Whiteflash ACA or Bluenile signature?

[Chris02011]

First time poster.

Id like to propose to my girlfriend on vacation this May and have begun looking for the perfect engagement ring. My budget is between 9 - 10k. I have spent several hours researching on the internet and have a few favorites so far. Im considering the whiteflash ACA round, VS1/VS2, G-I and also the bluenile signature cut with the same specs. Both are close in price and from what ive seen i can get about 1.25 - 1.35 carats with my budget.

You guys are the experts!! Which would you suggest? We are both in our late 20''s and she doesnt wear much jewerly.

I feel like I also need to be talked out of purchasing a 1.50 carat with similar specs from Costco. I have friends that have purchased there and they do have great value. Any experience with their diamonds?

This is a big decision for me, I appreciate anyone who takes the time to help me with my decision. Thanks!!

 

[stone-cold11]

For a H&A stone, which commands a premium, I would go for the ACA as WF shows the hearts image of the stone, BN''s SI does not show them, so can be anyone''s guess if it is a H&A.

 

[Chris02011]

Ive also heard that whiteflash has the upgrade option which is definitely a plus. Im thinking whiteflash over bluenile right now.

Does anyone have any experience with Costco diamonds? They dont specify the cut only say that all are "very good". I could get at least .25 carats more going through them, but really want a stone that will shine and sparkle.

 

[marcy]

Since you want the most shine and sparkle I would go with the WF ACA.

 

[Lorelei]

Date: 1/20/2010 9:04:27 AM
Author: Chris02011
Ive also heard that whiteflash has the upgrade option which is definitely a plus. Im thinking whiteflash over bluenile right now.

Does anyone have any experience with Costco diamonds? They dont specify the cut only say that all are 'very good'. I could get at least .25 carats more going through them, but really want a stone that will shine and sparkle.

They do. Also if you want an undisputed h&a diamond then Whiteflash is the one to choose as they have images to prove the precision cutting responsible for the optical symmetry of a ' true' h&a stone.

Here are some other vendors who also offer h&a stones.

www.highperformancediamonds.com

www.niceice.com

www.goodoldgold.com

www.jamesallen.com ( upgrade policy requires 50% greater value of new purchase to be eligible)

All of these vendors have excellent reputations, it just depends who has what you want when you want it as I always say!

 

[Bella_mezzo]

I''d go with WF b/c of the upgrade policy and the images they have on their stones.

 

[tonyc2387]

lol, just had a funny thought. bluenile itself is almost like the costco of internet diamonds... you can get almost any type of diamond you could ever think of, they''ll get it for you for some of the lowest prices around, and they''ll do a darn good job with it... but you just won''t know *everything* about what you''re getting.

now i''m not saying BN diamonds aren''t great, cause there are tons of very satisfied folks who have collectively bought hundreds of ideal and signature ideal stones from them. but WF calls their ACA an ACA for a reason... and they back it up with great policies. same goes for any of the other vendors lorelei mentioned*. if you want to know you''re getting some of the best diamonds available for your money, go with any of those vendors.

as for costco... meh. buy a ring from said vendors, then take it to costco. when you recover from being blinded, you''ll understand.

*another good one is Brian Gavin Diamonds.

 

[Conflagration]

I have purchased WF ACA diamonds and BN signature diamonds, the BN diamonds do indeed outsparkle the WF stones.

 

[Dreamer_D]

Date: 1/20/2010 11:13:01 AM
Author: Conflagration
I have purchased WF ACA diamonds and BN signature diamonds, the BN diamonds do indeed outsparkle the WF stones.

You have written this a few times. What size are the diamonds from the respective companies?

 

[Dreamer_D]

I would buy from one of the companies Lorelei mentioned, including WF, because I like the upgrade and lifetime buyback policies. I also like superideal cuts and want to know the specs before I buy.

 

[Conflagration]

Date: 1/20/2010 11:21:21 AM
Author: dreamer_dachsie

Date: 1/20/2010 11:13:01 AM
Author: Conflagration
I have purchased WF ACA diamonds and BN signature diamonds, the BN diamonds do indeed outsparkle the WF stones.

