HELP - 12K (USD) Budget for Round Brillant

[zbajwa00]

Hello fellow PSers!

I am in the process of starting to upgrade by current triple excellent VS2 H-color 0.91 round brilliant diamond that was originally purchased on Blue Nile in 2015 before I knew about PS! I plan to use the HCA tool to help pick my stone. My budget is $12,000 USD and I would like a stone in the 1.5 carat range. This will be set in a platinum tiffany-style knife edge band. My main goal is the have the largest and sparkiest diamond in 12K. A couple of questions for people here:

1. Has anyone downgraded from a H to an I color and regretted it?
2. Anyone successfully purchased an eye-clean SI1 from Blue Nile?
3. Any tips or idea on florescence?
4. Any other experiences you would like the share on upgrading with Blue Nile?

Thanks,

 

[zbajwa00]

Anyone?!?!

 

[Mamajemmy]

My original ER was a 1.8 H and my upgrade is a 2.4 I. I thought my H looked whiter but overall am happy with the size difference more than I am bugged by any color difference. And yes, you can for sure find clean si1. It’s all about your own tolerance. I don’t like paying for things I can’t see and I can never see inclusions so SI are just fine with me. I don’t have any experience with BN. I used Whiteflash for both. Have fun with the upgrade!

 

[free-user]

Never bought from blue nile. If you want im returning a 1.6 triple 0 to james allen you can buy. It would be classified a ACA by WF standards spec wise and imaging wise. I loved it but its personality didn't win my wife over. I've helped you out!

AGS Laboratories

agslab.com

 

[daisygrl]

Never bought from blue nile. If you want im returning a 1.6 triple 0 to james allen you can buy. It would be classified a ACA by WF standards spec wise and imaging wise. I loved it but its personality didn't win my wife over. I've helped you out!

AGS Laboratories

agslab.com

I personally would never say that JA diamonds = ACA by WF (not even yours). 99.9% of the JA stones are not even close to ACA. ACA cost premium because of precision of the cut and work they put into it. ACA is above and beyond in terms of a cut. JA is ok for general population that wants to have worry free online diamond shopping experience but not necessarily a perfection.

 

[zbajwa00]

Never bought from blue nile. If you want im returning a 1.6 triple 0 to james allen you can buy. It would be classified a ACA by WF standards spec wise and imaging wise. I loved it but its personality didn't win my wife over. I've helped you out!

AGS Laboratories

agslab.com

Thanks! But since we bought my original diamond at Blue Nile, we will have to stick with them!

 

[free-user]

I personally would never say that JA diamonds = ACA by WF (not even yours). 99.9% of the JA stones are not even close to ACA. ACA cost premium because of precision of the cut and work they put into it. ACA is above and beyond in terms of a cut. JA is ok for general population that wants to have worry free online diamond shopping experience but not necessarily a perfection.

WF aca are essentially virtual diamonds that have been verified to be "ACA" then branded. You do not even know what mine looks like. Your entitled to your opinion and ill leave it at that. The OP can decide whats best for them.

 

[daisygrl]

WF aca are essentially virtual diamonds that have been verified to be "ACA" then branded. You do not even know what mine looks like. Your entitled to your opinion and ill leave it at that. The OP can decide whats best for them.

ACAs are far more than "virtual diamonds." I do know what JA diamonds look like - they are no ACA. Per WF website: "The A CUT ABOVE® is the most carefully crafted, comprehensively analyzed and thoroughly reviewed diamond in the world." - I do not think JA "carefully crafted and comprehensively analyzed" your diamond.

A CUT ABOVE Hearts and Arrows Diamonds | Whiteflash

Whiteflash A CUT ABOVE® Heart and Arrows Diamonds are The Most Visually Balanced Diamonds® in the world. For more information head to Whiteflash.

www.whiteflash.com

 

[zbajwa00]

My original ER was a 1.8 H and my upgrade is a 2.4 I. I thought my H looked whiter but overall am happy with the size difference more than I am bugged by any color difference. And yes, you can for sure find clean si1. It’s all about your own tolerance. I don’t like paying for things I can’t see and I can never see inclusions so SI are just fine with me. I don’t have any experience with BN. I used Whiteflash for both. Have fun with the upgrade!

Thanks for that info. I am sensitive to color so that's why I am a bit unsure.

 

[Texas Leaguer]

WF aca are essentially virtual diamonds that have been verified to be "ACA" then branded. You do not even know what mine looks like. Your entitled to your opinion and ill leave it at that. The OP can decide whats best for them.

Just to be clear, the above is a significant mis-characterization of our A CUT ABOVE brand.

If we had to scour the virtual market and bring in diamonds that meet our rigorous criteria, we would never be able to fill demand, and we would lose our price competitiveness due to all the back and forth shipping and insurance costs that such a process would entail.

A CUT ABOVE® Diamonds Specifications and Qualifications

Uncover the diamond specifications and qualifications that make up the Whiteflash A CUT ABOVE® diamonds. The most carefully crafted diamonds in the world.

www.whiteflash.com

Super ideal diamonds are intentionally cut. They don't happen by accident and don't happen in commercial production operations. We are able to stock a large and deep in-house inventory of precision cut diamonds because we have production agreements with some of the finest cutting houses in the world who have been trained over twenty years to meet Whiteflash specs. These diamonds never see the virtual market.

On the contrary, a great many of the AGS Ideal diamonds on the virtual market are actually diamonds produced for programs that were rejected for one reason or another by the brands for which they were originally destined. We know this for a fact as many stones that do not make either our A CUT ABOVE or Expert Selection categories do in fact end up on the virtual market.

