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Q&A: Looking for Best Princess Cut for $5K or Less

By Mike Fried, Updated June 29, 2020

I have been reading your site for a while now and have mostly made up my mind on what I want to get. I am looking for a Princess Cut, Ideal cut quality, VS1 clarity, H color, and 1.00 carats. I have a budget of $5000 for the loose diamond. Is this too lofty a goal? Am I missing/wrong on any of this? I would like to buy from Blue Nile or James Allen because both have pave settings with matching bands in white gold for around $2500 bringing my total budget to $7500. Any specific stones that you could recommend? Any discounts on settings for either site? Thanks for you help!

There is no reason you can’t get that. There is no such thing as ‘ideal’ cut for princess cuts (BN just makes up a name to try to have it sound better). I love this diamond:

www.jamesallen.com/loose-diamonds/princess-cut/1.04-carat-h-color-vs1-clarity-sku-186901?a_aid=dmnd1357

It’s a fantastic cut, bright and a good value. What do you think?

Thanks so much for your help! I agree that is a beautiful stone, but if possible I would like to find something on Blue Nile as they have a setting that I like much more than anything on James Allen. I have found two stones that I currently have on hold and have requested to determine if they are eye clean.

Stone 1
Princess
“Ideal” cut
H color
VS1 clarity
1.00 carat
Stock Number: LD03107123
$5,875

Stone 2
“Ideal” cut
I color
VS2 clarity
1.01 carat
Stock Number: LD02429190
$5,504

I know that both of these stones are slightly more than the $5,000 I set my budget at and if I can get a completely eye clean stone with “ideal” cut for under that I would be ecstatic, but I also could wait on the wedding band for a couple of months.

Please let me know what you think of these stones. They will go into a pave setting.

I also found another diamond (SKU 190787) on James Allen and I could potentially get this stone set in the Blue Nile setting by a local jeweler. What would your opinion be of this stone in addition to the previous two as well?

I appreciate your help with all of this.

I like the diamond I selected for you from JA more. They are all good choices. We’ve had better feedback about JA than BN, but they are both good companies.

I do like that diamond and the price is certainly right. It looks like a really good value. I really don’t like any of JA’s settings though…should I look at getting a local jeweler to set the stone in a setting I like from BN? I appreciate your help with this.

Send me a link of what you like from BN. I’ll put you in touch with someone at JA. Maybe they have something similar that isn’t uploaded to the site yet (or can make something like that for the same price).

Thanks again. Here is the link
Blue Nile Petite Pavé Diamond Engagement Ring

Thanks so much for your help.

…….

I also found one more diamond on BN that looks to be a great deal….
Blue Nile LD02793924

Let me know what you think.

Thanks so much!

With a pave setting, you want to go H+ on the center diamond. How does that BN diamond look like a good deal if its lower color and and 10% more expensive?

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!
Click to Visit
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.
Click to Visit
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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