1st purchase of my life. Is this diamond tennis bracelet decent?

[vintagecharm]

I'm buying the first 'real' (but cheap) jewelry item of my entire life.

I want to celebrate some reason life milestones: job promotion & raise (but not much lol), earning 5 separate college degrees from 5 different colleges in the past 5 years, getting a 4.0 GPA, starting grad school doing a master's degree, turning a milestone age (not admitting to which lol), and moving homes.

All I've ever bought was some cheap sterling silver with gemstones and I don't want to overpay for too junky of diamonds. My budget is very modest (few thousand, but prefer about 1.5K) but I'm hoping for a decent daily piece with a little shine on a budget.

I want to get a daily peace that's hearty and won't chip easily since I wear jewelry 24/7, shower included. I've still got an opal - diamond ring on my wishlist for later, but I want to wait until I get in the habit of taking jewelry off to shower/clean/garden for an opal and also wait until I find a ring I love. My fashion style is very unfashionable / super casual. I still plan to wear cheap casual sterling silver jewelry (like James Avery Spanish Lace amethyst ring) and some enewton golden & silver elastic bracelets with what I buy now so I'm thinking a plain tennis bracelet setting like this would match better than a more ornate "S" chain setting.

What do you think of these stones for a starter bracelet for me?

It's a 1.6ct diamond tennis bracelet, SI1 slightly included, diamond color H in 14K white gold for $1200. It almost looks too greyish-white and cloudy to me. I know my budget means low quality stones, but I don't want to overpay for low quality in my tier. I like the look of this one overall. Thoughts?

Tennis bracelet I'm considering:




Old Heirloom I'd wear with a new bracelet sometimes:

Below is the old small heirloom bracelet I inherited from my grandmother I'd sometimes combine with whatever new I buy.

 

[mayaINaU]

I'm buying the first 'real' (but cheap) jewelry item of my entire life.

I want to celebrate some reason life milestones: job promotion & raise (but not much lol), earning 5 separate college degrees from 5 different colleges in the past 5 years, getting a 4.0 GPA, starting grad school doing a master's degree, turning a milestone age (not admitting to which lol), and moving homes.

All I've ever bought was some cheap sterling silver with gemstones and I don't want to overpay for too junky of diamonds. My budget is very modest (few thousand, but prefer about 1.5K) but I'm hoping for a decent daily piece with a little shine on a budget.

I want to get a daily peace that's hearty and won't chip easily since I wear jewelry 24/7, shower included. I've still got an opal - diamond ring on my wishlist for later, but I want to wait until I get in the habit of taking jewelry off to shower/clean/garden for an opal and also wait until I find a ring I love. My fashion style is very unfashionable / super casual. I still plan to wear cheap casual sterling silver jewelry (like James Avery Spanish Lace amethyst ring) and some enewton golden & silver elastic bracelets with what I buy now so I'm thinking a plain tennis bracelet setting like this would match better than a more ornate "S" chain setting.

What do you think of these stones for a starter bracelet for me?

It's a 1.6ct diamond tennis bracelet, SI1 slightly included, diamond color H in 14K white gold for $1200. It almost looks too greyish-white and cloudy to me. I know my budget means low quality stones, but I don't want to overpay for low quality in my tier. I like the look of this one overall. Thoughts?

Tennis bracelet I'm considering:




Old Heirloom I'd wear with a new bracelet sometimes:

Below is the old small heirloom bracelet I inherited from my grandmother I'd sometimes combine with whatever new I buy.

Congratulations on your accomplishments! I assume you want a natural, not lab diamond, bracelet? Yellow or white gold? I think $1,500 will be difficult for a natural diamond bracelet with excellent cut. Excellent cut is necessary for sparkle. I like IDJ for a good quality-to-price ratio.

14KT WHITE GOLD DIAMOND TENNIS BRACELET IN A 4 PRONG SETTING 1.50CTW

14KT WHITE GOLD DIAMOND TENNIS BRACELET IN A 4 PRONG SETTING 1.50CTW

idjewelry.com

Costco is also good:https://www.costco.com/.product.100...1CFE5329614E0A490D45@AdobeOrg&sh=true&nf=true
Would you consider a style with more spaced out diamonds to stretch the budget?

 

[Dreamer_D]

Again, I'm not sure I'd try to buy something that your budget can't realistically stretch to, as the sacrifice in quality is too great. I would expect a tennis bracelet to cost at least double that even on the secondary market.

