Need help with diamond decision

[dainfamus1]

Hey everyone, been lurking on here for a while trying to learn as much as I can about diamonds and its been really helpful, i was completely clueless before.

I already have a setting picked

http://www.jamesallen.com/engagement-rings/pave/ring/item_57-2786_design.asp?module=setting

Now i just need to decide on a princess cut diamond, I have four that I saw on james allen, if anyone could suggest any other diamonds in this range that would be great, looking for something up to $2k that has some nice fire to it. Thanks for any help in advance. On to the diamonds:

Item Number: 1276205
Shape: Princess
Lab: GIA (#2107664304)
Pic: Photo
Carat weight: 0.68
Cut: Ideal
Color: G
Clarity: VVS2
Certificate: GIA
Depth: 71.2
Table: 69
Polish: Very Good
Symmetry: Very Good
Girdle: Medium to slightly thick
Culet: None
Fluorescence: None
Measurements: 5.13*4.97*3.54
Price: $1,840

Item Number: 1215923
Shape: Princess
Lab: IGI (#33150329)
Pic: Photo
Carat weight: 0.65
Cut: Ideal
Color: G
Clarity: VVS1
Certificate: IGI
Depth: 71.4
Table: 71
Polish: Good
Symmetry: Good
Girdle: Medium to thick
Culet: None
Fluorescence: None
Measurements: 4.98*4.72*3.37
Price: $1,540

Item Number: 1237719
Shape: Princess
Lab: GIA (#1711260
Pic: Photo
Carat weight: 0.65
Cut: Ideal
Color: G
Clarity: VVS2
Certificate: GIA
Depth: 72.7
Table: 72
Polish: Very Good
Symmetry: Very Good
Girdle: Medium to thick
Culet: None
Fluorescence: None
Measurements: 4.90*4.84*3.52
Price: $1,540

Item Number: 1292220
Shape: Princess
Lab: GIA(#2111708664)
Pic:
Carat weight: 0.67
Cut: Ideal
Color: F
Clarity: VVS2
Certificate: GIA
Depth: 73.8
Table: 72
Polish: Excellent
Symmetry: Very Good
Girdle: Slightly thick to thick
Culet: None
Fluorescence: Medium blue
Measurements: 4.78*4.65*3.43
Price: $1,720

 

[Lorelei]

Date: 3/20/2010 2:04:28 PM
Author:dainfamus1
Hey everyone, been lurking on here for a while trying to learn as much as I can about diamonds and its been really helpful, i was completely clueless before.

I already have a setting picked

http://www.jamesallen.com/engagement-rings/pave/ring/item_57-2786_design.asp?module=setting

Now i just need to decide on a princess cut diamond, I have four that I saw on james allen, if anyone could suggest any other diamonds in this range that would be great, looking for something up to $2k that has some nice fire to it. Thanks for any help in advance. On to the diamonds:

Item Number: 1276205
Shape: Princess
Lab: GIA (#2107664304)
Pic: Photo
Carat weight: 0.68
Cut: Ideal
Color: G
Clarity: VVS2
Certificate: GIA
Depth: 71.2
Table: 69
Polish: Very Good
Symmetry: Very Good
Girdle: Medium to slightly thick
Culet: None
Fluorescence: None
Measurements: 5.13*4.97*3.54
Price: $1,840

Item Number: 1215923
Shape: Princess
Lab: IGI (#33150329)
Pic: Photo
Carat weight: 0.65
Cut: Ideal
Color: G
Clarity: VVS1
Certificate: IGI
Depth: 71.4
Table: 71
Polish: Good
Symmetry: Good
Girdle: Medium to thick
Culet: None
Fluorescence: None
Measurements: 4.98*4.72*3.37
Price: $1,540

Item Number: 1237719
Shape: Princess
Lab: GIA (#1711260
Pic: Photo
Carat weight: 0.65
Cut: Ideal
Color: G
Clarity: VVS2
Certificate: GIA
Depth: 72.7
Table: 72
Polish: Very Good
Symmetry: Very Good
Girdle: Medium to thick
Culet: None
Fluorescence: None
Measurements: 4.90*4.84*3.52
Price: $1,540

Item Number: 1292220
Shape: Princess
Lab: GIA(#2111708664)
Pic:
Carat weight: 0.67
Cut: Ideal
Color: F
Clarity: VVS2
Certificate: GIA
Depth: 73.8
Table: 72
Polish: Excellent
Symmetry: Very Good
Girdle: Slightly thick to thick
Culet: None
Fluorescence: Medium blue
Measurements: 4.78*4.65*3.43
Price: $1,720

Hi Dain

Do you have the links or photos of the stones too please? Its difficult to get a decent idea just by the basic info. I would also personally stick to GIA or AGS graded diamonds as IGI are said to grade less strictly in some cases. This page from the Pricescope Tutorial explains further.

