Question on a Princess Cut Stone

[PrincessCut81]

Hello everyone!
I hope that someone professional can help me!

I just saw a stone today that I would like to purchase for my engagement ring. (my boyfriend has no clue) and I have somewhat of a clue about diamonds but i am not 100%. I saw this stone and would like to ask your opinion about the price/and the quality.

I would like to say that I like bigger stones and I dont care much about the color, I care about the quality (the cut), the carat weight and the clarity the most, and when it comes to color I am not big on G Vs K.. I know that most people will not be able to notice the color anyway.

Ok. so this is the stone that I found:
Has a GIA certificate
Shape:
Princess

Carat Weight:
3.42

Color:
K

Clarity:
VS1

Graded By:
GIA

Cut Grade:
Premium



Depth:
69.2%

Table:
67%

Girdle:
Thin

Culet:
None

Polish:
Excellent

Symmetry:
Very Good

Fluorescence:
None

Measurements:
8.48 x 8.47 x 5.86

Length / Width Ratio:
1


Asking price $17,500.

Honestly what do you guys think?

 

[Regular Guy]

Although I''d like to suggest you check out threads on the board about the new AGS0 on Princesses, here''s what I''m really intersted in....

Date: 6/13/2005 2:28:13 PM
Author:PrincessCut81

I just saw a stone today that I would like to purchase for my engagement ring. (my boyfriend has no clue)....
Honestly what do you guys think?

Honestly...I''m guessing it''s pro-forma....cause otherwise...how does your communication about this work...not that it''s an issue for you. Just curious (i.e., has he proposed yet, will you propose, and if he says yes, give it to yourself, have you already discussed things like budgets....).

Anyway...do check out the AGS0 options, especially if you like this shape, cause there are unique options available there now that had never existed 4 months and more ago, that are supposed to be fabulous.

 

[PrincessCut81]

i DID NOT ASK YOU to give me love advice i asked you to give me diamond advice. Yes, he told me to pick out what iwant. 20K is the budget

 

[diamondsbylauren]

Dave''s LOVE advice.....
KIDDING KIDDING !!!!!!!

Let''s talk about the diamond!

Many people do love the "softer" whites- such as a GIA graded K.
Other people go crazy at the "tint" in an H.

I th9ikn that peple who love K colors are lucky- well, in any case, people who love K either get bigger diamonds, or smaller pricetags!

So- If you have determined you''re a K lover ( souinds as though you are) then K is a great stone to buy.

It is impossible for any expert to tell you very much from the info provided- that is to say, without actually looking at the diamond.
DId you actually see the stone?
Is it being offered at a Brick and Mortar jewelry store?

 

[Regular Guy]

Date: 6/13/2005 2:55:13 PM
Author: PrincessCut81
i DID NOT ASK YOU to give me love advice i asked you to give me diamond advice. Yes, he told me to pick out what iwant. 20K is the budget

...got your pm, too.

no offence meant...still....

"Anyway..."(could recommend you) do check out the AGS0 options, especially if you like this shape, cause there are unique options available there now that had never existed 4 months and more ago, that are supposed to be fabulous."

best,

 

[ForteKitty]

Date: 6/13/2005 2:55:13 PM
Author: PrincessCut81
i DID NOT ASK YOU to give me love advice i asked you to give me diamond advice.

touchy, touchy...

 

[blueroses]

Ah, PS miscommunication, good times.

I got the impression that "has no clue" was about his lack of diamond knowledge, not an unawareness of his gf buying a ring.

If you like the warmer colors, a K could be lovely (there are some wonderful Ks here) but fancies do show more color.....but I imagine you know that already from your research.

That will be one BIG stone

Pictures, please!!

 

[diamondsbylauren]

"Fancy Shapes Show More Color"- True, unless they don''t, which also happen frequently.
Some round K colors look tinted, others do not.
Smae for Fancy Shapes.


AGS0- Personally, I do not prefer these in rounds. I have not seen many Princess Cuts with AGS paper- but it''s worthwhile to point out that GIA''s new cut grade may put AGS0 in the category of horse drawn buggies.

 

[Garry H (Cut Nut)]

1. David GIA''s new cut grade will definitely offer any improvement from a consumers perspective over aGS''s.
You have been fooled by some clap trap on another site.

2. The data you have given us on that princess is inadequate for anyone to make a cut grade estimate.

3. Princess do show more face up color than well cut rounds.

4. K will look like a round L-N and if you''all like that then thats cool. Me, I would drop to SI1 and jump up a few grades - and if you can find a new AGS princess then go with that - or search the Cut Quality data base here where there are Ideal-scope images.

 

[moremoremore]

"Ah, PS miscommunication, good times"

ROTFL Blue Roses!!!!


Hmmmm, I actually think most people will actually be able to notice a K in a princess and in one of that size. just wanted to throw that in there..but if it doesn't bother you, than that's all that matters....

Numbers in a princess don't help here. How does she look to you?

Actually, I just should have said ditto!

 

[Drewgasm]

No one will notice a "K" color? Are you serious? That will be the FIRST thing they notice......I agree with Gary.......and like in most cases.....bigger is NOT better......but if carat is all you care about.....Go for it!


Andrew

 

[diamondsbylauren]

Date: 6/13/2005 8:23:50 PM
Author: Garry H (Cut Nut)
1. David GIA''s new cut grade will definitely offer any improvement from a consumers perspective over aGS''s.
You have been fooled by some clap trap on another site.

