Find your diamond
Find your jewelry
shape
carat
color
clarity

First Time Buyer...About to Pull the Trigger...Any Advice?

Re: First Time Buyer...About to Pull the Trigger...Any Advic

These are all specialty cut diamonds, so they are going to carry a price premium... don't worry, they definitely mark it up enough to make up for any lost weight they incur to cut it well.

The best way to buy a diamond is to see it in person, over several days in a variety of lighting situations. I do not think ASET truly captures diamond behavior... for example, change the pavilion angle from 40.7 to 40.8 and the table reflection in rounds turns from red to green. However, everyone agrees that 40.7 and 40.8 can be equally beautiful. What I mean is that the colors that ASET maps to is arbitrary... someone picked out where the cutoffs are.
 
Re: First Time Buyer...About to Pull the Trigger...Any Advic

JulieN|1361490877|3387036 said:
These are all specialty cut diamonds, so they are going to carry a price premium... don't worry, they definitely mark it up enough to make up for any lost weight they incur to cut it well.

The best way to buy a diamond is to see it in person, over several days in a variety of lighting situations. I do not think ASET truly captures diamond behavior... for example, change the pavilion angle from 40.7 to 40.8 and the table reflection in rounds turns from red to green. However, everyone agrees that 40.7 and 40.8 can be equally beautiful. What I mean is that the colors that ASET maps to is arbitrary... someone picked out where the cutoffs are.
Click to expand...

do you know if it is common or generally acceptable to have online vendors like GOG or JA send their diamonds to a PS listed appraiser so that I can view my final choices in person before pulling the trigger?

and if so, I assume there'd be a shipping fee and/or appraiser fee?
 
Re: First Time Buyer...About to Pull the Trigger...Any Advic

It used to be done more often in the past. But I think consumers are more comfortable with online shopping now.

Here is a list of some appraisers... you can choose one local to you if you want to see it in person https://www.pricescope.com/appraisers

If your CC can handle it, buying them and having them shipped to you is best, but some people may think that is more of a hassle... also isn't your local guy getting some for you?
 
Re: First Time Buyer...About to Pull the Trigger...Any Advic

alright guys, its been a few days since I posted, but here are a few updates on all of my current options:

1) GOG:
- will pass on the 1.57ct E VS1 Brellia $28,154 (specs to price ratio is not worth it IMO...faces up too small at around 6.56mm)
- currently waiting on Jon to contact me to see whether or not they can custom cut me a 2.0ct Brellia (decision dependent on pricing)

2) JannPaul:
- they are willing to custom cut me a 2.0ct Brellia...but they are still looking for some available rough material (pricing seems reasonable, but I didn't commit to them yet)

3) JA:
- got my 2 ASET images in (see below)...

- 1.52 G VVS2 ($22,340): http://www.jamesallen.com/#!/loose-diamonds/cushion-cut/1.52-carat-G-color-VVS2-clarity-sku-128591


- 2.02 H VS2 ($27,010): http://www.jamesallen.com/#!/loose-diamonds/cushion-cut/2.02-carat-H-color-VS2-clarity-sku-177148


- what do you guys think of these 2 diamonds? worth getting? or is the price ratio to quality no good?

4) ERD:
- 1.51 G VS1 ($15,532): http://www.engagementringsdirect.com/1.51-carat-g-vs1-a-cut-beyond-cushion-cut-diamond-gid-116525.html
-
-

5) BGD:
- still waiting on their new shipment of signature cushion 8 mains to come in (March)

6) local jeweler:
- poor guy is still looking for 8 mains for me :/

What do you guys think of my options? I think I have fine-tuned it so that I want an 8 main cushion that faces up at approx 7 mm or higher (I noticed that Brellias face up smaller based on just carat weight alone)

_4018.jpg

_4019.jpg

_4020.jpg

_4021.jpg
 
Re: First Time Buyer...About to Pull the Trigger...Any Advic

If you are still interested there are square radiants on JA...
http://www.jamesallen.com/#!/loose-diamonds/radiant-cut/2.08-carat-H-color-VS1-clarity-sku-120261
http://www.jamesallen.com/#!/loose-diamonds/radiant-cut/1.91-carat-H-color-VVS2-clarity-sku-114087
http://www.jamesallen.com/#!/loose-diamonds/radiant-cut/2.01-carat-H-color-VS1-clarity-sku-120275

The ASETs on the cushions you have are what I expected... I am actually much more interested in which one they liked better, than the ASETs. The ERD one is another good choice.

Did you ask BGD if the new batch of Signature cushions will be the same style as the current ones: http://www.briangavindiamonds.com/d....073-j-vvs2-cushion-diamond-ags-1040400870005
Because it is somewhat likely that BGD will charge more than JA.
 
