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Affordable ring for my girl...

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Doh! I don''t think either of us were thinking of it in those terms!

That''s nice, and I think my girl''d like it, too.

(That''d make for a nice surprise for the girl who thinks she knows all about what she wants, too. Now wouldn''t it?)
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Still, the Stuller setting nests with the wedding band, and she likes that... and, the both rings together is like 220 dollars... which would allow me to get closer to the 1/2 stone she''s been saying she''d like.

The WF version similar to the niwaka setting is 795, I believe they said.

Since thin bands and big sparkle is the most important to her, should I do the Stuller?

Gosh, I need to make some decisions. She''s had such a stressful week, and it really just makes me want to be with her all the more... the sooner the better!
 
See, it's not so obvious... It's actually kind of hidden until you turn the ring on its side and.. SURPRISE!! Little bezel set diamonds!! Here's a picture of my surprise diamonds (There's two, one on each side). Although my ring has a much thicker, larger band, the surprise diamonds don't get in the way or distract from the ring at all.

ring12.jpg

ring5.jpg

ring10.jpg
 
795 for the replica! I never thought it would be so much. What metal was it?
 
Yeah, 795 blew me away, too. My girl thought so, too. And when she said so, she didn''t hear anything back at all, either. So I think maybe WF got mad. Who knows...

It was for white gold... what she prefers.

The stuller set (page 2, I posted it) has both rings for under 250.... and she''s actually tried it on, and the band width is great for her, because she really likes thin. And I don''t even know the thickness of the WF replica, either. I''m actually a little irked with the whole thing right now...
 
Thanks for sharing your pictures; I think the "surprise" is really something she could like. A lot.
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Aph,

Yeah, I like this whole "surprise diamond" thing. I think it's something she'd like, without taking away from the solitaire I'm heart-set on. Thanks for sharing.... Your's is a DOOSEY!

DOH! I double posted; sorry!!
 
Date: 3/19/2006 8:07:00 PM
Author: argh&stuff
Yeah, 795 blew me away, too. My girl thought so, too. And when she said so, she didn''t hear anything back at all, either. So I think maybe WF got mad. Who knows...

It was for white gold... what she prefers.

The stuller set (page 2, I posted it) has both rings for under 250.... and she''s actually tried it on, and the band width is great for her, because she really likes thin. And I don''t even know the thickness of the WF replica, either. I''m actually a little irked with the whole thing right now...
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I thought someone posted that WF just finished a move or is in the process...maybe that''s why they havne''t gotten back with you. Why don''t you just call them??? I wouldn''t think they would get mad because you think a price is a bit high. I mean I haven''t dealt with them specifically but that''s just the opinion I get from all of the good things everyone has to say about them. If it were me, I''d give them a call. Email isn''t always the best avenue of communication. Sometimes things get mixed up and signals crossed via email...when in doubt and not hearing a reply I always pick up the phone
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Actually I''d consider 795 for a graceful 18k setting like the niwaka to be pretty good. There''s a big difference between a custom design and something that is mass-produced like the stuller setting.
 
Date: 3/19/2006 8:10:12 PM
Author: argh&stuff
Aph,

Yeah, I like this whole ''surprise diamond'' thing. I think it''s something she''d like, without taking away from the solitaire I''m heart-set on. Thanks for sharing.... Your''s is a DOOSEY!

DOH! I double posted; sorry!!
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Thanks sweetie! My DF did really good. I know yours is going to be so beautiful and special!
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Ah, I didn''t mean to imply that WF has been rude. Not at all. My girl can be slightly "emotional" at times, and this happens to be one issue she takes seriously (almost TOO seriously). She''d mentioned several times that she''d not heard back from them, and because I''m getting a little eager to get this thing rollin'' myself, I picked up on it, too. Sorry about that, again. The woman my girl''s been emailing has been really informative and all that, and she hasn''t complained about the number of emails she sends either, with all her little questions...

