Awesome Setting or Awesome Diamond?

[bachismyfriend]

Hello everyone! Just to warn all of you, this is my first post here, so I apologize if there is some sort of unwritten rule that I'm breaking here But I could really use some advice! My boyfriend and I will be purchasing an engagement ring when he comes home from basic in December! I'm thrilled, but torn. Our budget is 3000 dollars, and I fell in love with a solitaire tacori setting, this one to be exact: http://www.since1910.com/engagement/tacori/tacori-solitaire-engagement-ring-with-milgrain-edge-ps2186.aspx . It's definitely my type of jewelry, very dainty and antique looking, but the base price starts at 1300 dollars. That's nearly half of the total budget for the ring. I also am considering having it made with 6 prongs (just a personal preference) which would make the setting cost 1600 dollars. So I guess what I'm asking is if anyone knows, is this setting REALLY worth that much money? I don't really care about it being designer, but I do really like the antique look of it, and it's also the smallest band I've seen so far (which is a good thing for me!). But then with the price of matching wedding bands with it...it seems like a lot. So torn. So do you think the tacori band is worth the markup? Or is it too much money for what you get?

 

[PintoBean]

Do you anticipate upgrading in the future? If so, I would recommend putting the bulk of the budget on the diamond and set aside $300-400 for a 6 prong setting, and purchase from a vendor with a good upgrade policy.

 

[patricias]

I'll second this opinion. Put the money into the best stone, get a nice 6-prong solitare setting, and upgrade the setting when you feel that you have the money for it. No one should lose sleep or go into debt for an engagement ring. With your budget, you should be able to get a very nice stone. I'd look at stones in the HIJ color range and VS1-SI1 clarity, and get the highest quality cut you can afford. Diamonds are all about the sparkle, and that comes from a good cut.

 

[Gypsy]

I think it's important to love your ring. But no, on a 3000 budget, I don't recommend spending half the budget on a setting.

Super thin bands are not durable. And frankly they are not attractive on the large majority of people. Have you tried the setting on?

This is what I recommend:
http://www.stuller.com/products/122118/9143230/?groupId=119127&fromProductDetails=True
Or this:
http://www.stuller.com/products/122004/?groupId=113775

And you can ask the vendor you order through to recommend how best to add milgrain to them for you. Either one ridge of it down the middle of the shank like this: http://www.jewelbasket.com/jbnnpaprika-white.html Or maybe down both sides of the shank, like the Tacori.

Milgrain is a finish detail. It can in some cases be added to a ring.

Either of those should come to less than 500 bucks. And you can get it in the Stuller 14kt X1 alloy which never needs to be plated.

You can get a nice stone like this for it:
http://www.goodoldgold.com/diamond/10894/
http://www.b2cjewels.com/dd-6290596-0.76-carat-Round-diamond-I-color-VS1-Clarity.aspx?sku=6290596&utm_source=pricescope.com&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=pricescope.com
http://www.whiteflash.com/loose-diamonds/round-cut-loose-diamond-3237360.htm?source=pricescope This would be my choice. It's 6mm!!!

 

[Gypsy]

OH! I just remembered this setting: https://www.etsy.com/listing/161179813/14k-white-gold-engraved-vintage-antique?ref=shop_home_active_15

Which I ADORE. And it's ONLY 400! And it can take any of the stones above. All you would do is buy the setting and have it sent to the stone vendor and they'll set the stone for you.

AND it's vintage and thin at 2mm. You really don't want thinner. I know it's not a 6 prong. But... I do think it's a very nice setting.

Yes???

 

[tyty333]

I want to give a shoutout to this setting that Gypsy posted...its really pretty and looks antiquey.
http://www.stuller.com/products/122004/?groupId=113775

You can see the setting used here... Page 1 a little over half way down the page. Very pretty!
[URL='https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/1-17-oec-shes-a-keeper-and-an-antique-finger-warmer.187205/']https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/1-17-oec-shes-a-keeper-and-an-antique-finger-warmer.187205/[/URL]

 

[MollyMalone]

The suggestion of having detail added to a Stuller mounting could work well for you! I've had some colored stones set in Stuller solitaire mountings (including the 1st one Gypsy linked); in my experience, they are a good value, well made -- and they offer more 6-prong choices than most sources.

My only caution would be, since not everyone can do fine millegrain and/or carving (if you want something like the Tacori crescents on the shank as well), that you ask to see examples of detail work actually done by your local jeweler/their bench before you have them order the mounting -- or have someone else handle the detailing. If you share your location, some of us may be able to provide recommendations.

Also nail down the jeweler's return-refund policy on your particular Stuller choice. Both of the mountings linked above are part of Stuller's 3C program & Stuller itself will not accept a jeweler's return on those custom orders. (fyi Stuller is wholesale only; it's up to the retailers to decide how much of a mark-up to charge customers. So it can be worth your while to shop around for price quotes.)

