I hugely value cut and I have been looking at Blue Nile and their signature cut. Obviously, I am paying more for the signature brand. So, I used the more stringent table(60.1 to 61.9) and depth%(55 to 57) values for the signature to filter out some ideals on Blue Nile and James Allen. Am on the right track to get the shiniest diamond?

A: Not necessarily. GIA’s cut grade innovations proved that you can’t look at diamond measurements in a vacuum. It’s the combinations of measurements that matter. Send me the links to the stones you’re considering and I”ll be happy to take a look!

Q: Thanks for the quick response. I have beeen spending a lot of time on your website and am learning a lot from the Q & A’s of others and your responses. I am almost certainly going to order the ring from James Allen and want your advice before I do so. I will start short listing stones real soon. The one thing I couldn’t find something on was the Hearts and Arrows cut on James Allen. Is it worth going for the Hearts and Arrows cut vs the ideal cut? I obviously want to get the best cut possible. I hope the H & A doesn’t increase costs by by a 1000!

Also, I placed an order for the ring yest. evening. It’s tacori style 2616rd65 in white gold http://www.tacori.com/Engagement-Rings/2616RD65. She’s a fan of Tacori and I like this ring because of the crescents and intricate work. The diamonds on it as I’m sure you already know are G and VS. So, my solitaire has to be min. G correct? Do you have any comments on the kind of solitaire I should be looking for? I want to go over carat and below 1.15. the max the ring can hold i’ve been told is 1.2. My budget is 8000 Canadian dollars. I obviously don’t want to max out my budget -unless there is something really worth it.

I will propose on March the 19th (date obviously is imp. ) and the Tacori ring will be here by the first week of March for sure. I plan to order the diamand by then so that I have enough time to set and possibly return it and get another one.

Sorry for the ramble.

A: I think you could actually go down to an H center stone and still have a beautiful white looking ring. The question of H&A is a tricky one. There is a small visual benefit, that’s true, but it’s not exactly mind-blowingly noticeable. It’s subtle. And that subtle difference costs a lot of money, so it’s a call you’ll have to make on your own.

Q: It’s been a while. I’ve just been waiting for the Tacori ring and it is going to be in this week. So, I want to get on the diamond right away since the day is very close.

1) Since you said that the H&A cut costs a lot of money, can you by looking at the technical specs on the James Allen site be able to tell which less expensive Excellent cut would just about make the H&A or is close enough? I don’t want to purchase from Blue Nile simply because of the inability to see the diamond (as you said).

2) You said that I could go also go for a H colour diamond and be fine for the ring I’ve chosen. I’m wondering what effect the colour/cut would have on a diamond. For example, would a diamond with Excellent cut and colour G or perhaps E have the same effect as colour H and H & A keeping everything else constant? Or am I way out to lunch?

3) Based on you response, do you have any recommendations for:

Carat: 1.0 to 1.2 (the bigger the better)
Clarity: Eye Clean
Colour: G or H depends on your answer
Cut: depends on your answer
Budget: Canadian Dollars 8500 max.- I don’t want to max it out for sure . Unless there is something great that you recommend.

I think my ideal case would be SI 1 (eye clean), H&A, G colour in the 7K or less range. But maybe I want my cake and eat it too. Pls. be brutally honest with me if my thought process is nuts!

4) I saw a few H&A SI 1 diamonds on James Allen and they had a black spot in the middle. Surely that would be visible to the naked eye right?

http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/G-SI1-Ideal-Cut-Round-Diamond-1336412.asp

http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/E-SI1-Ideal-Cut-Round-Diamond-1255560.asp

Thanks a lot!

A: nice to hear back from you. The two H&A stones you linked to definitely have great cuts, but their strong black inclusions worry me. I think they will indeed by visible to the naked eye.

Since your ring will be so white with such high color diamonds, I think pushing to a G color might actually be a good idea in this case. Lets see what I can come up with!
http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/F-SI2-Ideal-Cut-Round-Diamond-1334506.asp

I think this stone has it all for you. Let me know what you think!

Q: Thanks for the quick response. That’s a beautiful stone. I would prefer to bring the size down a to 1.15/6 max. I’m concerned the setting may be affected since the jewweller told me that 1.2 is the absolute max.

What about my question, “Can you by looking at the technical specs on the James Allen site be able to tell which less expensive Excellent cut would just about make the H&A or is close enough?” Are the specs for the diamond you gave me for close in terms of H&A and excellent cut?

I saw a few neat ones below. They are all H&A. Would I be overpaying for any of these?

http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/D-SI1-Ideal-Cut-Round-Diamond-1236916.asp

http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/D-SI1-Ideal-Cut-Round-Diamond-1195055.asp

http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/G-SI1-Ideal-Cut-Round-Diamond-1354956.asp

Do you have any ‘steals’ in the H&A category Ira? Because I’m sure only you’d find it.

Thanks again.

A: That’s a smart move, because the 1.20ct stone I recommended was particularly large for its weight – it faces up more like a 1.30ct stone.

Sorry I didn’t answer the other question. Unfortunately, I can’t tell for sure re: finding a non H&A that’s close to H&A. I can estimate, but there’s no way to know for sure without seeing the stone up close.

The H&As you linked to look great! This one seems the best to me:
http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/D-SI1-Ideal-Cut-Round-Diamond-1236916.asp

Unfortunately, there aren’t any steals in the H&A category!

Q: Thanks for the reply Ira. I am hoping that you can look at these next few that are in my $8000 range.

http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/G-VS2-Ideal-Cut-Round-Diamond-1354955.asp (not worht the price for a VS2 over the SI 1 that you preferred in the previous e-mail)

http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/G-VS2-Ideal-Cut-Round-Diamond-1344947.asp

http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/G-VS2-Ideal-Cut-Round-Diamond-1317136.asp

Which one is your pick?

Apart from price, which one do you recommend for the style of ring between your pick from above and the your pick for the 7000 range (http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/D-SI1-Ideal-Cut-Round-Diamond-1236916.asp). Would D colour have a big impact as opposed to G?

I honestly am hoping to get something in the 1.05/06/07 range that’s 7000K range. But I don’t see any. Do you?

A: Honestly, you can choose between those three stones by flipping a 3-sided coin. I can pretty much guarantee you that if they were in front of you right now, you would not in any way be able to distinguish them one from the other.