You have written this a few times. What size are the diamonds from the respective companies?

Have you ever purchased a BN Signature Ideal diamond?


Don't get me wrong, They are all very nice stones and all sparkle more than any B&M store we've been to. The BN Signature diamonds simply sparkle more.


BN - .89 .58 and .57

WF ACA - .62 and .63

 

[risingsun]

WF ACA or Brian Gavin Diamonds. Brian developed the ACA when he was with WF. Either way, you will have the upgrade policy and top tier diamonds

 

[MichelleCarmen]

White flash for their upgrade policy! Their ACA stones are impeccable. So are their Expert Selection stones.

 

[yssie]

Date: 1/20/2010 11:42:59 AM
Author: Conflagration

Date: 1/20/2010 11:21:21 AM
Author: dreamer_dachsie

Date: 1/20/2010 11:13:01 AM
Author: Conflagration
I have purchased WF ACA diamonds and BN signature diamonds, the BN diamonds do indeed outsparkle the WF stones.

You have written this a few times. What size are the diamonds from the respective companies?

Have you ever purchased a BN Signature Ideal diamond?


Don't get me wrong, They are all very nice stones and all sparkle more than any B&M store we've been to. The BN Signature diamonds simply sparkle more.


BN - .89 .58 and .57

WF ACA - .62 and .63

Sorry, your observation doesn't make sense. It's impossible to say that BN signature ideals are sparklier than ACAs, or better cut than ACAs, or any other such comparison because the ACA line fulfills ALL the requirements of the BN signature line... it's like saying that oranges from store A are tastier than navels from store B... navels are oranges - a specific type with specific characteristics.




BN signature diamonds are simply diamonds in their inventory that have been chosen by BN associates as excellently cut. The requirement is that they have AGS0 or GIA Ex cut grades - you can find steep/deep and overly shallow stones in the inventory.


WF has their ACA line specifically cut to certain parametres, but they are ALL also certed AGS0s. If BN got their hands on a bunch of ACAs they would all be included in the signature ideal line, but I doubt any BN signature ideals would be ACAs!!



Were you unhappy with your WF experience for some reason - perhaps that is affecting your perception? Or perhaps you happened upon three shallow or deep BN signature ideals, and you personally happen to prefer this type of performance..?




Chris, I would go with a vendor who can give you more information on cut quality than Costco. If you're looking for a sparkly stone but H&A is not a requirement you can look at vendors' non-H&A inventory, you might be able to gain a little on size by avoiding that premium. Near- and well-proportioned non-H&As can be fantastic performers, they will just lack perfect optical symmetry

 

[Conflagration]

Date: 1/20/2010 3:52:39 PM
Author: yssie

Date: 1/20/2010 11:42:59 AM
Author: Conflagration

Date: 1/20/2010 11:21:21 AM
Author: dreamer_dachsie

Date: 1/20/2010 11:13:01 AM
Author: Conflagration
I have purchased WF ACA diamonds and BN signature diamonds, the BN diamonds do indeed outsparkle the WF stones.

You have written this a few times. What size are the diamonds from the respective companies?

Have you ever purchased a BN Signature Ideal diamond?


Don''t get me wrong, They are all very nice stones and all sparkle more than any B&M store we''ve been to. The BN Signature diamonds simply sparkle more.


BN - .89 .58 and .57

WF ACA - .62 and .63

Sorry, your observation doesn''t make sense. It''s impossible to say that BN signature ideals are sparklier than ACAs, or better cut than ACAs, or any other such comparison because the ACA line fulfills ALL the requirements of the BN signature line... it''s like saying that oranges from store A are tastier than navels from store B... navels are oranges - a specific type with specific characteristics.




BN signature diamonds are simply diamonds in their inventory that have been chosen by BN associates as excellently cut. The requirement is that they have AGS0 or GIA Ex cut grades - you can find steep/deep and overly shallow stones in the inventory.


