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Which Diamond is better?

N

North

Rough_Rock
Joined
Apr 17, 2017
Messages
19
Diamond #1
Weight: 2.04
Shape/Cut: Princess
Measurements: 7.50 – 7.16 X 6.46mm
Total Depth: 64.8%
Table width: 77%
Crown Height: 6%
Pavilion Depth: 57%
Girdle Thickness: Medium, Polished
Polish: Very Good
Symmetry: Very Good
Cutlet: None
Clarity Grade: SI1
Graining: NIL
Color Grade: I
Florescence: None


Diamond #2
Reference: GSI Report
Shape: Princess
Quantity: 1
Single Weight: 2.03
Dimensions: 6.65mm-6.82mm-5.08mm
Girdle: Polished, Slightly thick-thick
Color: I
Clarity: I1
Polish: Very Good
Symmetry: Very Good
Cut: Excellent
Translucent: None
Additional Comments: GSI laser inscribed on Girdle
 
Can you post pictures?
 
Unfortunelty they are on rings not lose stones. I was going based on specs. I could post pictures of the rings the the pics are not that great as far as clarity...
rockysalamander said:
Can you post pictures?
Click to expand...
 
Neither. Please tell us your budget and post pics of the ring style you want. PS will help you find something great.
 
Agree with Simone, neither is good. We can help you buy a well cut loose stone and a setting.

Never buy a diamond without a GIA report (or AGS).
 
Well that wasn't what I was hoping to hear...

I'm looking for a 2 carat princess cut stone. What kind of prices are we looking at?
diamondseeker2006 said:
Agree with Simone, neither is good. We can help you buy a well cut loose stone and a setting.

Never buy a diamond without a GIA report (or AGS).
Click to expand...
 
North said:
Well that wasn't what I was hoping to hear...

I'm looking for a 2 carat princess cut stone. What kind of prices are we looking at?
Click to expand...
Budget please?

Edit: prices depend on the 4C - Cut (the most important!), color (somewhat important for princess cuts, because they "show" more color. Nonetheless, a well-cut stone will reflect more brilliance and fire and hide the color a bit.), Clarity (You have been looking at an I1 stone, which is usually a "no-no". The general rule of thumb is that you can go lower on the clarity as long as the stone is "eye-clean" in order to get some savings.) and Carat (1.8-1.9 will cost you a low less than anything above the "magic" mark of 2ct.) So please give us your budget, tell us the ring style that you want to get (solitaire, pave, halo) and we will find you some options.
 
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for me anything bigger than .5 of a carat needs to be certified ( a 2 ct stone would also need laser inscription for my piece of mind )
I wouldnt accept any cert other than a GIA or AGS as the other labs are completely inconsistent and not worth the paper its printed on IMO.

I have paid 3k to over 12 K for 1.5 ct stones ( which is smaller than your 2 ct size ) and as you can see pricing varies WIDELY.

I would NEVER buy a mounted stone when spending that kind of money.
prongs often cover inclusions or worse CHIPS
You cant weigh the stone mounted and without certification and independent inspection you dont know if it has been clarity enhanced ect.

what is your budget?
 
I guess that was the thing. I was looking at 10. I have found a couple of 2ct stone that I can get and then have a setting custom made for around about 9 or 10k

I'm trying save some money I believe they are both certified. One has the laser inscription but I will double check I was just checking to see if one stone was better then the other if they were certified and so on
 
well I can tell you right now the stats that were posted caused me to have a couple red flags.

the first was the weight of the stones a 7.5x7.15x6.46 would put a princess cut WAY over 2.04 it would be 2.8790. in diamonds that is a very very very big miscalculation - something is off.

if you could get the GIA or AGS certifications of them and post that - they would be the most helpful.
I wouldnt buy either one of them based on the specs that you posted . ESP if they were asking thousands of dollars.
 
North said:
I guess that was the thing. I was looking at 10. I have found a couple of 2ct stone that I can get and then have a setting custom made for around about 9 or 10k

I'm trying save some money I believe they are both certified. One has the laser inscription but I will double check I was just checking to see if one stone was better then the other if they were certified and so on
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What we are trying to tell you is that they don't look like promissig stones. Only GIA and AGS are the most reliable labs. Other labs produce questionable reports, there is a reason why stones cost less when they haven't been graded by GIA or AGS.
Is there a reason for the princess cut? Did your intended select it? Princess cuts face up smaller than rounds and other fancy shapes. For example a 1.3ct round faces up at 7mm which is similar to a 2ct princess. There are ways to "get a good deal", but compromising on the stone is not one of them. Trust me, you don't want a lifeless stone without sparkle & fire.
 
