11 replies to this topic

[camaro749]

Hello,
Trying to decide between two Princess cut diamonds. They are very similar. Let me know which one is better, since they are about the same price.

Thanks in advance!

#1


#2

[davidelevi]

Not enough information... you know next to nothing about how they are cut, and we know less, possibly. What does the seller say? What led you/them to these two in particular? Do they have a preference? How do they justify that to you? (other than "I'm making more money on this one") Do you have reason to trust/mistrust their judgement?

[camaro749]

They are from BN and James Allen. The links are below:

[url]http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/I-VS1-Ideal-Cut-Princess-Diamond-1381108.asp[/url]

[url]http://www.bluenile.com/diamond-search?track=head#diamonds_pid=LD01996054[/url]

[LaurieH]

Personally, I'd take the 1.31 out of the running--even though I like the numbers a little better--because of that girdle. On a Princess Cut, you have to be a little more aware of the girdle, because the way it is generally set, it leaves the sides vulnerable, and the corners are vulnerable to chipping when being set, b/c of the pressure. I prefer to see a medium-slightly thick girdle, perhaps, but this one with measurements from very thin to extremely thick is just all over the place. Tack that with the girdle being the widest place on the diamond and where you could conceivably tie up extra weight with no benefit to appearance, if it's more too thick than too thin, you're paying more for "less" diamond. And where it's too thin....well...a sharp knock just the right (or wrong!) way, and you could cause damage to your stone. I err on the side of caution with these things so... that's where I'm at.

[davidelevi]

camaro749, on 01 June 2011 - 01:41 PM, said:

They are from BN and James Allen. The links are below:

http://www.jamesalle...ond-1381108.asp

http://www.bluenile...._pid=LD01996054

The issue is that you have no more information coming from there (except for one photo from JA, made to show inclusions, which is frankly useless in a VS1) than you have coming from the report. We are still back to "not enough information".

And while I agree with Laurie that a very thin (and/or variable) girdle is questionable, the issue is that GIA reports the thinnest and thickest section. All you need is one very thin point in the middle of a side and one extremely thick spot near a corner in an otherwise regular girdle, and voila... "bad stone". Except it isn't, but it needs to be seen to be evaluated.

Do you have enough credit limit on a card (or two) to call in both, see them together, have them inspected by an appraiser, astrologer or another person that you trust, pick one and return the other?

[jan]

camaro749, on 01 June 2011 - 01:00 PM, said:

Hello,
Trying to decide between two Princess cut diamonds. They are very similar. Let me know which one is better, since they are about the same price.

Thanks in advance!

#1
Picture1.jpg

#2
Picture2.jpg

Wish I could be more helpful, but only using a depth and table won't tell you much as far as what a stone will look like or the light performance on it. However on stone 1 I did notice a large girdle variance.

[jan]

I did find this one that is a similar price but has an actual photo of the diamond. It looks like a very bright stone. It's a GIA 1.27 ct. VVS2 I princess.

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[camaro749]

jan, on 02 June 2011 - 07:46 AM, said:

I did find this one that is a similar price but has an actual photo of the diamond. It looks like a very bright stone. It's a GIA 1.27 ct. VVS2 I princess.

Where did you find that diamond? I might be interested in that one.

Also, I have no idea what I am looking for. I been looking at diamonds for 2 months now and I honestly can tell little difference between them. I just want a good one, but it seems impossible to tell from the internet on princess grade. A jeweler wanted to sell me this one for 6k and I don't know if that is a good deal either.


I just want a good diamond, and the more I look the more it seems frustrating. I do not like trusting the person selling me the diamond, thats why I am on this forum.

I also have been looking at these in addition to the BN one and the previously posted JA one.

