A few questions re. Upgrade

[erupgrade]

Hi

Thank to your help here I have been enjoying wearing a 1.25ct solitaire for the last 4 years. We are about to celebrate our 10th wedding anniversary and a milestone birthday so my husband has kindly agreed to upgrade my rings.

I have a few questions though. The budget currently allows a 2.25ct and I'm wondering how much of a noticeable difference this is going to be. My husband is worried that in a few years I'll want a 3ct and it would be best to wait. Is the difference between a 2.25 and 3ct also significant or will a 2.25 satisfy me for good?!

My 2nd question is regarding the setting. I would like a solitaire with pave shank. The vendors I have contacted use high coloured pave and have advised me not to go below an 'I'. My current stone is an I and I see no colour in it and thought I could go to a j. Is this going to show a significant colour difference to the pave? If I get a shallower cut stone will this hide the colour difference?

Finally I am having trouble deciding on the number of prongs. I love the LM 401 style and the one by VC which is similar. I think it's the basket and donut thing which appeals. However I think i prefer 6 prongs. My current stone is in 4 and sometimes I think it looks square ish. Admittedly I've never managed to move it from it's temp setting so the prongs aren't delicate which is perhaps the problem. Anyway I was wondering if the styles I like are available in 6 prongs. All the 6 prongs I seem to find come straight up from the shank whuch I don't like as much.

Anyway, I think those are my main questions, sorry if I've rambled on a bit!

Thanks in advance for your help!

 

[Lorelei]

Hi

Thank to your help here I have been enjoying wearing a 1.25ct solitaire for the last 4 years. We are about to celebrate our 10th wedding anniversary and a milestone birthday so my husband has kindly agreed to upgrade my rings. Many congratulations on these important occasions and what a sweet man your Husband is to agree to the upgrade!

I have a few questions though. The budget currently allows a 2.25ct and I'm wondering how much of a noticeable difference this is going to be. My husband is worried that in a few years I'll want a 3ct and it would be best to wait. Is the difference between a 2.25 and 3ct also significant or will a 2.25 satisfy me for good?! You would definitely notice a pleasant increase in size between a 1.25ct diamond and around 2.2cts, assuming both stones are well cut with an appropriate spread or face up size. 1.25 should have the spread of around 7mm give or take, 2.2 about 8.4- 8.6mm again give or take, this is a nice increase in my view. A well cut 3 carat will spread around 9mm so again, the size difference would be noticeable assuming well cut diamonds but generally, the larger you go, size increases aren't quite so noticeable but that is subject to opinion! Whether the 2.25 would be enough to satisfy you long term I can't say....You might find you get that 3 carat itch and you can't scratch it, I would suggest just in case, make sure you shop with a vendor that offers a lifetime upgrade policy and check the T&C carefully as these can vary, or maybe save a bit more and make the leap to 3 cts. I would also suggest trying on some well cut stones in person so you can see the size differences on your hand, that will give you a much better idea. If you have tiny fingers then 2 cts might look enormous, or if like me, you have big hands, you might find 3 cts is the only way to fly....

My 2nd question is regarding the setting. I would like a solitaire with pave shank. The vendors I have contacted use high coloured pave and have advised me not to go below an 'I'. My current stone is an I and I see no colour in it and thought I could go to a j. Is this going to show a significant colour difference to the pave? If I get a shallower cut stone will this hide the colour difference? Rule of thumb is to keep accent and centre stones within 2 colour grades but I think there is some leeway, a well cut J can still look very white depending on colour perception and some other factors, the best person to advise is the expert vendor if you are shopping online, they will be able to tell you if you have some wiggle room with the setting you choose depending on the stone you are interested in. I wouldn't play around with the proportions personally to try to get the stone to face up whiter for a ring stone, get the best cut you can and follow the advice of your vendor.

Finally I am having trouble deciding on the number of prongs. I love the LM 401 style and the one by VC which is similar. I think it's the basket and donut thing which appeals. However I think i prefer 6 prongs. My current stone is in 4 and sometimes I think it looks square ish. Admittedly I've never managed to move it from it's temp setting so the prongs aren't delicate which is perhaps the problem. Anyway I was wondering if the styles I like are available in 6 prongs. All the 6 prongs I seem to find come straight up from the shank whuch I don't like as much. 6 prongs can make the stone look a little rounder, as you have noticed, 4 can make the stone look more square, it might be possible to adapt a setting to get the look you want but you would be best checking with the vendor. Gypsy will be on later, she is a settings wizard so she might have some suggestions.