The D SI1 is a much better buy than these. You can definitely see the difference if a D is next to a G. The only thing you gain in the other direction is higher clarity, and that adds nothing to the visual appeal of the stone.

Q: 1) Thanks for the response. I am extremely close to deciding here. I saw the AGS certificate for my shortlisted diamonds and it doesn’t show the inclusions clearly at all. The GIA certs are very clear but the AGS isn’t. Is there a risk with the AGS certification particularly with regards to diamond integrity?? Are the certs much better when viewed in person??

2) Also, my short list has come down to 3 choices and I am hoping that you give me some advice to help me decide. The short list and my comments with respect to each other are as under:

2a) http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/D-SI1-Ideal-Cut-Round-Diamond-1236916.asp
Pros: Colour D. Cons: Size is 1.01 want a 1.05/6/7 ideally.

2b) http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/G-SI1-Ideal-Cut-Round-Diamond-1354956.asp
Pros: Carat is 1.07 Cons: G colour and this huge feather on the left. Would that be visible or affect the integrity of diamond?

2c) http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/G-VS2-Ideal-Cut-Round-Diamond-1344947.asp
Pros: Carat 1.06 Cons: G colour, price is $1000 more.

Ignoring the price, I guess I want you to tell me if the G colour 1.07/6 carat dimond is better or worse compared to the D colour 1.01 carat for my ring style. I feel that the bigger size would mean more surface area causing the diamond to appear to sparkle more. The ring diamonds are VS G. http://www.tacori.com/Engagement-Rings/2616RD65

Thanks a million!
A stressed xxxxxx

A: I still think the D is the better choice. The size difference is only 0.2mm which is just on the border between not noticeable at all, and JUST BARELY noticeable. The difference in color, however, is much more easily noticeable.

Q: So i spoke to a James Allen rep and she said that there is a good enough risk that the diamond inclusion for http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/D-SI1-Ideal-Cut-Round-Diamond-1236916.asp could be seen if held close to the eye. She spoke about how eye clean is about 6 to 8 inches and encouraged to buy a VS2 instead. I am not doubting her integrity but I would like to have your opinion on the matter.

A: I’m surprised she said that. If you’re concerned, ask them to have the stone pulled and inspected face to face by their gemologists to tell you for sure.
…….
Btw, I spoke with a contact at JA about this, and they were very surprised. Do you by any chance remember the name of the person who helped you on the phone who gave you this advice?

Q: I beleive her name was Angelia or Angelina. She said she’s been in the diamond business since 1990. I called JA again since I thought it could merely be opinion. The second person male ( I forgot his name) didn’t strongly say that I will the D stone inclusion would e visible to the eye, but again spoke about the 6 to 8 inches and said upclose it could be a problem. She also spoke about the diamond getting dirty with oil and dirt which may perhaps make the inclusion more vivisble. It obviously made me very nervous. I want to order the diamond today and am hoping to reach a conclusion soon since I am running short on time.

I’ll call JA and ask them to pull the diamond and have a gemologist look at it face to face.

I can’t tell you how much i appreciate your help Ira. Thanks
…….
I called again and ended up speaking to Josh Cales who is manager there and he said that he was very surprised that I got that information about that D 1.01 diamond. He said that he 100% sure that the diamond in question 1236916 is eye clean and said that he’ll pay in advance for the return shipping because I won’t return it since it’s eye clean. He also bet his next pay chequeover it. He asked me the person’s name I spoke to and was disppointed with what I was told. He said that he will use this example as a training tool today.

I told him that I have been consulting you and that your opinion of the matter and he agreed with you 100%. So, I’ve made the purchase. I am very confident that the diamond will be good. I will look at at it closely when it arrives and hope to see nothing.

Once again, thanks a million Ira. Your website helped immensely clear the air on so very many issues with regards to the diamond and made it possible for me to get to the point of buying one. I wouldn’t be able to do it without you.

I will let you know when I receive the diamond. It’ll probably be here on Monday or Tuesday at the latest since I am using bank wire to save some money.

A very grateful xxxxx

A: My pleasure! Please let me know what you think when it arrives!

Q: I got the diamond after a lot of hassle. It was shipped on the Friday before the last and would’ve been here the next day. But the JA guys put the wrong country code and it was on route to Andorra! After a lot of stress, I got it last Thursday-5 days late.

The only good thing out of all that is the diamond. It is absolutely wonderful. It is eye-clean just as you said. I got engaged on Sat and my fiancee loves it! Your recommendation for the D colour diamond instead of the G was excellent. It made the whole setting stand out. I’m glad I went with it.

Thanks a lot once again Ira. I wouldn’t be able to do this without your input and guidance.

A: Glad to hear it all worked out in the end! And thanks for stroking my ego that my call on the D was right!!

If you have the time, do you think you might be able to leave me a review on ivouch? If you could, I would be extremely grateful. HEre’s a direct link should you find the time:
xxxxxxx

Thanks! And congrats!

Q: Done. it was a pleasure. Thanks again.

[LINK TO IVOUCH REVIEW]

A: It’s fantastic!! Thanks so much!!

http://www.bluenile.com/build-your-own-diamond-ring?offer_id=12959&forceStep=STYLE_STEP

Any comments or concerns you have about the ring would be greatly appreciated. We didn’t know if these stones were significant enough in size that we have to worry about color matching to the center stone. Also was wondering how much we should be worried if the side diamonds are eye clean. I had a diamond previously that did have black inclusions (2 fairly small but visible) and it was always disappointing. Even though otherwise it was a beautiful diamond, those black dots always bothered me.

As for the center stone the most important thing to us is that it’s brilliant, white and sparkly. We are looking for a round cut, eye clean and somewhere between 1-1.35 ct. We don’t want to have to pay for something unneccessary, but would like a big wow factor. We realize that there is a lot left open on options for size, but we’re more concerned with the other factors that fit within these size parameters.

Also, I know you often suggest diamonds from james allen just because you can actually see what you are buying before you buy it. If that is the case would we be able to take the setting purchased from Blue Nile and separate center stone to a local jeweler to be set or do you have another suggestion?

Thanks for your site and all your help! It’s much appreciated.