 

[Bron357]

If you don’t mind lab grown diamonds then Loosegrowndiamonds has a few for around $1,500 in white or yellow gold.
Not sure what tariffs or duties you might pay to import so check on that first.
Likewise ebay has a number of reputable pre loved sellers some US based, the other I like is in Japan.
The US sellers I follow are Dover Jewelry and SFLMaven Luxury Jewelry and Watches and the Japanese seller is Monoshare. These are usually auction listings but their stock and turnover every week is impressive.
With eBay sellers be aware that many Indian, Chinese and Thailand based selling new aren’t actually selling real diamonds, often it’s Moissanite. If the price is too good, there’s your warning to avoid.
A diamond bracelet around 1ctwt to 1.5 ctwt will be around $1,500. Expect lower quality diamonds, lab diamonds at this price point would make more sense.
If you don’t mind waiting, save up around $4,000 and you’ll have better selection.

 

[vintagecharm]

Again, I'm not sure I'd try to buy something that your budget can't realistically stretch to, as the sacrifice in quality is too great. I would expect a tennis bracelet to cost at least double that even on the secondary market.

I see. I didn't realize the market was that. The bracelet I saw above being $1200 had my mind thinking low. Are diamonds like that really just bad?

My budget I had set for this is $5K - I'm just a penny pincher and would like to find something half decent for less.

 

[vintagecharm]

Congratulations on your accomplishments! I assume you want a natural, not lab diamond, bracelet? Yellow or white gold? I think $1,500 will be difficult for a natural diamond bracelet with excellent cut. Excellent cut is necessary for sparkle. I like IDJ for a good quality-to-price ratio.

Would you consider a style with more spaced out diamonds to stretch the budget?

Thanks, the college degrees and career progress were such a long time coming that I'm excited.

Either white or yellow gold is fine. I really prefer natural stones.

Sure, spread out diamonds, diamond on a rope / chain, very stones, or even diamonds mixed with some gemstone would all be fine.

The bracelet below is one with spread out stones I was looking at too. I like the somewhat 1980s vibe of it. It's a 2.25 tcw, $1200, Diamond Color I-J, Clarity: SI.



My max budget I set aside for this is a flexible $5K.

I'm a penny pitcher and hoped for something decent in the $1500ish range but it sounds like the bracelet in my first post is lacking quality. If in the $5000s helps drastically, I can do that.

I'll check out your links of Costco and IDjewelry- thanks.

 

[vintagecharm]

If you don’t mind lab grown diamonds then Loosegrowndiamonds has a few for around $1,500 in white or yellow gold.
Not sure what tariffs or duties you might pay to import so check on that first.
Likewise ebay has a number of reputable pre loved sellers some US based, the other I like is in Japan.
The US sellers I follow are Dover Jewelry and SFLMaven Luxury Jewelry and Watches and the Japanese seller is Monoshare. These are usually auction listings but their stock and turnover every week is impressive.
With eBay sellers be aware that many Indian, Chinese and Thailand based selling new aren’t actually selling real diamonds, often it’s Moissanite. If the price is too good, there’s your warning to avoid.
A diamond bracelet around 1ctwt to 1.5 ctwt will be around $1,500. Expect lower quality diamonds, lab diamonds at this price point would make more sense.
If you don’t mind waiting, save up around $4,000 and you’ll have better selection.

Thanks for the info. I'm glad to know the ballpark of stones in the range I was thining too. I saw some ebay listings in India and Thailand based and avoided those. It seems like some ebay sellers claim they're in the USA but aren't. The warning about moissanite with some of them is good to know. I'll check out the ebay sellers you suggested here soon.

I really prefer natural diamonds. If they're smaller stones, spread out on a bracelet or chain, or even mixed with gemstone, I would like any of those more than lab.

My max budget is up to the $5000s if it makes much difference. I'm a penny pincher so less is ideal but I could go to $5999 if that's the only way I won't get something just too low of quality. I'm such a cheap person that it'll be hard to bring myself to spend that, but something I can use for years is worth it.

 

[vintagecharm]

I'm looking at SFL Maven on ebay and now I'm seeing some of the difference a bit more budget can make. The one below is at the top end of my max budget. The stones in this really do shine more than the 1st bracelet I'd found in my original post.

 

[MissGotRocks]

It is really hard with these online bracelets to determine the quality of the diamonds. I would rather go with a tried and true vendor to assure that you get the look you want. Here is a 3 carat diamond bracelet from IDJ Jewelry. Several folks here have purchased from them and been very happy. Just be careful and always make sure there is an ironclad return policy if you are not happy with the piece.