 

[Dreamer_D]

For princess cuts and other fancies we need more information. The links to the pages would be a start and then from there you can request ASET images of any winners.

 

[dainfamus1]

Thanks for the link so many tutorials to read on here lol

#1 http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/G-VVS2-Ideal-Cut-Princess-Diamond-1276205.asp
#3 http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/G-VVS2-Ideal-Cut-Princess-Diamond-1237719.asp
#4 http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/F-VVS2-Ideal-Cut-Princess-Diamond-1292220.asp

Also checking on Whiteflash for the diamonds

 

[Lorelei]

Date: 3/20/2010 2:20:07 PM
Author: dainfamus1
Thanks for the link so many tutorials to read on here lol

#1 http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/G-VVS2-Ideal-Cut-Princess-Diamond-1276205.asp
#3 http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/G-VVS2-Ideal-Cut-Princess-Diamond-1237719.asp
#4 http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/F-VVS2-Ideal-Cut-Princess-Diamond-1292220.asp

Also checking on Whiteflash for the diamonds

The second diamond appears to have possibilities, I am not overly enthusiastic on the first and the third doesn't have the image loaded. Request an ASET image from James Allen for the stones you are interested in, they will provide three free of charge in most instances.

 

[dainfamus1]

..

 

[dainfamus1]

Ok will send them an email requesting it

 

[dainfamus1]

Thanks for the link so many tutorials to read on here lol

#1 http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/G-VVS2-Ideal-Cut-Princess-Diamond-1276205.asp
#3 http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/G-VVS2-Ideal-Cut-Princess-Diamond-1237719.asp
#4 http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/F-VVS2-Ideal-Cut-Princess-Diamond-1292220.asp

Also checking on Whiteflash for the diamonds

 

[Dreamer_D]

Are you interested in VVS clarity because you like it? I only ask because sometimes consumers do not know that they can easily avoid eye visible inclusions in the VS range and even sometimes in the SI range of clarity, and those grades will costa lot less.

 

[dainfamus1]

No as long as it will be eye clean I would go down to the VS range

Will it still have that brilliance/fire to it? is that more dependent on the clarity or the cut?

 

[Dreamer_D]

Date: 3/20/2010 2:37:38 PM
Author: dainfamus1
No as long as it will be eye clean I would go down to the VS range

Will it still have that brilliance/fire to it? is that more dependent on the clarity or the cut?

Generally speaking, clarity is independent of optical performance. There are a few rare occassions where inclusions can affect optics, such as when clouds are the grade making inclusion in an SI grade stone or when the diamond has a *lot* of twinning whisps, but with VS grade and higher clarity inclusions will not affect that brilliance of a diamond.

So as long as you keep cut quality maximized you can safely buy a VS1 or 95% of the time a VS2 stone and be very confident that you will never see inclusions.

 

[dainfamus1]

Ok time to go back over the diamonds they have.

Thanks for the help i clearly need to re-read those tutorials

 

[Dreamer_D]

Date: 3/20/2010 2:42:17 PM
Author: dainfamus1
Ok time to go back over the diamonds they have.

Thanks for the help i clearly need to re-read those tutorials

It takes a while to learn!