A: That is a beautiful ring indeed! Lets move forward like this – your best bet in this situation would be to have JA match the setting from BN for you. I’ve helped many people in the past accomplish this and they’ve always left very satisfied.

Btw, these side stones aren’t small at all (as far as sidestones go), so you do need to be concerned about color. If JA can make the ring with G/Hs, then it should be perfectly fine to stay in the H/I range for the center stone.

I’m CCing to this email Mr. Jim Schultz from JA who will hopefully respond to us both positively or negatively re: their ability to match this setting for you. Keep in mind also that when JA matches a ring, it is not simply pressed out of a mold, but is rather hand made and considered to be of higher quality.

Best wishes for a wonderful weekend!

Response from James Allen:
Ira/xxxxx,

Thank you for the email. We can reproduce the setting in the link below for $3,000. Production time is approximately two weeks. As a custom design, however, the ring would be subject to a 15% restocking fee if returned.

I want to quickly also point out that we offer a similar setting that is substantially less expensive and also has a matching wedding band. Our item number is 11009p and a link to the design can be found here:
http://www.jamesallen.com/engagement-rings/settings-with-sidestones/ring/item_58-1935.asp

To give you some sense of how this diamond looks with a 1.00ct center diamond, you can view this photograph from our Recently Sold Collection:
http://www.jamesallen.com/engagement-rings/sold/settings-with-sidestones/1502/Engagement-Rings-Side-Stones.html

The 11009p features slightly smaller side diamonds that the other design, but they are still large enough to make a really “pop” next to the center diamond. By reducing the size of those side diamonds by just a few tenth of a millimeters, you can still get a fantastic look, but free up almost $1,300 that can then be applied towards the center diamond.

Hope this helps!

Q: Thanks for the suggestion of having JA custom match the setting. We looked at the setting Jim suggested from JA and have one concern when compared to the one we had picked out from BN. The setting from BN (to us) looks like the first diamond off the center stone on either side is farther to the side, allowing it to be seen better. It seems to us that the first stone on either side of the center stone on JA setting is 1/2 hidden by the center stone. We had actually seen that one and ruled it out previously because of that. Do you think that is a non issue or valid concern? We have discussed possibly going with the JA setting and if we are not satified with the look of it we could return it and have them custom match the other setting at that point. Do you know, if we went ahead with having them custom make the ring would we be able to pick out the side stones or would they just do that as they do with their settings? Thanks for all of your help with this!

Also, we see the clarity rating of the diamonds in the JA is slightly less… any way we could make sure they would be eyeclean?
…….
After doing a little more talking and window shopping at local jewerly stores this weekend we’ve decided we are going to have James Allen match the setting from BN. We are also looking for a center stone between 1.25-1.5. We did some searching through JA site and picked out a few that we thought might be possibilities but wanted your opinion on which are the best/cleanest and best value. Also, if you have any other suggestions, we’d love to look at them!

http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/H-VS2-Premium-Cut-Round-Diamond-1280700.asp

http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/G-VS1-Ideal-Cut-Round-Diamond-1344860.asp

http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/H-VS2-Premium-Cut-Round-Diamond-1347641.asp

http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/H-VS1-Ideal-Cut-Round-Diamond-1353926.asp

http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/I-VVS2-Ideal-Cut-Round-Diamond-1360339.asp
We haven’t asked Jim yet if the quote he gave for matching the setting was with diamonds in the G/H range or the F that BN had on their site. We’re going to have it made with G/H diamonds though.

Hope you had a great weekend.

A: I think that’s a great choice! I don’t know if the price of the ring will be any cheaper for G/H color side stones, but I’m sure they can definitely accomodate that request!

Can I assume that 12,000 is your max budget? I think the stones you picked, for the most part, are really nice. My only suggestion would be to allow some lower clarity stones in the mix. I can help you find ones that will be clean to the naked eye. For example:

http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/H-SI1-Ideal-Cut-Round-Diamond-1192013.asp

http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/H-SI1-Ideal-Cut-Round-Diamond-1333866.asp

http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/H-VS2-Ideal-Cut-Round-Diamond-1360374.asp

Let me know what you think of those!

Q: Wow! There sure is a lot to get excited about when looking at diamonds. The 3 you sent us were beautiful. Yes, max budget for the diamond is 12,000. Of course if we can get a great looking diamond for less that’s even better. After we sent off that email last night we did find one more that was a lower clarity and wanted to have you look to see if it would be eye clean.

http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/H-SI1-Ideal-Cut-Round-Diamond-1306843.asp

I guess the question now is where do we go from here. Which of the ones we sent you would you stay away from? Any suggestions as to how to make a decision from the choices we have or should we do more searching for a lower clarity diamond? You have been so extremely helpful in this process!

A: All that’s really left to do is make a decision! You can definitely save a lot of money going with a 1.2ct stone like the one you linked to (which is really nice btw). But going up to a 1.50ct stone will definitely be a noticeable jump in size. It’s about 0.5mm which is very easily noticeable.

Maybe pick your favorite 3 and have JA do a side by side comparison for you?

Q: Wanted to let you know we made a decision. We split the difference on the diamond size. We purchased the 1.36 diamond you had offered as a suggestion.

http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/H-VS2-Ideal-Cut-Round-Diamond-1360374.asp

The customs setting has been ordered and will take a couple of weeks for production. Thanks for all your help, we’ll let you know what we think when we receive the ring!

A: Great! I can’t wait to hear your reaction!!

http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/H-VS1-Ideal-Cut-Princess-Diamond-1356790.asp

http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/H-VS1-Ideal-Cut-Princess-Diamond-1346534.asp

I am thinking of putting it in this setting

http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/H-VS1-Ideal-Cut-Princess-Diamond-1346534.asp

Do you think that the 1.2 Carat will be too high in that setting? Any other diamonds that you can find on there?
The smaller diamond is also not available to see and I tried to get a picture e-mailed but it never came through.

The last question I have is about the Ideal cut. Is there a difference between an Ideal at James allen and a signature ideal at Blue Nile??

xxxx

P.S. I am from canada and have read about the person who was going to save the duty and get it shipped to the states and pick it up. Did they ever let you know how that went?

A: Thanks for writing. Could you please send the link for the setting again? The link you sent was to the 2nd diamond again.

As for the Canada issue, people do it all the time. What’s the closest US State to you?

