What could be wrong with a Blue Nile diamond?

[samanthalee]

http://www.bluenile.com/diamonds_details.asp?__fun_frm=i&track=btntext_viewselect&elem=img&pid=LD00512842&filter_id=0

I sent the specs after I sent this, take a look at this one, it looks kinda - "almost perfect"-

 

[samanthalee]

Stock number: LD00512842
Price: $63,403
Bank wire price: $62,452
Carat weight: 3.47
Cut: Very Good
Color: D
Clarity: VS1
Depth %: 71.7%
Table %: 67%
Symmetry: Good
Polish: Very good
Girdle: Medium to thick
Culet: None
Fluorescence: None
Measurements: 9.32 x 7.70 x 5.52 mm
Length/width ratio: 1.21

Sorry this is these are the specs for the diamond in question. When looking at girdle it is never medium, which is better leaning toward medium thin or medium thick? I wanted your opion on this before I go out looking- thanks guys!

 

[Ellen]

Hi samantha,

First, are you wanting your Princess to look square? because this one definitely isn''t.

I would recommend sticking with at least Very Good Symmetry and Polish on stones you are looking at. Symmetry isn''t quite what it should be on this.

On a Princess, Med. and Med. to Slightly thick would be ideal for the girdle, but we can''t always get what we want in all areas. Leaning toward the thicker side will be safer as far as chipping is concerned.

I would personally pass on this one.


When looking on BN, I would stick to their AGS0 stones, although they don''t seem to have but a couple. In which case, I''d contact WF or GOG and get them looking for you. On a purchase of this size, and with it being a fancy, I think that''s the best, safest way to end up with a killer stone.

 

[Lorelei]

Date: 1/18/2008 11:42:19 AM
Author: Ellen
Hi samantha,

First, are you wanting your Princess to look square? because this one definitely isn''t.

I would recommend sticking with at least Very Good Symmetry and Polish on stones you are looking at. Symmetry isn''t quite what it should be on this.

On a Princess, Med. and Med. to Slightly thick would be ideal for the girdle, but we can''t always get what we want in all areas. Leaning toward the thicker side will be safer as far as chipping is concerned.

I would personally pass on this one.


When looking on BN, I would stick to their AGS0 stones, although they don''t seem to have but a couple. In which case, I''d contact WF or GOG and get them looking for you. On a purchase of this size, and with it being a fancy, I think that''s the best, safest way to end up with a killer stone.

Ditto.

 

[milton333]

I agree - I think symmetry is very important in a princess cut, and should be better than "good." I also agree that, with a purchase of this size, you should contact a recommended vendor, describe what you''re looking for, and let them help you.

As far as Blue Nile, unless you''re dealing with their signature ideal stones, the diamonds are not in-house. BN cannot look at them for you. They can pass on a request to the 3rd party who has the stone to look at it, but there are problems with this. One is the delay (sometimes a stone is snatched up while you''re waiting to hear back). Two is that you don''t even know who this 3rd party is, why would their assurance that it''s "a beauty" or eyeclean even have any weight when you don''t know the source? Their signature ideals seem to be over-priced, too, and it''s going to be hard to compare prices when you''re talking about a larger carat size. I''d go with one of the recommended vendors above, just give them a call and tell them your budget and what you''re looking for, they''ll help.

 

[Independent Gal]

I don''t think there''s anything wrong with using Blue Nile if you''re not in a hurry. Their return policy is so easy that if the stone arrives and the third party said ''WOW!'' but you think ''HUH?'' you just send it back. No big deal. The only way it becomes an issue is if you want everything done ASAP and you don''t trust your own eyes for when the stone arrives.

 

[bem3231]

Unless you''re looking at their Signature Ideal stones most of the stones listed on bluenile.com can be brought in by any broker. In my case Jon from Good Old Gold brought in a stone that I''d originally seen on bluenile.

 

[chrono]

The numbers look all right but I would never buy sight unseen. Fancies like a princess cut cannot be judged on numbers alone. BN does not provide even a real picture of the stone which is crucial. Not to mention I''d want more tests to verify the performance of the stone like an ASET picture.

The two things that stand out the most are:
Symmetry: The minimum I''d shoot for is VG
L/W ratio: The squarer the better. Perfectly square stones tend to have better optics than rectangular stones. Not to mention many people are more used to seeing square princess stones, not elongated ones.

 

[Ellen]

Date: 1/18/2008 12:06:13 PM
Author: Independent Gal
I don''t think there''s anything wrong with using Blue Nile if you''re not in a hurry. Their return policy is so easy that if the stone arrives and the third party said ''WOW!'' but you think ''HUH?'' you just send it back. No big deal. The only way it becomes an issue is if you want everything done ASAP and you don''t trust your own eyes for when the stone arrives.

IG, in theory, your post is right.

But, if one isn''t really familiar with specs and numbers to look for in stone, and what a really well cut stone actually looks like, that could either get really expensive, or, one might end up with a stone they thought was great, but in reality isn''t. I wouldn''t want that to happen to anybody, and especially when you''re talking the kind of money we are here.