Q&A: Looking to Spend Between $4-5K on a Princess Cut to Canada. Blue Nile or James Allen?

Your website is very informative, and I like that you can be terse as well as candid about diamonds and the industry. Anyway I am looking for advice on purchasing an engagement ring for my girlfriend. She just loves the Tiffany Novo, and after searching for what I might propose to be better I really have to agree that it is pretty fantastic looking. What is your opinion on Tiffany’s – worth it or just paying too much for the name? I found a pretty similar style on BlueNile – the Petite Pavé-Set that I quite like. Looking through the diamond specs there are so many factors but yet how can I be sure (or close) to knowing what the ring will look like in real life? One diamond I found was this: Blue Nile LD01648760.

At $1800 CAD, this would amount to $4100 CAD with the ring and matching wedding band (is platinum worth the premium over white gold?). I’m looking at spending probably $4,000 – $5,000. I want the size to be ‘just right’ – not obviously small and not gawdy, but above all I know she wants it to be very ‘sparkly’. She likes princess cut, but would a round cut more likely sparkle more? Would I be getting a much better ring by spending a little more? I’m in Canada, so please let me know if James Allen sells to us here, since I like this virtual loupe idea. Thanks

I’ll look at the G & H colors as you suggested, probably in the VS1 & VS2 range.

Here’s a link to the setting (Petite Pave-Set): http://www.bluenile.ca/diamond-engagement-ring-platinum_9917.

I’m not close to the border (Edmonton), but anyway if I have it shipped over the border I’ll have to pay customs on it (which is a pretty fair chunk if I recall correctly).  The taxes would be 5% total since we have no provincial tax.

I like that 0.71 H VS1 you linked to below. What do you think about these?:

0.71 G VS2 – https://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/G-VS2-Ideal-Cut-Princess-Diamond-1293394.asp?a_aid=dmnd1357

vs. https://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/G-VS2-Ideal-Cut-Princess-Diamond-1292760.asp?a_aid=dmnd1357

64% Table – https://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/E-VS2-Ideal-Cut-Princess-Diamond-1174324.asp?a_aid=dmnd1357

I’m thinking 0.7 ct is about the right spot, and the common prong setting is nice (I do like it very thin like the BlueNile one though but I think 1.9mm will look good).

It looks like this is the matching wedding band: https://www.jamesallen.com/wedding-and-anniversary/womens-wedding-rings/ring/item_63-2839.asp?a_aid=dmnd1357

For the setting & wedding band is it true that white gold will wear off while the platinum will stay shiny? Would you recommend the platinum?

I had to go on a trip so I still haven’t bought the ring – that E-VS2 I was looking at before is still available, but I also saw this https://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/I-VS1-Ideal-Cut-Princess-Diamond-1309571.asp?a_aid=dmnd1357 while browsing through the categories per your site’s suggestions. It also has a small table (70% instead of 64% and similar other parameters but I color with ‘Strong’ fluorescence and is $500 cheaper). Would this one be a good idea or would I be better off spending more on the first one?

I did end up going with that E-VS2 with 64% table in the platinum common prong setting and it looks great! Its shipment was delayed a few times but then did come through. It looks like I’ve paid pretty much just Canadian Tax on top of the price now so I don’t know if I’ll later be charged customs but in any case I’m happy with my purchase.

My fiancée loves her pretty ring and we are so thrilled right now. Thank you so much for your advice and website!

Done, and happy to do so.  If only there were sites as informative as yours to help people buy cars!  I may well set up something like this for computer parts since that’s what I’m into.