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Need Help with Princess Cut - $10k budget

C

cspear1

Rough_Rock
Joined
Nov 30, 2011
Messages
33
Hello all!

I was able to find out what my girlfriend would like in a ring with the help of her friend! She would like a princess cut in a yellow gold solitaire setting. I have gone into the retail stores to compare some sizes, but I think this may be one of the best places to get some help.

I have mainly been looking on Blue Nile and James Allen, but am not afraid to go to another website or the couple of diamond buildings here in downtown Miami, based upon your recommendations. I would love whatever input anyone can give. I would like at least a 1.25 ct. but of course the most bang for the buck and an eye clean diamond (if that's the right phrase). Here are a few diamonds I have been looking at:

http://www.bluenile.com/diamond-search?track=head#diamonds_pid=LD02242181

http://www.jamesallen.com/loose-diamonds-search/?View=4&Tab=3&Comparison=1229736,1397593

Thank you, thank you!
 
the blue nile one does not have enough information. you really need images to evaluate princess cuts since GIA does not grade cut. if you can find an AGS 0 princess cut that would be a good bet.

is 10k the budget for the diamond only or diamond and setting?

WF has this one that is over budget but they have a promotion where settings are 12% off
http://www.whiteflash.com/loose-diamonds/princess-cut-loose-diamond-2733361.htm
 
I wouldn't want to spend the money on VVS1 as in the JA diamond. I think VS1 is just as nice and is eye clean from all angles. You could use the money you save by dropping in clarity a bit and get a higher color, getting a superb cut, or a little more carat weight. Most people would probably want to spend the difference on a larger stone but I personally would choose a higher color grade of E or F and an excellent/ideal cut (if princesses can come in ideal). Remember, differences in color and brilliance from the cut can be seen with the unaided eye, but differences in a clarity of VS1 or higher cannot. Pay for what you see, as one of those tutorials state. No matter what you choose, I'm sure she will love it. Congratulations!
 
Yes $10k is the budget for the diamond. Is there truly a difference between a H and a F Excellent Princess cut diamond?
 
cspear1|1324243670|3084146 said:
Yes $10k is the budget for the diamond. Is there truly a difference between a H and a F Excellent Princess cut diamond?
Click to expand...

I am not sure what you mean by excellent cut?
 
Is Good old Gold a viable, trustworthy site to purchase from?

When I said Excellent Cut, the reason I said that is that is how James Allen ranks their cuts, in regards to princess cuts. It's JA's top designation they give for princess cuts.
 
Won't an "I" color princess cut take away from the diamonds brilliance?
Thanks!
 
cspear1|1324259614|3084248 said:
Is Good old Gold a viable, trustworthy site to purchase from?

When I said Excellent Cut, the reason I said that is that is how James Allen ranks their cuts, in regards to princess cuts. It's JA's top designation they give for princess cuts.
Click to expand...

you can do a search on GOG...I have never purchased from them but I definitely would! they are a reliable PS vendor.

JA's 'excellent' cut designation doesn't really mean anything. AGS0 cuts get 'good' JA rating sometimes. with princess cuts stick with AGS0 or GIA with a vendor who provides ASET images.

the I from GOG looks great. the I color will not take away from the brilliance...that is due to cut.
 
I will look for the ASET image but what exactly does that tell about the diamond? Is there a link or page I can go to in order to learn more about that?
 
Here is Good Old Gold's youtube channel:
http://www.youtube.com/diamondinfoman

Browse through the videos about princess cuts. Their Solesfera princess cut is incredible. If I buy a princess cut again, I would definitely consider Good Old Gold. I'd also consider White Flash and James Allen too.

My princess cut is from Blue Nile and I *love* it. It is from their Signature Ideal line, which means the stone was in-house and they could provide a lot of information on it, including light performance. However, there is a high premium for a Signature Ideal and you may want to save your money and go somewhere else. But, you could technically get cut grade and light performance from a Blue Nile stone with an AGS/AGSL report.

I find the Blue Nile diamonds with AGS/AGSL reports by searching for ID/ID polish/symmetry. GIA has EX/EX, easy to weed out. This diamond has an ASGL report: http://www.bluenile.com/diamond-search?pt=setform#diamonds_pid=LD02063509
 
If you can email James Allen and get an ASET of the stone then it would be an easier decision. As it is only the GOG stone has enough information to buy, IMO.
 
JA said it could take 3-5 days for the ASET image. when it is available, I will post it on here.

Any thoughts of working with a diamond broker, which may be a friend of the family? Or will most of the online places still have it cheaper?
 
Okay, here are the images I received from JA. I am not quite sure what I am looking at, but to me it doesn't look like the JA diamond is very good (see JA link above). Any help?
THANKS!
aset2.jpgaset1.jpg
 
Correct - tons of leakage in the JA stone. Skip that one. The GOG one is the winner for me, but again the Blue Nile one doesn't have enough information available for me to feel comfortable buying. Unfortunately, BN doesn't provide photos or ASETs.

Quick note on color - I have an I color princess, and it's gorgeous. Color perception is subjective and depends on the environment, but it has nothing to do with light performance. A Y-Z color diamond of the same cut quality as a D will be just as brilliant. Cut is the number one factor that makes a diamond beautiful, and it can mask problems with both color and clarity. A great cut will hide inclusions and make a diamond appear whiter. I've found that I color in particular is a great bargain as it faces up very white when the cut is great (and especially in a setting rather than loose and being compared to a higher color in the most unflattering way), but it's substantially less expensive than an H of the same size and clarity. That said, you should try to see well-cut diamonds of various colors in person if you can, and you can decide whether you're too color-sensitive for an I.

ETA: And a note about vendor cut grades...any grade that is based solely on proportions and not on actual light performance is pretty much worthless. There have been many examples of AGS ideal princesses that received "good" from JA, because the proportions of AGS ideal princesses are often different than what was previously considered ideal for a princess. The only cut grade you can trust for a princess is the one given by AGS labs. You'll see that most of the PS vendors we recommend (GOG, WF, HPD, etc.) send their diamonds to AGS for grading. It's much more difficult to pick a GIA-graded princess, but it can be done if you can get an ASET image.
 
Working with friends of the family can be uncomfortable for people who are knowledgeable about cut and know that they want something with a good ASET and a AGS0 certificate. GOG is a brick and mortar store. They aren't internet only. They are one of the few stores that provides that level of information to it's customers. A lot of times friend of family will tell you to trust them, they know what they are doing and will get well, ticked off, if you ask for too much information because they can't provide it, and may not see any reason to either.

I personally would go for the GOG stone and call it a day. But you need to do whatever you need to so that you feel you've gotten the best stone for your money.

I too would discard the JA stone as a possible. Way too much leakage
 
Everyone that responded,
Thank you all for your help, knowledge and teaching about diamonds. I will be searching over the next few weeks for a very well cut H or I color diamond, probably between 1.25-1.5 ct. When I get it narrowed down to a few stones, I will come back with the ASET images and get a final round of input.
Thanks Again and Merry Christmas,
Cspear1
 
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