WF has their ACA line specifically cut to certain parametres, but they are ALL also certed AGS0s. If BN got their hands on a bunch of ACAs they would all be included in the signature ideal line, but I doubt any BN signature ideals would be ACAs!!



Were you unhappy with your WF experience for some reason - perhaps that is affecting your perception? Or perhaps you happened upon three shallow or deep BN signature ideals, and you personally happen to prefer this type of performance..?




Chris, I would go with a vendor who can give you more information on cut quality than Costco. If you''re looking for a sparkly stone but H&A is not a requirement you can look at vendors'' non-H&A inventory, you might be able to gain a little on size by avoiding that premium. Near- and well-proportioned non-H&As can be fantastic performers, they will just lack perfect optical symmetry

As for sparkle, thanks for telling us what our eyes see, as we didn''t know until your brilliant post. Telling.


I said BN was better cut? Where?

We bought from BN then WF then Blue Nile again, both have wonderful service.

You "doubt" any BN signatures would also be ACA''s? In other words, you don''t know.


How many Blue Nile Signature diamonds do you own??

 

[yssie]

Date: 1/20/2010 4:22:52 PM
Author: Conflagration

Date: 1/20/2010 3:52:39 PM
Author: yssie

Date: 1/20/2010 11:42:59 AM
Author: Conflagration

Date: 1/20/2010 11:21:21 AM
Author: dreamer_dachsie

Date: 1/20/2010 11:13:01 AM
Author: Conflagration
I have purchased WF ACA diamonds and BN signature diamonds, the BN diamonds do indeed outsparkle the WF stones.

You have written this a few times. What size are the diamonds from the respective companies?

Have you ever purchased a BN Signature Ideal diamond?


Don't get me wrong, They are all very nice stones and all sparkle more than any B&M store we've been to. The BN Signature diamonds simply sparkle more.


BN - .89 .58 and .57

WF ACA - .62 and .63

Sorry, your observation doesn't make sense. It's impossible to say that BN signature ideals are sparklier than ACAs, or better cut than ACAs, or any other such comparison because the ACA line fulfills ALL the requirements of the BN signature line... it's like saying that oranges from store A are tastier than navels from store B... navels are oranges - a specific type with specific characteristics.




BN signature diamonds are simply diamonds in their inventory that have been chosen by BN associates as excellently cut. The requirement is that they have AGS0 or GIA Ex cut grades - you can find steep/deep and overly shallow stones in the inventory.


WF has their ACA line specifically cut to certain parametres, but they are ALL also certed AGS0s. If BN got their hands on a bunch of ACAs they would all be included in the signature ideal line, but I doubt any BN signature ideals would be ACAs!!



Were you unhappy with your WF experience for some reason - perhaps that is affecting your perception? Or perhaps you happened upon three shallow or deep BN signature ideals, and you personally happen to prefer this type of performance..?




Chris, I would go with a vendor who can give you more information on cut quality than Costco. If you're looking for a sparkly stone but H&A is not a requirement you can look at vendors' non-H&A inventory, you might be able to gain a little on size by avoiding that premium. Near- and well-proportioned non-H&As can be fantastic performers, they will just lack perfect optical symmetry

As for sparkle, thanks for telling us what our eyes see, as we didn't know until your brilliant post. Telling.


I said BN was better cut? Where? Didn't say you did. Said you'd be wrong if you had said so.
We bought from BN then WF then Blue Nile again, both have wonderful service. I agree, I've enjoyed purchasing from both
You 'doubt' any BN signatures would also be ACA's? In other words, you don't know. Nope, I do know. They would NOT be ACAs. They might be near H&A. My lesson not to waffle.


How many Blue Nile Signature diamonds do you own?? None. Doesn't make the facts I stated any less true.

ETA: Sorry Chris, I think we're done hijacking your thread.

