Help me choose a princess cut diamond please.

[zeronine3]

Hi everyone, over the past few weeks I've learned a massive amount of information browsing through these forums, and now, I would like to request some help from the forums. I still have a lot to learn about diamonds but I think that I'm getting a better idea of what I am looking for.

- My budget is ~$3,000 for the setting and diamond.
- I am looking for a princess cut diamond, between .60 to .75 carats
- I would like for the diamond to be AGS certified. I'm 99.9% sure that I want an AGS ideal cut, since it seems like most online sites offer the best upgrades only if you purchase their best cut diamonds.
- Color: D,E,F
- Clarity: VS2+, although I'm pretty sure I would consider something of a lower grade, as long as the diamond is eye clean.

Here are two diamonds that I have been looking at on whiteflash. I would greatly appreciate it if those of you who are more knowledgeable then me would comment on them. Thank you.

1: http://www.whiteflash.com/loose-diamonds/princess-cut-loose-diamond-2642483.htm
2: http://www.whiteflash.com/loose-diamonds/princess-cut-loose-diamond-2675097.htm

 

[jaebond]

In my (novice) opinion, the 0.664 has a much better ASET than the 0.686. I would say that is a beautiful stone. I didn't see anything better at GOG or BGD.

 

[jstarfireb]

I wouldn't say much better; in fact, I think the ASETs are both great. The faceting pattern is different, though. If my eyes aren't failing me, I think the 0.664 is a 3-chevron princess and the 0.686 is a 4-chevron princess. I personally prefer the look of a 3-chevron, and in fact the 0.664 reminds me a lot of my own ACA princess. It's also one clarity grade higher for about the same price, so I'd also choose the 0.664.

 

[zeronine3]

Yeah, looking at the idealscope for the .664, something about it just grabs my attention... just the way it looks.

 

[hoofbeats95]

I agree - the .664. Get the VS clarity!

 

[tyty333]

I like the look of the .664 also.

 

[zeronine3]

Anyone want to play devils advocate and suggest why I should hold off on the .664? I'm just looking for more opinions, or if anyone has any other diamonds they want to suggest.

 

[hoofbeats95]

I think for that price you aren't going to do better. ACAs are top performers.

 

[jaebond]

Anyone want to play devils advocate and suggest why I should hold off on the .664? I'm just looking for more opinions, or if anyone has any other diamonds they want to suggest.

I don't really like those big black spots on the idealscope image... (I don't know that it really matters, but that's the best I could come up with.)

 

[jstarfireb]

I think that's a great choice, but here's my version of playing devil's advocate. Basically, you could have a D or E for the same price if you don't go with the branded ideal cut. I'd probably still go with the ACA, but these diamonds all look very promsing (you could pick 3 and ask JA for ASETs):

http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/D-VS2-Premium-Cut-Princess-Diamond-1349353.asp
http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/D-VVS1-Premium-Cut-Princess-Diamond-1372579.asp
http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/E-SI1-Ideal-Cut-Princess-Diamond-1338123.asp
http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/E-VS1-Ideal-Cut-Princess-Diamond-1385094.asp - this one has larger dimensions than the ACA
http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/E-VS1-Premium-Cut-Princess-Diamond-1292801.asp - this one is also an AGS0
http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/E-VVS1-Premium-Cut-Princess-Diamond-1359705.asp

 

[jaebond]

I think that's a great choice, but here's my version of playing devil's advocate. Basically, you could have a D or E for the same price if you don't go with the branded ideal cut. I'd probably still go with the ACA, but these diamonds all look very promsing (you could pick 3 and ask JA for ASETs):

http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/D-VS2-Premium-Cut-Princess-Diamond-1349353.asp
http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/D-VVS1-Premium-Cut-Princess-Diamond-1372579.asp
http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/E-SI1-Ideal-Cut-Princess-Diamond-1338123.asp
http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/E-VS1-Ideal-Cut-Princess-Diamond-1385094.asp - this one has larger dimensions than the ACA
http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/E-VS1-Premium-Cut-Princess-Diamond-1292801.asp - this one is also an AGS0
http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/E-VVS1-Premium-Cut-Princess-Diamond-1359705.asp

The last one is my favorite of those (it doesn't have that light hole in the middle). Also, I believe it is the third one that is the AGS0.

