Find a diamond for Me? Confused.

[arnoldE]

Hello everyone,

I'm having a hard time finding a stone with a great balance of fire and brilliance. I am looking for a ideal cut diamond with the following specs.

1.28 CT at least
G or H color
VS2 or SI1 (eye clean obviously!)
Budget 8.8K USD

If possible please use bluenile.

Thank You!

 

[arnoldE]

Or another site, doesn't have to be blue nile!

 

[WinkHPD]

Hello everyone,

I'm having a hard time finding a stone with a great balance of fire and brilliance. I am looking for a ideal cut diamond with the following specs.

1.28 CT at least
G or H color
VS2 or SI1 (eye clean obviously!)
Budget 8.8K USD

If possible please use bluenile.

Thank You!

If you want a diamond that is cut for High Performance with a balance of white and colored light, why are you wanting to look on a site that is not known for selling diamonds of exceptional cutting?

There are many sites that specialize in cut quality and maximum performance, why are you not looking at one of them?

Just curious.

Wink

 

[ecf8503]

1.28 CT at least

And why such a specific carat weight? Just seems... odd.

 

[ecf8503]

I think something has to give - either drop clarity, color, or increase your budget.

http://www.briangavindiamonds.com/d...1.180-h-si1-round-diamond-ags-bl-104074030075

http://www.highperformancediamonds.com/index.php?page=view-id-diamond-infinity-new&id=795

http://www.jamesallen.com/loose-diamonds/round-cut/1.26-carat-h-color-si1-clarity-sku-366716

 

[arnoldE]

I guess I just edit it to be a 1.3 but would accept uppers 1.20s also lol.

I found this:
https://www.ritani.com/diamonds/round-diamond-1-33-Carat-H-color-GIA-certified/D-91MM9K?search_key=D-91MM9K

Could you tell just by the image if it was milky or not?

 

[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.
No other factor: not color, not clarity has as much of an impact on the appearance of a diamond as its cut. An ideal H will out white a poorly cut F. And GIA Ex is not enough. And you must stick to GIA and AGS only. EGL is a bad option: [URL='https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/egl-certification-are-any-of-them-ok.142863/']https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/egl-certification-are-any-of-them-ok.142863/[/URL]
So how to we ensure that we have the right angles and cutting to get the light performance we want?
https://www.pricescope.com/wiki/diamonds/diamond-cut
Well one method is to start with a GIA Ex, and then apply the HCA to it. YOU DO NOT USE HCA for AGS0 stones.
https://www.pricescope.com/wiki/diamonds/holloway-cut-advisor
The HCA is a rejection tool. Not a selection tool. It uses 4 data points to make a rudimentary call on how the diamond may perform.
If the diamond passes then you know that you are in the right zone in terms of angles for light performance. Under 2 is a pass. Under 2.5-2.1 is a maybe. 2.6 and over is a no. No score 2 and under is better than any other.
Is that enough? Not really.
So what you need is a way to check actual light performance of your actual stone.
That's what an idealscope image does. https://www.pricescope.com/wiki/diamonds/firescope-idealscope
It 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 Blue Nile, as they do not provide idealscope images for their diamonds. BGD, James Allen, GOG, HPD, ERD and WF do.

The Idealscope is the 'selection tool'. Not the HCA.
So yes, with a GIA stone you need the idealscope images. Or you can buy an idealscope yourself and take it in to the jeweler you are working with to check the stones yourself. Or if you have a good return policy (full refund minimum 7 days) then you can buy the idealscope, buy the stone, and do it at home.


Now if you want to skip all that... stick to AGS0 stones and then all you have to do is pick color and clarity and you know you have a great performing diamond. Because AGS has already done the checking for you. That's why they trade at a premium.

 

[Diamond2014]

Wink,

I'm not defending or against Blue Nile. I got good experience with Blue Nile as a consumer since I learned about diamond before setting out to buy one. I heard alot of people say Blue Nile is not a good place to buy, but they never state the reason why (beside that Blue Nile doesn't provide Ideal-Scope and Aset Scope). Can you please emphasize as to why people should not go to Blue Nile?

Anyone have input on this, in regard to Blue Nile?

Moderator - Please allow freedom of speech.

