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Q&A: Help Choosing a 1.00 Ct. Princess Cut Diamond for a Platinum Pave Setting

By Mike Fried,

Hi there,

I’m looking for an anniversary ring that looks similar to an engagement ring. The most important things to me are fire and brilliance in a princess cut. I’d prefer approximately 1.00 carat that is eye-clean.

This is what I’ve chosen from James Allen so far:
www.jamesallen.com/loose-diamonds/princess-cut/1.01-carat-h-color-vs1-clarity-sku-4866725?a_aid=dmnd1357

PLATINUM 0.32CT FRENCH CUT PAVE DIAMOND ENGAGEMENT RING

I was wondering if this is a good buy or if you could suggest another diamond that would be of better value. I know there’s a ton of options and I’ve been feeling a bit overwhelmed by it. I’d really appreciate it if you could just point me in the right direction.

I also don’t want a diamond that you can visibly detect color and I wasn’t sure if I was seeing some yellow in the pictures or not. So, I’d like your opinion on this as well.

Thank you.

I love that setting! It looks amazing! The diamond is definitely eye-clean and has great specs. H colored diamond won’t look yellowish. For such pave settings, we recommend going with I+ stones (https://www.diamonds.pro/education/color/). Also, it’s good to remember to keep the depth below 75%. This will also protect you from buying a diamond which has most of the diamond’s weight in its depth, not at the top.

Have a look at these alternatives:
www.jamesallen.com/loose-diamonds/princess-cut/1.02-carat-h-color-vs2-clarity-sku-4910341?a_aid=dmnd1357
www.jamesallen.com/loose-diamonds/princess-cut/1.03-carat-g-color-vs1-clarity-sku-4975988?a_aid=dmnd1357
Both these diamonds are perfectly cut, eye-clean and brilliant. They are also a bit bigger than your option (see the actual measurements).

Ideally, the table should be in the range of 69-75%. Regarding the two stones, I wouldn’t recommend going with either of them. Princess cut diamonds are more prone to chipping because of the sharp corners (therefore, it’s very important to stay away from any inclusions in those areas). Both of them have feathers in their corners.

I would recommend this one instead: www.jamesallen.com/loose-diamonds/princess-cut/1.00-carat-h-color-vs1-clarity-sku-4892909?a_aid=dmnd1357
It’s perfectly cut with no visible inclusions. Also, it’s slightly bigger than the previous two while being cheaper.

It looks like that one is slightly smaller, but it’s very pretty!

Would having “very good” symmetry have an impact on the brilliance vs. “excellent” symmetry?

When you look at the actual measurements, you’ll see that the 1.00ct is larger than the 1.03ct.

I wouldn’t worry about very good symmetry (https://www.diamonds.pro/education/symmetry/). It won’t have any negative impact on the way the diamond looks. It will still be very bright and brilliant.

Thanks so much for your help! I’m going to go with your recommendation!

I just wanted to let you know that my husband and I went last week to the Factory Direct Jewelry Exchange on the recommendation of our family.

For a 1.00 carat princess, VS2, color G with a good cut, the manager told us “the best price they could do” was $6,735. And that was in a standard 14k white gold setting.

We felt like we were being ripped off, but we weren’t sure. My husband did some research and found you guys and I feel SO much better about our purchase!

Thank you so much!

I’m so happy to hear that!

James Allen James Allen is the leader in online diamond sales. Their imaging technology is the same as inspecting a diamond with a jeweler's loupe. They have the largest exclusive loose diamond inventory online and fantastic prices. They also have the nicest collection of lab-created diamonds online. They currently run a 10% discount on selected lab-grown diamonds!
What we love about them:
  • No questions asked returns within 30 days of shipment. James Allen will send you a paid shipping label to return the ring.
  • Lifetime Warranty
  • Free International Shipping
  • Free prong tightening, repolishing, rhodium plating and cleaning every 6 months
  • Provide insurance appraisals
  • One free resizing within 60 days of purchase
  • Free ring inscriptions
  • Best-in-class high quality imagery of all diamonds in stock
  • 24/7 Customer Service
  • Best-in-class packaging
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Blue Nile Blue Nile is the largest and most well-known internet jewelry seller. They have a very large exclusive online inventory. Their high-quality images are catching up to James Allens' and their prices are amazing. Right now, Blue Nile offers up to 50% savings on selected jewelry during a limited-time season sale.
What we love about them:
  • No questions asked returns within 30 days of shipment. Blue Nile will send you a paid shipping label to return the ring.
  • Lifetime Warranty
  • Free Shipping
  • Free prong tightening, repolishing, rhodium plating and cleaning every 6 months
  • Provide insurance appraisal
  • One free resizing within the first year of purchase
  • High quality images of about half of their diamonds
  • 24/7 Customer Service
  • 100% credit towards future upgrades (must be at least double in value)
  • Best in class fulfillment
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