Exhausted and overwhelmed.

[lovedogs]

@frogplus, make sure to check the dates on the LT listings. Some you posted are 2-4 years old, meaning the seller likely has either already sold the piece or decided not to sell it.

 

[JPie]

@diamondseeker2006 I don't mind buying each separately but I figured buying both at the same time would just be easier. I really don't want to make this process any longer than it needs to be. I don't know my ring size but I think it's 5.5 just from using a tape measure. I ordered a sizer from BN but it never came, so I just ordered another one.

I ordered a ring sizer from BN and it literally took a month or two to arrive.

I think 1.8mm will look great on a 5.5 finger if you want a delicate look. To give you an idea, this is a 1.8mm solid gold shank on a 5.5 finger:

 

[DoeEyes]

And one moissanite option that I like too. For moissanite I'm not even looking on loupetroop if the whole ring doesn't look good for me. Figured if I'm going to start shopping for loose moissanites I can probably find good deals elsewhere.

9. https://loupetroop.com/listings/rings-lab-created-center/1-dot-96-ct-amora-gem
Probably too big for my small hands, but it's $600 for a 1.96ct Amora Gem in color E, with 14k white gold setting from David Klass identical to Tiffany setting which I love. Size is 5.75 which might fit me, I think I'm around a 5.5. This one is in NJ and I'm in Philly so I probably could drive to her and see it in person.

 

[DoeEyes]

Can anyone tell me about amora gems and if that's a good option for me? I am talking to IDJ and I gave him a budget of $1k just to see what he could do, and he recommended amora gem. Half carat with setting and pave wedding band would be $1000 total. $1100 for .9 carat if I want bigger, although I think that might be too big. Is amora gem a good option?

 

[scarsmum]

Here’s a thread for some hand shots with diamond solitaires: https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/under-1ct-diamonds.25028/

 

[sledge]

Can anyone tell me about amora gems and if that's a good option for me? I am talking to IDJ and I gave him a budget of $1k just to see what he could do, and he recommended amora gem. Half carat with setting and pave wedding band would be $1000 total. $1100 for .9 carat if I want bigger, although I think that might be too big. Is amora gem a good option?

So IDJ met your crazy $1,000 budget for stone, e-ring & w-band, which is about $1,500 LESS than your local guy and you are in some massive dilemma over $100 to get almost double the size?

You're being unrealistic.

 

[scarsmum]

So IDJ met your crazy $1,000 budget for stone, e-ring & w-band, which is about $1,500 LESS than your local guy and you are in some massive dilemma over $100 to get almost double the size?

You're being unrealistic.

Not fair to OP. She hasn’t heard of Amora, she doesn’t know about sizes of stone on the finger, she’s being bombarded with options. Nit a reasonable comment.

 

[Sabrina31]

I'm not sure if Amora gems are as heavy as diamonds, but if idj can give you exact MM sizes, you can get a visual comparision on Diamonddb,
For instance in this i dont think the .9 carat looks to big on a 5.5 finger. https://www.diamdb.com/compare/0.5ct-round-vs-0.9ct-round/

 

[sledge]

Not fair to OP. She hasn’t heard of Amora, she doesn’t know about sizes of stone on the finger, she’s being bombarded with options. Nit a reasonable comment.

She can debate Amora and stone sizes all day. Asking IDJ to meet $1,000 budget when another jeweler was at $2,500 seems unreasonable to me. I'm all for saving money, but you have to also be reasonable. Maybe explaining to IDJ she'd like to spend $1,000 for synthetics but could max out at $2,000 for real diamonds would have been a better approach.

Putting such a dollar constraint on IDJ puts them in a position to fail.

Opinions aside, here you go. Using 5.5 finger size, 1.8mm band & TYPICAL dimensions as an exact stone has not yet been determined. Bigger is better IMO.

 

[Sabrina31]

I do actually agree with @sledge, op did her self a disservice when she switched up the parameters on idj, BUT, they gave her an option and now if she chooses she can expand on that and work from there or adjust the parameters to suit her taste.