 

[Conflagration]

Date: 1/20/2010 5:03:00 PM
Author: yssie

Date: 1/20/2010 4:22:52 PM
Author: Conflagration

Date: 1/20/2010 3:52:39 PM
Author: yssie

Date: 1/20/2010 11:42:59 AM
Author: Conflagration

Date: 1/20/2010 11:21:21 AM
Author: dreamer_dachsie

Date: 1/20/2010 11:13:01 AM
Author: Conflagration
I have purchased WF ACA diamonds and BN signature diamonds, the BN diamonds do indeed outsparkle the WF stones.

You have written this a few times. What size are the diamonds from the respective companies?

Have you ever purchased a BN Signature Ideal diamond?


Don't get me wrong, They are all very nice stones and all sparkle more than any B&M store we've been to. The BN Signature diamonds simply sparkle more.


BN - .89 .58 and .57

WF ACA - .62 and .63

Sorry, your observation doesn't make sense. It's impossible to say that BN signature ideals are sparklier than ACAs, or better cut than ACAs, or any other such comparison because the ACA line fulfills ALL the requirements of the BN signature line... it's like saying that oranges from store A are tastier than navels from store B... navels are oranges - a specific type with specific characteristics.




BN signature diamonds are simply diamonds in their inventory that have been chosen by BN associates as excellently cut. The requirement is that they have AGS0 or GIA Ex cut grades - you can find steep/deep and overly shallow stones in the inventory.


WF has their ACA line specifically cut to certain parametres, but they are ALL also certed AGS0s. If BN got their hands on a bunch of ACAs they would all be included in the signature ideal line, but I doubt any BN signature ideals would be ACAs!!



Were you unhappy with your WF experience for some reason - perhaps that is affecting your perception? Or perhaps you happened upon three shallow or deep BN signature ideals, and you personally happen to prefer this type of performance..?




Chris, I would go with a vendor who can give you more information on cut quality than Costco. If you're looking for a sparkly stone but H&A is not a requirement you can look at vendors' non-H&A inventory, you might be able to gain a little on size by avoiding that premium. Near- and well-proportioned non-H&As can be fantastic performers, they will just lack perfect optical symmetry

As for sparkle, thanks for telling us what our eyes see, as we didn't know until your brilliant post. Telling.


I said BN was better cut? Where? Didn't say you did. Said you'd be wrong if you had said so.
We bought from BN then WF then Blue Nile again, both have wonderful service. I agree, I've enjoyed purchasing from both
You 'doubt' any BN signatures would also be ACA's? In other words, you don't know. Nope, I do know. They would NOT be ACAs. They might be near H&A. My lesson not to waffle.


How many Blue Nile Signature diamonds do you own?? None. Doesn't make the facts I stated any less true.

ETA: Sorry Chris, I think we're done hijacking your thread.

You own how many? None? Ok, again, quite telling. When people say things without first-hand knowledge....well nevermind, you know the rest.

You know they would not be H&A's, based on? Who says H&A signifies "the best sparkle"?

I'm not here to argue with you. Fact is, our BN Signature diamonds do out sparkle the WF ACA's.

 

[MichelleCarmen]

Date: 1/20/2010 5:12:49 PM
Author: Conflagration


You know they would not be H&A''s, based on? You own how many? None? Your post is a joke.

Is this really necessary? Nonsense like this only results in scaring away people who are looking for help!

 

[Conflagration]

Date: 1/20/2010 5:18:45 PM
Author: MC

Date: 1/20/2010 5:12:49 PM
Author: Conflagration


You know they would not be H&A's, based on? You own how many? None? Your post is a joke.

Is this really necessary? Nonsense like this only results in scaring away people who are looking for help!

You are correct, edited, and noted.

I don't want my opinion attacked when this poster does not even own a diamond from said Vendor. My statements are valid as we own more than one from both Vendors.