Q: Thanks for the response

Here is the link for the setting. I don’t know if they do it with a princess cut.

http://www.jamesallen.com/engagement-rings/solitaire/engagement-solitaire-rings.html

so here is another one that is on james allen

http://www.jamesallen.com/engagement-rings/solitaire/18k-White-Gold-2-2mm-Wire-Basket-Solitaire.html

If you could comment on the two diamonds that would be great as well. For details on a diamond, if you would like to search as well, are as follows.

Princess cut, VS1/VS2, Ideal cut, G or H. around 5000 and over a carat

When I started looking at the diamonds i sent you in a little bit more detail i noticed that the 1.2 carat haw quite a large table, 76% i think, thoughts about that??

The closest state to me would be new york state. I talked to a girl on the live chat at James Allen and said that they would have to charge 8% tax if i got it sent there. I might also be able to drive to Pennsylvania to get it if I save $1000 it might be worth the drive.

One last thing. They are going to load up the picture for the 1.05 diamond in the next couple of days. The customer service rep said that it is eye clean, but i would still like to see it.

Thanks again, your site has been amazing and has been a great help for me. If you would like i will let James Allen know that i found the site through you so you can get the referral money.

…….

One last thing
It would be only 3 hours to drive to Erie Penn for me. So it would be worth the 1000

A: I was able to see the rings this time. They’re great – i was simply concerned if there were going to be side stones or not in terms of matching their colors.

I actually think that the categorization of the 1.20 you found as an Ideal Cut is a mistake. Usually, a princess with a table of 73 or larger automatically falls into the “premium” category. Ironically, though, the picture on that stone is amazing, and I would have never had guessed that its table was 76%! I took another look anyway, and found a nicer alternative:

http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/H-VS2-Ideal-Cut-Princess-Diamond-1333885.asp

Thanks! Let me know how it all goes!

Q: I am a little bit concerned with the inclusions in the center of the diamond that you sent me.
Would that be considered eye clean??
They have put the picture up for the 1.05 carat diamond.

http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/H-VS1-Ideal-Cut-Princess-Diamond-1356790.asp

The largest difference between the length or width of the diamond is only 0.4 mm. Would you consider paying $1000 more for the .15 carats??

And I feel like the 1.05 is the nicest looking diamond out of the bunch.

Let me know your thoughts
Thanks

A: There’s no way those inclusions would be clean to the naked eye. The diamond in real life is less than 6 millimeters on a side! That’s almost half a centimeter! Imagine just how tiny those spots are in real life.

Q: There is one more diamond that I found. It has pretty much the same dimensions as the 1.21 that you showed to me. It is 1.06 carats. I currently have it on hold until they get the picture. I believe that it is $4400. I think this is the one for me.

http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/H-VS1-Ideal-Cut-Princess-Diamond-1361952.asp

They will have the picture up either today or tomorrow. I will let you know when they do. Thank you so much for your help, I think i will end up saving $3500 on the ring, and getting a better diamond. I went to a store here, and put a deposit on a ring and then canceled it after i read your site and James Allen.

I want to ask you another quick question. The guy at the store almost sold me a princess, H, VS1, eye clean but it had the corners chopped off. I am thinking that it might have A) either been a radiant or B) been damaged in the cutting process or when they mined it so they just cut the corners off. I believe that he called it a princess cut corner cut and was selling it as very rare.

Either way it only cost $100 to get my deposit back and am going to get a better diamond for a much better price.

A: A “princess cut corner” is a princess cut that got chipped, and so they decided to polish off the other corners to make it symmetrical. “rare” indeed!

I think you’re making a very smart decision!

Q: Sorry to bother you again.

I might be thinking of changing my setting. If I go with the setting below would I have to get a G colour, I am planning on getting a princess cut diamond.
Would an H be alright??

http://www.jamesallen.com/engagement-rings/channelset-rings/ring/item_58-3779.asp

Thanks Again.
Could you possibly find a diamond for this ring. Ideal cut. Around 1.05 to 1.15 carats Eye clean.

Thanks so much

A: I do believe than an H would still be perfectly fine for that ring.

Q: Just want to say thanks for all of the help.
I purchased this diamond in this setting. Diamond # 1361952

http://www.jamesallen.com/engagement-rings/channelset-rings/ring/item_58-3779.asp

Thanks again for everything

A: Can’t wait to hear your first-hand report! Please stay in touch!

A: JA and BN are the only two sites that really have some exclusive inventory. All the other sites share a pool of stones that are semi-publicly available on the major diamond wholesale-only trading sites. This is why you keep finding stones only to have them swept out from underneath you.

Have you tried asking JA about the setting you like to see if they can make it for you? I’ve had many readers successfully do this in the past.

Let me know what they say. If they agree, I’d be happy to help you pick out a stone!

Q: Great, I’ll check with JA about the setting. Thanks for your help, it is much appreciated!

A: Sounds good! I look forward to hearing from you!

Q: Hey Ira, I was wondering if you can give your opinion on a couple of stones? JA will do a custom setting. I’m looking for a princess cut with a budget of about 5 k for the stone. After reading your article on Princess cut I prefer not to go lower than a premium cut and color of H and SI1 clarity if it’s eye clean with a GIA cert. Altough I am open to different options if the diamond looks good to the trained eye. I found a few and was wondering what you thought? Also, the side stones in the setting are F-G color and VS1-VS2 clarity. Thanks, Ryan.

http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/G-VS2-Premium-Cut-Princess-Diamond-1326370.asp

http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/E-VS1-Ideal-Cut-Princess-Diamond-1347481.asp

A: Those two are very nice, indeed. The only suggestion I might make is to consider a stone like this:
http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/H-VS1-Premium-Cut-Princess-Diamond-1327016.asp

I myself am partial to smaller tables and this one looks like a beauty.

Q: Great, thank you! I think this might be the one!

A: My pleasure! Let me know how it goes! Please stay in touch and let me know what you think when it arrives!

Q: I forgot to take into account the extra cost for my custom setting.. Do you see any good stones for around $4600? Thanks again.

A: Sure thing!
http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/H-VS2-Premium-Cut-Princess-Diamond-1358906.asp
http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/H-VS2-Premium-Cut-Princess-Diamond-1323645.asp

Let me know what you think!

