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Opinions on this Princess

tyty333

Super_Ideal_Rock
Premium
Joined
Dec 17, 2008
Messages
27,198
Like farmergal said, request an aset so we can check on the light return. As far as faceting pattern I think I like the one
that farmergal posted better (but I didnt take a real long look at it).
 

jstarfireb

Ideal_Rock
Joined
Mar 24, 2007
Messages
6,232
tyty333|1315850434|3015876 said:
Like farmergal said, request an aset so we can check on the light return. As far as faceting pattern I think I like the one
that farmergal posted better (but I didnt take a real long look at it).

Agreed. I think the first one looks leaky. Plus, polish and symmetry are only good on the first one, the table is greater than the depth (not a hard-and-fast rule but sometimes a red flag), the L:W ratio of 1.06 is quite noticeably off-square, and the "extremely thick" sections of the girdle may be hiding carat weight. Note that it has an AGS report but not one with a cut grade. I'd nix that one and look for others, including farmergal's choice (worth getting an ASET on).

ETA: I would NOT get an ASET on the first one. JA will only give you 3 ASETs so you have to choose wisely, and I don't think the first one is worth further consideration.
 

JulieN

Super_Ideal_Rock
Premium
Joined
Jul 25, 2005
Messages
13,375
What's your budget? The one you picked isn't that great looking.
 

Existential

Rough_Rock
Joined
Aug 30, 2011
Messages
6
Thanks all, will keep searching, though did ask JA for the ASET on this plus two more 3 stones.

My budget is around 5,500
 

Existential

Rough_Rock
Joined
Aug 30, 2011
Messages
6
Including the one farmergal recommended
 

jstarfireb

Ideal_Rock
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Mar 24, 2007
Messages
6,232

slg47

Ideal_Rock
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Apr 4, 2010
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9,667

Existential

Rough_Rock
Joined
Aug 30, 2011
Messages
6
I'm curious on the jstar recommendation - but the cut is good vs the others premium. What are you seeing that I am missing?
 

stone-cold11

Super_Ideal_Rock
Joined
Sep 9, 2008
Messages
14,083
JA's cut grade is based only on geometry, mainly the table and depth %. Can be seriously off in terms of performance, I have seen many AGS0 cut graded princess in their good cut grade.
 

Existential

Rough_Rock
Joined
Aug 30, 2011
Messages
6
Yep, I wonder also, since my little exposure to this site tells me that without AGS, its just an in-house grade.
 

tyty333

Super_Ideal_Rock
Premium
Joined
Dec 17, 2008
Messages
27,198
Existential|1315917216|3016410 said:
My other choices (scuse me I didn't post them first time)

http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/I-VS2-Ideal-Cut-Princess-Diamond-1405718.asp

http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/I-VS1-Premium-Cut-Princess-Diamond-1390818.asp

By the way , many thanks for the helpful advice - which I assume is independent


Yep, we are just normal folk that appreciate diamonds maybe a little more than the average guy. :bigsmile:
Luckily vendors are not allowed to push their wares on Pricescope.
 

jstarfireb

Ideal_Rock
Joined
Mar 24, 2007
Messages
6,232
Existential|1315916006|3016398 said:
I'm curious on the jstar recommendation - but the cut is good vs the others premium. What are you seeing that I am missing?

Yup, vendor cut grades are usually not based on an actual observation of the diamond but instead are determined from numbers, usually depth and table. Many AGS ideal princesses have dimensions that were previously thought not to be ideal for princesses - a 75+% depth, for example. I suspect it was downgraded for the "extremely thick" on the girdle; but as I mentioned, that needs to be evaluated by their gemologist. But numbers don't tell much of the story for fancy shapes like princesses, so cut grades based solely on proportions are pretty much useless. I selected that stone based on the photo. It still needs further evaluation. Both of the ones you picked out (including farmer gal's suggestion) look nice from the photos too. I like the photo on the one I picked out a weeeee bit better than either...it looks brighter and sharper...but that may just be the photography technique. I would see if you could cancel the ASET on that first one and get one on the stone I suggested (and of course have their gemologist weigh in on the girdle issue).

ETA: I'm just an informed consumer as well, just one who happens to LOOOOVE princess cuts! Jewelry trade members will have something on their posts that says "trade."
 

Existential12

Rough_Rock
Joined
Sep 6, 2011
Messages
4

slg47

Ideal_Rock
Joined
Apr 4, 2010
Messages
9,667
did you get an ASET for jstar's recommendation? that is still my pick.
 

JulieN

Super_Ideal_Rock
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Joined
Jul 25, 2005
Messages
13,375
I don't think the 1.30 I VS2 ASET image is going to be what you're looking for.
 

jstarfireb

Ideal_Rock
Joined
Mar 24, 2007
Messages
6,232
JulieN|1316665679|3022686 said:
I don't think the 1.30 I VS2 ASET image is going to be what you're looking for.

Yup, looks pretty leaky around the corners of the table. Can you post the ASETs when you get them? I'd love to see if my predictions based on the images ring true.
 

tyty333

Super_Ideal_Rock
Premium
Joined
Dec 17, 2008
Messages
27,198
I like jstars pick much better. I hate the huge table on the 1.30 .
 

pmbspyder

Rough_Rock
Joined
Aug 25, 2011
Messages
45
I'm not nearly as experienced as many here, but I just went through the same process as you and spent many months going from website to website to find the best stone. I ended up going with a WF ACA, and it is AMAZING. The thing is, for the almost guaranteed beauty of the stone you will only be able to get around 1ct for your price range, but to me it was worth it. I tried JA, bluenile and DOW first, but I found WF had the best selection and I can attest to how amazing the whole process was.

Others here are better at finding stones for you on websites so I can't help you there, but if you're willing to sacrifice a millimeter or two on each side of the stone, check out some of WF's 1ct ACAs. You will NOT be disappointed. Good luck man!

edited* I was after a princess as well - got a 1.02 ct VS2 I color...very similar (though less ct) to what you're looking for -
 
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