I realize that the WF ring is a bit more "substantial" than the Stuller setting. I know that if the width and look of it were thin enough for my girl, she''d like it a good bit better than the Stuller she originally loved; however, I also know she likes the Stuller setting as well as the way it looks on her finger, and I know that if I get the Stuller, her diamond will be alloted a bigger portion of my budget. And, even though I get all these comments that I''m "so sweet" to put so much time and thought into this, I still have my reservations about buying online (which is also why I''ve not called or emailed WF myself; I don''t want to bother them if I''m not sure I''ll be using them for this purchase), and the Stuller setting and the nice lady at the jewelry shop who will set a diamond in it seems "easier." I like one of the diamonds she''s shown me, but that was before I came here to learn so much from all you nice and knowledge-filled people about diamonds, so I don''t know much about it other than it sparkled and glimmered and would make my girl call it "prettiful." Repeatedly.

I guess that''s where my conflict lies... to take the way I know she''d like, and get a diamond that is priced a bit more than the one on WF that I like so much (it is a bit bigger on the size scale, though), or go into unknown territory here.

Ahh... I don''t know what to do. I''m much less enthusiastic about all this than I first was. The time is approaching, and it''s making me anxious.

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I understand your hesitation to make such a significant purchase online - but in this case, you''ve got the option of dealing with a VERY reputable jeweler - who happens to also sell online, as do many businesses these days, right?

Of course you want to get the best diamond for your budget, and you want to get the best price for that diamond - so compare what''s being offered by your local store to what WF offers, and make your decision based on the facts - I agree that you''re ''so sweet'' but I also understand how frustrating this whole process can become and I know you don''t want to get bogged down in the frustration so much that it takes away from the wonderful experience your anticipating in asking your girl to marry you!

So, don''t get bogged down - keep the faith. You''ll be fine, and she''ll be thrilled whatever you choose.
 
FOr,

I know she''ll be ecstatic regardless of the way I go in choosing her ring. It''s you guys I''m scared of. :)

I showed my parents the two options this weekend... Good bit of help they were: Mom liked the Niwaka best, Dad liked the Stuller.

I do have to say that because I''ve seen the Stuller, I am a bit partial to it, and because I know it meets those stiff requirements she has for thickness of band... and, hey, I have to say I like that it''s so much less expensive, too. It''s not cheaply made; it''s just simple and elegant and delicate.

There is something to be said for something not mass-produced, too, though.

Grr... I''m gonna just sleep on it. Maybe I''ll reach a conclusion sometime soon.

Thanks again all of you... I''ve learned so much here! (Almost too much!!)
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If she likes the stuller that much then get it for her! Can you buy the nice diamond you like online then take it to the nice lady and have it set in the stuller setting? Maybe that''s the ideal way to go. If you think your girl will like the diamond at the jewelry store and she''ll be happy with that then go that route if it makes you more comfortable. Is that diamond certified? Does it have specs you could get? If numbers don''t matter much to you then just make the best decision you can for your budget and I''m sure she''ll be happy either way. Don''t worry about what anyone else thinks...make you and your girl happy! Try not to stress. It''s you she''s in love with and she''s going to love whatever ring you choose for her.
 
Hi Argh, don''t stress!! Ok, I know it can be stressful. But you''ve learned a lot here. That you know. Now just take that knowledge and what you know you and your girl want and make the decision! This is your ring, not ours. You''ve been looking at awesome stones and you found the setting that your girl loves. It sounds to me like you''re set! Good luck
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totally hijacking the thread to say, I want those two in earrings!!
they are gorgeous!!!! what a nice pair! those idealscopes are amazing!!
 
Dunno if it helps or quite on the contrary, but...

o.47 I/SI2 AGS0 , $730


It isn''t for me, but if between 0.45 and 0.5cts is enough price difference to make the change from the rank and file setting to a custom made one, that would make a very visible difference to me. About .05mm of diamond wouldn''t.
 