Q: Thanks, I like them both. I can’t make up my darn mind… I’m still even thinking about the first one you recommeded even though it’s a little over the budget.. One more thing, the setting will be a square halo pave and the diamonds around it average F,G. Will there be a noticable diffence with an H color center stone, especially in the larger sizes? I’m wondering if I should look for a G color? The halo will be similar to thos one. Thanks.

http://www.jamesallen.com/engagement-rings/pave/18k-White-Gold-Pave-Set-Diamond-Engagement-Ring.html

A: An H will still be OK. I wouldn’t suggest going down to an I, but an H will still be fine. Let me know what you decide to go with in the end!

Q: Thank you. One last question, how big of a difference is a 1.1 c compared to a 1.22 c stone? Will it be that noticeable in size difference?

A: The answer is simply that you need to only look at the actual LxW measurements. Some 1.22ct stones will look exactly the same as some 1.1ct stones. It all depends on the cut.

Q: Thank you so much for all of your help Ira. I ended up buying the 1.1 carat diamond that you sent me a few days ago. The LxW were almost the same size as the 1.22 so I figured it will look almost the same and it is around the price I wanted to spend. I can’t thank you enough for helping me out, I really learned a lot from you and your website. I’m so glad this search is over with, I have been stressed out and you really made it easy. I would offer a donation but I read on your site that you don’t accept and you are making money from the cookies. I would like to leave an ivouch review but cannot find your site on there. Do you have a link you can send me?

A: It was my pleasure to help! I’d love to have you write me an ivouch review! Here’s a link for you:
xxxxxxxxxxx

Thanks so much!

[LINK TO IVOUCH REVIEW]

On November 8th, after the market closed, Blue Nile announced their Q3 financial results.  Overnight their stock plummeted from a closing price of $48.81 to an opening of $35.45 on November 9th.  The stock closed even further down the following day at $32.82.  Within 24 hours, the company had lost almost a third of its value.

Mark Vadon, Courtesy of BusinessWeek

The main driver behind the collapse was the fact that Blue Nile’s net income for Q3 2011 fell to $1.9 million from $2.8 million in Q3 2010 – this despite increasing revenues over Q3 2010 by $7.5 million (an increase of 11%).

Unfortunately, the clip above plays more like an informercial than it does a journalistic interview.  The interviewer doesn’t even mention the disappointing earnings, unfavorable outlook, or even the suddenly resigning CEO.  So what really is going on with Blue Nile?

I believe the answer is revealed not in what Vadon says in the interview above, but rather in what he doesn’t say.

At about the 4:30 mark in the video above, Vadon says “online, there isn’t much competition for us.”  Robert Bates, from JCK Magazine, takes Vadon’s claims at face value.  But is this really the truth?

According to comScore, online jewelry sales in the third quarter have grown “over 15%” compared to the third quarter 2010.  Blue Nile’s sales growth for the same period was 11%.  So if Blue Nile has no competition online, why is it that they’re lagging so substantially behind the online jewelry industry as a whole?

Vadon’s no fool.  He’s a very shrewd businessman.  He mentions at the end of the clip that their only real competition offline is Tiffany & Co.  The fact of the matter is, however, that Tiffany is absolutely not their direct competition.  The two stores offer completely different value propositions to their customers.  Vadon begins the clip by mentioning that their gross margin is about 21% while Tiffany’s is at a whopping 59%.  So it’s no skin off his back to mention Tiffany’s name in the clip, because he just qualified the mention with a warning that you’d have to have no interest in value to buy from Tiffany over Blue Nile.

The simple problem here is that none of Blue Nile’s real competition (ie, James Allen, BrilliantEarth, Whiteflash, etc.) are publicly traded companies.   These are companies that are growing and thriving despite the disadvantage of not having their name in the news on a daily basis by virtue of the fact that they’re public.  Vadon knows this, of course, and he’s not about to give his competition free advertising.

And furthermore, Blue Nile’s strongest competitors have each evolved beyond the basic business model that Blue Nile created, while Blue Nile has stayed more or less the same over the years.

BrilliantEarth and Whiteflash have each become much more efficient profit machines than Blue Nile by virtue of their focusing on niches within the online jewelry market (Conflict-Free and Super-ideal cut diamonds, respectively).

James Allen, Blue Nile’s largest competitor, appears to be quickly closing the gap on the industry sales leader.  They are accomplishing this by recognizing the major flaw in Vadon’s vision for Blue Nile (that all diamonds are commodities) and offering a solution to the problem (high-res magnified “virtual loupe” photos for almost all of their diamond inventory).  The fact is that only a very small subset of diamonds can be bought intelligently without seeing them (specifically round diamonds of very high clarity grades).  Virtually every other type of diamond (other diamond shapes and diamond with medium to lower clarity) can only be bought prudently after inspecting the diamond’s inclusion layout and the diamond’s silhouette to determine its cut quality.

This is a flaw that Blue Nile has consistently refused to recognize.

Blue Nile’s proposed solution for dealing with their slowing growth is to develop their international business as well as their non-engagement business.  While I believe the first solution is a positive development, I think the second solution is doomed to failure.  What made Blue Nile a great business was that they never had to own any inventory.  They sold virtual goods that cost them nothing to list on their site and sell.  Diamond wholesalers were happy to participate because this way their diamonds were always “in play” – even while their stones were simply sitting in their safes.

But this all falls apart when they begin to stock regular jewelry.  There will need to be major inventory commitments which will immediately level the playing field with their competitors both online and off.  Furthermore, while diamonds and engagement rings are an easy sell online because there’s essentially very little variety (You pick your diamond and a setting, and that’s it), fashion jewelry is far from it.  This is a product that people want to touch and feel and try on before they buy.  And finally, the average ticket of a non-engagement piece of jewelry is probably about a tenth of the price of an average engagement ring.  Their sales volume would have to increase exponentially to just keep pace with their engagement business, something that is extremely unlikely to happen given the above restraints.

http://www.bluenile.com/round-diamond-1-carat-ideal-cut-g-color-si1-clarity_LD01938165
They’re currently holding this diamond for me so

I’ve contacted bluenile to make sure this stone was eye clean and because I was concerned about the strong blue flourescence. I’ve pasted the response I received below. Initially it put me at ease, but after reading your site I’m a bit nervous.