 

[dainfamus1]

I requested the ASET image for this diamond

http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/H-VS1-Ideal-Cut-Princess-Diamond-1262552.asp

Item Number: 1262552
Shape: Princess
Carat weight: 0.71
Cut: Ideal
Color: H
Clarity: VS1
Certificate: GIA

Depth: 73.6%
Table: 72.0%
Polish: Excellent
Symmetry: Very Good
Girdle: Slightly thick to thick
Culet: None
Fluorescence: None
Measurements: 4.79*4.77*3.51
Ratio: 1.00

 

[Lorelei]

Date: 3/20/2010 4:09:39 PM
Author: dainfamus1
I requested the ASET image for this diamond

http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/H-VS1-Ideal-Cut-Princess-Diamond-1262552.asp

Item Number: 1262552
Shape: Princess
Carat weight: 0.71
Cut: Ideal
Color: H
Clarity: VS1
Certificate: GIA

Depth: 73.6%
Table: 72.0%
Polish: Excellent
Symmetry: Very Good
Girdle: Slightly thick to thick
Culet: None
Fluorescence: None
Measurements: 4.79*4.77*3.51
Ratio: 1.00

Post the ASET when you have it then we can go from there.

 

[Dreamer_D]

Date: 3/20/2010 4:09:39 PM
Author: dainfamus1
I requested the ASET image for this diamond

http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/H-VS1-Ideal-Cut-Princess-Diamond-1262552.asp

Item Number: 1262552
Shape: Princess
Carat weight: 0.71
Cut: Ideal
Color: H
Clarity: VS1
Certificate: GIA

Depth: 73.6%
Table: 72.0%
Polish: Excellent
Symmetry: Very Good
Girdle: Slightly thick to thick
Culet: None
Fluorescence: None
Measurements: 4.79*4.77*3.51
Ratio: 1.00

It looks promising, we await the ASET! And you cracked the .70ct mark by dropping clarity a little, that is good. VS1 is a VERY safe clarity grade.

 

[dainfamus1]

Thanks. How long does JA normally take to send these images?

 

[dainfamus1]

So i finally got the ASET image back...thoughts for the experts here. Sorry wasnt sure how to insert the image. Thanks for the help everyone.

 

[yssie]

here you go dain, the mods are going to delete that link soon as you''re not allowed to link to outside image-hosting sites

 

[yssie]

I''m not a princess expert but it looks decent -the faceting and contrast patterns look nice, nice amount of red in the centre, could be more but pretty good

 

[dainfamus1]

Thanks for the comments yssie

 

[Lorelei]

Date: 3/24/2010 12:51:34 PM
Author: yssie
here you go dain,

Thanks Yssie.

The image looks good, I have seen better but its still a good image.

 

[dainfamus1]

Ideally what would you be looking for more red?

 

[yssie]

more precise symmetry and more red radiating from centre all the way into the corners

 

[dainfamus1]

Looking through the loose diamonds to see if there''s anything else on the list

 

[Dreamer_D]

It looks good to me! Not perfect, but ASET set up in an art and there can be error in these images that make you think the diamond is not as good as it might be in person. Still, if there is another contender it is good to have something for a comparison.

 

[Lorelei]

Date: 3/24/2010 1:29:00 PM
Author: dainfamus1
Ideally what would you be looking for more red?

I would prefer to see some more red yes, and to see a little more distributed towards the outer edges of the table, however it isn't a bad image by any means, its a good image but not the best. This is an excellent link which explains ASET and what to look for. If you want a Princess of top cut quality and performance then you can do better, if cut quality isn't your top priority but you want what could be an attractive Princess then this one might be an option.

 

[dainfamus1]

Thanks for the link about ASET that will def help a lot

im dealing with Darin at JA he had this to say "This princess should prove to be an absolutely resplendent and showy diamond. The contrast of colors is beautifully orchestrated throughout the diamond, with no area left untouched by luminosity. I would definitely recommend this diamond." I know its his job to sell these things but anyone had any experiences with him?

 

[JulieN]

The ASET is nice enough.

 

[Lorelei]

Date: 3/24/2010 4:27:19 PM
Author: dainfamus1
Thanks for the link about ASET that will def help a lot

im dealing with Darin at JA he had this to say ''This princess should prove to be an absolutely resplendent and showy diamond. The contrast of colors is beautifully orchestrated throughout the diamond, with no area left untouched by luminosity. I would definitely recommend this diamond.'' I know its his job to sell these things but anyone had any experiences with him?

You are welcome.

I think it comes down to what you want, if you want a stone which is cut with light performance and beauty as the main priority then keep looking, otherwise this could still be a good diamond if you aren''t concerned with top optics.