As for actual stats on the diamond she and I have seen at the store, I don''t know that I remembered to ask at the time (this was prior to my learning here, let me add). I do remember that the woman said it was color H, and that it was .48, and that it had some stellar sparkle that made my girl smile. (The woman actually showed it to me out of several that my girl had been in to look at, and she indicated this one was the one that made her smile and really perk up. All of the diamonds--I think five or so total were around the same size, ranging from .43-.51.) This one was priced at 840, I believe. At the time, I thought that was a ridiculous price, but now I wonder what the stats are and if it''s worth going for.

My girl''s said before that stats aren''t a huge deal to her, as long as it''s pretty in her eyes. However, being that I''m a bit cautious about large purchases, I would like to have some way to know it''s a real diamond, and that it''s of good quality.

She''s done a good job of backing off on the ring thing here lately (probably because she thinks I have it already... I found her snooping around recently... good luck finding anything!!), which has decreased my stress, but I still don''t want to feel like I''m taking the "cheap" way out. If I do go with the Stuller setting, I know I''ll be able to get a diamond closer to the 1/2 carat mark she so adores, so I may end up doing that.

You''re all right... she''ll love whatever I get her. I know that. Still, I want to do the very best for her. I really do... if you all only knew all the things she does for me... a perfect ring is the least she deserves!

(having said that, I''m again, so thankful that she has "simple" tastes.)
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We''re still waiting to see a picture of the WF version of the Niwaka setting... Since neither of us know how close the WF inspired setting is allowed to look, that may pay a large part in all of it.

IF anyone knows how to do a side by side post of the Niwaka ring and the Stuller ring, I think that would be beneficial...

OR... to get things all confused all over again, maybe people can help me find a really elegant tuliphead that sits low on a thin band... (yeah, I know, we''ve done this before, but... I''m stuck in a slump right now and maybe seeing other options will make me lean one way or the other at last. Who knows? I sure don''t.)
 
Date: 3/21/2006 5:25:08 PM
Author: argh&stuff
As for actual stats on the diamond she and I have seen at the store, I don''t know that I remembered to ask at the time (this was prior to my learning here, let me add). I do remember that the woman said it was color H, and that it was .48, and that it had some stellar sparkle that made my girl smile. (The woman actually showed it to me out of several that my girl had been in to look at, and she indicated this one was the one that made her smile and really perk up. All of the diamonds--I think five or so total were around the same size, ranging from .43-.51.) This one was priced at 840, I believe. At the time, I thought that was a ridiculous price, but now I wonder what the stats are and if it''s worth going for.
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If she really liked that diamond and it''s a price you can afford then perhaps you should go back and check it out again. Get the stats, see if the have an idealscope, and most importantly try and see it outside of the store lights. If it''s still sparkly and beautiful in normal light like the sun and regular indoor lighting, then just go ahead and get it! She''ll be thrilled to get the diamond she keeps admiring. After all, all the numbers and grades are just ways to help you pick a beautiful stone. The important thing is the way her eyes will light up!
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So, this doesn''t have a tulip head, and couldn''t have one, so far as I know, and it seems like it may be a bit thicker than she''d like (any help on determining thickness would be great here, guys), but she has mentioned she''d like the stone to sit lower than the traditional solitaire usually does.

And the sideview makes it less "typical" than the ordinary solitaire, which is a key for her.

Any ideas? Particularly with regard to the band''s width.

swirlysides.jpg
 
I don''t think that stone is sitting particularly low. It may look that way because of the angle of the photo. But it has a fairly standard head, and I expect the stone is set at a fairly standard height.

Jewelers have some leeway in how high to set the diamond in any setting. You should talk to the jeweler and explain that your girlfriend wants her stone set low. That shouldn''t be a problem, especially with a smaller stone. (Huge diamonds end up sticking pretty far out of the ring because they''re so tall.)
 
Glitter,

Is that true for any prong setting? The Stuller Tulip head appears to be a good deal higher than other heads I''ve seen. Could it be squished down a little, or would that ruin the "tulip" aspect of it (the way the prongs open up like they''re the petals of the flower)?
 
