What kind of setting would you put a 2 carat H color super ideal in?

[MoreSparkle]

Hi folks!

SO and I have picked a 2 carat super ideal H color for our ER. I'm told that it's a "true H" color. I'm really not sure about the setting though, and would love to get some input from you all on what you would do in our shoes. Ring size is 5 or 5.25.

(1) 4 or 6 prongs? I tend to much prefer the look of 4, but heard that 6 prongs are safer for bigger stones. I'm also wondering if more prongs = better at hiding the color of the H? Is H warm enough of a color that we should actively try to hide the sides?

(2) Halo or no halo? Is a halo good for hiding a warmer color, or does it emphasize it if the melee is a higher color? And is a halo on a 2 carat for a size 5 "too much" finger coverage? Families, social circles, etc. skew towards much smaller diamonds so we're a little worried about going too big.

(3) Pave or no pave band? We prefer the look of pave, but do they involve a lot more upkeep than just a plain shank? How often does pave fall out? We're going with platinum, if that matters.

(4) Flush vs. not-flush wedding band? How important is it to you guys that the band sit flush/how much did that affect your setting design?

We're both diamond and jewelry novices, so please share your wisdom!

 

[headlight]

Congratulations on your engagement!
I'm not sure what you are referencing when you say "true H"... as opposed to??
If you are going for a solitaire type look, I would go with 6 prong (obviously, hence avatar!). I like the way the 6 makes the round look very round!
If you are doing a mounting where it will involve a basket, I would do double prongs in all four stations so you have the look of 4 but you actually have 8. And with platinum those prongs are going to be strong. You should get your ring insured irregardless the mounting so, for me, that's actually more important than all these mounting questions!!!
I don't think you need to worry about "hiding" a warm color with the H. You will be fine. I would not, nor do I think anyone on PS would characterize H color as "warm" (and I have an E and I don't consider H to be amongst the "warm" color grades). The H is going to look "white"... the only time it will have a "tint" is if you are with someone who has a ring of higher color than yours... and even if they have a G depending on the shape and the cut that could be negligible. It is the D/E/Fs that you will see the difference. But you don't need to worry about that. H is actually the most common diamond color people have.
With regard to side stones, most side stones are usually G/H unless you had a custom design made and requested higher color grade so you are totally fine there.
As for halo, there are so many halo styles. I don't think if you have a very petite halo it will be over the top but you will have to try some out. With my previous diamond I put it in a halo and when I got it from the jeweler I was like, "Oh, wow... the halo really DOES make it look so much bigger!" If your circle of people are not into more "showy" diamonds, then just the halo, in general, even if you didn't have a 2 carat diamond may be interpreted as too much. However, don't worry about what others think. It's your ring. Don't tone down your mounting based on other people. Trust me, the fact you are getting a 2-carat diamond is already going to ruffle some feathers so just own it and get what you want!!!
On that note, a super ideal in a 2 carat... I would say why have anything to detract from that killer diamond... but I am saying that after having a number of different diamond and mounting changes the past 30 years so I have been through all the styles so I'm not one to talk at this point about fancy mountings but you ask for some "wisdom" so I'm passing it on. For me, I get bored with styles (hence the reason I've had so many changes!) so I am now at a plain solitaire and loving it.
If the piece is well-made, you shouldn't have problems with the pave'. Yes, if you drop the ring or bump it against something, you could lose a small melee once in a while. It isn't crazy expensive to have one replaced every now and then. I would stay clear of rings with pave' going all the way around because you will knock the stones on the underside and also if there is no sizing bar the ring cannot be resized if necessary.
If you are going to wear a band with it, I think it is just more comfortable if it is flush. It just feels better for me and isn't a distraction because the 2 bands not fitting together are always "fighting" with one another. But, as i said, that is me... others feel differently. You have to decide what works for you.
I'm excited to see your completed ring!

 

[TimMD]

I think I asked all the questions you just asked, more or less, prior to buying a ring recently. I am not sure if you saw my post but will post the link to my post below. I think in the end most is about personal preference, 4 vs 6 prongs, halo or no, melee or no, etc. As far as H, I think in a super ideal cut it shows very white. I am not the most color sensitive but I am not sure much to hide, our ring is icy white. She wears a 5 and I was concerned about the same as you so I went with 1.52 H since I got a halo (I peronsally love halos) and it looks nice but part of me wishes I would have gotten a 2 ct. (I think DSS already). It is a beautiful ring but even with 2 and halo I think would have been ok but the 1.5 is pretty big. She thinks it is perfect and concerned a 2 would have been too big with the halo but I am not convinced.

Surprisingly with her setting, the band still fits flush. We actually tried at Tiffanys today and I was surprised. I know in the pictures on BGD website they had the setting with flush band but was hard for me to picture it fitting flush but it does. Again I think this is personal preference, I personally like when flush.