[url="http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/I-SI2-Premium-Cut-Princess-Diamond-1376072.asp"][url]http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/I-SI2-Premium-Cut-Princess-Diamond-1376072.asp[/url][/url]

[url="http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/I-VS2-Premium-Cut-Princess-Diamond-1377300.asp"][url]http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/I-VS2-Premium-Cut-Princess-Diamond-1377300.asp[/url][/url]

[url="http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/I-VS1-Premium-Cut-Princess-Diamond-1360164.asp"][url]http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/I-VS1-Premium-Cut-Princess-Diamond-1360164.asp[/url][/url]

[camaro749]

davidelevi, on 01 June 2011 - 09:00 PM, said:

camaro749, on 01 June 2011 - 01:41 PM, said:

They are from BN and James Allen. The links are below:

[url="http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/I-VS1-Ideal-Cut-Princess-Diamond-1381108.asp"][url]http://www.jamesalle...ond-1381108.asp[/url][/url]

[url="http://www.bluenile.com/diamond-search?track=head#diamonds_pid=LD01996054"][url]http://www.bluenile...._pid=LD01996054[/url][/url]

The issue is that you have no more information coming from there (except for one photo from JA, made to show inclusions, which is frankly useless in a VS1) than you have coming from the report. We are still back to "not enough information".

And while I agree with Laurie that a very thin (and/or variable) girdle is questionable, the issue is that GIA reports the thinnest and thickest section. All you need is one very thin point in the middle of a side and one extremely thick spot near a corner in an otherwise regular girdle, and voila... "bad stone". Except it isn't, but it needs to be seen to be evaluated.

Do you have enough credit limit on a card (or two) to call in both, see them together, have them inspected by an appraiser, astrologer or another person that you trust, pick one and return the other?

Yes, I could order both and see them in person. But I wouldn't even know where to bring them, I know nobody in the business. And the jeweler my brother took me to "his guy" told me you can determine a cut grade by the following specs:

Depth 68%-74% Table 68%-75% Polish and Symmetry at least Very good Square the better

And from what I read there is more to it than this, so can I really trust him?

[davidelevi]

Hm. Probably not - certainly not as far as evaluating a princess cut...

Search for an independent appraiser; read this thread for a few good addresses to start searching from http://www.diamondre...the-tampa-area/

I think the main thing is for you to decide what you like, or to find a competent dealer that you can trust with the first step of sifting from the hundreds of stones that probably fit your rough criteria around size, colour, clarity and budget.

The stone Jan posted above is available on her website: www.dbof.com

The one you posted above (the 6k one) I would have questions about: is it eye-clean? What is the cut like? Unfortunately, short of buying an AGS-graded stone you (and all of us) are rather in the dark as far as cut quality on princesses. The information just is not printed on the report.

[camaro749]

davidelevi, on 02 June 2011 - 10:21 AM, said:

Hm. Probably not - certainly not as far as evaluating a princess cut...

Search for an independent appraiser; read this thread for a few good addresses to start searching from [url="http://www.diamondreview.com/forum/topic/7267-reputable-appraisers-in-the-tampa-area/"][url]http://www.diamondre...the-tampa-area/[/url][/url]

I think the main thing is for you to decide what you like, or to find a competent dealer that you can trust with the first step of sifting from the hundreds of stones that probably fit your rough criteria around size, colour, clarity and budget.

The stone Jan posted above is available on her website: www.dbof.com

The one you posted above (the 6k one) I would have questions about: is it eye-clean? What is the cut like? Unfortunately, short of buying an AGS-graded stone you (and all of us) are rather in the dark as far as cut quality on princesses. The information just is not printed on the report.

I will take a look at the appraisers. But I do have another question. What is a good place to buy a AGS Princess? I almost never see them anywhere I have looked! I must be looking at the wrong places

[davidelevi]

Jared's/Helzberg have collections with AGS-graded stones. Quite a few smaller stores will also stock them; a number of jewellers are members of the AGS, and should be able to find them.

Also - while an AGS report will tell you more about the cut (and generally cutters will send to AGS stones that will come out well on the cut grade), it's not the only way. A good competent dealer will help you find a good stone even if it has a GIA report.

We of course would be happy to help. Others that have a good reputation for sourcing well cut stones (AGS or not): Brian Gavin (www.briangavindiamonds.com), Wink Jones (www.highperformancediamonds.com), Good Old Gold (www.goodoldgold.com) Jan & Brad (www.dbof.com) and a host of others.