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jrocksinc

Rough_Rock
Joined
Apr 6, 2012
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I am coming home from my 2 yr deployment in the middle east and am proposing to my gf of 3 yrs.. I have been looking at numerous online retailers and local businesses and comparing diamond types, prices, ect ect. I am looking for some input on what to get exactly, as I am fairly new to the diamond trade. My budget is around 4500 USD and am looking for a princess cut around 1ct. I have been using blue nile the most to gather information. Is there going to be a HUGE difference in a good to ideal cut? Below I have listed something in the range of what I am looking for. Any suggestions are welcomed and appreciated. Thanks

Stock number: LD02429356
Price: $4,499
Bank wire price:
$4,432
Price per carat:
$4,454
Carat weight:
1.01
Cut: Good
Color: F
Clarity: VS2
Depth %:
81.6%
Table %:
68%
Polish:
Excellent
Symmetry:
Good
Girdle:
Thick
Culet:
None
Fluorescence:
None
Measurements: 5.80 x 5.06 x 4.13 mm
Length/width ratio:
1.15
 
It's difficult to access a princess without images. My preference, though, is for a more square stone, as this one is not. I am no expert but it also seems quite deep.
 
I am also looking at this.



Stock number: LD02516839
Price: $4,383
Bank wire price:
$4,318
Price per carat:
$4,383
Carat weight:
1.00
Cut: Very Good
Color: H
Clarity: VS2
Depth %:
70.4%
Table %:
74%
Polish:
Very Good
Symmetry:
Very Good
Girdle:
Thin to Slightly Thick
Culet:
None
Fluorescence:
None
Measurements: 5.87 x 5.54 x 3.90 mm
Length/width ratio:
1.06
 
Is less depth better?
 
Hi there - I'm not expert - I'm just trying to be helpful. Sounds like happy days ahead for you!

Perhaps the other forum members could offer you some assistance with regards table/depth %'s in princess cuts - I don't know much about these myself.

I am looking for a princess cut too - although I'm not in a position to purchase yet. I have however come across these - which look pretty good to me.

If you are willing to go under 1ct - maybe this one - http://www.goodoldgold.com/diamond/9231/
or if you can stretch the budget - maybe this one - http://www.goodoldgold.com/diamond/7257/
or if you are willing to go as low as a J in colour - maybe this one - http://www.goodoldgold.com/diamond/9101/
I think all of these have AGS Ideal light performance.

I also came across this beautiful setting - just a suggestion - http://winkjones.com/index.php?page=store-product-detail&id=141

Good luck
 
5500 might be a bit steep.. trying to keep it under 5k if possible.
 
I have a 3 stone princess ring and I wanted the diamonds to be 'square' (typical of the princess style) therefore my L/W ratio was max of 1:01.

There will be a difference between ideal/signature vs good - get the best you can afford.

BN is a good vendor, also consider briangavindiamonds.com (lesley/jamie) ; goodoldgold.com (Jonathon) ; whiteflash.com; idjewelryonline.com (Luann or Yekutiel). All well regarded on line. Specify your budget and what you want in a ring. Request GIA or AGS certs only.

Welcome home - glad you are safe!
 
budget is around 5k i'd say. what i want in the ring is something around 1ct, princess cut, VS2 and better, cut very good or better, color g/h or better.
 
Great details jrocksinc. If you fire off an email or phone call to any of the above vendors, they will be able to source out a few items for you to check out.
 
Is there some reason you want to go with BuleNile? Honestly, you cant buy fancy cut diamonds without images so BlueNile
is not really a good option here. Have you looked at James Allen? They have pictures and can provide aset images so that
we can look at the light return of the stone (to tell that its nice and bright vs being a dud). Your budget is a little low for
a decent 1 carat stone. Also, you might give ID Jewelry a call. Tell them what you are looking for and your price range.
They have been delivering some really nice stuff lately with very good prices.

http://idjewelryonline.com/

A suggestion...
http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/H-SI1-Ideal-Cut-Princess-Diamond-1456884.asp

Another questions...did she ask for a princess or did you pick it? Would you consider other shapes?
 
I picked princess.. I am looking into James Allen now, they are very helpful! thanks for the idea
 
The 1st one you posted isn't a princess cut. Are you okay with that? Honestly I prefer the step cuts to a princess so I'd go with that over princess any day! But is that what you want?

I don't like the 1.01. The table's shape isn't appealing to me-- like there's a big ol' square drawn right on top. And that one dark pinpoint in the center would bother me since it's right there in the table. I mean I doubt you'll notice it at a real-life size, unless you really stare hard into it looking for it.. But I wouldn't want it in the center!
 
I understand the first is not princess but it looks pretty unique to me and not like a traditional emerald and I liked it. I have broadened my scope and am looking for emerald/princess. I saw the same thing with that table on the diamond you are refereeing to, didn't know if i was seeing things! What did you think of the other 2 there?
 
Unfortunately I don't know enough about princess cuts really - and for that very reason, I'd probably pick the Solasfera, even though it's under the 1ct mark - http://www.goodoldgold.com/diamond/9231/

Do you know the James Allen stones have AGS Ideal light performance?

I watched this video on Solasfera v. AGS Ideal - and I think it speaks volumes - the Solasfera is a real performer, even when compared to something that has AGS Ideal light performance - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KRfkEZuY3UA&feature=relmfu

I'd rather have the confidence knowing I'm buying small fireball than risk a purchase of 1ct-er that's an under performer!
 
The first one you listed is an asscher cut - completely different! They also face up smaller than a comparable princess - look at the dimensions on the left hand side, that's very informative. Asschers are gorgeous and I initially wanted one, and then changed my mind when I saw my coworker clean her emerald cut (just a rectangular asscher, for quick reference) for 1/2 the day at work after every handwashing - to keep it looking pretty.

