Need Help! Diamond and setting from bluenile

[dodoly]

Hi, I live in Canada, and I am considering choosing diamond and setting from bluenile.ca, since it can save my money on custom duty, while Brian&Gavin charges 15% for that. I am not sure about whiteflash. Does anyone know how much they charge for custom fee?

My budget is about CAD 7,000 on the diamond, I prefer the diamond to be 0.8~0.9ct, D-G, VVS-SI, Ideal cut. The bluenile cannot provide me real diamond images, but they claimed that all the signiture ideal cut diamonds were eye-clean. So I am choosingall diamonds with signiture ideal cut.

diamond 1: 0.82ct, D, VS2, bluenile signiture ideal cut, HCA 1.3 EX-EX-EX-VG, CAD 6335
http://www.bluenile.ca/build-your-own-diamond-ring?forceStep=DIAMONDS_STEP&track=tab#diamonds_forceStep=DIAMONDS_STEP|builder=BYOR|pid=LD01627313

diamond 2 : 0.80ct, E, VS1, bluenile signiture ideal cut, HCA 1.5 EX-EX-EX-VG, CAD 6438
http://www.bluenile.ca/build-your-own-diamond-ring?forceStep=DIAMONDS_STEP&track=tab#diamonds_forceStep=DIAMONDS_STEP|builder=BYOR|pid=LD01963920

diamond 3: 0.9ct, G, SI1, bluenile signiture ideal cut, HCA 1.7 EX-EX-EX-VG, CAD 6154
http://www.bluenile.ca/build-your-own-diamond-ring?forceStep=DIAMONDS_STEP&track=tab#diamonds_forceStep=DIAMONDS_STEP|builder=BYOR|pid=LD02104615

diamond 4: 0.81ct, G, VVS2, bluenile signiture ideal cut, HCA 1.5 EX-EX-EX-VG, CAD 5902
http://www.bluenile.ca/build-your-own-diamond-ring?forceStep=DIAMONDS_STEP&track=tab#diamonds_forceStep=DIAMONDS_STEP|builder=BYOR|pid=LD01968200

diamond 5: 0.81ct, G, VVS1, bluenile signiture ideal cut, HCA 0.6 EX-EX-EX-VG, CAD 6302
http://www.bluenile.ca/build-your-own-diamond-ring?forceStep=DIAMONDS_STEP&track=tab#diamonds_forceStep=DIAMONDS_STEP|builder=BYOR|pid=LD01922962

 

[farmer gal]

I thought I would throw some out at you from JA. They have a little calculator in the corner that will tell you how much they charge for shipping to canada, not sure where you are exactly.

http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/F-VS2-Ideal-Cut-Round-Diamond-1380495.asp

Light Return Excellent
Fire Excellent
Scintillation Excellent
Spread
or diameter for weight Very Good
Total Visual Performance 1.3 - Excellent
within TIC range


http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/E-SI1-Ideal-Cut-Round-Diamond-1192351.asp

Light Return Excellent
Fire Excellent
Scintillation Excellent
Spread
or diameter for weight Very Good
Total Visual Performance 1.6 - Excellent
within TIC range



I would check with WF, and GOOD OLD GOLD also

 

[diamondseeker2006]

You've got a wide range there...d to G for color and VVS1 to SI1 for clarity. I wouldn't consider ordering SI1 from Blue Nile because you just can't find out enough info about the actual appearance of the inclusions, but I wouldn't pay for VVS, either. If I were you, I'd focus on G color and VS2 clarity to get the most for your money, regardless of where you buy the stone.

 

[yssie]

Does BlueNile do completely custom design? I did not know that!

BN does have signature ideals in-house (or at least in the US they do, and I assume the business model is consistent, but this is perhaps not a good assumption!) so they can inspect them in-person for you - be sure to specify from what distance you want the stone to look totally clean (6"? 12"?) and from what angles (face-up only, or do you want it to be clean from the sides as well? again from what distance?) - your personal preference may or may not match BN's default definition of the word eyeclean

BN claims signature stones are H&A but will not provide photos or scope to prove it, and will not provide other photos or sarin, so the premium is really for the in-person inspection and the new upgrade policy I think. If the pics on the GCAL are supposed to illustrate optical symmetry I see issues with the 0.8 E VS1, G VVS1, 0.81 G VVS2, G SI1 - but I don't know if that is their purpose/if it's not issue w/ angle of photography..