Re: First Time Buyer...About to Pull the Trigger...Any Advic

JulieN|1361914966|3391134 said:
If you are still interested there are square radiants on JA...
http://www.jamesallen.com/#!/loose-diamonds/radiant-cut/2.08-carat-H-color-VS1-clarity-sku-120261
http://www.jamesallen.com/#!/loose-diamonds/radiant-cut/1.91-carat-H-color-VVS2-clarity-sku-114087
http://www.jamesallen.com/#!/loose-diamonds/radiant-cut/2.01-carat-H-color-VS1-clarity-sku-120275

The ASETs on the cushions you have are what I expected... I am actually much more interested in which one they liked better, than the ASETs. The ERD one is another good choice.

Did you ask BGD if the new batch of Signature cushions will be the same style as the current ones: http://www.briangavindiamonds.com/d....073-j-vvs2-cushion-diamond-ags-1040400870005
Because it is somewhat likely that BGD will charge more than JA.
Click to expand...

hmmm, the radiant cuts do look nice, but I am not sure I like the corners of the diamond itself...not sure how they'll look when mounted on a Novo-style setting?

I spoke with a customer service rep at JA about the 1.52 and the 2.02, and she told me that they were both excellent stones, but she seemed to lean towards the 1.52 as she said it was "a bit brighter."

The ERD 1.51ct seems like a great stone, but for what its worth, I think I could do better...

I spoke with a customer service rep at BGD and I was told that they will have a new batch of 8 main cushions coming in, in about 4-6 weeks. I pressed for more details and I was told that it will be a new patented proprietary cut (8 main thin w/ NO star pattern in the middle, which closely resembles that of the Novo), but obviously it is just slightly altered to avoid any lawsuits) However, they wouldn't give me a ballpark price range of the new batch of diamonds coming in...maybe they haven't decided on any pricing yet

Anyways, since I have time, I think it would be wise to wait it out and check in with BGD when their new batch of 8 main cushions come in...unless you guys think that the above diamonds that I posted are an amazing deal that shouldn't be passed up.
 
Re: First Time Buyer...About to Pull the Trigger...Any Advic

Honestly if it is the corners of the radiants you do not like, you won't really notice them that much with the prong on it...

I would probably wait for BGD since they make very nice settings... The ERD one is a little bit off-square...
 
Re: First Time Buyer...About to Pull the Trigger...Any Advic

JulieN|1361919431|3391210 said:
Honestly if it is the corners of the radiants you do not like, you won't really notice them that much with the prong on it...

I would probably wait for BGD since they make very nice settings... The ERD one is a little bit off-square...
Click to expand...

I haven't done too much research on radiants so I am not too familiar with them :/

yes, i agree, for the ERD one, the 1.05 ratio is slightly off-square! and the culet really worries me...

on a side note, has anyone ever seen an ASET image of an original Tiffany Novo? i'm curious as to what they look like under the scope
 
Re: First Time Buyer...About to Pull the Trigger...Any Advic

I haven't seen an ASET of it, but of the pictures that have been posted on PS, they look like the BGD Select, of which there is an I color in their inventory.

Do I think the 8 main brlliant, modern style (not antique) is a bit fetishized? Definitely. The Brellia is its own personality, I'll give it that... but a regular 8 main modern vs any other well-cut modern modified brilliant, it is not very easy to tell the difference. It happens all the time:

PS once did a taste test on the streets, one round had a good HCA score and one didn't... results were basically 50/50.

Consumer buys two diamonds, one is basically a standard PS-approved ideal cut, the other one is probably rejected by most people here... Consumer ends up preferring the light performance of the "very good" cut... and half the people she shows it to likes one while the other half likes the other.

I posted a Youtube video of Jon's with the square hearts and arrows and a generic radiant cut in a thread the other day, poster likes the radiant better.

And a long time ago PS used to be all SUPER-DUPER IDEAL H&A rounds... and now the trend is antique cuts with "personality."

I keep stressing how important buying in person is because ... in this thread there's been links to many diamonds, all beautiful... but you are ultimately waiting to see if something better comes along. If you were buying in person, you might have trouble picking just one.
 
Re: First Time Buyer...About to Pull the Trigger...Any Advic

JulieN|1361922275|3391253 said:
I haven't seen an ASET of it, but of the pictures that have been posted on PS, they look like the BGD Select, of which there is an I color in their inventory.

Do I think the 8 main brlliant, modern style (not antique) is a bit fetishized? Definitely. The Brellia is its own personality, I'll give it that... but a regular 8 main modern vs any other well-cut modern modified brilliant, it is not very easy to tell the difference. It happens all the time:

PS once did a taste test on the streets, one round had a good HCA score and one didn't... results were basically 50/50.

Consumer buys two diamonds, one is basically a standard PS-approved ideal cut, the other one is probably rejected by most people here... Consumer ends up preferring the light performance of the "very good" cut... and half the people she shows it to likes one while the other half likes the other.

