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First time buyer needing help with buying diamond

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anubis14

Rough_Rock
Joined
Jul 11, 2018
Messages
9
Hi All,

Appreciate all the help provided with this as its becoming a struggle to find the best diamond for the budget. I'm looking to pop the question later on in the year and need some help picking a diamond. I already got the band (14K yellow gold 3mm) and just want to buy the diamond online through the typ. avenues like James A and Blue N. I'm from Australia and my budget is around the 6000$ aud which is around 4500 $ american.

Looking for the following criteria :
Princess cut Diamond
Budget: 6000$ aud - 4500 $ american (not including the tax which I believe it is 15%)
Carat: not greater than 1 carat between 0.9 - 1
Color: G and greater
Clarity: VS1 minimum
Cut: very good
But I am keen to hear back from the experts in regards to my criteria and open to suggestions.

I have not ordered online before(to be honest i am a bit cautious/nervous) and buying local seems to be huge rip-off due to low quality stones. or overpriced. I have very little knowledge about diamonds in general apart from what I have read online for the last couple of months ie the 4 c's. I have picked 2 options below that match roughly what I am after.
https://www.bluenile.com/au/diamond...AMONDS&track=viewDiamondDetails&action=newTab
https://www.bluenile.com/au/diamond...AMONDS&track=viewDiamondDetails&action=newTab

Once again appreciate any help provided.
 
Hi...Welcome to Pricescope...just a few comments below. If you have more questions, fire away!

With respect to specs, I think you can drop your clarity down to VS2 or eye-clean SI1. Since you are out of country VS2 may be better.
The tables on both those stones look really big. I would go with a slightly smaller table. Princess cuts come with different numbers of
chevrons (facets) on the pavilion (back). The more chevrons the smaller (but more) facets you see on the front. Fewer chevrons, bigger
facets but less. It would help if you could figure out what number of facets you like.
chevrons.PNG
chevrons.PNG

An AGS000 graded stone has been evaluated for light performance and takes the guess work out of it for you. Whiteflash has all the images you
need to show that it is well-cut stone.
https://www.whiteflash.com/loose-diamonds/princess-cut-loose-diamond-3800289.htm 2 chevron stone
https://www.whiteflash.com/loose-diamonds/princess-cut-loose-diamond-3756540.htm 3 chevron stone

You can ask for a picture of these stones side-by-side and ask about the clarity just to be sure. Call or email whiteflash if you are interested.
This one is closer to the $3700 price range you are in
https://www.whiteflash.com/loose-diamonds/princess-cut-loose-diamond-3800294.htm

Looking at the two you posted...I think I like the first one best but hard to tell. Ask for an ASET image. Sometimes they can get them (sometimes not).
Post if you can get one. Also, pay attention to the actual LxW of the stone...they can vary with the same carat weight.
 
tyty333 said:
Hi...Welcome to Pricescope...just a few comments below. If you have more questions, fire away!

With respect to specs, I think you can drop your clarity down to VS2 or eye-clean SI1. Since you are out of country VS2 may be better.
The tables on both those stones look really big. I would go with a slightly smaller table. Princess cuts come with different numbers of
chevrons (facets) on the pavilion (back). The more chevrons the smaller (but more) facets you see on the front. Fewer chevrons, bigger
facets but less. It would help if you could figure out what number of facets you like.
chevrons.PNG
chevrons.PNG

An AGS000 graded stone has been evaluated for light performance and takes the guess work out of it for you. Whiteflash has all the images you
need to show that it is well-cut stone.
https://www.whiteflash.com/loose-diamonds/princess-cut-loose-diamond-3800289.htm 2 chevron stone
https://www.whiteflash.com/loose-diamonds/princess-cut-loose-diamond-3756540.htm 3 chevron stone

You can ask for a picture of these stones side-by-side and ask about the clarity just to be sure. Call or email whiteflash if you are interested.
This one is closer to the $3700 price range you are in
https://www.whiteflash.com/loose-diamonds/princess-cut-loose-diamond-3800294.htm

Looking at the two you posted...I think I like the first one best but hard to tell. Ask for an ASET image. Sometimes they can get them (sometimes not).
Post if you can get one. Also, pay attention to the actual LxW of the stone...they can vary with the same carat weight.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the feedback so based on the ones that you attached the emphasis is on the cut rather then the color and to the lesser extent the clarity. Is this characterized only on princess cuts ?