To the OP, you will have zero regret buying from either BN or WF

 

[whitby_2773]

Date: 1/20/2010 3:52:39 PM
Author: yssie

BN signature diamonds are simply diamonds in their inventory that have been chosen by BN associates as excellently cut. The requirement is that they have AGS0 or GIA Ex cut grades - you can find steep/deep and overly shallow stones in the inventory.

hi yssie

just an FYI - BN Signature Cut stones are cut specifically for them in the diamond cutting district in NY. they are not ''cold dropped'' ie sight unseen.

i have bought over 30 BN diamonds and currently own about 30 BN Signature Cut stones. i love em. they''re clean, very sparkly and beautiful. i also love my Brian Gavin diamond studs, the Good Old Gold H&A stone i chose for my best friend''s engagement ring, and various diamond bits and pieces i''ve had from James Allen. i thought their quality, specs and sparkle were all very similar. but speaking specifically, i loved;

the ease and price of BN
the service and security of Brian Gavin Diamonds
the upgrade policy of Good Old Gold
the flexibility of James Allen

these people were all top shelf, A Grade, and wonderful to deal with. so to the OP i''d say work out what you want most - what you most need in your diamond buying experience - and go with the company you think is most likely to provide it; you can get gorgeous diamonds from any of them.

 

[yssie]

Date: 1/20/2010 6:39:47 PM
Author: whitby_2773

Date: 1/20/2010 3:52:39 PM
Author: yssie

BN signature diamonds are simply diamonds in their inventory that have been chosen by BN associates as excellently cut. The requirement is that they have AGS0 or GIA Ex cut grades - you can find steep/deep and overly shallow stones in the inventory.

hi yssie

just an FYI - BN Signature Cut stones are cut specifically for them in the diamond cutting district in NY. they are not ''cold dropped'' ie sight unseen.

i have bought over 30 BN diamonds and currently own about 30 BN Signature Cut stones. i love em. they''re clean, very sparkly and beautiful. i also love my Brian Gavin diamond studs, the Good Old Gold H&A stone i chose for my best friend''s engagement ring, and various diamond bits and pieces i''ve had from James Allen. i thought their quality, specs and sparkle were all very similar. but speaking specifically, i loved;

the ease and price of BN
the service and security of Brian Gavin Diamonds
the upgrade policy of Good Old Gold
the flexibility of James Allen

these people were all top shelf, A Grade, and wonderful to deal with. so to the OP i''d say work out what you want most - what you most need in your diamond buying experience - and go with the company you think is most likely to provide it; you can get gorgeous diamonds from any of them.

Good to know!

 

[midnightsunmatt]

Date: 1/20/2010 11:13:01 AM
Author: Conflagration
I have purchased WF ACA diamonds and BN signature diamonds, the BN diamonds do indeed outsparkle the WF stones.

As a novice who has done a lot of reading, I find this statement to be unsupported by facts:

1. One while criteria for inclusion into Whiteflash ACA or Blue Nile Sig Ideal differ, there is cross over between the two. By the numbers, most or all Whiteflash ACA''s would be certified Blue Nile Sig. Therefore, to claim that Blue Nile Sigs generally outsparkle ACA''s is impossible because they contain many of the same diamond specs.

2. Blue Nile Sig line clearly includes some diamonds that would be rejected as Whiteflash ACA. While their rejection does not inherently make them less ''sparkly'', the numbers and symmetry would suggest some of them would be, in theory.

While it may certainly be true that YOUR Blue Nile Sig Ideal outsparkles other Whiteflash ACA''s you have seen (perhaps your diamond is especially well cut), it is foolish to project this reality/opinion on the line as a whole.

I began my search for a diamond by checking out Blue Nile. At first, I thought I would buy a BN Sig Ideal. But Whiteflash offers so much more hard data to look at when making a choice. The availability of this data, in my mind at least, makes Whiteflash ACA a much safer choice for someone who doesn''t make a living looking at diamonds on a daily basis...

Couple this with the fact that Blue Nile Sig Ideal are just as expensive as Whiteflash ACA (capitalizing on the popularity of the website and Blue Nile name recognition), so there is really no drawback in buying from Whiteflash. You gain far more hard data when buying, an upgrade policy, and tighter overall standards for the line making it harder for you (the person who does not randomly look at dozens of diamonds on a daily basis) to make a mistake, at the same price as Blue Nile.