 

[yssie]

Wink,

I'm not defending or against Blue Nile. I got good experience with Blue Nile as a consumer since I learned about diamond before setting out to buy one. I heard alot of people say Blue Nile is not a good place to buy, but they never state the reason why (beside that Blue Nile doesn't provide Ideal-Scope and Aset Scope). Can you please be more detail as why people should not go to Blue Nile?
Read Gypsy's long post right before yours, decide what your priorities are, and then you will know whether or not BN is a good fit for your needs.

Anyone have input on this, in regard to Blue Nile?

Moderator - Please allow freedom of speech.
Eh?

 

[Diamond2014]

Yssie,

Gypsy post that many places. I think I've read that a hundred times. In another word, you're saying if customer need holding hands and babysitting, then use places such as BGD, James Allen, GOG, HPD, ERD and WF, as they already did all the holding hands and babysitting for the customers.

But that doesn't give a reason why Blue Nile is not a good place to shop. Simply drop the bomb on certain vendors, due to people's ignorance and too lazy to learn is unfair, in my opinion.

 

[Gypsy]

Yssie,

Gypsy post that many places. I think I've read that a hundred times. In another word, you're saying if customer need holding hands and babysitting, then use places such as BGD, James Allen, GOG, HPD, ERD and WF, as they already did all the holding hands and babysitting for the customers.

But that doesn't give a reason why Blue Nile is not a good place to shop. Simply drop the bomb on certain vendors, due to people's ignorance and too lazy to learn is unfair, in my opinion.

Okay so I can help answer this question.

Blue Nile does not have the best prices. There are many vendors that will beat Blue Niles prices on many stones (not Signature Line ones though cause those are in house and other vendors can't get them). Wink is one of those actually who will do that.

Blue Nile does not provide ASETs or IS OR great images of stones. Signature Line stones do come with a G-Cal and that is great, but still considerably less information than other vendors provide. Certainly they do not provide that information up front for ease of shopping. In some cases they can't even correctly tell you if the stone is eyeclean. James Allen does all of that. And all of that is important ESPECIALLY for fancies. Heck JA provides a VIDEO of EVERY stone!

Blue Nile does have great Customer Service. But so do MANY PS vendors. Wink at HPD, James Allen, WF BGD, GOG and BE just to name a few.

Blue Nile does have a 30 day no questions asked return policy. JA has a 60 day return policy though. And many of our vendors do have that.

Blue Nile does not have a great upgrade policy. You have to spend 2x. That's the same as JA, true. But not even CLOSE to the upgrade policies offered by WF, BGD, GOG and HPD.

Blue Nile doesn't have great quality reports with their settings. Many people have reported problems with their blue nile settings. I would buy one used, but not a new one. Most of our vendors have GREAT setting quality.

On settings their standard melee is H VS2 to I SI2!!! James Allen's standard Melee is FG VS. BN's extraordinary collection only features G VS2.

So WHY exactly would you buy from a vendor that doesn't exceed or MEET all requirements need to make an informed choice?


They aren't the cheapest. They aren't the ones that provide the most information. In fact with respect to non-Signature fancies they provide no where NEAR enough information to make an informed decision. They don't have the best upgrade policy. They don't have great settings.

Why WOULD we recommend Blue Nile?

Well, the one thing they have is the Signature Line. And those are nice stones granted. And their signature line includes a great H&A cushion. And we DO recommend those. But you do pay more for those stones, just like you do at any other vendor.

For another they have a nice selection. But other vendors CAN get the same stones and provide BETTER settings and MORE information on those stones.

So... that's why. Okay?

 

[starrylight]

The HCA is a rejection tool. Not a selection tool. It uses 4 data points to make a rudimentary call on how the diamond may perform.

This sentence to me sums up why not Blue Nile (for their non-signature line).

 

[yssie]

There's no conspiracy to bring BN down here

1. *OP said that he wants a stone with a great balance of fire and brilliance, and that he's looking for an "ideal cut diamond".


2. *OP hasn't defined "ideal cut" - "ideal" by whose standards? If you want an actual "Ideal cut", as in an AGSL0, then that's easy - shop wherever you want, just make sure it's got a DQD report with Light Performance and confirm the cut grade is 0. If you are using the term "ideal" as a generic term to mean "fabulously cut" then

2A. Per Wink, "why are you wanting to look on a site that is not known for selling diamonds of exceptional cutting?"

and

2B. Gypsy outlined several reasons someone looking for a fabulously cut diamond might value two tools you yourself noted BN does not provide - IS and ASET. It is more than hand-holding through the process of buying a diamond, it's offering more information on the character and personality of the stone itself.