@frogplus, Do you really want a wedding ring set?
Its ok it you dont, you could choose to wear a band, qalo ring or nothing, it would in no way effect your commitment to your SO. I just feel like you need to hear that its ok to not subscribe to the norm, and not wear anything, or wear something unconventional. My mother has worn an amythest cocktail ring for the last 20 years of her 45 year marriage, before that and still most of the time nothing. And its TOTALLY okay. Once you've been married a while, no one is even thinking about ring or which one you're wearing.

 

[Kaycee2018]

I agree w/ @sledge . OP, you aren't doing your self any favors if you are giving different retailers different budgets. Perhaps you should approach retailers and ask what they recommend at a $1,000 budget vs. a $2,000 (or $2500?) budget. That might alleviate some of the frustration and hopefully you will have apples to apples options to compare. Only you can decide on the diamond vs. simulant or new vs. preloved, but it looks like you should have some pretty solid options to chose from. Also, if you decide to go with IDJ, in order to avoid sales tax they will need to ship to you in PA rather than you picking up...though I agree that taking a trip to the city to see their offerings is a great idea! GL!

 

[DoeEyes]

@sledge I think maybe you misunderstood me. I'm aware that the $1k is a very low budget for what I'm looking for, but wanted to see what options IDJ might have and where he could recommend i compromise, which is exactly what he did. I don't know if there are less perfect diamond out there that I would be perfectly happy with, and that's what I'm trying to find out. I've never heard of amora gem so I came here to ask. IDJ said it's not moissanite but what I'm reading looks like it's pretty similar. I'm not in any dilemma over there $100 for double the size, I think that's barely anything, I just don't know what size I actually want and if 1ct would be too big for me. I am not demanding IDJ give me perfect diamonds for a ridiculously low price and definitely not trying to set them up to fail.

Thank you @scarsmum. You're right, I'm overwhelmed with options. I thought I had it narrowed down to definitely wanting a diamond and now I have a new thing I have to research. Starting to feel overwhelmed again. Might just order the $250 moissanite and be done with this.

 

[bludiva]

+1

Its ok it you dont, you could choose to wear a band, qalo ring or nothing, it would in no way effect your commitment to your SO. I just feel like you need to hear that its ok to not subscribe to the norm, and not wear anything, or wear something unconventional. My mother has worn an amythest cocktail ring for the last 20 years of her 45 year marriage, before that and still most of the time nothing. And its TOTALLY okay. Once you've been married a while, no one is even thinking about ring or which one you're wearing.

 

[DoeEyes]

When I first went to the local jeweler I told him the setting I liked and that I think a .5 ct would be good based on what I saw online. He showed me and the price was $2500. I didn't say my budget is $2500 that's just what it cost. That jeweler seemed snobby and not interested in helping me get the price down, said come back when you're ready to buy... How can I be ready to buy if you're not showing me other options. Every day I'm learning more about what I want, what I like, and what things cost, and my budget is changing. First I thought I had to spend $2k minimum. Now I know there are other options. If I could spend $100 and be done, that would be great. I'd love a real diamond, and if there are imperfect but still beautiful options out there for much less than what the snobby jeweler offered, that's what I want.

 

[Sabrina31]

[QUOTE Thank you @scarsmum. You're right, I'm overwhelmed with options. I thought I had it narrowed down to definitely wanting a diamond and now I have a new thing I have to research. Starting to feel overwhelmed again. Might just order the $250 moissanite and be done with this.[/QUOTE]


I think maybe take a break? any part of this process is supposed to be at least a little bit fun, and it makes me sad that you aren't having fun. I had a 2500 total budget for my set, and happen to love colored stones so i went with that, but i love jewelry and really wanted some, if i didnt, i wouldnt have put my self through the stress, or frankly waste my money on something i dont enjoy. Have you considered a wide band with diamonds and no e ring? then you dont have to worry about a center stone.

 

[DoeEyes]

@Sabrina31 Thank you for that advice and letting me know it's ok to do something non standard. I do definitely want both.

