Online quality and wide range of prices

[squirreldogger]

I am looking for an engagement ring and this site and forum seems to have been great for people like me!

I have done research and have been looking very heavily at Blue Nile. Is this a good idea or are there better online vendors out there with better prices?? The reason I ask is because I have priced diamonds on other websites and many are MUCH cheaper..... too cheap in fact! The reason I say this is because from what I''ve read Blue Nile''s prices are pretty good. I keep reading about Whiteflash and JamesAllen on this forum; are the 3 pretty similar??

Also, has anyone ever bought a Blue Nile Signature round stone? How do they compare to others "best" cuts?? I have seen some amazing looking hearts and arrows for thousands more at local shops and am curious if they match up?

This is what I have found and am considering:

1.21 Carat
Signature Ideal Cut
G, VS2
Polish & Symmetry both Excelent
GIA
$9877

1.05 Carat
Signature Ideal Cut
F, VS2
Polish & Symmetry both Excelent
GIA
$8531

What I want is the best cut round stone for around $8500-9000!! PLEASE HELP!

 

[jason2007]

I bought a ring at Blue Nile and am very happy with it. Blue Nile provides the GIA or AGS reports online. Take the depth/table % and angles and punch the numbers into the Holloway Cut Advisor (https://www.pricescope.com/cutadviser.asp). I found that some of their ''signature'' diamonds had relatively poor calculated light performance so I''d stick to their ''Ideal'' diamonds, run the numbers on each and you''ll find a good performer in about 1 out of 10.

 

[WorkingHardforSmallRewards]

I also purchsed one diamond ring from blue nile and returned it. The return went smoothly and customer service was very good.

However, everytime I asked for more information than just the report and someone telling me it was eye clean, they simply said that everything you need can be determined by the cut along with the obvious of free shipping and 30 day returns.

My second purchase was with James Allen and they provided me with IS image, hearts and arrows, magnified image of the diamond, a complete visual inspector by their gemologist and great discussion and understanding of what I was looking for along with a hassle free very friendly service a five year 100% 5 year upgrade policy, 70% 2 year buyback policy (in case me and my gf break up I guess) and the good ole free shipping with 30 day returns.

As you can see, there is a very big difference in the service of the two, and their prices are right about the same though as you know prices always vary. Thus, it makes the most sense to me to shop with one of the other vendors online that will really take COMPLETE care of you and your purchase rather than just good care of you.

 

[WorkingHardforSmallRewards]

oh, AND i forgot to mention this but it is critical. if you run a search at the pricescope.com homepage you will find that the price of the diamond listed is cheaper than whe you follow the link. That is because we get a pricescope discount when we mention that we found them through pricescope.

WF requires that you use a money wire transfer but JA does not require a money wire transfer, though they do offer an additional 1.5% money wire transfer discount. I personally went with JA because they had the stone I wanted at a discount that allowed me to use my credit card and get free miles and extra 1% back. thus I can vouch for Jennifer at JA but I know that there are alot of other really great reps out there, at WF, etc..

 

[neatfreak]

Bluenile is fine, but as others have mentioned, other PS vendors like Whiteflash, Good Old Gold, and James Allen will provide you with discounts as well as MUCH better customer service like pictures, idealscope images, etc.

So while Bluenile isn''t necessarily a BAD choice, there are vendors who will give you much better service.

NOT to mention upgrade policies too, which BN does not have.

 

[squirreldogger]

Couple questions:

1) Is there a big difference in either AGS or GIA?? I went to a local shop here in Chicago and the guy went on a rant for a good 15 minutes as to why AGS is horrible and GIA was God!!!

2) How are Whiteflashes H&A''s??

I''m looking for the best possible round cut in the 1.00-1.25 carat range..... anyone have any suggestions?? I''m trying to stickto a max of $9,000 for the stone..... any suggestions??

Thanks!

 

[kcoursolle]

I have now purchased from JA, WF, and BN, and I can say that are all great vendors with their own advantages and disadvantages.

The primary disadvantage of BN is that they do not offer an upgrade policy!! This was important to me for my e-ring stone and a deal breaker even though the stones were cheaper. However, if you never plan on wanting a larger stone or a different stone, then maybe it''s not that big of a deal. I never planned on upgrading a pendant stone, so I purchased through them. In addition, as others have mentioned they provide less information about their stones than JA and WF.

JA and WF in my opinion have more personal service and better info on their stones. They also have upgrade policies.


If you do decide to buy from BN, please provide the crown/pavillion angles in the thread to better help examine the stone.

 

[kcoursolle]

Date: 7/2/2007 1:12:05 PM
Author: squirreldogger
Couple questions:

1) Is there a big difference in either AGS or GIA?? I went to a local shop here in Chicago and the guy went on a rant for a good 15 minutes as to why AGS is horrible and GIA was God!!!

2) How are Whiteflashes H&A''s??

I''m looking for the best possible round cut in the 1.00-1.25 carat range..... anyone have any suggestions?? I''m trying to stickto a max of $9,000 for the stone..... any suggestions??

Thanks!

I disagree with this. AGS is at least as good as GIA and maybe better with their analysis of cut, there are many threads on this if you do a search.

WF''s "A Cut Above" stones are incredible!!! Really incredible, I own 5 .30''s in a wedding band (see avatar) and sometimes I have to cover up the ring because people are distracted with looking at all the sparkles. It really lights up a room.

 

[Julianna]

Date: 7/2/2007 1:45:56 PM
Author: kcoursolle

I disagree with this. AGS is at least as good as GIA and maybe better with their analysis of cut, there are many threads on this if you do a search.

Agreed. AGS could be considered even more stringent than GIA, which is always a good thing when it comes to diamonds.

 

[Ellen]

Date: 7/2/2007 1:12:05 PM
Author: squirreldogger
Couple questions:

1) Is there a big difference in either AGS or GIA?? I went to a local shop here in Chicago and the guy went on a rant for a good 15 minutes as to why AGS is horrible and GIA was God!!!

2) How are Whiteflashes H&A''s??

I''m looking for the best possible round cut in the 1.00-1.25 carat range..... anyone have any suggestions?? I''m trying to stickto a max of $9,000 for the stone..... any suggestions??

Thanks!

Need to ask if eyeclean.

http://204.17.89.15/diamond/2812/

or
http://204.17.89.15/diamond/2814/

or

Eyeclean?

http://204.17.89.15/diamond/2814/

http://www.whiteflash.com/hearts_arrows/A-Cut-Above-H-A-cut-diamond-273556.htm#

or

http://www.jamesallen.com/diamond.asp?cid=53&item=1060578

 

[squirreldogger]

Thanks for the help everyone so far!! This stuff is very confusing!!! All I want is the best cut (H&A, Signature Ideal, etc...) and the best of the other 3 C's 9,000 can buy!! How is "Good Old Gold"??? To me the name just sounds shady. The more I look and research the more I look past BN!