$500 decent studs, can it be done?

[precision80]

My gf''s birthday is coming up and im looking to get her a pair of studs. been reading a lot, i was going to go with platinum but after reading white gold is just as good i guess for earrings and im going to get 3 prong. Im trying to get the most out of my money. i think that 1/3 tw would be the minimum is it too small?, maybe even 1/2. please guide me here i need some help. thanks a lot this place is a great resource for people.

 

[pqcollectibles]

Probably your best bet, that I know of, is to call White Flash and ask about a pair of Expert Selection earirngs.

http://www.whiteflash.com/golden-wardrobe/Gold_Details.aspx?ItemCode=WFER-4R-Set&CategID=54

They offer a couple of sizes to meet your budget and Expert Selection diamonds are known good performers.

 

[Kamuelamom]

PQC, thanks for posting that. I''ve never heard of WF Expert Selection before. I''m a little more educated today

thanks to you.

 

[Daniela]

I have a third of a carat tw studs and I think they look lovely. Mine were $550 for G VS-2, so if you dropped down in clarity and colour a little bit, you could probably get even bigger ones.

I have recently discovered the link posted by PQ, too (Expert Selection earrings), and I think that they''re a great deal.

 

[precision80]

thanks for the input, im dsef going to call them. How do these compair to the ones that BN is selling for around the same price?

 

[cinnabar]

I''d be careful about getting white gold if it''s going in someone''s ears - white gold made in America often contains nickel, which is a problem for allergies.  Even if your girlfriend isn''t allergic to nickel now, she could develope an allergy to it.  Europe has regulations that say white gold can''t be made with nickel alloy for that reason, palladium is used there instead to make the gold look white. 

Palladium alloys are available in the US, so you just have to make sure that''s what''s in the gold if you definitely want white.  Ask the jeweler to confirm it.

Your girlfriend is a lucky lady, diamond earrings are a great gift!

 

[Mara]

as long as she isn't allergic to WG...that's an excellent selection for earrings. our jeweler told us to not invest in platinum for earrings.

For under $500:
http://www.whiteflash.com/Fine-jewelry/DiamondStuds/Expert-Selection--Ready-set-to-GO_822.htm

That's the platinum page, if you really wanted to get platinum, you could get .30ctw in platinum for $425. Click on the white gold tab. The .30ctw are $340 in white gold. If you can go slightly over $500, get the 0.50ctw ones for $645 in white gold!

Good luck!

 

[Maxine]

I have no problem w/white gold settings for diamond earrings.......

 

[pqcollectibles]

I actually clicked the Gold tab and copied the web add from that page. That''s the link I posted. For some reason, when you click the link, the plat page is what comes up. Hummmm...........

Earrings in Gold settings was what I was trying to link to. Seems like a rather nice deal too.

 

[perry]

Non nickle white gold is available in the US (nickel white gold is cheaper). Ask the jeweler for nickle free white gold. I think that WhiteFlash, and the other common pricescope vendors can easily accomodate this.

Thus, I have no problem getting nickle free white gold for any one (and other allows other than palladium can be used as well).

Perry

 

[GeminiGuy]

Sorry for jumping into your thread.....

How about these diamond studs?

link

Which is better in quality and price compare to whiteflash?

I am hunting for .25-.40 carat total weight high quality diamond studs myself.
Can someone confirm if the Expert Selection studs at whiteflash are ideal cut like stated on their site? Does anyone know if it comes with a lab report or certificate? Can we also get a sarin report?

 

[perry]

I would stick with diamonds that have undergone an "expert selection" process from the better PriceScope vendors. Allmost all diamonds are cut for weight - and not looks. Most diamonds are rather dead in normal lighting (jewelry stores use trick lighting that greatly "energizes" a diamond beyond how it normally looks).

The Whiteflash "expert selection" is probably not as good as the "A cut above" diamonds - but should well out perform the vast majority of similar size diamonds on the market.

Also, you can then request that the diamonds be set in nickle free white gold.