 

[bachismyfriend]

Oh wow! Thanks for all of the replies! Sorry I'm just getting back to you all, it's been a busy week!

First off, I'm glad everyone is on the same page here. I think you're all right, as beautiful as this setting is, I just don't think I'd be able to afford a good diamond with a setting like that (and my boyfriend and I have discussed that this is something we will be paying off in full, no debt for us!)

And Gypsy, I never would have thought of that! Some small milgrain shouldn't be something that's astronomically expensive to add to a ring, right? And those diamonds are gorgeous. I will be taking those pictures in with me when we go back to look, and see if the store has anything similar for a good price in stock. And that last setting WAS very pretty, I loved it (even if it wasn't 6 prong ) 2mm is what the tacori setting was, so I know I'd love that size!

MollyMalone, I'm in central Indiana (20 minutes south of Indianapolis) so if anyone knows any good jewelers in that area, please let me know! I really liked Distinctive Diamonds (they buy direct, so they apparently have pretty good prices) but I've also looked at a family owned jewelers called McGees. They're redoing my mom's setting right now, so I'll get to see their work first hand in a few weeks!

Will most places be able to order a Stuller setting for me if that's what I chose to go with? And does anyone know how long it takes (on average) for the jeweler to receive the setting?

 

[cflutist]

Oh wow! Thanks for all of the replies! Sorry I'm just getting back to you all, it's been a busy week!

First off, I'm glad everyone is on the same page here. I think you're all right, as beautiful as this setting is, I just don't think I'd be able to afford a good diamond with a setting like that (and my boyfriend and I have discussed that this is something we will be paying off in full, no debt for us!)

And Gypsy, I never would have thought of that! Some small milgrain shouldn't be something that's astronomically expensive to add to a ring, right? And those diamonds are gorgeous. I will be taking those pictures in with me when we go back to look, and see if the store has anything similar for a good price in stock. And that last setting WAS very pretty, I loved it (even if it wasn't 6 prong ) 2mm is what the tacori setting was, so I know I'd love that size!

MollyMalone, I'm in central Indiana (20 minutes south of Indianapolis) so if anyone knows any good jewelers in that area, please let me know! I really liked Distinctive Diamonds (they buy direct, so they apparently have pretty good prices) but I've also looked at a family owned jewelers called McGees. They're redoing my mom's setting right now, so I'll get to see their work first hand in a few weeks!

Will most places be able to order a Stuller setting for me if that's what I chose to go with? And does anyone know how long it takes (on average) for the jeweler to receive the setting?

Almost every jeweler in this country has a Stuller account. If a mounting is in stock, then it is overnight air. If it has to be cast, normally no longer than two weeks.

 

[Gypsy]

Here's what you need to know in order to shop somewhere else:

The entire purpose of faceting a diamond is to reflect light.
How well or how poorly a diamond does this determines how beautiful it is.
How well a diamond performs is determined by the angles and cutting. This is why we say cut is king.
No other factor: not color, not clarity has as much of an impact on the appearance of a diamond as its cut. An ideal H will out white a poorly cut F. And GIA Ex is not enough. And you must stick to GIA and AGS only. EGL is a bad option: [URL='https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/egl-certification-are-any-of-them-ok.142863/']https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/egl-certification-are-any-of-them-ok.142863/[/URL]
So how to we ensure that we have the right angles and cutting to get the light performance we want?
https://www.pricescope.com/wiki/diamonds/diamond-cut
Well one method is to start with a GIA Ex, and then apply the HCA to it. YOU DO NOT USE HCA for AGS0 stones.
https://www.pricescope.com/wiki/diamonds/holloway-cut-advisor
The HCA is a rejection tool. Not a selection tool. It uses 4 data points to make a rudimentary call on how the diamond may perform.
If the diamond passes then you know that you are in the right zone in terms of angles for light performance. Under 2 is a pass. Under 2.5-2.1 is a maybe. 2.6 and over is a no. No score 2 and under is better than any other.
Is that enough? Not really.
So what you need is a way to check actual light performance of your actual stone.
That's what an idealscope image does. https://www.pricescope.com/wiki/diamonds/firescope-idealscope
It shows you how and wear your diamond is reflecting light, how well it is going at it, and where you are losing light return. That is why you won't see us recommending Blue Nile, as they do not provide idealscope images for their diamonds. BGD, James Allen, GOG, HPD, ERD and WF do.

The Idealscope is the 'selection tool'. Not the HCA.
So yes, with a GIA stone you need the idealscope images. Or you can buy an idealscope yourself and take it in to the jeweler you are working with to check the stones yourself. Or if you have a good return policy (full refund minimum 7 days) then you can buy the idealscope, buy the stone, and do it at home.


Now if you want to skip all that... stick to AGS0 stones and then all you have to do is pick color and clarity and you know you have a great performing diamond. Because AGS has already done the checking for you. That's why they trade at a premium.