I think the easiest answer it to go and look and try stuff on and see what you guys like the best. That is what we did a while back. All about preference, I love pave, I like halos, so that drove my decision but chiming in because I wasn't sure about H and I went back and forth with 1.5 or 2. For me it wasn't a matter of cost but practicality and that is why I did 1.5 and she is VERY happy with the size. I think with super ideal you have no concerns with H, her ring is icy white and that is against F/G melee from Brian Gavin. After seeing the ring, if I had to do over I might have done 2 ct instead I am sure she wouldn't have complained but overall we are SUPER happy with the ring and she is happy with the size. Good luck to you and I am sure all the experts will chime in. Congratulations!

https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/handbags-and-diamonds.248272/

 

[MoreSparkle]

@headlight and @TimMD

Thank you both SO much for your thoughtful and thorough insights. We started our journey certain that we would go with a G...but when we saw G, H, and I super ideal stones in person, we had such a difficult time telling them apart that we decided that H would be just fine for our purposes... but now that we've actually picked our stone, a bit of doubt has been slowly creeping in about whether we made the right call. Your posts are definitely helping in putting our minds at ease!

Also "true H" was just how the vendor described it, when I asked it if the H was closer to a G or I!

 

[TimMD]

Again I think you have nothing to worry about with H especially if you had looked at G, H, I. Last stone I bought prior to this was G and 2 before that were D (I used to be convinced had to get a D when I didn't know any better) so the H was a step for me and it is beautiful. After I bought the stone I had about 3 weeks waiting for delivery and I probably emailed the vendor twice with second thoughts on going up to a G but for sure our H is icy white and I have no concerns now. I personally cannot see any warmth compared to the F/G melee but I know there are some that are very color sensitive but definitely not me. And I agree, with a 2 ct stone don't need anything to add to its beauty and glory but I just love melee when they too are ideal cut, it is amazing how such a small diamond can sparkle so crazy. So again just preference.

Please share pics with whatever you finally decide with and again, good luck and congratulations.

 

[Dancing Fire]

Different setting styles come and go but a classic plain 6 prong will always be in style.
Here's my daughter's 2.05ct on a 6 prong 4.75 size ring.

 

[Dancing Fire]

Hi folks!

(1) Is H warm enough of a color that we should actively try to hide the sides?

No need to hide an H color.

 

[sledge]

Color is a very subjective matter. However, I think your experience is pretty typical for the average person. The majority of people will simply see a very white diamond.

As the guy who sees people swoon over my fiancee's ring, I never see them become critical at the level I can tend to be. Mostly because that purchase is very personal to me so I tend to be hypercritical of tiny details. That part about getting the best for your girl never seems to die. But also as time passes, I think we ease up and neutralize to a point similar to those viewing the ring and we enjoy it at a different level.

I would encourage 6 prongs. It makes the diamond look more round as opposed to a 4 pring that can give it a squarish shape visually. Also you get added security which is nice. On a girls trip my fiancee actually bent a prong and didn't initially notice. Thankfully 5 others secured the stone. It probably would have been a goner if it had been a 4 prong.

On the setting design it's also a personal decision. I like the classic stuff personally but my fiancee found them to boring and plain for her tastes. So I did a custom setting for her which she loves. Oddly enough, I now see her POV although in sure I'm biased.

Here's a few pics. Stone is BGD H VS2.

 

[the_mother_thing]

Between 4 & 6 prongs, I prefer 6, as 4 makes a round diamond look square-ish IMO.

Is a semi-bezel off the table? If not, I would give serious thought to Sholdt’s flagship semi-bezel setting. IMO, it is the sexiest, sleekest, most ‘go/wear anywhere’ setting that looks just amazing with larger stones like yours.

There are several in this thread you can check out.
https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/the-sholdt-thread.175520/

 

[southernicetea]

I chose Vatche U113's 6 prong solitaire setting for my 2.2 carat, H super ideal. I can't detect any tint face-up, but if I place it against an 8x11" piece of white paper, I can see a little bit of tint on the sides. This doesn't bother me though, as I am never going to be in a super white room with someone staring at the side of my finger. Face up, the ring sings and everyone assumes the color is much better than a H.

As for size, my ring size is 3.5-3.75. I've had strangers comment on my ring but it was never in a negative way. Two carats is a noticeable size on a size 5, but likely many of her friends have diamonds with large halos, three-stone or five-stone rings, etc. making finger coverage comparable.

 

[WillyDiamond]

I would put it in the one that talks to you and makes you gush over it.

 

[diamondseeker2006]

My I color stone (avatar pic) is in a classic Tiffany style Vache U-113 at the moment. I like 6 prongs better for a solitaire, although my original e-ring had 4.

Pave has to be babied, taken off when you are doing anything with your hands like cooking, cleaning, etc., but really, I do that with all fine jewelry anyway! I personally like the e-ring more plain and the band with diamonds for everyday wear. I do have pave halo rings for right hand rings, though, as they are only worn on special occasions.

