Thoughts on these 1.5 Carat Princess Diamonds

[TrAgnew]

Good evening all,

Thanks to all who helped me on my very first post regarding settings. I believe I've talked my wife into sticking with a simple solitaire or very basic pave setting at this point. Now, for my second post ever, this older guy needs help deciding on a diamond. I've done a LOT of reading. Likely too much, as I find myself in a bit of analysis paralysis. Hoping this community might help me break the log jam.

In terms of what I'm looking for something, around the 1.5 carat mark. We had a J color stone before and it didn't bother us, so I'm fine sticking with J to keep costs down. Clarity is important though. We definitely want eye clean, so I've been sticking to a minimum of VS2, but prefer VS1 or higher. Cut is also important as I want to make sure it sparkles. I know fancy diamonds are tough, but I've been trying to look for things with a depth/table between 69-72. Budget wise, trying to keep at no more than $6500 for the stone, but willing to go to $7000 for the right stone.

Of course, the hard part is not always being able to see the diamonds. This is where James Allen is far better, but as many have said in other posts, they aren't the cheapest. With that said, here is what I've been looking at and I'm curious if anyone would toss anything out or tell me to stop looking and buy now.

Blue Nile:
$6043 1.51 http://www.bluenile.com/diamond-details/LD06696269?click_id=951915305
$6325 1.5 http://www.bluenile.com/diamond-details/LD06294931?click_id=248454820
$6462 1.51 http://www.bluenile.com/diamond-details/LD06750869?click_id=100387005
$6546 1.52 http://www.bluenile.com/diamond-details/LD07466361?click_id=285931259

James Allen:
$6310 1.5 https://www.jamesallen.com/loose-diamonds/princess-cut/1.50-carat-j-color-vvs2-clarity-sku-2133642
$6370 1.51 https://www.jamesallen.com/loose-diamonds/princess-cut/1.51-carat-j-color-vs1-clarity-sku-1817229
$6450 1.55 https://www.jamesallen.com/loose-diamonds/princess-cut/1.55-carat-j-color-vs1-clarity-sku-1990184

B2C:
$6181 1.51 http://www.b2cjewels.com/dd-6748425-1.51-carat-Princess-diamond-J-color-VVS2-Clarity.aspx?sku=6748425

I've looked at Whiteflash and a few others, but didn't see anything that jumped out at me for my price/requirements.

One of the jewelers I'm working with is trying to sell me on a 1.53 princess with GIA cert. 72% table, 74.3% depth. J and VS1, 6.51 mm x 6.24 mm x 4.64mm. Excellent polish and very good symmetry. The cert bugs me though as it says "Pinpoints are not shown" in the comments.

Sorry for the flood of links, but curious on opinions or if someone stumbles upon a diamond I missed on these or other sites. Thanks!

 

[spurnoff]

Hopefully some experts can help you out but I'm just curious why you want the depth and table between 69-72, have you inspected diamonds in this range and like that look?
I only ask as with that range it's very unlikely the diamonds could possibly achieve AGS ideal cut and light performance.

Was that the reason you didn't like this one from whiteflash?
http://www.whiteflash.com/loose-diamonds/princess-cut-loose-diamond-3719439.htm

 

[TrAgnew]

Thank you spurnoff for the reply and feedback. Perhaps foolishly, I was basing the table and depth based off what Blue Nile and James Allen had listed as their signature ideal or true hearts cuts. I didn't think to look specifically at the AGS0 measurements. Based on a brief look at Whiteflash, it seems like I was close on the table, but should maybe expand it to 68-72 and I was way off on the depth and should expand that to at least 75. Does that seem more in line? I've looked at the Princess cut table posted here and elsewhere, but the ideal cut seems off based on what I've been seeing actually marked as ideal. Again, tell me if I'm crazy.

I saw the Whiteflash diamond you linked and wanted to love it, but there is an inclusion of some kind right on the front of the table near the center. They make it hard with their lighting, but you can see it in the rotating picture and it is clearly marked on the cert. I was bummed as it seemed like a great stone when I first saw it.

 

[tyty333]

Whiteflash would be the "Experts" between Bluenile, JamesAllen and WF...

