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- Sep 19, 2004
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Are you looking for a really great looking ring with sidestones or pave…. Are you a Pricescoper always looking for information on how to get higher quality rings… Are you a vendor wondering how to play the different melee quality options…
Please read this long post and comment. It will make a difference.
After several years of being out of the e-ring market it suddenly occurs that I am now looking for an e-ring.
So, it is now time to put into practice what I learned years ago on Pricescope… and I am sure that the Pricescope oldtimers remember me well.
Only a few changes since then: This will be a small “compromise” e-ring. Our combined budgets cannot withstand the desired $10,000+ e-ring ($18,000 of custom furniture is due to arrive soon). The agreement is to get a small centerstone ring now (1/3 to 1/2 carats) and upgrade to the larger ring in several years. Sidestones are a must.
But, that does not mean that I cannot insist on a quality well built ring with overall dazzling performance…. or can I? My initial experience this past week was disappointing.
Here is what many people miss – or rarely discuss – when looking for a ring with sidestones. That the quality of cut of the sidestones (light return) can have just as dramatic effect on the look of the ring as the centerstone.
I have seen some great centerstones that dazzeled, sparkled, and wowed ya… only to be dragged down by relatively dull looking sidestones. Many times the sidestones are melee sized (melee is typically stones 0.2 carat and smaller).
Pricescope almost always focuses on the centerstone; and a number of vendors now cater to that market (there sure are more easily findable choices now than there were 3 years ago). But, I thought that with my experience of this week that I should again raise for discussion the issue of the sidestones and what is normally done – and what can be done.
Of course, if your sidestones are large enough (1/2 carat +) you can easily get great light return diamonds. But most sidestone rings have smaller melee stones on them.
There are many grades of melee on the market with many price points (just as there are many grades of larger diamonds on the market).
Almost all sidestone rings come preset with the sidestones and all the consumer chooses is the overall quality of the centerstone. The vendors has prechosen how good the melee quality is; but usually focus only on color and clarity. Since this is an area that many people do not pay attention to – it is also an area where the jeweler can reduce cost on a ring.
Thus, for example, if you go to BlueNile you will find that their sidestone melee is of an average I Color and SI2 Clarity. Another vendor, such as James Allen uses melee with an average Color of G and VS2 – SI1 Clarity. All the main vendors will quickly tell you their default choice of color and clarity for melee if it is not posted on their website.
In addition, most companies producing melee don’t really care about cut quality, although a few do (and at least one company even supplies H&A melee).
Here is an old Pricescope thought (not mine): What if you sorted melee using an Idealscope – and chose to use only the best light return melee in your ring. How good would your ring look with melee diamonds that really “popped.”
Based on a post by Gary (Cut Nut) many years ago (2003/4 timeframe) and some discussions I have had since leads me to believe that if you sort melee with an idealscope that the average melee vendor will have 10% - 20% of their melee with good light return. I do understand that one vendor has a product line with about 70% of their melee with a good light return.
Any guesses as to the comparable price points of these vendors in the melee market.
I will note that you clearly have to have a good eye and really know how to use an Idealscope to sort melee that is smaller than 5 points. But, Gary said years ago that it was doable for those with experience.
So – time to buy a e-ring. It will be small – and have small sidestones. Not a problem. I will make more compromises than I would for a larger ring – but, will still try to get something that dazzles…
So I had my S.O. go through at least a half dozen websites on rings and pick one that she would like; and the wedding band she would like (also set with melee diamonds). Done: Said vendor also had several acceptable centerstones with good idealscope/firescope images. I could do this rather quickly – or so I thought. Estimated cost of the e-ring with center diamond and wedding band would be in the $2000+ range.
I next sent an email to the vendor explaining my desire for the best light return quality sidestones and requested to have the melee pre-sorted with an idealscope to pick out stones that were really good – and offered to pay an additional price for the service.
The reply I got indicated that the sidestones were selected for overall color and clarity, rather than cut grade as they felt a great deal of time and effort would be required to analyzing each melee diamond; and the only option I was offered was to upgrade the carat size or color and clarity grades from what was presented online (which completely missed my point on my wanting to pay for better light return – not larger or higher CC side diamonds).
In subsequent emails the vendor has now admitted that yes, the melee sidestones could indeed be presorted via idealscope to pick out the best ones; and that they focus on the “better” melee in the “good, better, best” melee market (and ignore the “worst, and poor” melee market). Also, that the cost of sorting would not be that much - just a charge for the more premium side diamonds.
In the process though – I have inquired elsewhere about getting high cut quality melee and have informed the vendor that in the end I would rather work with someone who was interested in doing what I want – than someone who is reluctant to do it (as that affects the general quality of the job you get).
The vendor does understand my point – and has indicated that they have learned a lesson (and would like the option for consideration in the future). Although, they are somewhat curious about how interested consumers are for high cut quality melee sidestones and pave. Most people are not as educated as I, and few even know that high cut quality melee exist so that they can ask for it.
I understand that the vendor has the problem that they are working in a competitive market place; and increasing the cost of the melee on their standard rings puts them at a competitive disadvantage to the vast majority of people (why, most people would ask… are their melee set rings more expensive than the next companies?). I can also see an issue with how do you even list the option. Few vendors even attempt to educate on light return for the main diamond. How well would an educational tutorial on melee cut quality and how it overall affects the ring work? Or would it add more confusion than most people can handle.
So, I thought I would post my first major Rocy Talk post in many years asking the basic following questions for discussion:
How much effect on a sidestone or pave ring does the use of high cut quality melee have?
How much extra would the use of high cut quality melee cost (i.e.; idealscope sorted – but no pictures)?
How many consumers are interested in using really high cut quality melee in their rings (or am I truly an oddball)?
How would a vendor list such an option, or should they list such an option?
Among the vendors who may reply: Obviously you know if you were or were not the vendor I contacted on this. My intent is to not identify the vendor involved and I request that any and all vendor responses stay neutral on if it was or was not you – and how in general all vendors could or should approach this issue. I have no objection if the vendor involved wishes to self identify themselves and enter the discussion from a point of lessons learned.
Thank you all for your responses in advance. Long live Pricescope.
Perry
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