For a realistic price comparison on what the cream de la cream cost: Both Good Old Gold, and NiceIce did a search for me for a matched set of 1/4 carat diamonds with excellent cut (superideal cut), and with Medium Blue Fluoresense (my request). This took over a month before GOG found an acceptable pair. NiceIce is still searcing (at my request) as I can always use another good matched pair of super ideal cut diamonds.

The end result was $545 each ($1090 for the pair, excluding independet appraisial) for a pair of 0.23 Carat diamonds that GOG rated as F VS1 and AGA (Dave Atlas & Co) rated as G VS2 (but a high G and a high VS2), with a great IdealScope Image, and 2 of 3 Very High Brilliant Scope image. Note that these did not have any major lab cert, and I have settled for the AGA cert - with the ideascope image on it. Also note that these diamonds are so closely matched that you almost cannot tell them apart - even with Sarin.

I suspect that a normal "expert selection" stone would have been much less (and not as closely matched); and that most people would not even know that better lookind diamonds exists.

I would not buy a pair of diamnod studs from a vendor who is not focusing on well cut diamonds and who does not apply an "expert selection" process to what they sell. There are too many dead diamonds that don''t cost much out there...

Perry

 

[JohnQuixote]

Date: 1/8/2005 11:27:58 AM
Author: geminizi

Can someone confirm if the Expert Selection studs at whiteflash are ideal cut like stated on their site? Does anyone know if it comes with a lab report or certificate? Can we also get a sarin report?

Hi Geminizi.

They are ideal cut and come with an area appraiser's letter of verification certifying the specs. They're also laser-inscribed with the Whiteflash logo. I mentioned elsewhere that I personally bought several pairs of the .30 tcw at Christmas for my GF, mom and a few friends... I am enjoying wild popularity in my circle o' friends right now

(Many thanks to the consumers who have given info in this thread already)

 

[precision80]

so looks like whiteflash is the way to go. thanks for all the help.

 

[chrono]

Wow! This is new. What a great idea to have simple studs from WF''s expert selection. They look very affordable and the ES is always very beautiful. I''ll have to revise my 2005 plan where I''m not supposed to buy anymore diamonds.

 

[Lord Summerisle]

AArgh eek!

Godda stop myself - Here I am, not only wanting to get the E-ring... but thinking ''might as well add in a pair of earrings while I''m at it, so I can suprise her twice this year''

and also save on extra postage....

Argh - plus wanting the earings in a semi custom setting like this-

Except maybe change the basket shown for a 3 prong martini setting, and loose the clip affair at the rear for a tw .25ct set of Diamonds.

Darn temptation...

Now be good Summerisle

- (but is good getting just ring or ring and earrings????)

 

[bradw]

I purchased the WF pre-set studs in .3ctw / white gold and I have to say my fiancee was very pleased. They are great looking diamonds and look larger than any of the .5ctw studs that I checked out locally. I will attempt to attach some pics, but they really don''t do them justice.


edit - not having luck attaching the pics but will try again later

 

[chrono]

You must post the pics of the earrings and with them on the ear. I''m really tempted to get a pair for myself now.

 

[GeminiGuy]

bump for pics

 

[Lord Summerisle]

Well I ended up doing it...

Ordered a pair of .25twc earrings along with the loose stone, and had the pair set in a 3 prong martini setting in platinum - as I didnt want to take the risk of her having a reaction to WG rings.

Darn temptation!

 

[precision80]

well, i just got the .30tce from whiteflash. they are really nice but a lot smaller than i thought they were going to be. The transaction with whiteflash was great, im just not sure if i should have gotten either a lesser quality larger stone or just gone for the expert selected .5tcw. im going to give them to the gf and see what she thinks.

 

[pqcollectibles]

We all seem to suffer a bit from "monitor" over sizing withdrawal. We see all these fabulous diamonds in pics on PS many times their actual size. It''s easy to feel a bit of size disappointment when you first see your diamond live and in person for the first time.

If your gal is a petite build with tiny or small earlobes, that pair will look bigger on her ears than you might think. Diamond stud size is quite relative to the size of the Lady''s earlobes. And 15 pointers are actually very nice size, especially when you have great performing diamonds.

Down the road, your Lady might even move this pair up and get bigger ones for her lower set of holes.