Here is a well-performing princess cut stone (literally the best you can find on the market) that appears to be eye-clean and super close to the 2ct mark: https://www.whiteflash.com/loose-diamonds/princess-cut-loose-diamond-3430629.htm
It is a J color, which would not be my preference for princess cuts, but realistically the "I" colored stones you are looking at are most likely Js if graded by GIA/AGS.

Some other alternatives: https://www.whiteflash.com/loose-diamonds/princess-cut-loose-diamond-3649498.htm
https://www.whiteflash.com/loose-diamonds/princess-cut-loose-diamond-3156830.htm
 
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tkyasx78 said:
https://www.bluenile.com/diamond-details/LD08715577


or even
LD08708201


something like this would be a much safer bet.
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"Safer" yes, but not ideal. Fancy cuts are not like rounds, you can't really predict based on the report alone. Fancy cuts need to be seen and more than anything - you need to evaluate the ASET. I would stay away from BN for that reason. WF, BGD and James Allen would be where I'd look.
 
We need to see images of fancy cut stones to really be able to evaluate them (or to suggest them). The faceting pattern/cuts vary so greatly that we
just cant go by the numbers. For $10k looks like you could get something like the following
For some really nicely cut stones, I'd look at Whiteflash.
https://www.whiteflash.com/loose-diamonds/princess-cut-loose-diamond-3430629.htm
https://www.whiteflash.com/loose-diamonds/princess-cut-loose-diamond-3649498.htm
https://www.whiteflash.com/loose-diamonds/princess-cut-loose-diamond-3638391.htm

https://www.jamesallen.com/loose-diamonds/princess-cut/1.84-carat-i-color-vs2-clarity-sku-2869993 over budget
https://www.jamesallen.com/loose-diamonds/princess-cut/1.76-carat-i-color-vs2-clarity-sku-2502535

https://www.bluenile.com/diamond-details/LD08424888 hold down shift key when you click on this link...nice stone

If you ever think you/she will want to upgrade to a bigger stone some day then Whiteflash has the best tradeup policy...just have to spend a
dollar more. JA and BN - 2x more than your original stone you purchased (makes it a little tough to upgrade unless you win the lotto).

Edit...looks like SimoneD and I were posting at the same time and may have recommended some of the same.
 
SimoneDi brings up an excellent point. Working with a place that will get you the ASET and help you get the most sparkle for your money is probably the best way to go.
The 2 choices you have presented , one has some impossible numbers stated that truly dont add up and if that is off the rest of it could be too, and the other is an i1 from GSI, which means you almost certainly have visible inclusions as they do not grade as strict as AGS or GIA

for 10K, you absolutely can get a certified stone that will be eyeclean and big. tyty333 has some other great options. If you are not 100% certain that you have to have a princess cut Whiteflash has a great tradeup policy.
 
For princess cuts, WF or BGD would be where I'd look at first.
 
Something that I want to c
emphasis again is GSI I/SI1 =/= AGS/GIA.

These stones you posted are not super cheap they just likely incorrectly reported, and that is reflected in the price. They're not a good deal. I'd listen to the above recommendations
 
Here is the gem report and appraisal for Diamond 1. I have also included some photos of the ring

upload_2017-5-30_6-4-44.png
upload_2017-5-30_6-5-25.png
upload_2017-5-30_6-5-45.png
upload_2017-5-30_6-6-22.png
upload_2017-5-30_6-6-58.png
upload_2017-5-30_6-8-3.png
upload_2017-5-30_6-8-22.png
upload_2017-5-30_6-9-0.png
 
I would highly recommend looking at a different stone with better spec's . They do not use the same grading as GIA and AGS.
I truly think you can get a much better stone for the money. You are not looking to spend 60 bucks on sneakers and if they dont work out you are only out 60 bucks. A 2 ct diamond ring is alot of money. With a budget of 8-10k for the stone you can absolutely get one that is clear and shows all the facets. The great people here can help you find one that gives wonderful sparkle.
 
