First diamond ring, feedback please

[TechieTechie]

Hi PSers,

I have a upcoming milestone birthday, thought I would buy my first real diamond ring. Particularly since I did like the topaz ring you all helped me buy a few years ago . Ring size is BIG, 9+. Prefer budget around 5k, 10 absolute max. I am active, want a RHR that I can put on and leave on.

I wasn't planning on buying a ring, until I found a ring at my local jeweler that I liked (I may have even eyeballed it 2 years ago). It's a Gottlieb and Sons ring, center right now is CZ. 1.05 ttw without center, sizes are .56 in total. Sides are SI I, and they are getting me a center stone (1.25). White Gold, IIRC. Ring with CZ center is $4k, which seemed a bit high. But welcome your feedback. 2nd ring I didn't really like, but I included here anyways.

Then, today, by chance, I found a ring at Costco. 3 stone + halo Princess cut, Platinum 950 NDT. Largest stone one is .7ct, other two are slightly smaller. 38 round brilliants make up the halos. TTW 1.67, at least VS-2 and I or better (Costco only does GIA if a single stone is greater than 1ct). Oddly enough, in outside light, the girdles throw out a lot of sparkle, but the center, not so much. Inside the entire ring is on fire...the pictures are understated. Price is $4k. ...they said it was the last one, it had already been marked down, I bought it for $4k, as I can take it back if it's not a good deal. I thought it gave off really great sparkle and finger coverage for my size finger and the price. Little concerned it sits up high, but I welcome everyone's thoughts. If folks think it a decent deal, I'll have it appraised by a GIA gemologist.

Sorry for the very crappy cell phone pictures and videos..one of the first time trying to take pictures of my fingers. I have videos (which show the bling better) but I can't seem to load them directly from my laptop.

Thanks!

Jen

 

[the_mother_thing]

It's a pretty ring; will leave it to others more familiar with princess cuts to comment on the diamonds.

My only concern is you said you want 'a ring you can put on & leave on', and I'm not sure this particular style ring is 'that'. At least, it wouldn't be for me. An all-day, every day ring IMO would be bezel/s or maybe a semi-bezel ... something low-maintenance.

Just my $0.02.

 

[marcy]

Your ring is very pretty. I agree with The Mother Thing that this may not be an all day, every day ring. I find bezel set or channel set are more low maintenance rings.

 

[TechieTechie]

Thanks Mother. Unfortunately, I don't find that bezels look good on me. Waaay too small for my massive hands. I don't mind a bit more bling. I tried on a channel today at Costco, it looked odd on my finger....and I don't want it to look like a wedding ring, since unfortunately, I am not married. I figure women wear engagement rings like this...so why not a RHR? But hey, I'm open to feedback. That's the nice thing about Costco, 100% returnable. I just priced out a similar ring at WF, it was over $5k. Also, I should have been more clear, this is one I'd probably not wear when I'm like mowing the lawn, tearing up the drywall, etc. Probably more like my good earrings, when I leave the house, I'd have the ring on..if that helps.

 

[the_mother_thing]

I hear ya on wanting coverage and not liking bezels ... just know that there are bezels ... and then there are BEZELS. Take this one from LAD for example: http://www.loveaffairdiamonds.com/sold-2-20ctw-oec-diamond-five-stone-band-by-sholdt-in-platinum/

It's sold, but gives you an idea of how a nicely executed bezel can look and how maybe going up to 5 stones vs 3 can give you great coverage & bling factor. And when going custom like with Sholdt, you can request the bezels be thinned down a bit so it doesn't appear 'bezel-bulky' if that is your concern.

Just a suggestion. Best of luck with your search!

 

[TechieTechie]

Thank you Mother....but Bezels are just not my thing.

I guess I should rephrase the question. Do PSers feel the Costco ring is of good value (or at least enough to get an GIA cert/appraisal)? I really like it, but I also love a good deal.

 

[Maisie]

You said you want a ring you can put on and leave on. I wouldn’t advise a ring like this for wearing 24/7. I understand the temptation when you see a beautiful ring, even though it’s totally not what you are looking for. There are so many gorgeous rings out there. Only you can decide if you want a ring you have to treat with a lot of care or stick with your original plan to get something more durable to go with your active lifestyle.

 

[Maisie]

I hear ya on wanting coverage and not liking bezels ... just know that there are bezels ... and then there are BEZELS. Take this one from LAD for example: http://www.loveaffairdiamonds.com/sold-2-20ctw-oec-diamond-five-stone-band-by-sholdt-in-platinum/

It's sold, but gives you an idea of how a nicely executed bezel can look and how maybe going up to 5 stones vs 3 can give you great coverage & bling factor. And when going custom like with Sholdt, you can request the bezels be thinned down a bit so it doesn't appear 'bezel-bulky' if that is your concern.

Just a suggestion. Best of luck with your search!

I love that LAD ring!

 

[the_mother_thing]

Thank you Mother....but Bezels are just not my thing.

I guess I should rephrase the question. Do PSers feel the Costco ring is of good value (or at least enough to get an GIA cert/appraisal)? I really like it, but I also love a good deal.