 

[msop04]

And one moissanite option that I like too. For moissanite I'm not even looking on loupetroop if the whole ring doesn't look good for me. Figured if I'm going to start shopping for loose moissanites I can probably find good deals elsewhere.

9. https://loupetroop.com/listings/rings-lab-created-center/1-dot-96-ct-amora-gem
Probably too big for my small hands, but it's $600 for a 1.96ct Amora Gem in color E, with 14k white gold setting from David Klass identical to Tiffany setting which I love. Size is 5.75 which might fit me, I think I'm around a 5.5. This one is in NJ and I'm in Philly so I probably could drive to her and see it in person.

I've been reading this thread... @frogplus, if you decide to go the lab route, I really like the ring in this listing. However, should you choose a diamond, I think Yekutiel at IDJ is going to be your best bet.

 

[DoeEyes]

Side note: is there a way to make using this forum easier to use on a phone? Like an app? My phone browser is having an awful time and it's blocked on my work computer.

 

[sledge]

@sledge I think maybe you misunderstood me. I'm aware that the $1k is a very low budget for what I'm looking for, but wanted to see what options IDJ might have and where he could recommend i compromise, which is exactly what he did. I don't know if there are less perfect diamond out there that I would be perfectly happy with, and that's what I'm trying to find out. I've never heard of amora gem so I came here to ask. IDJ said it's not moissanite but what I'm reading looks like it's pretty similar. I'm not in any dilemma over there $100 for double the size, I think that's barely anything, I just don't know what size I actually want and if 1ct would be too big for me. I am not demanding IDJ give me perfect diamonds for a ridiculously low price and definitely not trying to set them up to fail.

Thank you @scarsmum. You're right, I'm overwhelmed with options. I thought I had it narrowed down to definitely wanting a diamond and now I have a new thing I have to research. Starting to feel overwhelmed again. Might just order the $250 moissanite and be done with this.

I don't think you did it on purpose, but you are making it hard on yourself by constantly changing. I'm glad that IDJ presented you some options and is working with you.

Personally I think you should stop looking at online stuff. You're getting confused and IMO you have too many options. Talk with IDJ and make sure he has some of the cheaper $1,000 items in-stock he was telling you about. Also, ask him to pull some options in the $2,000 range. Then you and your BF need to take a trip to NY to see those options in-person.

Only your eyes can tell you if a real diamond is worth the extra premium to you or not.

To intentionally use something non-diamond related, I will share with you my opinion on tools. Yes, I know this is a diamond forum but give me a second. For years, I used cheap tools. They broke often. They are rarely smooth & fluid in their motion (think ratchets). And many have sharp edges which I dislike. Lastly I like them to feel heavy and solid. While I can go to Harbor Freight and pack up on a boatload of tools, they are a complete waste of money IMO. Not to say HF doesn't have certain items I target, or maybe specialty tools that are rarely used. But I'm not going to buy my wrenches, ratchets, sockets, etc. from them.

Instead I would rather spend a little more and get some Craftsman style tools (older ones are actually better as those are USA made; new ones are imported ). If I happen to find some Snap On or Mac tools at a garage or estate sale I will snag those as well. But I don't wrench enough to truly justify the cost of new SO or Mac tools.

My point being it took me seeing and using these various tools to understand what I liked. Now that I know, I also understand how spending the least amount of money is not the best VALUE for me. My sweet spot is new Craftsman or used SO/Mac tools. This means I spend a little more upfront but the tools last longer, have lifetime guarantees and I enjoy working with them. So in a sense they are an investment in my happiness and I'm okay with spending a few more dollars to get so much more in return.

I think you are at a similar crossroads with your diamond purchase experience. You need to step back, look and feel the different options at IDJ and then determine what you consider to be a good VALUE for you. This may mean spending $1k, $2k or $3k. The point is you understand what works for you so that when you spend that money, you know you are making the right decision for you.

 

[sledge]

Side note: is there a way to make using this forum easier to use on a phone? Like an app? My phone browser is having an awful time and it's blocked on my work computer.

I have a Samsung S9 and no issues using Chrome.

