Princess cuts - clarity or diameter?

[Mikki]

Help please! My fiance and i bought a diamond (we are in Australia) with the following measurements:

Cut: Princess
Table: 71.00
Carat: 2.04
Depth: 70.60
Color: H
Crown: 9%
Clarity: SI1 / SI2
Girdle: thin, polished
Polish: G. to V.G
Symmetry: V.G
Culet: none
Flour: None
Measurements: 7-7.23 * 4.94

The original certificate through EGL was graded SI1. We have gotten the stone recertified through DCLA and it has come back SI2. The diamond dealer has offered us another diamond as a direct exchange, but the width and diameter measurements are a lot smaller (you can tell I''m a size girl!!). The specs:

Cut: Princess
Table: 70.00
Carat: 2.03
Depth: 73.80
Color: H
Clarity: VS2
Girdle STK-THK
Polish: V.G
Symmetry: V.G
Culet N
Flour: Faint
Measurements: 6.92-6.87X5.07


Taking into consideration the original stone is eye clean and I''m a size queen, can you please give me you recommendation as to which stone is a better deal?
We paid US$12,232 for the stone. Thanks for your help.

 

[Cehrabehra]

I know just about nothing on princess cuts but I would chose #2 not only for the mind clean issue (for me) but because it is more on square, the other is a tad longer out of square... more than likely there are other numbers at work though that will do a better job of eliminating one or the other or even both lol

 

[Giangi]

I think I have read somewhere that this DCLA is a very strict lab. I may be wrong though.
Diamond grading is done by humans, thus it''s not an exact science. I understand your frustration for getting a "split" SI1-SI2, but if that is what you really like, and it is eyeclean (not so common in 2ct+ fancy shapes), I''d consider keeping it. At worst you can ask your jeweler to return you the price difference between SI1 and SI2. I have not seen the second stone, but it really sounds like you prefer the first one. They are both white, they are both eye-clean, they are both square (the first, with a 1.03:1 lenght/width ratio is not as square as the second one, but I doubt that would be noticeable once set), but one is bigger in spread.
My vote would be for #1, thus.

 

[justjulia]

There are others here with a lot more knowledge than I have in this, but here goes... I have had several princess cuts in my time... I am not a fan of thin girdles. They are prone to chip. Also, if the table is larger than the depth, you tend to get a glassier duller appearance--yes, it may appear slightly larger, but you trade what I think is the real beauty of a diamond in the light performance. The faint flour is interesting and may be a nice benefit to the H. Have you seen the stones? Eye clean to one person may not be to another... safer to go with the vs2...I believe I would go for #2. Can you have them both shipped to you and compare in person?

 

[Giangi]

From the data posted I suppose we''re talking about an EGL Israel report. They list girdle thickness as average. "Thin" may mean thin all the way around, or thin to medium, or very thin to thin, or what else... Just the average is thin. At this point it would be helpful to compare the EGL ratings with the DCLA ones.

Also... I was under the impression you do own the stone... Am I wrong?

 

[Mikki]

Thanks so much for your replies. I spoke to my diamond dealer and explained my concerns. He has offered me another stone to exchange the one I have (for the same price). Can you please give me your opinions on the new stone?

Cut: Princess
Table: 76.00
Carat: 2.02
Depth: 68.40
Color: H
Clarity: VS2
Girdle THN-STK
Polish: V.G
Symmetry: V.G
Culet N
Flour: Faint
Measurements: 7.22-7.22X4.94

Thanks again for your help!

Mikki

 

[Giangi]

Table seems to be quite large on this one. Is there any way you can get more info on it?