I posted a Youtube video of Jon's with the square hearts and arrows and a generic radiant cut in a thread the other day, poster likes the radiant better.

And a long time ago PS used to be all SUPER-DUPER IDEAL H&A rounds... and now the trend is antique cuts with "personality."

I keep stressing how important buying in person is because ... in this thread there's been links to many diamonds, all beautiful... but you are ultimately waiting to see if something better comes along. If you were buying in person, you might have trouble picking just one.
Click to expand...

you're right JulieN...ever since I found this site and its wealth of information, it has been hard for me to decide on the "perfect" diamond...since I know what I know now, it has been very difficult for me to pick up a diamond that I know has "flaws" or "less-than-perfect" specs because I will be forever thinking in my head, could I have done better? (I guess that's the price you pay for spending hours and hours on PS)

So yeah, am I being overly picky? Sure, maybe I am, but I see this as a one time deal, and I really don't want to regret any purchase that I make. I shall continue to wait a bit, and see what else pops up, and hopefully you'll be there to check out my later potential pretties :)

You are right about seeing these diamonds in person...they probably all look very nice in person :P
 
Re: First Time Buyer...About to Pull the Trigger...Any Advic

woo hoo I found a cushion brilliant that my local jewler was able to source in for me!

the specs are as follows:

GIA Certified Cushion Brilliant
Measurements: 7.38 x 7.23 x 4.66 mm
Carat Weight: 1.70 ct
Color Grade: F
Clarity Grade: VS2
Polish: Excellent
Symmetry: Excellent
Fluorescence: None
Table: 55%
Depth: 64.5%
Culet: None
Girdle: Slightly Thick to Thick

I'm going in this Friday to take a look at it and also to look at some light return imagery. Wish me luck!

Anything else I should be aware of or be on the lookout for?

If the diamond turns out to have great light return, I'm not going to wait on BGD for their new shipment of cushion brilliants! :o
 
Re: First Time Buyer...About to Pull the Trigger...Any Advic

Good luck and take some good close up pictures! :))
 
Re: First Time Buyer...About to Pull the Trigger...Any Advic

Stats have potential, and the price is great for that size and quality.

Good luck!
 
Re: First Time Buyer...About to Pull the Trigger...Any Advic

the ja 2.02 is to die for in my humble opinion
 
Re: First Time Buyer...About to Pull the Trigger...Any Advic

I had a chance to take a look at the cushion brilliant today and I must say, I think it is the one!! :D

The only scope they had was a little hand-held idealscope (which is really meant for rounds)...anyhoos, I played around with it and took a picture through the scope with my trusty iPhone 5...not sure if I positioned the little red cone right, but here it is:



I was fortunate to be able to take a few pictures outside, in direct sunlight:




And last but not least, here's a HD video that I took with my iPhone 5 under inside LED spotlight conditions (make sure to select 720p or 1080p):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bOZkoLZ8ZRo

What do you guys think?

After many many hours of searching, I think this is it. About to slap it on my credit card and ship it out to BGD to be put in their signature Novela platinum setting! :D

img_9511.jpg

img_9517.jpg

img_9519.jpg
 
Re: First Time Buyer...About to Pull the Trigger...Any Advic

Yeah looks good, it is the right kind of cushion brilliant if you want to dupe the Novo.
 
Re: First Time Buyer...About to Pull the Trigger...Any Advic

amg, just saw your post after being away from ps for a lil while. where in california are you? there's a local guy around the oc area that deals with cushions almost exclusively.

prices can be a little on the higher side, but they're relatively good for the type of cushion that you're looking for (8 main thin) not sure how far along you are in the process or if you can hold the one you're looking at now, but maybe it's worth a look at least to compare.

trust me i know how hard it is to find one and i kinda lucked out! it's seriously a needle in a haystack to find a thin 8 main cushion these days!

let me know if you want the info and i'll post it up!
 
Re: First Time Buyer...About to Pull the Trigger...Any Advic

mrfungi|1363682434|3408468 said:
amg, just saw your post after being away from ps for a lil while. where in california are you? there's a local guy around the oc area that deals with cushions almost exclusively.

prices can be a little on the higher side, but they're relatively good for the type of cushion that you're looking for (8 main thin) not sure how far along you are in the process or if you can hold the one you're looking at now, but maybe it's worth a look at least to compare.

trust me i know how hard it is to find one and i kinda lucked out! it's seriously a needle in a haystack to find a thin 8 main cushion these days!

let me know if you want the info and i'll post it up!
Click to expand...

thanks for the offer mrfungi; I'll let you know if my current stone doesn't pan out

I currently have an 8 main thin cushion on hold, and I'm really just waiting on a proper ASET and idealscope image

I have looked at the stone in person and it is a fantastic stone, but I did notice some light leakage around the corners when I viewed it through a handheld idealscope...pretty sure it's no big deal, but for peace of mind, I'm waiting on proper images and a consultation/recommendation from an expert gemologist before wiring the funds over

stay tuned! =]
 
Re: First Time Buyer...About to Pull the Trigger...Any Advic

bad news guys =[

I had the stone in my hands (didnt pay for it yet), but was going to have it sent to BGD for analysis and also to be set in their Novela setting. I was ready to pull the trigger through BGD...