Since changing from an iPhone, I haven't re-downloaded Tapatalk but that is a good app for forums. I know there are a boatload of forums that use that app, I'm just not sure if this forum does or not.

 

[DoeEyes]

@sledge That's a great analogy and honestly it makes me think I don't want a diamond (because of the price) and I'd be perfectly happy with something cheaper but still sparkly. Maybe amora is the perfect middle ground for me. I just stopped into a store on my way home and tried on some different sizes and the 1ct was really nice. I know I won't want to spend what a 1ct diamond costs, but $1100 for the amora gem ring AND wedding band (which I think has actual diamonds) I could stomach that. Lot to think about.

 

[MamaBee]

@sledge That's a great analogy and honestly it makes me think I don't want a diamond (because of the price) and I'd be perfectly happy with something cheaper but still sparkly. Maybe amora is the perfect middle ground for me. I just stopped into a store on my way home and tried on some different sizes and the 1ct was really nice. I know I won't want to spend what a 1ct diamond costs, but $1100 for the amora gem ring AND wedding band (which I think has actual diamonds) I could stomach that. Lot to think about.

Did you measure for your size?

 

[tkyasx78]

@frogplus
I skipped page 2 and most of page 3. Sorry if someone already brought it up

Check out the discussions on lightbox diamonds if you dont need a natural mined diamond. ( see the fabulous fashion jewelry section of the forum or use the search function for lightbox )

There are several threads already about them and
At 900$ for a 1 carat diamond that is made in a lab ( they are 100% carbon) you can have any jeweler stick it in a setting and it will sparkle like a diamond ( becuase it is one) and it will test as a diamond.

I would hate to have you spend more on an amora or a mossianite or simulant only to find out later that in sept. Debeers is selling lab ones for 900$

 

[rockysalamander]

At the risk of going over the line on this board talking Sims (Fabulous Fashion Jewelry is the place), how important is it to you that a diamond alternative pass for a diamond? Do you care that it is white and sparkly, but some may or may not suspect it is not a natural diamond.

I ask because moissy vary greatly in their "success" at passing for a diamond. If that is important to you, I'd suggest you post a new thread in Fabulous Fashion and get input. The LT ring is very nice, but they don't say which generation of Amora Gem it is. Some where very good and used the newer rough that lacks overtones of yellow/green, but early ones were not that great. They say 2015, but I don't recall all the years-models.

 

[DoeEyes]

@Mamabean yes! I'm a size 5.
@tkyasx78 I would much prefer a lab grown diamond over any sim! I looked into them early on and it looked like the prices were not that different than natural diamonds so I moved on. If I can get 1ct for $900 that might be perfect! I really would like to be able to say it's a diamond. Is lab grown diamond something I should bring it to IDJ? I like avoiding sales tax. It's 8% here in Philly.
@rockysalamander if I've learned anything so far, it's that I really don't know how important it is for me to have a real diamond. I definitely want it to look and behave like a real diamond, but I'm learning that the size diamond I want, I can't afford, so I am considering the sims. Although I just learned that lab created diamond are apparently way cheaper than I thought, so that changes things.

 

[ringo865]

Lab diamonds might be cheaper when lightbox come out this fall. Right now, they're still like 70-80% of the price of natural.

 

[partgypsy]

Amora is moissanite (silicon carbide)
diamond nexus sells man-made or lab created diamonds. Brilliant Earth is a distributor.

 

[HDer]

Lab diamonds will be cheaper starting in September if you can wait. Lightbox has already confirmed, repeatedly, that they will sell one carat pendants for 900/1000. You'll have to unset and reset it in a ring of course, but you can do that on the cheap if you know where to look.

 

[partgypsy]

my bad. looking further diamond nexus are NOT man made diamonds. I would go to the synthetics part of the forum to find out where to buy actual synthetic/man made, lab created diamonds.

 

[DoeEyes]

@HDer that sounds like a great option for me. Probably will bring my total price back up to $2k but for a full carat true diamond, maybe that's worth it. I'm just having such a hard time deciding how important a real diamond is to me.