Date: 3/21/2006 9:33:07 PM
Author: argh&stuff
Glitter,


Is that true for any prong setting? The Stuller Tulip head appears to be a good deal higher than other heads I''ve seen. Could it be squished down a little, or would that ruin the ''tulip'' aspect of it (the way the prongs open up like they''re the petals of the flower)?
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Hmmmm... I think it might not be possible to set the stone lower than usual in a tulip head, but I''m not a jeweler, so I could be wrong. But with most heads, they would just place the stone lower, notch the prongs lower, and snip off the extra metal at the top. Right, jewelers? Correct me if I''m wrong!
 

After work, a friend of mine and I went out to look at rings, mostly because he doesn''t know what he''s doing for his girl, either. Anyway, we went to this smallish store in town. There were at least four stones that were set in traditional solitaire settings, all with the same listed carat weight: 1/2. Of course, I was drawn to all of them, since they were the size she likes, the white gold band, and round shape. They were all listed at different prices, however.


They ranged from 695 to 1895. I was blown away by the differences, since they all looked identical in the cases. When I asked to see all four of them, to compare (hoping I''d see some difference since I''ve been trying to learn something poking around on this site). The woman raised her eyebrows and began this speech about which is better (the expensive one, of course) and why. The thing is, I think she was using jargon that doesn''t even exist. I mean, I''m NO expert by any means, but I''ve never heard anyone on this site mention anything like "angular porportion of cut in relation to clarity." What the heck?? Cut doesn''t create clarity, does it? Anyway, when I was finally given the four rings to line up on my pinky finger, I could immediately tell differences in the stones (which impressed the crud outta me, by the way!). The cheapest stone didn''t appear to be round, or maybe the prongs weren''t set up evenly, and the diamond had almost no sparkle and it was white and cloudy. The second one (which was at frist my favorite) had a lot of sparkle and I was shocked to see it listed at 795 for the stone AND the setting, since I''ve not seen such a good "deal" before. The third one carried a tinge of bluish color, which I thought made it look unique and cool, but I didn''t know that my girl would feel the same. I also noticed a thin white line along the girdle (that''s the part of the diamond where the top and the sides of the diamond meet, right, the widest part of the diamond?), all the way around. Is that normal? I thought it made it look fake. The fourth ring had by far the biggest sparkle and I could tell it was cut well because of the sharp, exact angles that created so much reflection and fire. It was listed at 1895 and the woman said it was certified. I thought, "Yes! I can look at a real certificate, then!" When I asked, however, she said it was only available to people "seriously considering purchasing." When I told her I was serious in making a purchase soon, she said she knew it was a .48 carat, with excellent cut and I color. When I asked about clarity, she said that "was good, too." She had no idea about table (although I really don''t either), or about depth or flourescence. She said their certs. didn''t carry those things, and they didn''t really matter anyway. Perturbed, I gave that diamond ring back to her and said I wasn''t interested in buying a ring with certs like that which told me a lot of not much.

Then I went back to the 795 ring. It was so clear and sparkly. I was SO happy to have found a nice stone at a nice price. (I could have come in WAY under budget. I could have bought it right then and there! I was THRILLED!!) Until I looked at it from the side, and then I saw a large black dot on the leftish bottomish portion of it. Once I''d seen it from the side, I could easily spot it from the top, too. So, I guess I''ve learned that WF prices are really good for a diamond that''s eye clean. I would have never even thought of looking at a diamond from the side, and really trying to "inspect." Thanks for saving me from a purchase that would have been less than what I want for my wonderful girl!

Back to the white line around the girdle... what causes that? It was a great diamond, otherwise...

 
Glitterata,

Thanks for your response. I would LOVE to have an expert (or anyone with such knowledge) tell me if a tulip pronged head can be set low. It would be ideal!
 
either the girdle was very thick or it was not faceted (which has no effect on performance)
 
What does faceted mean?
 
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