Princess Specs???

[Sparkler]

Please someone help me!!! What are the desired specs on a 2 ct princess? I am new to the forum and need info.

What is the max table?
the best LTW ratio to stay close to?
what is the max depth?
crown %?
girdle thickness in a %?
and pavillion depth?

I am puchasing today or tomorrow and I don't want to go in blind. I want to know what to walk away from.

 

[moremoremore]

doesn't work like that my friend. There is no magic set of number for the princess...you don't have to like it but it's true.

 

[reena]

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On 10/8/2004 10:33:21 AM Sparkler wrote:





Please someone help me!!! What are the desired specs on a 2 ct princess? I am new to the forum and need info.

What is the max table?
the best LTW ratio to stay close to?
what is the max depth?
crown %?
girdle thickness in a %?
and pavillion depth?

I am puchasing today or tomorrow and I don't want to go in blind. I want to know what to walk away from.
----------------

i personally think that if you're currently "blind" on the topic, you realllllly should hold off on making this very large purchase until you've had time to gather a little more info.

no sense spending all of that money on something that could be a dud. maybe read up on some past princess posts on this site and/or post the specs of the stones you're considering so that the princess experts (not me!) can help you out.

 

[researcher]

Here are the numbers I prefer:

Table: 66-72% (keep this number less than or equal to the depth
Depth: 67-74% (if you go above 75% you're buying a stone that will look small)
Crown: 10-16% (make sure they give you this info!)
L/W: 1.00-1.05 (anything over 1.05 will start to look rectangular)
Polish/Symmetry: VG or EX ("good" is fine, but look for VG/EX)
Girdle: TN-STK (with little or no variation)

These are a bit more strict than most people would tell you, but they're the numbers I use. Other people will say you can go lower in table and depth, but I have yet to see a stone I've loved with numbers like that.

Hope this helps!

 

[b52holly]

Not necessarily true moremoremore...I get what youre saying BUT he could find an absolutely beautiful stone, buy it, try to get it set and....it chips because he didn't know what a very thin girdle is...I dont know what the percentages mean, but when I went shopping most of the reports just said thin-thick, thin-med, etc...Just stay away from very thin or extremely thin and extremely thick (too thin and it might chip, too thick and it just eats up the weight of the diamond)
When I was looking I had to use numbers cause I bought offline- so here is what I went by:
Depth Percentage: 64.0% - 75.0%
Table Percentage: 59% - 72%
Polish: Good to excellent
Symmetry: Good to excellent
Girdle: Thin to thick
L/W ratio ~1.01 (if you want square)
no culet
little to no fluorescence
According to goodoldgold and everything else i've heard- "Our very first step to finding the best princess cuts is to NOT waste any time with stones that have tables that are larger or greater than their total depths"

Since you get to see the diamonds though I would just use these numbers as a little guide (esp for girdle) and to dazzle the jeweler so he doesnt rip you off too much. Basically, if it looks good and has a thin-slighty thick girdle then get it. Dont dismiss a perfectly beautiful stone just because it has medium blue fluor...if it doesnt look cloudy then who cares, it will just glow in the blacklight(some ppl like that). Thats my two cents- goodluck

 

[moremoremore]

oops- wasn't ref'ing to the girdle holly...I gave sparkler my schpeal (sp?) yeaterday...believe me, I've been down the princess road...!!! I told sparkler that I would accept any girdle except X thin...very thin might make me a little nervous but I wouldn't rule a stone out. I'm not a stickler on the girdle. I won't reject a great stone b/c of a thick girdle.


Also, there is no right or wrong depth or table. I told sparkler that it is best to get table a bit less than depth...but there is no one magic number or combo
no one set of numbers that guarantees a great stone.

And while I do follow the rule myself- here's an example...this stone has a 72.2 depth and 69 table. It's still a really nice stone, but it has a crown of only 9.1! Could be better.

http://www.whiteflash.com/princess/Princess-cut-diamond-645728.htm#

 

[moremoremore]

little to no fluorescence? I disagree. Depends on the color sparkler is looking at. medium flourescence is a great thing in 'lower colors'

Also, a small culet won't be seen to the eye.

I actually like a slightly rectangular stone...but you get more light leakage as the stone gets more rectangular.

 

[Sparkler]

Thank you everyone! I feel so much better now that I have little guide. I'll post pics as soon it the stone I choose is in a setting!

 

[reena]

you're not going to post specs?

 

[b52holly]

hey more...
Yeah I was just saying those were the specs i went for since I had to buy sight unseen, on line...I've heard fluor can make a great stone but i've also heard you have to watch out for the cloudy ones...which is why I agree that if it looks good then get it. Same thing for the culet...he gets to see it so its not a big deal but when I was looking online thats what i went for.
My opinion/experience...if it looks good don't really worry about the specs (fancy shapes dont really have ideal numbers like rounds) Just use the numbers we gave as a GENERAL guideline. But mostly I'd say you get a lot more respect and less BS from the jewelers (the B&Ms)if you know the 4Cs and a little more.

 

[Sparkler]

I agree, I have been asked if I am a jeweler (kinda funny)!!