3.00CT 14KT WHITE GOLD 4 PRONG ROUND DIAMOND TENNIS BRACELET 3CT-LB126

3.00CT 14KT WHITE GOLD 4 PRONF ROUND DIAMOND TENNIS BRACELET

idjewelry.com

 

[vintagecharm]

It is really hard with these online bracelets to determine the quality of the diamonds. I would rather go with a tried and true vendor to assure that you get the look you want. Here is a 3 carat diamond bracelet from IDJ Jewelry. Several folks here have purchased from them and been very happy. Just be careful and always make sure there is an ironclad return policy if you are not happy with the piece.

3.00CT 14KT WHITE GOLD 4 PRONG ROUND DIAMOND TENNIS BRACELET 3CT-LB126

3.00CT 14KT WHITE GOLD 4 PRONF ROUND DIAMOND TENNIS BRACELET

idjewelry.com

I'll definitely keep that return policy tip in mind.

That bracelet is lovely-- I hadn't heard of IDjewelry before so I'm glad to hear other people have been happy with their purchases from them.

 

[vintagecharm]

This was one of the bracelets I saw last night that I fell in love with. I'm trying to spot the difference between this (cheaper) vs that SFL Maven bracelet I added above. This one looks like cloudier stones, a hint of blue or grey to the stone, and a worse cut. Am I on the right track?

 

[MissGotRocks]

I'll definitely keep that return policy tip in mind.

That bracelet is lovely-- I hadn't heard of IDjewelry before so I'm glad to hear other people have been happy with their purchases from them.

Yes, they have. People have also been very happy with Whiteflash bracelets. This one is two carat but their diamonds are VS quality. https://www.whiteflash.com/diamond-bracelets/three-prong-diamond-tennis-bracelet-501.htm

But yes, be sure about the return policy for any seller. Nothing more heartbreaking than spending your hard earned money for something that you don't love and have no recourse.

 

[MissGotRocks]

This was one of the bracelets I saw last night that I fell in love with. I'm trying to spot the difference between this (cheaper) vs that SFL Maven bracelet I added above. This one looks like cloudier stones, a hint of blue or grey to the stone, and a worse cut. Am I on the right track?

Yes, you are on the right track. Inclusions can have an impact on each diamond, but cut is really king. If a diamond isn't well cut, you just won't get that sparkle that you want. Someone may come along with an ebay seller that they have had good experience with, but trying to sort through and find good quality on your own might be a real challenge.

 

[Dreamer_D]

Commercial grade diamonds are usually poor quality, included, and they won't sparkle. I don't see the point in buying that kind of diamond over a lab TBH, which at least will sparkle.

Your budget is healthy to buy a nice bracelet that will actually sparkle. I suggest looking at some of the suggestions people have made. You won't see the difference in a static photo. That's the point: those items wouldn't sell if people could see that those diamonds are lifeless and drab (and understood what truly well cut and well performing diamonds can look like). If I was looking for a classic line bracelet I'd go with IDJ or perhaps costco as people have had good things to say about that. I would not spend my money on the examples you have posted and those look like common commercial goods that will be dull and lifeless.

 

[Dreamer_D]

I'm looking at SFL Maven on ebay and now I'm seeing some of the difference a bit more budget can make. The one below is at the top end of my max budget. The stones in this really do shine more than the 1st bracelet I'd found in my original post.

These are still poorly cut commercial grade diamonds. I would not buy.

 

[mayaINaU]

I'll definitely keep that return policy tip in mind.

That bracelet is lovely-- I hadn't heard of IDjewelry before so I'm glad to hear other people have been happy with their purchases from them.

I have this exact bracelet but in a three-prong setting and it’s beautiful.

 

[mayaINaU]

Commercial grade diamonds are usually poor quality, included, and they won't sparkle. I don't see the point in buying that kind of diamond over a lab TBH, which at least will sparkle.

Your budget is healthy to buy a nice bracelet that will actually sparkle. I suggest looking at some of the suggestions people have made. You won't see the difference in a static photo. That's the point: those items wouldn't sell if people could see that those diamonds are lifeless and drab (and understood what truly well cut and well performing diamonds can look like). If I was looking for a classic line bracelet I'd go with IDJ or perhaps costco as people have had good things to say about that. I would not spend my money on the examples you have posted and those look like common commercial goods that will be dull and lifeless.

Exactly right. It’s very hard to tell the cut quality from a single photo. It will become apparent when you wear the bracelet in different lighting conditions. A well-cut bracelet will return the most light (sparkle) and people will be able to see its brightness from across the room
Since you mentioned wanting to wear the bracelet 24/7, on the matter of sparkle, you should take it off at least once a week to give it a good cleaning with an ultrasonic or with a soft toothbrush and dawn dish soap. Regular dirt, sweat, soap scum, etc. will dull the sparkle, no matter how well-cut the stones are.