Help Needed on Princess Cut DIamond

[Hamids]

Everyone,
I am planning on purposing to my girlfriend of 8 years in two weeks from today. I am having a really hard time deciding on what diamond I want to purchase and from where. I have found my setting that I like and all I am in need for is the centerpiece diamond. I am planning on going with a princess cut about 1 carat. I understand the color and clarity piece to the diamond. But should I worry about the cut, between a ideal or very good cut. And the biggest thing that I am sooooooo confused about is:

Depth: What should it be
Table: What should it be

I have seen such different numbers on these two things that''s making it very confusing?? I have narrowed down my search to purchasing the diamond from James allen, bluenile or diamonds.com. What internet site would be better.

If anyone has any ideas please let me know as my time is really running out.

 

[Ohio Rocks]

Try whiteflash...I found this stone that you might like.

http://www.whiteflash.com/aca_princess/a-cut-above-princess-cut-diamond-47404.htm

 

[Hamids]

Looks beautiful, but should I be concerned because it is a SI1?

 

[Ohio Rocks]

It looks like a very nice SI1 to me. You can call whiteflash and ask Brian or John to look at the stone to make sure it''s eye clean. Usually, SI''s are a very good bang for your buck if they are eye clean.

 

[Hamids]

Has anyone used Exceldiamonds before?? It seems like there prices are really good, whats the catch? I found these, any thoughts?

http://www.exceldiamonds.com/diamond/51588.html
http://www.exceldiamonds.com/diamond/31198.html

 

[JulieN]

haven''t yet figured out the catch.

Excel does not own those princesses, while most other vendors do own the stones they list.

the princesses that people have had called in by Excel, then posted on PS all seem very nice.

 

[Hamids]

Does anyone have any ideas, i am looking to spend about 4,300. Any help would really be appricated. I am running out of time,. Thank You!!!!!

 

[JulieN]

what color and clarity were you thinking of getting?

 

[Hamids]

Well i was hoping for:
color: E-H
clarity: No lower then a VS1

Thanks again!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[shiatsu]

Date: 1/29/2007 8:52:14 PM
Author: Hamids

clarity: No lower then a VS1

You may want to look at VS2s as well then. If you''ve seen a VS1 and VS2 side by side before, how different were they? (hint: if you had seen the two side by side you wouldn''t be ruling out VS2, even trained and experienced appraisers often disagree on whether a stone should be VS1 or VS2, if you send it to GIA twice you may get VS1 the first time and VS2 the second time)

 

[Hamids]

Very good point, Lets add that to the search. Thank you for your advice!!!!

 

[JulieN]

So if the first thing you would give up is carat weight, then
http://www.exceldiamonds.com/diamond/156.html

If going to I VS1
http://www.exceldiamonds.com/diamond/31234.html
http://www.whiteflash.com/princess/Princess-cut-diamond-40108.htm (4384 if pay by wire)

I VS2
http://www.exceldiamonds.com/diamond/31244.html

Got a little extra change?
http://www.exceldiamonds.com/diamond/51608.html
http://www.exceldiamonds.com/diamond/51587.html

Anyway, I figure you're pretty safe, but always good to ask the usual questions: how close does the lab report correlate to the vendor's opinions, any durability issues, eye-clean, and decide if you want to send it to an independent appraiser.

 

[Hamids]

Thanks You Julie for all your help!!!! If i need to extent my budget i will. If you where choosing the diamond which one would you pick. This getting more and more difficiult. Its hard to pick one over the other!!

 

[shiatsu]

Well a pricescope search brings up this little gem:
http://www.bluenile.com/diamonds_details.asp?pid=LD00400236
It's a 1.04 carat, H color, VS1 clarity, and AGS-001 cut for $4800, about $500 more than you wanted to spend .

And Excel Diamond has a 1.21 carat, H color, and VS2 clarity they say is AGS0 (no cert listed) for $4464:
http://www.exceldiamonds.com/diamond/51608.html
it's a it bigger than you were looking for but a better value and the difference between 1.0 carat and 1.20 isn't very noticeable. And you'd probably need a scale to tell difference between 1.1 carat and 1.2 carat. However, it doesn't look like they have it in stock, once they get it to look at it might have old cert that doesn't grade cut like they do now (like the Whiteflash one above) or it might be AGS1 or something.

And if you don't mind going $700 above what you wanted to spend James Allen has this 1.09 ct, H color, VS2, AGS-000 for $5000:
http://www.jamesallen.com/diamond.asp?cid=131&item=1016503

And Julie posted quite a few I color stones above well within your price range if you were to go a slightly lower on the color scale than you were looking for.

 

[FacetFire]

Excel/Superbcert is the first place I would go for a princess cut...a lot of those diamonds that don''t have pics actually are in-house. I recently emailed them about one I was interested in, and they got back to me very quickly with a pic and idealscope. They are great at answering questions...I have also purchased a setting from them in the past and was very pleased. I also like that they carry some ideal princess cuts that aren''t quite as deep as those at whiteflash, because you can get a bigger face-up look. If it were my money, I''d inquire about this one: http://www.exceldiamonds.com/diamond/51587.html I think the I color will be great and it faces up large.

 

[belle]

i wouldn''t rule out SI graded stones either!

 

[Hamids]

Thanks again everyone for your help on this, I really appreciate everyone''s opinion on this. The question I was thinking about last night is, do I go with a smaller carat with better color and clarity? I do not think size is a issue with my girlfriend and she will be excited with anything I pick. But I was wondering if I go a little smaller and get a better color diamond, will it sparkle more?
Thanks again!!!!!!!!!

 

[belle]

the cut has the most important impact on sparkle. if you want a ''sparkly'' stone, you need to focus on cut. color and clarity will not help a diamond sparkle.

 

[Hamids]

I know this is going to sound really ignorant, but how can you tell with any of the cut on any diamonds listed above. I would rather go with a lower carat but better cut??

 

[belle]

Date: 1/30/2007 9:17:12 AM
Author: Hamids
I know this is going to sound really ignorant, but how can you tell with any of the cut on any diamonds listed above. I would rather go with a lower carat but better cut??

not ignorant at all.
you can get a general gauge of cut quality from the information provided. the type of grading report itself gives information about the diamond. grading reports from ags labs usually indicate a high cut quality. this can be confirmed if the stone (graded by ags) has the ''0'' grade in light performance. an idealscope image is also extremely helpful, especially if you do not have an ags grading report.

 

[Hamids]

Thanks Belle!!!!!!!!!!Ok so it seems like i am on the right track!! I have emailed Exceldiamonds on a few of the diamonds listed above for the AGS report and the idealScope pictures. Hopefully i will get those today and will share them with everyone. THANKS


AGAIN THANK YOU EVERYONE FOR YOUR TIME AND KNOWLEDGE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[belle]

you''re welcome hamids

have fun searching!

 

[Hamids]

Ok I need your thoughts on this one:

http://www.exceldiamonds.com/diamond/31234.html

AGS O
Carat : 1.06
Clarity : VVS2
Color : I
Depth : 72.6
Table : 69.2%
Girdle : Medium to thick
Culet : None
Polish : Ideal
Symmetry : Ideal
Fluorescence : None

Actual Ideal Scope Photo: http://www.exceldiamonds.com/diamond/31234.html

THANKS AGAIN!!!

 

[belle]

nice hamids! you will be very happy with that diamond, i''m sure.

 

[Hamids]

Do you think the ideal scope is good, i have a hard time trying to figure that out?

 

[belle]

it looks good for sure. the good thing is, it is an ags0 so you know you''re good.

 

[JulieN]

nice.