Blue Nile Stud Upgrade. Are these close to Signature cut?

[Smith1942]

I'm considering upgrading my Blue Nile Signature studs. I can go much larger if I go down a cut grade to BN's Ideal, which is one category below BN's Signature line, (which is super-ideal).

I have found a pair in the Ideal category which SEEM to be Signature-level super-ideal cut, with one diamond scoring 1.4 on the HCA and the other scoring 1.8. Not being a cut expert I'd like your opinions. If I'm right that this pair is still an amazing cut, I can go from 0.68 ctw to 1.12, while spending the minimum that I need to spend to get the upgrade. My feeling with these diamonds below is that I would not see much of a negative difference in terms of fire and sparkle than I do now with my Signature super-ideal cuts.

My current pair are 0.68 ctw, E/SI1 and F/VS1, Signature line and both score 0.9 on the HCA. They are very sparkly, and I don't want to lose that sparkle. Some say it's overkill for earrings, but I want my earrings to sparkle as much as humanly possible - I don't buy that they shouldn't be as sparkly as my e-ring. So I'm concerned not to have a discernible difference in sparkle when I upgrade, and these below seem so well-cut too. Tell me if I'm right or wrong! I hope I'm right - going from 0.68 to 1.12 is a massive difference, and they are right on the price point where I'd spend the minimum I need to spend in order to upgrade. They just happen to be my fave combo of D/Si2 as well (because I don't really care about clarity as long as no huge black carbon spots, but can see the iciness in a D).

Here are the cut specs:


Diamond 1
Cert: GIA
Shape: Round
Carat: 0.56
Depth %: 61.8
Table %: 56
Crown Angle: 34.5
Pavilion Angle: 41.0
Polish: Excellent
Symmetry: Excellent
Girdle: Medium
Culet: None
Size: 5.28 x 5.33 x 3.28 mm
HCA Score: 1.8

Diamond 2:
Cert: GIA
Shape: Round
Carat: 0.56
Depth %: 61.4
Table %: 57
Crown Angle: 34.0
Pavilion Angle: 41.0
Polish: Excellent
Symmetry: Excellent
Girdle: Medium
Culet: None
Size: 5.29 x 5.32 x 3.26 mm
HCA Score: 1.4

I'm rather in love with the amazing sparkle of my current studs, which makes them look larger than they are. I'm not desperate to upgrade right now, but these above looked quite a good deal considering they are at the minimum spend to get my upgrade and they are 1.12 as opposed to 0.68. Yes, I could look at other colours and clarities, but then I'd be looking at paying more as there is nothing else at the right price point. I just don't want to sacrifice on the cut. If they would be noticeably less sparkly I could easily carry on with the ones I've already got. Those are a good size for both everyday wear and for going out.However, a girl's got to consider an affordable leap from 0.68 to 1.12! So, what do you think of them?

Thanks so much in advance for your input!

 

[diamondseeker2006]

Re: Blue Nile Stud Upgrade. Are these close to Signature cut

Do you lose the right to upgrade again if you go below Signature? And have they verified that the stones are eyeclean? I'd rather go to F-G color and SI1 or VS2 clarity, but I understand what you are saying.

 

[Smith1942]

Re: Blue Nile Stud Upgrade. Are these close to Signature cut

I have no answers as I am only concerned about cut. Those other answers will come if the cut if right and then I will investigate further. Going down in colour and up in clarity would cost approx 300 dollars MORE - all to do with original purchase price and current stock levels. It was only an idea anyway - I guess I'll just stick with what I've got. Thanks anyway.

 

[diamondseeker2006]

Re: Blue Nile Stud Upgrade. Are these close to Signature cut

I certainly agree on cut, and yes, ideal cut (meeting AGS ideal standards) is totally fine for studs as well as the signature hearts and arrows stones. BN has restrictive upgrade policies, and I would want to be sure I was trading for stones that could still be upgraded later unless someone is certain that they are at the largest size they'd ever want.

 

[Smith1942]

Re: Blue Nile Stud Upgrade. Are these close to Signature cut

Thanks. I thought that all the upgrade policies were broadly the same - i.e that you got 100% of the original purchase price towards a new pair, but the new pair had to be double the old price. So, for example, the old diamonds were $1,411 which means the new pair has to be worth at least $2,822 - but I only pay $1,411 (plus the extra if I opt to spend more than that). The new pair I'm looking at are $2,856, so I'd give them my old diamonds and pay $1,445. Is that a restrictive policy? It seemed good to me but I'm not familiar with their ins and outs.

About upgrading again, it's really a matter of money. I don't think I would ever pay double again for studs, unless I won the lottery! I like to wear the studs every day and am quite low-key European where people don't have huge diamonds. So all things considered, I don't really think I'd want to upgrade again.