I'll let someone more knowledgeable weigh in about the princesses, since I didn't look at them. At first glance, they look fine - James Allen can do an analysis by their gemologist for 3 diamonds (maximum per customer) with light performance tests. I would get the Pricescopers to weigh in about your final 3. Good luck and congrats! :)
 
so I am able to have James Allen do a light test on 3 diamonds? Also do they have a spot on their site where people have done light tests in the past and not bought the diamond, so people in the future can see how the results were? In a light test what exactly does one look for?? Sorry im new to all of this, sorry for all the questions
 
jrocksinc|1333726794|3164981 said:
so I am able to have James Allen do a light test on 3 diamonds? Also do they have a spot on their site where people have done light tests in the past and not bought the diamond, so people in the future can see how the results were? In a light test what exactly does one look for?? Sorry im new to all of this, sorry for all the questions
Click to expand...

I think James Allen will do 3 IdealScope or ASET images for stones you are interested in, but after that you may have to pay for the service (so people don't abuse it, and they have so many diamonds they can't possibly post the ASET images for all of them). The 'light test' is not really a light test, it would likely be an ASET images for a princess cut, though you seem to be vacillating between princess and asscher/square emerald. I think what you need to do is decide the shape you want and then decide on the vendor based on the shape. The asscher/square emerald is a very different look from a princess, it's pinpricks of sparkle vs. long 'flashes' with the steps. What will your girlfriend like more? Any idea which she would prefer?

Also, what kind of setting would you be putting this in? If it's a solitaire with no small diamonds, a lower color (maybe an I color?) could be fine as long as you and girlfriend aren't color sensitive. If it's going into a halo, you might want to stick with higher colors so there's less contrast with a halo. And, is the $5,000 budget for the stone or the whole ring?

ETA: ugh, forget to tell you that this talks about the ASET images: https://www.pricescope.com/journal/aset-%E2%80%93-diamond-evaluation-tool James Allen doesn't post ASET images for stones that have already been evaluated (again, too many diamonds available to them to do this).
 
What would you suggest from James Allen? And can someone explain to me what to look for in light performance please
 
jrocksinc|1333722819|3164902 said:
http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/G-VS2-Ideal-Cut-Emerald-Diamond-1241147.asp

http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/H-VS2-Ideal-Cut-Princess-Diamond-1467908.asp

http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/H-VS1-Ideal-Cut-Princess-Diamond-1472002.asp

I may have narrowed it to these 3, looking for any suggestions people may have. Pros/Cons. Thanks
Click to expand...


The 3rd one looks pretty nice to me. You would need to request an aset image from JA. They will give you up to
3 free of charge so make sure that you narrow it down to your 3 final picks.

I would skip the emerald/asscher cut. Its a whole different ball of wax to pick and it does face up small for its size.

Edit - you need to post the aset images when you get them so we can have a look. You look for lots of red and green
and minimal black/white depending on background. Usually minimal blue too but some is normal.

You could do what SLG suggest and stick with an AGS0 stone that has already been evaluated for light return.
It wont really tell you what the faceting pattern looks like but does tell you that it has ideal light return.
 
What would you suggest from James Allen? And can someone explain to me what to look for in light performance please. thanks
 
jrocksinc|1333731896|3165052 said:
What would you suggest from James Allen? And can someone explain to me what to look for in light performance please. thanks
Click to expand...

In an ASET image, you want more red. With princess cuts, you'll get green, too, which isn't terrible, but you wouldn't want an entirely 'green' stone. Blue means darker areas (not necessarily bad), and lots of white or black is leakage that you'd want to avoid. An example image can be seen here: http://www.goodoldgold.com/diamond/8119/ You can see the white in both the ASET and DiamXRay images.
 
it might be easier to just stick with an AGS0 or a stone that has already been evaluated? if you are ok with J color this one looks really nice
http://goodoldgold.com/diamond/9101/
 
5k would be about the max I would want to spend on the stone. I am still a little undecided on the setting, i am contemplating either side stones or solitaire with white gold or platinum, but still deciding on that one. I am pretty set on princess cut as well. Once I narrow down the stones on James Allen I am request the light test and post the results on here for some friendly help from you experts! Again, thank you to all who have replied on this topic, this helps a lot.
 
That good old gold one looks really nice. I've seen Js in person and they are fine in a solitaire setting. They definitely brighten up and face up much whiter. GOG can advise you on how it'll look with side stones. To compare, here's a "A Cut Above" from White flash - about a quarter mm smaller for a bit more money : http://www.whiteflash.com/loose-diamonds/princess-cut-loose-diamond-2781354.htm
 
Still contemplating setting options? another thread had a post directly from JA himself, that their company is a Vatche vendor. They have beautiful settings!

Check out www.dvatche.com for ideas - perhaps your rep can check out a few setting options for you and you can have the stone and setting done by one vendor.
 
Need a little more help. Spoke w JA rep and we decided on these, I just need a little input on which 3 I should pick to get the ASET test on ect.
http://www.jamesallen.com/loose-diamonds-search/?View=4&Tab=3&Comparison=1475743,1462464,1467908,1481295,1472002,1453502,1474031,1389949


I am also looking at these 2 from WF

http://www.whiteflash.com/loose-diamonds/princess-cut-loose-diamond-2763535.htm

http://www.whiteflash.com/loose-diamonds/princess-cut-loose-diamond-2781357.htm

For a setting I am trying to decide if I want platinum or white gold. I am thinking either side diamonds or solitate. I was reading the solitare thread earlier and saw some rings that were very nice. Please let me know what you think, thanks! Any input welcomed
 
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