2. The data you have given us on that princess is inadequate for anyone to make a cut grade estimate.

3. Princess do show more face up color than well cut rounds.

4. K will look like a round L-N and if you''all like that then thats cool. Me, I would drop to SI1 and jump up a few grades - and if you can find a new AGS princess then go with that - or search the Cut Quality data base here where there are Ideal-scope images.

1) I am not clear as to what you''re saying Garry- Do you agree that GIA''s cut grade will put AGS''s cut grade in a ...difficult position?
I believe that many stones which were not graded 0 ( ideal, or best grade) will indeed get GIA''s top cut grade- this seems destined to put AGS0 stones in a different postion- no?

To those who seem to feel that it''s a hard fast rule that princess cut- and all fancy shapes- show more color than round: Blanket statements like this do not really work in real life situations.
Garry at least said Princess do show face up more color than well cut rounds. So at least we can infer that well cut princess show may show less or equal color as compared to average cut brilliants.

In my experience, there are plenty of bad cuts in fancy shapes- more so than rounds. It IS true that pooly cut ( or unlucky) fancy shapes may exhibit color problems. For example, some marquise, or pear shapes have the more color at the points.

These fall under the category of off make, or badly cut stones. These are undesirable and they trade ( should anyway) trade at big disounts.

Well cut marquise or pear shapes do NOT exhibit this - even in J-K-and L colors.
In some cases, I have found fancy shapes actually hide color as well as even the best cut rounds.
It''s all a matter of selecting the correct fancy shapes.
I''ll give you this- picking and clasifying of fancy shapes is more difficult than selecting and clasifying rounds.

TO all those out there with well cut fancy shapes: they can do very well in the color department.

 

[JohnQuixote]

I know we all know this, but for the casual reader I thought I'd provide an illustration of the 'facing up' inference:

A well-cut round may 'face up' better than a fancy because basic principles of facet construction allow ideal cut rounds to return light better than fancy shapes.

Example: A pear shape and a round receive the same color grade - J - from a grader. Now it's possible to flip that round into the face-up position (remember that it was color graded from the side). If it's ideally cut and maximizing light return it will appear whiter than the grade it received - and due to basic construction it has the potential to appear whiter than that pear shape receiving the same grade ever could.

 

[Regular Guy]

Date: 6/13/2005 2:45:09 PM
Author: Regular Guy

Anyway...do check out the AGS0 options, especially if you like this shape, cause there are unique options available there now that had never existed 4 months and more ago, that are supposed to be fabulous.

Notes to self and interested others...a check yesterday showed zero princesses in the search by cut database that were AGS0 certed (though one with Gary with Dutton on a separate search), though more than 80 GIA certed options. Different in the Quick search db...here there''s quite a number, most through Blue Nile...a next step would be to inquire about the genuine nature of the pedigree, I think...when is the cert dated, and other related questions?

 

[diamondsbylauren]

Date: 6/14/2005 3:46:42 AM
Author: JohnQuixote

I know we all know this, but for the casual reader I thought I''d provide an illustration of the ''facing up'' inference:

A well-cut round may ''face up'' better than a fancy because basic principles of facet construction allow ideal cut rounds to return light better than fancy shapes.

Example: A pear shape and a round receive the same color grade - J - from a grader. Now it''s possible to flip that round into the face-up position (remember that it was color graded from the side). If it''s ideally cut and maximizing light return it will appear whiter than the grade it received - and due to basic construction it has the potential to appear whiter than that pear shape receiving the same grade ever could.

John,
this is again, a blanket statement- you are implying that somehow rounds have better "basic construction" than Pear Shapes ( your example)

Yes, it is true that as a design, round brilliant is the one best at passing the light quickly thru the diamond- that''s why Rounds always score best on B''Scopes, and other light return measuring machines.
Of course these machines results'' are quite meaningless, in my opinion.
Here''s why:
A diamondis basically acting as 58 ( or so ) mirrors all reflecting off each other, and reflecting the light entering the diamond.

This creates some pretty amazing results, as we all agree.
The problem with what I anm terming "blanket statements" is that you simply can''t exactlly predict how the diamond will look from numbers-

Heres a "Blanket Statement":- RBC''s facet pattern is best at maximizing white light return.
I''d agree with this - in theory.


But people buy diamonds, not theories.
In reality, well cut Fancy Shapes can look every bit as white as same color grade H&A rounds.

John, we can use a Whiteflash stone as an example- I remember a 2carat K/IF pear shape you guys sold to a very prominant member of this forum- it really looked quite white. I don''t think folks will be noticing any tint in that K color.


So- I say again- I have seen many fancy shapes that looked every bit as white as well cut round diamonds of the same color.

 

[JohnQuixote]

David,

In case it wasn't clear, my comment wasn't aimed at you. I was illustrating what 'facing up' infers. I intentionally used the words may and has the potential in the illustration to indicate possibilities, not absolutes. Forgive me, but I certainly didn't say rounds have better basic construction - I said that their construction allows for better light return (which I believe you agree with in theory).

No blanket statement intended... Too many variables so I know better (except when it comes to sports team loyalties and how long to sear a 1" ribeye @ 450 degrees).

 

[pinkee]

Just be careful with the Princess Cut since it has squared-off corners, mine just chipped when it was reset and the insurance appraiser mentioned he is sees many princess cuts chipped at the corners... Sounds like a alot of money to spend for a diamond that is easier to chip. They''ve suggested to me, Radiant or Asscher since the corners are cut...

 

[harcace]

Date: 6/13/2005 2:55:13 PM
Author: PrincessCut81
i DID NOT ASK YOU to give me love advice i asked you to give me diamond advice. Yes, he told me to pick out what iwant. 20K is the budget

Wow, what a lucky guy to get a girl like you