I know that most consider AGS Ideal cut to be OK for diamond studs, but I really love the e-ring-type standard of sparkle on my current studs. What do you think of the cut on these diamonds? Would it give amazing sparkle of the super-ideal level, or do you think I'd see the difference? My current ones chuck out so much fire that they look almost half a carat anyway, I reckon.

 

[Smith1942]

Re: Blue Nile Stud Upgrade. Are these close to Signature cut

Just checked the James Allen upgrade policy. It's the same as Blue Nile's - 100% of the original purchase price in credit and then you buy something which is 2x the original purchase price.

James Allen. "Any loose diamond purchased from jamesallen.com can be exchanged at 100% credit for any replacement diamond of at least 2x or greater in value."

 

[justginger]

Re: Blue Nile Stud Upgrade. Are these close to Signature cut

I think they look good, honestly. Nice HCA scores, a serious increase in ear coverage, and I think D diamonds are special (though I wouldn't pay the price premium myself, I understand how you could end up with them due to stock availability at any given time). I reckon these have a good chance of being beautiful.

Because you're dealing with BN, you can't exactly ask the questions that normally come next: are they eyeclean, and can I get an IS/ASET? All you can do is go ahead with the exchange and see what your eyes think of them when they arrive. I assume you can return them and get your old earrings back?

 

[diamondseeker2006]

Re: Blue Nile Stud Upgrade. Are these close to Signature cut

Yes, I found the policy, too. I think at one time they only allowes Signature stones to be upgraded, so it has improved since then. There are vendors such as Good Old Gold and WhiteFlash that do not require any minimum to upgrade as long as the diamonds cost more than the current ones.

I probably would think carefully about the size you really want to be at long term since that double price thing will make trading more difficult later on. But I do think ideal cuts are absolutely fine for rings or studs!

 

[Smith1942]

Re: Blue Nile Stud Upgrade. Are these close to Signature cut

Thanks.

What does everyone think of the cut in terms of being super-ideal? Because although they are classified as BN's Ideal range, they really seem more like super-ideal. I'm just trying to get some cut-nut opinions on how close these stones are to the super-ideal.

DS, I didn't know that some vendors don't require the 2x spend. That's pretty good.

Justginger: BN has always been fab about quick returns, however I'm not sure how that works with the upgrade thing. Not sure if your old diamonds go straight back to inventory and therefore could be sold in short order. I haven't asked any of those questions because I'm still trying to get to the bottom of just how good the cut of these new ones really is. I think they look like the Signature super-ideal but need expert opinion on that since I'm an amateur.

I'm torn as these are a good deal - fave colour, right on minimum spend for upgrade, and SERIOUS increase in ear coverage. 0.68 to 1.12! However I have always had smallish diamonds, and perhaps I'm better off with my current studs. I have a 0.53 D pendant and when I put in on my ear it looked like a saucer, although it does have quite a thick bezel.

What a dilemma!!

 

[Smith1942]

Re: Blue Nile Stud Upgrade. Are these close to Signature cut

Please could one of the cut nuts here give me their opinion of the cut of these diamonds? I would be really interested to know. I THINK I've found some diamonds as good as Signature which are listed in the cheaper Ideal range, but I can't tell by myself. Need expert cut help! Thanks so much in advance.

 

[justginger]

Re: Blue Nile Stud Upgrade. Are these close to Signature cut

I don't think you're going to get the answer you're looking for. None of us know the criteria that BN have set for their signature line. They are subjective numbers. I doubt BN Signature would match up 100% with ACAs or BGD Signatures. The cut looks very nice - that's all we can say. If you want to know how they specifically compare to the guidelines of BN Signature, you'll have to call BN and ask about their criteria.

 

[Smith1942]

Re: Blue Nile Stud Upgrade. Are these close to Signature cut

I'm not so concerned about the cut now, because in the past I've always bought just going by HCA and have been REALLY happy. I did get a James Allen H&A 0.52 D pendant (for $1,150, can you believe that!) using only the HCA (score 0.9) and it is SO sparkly. Back then, couple of years ago, I understood nothing about Idealscope and all the other images so I didn't look at those.

So basically I have some super-ideal stones, such as my Hearts on Fire 0.70 e-ring and the James Allen, and my BN Signature studs absolutely meet/beat those for fire and sparkle. The BN stones also have great HCA scores of around 1. So I think that the ACA, BGD Signature and BN Signature are all probably comparable with each other, and probably equivalent too with the Hearts on Fire line. When my husband bought the HoF stone, years ago, I knew nothing about diamonds, but when I ran the numbers through the HCA it came out about 1 too. All these stones that I own are super-duper sparkly - I can't see how they could be more so. I just didn't want to take a "sparkle hit" with BN's Ideal line, but BN told me that the D pair is super-ideal cut, just not marketed as BN Signature because they didn't cut the stones themselves and they are part of a virtual inventory.