In my rookie opinion (after having reading for countless hours), the choice is not even between Blue Nile Sig Ideal and Whiteflash ACA. The real choice is really between Whiteflash ACA and Good Old Gold or Brian Gavin H&A or (possibly) James Allen or Eternity Diamonds depending on the details and the advice of some diamond gurus who really know their *hit and can look at the multitude of data that these vendors provide about their diamonds and help you decide between a couple amazing choices.

 

[Brown.Eyed.Girl]

Personally, I would say my top tier of vendors to choose from would be: Whiteflash, Brian Gavin, Infinity (through Wink Jones), and GOG''s H&A.

 

[Dreamer_D]

Date: 1/20/2010 11:42:59 AM
Author: Conflagration

Date: 1/20/2010 11:21:21 AM
Author: dreamer_dachsie

Date: 1/20/2010 11:13:01 AM
Author: Conflagration
I have purchased WF ACA diamonds and BN signature diamonds, the BN diamonds do indeed outsparkle the WF stones.

You have written this a few times. What size are the diamonds from the respective companies?

Have you ever purchased a BN Signature Ideal diamond?


Don''t get me wrong, They are all very nice stones and all sparkle more than any B&M store we''ve been to. The BN Signature diamonds simply sparkle more.


BN - .89 .58 and .57

WF ACA - .62 and .63

Please do not get defensive about my question. Whether or not I own a BN signature ideal is immaterial because branding doesn''t matter one iota when assessing cut quality.

I was curious to know what size they were because the size of diamonds affects the optics that they produce. Larger diamonds have more vitual facets and so can appear more sparkly in some light than smaller ones. This was my experience when I upgraded size. So I was wondering if your BN was larger than you WF, and sure enough the .90 is larger at least. I would anticipate that this diamond would produce different optics than the smaller WF diamonds and the smaller BN diamonds as well.

 

[Conflagration]

sigh ....... and I'm tired ..... seems the last two posters did not bother reading the thread or if you did, you didnt not understand what I'm saying and I'm sure that is my doing for not being concise enough.

Matt... since you said there is overlap in cut from WF to BN, then why not understand that it is possible for my BN to outsparkle the WF? So in other words, are you telling me that BN has NEVER sold, not even once, a diamond with the sparkle of a WF ACA?? Please don't be sucked into the blinders-on vacuum.


I love people saying my "opinion" is wrong...


Thanks for all the posts everyone, and thanks for the posts in my "Diamonds aren't forever?" thread.....some great stories I loved reading. I will still be reading here but will likely refrain from posting any longer as am not used to being attacked for my opinion. I have too much happiness in my life to be brought down by a few folks here.

Take care and give care


Conflagration

 

[yssie]

Ah, no, Conflagration, don't leave us.




A little healthy discussion all round is a good thing! If you hadn't posted, and I hadn't disagreed and voiced it, I wouldn't have learnt that BN cuts their own line... your opinions are very welcome, even if we don't all agree

 

[Dreamer_D]

Date: 1/22/2010 6:26:09 PM
Author: yssie
Ah, no, Conflagration, don''t leave us.




A little healthy discussion all round is a good thing! If you hadn''t posted, and I hadn''t disagreed and voiced it, I wouldn''t have learnt that BN cuts their own line... your opinions are very welcome, even if we don''t all agree

Yes, PS is all about debate. But it is not for the thin skinned since there will always be people who disagree with something you write. It isn''t attack. But if it makes you unahppy, then for sure, limit your participation.

 

[SpareMyWallet]

Why not go with the guy who created the ACA? Brian Gavin Diamonds vote from me. I trust the eye of a 5th generation diamond cutter more than anyone else.

 

[mtjoya]

ACA from WF or Brian Gavin Diamonds! Good luck! Please post pics ASAP when you get it!