Thanks in advance for your help!

From Bluenile: “The gemologist found that this diamond is completely eye clean and the florescence does not have a milky effect at all. It will be on hold for you for the next 48 hours…”

A: I’m actually in the middle of writing a series of site review articles. Below is the paragraph I just wrote yesterday that’s relevant for you regarding blue nile:
People report that they can call Blue Nile and ask them to inspect diamonds listed on their site to get gemologists’ reports about whether or not a specific stone is eye-clean. All that Blue Nile’s gemologists do in such a case is call the specific vendor who owns the diamond in question and ask them for their opinion of the diamond. The flaw in the system is that since each vendor is motivated to sell his diamond over his competition’s, he’s always going to push his own stones. From the vendor’s perspective, the worst that can happen is the customer won’t be happy and he’ll return it – but if the vendor doesn’t push his stone, he knows he won’t stand a chance of closing the sale.

So you need to take their “gemologists report” with a huge grain of salt.

I think these would be better value for you:
http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/H-SI2-Ideal-Cut-Round-Diamond-1351102.asp – the inclusion is all on the side. Can be covered / obscured by the prong of the setting.

http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/H-SI2-Ideal-Cut-Round-Diamond-1315926.asp – almost certainly eye clean

Btw, you would never be able to see the difference between G and H colors with your naked eye once the stone is set in a ring.

Let me know what you think!

Q: Thanks for the help Ira! I wanted to go back to my local jeweler and look at some H color diamonds next to a G, but haven’t had a chance yet. I’ve also been doing research on indented naturals since one of the ones you recommended has those. With both of these, do you think the inclusions would affect the brilliance at all?

Thanks again, and sorry it took me so long to get back to you. I’ll be faster next time.

…….

Sorry, I thought of a couple more questions…

1. Between the two, which would you recommend? I’m planning to buy a simple platinum four-prong setting.

2. On to the setting…how wide of a band should I get? I’m really clueless when it comes to this. Do women generally have a preference whether it’s 2mm or 3mm? Does the size of the diamond or my girlfriend’s hand size dictate the size of the band?

Thanks once more

A: I like this stone the best out of those two:
http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/H-SI2-Ideal-Cut-Round-Diamond-1315926.asp?a_aid=dmnd1357

As for the width of the setting, I think you might be best off speaking to customer service at JA about this one. IN all honesty, my professional experience is limited to the loose diamond trade. I’m a complete ignoramus when it comes to jewelry!

Q: Thanks, I wasn’t able to find a lot of info about the natural indention. If I decide to go for a 1 ct, that’s the one I’m going to get. I went back to a store today, and am now thinking I might want to go a little bigger, maybe up to as much as 1.2 ct and extend my budget to $6k-$6.3k. Any suggestions? Sorry for bothering you so much, and thanks again.

A: You’re not a bother at all! here’s what I like for you:
http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/H-SI2-Ideal-Cut-Round-Diamond-1334618.asp

Q: I just bought one of the diamonds you suggested! I didn’t go through you, and I’m sorry, but I gave them your full name and everything.
They couldn’t find your promo code, but here’s the diamond if you want to contact them and sort it out.

http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/H-SI2-Ideal-Cut-Round-Diamond-1315926.asp

Thanks!

A: Thanks!

I have a budget of between 5-7K for the stone, and really want to get the best diamond for my money. Leaning towards buying a round diamond in the J color range between 1.25 – 1.5 Ct size. I’ve looking throught a few online vendors.. blue nile / james allen and found 2 i think are winners.

Here’s the 2 I was looking at, but wouuld appreciate any others you think would fit the mold.

This one I almost purchased yesterday, but had it put on hold while evaulating others.

http://www.bluenile.com/round-diamond-1-carat-ideal-cut-j-color-vs2-clarity_LD01904608

This one I found today on James Allen.

http://www.jamesallen.com/loose-diamonds-search/diamonds/J-VS1-Ideal-Cut-Round-Diamond-1341336.asp

thanks ahead of time for you feedback.

A: Thanks for writing and thanks for the kind words about the site!

The JA stone you linked to looks great. I can’t really comment on the BN stone, though, because I can’t see what the VS2 looks like. I was thinking, though, that you’d get more for your money with a stone like this:
http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/J-SI1-Ideal-Cut-Round-Diamond-1343076.asp

It looks to be completely clean to the naked eye in the picture – so there’s no downside to going with an SI1 instead of VS1. The cut is excellent and it’ll save you $740 without giving up anything noticeable.

Let me know what you thinK!

Q: thanks for the response. I really like the one you picked out, just illustrates how important it is to be able to inspect the actual piece before purchasing.

I’m still in the process of looking, but leaning towards the stone you selected, might go slightly bigger if I can find something of the same quality around the 7K mark. Let me know if you have any suggestions.

A: If you wanted to upgrade color, you could go witih this one:
http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/I-SI1-Ideal-Cut-Round-Diamond-1335851.asp

but honestly, I don’t think it’s worth it.

Q: I slept on that first recommendation and went to purchase it today, but it sold yesterday.

http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/J-VS2-Ideal-Cut-Round-Diamond-1348477.asp

This was the next best I thought in the price range, but @ 11oclock in the internal looks like a big black spot. What do you think? Any other suggestions you can make on what’s avialable?

A: That’s a great stone, and that inclusion won’t be visible to the naked eye. It’s too faint.
This might also be a nice option:
http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/J-SI1-Ideal-Cut-Round-Diamond-1357370.asp

Q: I like that one as well. between the 2, which do you think is the better value? Also what are those squigly looking lines @10oclock?

A: THe SI is the better value. The squiglys are twinning wisps. They won’t be visible to your naked eye.

Q: thanks again. I truly appreciate the help. I think I’m going to bite the bullet and buy it. Your the man, I’ll be sure to leave a nice comment on your site. Now its time to figure out how I’m going to pop the question!

A: Sounds great! And please let me know what you think when it arrives!

A: Here’s two great options:
http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/J-SI2-Ideal-Cut-Round-Diamond-1352997.asp
http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/I-SI2-Ideal-Cut-Round-Diamond-1352993.asp

Let me know what you think!

