Which diamond should I get?

[edman688]

Hello. I was wondering if you guys could kindly provide me some of your expert advice! I''m looking at 3 princess cut diamonds from 3 different online stores: Blue Nile, Union Diamond, and Mondera. If you could answer the following questions, I would very much appreciate it. Thanks!

A) I have picked the highest cut grade for each of the following diamonds from each of the listed stores. Do you know which of the 3 (Blue Nile, Union, Mondera) has the best "ideal" cut?

B) I know Blue Nile has a strong reputation, but I am unsure about Union and Mondera. Are Union and Mondera stores all trustworthy vendors?

C) Which diamond would you get (disregarding the price) and why? Please rank from 1 to 3.

D) And finally, which diamond is the best deal (including price)? Please rank from 1 to 3.


Diamond #1
http://www.bluenile.com/princess-cut-diamond-1-carat-signature-ideal-cut-g-color-si1-clarity_LD01432347

Price: $4529
Shape: Princess
Carat weight: 1.02
Cut: Blue Nile Signature Ideal
Color: G
Clarity: SI1
Certificate: GIA, GCAL
Depth: 71.5%
Table: 70.0%
Polish: Excellent
Symmetry: Excellent
Girdle: Slightly Thick to Thick
Culet: None
Fluorescence: Faint
Measurements: 5.49 x 5.48 x 3.92 mm


Diamond #2
http://www.uniondiamond.com/diamonds/diamonds.php?search_type_id=2&action_type_id=2&item_id=AB390268&&1.02ct-F-VS2-Princess-Cut-Diamond

Price: $4447
Shape: Princess
Carat weight: 1.02
Cut: Select Ideal
Color: F
Clarity: VS2
Certificate: GIA
Depth: 74.1%
Table: 72.0%
Polish: Excellent
Symmetry: Excellent
Girdle: Thick
Culet: None
Fluorescence: None
Measurements: 5.57 x 5.45 x 4.04 mm


Diamond #3
http://www.mondera.com/Diamond/product.aspx?dpartno=669299&partno=&wpartno=&diamtype=A&Back=

Price: $4311
Shape: Princess
Carat weight: 1.02
Cut: Ideal
Color: F
Clarity: VS2
Certificate: GIA
Depth: 74.1%
Table: 72.0%
Polish: Excellent
Symmetry: Excellent
Girdle: Thick
Culet: None
Fluorescence: None
Measurements: 5.57 x 5.45 x 4.04mm

 

[jet2ks]

Date: 9/3/2009 3:21:23 PM
Author:edman688
Hello. I was wondering if you guys could kindly provide me some of your expert advice! I'm looking at 3 princess cut diamonds from 3 different online stores: Blue Nile, Union Diamond, and Mondera. If you could answer the following questions, I would very much appreciate it. Thanks!

A) I have picked the highest cut grade for each of the following diamonds from each of the listed stores. Do you know which of the 3 (Blue Nile, Union, Mondera) has the best 'ideal' cut? The cut grades listed are given by the vendor, and they can call a diamond anything they want, no matter how well or poorly cut. The only major lab that issues a cut grade for princess is AGS.

B) I know Blue Nile has a strong reputation, but I am unsure about Union and Mondera. Are Union and Mondera stores all trustworthy vendors? Union Diamond also has a good reputation. Barbara from there posts on PS occasionally. I am not that familiar with Mondera

C) Which diamond would you get (disregarding the price) and why? Please rank from 1 to 3. Fancy shapes just cannot be judged from numbers alone. You can use numbers to eliminate some stones with obvious deficiencies, but not to choose. For selection, you will want high quality photos and ASET images. An Idealscope image can also tell quite a bit about a stone, but ASET is preferable for fancy shapes. Blue Nile does not provide any images, Union Diamond can provide some, I believe, you'd have to contact them. Don't know about Mondera. It looks like from the numbers provided that #2 & #3 are the same diamond from virtual listings

D) And finally, which diamond is the best deal (including price)? Please rank from 1 to 3.

EDT: Barbara, if you see this, could you please just clarify what services (photos and performance images) UD can provide?

 

[tallchickbarbara]

Thanks Jet, and Hi Edman...

If in house or if it can be pulled in, we can surely take digital images for you of this diamond. We do have an IS here but unfortunately only have an AGS handheld ASET on premises for folks coming in to our Atlanta showroom, which, doesn''t work terribly well when we''ve tried to take a digital images through it (I''ve tried... believe me, I''ve tried!!).

But, we can provide several different views and will even create a short video for you if you''d like.

Also, the price that you have listed above is actually straight from our website, however you are entitled to our PS discount since we are a PS vendor.

I hope this is helpful!

 

[edman688]

Hi Barbara, the stock # for the above mentioned diamond is AB390268. I would love to receive video, pictures, and ASET for this diamond.

Also, if I could get video,pics, and ASET for stock #s AB379303, AB375770, and AB374669, I''d appreciate that.

Thanks!

 

[tallchickbarbara]

Hi Edman,

I won''t be able to post them here (though you will) so please email me at the address on my signature and we''ll do what we can. Thanks!

 

[jet2ks]

Thanks, Barbara.

Edman, just so you are aware, PS policies prohibit vendors from soliciting business or posting diamonds. Barbara was able to post about services because the question was directed specifically to her and Union Diamond. I just didn't want you to think she was trying to make things difficult for you, simply a matter of following forum policies.

As she mentioned, once you contact the company directly and they send you photos and images, you, as the consumer, are more than welcome to post those images and specs. We will be glad to help you analyze them to find a great diamond.

 

[edman688]

Understood. Thanks for the help Jet.