The photos are not good enough to see the faceting pattern in the princess. If thats the way it always looks then its not a good princess but I suspect
it just not a good picture. Can you get any better photos? We also suggest you stick with GIA/AGS. The other labs are soft on color/clarity. You may
think you're buying a J/SI1 but by GIA/AGS standards its a K/I1.
 
Have you already bought the ring or committed? There's a difference between asking for an opinion versus seeking good vibes to confirm a buy was in fact, a good buy.

Others have already posted you would do better elsewhere. WhiteFlash have amazing ACA and expert selection stones. I cannot see on your images whether the diamond was eye-clean and a VG quality cut/polish/symmetry is usually 'bad' when it comes to those on PS who only go for "excellent" or "super ideal".
 
No I have not purchased the ring. I was looking at it as I can get the ring as a complete set for under 10k.

I completely understand what everyone is saying. I will see if I might be able to get some more pictures showing the stone off more. I was looking at it as a whole. It just the diamond but I would rather get something that would shine and flash more for her if this one will not due...
 
You are spending a lot of money so make sure you get something that you and she can be proud of. Sometimes less is more but that is personal preference.

Here is what you can get a James Allen for about $10k. Normally I would not recommend going this low in color but we are trying to push size here...
https://www.jamesallen.com/loose-diamonds/princess-cut/2.01-carat-k-color-si1-clarity-sku-3013121

setting choices
https://www.jamesallen.com/engageme...ite-gold-pave-trio-engagement-ring-item-10619
https://www.jamesallen.com/engageme...ve-engagement-ring-by-martin-flyer-item-54963
https://www.jamesallen.com/engageme...et-engagement-ring-princess-center-item-31883
https://www.jamesallen.com/engageme...lo-engagement-ring-by-martin-flyer-item-54997
https://www.jamesallen.com/engageme...lo-engagement-ring-by-martin-flyer-item-54965

Here is a 1.8 J at Id Jewelry...that looks decent. Id Jewelry has access to all kinds of settings you could
get. (pull up the picture of the actual image)
http://idjewelry.com/catalog/product/view/_ignore_category/1/id/2385851/s/princess-bd18921/
 
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North said:
No I have not purchased the ring. I was looking at it as I can get the ring as a complete set for under 10k.

I completely understand what everyone is saying. I will see if I might be able to get some more pictures showing the stone off more. I was looking at it as a whole. It just the diamond but I would rather get something that would shine and flash more for her if this one will not due...
Click to expand...

I am sorry but I feel like you are not getting it. Many of us gave you wonderful recommendations for a princess cut. Stones that not only will perform better, but that will also retain value on the secondary market. I feel like you are looking at the made up junk appraisal and think that you are getting a "good deal". That ring is not 32k!!! Not even close! Also, the EGL report (from 2003!!) is completely different from the appraisal doc. I am not sure if that is an attempt to "correct" the report, but it is a huge red flag to me. Even the carat weight is not the same for the center stone. RUN AWAY!!!!!!

P.S. This is obviously a personal opinion, but theat setting is hideous. There is so much better on the market. Maybe it won't be 2ct, but you can get so much better. You are lucky to have found PS and be able to receive helpful advice. Don't throw that away please..
 
Absolutely I am looking for advice! I guess I was looking at the whole ring for under what just a diamond would cost. That is why I posted it to get professional opinions. I guess I thought this diamond might be a good diamond. I really don't care for the setting but the diamond I thought might be good
 
Back to basics...are you the wearer or is it a GF? If not you, did they specifically say they want a princess cut only? Princess cuts are very individual a lot of people prefer other shapes.
 
we have all been there. I have bought my fair share of preloved rings and reset stones and reused settings. it would be nice to get a preset stone and setting and save money. In this case I would RUN. I would NOT buy that ring or that stone.