Q: Thank you for your input. I originally wanted to pay cash but I i have decided to put some the cost on credit so that will up my total to spend up to $3500 on the diamond. I was originally looking at the Jewelry Exchange but looking at there website they seem to have higher prices for the same quality of diamond from say james Allen or Blue Nile. All the other stuff is staying the same. It has to be at least .80 ct. weight and it is going on a white gold cathedral mount four prong ring. definatly would like to get the best diamond for the money.

A: Here’s a couple more options with the new budget:
http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/J-SI1-Ideal-Cut-Round-Diamond-1304068.asp
http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/J-SI1-Ideal-Cut-Round-Diamond-1331948.asp

Q: I like the .91 ct. but do you think I should go smaller with better color say F or G in color. Not sure how J colored diamond would look compared to a F or G. Is there noticeable yellow in a J colored diamond. Definitely want a diamond with a lot of fire. Not sure exactly what I need to look for to get that. I would assume cut and color would achieve that But I have seen some E vs1 that look cloudy. In the ones you sent I can see yellow tint in the center a little. Is that just due to the photo? Basically what is the highest color I can purchase and achieve a fiery diamond.

A: A J color round ideal cut diamond set in a solitaire setting will definitely look white to your eye. The yellow you see in the pics is an artifact of the photography.

These stones will be exceptionally fiery and brilliant – and large!

Q: Thanks for the info.
Greatly appreciated.

A: My pleasure! Let me know what you decide to go with!

Q: I think this is what I’m going to go with! What do you think about? Is it a good choice?
http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/J-VVS2-Ideal-Cut-Round-Diamond-1313821.asp

A: It’s beautiful. You’re going to love it! Please let me know what you think when it arrives!

http://www.bluenile.com/build-your-own-diamond-ring?action=remove&forceStep=DIAMONDS_STEP#diamonds_forceStep=DIAMONDS_STEP|builder=BYOR|pid=LD01959584

http://www.bluenile.com/build-your-own-diamond-ring?action=remove&forceStep=DIAMONDS_STEP#diamonds_forceStep=DIAMONDS_STEP|builder=BYOR|pid=LD01951913

http://www.bluenile.com/build-your-own-diamond-ring?action=remove&forceStep=DIAMONDS_STEP#diamonds_forceStep=DIAMONDS_STEP|builder=BYOR|pid=LD01876101

I’m leaning toward the diamond on the 2nd link but would like to know what you think and what are your suggestions.

I have another question, I heard that the diamond fluorescence, Negligible is the same as None, is it true?

Thanks in advance for your time!

A: Negligible is the same as none. Nothing to worry about.

As for your ring, mind my asking why you’re limiting yourself to VS1+ in clarity? Look what you can get for less money:

http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/H-SI2-Ideal-Cut-Round-Diamond-1353070.asp

The diamond would be just as eye clean as a VS1. Clarity doesn’t affect brilliance, so the stone would be as bring and lively as the stones on Blue Nile – it would just be noticeably larger!

Q: Thanks for your quick answer. I am looking for at least VS1 clarity bec my fiance wants to buy from bluenile and since we don’t get a chance to see the diamond over there, we thaught VS1 would be the minimum clarity as not to have many inclusions in the diamond. We have heard many good reviews about bluenile and decided to go with it..Is there any difference between the diamonds offered in blue nile and james allen regading quality? Also, I would like to know, u said in ur website that AGS is not as strict as GIA, is that mean that an AGS ideal cut might be in GIA only a very good cut.

For the color, I’m looking for at least a G color or above..I have seen recently a ring in a store, it was a GIA ideal, D color, SI1, 0.5 carat but on my hand it looked quite bigger than the other 0.5 carat I have tried with lower color grade. Does the color along with a good cut make the diamond looks bigger?

Finally, I liked the diamond u showed me, I couldn’t see any inclusions except a small scratch on the left side which I was not even sure if it is a scratch or not..but l’m still looking for sthg with a G color or above eventhough a little smaller.

Thanks again for your help and assistance!!

A: The diamond on JA are just as good as BN. The only difference is their prices are slightly better and they have pictures so you can see what you buy before you buy it.

The difference between AGS and GIA is very minimal. It’s the kind of thing where you only start to recognize differences over thousands of stones – not on individual stones.

Color doesn’t make stones look bigger. It must have just been that particular stone that had a spready cut.

What do you tihnk about this one:

http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/G-SI1-Ideal-Cut-Round-Diamond-1350097.asp

Q: Could you please let me know what do u think about this one?

http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/G-SI1-Ideal-Cut-Round-Diamond-1346512.asp

Comparing this one to the other two below that u have sent me earlier, which one do you think would be more sparkly and lively? I would like to get your opinion before i make my final selection and make my order. You are a great help..Thanks a lot!!

A: The one you linked to might be ever so slightly more brilliant, but the H SI2 I recommended will be noticeably larger. So it’s a toss up between those two factors, I guess.

Q: We made our purchase yesterday and we went with this one..We thaught this one has a good cut and might be noticeable as well..Thanks again for ur time and ur great help..U are the best.

http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/H-SI1-Ideal-Cut-Round-Diamond-1346508.asp

A: Great news! DId you buy it with a ring? If so, did you apply the TADJ10 coupon code? Congrats!

Please stay in touch and let me know what you think when it arrives!

Q: Sorry to get with you that late..I actually ordered the diamond alone..I didn’t find the setting that I was looking for on the JA website..I wanted a simple tiffany setting but all JA solitaires have a very low prone that makes the diamod sits low which I didn’t like much…I shopped around in the stores and they offer similar pricing for the setting..so not decided yet if I’m going to order the setting here from US or back home.

For the diamond, it arrived early last week and it’s really very nice…It sparkles a lot and under the day light it looks very white and sparkly..you wouldn’t even tell it’s an H color…I love it…The true heart is really the way to go..

I have forwarded your coupon code and your website to my cousin..He is buying an engagement ring from JA within the next few weeks..He was just waiting to hear about mine…so he is definitely would be using your coupon.

Thanks again for the great information u have on ur website and ur quick answers to all my questions…U made my shopping really very easy.

A: So great to hear! Thanks for writing and letting me know! Do you think you might be able to do me a small favor? If you would be able to write me a short ivouch review, I would be very very grateful. Here’s a direct link if you have the time:

xxxxxxx

Thanks again! And congratulations!!

