Please help this newbie - Princess cut

[mez]

I''m hoping to find some help. I''ve been looking for a princess cut diamond for a couple of weeks. I thought I was getting things fairly nailed down until I stumbled upon this forum and realized how very little I knew.

So here is what I''m looking for: Princess cut, 1.30-1.51, F-H, VS1-SI1. The more I read, the more I come to find that the most important aspect, cut, seems to be the most difficult to judge for princess cuts - no set measurements to go by.

Where would you recommend I look for such diamonds (I have looked on superbcert, goodoldgold; I''ve also looked at bluenile, modera). Any other places to look?

I''ve also seen some stones live, but I''ve never been presented with LightScope/Brilliant Scope results & analyses. Should all jewelers have this? How standard are these reports? If I can''t get one, what else do I have to go by to judge cut besides my personal, layman evaluation of brilliance?

Thanks for your help

mez

 

[valeria101]

----------------
On 8/12/2004 9:44:49 PM mez wrote:



If I can't get one, what else do I have to go by to judge cut besides my personal, layman evaluation of brilliance?

----------------

Ideal Scope in pocket ?

it should be useful.


So is the Expert selection at Whiteflash and the list of Signature Princess diamonds at DCD - definitely worth a look for all that PS knows

It is not unusual to see branded stones sold with some account of their 'trademark' brilliance - but not too many princess cuts would lok great under closer scrutiny of optics. So it seems usual that better stones get 'scope reports while most do not. I do not know of any stats about this, unfortunately.

 

[valeria101]

Oh well... a bit of your posts reminds me another chat about princess cuts that came up recently... What size of stone do you have in mind (in milimeters) ? A 1.3 and a 1.5 cts could be exactly as 'big' facing only due to their proportions (total depth and girdle thickness are the major factors here).

For example, a 1.2 cts at 65% depth could have the same size (~6mm) as a 1.3 cts at 70% (both numbers considered desirable, btw!) or a 1.5cts cut with about 77% depth - definitely not unheard of. All these numbers will likely turn up in your search since 65% - 75% depth is usually considered the desirable range with some variations between sellers and standards, as you surely know.

Just one more thing to take into account, I guess

 

[moremoremore]

Should vendors have it? Yes...! Is that realistic considering the cost of the equipment, probably not. It's funny b/c I truly realized for the first time that you can't select a princess purely based on numbers. DUH! I must have looked at 50 stones online where there was sarin info. Table less than depth is not always the key to a good stone and I was surprised to see some higher table of 70-73 with good crown heights over 10 and 11. A 72.9 depth and 68 stone I had called in only has a 9.2 crown. It's just a gamble without sarin info and other analysis. I have seen no jeweler on Long Island in NY (in my parts anyway) that offers the analysis that GOG does....and of course, some of the other price scope dealers.

 

[mez]

===What size of stone do you have in mind (in milimeters) ?

I was thinking 6.10 or more.

====So is the Expert selection at Whiteflash and the list of Signature Princess diamonds at DCD - definitely worth a look for all that PS knows

My apologies, DCD = dirtcheapdiamonds? If so, they didn't have much in the size/quality I'm looking for. PS - don't know what that is.


I've looked at some of the stores listed on this site - GOG, whiteflash, etc. and have gone to some B&M to see stones. Without the IdealScope reports, how can I distinguish between the diamonds I see listed online? Or is it a situation I have to buy it and perform my own Ideal scope?

 

[moremoremore]

Without some light analysis and /or sarin results...I honestly feel that there is no way to buy a stone online unless you're ok with returning it. Just looking at depth and table isn't enough. Sometimes, I think you can sometimes maybe get more of a little hint also based on the measurements of the stone...If a stone faces up HUGE and so much bigger than another with the same specs..maybe it's a flat stone? Not sure and that's just one way I try to find a decent stone...That's why I would suggest buying locally where you can see the stone or better yet, use a vendor who offers this analysis.

 

[moremoremore]

Yup! DCD is dirt cheap. PS is price scope...Did you do a search on pricescope? I would def give GOG or Whiteflash or Wink a call...! I've heard good things about engagementringsdirect too..