Hmm i think i get what you mean by table and facets. I dont particularly have a preference to be honest, obviously this goes hand in hand with the diamonds light performance. Can you make a suggestion on whats best practice in this instance with the facets?

I actually like the last one you have posted, although it does have a SL1 rating. guessing here but to me it looks like it has 3 facets :pray:?
 
anubis14 said:
Thanks for the feedback so based on the ones that you attached the emphasis is on the cut rather then the color and to the lesser extent the clarity. Is this characterized only on princess cuts ? Yes, the emphasis is on cut. This goes for pretty much all
diamonds except maybe colored ones The cut is the most important criteria. You want a stone with facets that are angled to return the light
back out the top of the stone.


Hmm i think i get what you mean by table and facets. I dont particularly have a preference to be honest, obviously this goes hand in hand with the diamonds light performance. Can you make a suggestion on whats best practice in this instance with the facets? The criteria I* tend to use is one carat or lower
stick with 2 chevrons (maybe 3 if you are close to 1 carat like you are) and of course this is based on what you want to see. More chevrons,
busier stone. So how it usually works is more chevrons, more facets, smaller but more twinkles up close. Less chevrons, bigger but less
facets that will give you some small twinkles as well as some bigger twinkles they might get seen from farther away.

I actually like the last one you have posted, although it does have a SL1 rating. guessing here but to me it looks like it has 3 facets :pray:?
Its actually a 2 chevron. The middle X facets (pavilion) does not count. The chevrons follow the middle X. Now of course if you like seeing
lots of tiny facets that's ok too. You dont have to follow any rules. Its all about what you like and what you want to see.

I'm referring to this stone as the 2 chevron
https://www.whiteflash.com/loose-diamonds/princess-cut-loose-diamond-3800294.htm
Click to expand...
anubis14 said:
I have also found, which has a smaller table and has a good rating in regards to GEMEX report.
https://www.bluenile.com/au/diamond...AMONDS&track=viewDiamondDetails&action=newTab
Click to expand...



Love the table shape on this one (another criteria I have is that I dont want the table to be square or rectangle...it has to bow out. You usually only
get square or rectangular on large tables which you dont usually want anyway. This looks to be a 2 chevron but its hard to tell at the angle the stone
is spinning. The one thing I do see is it looks like you can see the twinning wisp on the table. It may be eye-clean though. You would have to call
them and ask (or are all Astors eye-clean by definition?...not sure)

Just FYI, let me show you the relative size of these stones on a size 5 1/2 finger using a 2mm shank (gold ring) The first one is the Astor stone you linked. The second stone is the WF stone that I posted that you liked.
princess diffs.PNG
 
Last edited:
Thought I would mention that I have been planning to sell my princess cut ring. It’s 1.21 ct, H, VS1 with EGL cert, currently set in a platinum band. Let me know if you would like pics. It has a valuation of $16k which I think is over the top but it’s a nice diamond.
 
Oh I’ll sell it for $4000. We paid $9500 but I think we were overcharged at the B&M store.
 
scarsmum said:
Oh I’ll sell it for $4000. We paid $9500 but I think we were overcharged at the B&M store.
Click to expand...
Thanks but speaking with my partners friends, she doesn't want anything bigger than 1 carat.
 
rockysalamander said:
What about a radiant cut? They are not any easier to select, but this looks great. With the clipped corners, you have more flexibility in setting. Princess should be set with V-prongs.

https://www.bluenile.com/au/diamond...AMONDS&track=viewDiamondDetails&action=newTab (5.5 mm)

upload_2018-7-12_17-23-9.png
Click to expand...

Yes I did look at them but from memory she likes the princess cut as its more classic in her point of view. They do look nice and your right a short google searched shows that you can have more options in the setting.
 
I have been looking at diamonds for the last 2-3 days almost continuously (apart from when I have to go on site and actually do work) and i have narrow them down to 3 options but still unsure :
Not sure why this one caught my eye but its a lower side of the budget and ticks my criteria
https://www.bluenile.com/au/diamond...AMONDS&track=viewDiamondDetails&action=newTab (I have asked and they don't provide ASET imagines for whatever reason)
And these 2:
https://www.whiteflash.com/loose-diamonds/compare.aspx?idnos=3986316,3930752
 
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