shape
carat
color
clarity

Questions about 3 stone engagement setting and 1.1ct center options

jack321

Rough_Rock
Joined
Aug 21, 2019
Messages
4
Hi all,

New to all of this so looking for some advice. Tried to read the guides ahead of time, but likely missed something so feel free to send links if this is duplicative

Current thinking for an engagement ring for my girlfriend is a platinum three stone setting with pear side stones and 1.1ct center super ideal diamond. Thinking I should be able to get that for <$10k. She's a size 5 ring finger and works in healthcare so will often be wearing it as a necklace, but I still don't want something that is too high or sharp just in case.

I have three main questions but also feel free to chime in with any advice overall (stone too small/big? platinum the wrong way to go? advice for a ring to wear on a necklace, etc)

1. Pricey setting : I really like the Vatche 310 pear sidestones setting (WF link) because the sidestones are aligned with the center stone to avoid sharp edges. But it's over $5k which seems very expensive. It looked like it used to be about 40% cheaper (old thread) and folks here still thought that was too expensive. Is it worth $5k? Are there good alternatives? Should I consider something custom?

2. Color matching center and side stones : From what I'm reading, it looks like an H color should be fine for the center stone and save money, but I really don't want the center stone to look more yellow than the side stones. If I called the jeweler before ordering could they match the center to the sidestones? Or should I just pay for G to be safe?

3. Finding a super ideal cut : As someone who loves to see all the data and doesn't have a ton of time for searching, I'm impressed with all the info Whiteflash provides so I'm tempted to just go with one of their ACA stones. But at the same time, everything I read talks about cut as coming down to a few measurements and WF even posts their ACA measurement thresholds.

Am I underestimating the effort required to search BlueNile or similar site for a matching stone that's cheaper because it hasn't been branded? Or is the idea that BlueNile already did that and priced accordingly? FWIW I also like the WF return and upgrade policy so maybe I should just pay their premium...

Thank you in advance!
 

Rubymal

Shiny_Rock
Joined
Feb 27, 2019
Messages
423
I have a 3 stone, platinum engagement ring and I believe the stone and setting came out to around $12,500. Although, my setting is a designer brand so there was a premium for that. My center stone is a whiteflash ACA color I. It looks fine with the side stones which I believe are supposed to be G/H.
 

sledge

Ideal_Rock
Premium
Joined
Apr 23, 2018
Messages
5,791
Keep in mind the setting also includes the costs of the pear stones. You may be able to save a few bucks using white gold (WG) vs platinum but I can understand how that may not be desirable. Some alternative ideas would be to ask WF to quote you a custom, yet similar, setting made by their in-house bench for cheaper.

You may also wish to reach out to David Klass (DK) in Los Angeles for a price quote as well -- that is who I used to make my wife's custom e-ring band.

Just keep in mind, custom can be a hassle and requires you to be interactive. If you have a quality option she will love then sometimes it's not worth it to re-create the wheel as tinkering with small details can sometimes alter the overall look & expectation you had for the ring as a whole. If you end up purchasing your stone and setting from two different places, you will have some additional coordination but I didn't find that to be overly difficult honestly.

Your concern about matching the stone colors is very valid. I too was worried about this and expressed my concern to DK when he quoted and was building the ring. I was very specific that I wanted them to match and not have a shade difference. I think you should have such an honest conversation with WF and allow them guide you to the right choice.

A pear shape won't hide color as easily as a round and I see on the WF page the setting comes with G/H VS stones. Normally it's difficult to see a shade difference between just one color level. Obviously the color sensitive of the person viewing comes into playing. Some other factors are at play too. For instance, smaller stones tend to hide color better than larger stones (makes sense as we see tint in the body, and the larger the stone then the larger the body). Then there is the fact the ACA line is a super ideal and maximizes cut for beauty, which means you get maximum light return and edge to edge brightness which can make a stone look slightly whiter in the face up position. Granted, we don't always see a stone in the face up position so looking at the stone from the side may reveal a little tint.

