learning how what you've said about CUT being king holds true! that said, we're not really clear on how to articulate how we enjoy the 'sparkle' other than how the light pattern bounces back and forth dark and light.

We do prefer (~$8.5k):
https://www.jamesallen.com/loose-diamonds/princess-cut/1.51-carat-i-color-vs1-clarity-sku-1071772
but are not sure if the shallow depth is of any concern, as we want to have a halo. There's also what looks like a cloud smack in the middle, but from the images we really can't tell (because the high quality cut?) Regarding the color, we're okay with the I since we plan to have a yellow gold band.

And secondarily (~$8.5k):
https://www.jamesallen.com/loose-diamonds/princess-cut/1.51-carat-h-color-vs1-clarity-sku-1141760

thoughts?

That first stone is leaky...the second stone is better. I'll take a look when I get back.

 

[tyty333]

You want to see clear, crisp facets as the stone rotates. Mushy looking facets are leakage. Almost all princess cut
stones will have some leakage as it rotates but you want to minimize the leakage.

I marked the leaky areas in the first stone you posted. The sizes of the areas are different because the stone is not
straight on. I consider this too much leakage in a princess. Should be able to find better.


Compared with the H stone you picked that is not as leaky. Notice how you can see more crisp facets in this stone.


Let me see what I can find.

 

[tyty333]

If you are willing to go to I, JA has lots of AGS000 stones that have been graded to have Ideal light return.

https://www.jamesallen.com/loose-diamonds/princess-cut/1.50-carat-i-color-vs2-clarity-sku-822527
https://www.jamesallen.com/loose-diamonds/princess-cut/1.51-carat-i-color-vs2-clarity-sku-822528


Not finding much in the H range. Request ASET images for any stone that you like (you are allowed 3 so ask for opinions before
you request). They can only get them if the stone is in the NY area.

This one looks like it could be nice. Need aset to be sure...it is one of the bigger stones (go by dimensions).
https://www.jamesallen.com/loose-diamonds/princess-cut/1.51-carat-h-color-vs2-clarity-sku-1989784


This one might be nice. Plenty of red in aset
https://enchanteddiamonds.com/rings/search?cost_max=10000&cost_min=100&style=MP#diamond=S151-196180472

You should check out b2c jewels also...it's a little harder to pick from them because no video.
http://www.b2cjewels.com/dd-8430047-1.53-carat-Princess-diamond-H-color-VS1-clarity.aspx
http://www.b2cjewels.com/dd-8241663-1.62-carat-Princess-diamond-H-color-VS2-clarity.aspx