Q: I have wrote my review on ivouch. And I’m recommending all my friends to you website!! You were really a great help and I’m very happy with my purchase.

Thanks!!

A: Thanks so much! It’s wonderful!

I’m looking for a 1.5-2ct and my budget is around 10-15k USD. I think she would pref round but I’m not sure I don’t want to screw this up like I did with the expensive bag I bought her… she’s not a high-maintenance/materialistic girl but I wanted to make her feel special and it backfired big time!

I was looking at a IF [Internally Flawless] on bluenile to be safe but after reading your site, you have a good point about the industry guilt people into overspending even if it won’t be appreciated. Eye-clean is a really strong point but does it matter in terms of the meaning to say it was IF?

Thanks for your help Ira, I hope you can get back to me with your recommendations but even so, your site has been amazingly helpful already!

I’m truly impressed with your site and yourself. I hope your site continues to grow and take off in popularity and I will lend my support

A: Thanks for your very kind words. My wife is actually 2 years older than me, so I can relate

Now, about your diamond – I don’t understand this question, “Eye-clean is a really strong point but does it matter in terms of the meaning to say it was IF?”

Could you please elaborate on that?

Q: Glad I found someone who can relate!

Sorry about the confusion, what I meant was I was looking at getting a IF diamond (esp if it is online). However reading your points about being ‘eye-clean’ makes a lot of sense since our eyes can’t really tell the difference between IF or FL or VVS1 (depending of course on where inclusion is and if it is black etc.)

Then I spoke to my sister and her point was wouldn’t IF be symbolic of our love? What would getting her a flawed diamond say? Or how would she feel if her friends start gossiping/talking about their rings? So I was wondering what’s your take on that and the value/symbolic meaning of getting a IF diamond.

A: If you believe in symbolism created artificially by a company that profits from the creation of that symbol, then sure, go for it!

(sorry for the sarcasm, but I think you get my point)

Q: Haha touche!

That’s a very potent point there… thanks for that. Your sarcasm is appreciated.

Well that’s exactly why I would greatly appreciate your recommendations on diamonds here Ira. I don’t feel very confident picking out something eye-clean online.

A: :) Here’s my suggestions:

http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/H-VS1-Ideal-Cut-Round-Diamond-1335616.asp – Totally eye clean. GIA Triple excellent ideal cut.

for a princess cut:

http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/H-VS1-Ideal-Cut-Princess-Diamond-1346258.asp – an amazing value for a 2ct H VS1 princess. Great cut.

http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/G-VS1-Ideal-Cut-Princess-Diamond-1254904.asp – Another great option.

have a look and let me know what you think!

Q: Wow Ira…

The 2ct VS1 really does stand out!

Not quite sure of the appeal of the 3rd one tho?

A: Yeah, you’re right. The 2ct H VS1 princess is a much better value than the 1.80 G VS1.

Q: I feel convinced about the 2ct princess but I worry because I think she might prefer a round though, are there any other rounds you think are worth looking at?

A: THis might be as close as you can get:

http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/I-VS2-Ideal-Cut-Round-Diamond-1351792.asp

Q: Thanks for your recommendations Ira. I was wondering what you think about a 2ct round with a lower colour?

http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/K-SI1-Ideal-Cut-Round-Diamond-1333904.asp

http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/J-VS2-Ideal-Cut-Round-Diamond-1310668.asp

…….

BTW I referred my colleague (Stanley) at work to your site and explained/shared your excellent points about clarity, eye-clean etc. He’s now going to buy a better valued engagement ring from jamesallen.com rather than bluenile – it’s testament to your excellent site and honest and v.experienced advice…

Thanks again for everything Ira

A: Great! make sure to tell him to use the TADJ10 coupon code to get 10% off the setting. Also, have him send me an email if he’d like me to help him find a stone.

…….

I really like this one:

http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/J-VS2-Ideal-Cut-Round-Diamond-1310668.asp

I know it’s a lot more money, but I’m afraid the K would look too warm.

Q: Wow, its perfect!

I think/feel this is the one

A: Sounds great! Let me know how it goes! I would love to hear your impressions after you see it with your own eyes!

Q: Unfortunately that diamond was no longer available when they checked

I’ve been re-looking at diamonds and have spoken to some reps from James Allen.

I was interested in this one:

http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/J-VS2-Ideal-Cut-Round-Diamond-1332481.asp

But their gemologist recommends this one over the above:

http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/J-VS2-Ideal-Cut-Round-Diamond-1354574.asp

I can’t help but feel uncomfortable with the latter, not just given the inclusions but the fact that it is listed as Ideal on their site yet the GIA says Very Good?

Would appreciate your kind (honest) thoughts.

A: I agree with you on this one. I think that first one is a fantastic choice.

Q: Thanks for your advice as always!

The reps from James Allen got back to and I’m about to make a decisions on the two and I just realised I actually I got the links mixed up when I asked for your advice! so sorry!

The first link, 1332481 is the one that had a Very Good cut grade but was listed as Ideal on the site. This is the one they recommended, which is at 9150 (but I’m told should now be higher given change in Rapport Price Index but since they had it on hold, this has not changed).

The second one, 1354574 is Ideal. But they said had the least colour performance compared. This was priced at 8810, but since Rapport Price Index has changed, now is 9250.

Would be very grateful (as always) for your opinion here Ira… I’m told they both have comparable light performance but I’m concerned about 1332481′s cut grade of Very Good and the numerous inclusions shown in it’s GIA report that are on the face. 1354574 has a feather but this is underneath on the pavilion. 1354574 seems like a better choice but the price is now comparable…

I also checked out something called, Holloway Cut Advisor (http://www.pricescope.com/tools/hca/) and 1354574 scores better than 1332481… Maybe I’m over thinking this?

I can’t thank you enough already Ira… sorry my case has taken so long… I can’t wait to finally put my diamond purchasing days behind me…

Thanks so much

A: You know, the truth is you probably wouldn’t be able to see the difference between the two stones if they were in front of you, so I would say to just go with the cheaper one. It’s really splitting hairs at this point. Occasionally, a stone misses an “excellent” cut because of some kind of technicality. It looks like it’s because of the girdle size in this case. So I don’t think you should be afraid of going for the VG stone in this case.

Best of luck!