Anyway, I think those are my main questions, sorry if I've rambled on a bit!

This thread has some size comparisons for you but it's best to go and look in person to get a more accurate idea of how the sizes look on your hand.

[URL='https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/diamond-size-comparison.83517/']https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/diamond-size-comparison.83517/[/URL]

Thanks in advance for your help!

 

[tweeter8177]

Lorelei gave great feedback! My thoughts...I did a similar upgrade 4 years ago going from a 1.3ct to a 2.3ct. Yes it will be noticeable!! I also had an "I" color and tried going to a J. The tint in the J drove me nuts within a couple of days, so we ended up spending a few more grand to get an I. It might not bother you so you should try to see some Js in person to see how you feel.

As far as a future upgrade, I would choose a vendor that has a good upgrade policy. I upgraded (again) to a 3.25ct a year ago! And yes, you would notice an upgrade from a 2.25 to a 3ct!!

 

[TC1987]

You'll probably see tint in a larger I. Remember that the larger diamond is also a deeper diamond, so that additional mass concentrates the color more. Your 1.25ct might look white enough, but go to 2.25 or larger and it will look ivory or creamy. Might be okay face-up, but you'd have to consider how it will appear from the side.

 

[luvdajules]

Hi OP, my recent upgrade is a "true J" color and about 8.2mm round (wording from appraiser, so medium J in the spectrum). It looks white most of the time (medium fluoro and ideal cut helps too), but at home in dim lighting it has more of a creamy look to me. If you are used to an I at 1.25 ct, my advice would be to stay with an I. I would only advise people to go J if they go see actual rings with J's in person and they feel it's right for them to get the size they want. I color is still pretty safe, but J's can be tricky, imho; especially once set.

As far as size goes, 2.25 ct (about 8.5 mm) is a very nice size! I'm about a size 6 for reference, my 8.2mm round looks biggish to me but still in proportion. I think once you get to 8.5mm+, diamonds are BIG, which is definitely nice, lol. This is what I would go for if it's within budget. And down the road, you can always get a halo while you save for your 3 ct for any dss issues! That's my plan anyway . However, I struggle with the price tag of going from 2 ct to 3 ct, about double for not so much finger coverage, but if we ever get a windfall, then no problem!

Good luck with your search and spec selection. It's a challenge but also really fun too. Please keep posting on your journey

 

[WinkHPD]

I am a big fan of 6 prongs. One for the additional safety, and two for the appearance.

With four prongs, if you lose the tip from one prong you are most likely going to lose the diamond too. With six prongs you must lose at least two tips or bend two prongs significantly to lose the diamond. If you somehow manage to "just" lose every other tip, you will still have your diamond, at least until you lose the fourth tip. Of course, if you procrastinate long enough to lose four tips, you deserve to lose the diamond. (Said in jest, please hear joking tone.)

The human eye does not like irregular edges and will have a tendency in most people to perceive a diamond in a six prong head as slightly larger than it does in a four prong head. Also, in a six prong head, it will not look squarish as it will in some four prong heads.

If you are going to go with a four prong head, may I recommend that you use a platinum head with fairly heavy prongs for the extra security.

Wink

 

[erupgrade]

Thank you so very much for all your helpful replies.

I had forgotten about the upgrade option (here in the uk it isn't really offered) so that seems a sensible way forward. If I was going from a 2.25 ish to a 3ish do you think I could keep the same setting?

I think I am probably veering more towards a 6 prong as recommended. Can anyone think of one that has the simple design if the basket and donut as seen in the 401. The 6 prongs I've found seem to either come straight up from the shank or be a little more elaborate and I'd rather keep things simple.

With regards to the colour I had also forgotten that the bigger the carat the more concentrated the colour. I think I'd better stick with 'I' or higher. I think I'd better go and do a bit of revision or homework! Lorelei my 1.25 is excellent cut but at the deeper end of the parameters. If I chose a stone that was shallower but still within the recommended limits do you think that small difference would have a visual impact on the colour (as well as the spread) or does depth not have enough of an effect to worry about?

Tweeter, I've had a peek at your stunning rings and it's given me plenty of ideas of what to do with my 1.25. Like you I can't bear to part with this despite it not being my original, I was thinking of setting it with my 0.25 Er in a 3 stone but that's a whole new post!!

Many thanks again, I really don't know what I'd do without this site!