 

[jstarfireb]

You're right about mislabeling the AGS0 - I guess I copy/pasted wrong! Well, you guys get the idea.

 

[zeronine3]

Thanks for helping a new guy out. I think I'm going to go with the .664 in my original post. Now, I just have to find a setting that I like. I know that I want it to be a white gold ring, but I've also heard about having the prongs be platinum. I believe I heard that this is supposed to keep the diamond more secure. Can anyone confirm this? I know that she want's a very simple solitaire setting, so I was thinking about this one:

http://www.whiteflash.com/engagemen...-solitaire-engagement-ring-for-princess-8.htm

The only thing that I don't know if I'll like is that it tapers from 2.7mm, at the top, to 1.9mm at the bottom. I went to the Shane Co. before I came onto here, and really liked the setting that they had. It looks like this:

http://s7d5.scene7.com/is/image/ShaneCo/41002763_DR_M?$DR_M$&wid=286&hei=286

I really don't want to buy the ring and setting from two different places, so I was thinking about just having Whiteflash custom make one, pretty much exactly like the one that I found at Shane Co., except I want it to have V-prongs, rather then the prongs that are shown.

I know it seems like such a slight change, but I really want everything to be just right. Has anyone here ever had custom jewelry made for them from whiteflash? I looked at their design your own custom jewelry thing, but it just didnt' seem to have the right options that I wanted. I guess I'm just looking for reassurance that they'll be able to do it.

On the other hand, does anyone happen to have that solitaire ring from whiteflash (the first link)? I don't know if it's just me, but I just don't like the way it looks on their website. Maybe if someone does, they could post a different picture of it? Thank you. I really appreciate all the help.

 

[hoofbeats95]

I've not had a ring made at WF, but lots of people have and have been very happy.

The princess cut looks very good in the legato from what I've seen here on PS.

http://www.whiteflash.com/engagement-rings/solitaire/legato-sleek-line-solitaire-engagement-ring-728.htm

You want a setting that will maximize the size of the stone. I had a .728 WF ACA princess set in a cathedral setting at my local jeweler and that setting just SHRANK my stone. I hated it.

You could go the custom route, but you might have to pay a custom fee and that's going to increase the price of the setting. But I do highly recommend getting the stone and the ring in the same place. I didn't do that the first time and I regretted it.

 

[ecf8503]

The legato is definitely my pick - it's much more sophisticated and refined; not that "head stuck on a shank" look which I greatly dislike. Just my opinion, of course.

 

[zeronine3]

Yeah, I definitely want to maximize the size of the stone. Which is exactly why I don't really like that the whiteflash setting is 2.7mm wide at the top. I've gone to a few jewelry shops and looked at diamonds of similar sizes in a setting that was 2mm wide, and it looked just about perfect for me. I think any wider and the diamond starts to look to small for the setting. I like the look of the legato too, but my GF has already expressed to me that she doesn't really like the cathedral(?) style setting. She just wants a plain band with the diamond on it. Anyways, I just chatted with a whiteflash consultant on their website, and I think I will be calling them to put a deposit down on the diamond and to talk about possibly getting a semi-custom setting for it.

 

[hoofbeats95]

Maybe this will work:
http://www.whiteflash.com/engagement-rings/solitaire/contemporary-tiffany-style-solitaire-engagement-ring-1416.htm

Modified for a princess? It tapers in reverse - thinner at the top and thicker at the bottom.

 

[jstarfireb]

Another vote for the legato sleek line setting...it's really gorgeous and my favorite of all the WF settings. It would have been my choice if I hadn't gone with a custom setting.