I really can't stress enough how YOUR color sensitive plays into all this. Have you seen diamonds in person yet to determine what you (and her) consider to be the floor on your color tolerance? Usually women are more sensitive than men. While an H offers a little more economical advantage I still think a G offers a good bang for the buck as well. For me, it'd depend what I learned about the pear stones from WF and the color sensitive to help guide me to the right color for the center stone.

Lastly, WF is a very well respected and trusted vendor on this site. They are good people, that do the right thing, offer fair prices and have some of the best trade-in policies around (simply spend the same or more money and get full credit of your original purchase, no other strings). If you do end up going with the Vatche setting I believe that is one of their designer bands that is also eligible for setting trade-in program (separate from the diamond trade in program). With the setting trade in you get 50% of the original value, and the only vendor I know to offer such a policy (on designer settings).

https://www.whiteflash.com/confidence/lifetime-trade-up-guarantee/
https://www.whiteflash.com/about-di.../how-to-upgrade-your-engagement-ring-1655.htm

While their stones are "branded" keep in mind their ACA collection is a true hearts & arrow (H&A) diamond and those diamonds compose about 1% or less of the markets. These diamonds exhibit the best light performance and symmetry available which means it has a killer cut. You have AGS certifications and a complete data set to help you make an informed decision. Not to mention the testimony of numerous people here.

You can find quality stones on BN and similar sites. But there is a difference. First, most those stones will be GIA certified, which I have nothing against as GIA is also a very reputable lab. The problem lays in the fact GIA casts a very broad net of what they consider "excellent". Most of those stones are far from excellent. Obviously you can find well cut GIA stones but it takes a little more work. They likely won't be H&A stones. And more times than not, you won't have the ASET, IS and H&A images available to review to PROVE the performance.

I am a fan of super ideals personally, and like most things in life don't believe that lowest cost equals the best overall value. Of course, everyone has their own priorities and preferences and we have to align those to match your budget.

Whatever you decide, we will be here to help you make a great choice! :cool2:
 

pinklemonadegurl

Shiny_Rock
Joined
Jul 24, 2013
Messages
366
I reached out to Vera at WF as WF has provided a few pieces for me several years ago. It was effortless almost to choose an ACA stone. Some confirmation here with the specs assured me my stone would be spectacular. It is! I received a VERY white J ACA engagement ring on Tax Day of this year. I'm certain an H or an I will knock her socks off. ( I don't know if you can go "back" to non super ideals once you've acquired one. They're THAT incredible). Good luck in choosing!
 

whitewave

Super_Ideal_Rock
Premium
Joined
Feb 29, 2012
Messages
12,331
You are definitely going to save time and effort and energy by going with WF over BN.
 

elizat

Ideal_Rock
Joined
Mar 23, 2013
Messages
3,999
I personally love pear diamonds, when they are chubby pairs, but I did want to point out that they react very differently than a super ideal round. I think it's possible that they could look dull compared to a super ideal round center. It's not because they are, it's because the cuts perform very differently.
 

jack321

Rough_Rock
Joined
Aug 21, 2019
Messages
4
Thank you all, this is great feedback!

I'm going to browse a bunch more three stone platinum settings and contact WF and David Klass about custom settings. And I'll look at rounds too! Didn't realize pears had those limitations

More soon once I start looking at stones. You've convinced me to buy a branded ACA or similar instead of sifting through all of BN trying to find something comparable
 

jack321

Rough_Rock
Joined
Aug 21, 2019
Messages
4
Any thoughts on that diamond? Sorry just eager!
 

diamondseeker2006

Super_Ideal_Rock
Premium
Joined
Jan 11, 2006
Messages
58,547
I love WF and Victor and have things from both! I think the decision should be made by which setting you want within your budget. I'd favor side rounds with a center stone that size. I like pears with larger center stones, but a classic three stone with all rounds is a classic!
 
Be a part of the community Get 3 HCA Results
Top