I'd use Victor Canera if I wanted the style pave rings he makes. Many here have his Emilya halo settings and adore them. He has many other beautiful pave styles, as well.

https://www.victorcanera.com/rings/engagement

 

[MoreSparkle]

My I color stone (avatar pic) is in a classic Tiffany style Vache U-113 at the moment. I like 6 prongs better for a solitaire, although my original e-ring had 4.

Pave has to be babied, taken off when you are doing anything with your hands like cooking, cleaning, etc., but really, I do that with all fine jewelry anyway! I personally like the e-ring more plain and the band with diamonds for everyday wear. I do have pave halo rings for right hand rings, though, as they are only worn on special occasions.

I'd use Victor Canera if I wanted the style pave rings he makes. Many here have his Emilya halo settings and adore them. He has many other beautiful pave styles, as well.

https://www.victorcanera.com/rings/engagement

Thank you! We are in fact going with Victor for the setting. All of his rings are so beautiful that it's honestly been hard to narrow them down.

Would a solitaire with 3/4 pave band similarly need to be "babied"?

Also, I forgot to ask in my original post, but I'd love to hear what people think about milgrain. We're not going for an "antique" looking ring; would milgrain look out of place?

 

[diamondseeker2006]

Oh good! Yes, definitely baby your rings! When you take them off, put them in a jar of jewelry cleaner and let them soak, then gently scrub the center diamond with a baby toothbrush, and rinse with hot water. That way they'll always look their sparkly best! I love milgrain and think it just adds to the character of the ring even if the design isn't necessarily antique. I think you're wise to do 3/4 pave in case you ever need to size the ring.

 

[diamondseeker2006]

One more thing. Don't put pave on the doughnut base below the center stone. If you do, it's not recommended to wear a wedding band as the little pave diamonds can scratch the wedding band.

 

[MoreSparkle]

One more thing. Don't put pave on the doughnut base below the center stone. If you do, it's not recommended to wear a wedding band as the little pave diamonds can scratch the wedding band.

How necessary are donuts? I've seen quite a few donut-less designs where the prongs just sit on top of the shank and instead use a cathedral so that the band can sit flush... but a lot of Victor's designs do incorporate them. Are donuts structurally integral to a ring? I honestly really dislike them, particularly ones with holes (I can't say the same for the food version )

 

[LLJsmom]

Don’t worry too much with VCs settings. IMO. I put my pave eternity band in the ultrasonic weekly and no issues at all. Although my pave type is the one set lower. Bead set. Seriously talk about worry free. As far as details, just think about whether you like seeing “pretty” from the side. I do as my old ring kinda twirled on my finger. Seeing the side view was more the norm than the exception. And get what you like. I prefer a more squarish look so I went with four double claw prongs. What does your intended prefer?

 

[MoreSparkle]

Don’t worry too much with VCs settings. IMO. I put my pave eternity band in the ultrasonic weekly and no issues at all. Although my pave type is the one set lower. Bead set. Seriously talk about worry free. As far as details, just think about whether you like seeing “pretty” from the side. I do as my old ring kinda twirled on my finger. Seeing the side view was more the exception than the norm. And get what you like. I prefer a more squarish look so I went with four double claw prongs. What does your intended prefer?

We both generally prefer the double claw prongs to six prongs, though a part of me wonders if 6 prongs might protect the stone a bit better.

Actually, your original Jocelyn setting with plain band was the main reason we decided to go to Victor in the first place, so thanks so much for sharing it way back when.

I think you ultimately decided to take a different direction for that original diamond in your Jocelyn; out of curiosity, is there anything you didn't love about the Jocelyn/anything you would have changed about the design if you could do it all over again? We were thinking about asking Victor if it can be tweaked to incorporate a cathedral allowing for a flush band.

 

[LLJsmom]

We both generally prefer the double claw prongs to six prongs, though a part of me wonders if 6 prongs might protect the stone a bit better.

Actually, your original Jocelyn setting with plain band was the main reason we decided to go to Victor in the first place, so thanks so much for sharing it way back when.

I think you ultimately decided to take a different direction for that original diamond in your Jocelyn; out of curiosity, is there anything you didn't love about the Jocelyn/anything you would have changed about the design if you could do it all over again? We were thinking about asking Victor if it can be tweaked to incorporate a cathedral allowing for a flush band.

Great question. I would have used a plain donut instead of having the prongs come directly from the bottom of the band. This would result in a gap if you wear a band next to it. Over time I came to prefer a gap between the ring and the wedding band next to it. To my eyes, it just looks easier and less stuffy. My two bands right next to each other just looks so uptight. For me now, anyway.
I’m sure he can incorporate cathedral sides which would allow a band to sit flush. I know it’s all personal preference. And I think double claws are very secure. Just imho. Just talk to him. Or email. He’s very open to discussion. Good luck. I am sure your finished pieces will be beautiful.