3-stone pendant or upgrade to larger single stone

[dumbo]

My wife is the recipient of a new set of earrings from an awesome super-ideal vendor with a great trade-up policy. The earrings I replaced were from the same vendor: N in color, and came from the same rough as her pendant.

Originally, I was thinking of keeping her pendant, and sending the earrings back, but as I got them at a fairly good price a few years ago, we may just keep them and turn them into a 3-stone pendant setting. Here are the specs:

current pendant: Super Ideal, N color, 1.6 carats
old earrings (would be 3-stone side diamonds): super ideal, 1.1 carats each, also N color

Alternatively, I could send the earrings back for credit, or send all 3 back and upgrade to a larger center pendant. They told me that they should be cutting something in the M/N color soon in a larger size; a trade-in off all 3 should buy a 2.5 carat pendant in that M/N color, or if I wanted to upgrade to a J, around 2 carats.

I am leaning toward getting a 3-stone diamond pendant made: it is 3.8 carats of super ideal diamonds, vs a larger 2.4 carat single diamond. It is pretty cool that all 3 diamonds came from the same rough as well. What would be your preference, and why?

EDIT: she wears the pendant 5 days a week, minimum. She has some other very nice jewelry, but it is her go-to. I want to something that she still feels great about wearing 5 days a week.

 

[distracts]

I think a 3-stone might be a bit more wearable than one 2.4 ct pendant - once pendants get kind of deep like they do with larger stones, they are less casual and easy to wear.

Something like this would be very nice and imo very wearable for every day:


Also of course three diamonds are way more sparkly than one diamond, no matter how big the one diamond is.

But I guess ask your wife what she wants?

 

[dumbo]

I think a 3-stone might be a bit more wearable than one 2.4 ct pendant - once pendants get kind of deep like they do with larger stones, they are less casual and easy to wear.

Something like this would be very nice and imo very wearable for every day:


Also of course three diamonds are way more sparkly than one diamond, no matter how big the one diamond is.

But I guess ask your wife what she wants?

She is uncommitted: she loves the ideal of either! Although the 3-stone did have a certain appeal to her. I love the picture of what you posted: that is almost exactly the size profile of her 3 stones next to each other.

 

[Phoenix]

I'd go for the larger single diamond of J colour 2ct.

 

[ringo865]

I like the idea of turning the three stones you already have that are cut from the same rough into a three stone pendant. Then you can buy her some new earrings.

 

[Tonks]

What your wife wants is the critical question. If she’s not sure, I would have her try on single pendants and three stone pendants and see which she prefers. Same with color—have her try on a J.

What super-ideal vendor are you using? I am intrigued that you have found such warm colors!

 

[Leigh_]

My vote is for the three stone. I think it will be very wearable!

 

[dumbo]

I like the idea of turning the three stones you already have that are cut from the same rough into a three stone pendant. Then you can buy her some new earrings.

I did! That is why I have these available! She got bigger 3 TCW earrings for her b-day!

 

[Dreamer_D]

I vote three stone. The surface area of the three diamonds is exponentially larger as is the sparkle factor. And I also like that they are cut from the same rough.

 

[distracts]

What super-ideal vendor are you using? I am intrigued that you have found such warm colors!

I think it's HPD, especially since he can upgrade 3 diamonds to 1.

 

[monipod]

Funnily enough, I just put on my 1ct champagne diamond pendant as I was putting away another pendant which is a pave setting of 32 0.05ct princess cut placed flush together. I have to say that the latter sparkles so much more

I like the 3-stone pendant idea therefore

 

[AV_]

Trefoil? WWW

 

[dumbo]

Thank you for the ideas! She loves the 3-stone look above. Very wearable, but "sexy" as she calls it. She thought it might be "too much" bling at first (almost 4 TCW), but them remembered that nobody really thinks diamonds are real anyways; 99% of people out there are wearing something they got at Kohls for $150.