When a jeweler sets side stones they generally match the clarity and color of the center stone. Sometimes they put tiny VS diamonds with a crappy center stone. BUT they almost never but a quality center stone with i1-i3 side stones. When you have a nice 2 carat princess stone, that jeweler is going to match the side stones to the quality of the center. A ring that has a VVS1 stone is NOT going to have i1 - i3 side stones.- or should I say I have never seen a jeweler recommend putting a great big quality diamond with included side stones.
the side stones on that ring are appraised as included ( I ) the center stone from what the pictures show - looks like it is not eyeclean ( so visibly included also )

the original Jeweler didnt bother to send it to GIA or AGS becuase they most likely KNEW it would not grade well. Jewelers know other labs have different grading scales. They sent it to EGL so it would be on a much looser grading scale in the hopes that people would not know the difference and they could charge more than a GIA grade would bring.
At this point if it was me ---- First thing is to make certain that the person you are buying a stone for ONLY WANTS a princess cut. if they said they would take a princess cut becuase those were the easy to find cheap stones that were preset, ask again what shape they really want - for 8-10 K you dont want to get it wrong - IF you are certain that is the ONLY cut you will consider, look at the links that have been provided here. go to a jewelry store , and ask to look at LOOSE STONES . when you are buying anything over .5 of a carat you should see it loose before you set it. Seeing a stone loose and comparing them to other quality stones will allow you to see what you really want. Put a 2 CT princess RIGHT next to a 2 ct Round and see if you still want the princess cut. Making sure the center stone is what you want will save you a lot of money in the future.

Get a quality stone that you know is what you like and THEN choose the setting. Settings are very easy to change out once you have your stone . many people get the stone in a solitaire setting ( usually free or very cheap when you buy the stone ) and then your other person can pick what they LIKE or change it later. Remember ring styles change over the years. Having a big good quality stone will easily allow your person to change a setting if needed without having to spend major $$$ in the future to upgrade the center stone.
 
I will write more later but yes she did only mention princess cut. I personally like round but after looking at a lot of rings I also like the cushion shape. I do not think she has looked at many rings before however has at a recent bachorlette party send some picture of her trying on some friends rings. 3 of the 4 were princess and the other was a cushion with a halo. She did state and is more old fashion in that she stated she wanted nothing to do with the picking out of the ring. She is the type that would want to be surprised with a ring and I am sure would be happy with it... I fell in love with tacoris crescent design years and years ago and the picture I saw was round and I didn't care about it being a tacori other then I liked the round look. I will forget about that particular ring I was looking at it in the sense of saving some money on a complete ring but if I am going to spend 9/10K I would rather get myself something that sparkles and shines... Reading through the many comments it was all based on a diamond I guess when I saw this ring I was looking at the whole ring and band for under 10K but I do completely understand what you all are stating... Would going through a custom designer be a better option or me actually going out and purchasing a center stone myself and then having a custom jeweler make a setting.
 
North said:
I will write more later but yes she did only mention princess cut. I personally like round but after looking at a lot of rings I also like the cushion shape. I do not think she has looked at many rings before however has at a recent bachorlette party send some picture of her trying on some friends rings. 3 of the 4 were princess and the other was a cushion with a halo. She did state and is more old fashion in that she stated she wanted nothing to do with the picking out of the ring. She is the type that would want to be surprised with a ring and I am sure would be happy with it... I fell in love with tacoris crescent design years and years ago and the picture I saw was round and I didn't care about it being a tacori other then I liked the round look. I will forget about that particular ring I was looking at it in the sense of saving some money on a complete ring but if I am going to spend 9/10K I would rather get myself something that sparkles and shines... Reading through the many comments it was all based on a diamond I guess when I saw this ring I was looking at the whole ring and band for under 10K but I do completely understand what you all are stating... Would going through a custom designer be a better option or me actually going out and purchasing a center stone myself and then having a custom jeweler make a setting.
Click to expand...

i think you should probably back up some. Can you post the pics that she sent you? are you dead set on a custom setting? because depending on the settings she likes, it may be possible to find a (very nice) stock setting that she likes with a PS recommended vendor. And as far as a custom setting, it really depends on the setting you decide to go with and budget as far as recommending someone. NO one here would recommend just going to a jeweler and requesting a custom setting. we've seen too many train wrecks and unhappy endings with custom. i myself have a custom setting but the local jeweler has reputation locally for beautiful custom work and has pictures, etc to back up their work.

SO, first things first. Let's suss out what type of setting we are going for first, shall we? It would be even better if you had a friend or sister send you some pics from her pinterest page of rings. Many if not most women have a pinterest with pics of jewelry and MANY have secret boards on pinterest with e-rings. I myself have access to my BFF's secret board and will be able to help out her BF when he decides to pop the question. if you cant get to a pinterest board, even a few pics will help to determine what she likes in a ring.
 
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