3. *OP, personally, may or may not care about having that extra information; he got the responses he did because his original post implied that he is the sort of shopper who WILL care. But we don't actually know that, only he does! If he doesn't then there's absolutely nothing wrong with using Blue Nile and no-one is suggesting otherwise - I've shopped there for diamonds and been perfectly happy with my purchases. They are a reputable company that caters to a specific market... he just needs to figure out if (for this particular purchase) he's part of that market.


ETA: Ditto. Slow typing today.

ETA: Oh dear. I replied to the wrong poster! Changing who my responses are addressed to so they make sense...

 

[Diamond2014]

Gypsy, thank you

A month ago, I was in search of a diamond for engagement ring. I could not find a stone that fit my spec, even after I checked all vendors recommended by PS. Vendors recommended by PS have pure nice performance with super ideal proportions, no doubt about that, but most of the stones they had were in the G, H, I, J color with SI1, SI2, VS2. And if I do want anything in the colorless or VS1 better, the price went off the roof!

 

[Gypsy]

Gypsy, thank you

A month ago, I was in search of a diamond for engagement ring. I could not find a stone that fit my spec, even after I checked all vendors recommended by PS. Vendors recommended by PS have pure nice performance with super ideal proportions, no doubt about that, but most of the stones they had were in the G, H, I, J color with SI1, SI2, VS2. And if I do want anything in the colorless or VS1 better, the price went off the roof!

There's a difference between want and need. DO you NEED a colorless VS1 or better? Is it a have to have? If so can you please explain to me why?

If it is a like to have... but not a must have, have you been to a local Hearts on Fire dealer to see some ideal cut diamonds in person? The first time I went to one I was SHOCKED at how white an ideal cut J was. It is very important to you go in person to a place with ideal cut stones and view those stones in different colors (keeping size constant. A 2 carat J will show more tint than an 80 pointer).

I HIGHLY recommend you call your local Hearts on Fire dealer. Get an appointment and SPECIFICALLY tell them you want to view D-E-F diamonds next to G-H color diamond IN ADVANCE. And then plan to spend an hour and go in and see for yourself what color you want/need.

Okay?

Also can you start your own thread? You're kind of hijacking this one.

 

[Gypsy]

Arnold:

Get idealscope: http://www.b2cjewels.com/dd-5080188-1.30-carat-Round-diamond-H-color-VVS2-Clarity.aspx?sku=5080188&utm_source=pricescope.com&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=pricescope.com
http://www.brilliantlyengaged.com/1.30-carat-h-vs1-excellent-round-cut-diamond-gid-17854.html Ask for idealscope and image, they will get it for you.
http://www.brilliantlyengaged.com/1.30-carat-h-vs2-excellent-round-cut-diamond-gid-17857.html Same advice as last stone.

BE has fantastic settings. They would be my choice of vendor, personally.

 

[Diamond2014]

Woops, sorry, didnt meant to hijack this threat. But I answer then wont hijack anymore.

For people who are nearsightedness, when they take off their contact lens or glass, they can see their fingerprint CLEARLY in details. That's about 10X to 15X magnification. The higher the degree of nearsightedness, the better they can see close up when they take off their contact lens or glass.

My significant other has quite high degree of nearsightedness. Hence I wanted to make sure to get at least VS1 with all the inclusion not in the table, VS2 is already guaranteed to have things right under the table. I haven't seen a VS2 or lower clarify without a load of inclusion in the table. Colorless may be a want/preferred, but the icy white looks will still looks better than white looks, even by a tiny bit.

 

[noscrusir]

Who are you trying to convince? Yourself or other people on this as board? There are tons of people who have VS2 stones which are clear as day to the naked eye. The reasons Gypsy and others have suggested for shying away from Blue Nile if you're focused on obtaining the best performing stones are very valid.

 

[Gypsy]

Diamond2014. Start a new thread. I can find you a completely eyeclean VS2, so we'll stick to that or better. And down to G on color. Let me know what you want, what your budget is, etc. What setting type you have in mind and I'm sure we can find you something fantastic.

There is such a thing as board etiquette.