That Whiteflash stone is beautiful! AGS000 plus areally nice aset. This is a branded Super Ideal ACA stone...doesnt get much better
than that.

From Whiteflash

AGS 0 And Beyond
To achieve the distinction of A CUT ABOVE® Princess, a diamond must first be certified by the American Gem Society Laboratory as Triple Zero with a Platinum Certificate. (For detailed information please see our page on princess cut grading at the AGSL). It must then pass extensive review and testing by a panel of Whiteflash gemologists who screen for additional criteria and light performance characteristics. IdealScope and ASET images are carefully analyzed to ensure the light handling properties of the diamond are at the absolute limits technically possible. Finally, a thorough visual evaluation guarantees that each and every A CUT ABOVE® Princess is absolutely superb.

http://www.whiteflash.com/princess-diamond

 

[farrahlyn]

the WF stone is gorgeous and as pointed out, between those vendors, WF would be the experts.

as far as the inclusion, it is an "eye clean" stone so this is something you will not see in real life. Under a loupe, yes. You are looking at a massively zoomed in picture and video and THAT zoomed in, the inclusion is barely visible. Pull out a ruler or measuring tape and on a piece of paper, measure out 6mm x 6mm and look at how small that is. it is highly unlikely you will see that inclusion with the naked eye unless very very closely examined. You could call WF though and ask what their definition of eye clean is on this stone... 6" away / 10" away / 12" away, etc. But i do get that some want that "mind clean" stone and this stone just woudn't cut it. Personally it wouldn't bug me. I have an SI1 stone that is eye clean, i can only see the inclusion under a loupe.

ETA: I know this is slightly over your cap of $7k but just by $150 if you do the wire transfer

J VS1
http://www.whiteflash.com/loose-diamonds/princess-cut-loose-diamond-3208303.htm

or this Expert Selection? I like the crown on this one.

J VS1
http://www.whiteflash.com/loose-diamonds/princess-cut-loose-diamond-3244892.htm

 

[TrAgnew]

Thanks for all the advice everyone! I called Whiteflash and they are pulling the stone for inspection. For anyone curious, they define eye clean as nothing visible at 10" with 20/20 vision.

 

[spurnoff]

Thank you spurnoff for the reply and feedback. Perhaps foolishly, I was basing the table and depth based off what Blue Nile and James Allen had listed as their signature ideal or true hearts cuts. I didn't think to look specifically at the AGS0 measurements. Based on a brief look at Whiteflash, it seems like I was close on the table, but should maybe expand it to 68-72 and I was way off on the depth and should expand that to at least 75. Does that seem more in line? I've looked at the Princess cut table posted here and elsewhere, but the ideal cut seems off based on what I've been seeing actually marked as ideal. Again, tell me if I'm crazy.

I saw the Whiteflash diamond you linked and wanted to love it, but there is an inclusion of some kind right on the front of the table near the center. They make it hard with their lighting, but you can see it in the rotating picture and it is clearly marked on the cert. I was bummed as it seemed like a great stone when I first saw it.

I think you had the right idea but the trouble is Blue Nile seem to have quite broad parameters as to what meets their signature ideal princess cut. This article here by WF helped me when I was researching on the claims made by blue nile regarding their signature cut http://www.whiteflash.com/about-diamonds/diamond-education/blue-nile-reviews---signature-ideal-princess-cut-diamonds-1444.htm
The broad Consensus that I found on here is that without an AGS certificate you really need to see an ASET image and to a smaller degree an idealscope to dertermine if the princess cut is a good performing diamond. JamesAllen will allow you to select up to 3 diamonds for an ASET image so if you really had your heart set on those ones you linked you could go that way. As far as I'm aware Blue Nile won't provide ASET images.

When I purchased my princess cut from WF I had the same concerns as you and wanted to know if the diamond was eye clean from say 5 inches and the three I asked about all were all eye clean and required magnification to find the inclusions, I would ask WF how eye clean the diamond is if that is your concern. It's easy to get caught up on inclusions you can see on the magnified photos/video but they really do exacerbate the inclusions and are not realistic with what you and everyone will see once it's on the finger.