 

[zbajwa00]

Just to be clear, the above is a significant mis-characterization of our A CUT ABOVE brand.

If we had to scour the virtual market and bring in diamonds that meet our rigorous criteria, we would never be able to fill demand, and we would lose our price competitiveness due to all the back and forth shipping and insurance costs that such a process would entail.

A CUT ABOVE® Diamonds Specifications and Qualifications

Uncover the diamond specifications and qualifications that make up the Whiteflash A CUT ABOVE® diamonds. The most carefully crafted diamonds in the world.

www.whiteflash.com

Super ideal diamonds are intentionally cut. They don't happen by accident and don't happen in commercial production operations. We are able to stock a large and deep in-house inventory of precision cut diamonds because we have production agreements with some of the finest cutting houses in the world who have been trained over twenty years to meet Whiteflash specs. These diamonds never see the virtual market.

On the contrary, a great many of the AGS Ideal diamonds on the virtual market are actually diamonds produced for programs that were rejected for one reason or another by the brands for which they were originally destined. We know this for a fact as many stones that do not make either our A CUT ABOVE or Expert Selection categories do in fact end up on the virtual market.

Wow! Learned a lot, unfortunately I'm stuck with BN - if I was purchasing for the first time I would have considered WF. Thanks for your information.

 

[Texas Leaguer]

Wow! Learned a lot, unfortunately I'm stuck with BN - if I was purchasing for the first time I would have considered WF. Thanks for your information.

No worries zba,
I was not trying to convince you to buy from Whiteflash as that would be a blatant violation of posting rules for trade members.

I was just addressing some misinformation about our brand, which is permitted by the rules.

Good luck with your upgrade!

 

[lydial]

@zbajwa00 This is 5% over budget but looks pretty nice to me: https://www.bluenile.com/diamond-details/LD12944265?refTab=DIAMONDS&track=viewDiamondDetails

I think it would qualify as a firey idea cut, is a bit bigger than a 1.5 ct as well.

 

[zbajwa00]

@zbajwa00 This is 5% over budget but looks pretty nice to me: https://www.bluenile.com/diamond-details/LD12944265?refTab=DIAMONDS&track=viewDiamondDetails

I think it would qualify as a firey idea cut, is a bit bigger than a 1.5 ct as well.

Oooo I like it! I think I could convince the hubby to go over a bit. Looks like a nice rock, I couldn't get HCA info on it...does HCA really matter that much, wondering...

 

[lydial]

Oooo I like it! I think I could convince the hubby to go over a bit. Looks like a nice rock, I couldn't get HCA info on it...does HCA really matter that much, wondering...

Thanks. If I were you I would contact them, put on hold now as you are maybe stuck w/ Blue Nile (not a bad thing, but limits shopping). Face it, you want a big H. This is their best stone, and is pretty on the video at least. Lurkers snatch the good finds. Request imaging (ASET), if available. Also wait for others here to chime in. Research specs for “matching” crown and pavilion. This is in the red “ideal” range. Buy HCA points and take a good look.

So, I own 2 HPD CBI diamonds, and also one non-branded diamond that has about the same angles as this one. There is a touch of a difference in optics among my stones; NOTHING touches a CBI.... but my 35.5/40.6 is really a knock out and was 4K for a 1.15 ct (K color). Maybe not “perfect“... but pretty groovy.

And, another thing to consider: A 1.68 H SI1 is almost 14 k at HPD. For comparison, 2 clarity grades lower, but the optics will be profoundly better. You maybe want to contact @Wink re trading in what you have for what they have which will be a forever, dream diamond. There are some in-budget stones (under 1.5 ct) that will rock your existence. But, the one I found is easy and a good price

 

[Ceilimom]

Hello fellow PSers!

I am in the process of starting to upgrade by current triple excellent VS2 H-color 0.91 round brilliant diamond that was originally purchased on Blue Nile in 2015 before I knew about PS! I plan to use the HCA tool to help pick my stone. My budget is $12,000 USD and I would like a stone in the 1.5 carat range. This will be set in a platinum tiffany-style knife edge band. My main goal is the have the largest and sparkiest diamond in 12K. A couple of questions for people here:

1. Has anyone downgraded from a H to an I color and regretted it?
2. Anyone successfully purchased an eye-clean SI1 from Blue Nile?
3. Any tips or idea on florescence?
4. Any other experiences you would like the share on upgrading with Blue Nile?

Thanks,

What allowance is Blue Nile giving you for your trade in? Also is your $12000. budget including your trade in amount? I am going out on a limb, if you go a wee bit over your limit, would you be able to do one of their no interest charge plan that you could pay off within that time frame?
As for going from an H to an I, some I stones are closer to H and vice versa. As Fluoresence, GIA has a great article on this you might want to review.

 

[zbajwa00]

What allowance is Blue Nile giving you for your trade in? Also is your $12000. budget including your trade in amount? I am going out on a limb, if you go a wee bit over your limit, would you be able to do one of their no interest charge plan that you could pay off within that time frame?
As for going from an H to an I, some I stones are closer to H and vice versa. As Fluoresence, GIA has a great article on this you might want to review.

So my original stone was $4300 so my 12K budget includes that amount. We had a good experience with them the first time around.

Thanks for the tips on Fluorescence - I just read the article and it looks like they don't have a big impact. I heard from people that sometimes their stones end up with a milky tint with Fluorescence...