No worries. I just wanted to make sure you’re being true to what you really want (the ‘wearability’ aspect). I have been in a similar situation, and I have a ring box full of bling I rarely wear (and have sold a few as well) because it’s just not ideal for my everyday lifestyle. It’s been an expensive experience to say the least.

If you’re stuck on the Costco ring, then go for it. Without certificates and/or ASET images for the main diamonds, I’m not sure anyone will really be able to comment on how good the ‘deal’ is, but I’m sure they will chime in if they can.

 

[the_mother_thing]

I love that LAD ring!

Ditto! I have 5 loose old cuts just begging to be put in that Sholdt ring! I absolutely love my custom Sholdt ER and the quality is so above-par ... I would not hesitate for a moment to fill my jewelry box with their pieces!

 

[Matthews1127]

I agree that a 5 stone would give more finger coverage than a 3 stone halo’d ring on a size 9+ finger. It would also compliment your finger better, too.
As for the “deal”, I can’t say; there isn’t enough information for comparison to know exactly what you’re getting for 4K.

 

[TechieTechie]

Morning all. so if I am reading the tea leafs correctly, is it the halos that the group feels could be damaged if worn regularly? Seems like there are mixed opinions on this from other PS threads, but I get it, it's a lot of prongs holding up tiny diamonds. I usually am not a fan of halos, so I was honestly surprised that I liked this ring.

It looks like it would be around $300 for GIA appraisal, does that sound about right?

 

[the_mother_thing]

IMO, the pave requires much care (not sure who did it and/or how well executed/secure it is), so that’s the first concern I’d have from a durability/security perspective. Just know it probably shouldn’t be cleaned in an ultrasonic to minimize the loss of stones. Second would be how high it sits off the finger - it’s more likely to be bonked on/by or caught on things. A lower trellis setting might be better for more routine wear if you prefer that style setting.

Again, it’s a beautiful ring and I imagine it sparkles like mad. If you’re careful with it, and only wear it when the occasion calls, it’ll probably be fine. But even only on ‘special’ occasions, things do happen, so it’s just something to consider when deciding ‘is this the right piece’ for you.

 

[the_mother_thing]

It looks like it would be around $300 for GIA appraisal, does that sound about right?

Not sure if this is what you meant, but GIA doesn’t ‘appraise’ rings; they assess diamonds & gemstones for color, clarity, cut, etc. and provide a report on those specs, but not a value/price.

An independent appraiser may be a GIA graduate gemologist, and he/she would be your best bet to provide a proper valuation and alert you to any concerns with the ring/diamonds. Just be clear that you’re seeking appraisal to confirm the specs for the price you paid and/or for insurance purposes. And know that some appraisers will inflate insurance appraisal amounts artificially (e.g., tell you that your $4K ring is worth $8k, arbitrarily making you feel like you got a stellar deal when you may or may not have). So stick with one of the recommended Independent Appraisers recommended on PS, and you should be okay in that regard. In my experience, the ‘average’ appraisal I’ve gotten from local jewelry stores are the ones who do most of the ‘inflation’ in value, and that only costs you more money (assuming you insure it) in the long run for your premiums.

Good luck!

 

[TechieTechie]

Hi Mother, thank you for the clarification. Yes, I meant GIA to assess the diamonds. Still learning the lingo I did notice last night that the trellis was higher than, say, WFs standard setting. I figured that was to help with light input, but that is an absolutely wild guess. Thank you for the comment on the ultrasonic cleaners, I have one at home, good to know to avoid that. Back to toothpaste and a good water bath

I've ordered an idealscope from David, should be here Wed. That will help determine if its a keeper.

 

[the_mother_thing]

I’m not sure (someone else will chime in, I’m sure) if GIA will assess the diamonds and provide reports for them if they are set. I believe they need to be unmounted (loose) from the setting. A good, independent appraiser can likely give you a pretty close/accurate estimation without removing them from the mounting. And given you don’t know who made the ring, I’d be leery of having stones unmounted & remounted for fear of damaging the setting.

Also, you probably want to avoid using toothpaste for cleaning, as it is abrasive on metals. Stick with soaking in basic dawn (blue stuff) or another non-‘moisturizing’ dish soap & warm water, and use a VERY soft brush gently (given the pave) to get any build-up out of nooks & crannies.

 

[the_mother_thing]

@TechieTechie Two last observations about the Costco ring to think about. You will need to get this ring sized up to fit your finger (assuming that the finger you posted wearing the ring is the same as the one you want to wear it on.

1) Be sure to ask the independent appraiser IF this ring can safely be sized up to whatever size you need without compromising the overall structural integrity. Rings - especially those with lots of pave - do have limitations on sizing depending on how they’re constructed.

2) If/when you do resize the ring, note in the picture below that it does not appear to provide the same ‘coverage’ as it does on the top part of your finger. Just something to think about since coverage appears to be a priority for you. The ring image I pasted where the ring would be worn is the exact same size as it is on the top part of your finger because only the band itself gets bigger (not the diamonds, unfortunately ).

I just wanted to show you this in the event you hadn’t considered the effect resizing will have on overall coverage and look. I have forgotten to account for this myself on resizings in the past, so wanted to share my ‘lesson learned’ with regard to expectations.


Hope this is helpful as you make your decision!