My local jeweler sent it back to the original vendor, and then the original vendor was supposed to send it to BGD. Somehow, within the last 24 hrs, someone else intercepted me and wired money through another vendor even though the original vendor had promised to ship it to BGD as soon as they had the stone back!!

Now it looks like it's back to the drawing boards for me...I'm not gonna lie, I was really disappointed when BGD told me this morning that someone else had intercepted my stone =[
 
Re: First Time Buyer...About to Pull the Trigger...Any Advic

they can find you a similar stone...they're well known for their cushions, so I wouldn't stress too much about it although I know how disappointing it is. Only means something better is out there!
 
Re: First Time Buyer...About to Pull the Trigger...Any Advic

04diamond<3|1363982944|3411288 said:
they can find you a similar stone...they're well known for their cushions, so I wouldn't stress too much about it although I know how disappointing it is. Only means something better is out there!
Click to expand...

sigh...guess I'll just have to play the waiting game then :blackeye:

I have looked at many other variations including: Brellia H&A's, GOG's Princess of Hearts, GOG's Jubilee H&A's, BGD's Quadex H&A's, Radiants, etc. and I must say, there's something about a good ole' modern cushion brilliant that keeps me coming back...it has a certain depth and shape that I just can't turn away from

pretty adamant on getting an 8 main thin cushion brilliant with the following specs:

Color: F or G

Clarity: VS2 or VS1

Ratio: 1.00 - 1.04

Length/Width: greater than 7.00 mm (which would probably put it at around a 1.65ct or above depending on how its cut)

Once found, the stone will most likely go into a BGD Novela setting. Duplicating a Tiffany Novo is proving to be quite a difficult task! I can see now why some people just give in and settle with a 4 main cushion and/or just purchase the Novo from Tiffany's. :errrr:
 
Re: First Time Buyer...About to Pull the Trigger...Any Advic

well, since you waited this long, I guess we'll see what BGD has coming soon. You are probably more excited about it than I am, though. :twirl:
 
Re: First Time Buyer...About to Pull the Trigger...Any Advic

I didn't really like that diamond anyways .... you will find another.
 
Re: First Time Buyer...About to Pull the Trigger...Any Advic

This is pretty different than what you are looking for ... warmer, not as square (1.08), SI1, old cut ... but I think a good price (with best offer) and pretty.
 
Re: First Time Buyer...About to Pull the Trigger...Any Advic

CharmyPoo|1363993978|3411404 said:
I didn't really like that diamond anyways .... you will find another.
Click to expand...
what didn't you like about it if you don't mind me asking? I thought it was a decent diamond for its spread, ratio, and color/clarity...I did notice in another thread that you guys commented on the prominent light leakage around the corners, but I wasn't sure if that was the only reason? (hence the reason I wanted an analysis and a recommendation from BGD before purchasing)

CharmyPoo|1363994149|3411407 said:
This is pretty different than what you are looking for ... warmer, not as square (1.08), SI1, old cut ... but I think a good price (with best offer) and pretty.
Click to expand...
did you mean to post a link to the warmer 1.08, SI1 old cut stone?

thanks for looking out Charmy! I currently do run a search query everyday, but if you could keep an eye out for me too, I would really appreciate it. ;)
 
Re: First Time Buyer...About to Pull the Trigger...Any Advic

oh boy, do I have some excellent news!!

so, as it turns out, due to some sort of miscommunication between the vendor and the manufacturer, the stone that I had previously thought unavailable is actually...available!!

I wired the funds earlier this week and the stone is now officially mine :)

I received a couple images of the diamond already, and I must say, it looks quite nice.

Stay tuned for a new thread with some specs and images of the stone, as well as a few questions regarding choosing a setting and also insurance!

:lickout:
 
Re: First Time Buyer...About to Pull the Trigger...Any Advic

wow dude...crazy past couple of days/weeks.

glad everything worked out and you got the one you wanted. i've been crazy busy at work and haven't been able to keep up with the thread, but i'm glad it all worked out in the end!

congrats and can't wait to see what you ended up with!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
GET 3 FREE HCA RESULTS JOIN THE FORUM. ASK FOR HELP
Jewelry Blog
PriceScope-Concierge-Ad
Find prime cuts.
Top