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A halo definitely makes a huge difference... this photo is of my 1ct stone before and after halo..

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Date: 2/21/2009 1:23:38 PM
Author: Addy
You haven''t mentioned yet, but what area do you live in? What size stone does your peer group wear?
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Ottawa, Canada. I have no idea what my peer group wears, either because I don''t look at their hands or they''re not married. It''s not really a status thing to me, I''m not so much concerned with how I stack up (or don''t) against anyone else. It''s just that I feel greedy/stupid for spending thousands of dollars on something that covers 1/4 of my finger. It doesn''t help that apparently a lot of the people who have posted pictures on here have really skinny fingers, so their 0.5ct diamonds look a lot more substantial. I didn''t think size 7 fingers were that big, but I guess they are.

I feel guilty for even whining about it, but I just don''t feel right blowing so much money on something so unsubstantial. I might feel differently if I had the budget for 1ct+, but I don''t. Diamonds aren''t the point of getting married, after all.
 
I''m a size 7. I wish I had tiny fingers too!

A halo like this with a .60ct diamond in would look gorgeous...and give you great finger coverage.

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With diamonds cut is the most important factor. If an H coloured diamond has a great cut it shouldn't look yellow. I know some people are more sensitive to colour than others, but on the whole an H should look white face up.

If you buy a diamond make sure you can return it if you don't like it. The vendors I have linked you to will let you examine the diamond at home and if you don't like it you can return it.

What a B&M vendor would term 'Ideal' is not always what a PS vendor would term as Ideal.
 
Date: 2/21/2009 1:29:18 PM
Author: Addy

It doesn''t have to be baguettes, my point was, with your budget, ideas about an engagement ring, and finger size, you may want to stop looking at solitaires. It wouldn''t necessarily be a custom piece. There are a ton of stock settings out there. It''s just choosing what you want. With your budget it may come down to a .70 in an expensive plain setting, or a .50 in a fancier setting.
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I''m actually not that into solitaires, generally. It''s just that once I started looking into what I could get with my budget, solitaires seemed to offer the most visual bang for my buck. For example, diamond bands, while they look good in addition to a fancier ring, seem kind of disappointing on their own, to me. They''re quite plain. Not bad looking at all, just plainer than I was hoping for.
 
Date: 2/21/2009 1:33:27 PM
Author: abcdefg

This looks good, although I am concerned that no one has addressed the H stone I looked at today having appeared so obviously yellow. Before I saw that, I was pretty convinced that the J stone I had picked out would look fine, but now I'm skeptical again.
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It could have been a poorly cut diamond, or you could be color sensitive. I once thought I wasn't color sensitive and bought a J, but realized over time I do notice a tint and unfortunately, it started to bother me. Maybe I became increasingly color sensitive over time? A great cut usually hides color pretty well (if that's what one wants), but some can even spot a near-colorless stone with an ideal cut, so you might want to stick with a well-cut "G" color. Easier on the budget than a D-F, but still pretty darn colorless.
 
Date: 2/21/2009 1:29:30 PM
Author: Maisie
A halo definitely makes a huge difference... this photo is of my 1ct stone before and after halo..
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I agree with you that a halo makes a big difference - I could see that even while out looking at rings today. Before, I had been really intent on replicating the Tiffany Legacy ring (my favourite!) but it ultimately turned out to be too expensive for what I wanted, so I gave that up. Maybe I should revisit halo settings in general, other than just close replicas of that exact ring.

Incidentally, halos are my favourite style of ring, regardless of budget.
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Date: 2/21/2009 1:29:08 PM
Author: glitterata
Here''s another trick that might help. Buy yourself a cheap little silver ring with a tiny CZ or other stone in it. Make it a really thin ring (at most 2 mm) with a really small stone, at most 4 mm ( .25 ct). Wear it all day every day for a week. Then go look at diamond rings again. You''ll be amazed how much bigger they look.
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This is a decent idea, actually - I might try it out. I may have become too out of touch with rings, since I haven''t worn any for years.
 
Who graded the "H" stone that you thought looked yellow?

Unless you''re extremely color sensitive there''s no way an H can look yellow. A properly graded H, while it doesn''t look like a D, will still be white.
 
Date: 2/21/2009 1:35:50 PM
Author: Maisie
With diamonds cut is the most important factor. If an H coloured diamond has a great cut it shouldn''t look yellow. I know some people are more sensitive to colour than others, but on the whole an H should look white face up.


If you buy a diamond make sure you can return it if you don''t like it. The vendors I have linked you to will let you examine the diamond at home and if you don''t like it you can return it.


What a B&M vendor would term ''Ideal'' is not always what a PS vendor would term as Ideal.
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That''s what I''m hoping is true in this case. From what I''ve read, an ideal cut H (or J for that matter) shouldn''t look visibly yellow in isolation, especially since I''m not used to looking at diamonds.
 
Date: 2/21/2009 1:39:35 PM
Author: elle_chris
Who graded the ''H'' stone that you thought looked yellow?


Unless you''re extremely color sensitive there''s no way an H can look yellow. A properly graded H, while it doesn''t look like a D, will still be white.
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I have no idea... I didn''t look into it that far. I wouldn''t be terribly shocked if what the salesperson told me was untrue, but they insisted that it was an ideal cut diamond. It wasn''t just a mere hint of a tint that I might notice over time - it was immediately obvious to me. I mean it wasn''t hideous, but not worth spending that much money on, in my opinion. I feel like I''d rather go smaller than get something that tinted.
 
I suppose when it comes down to it you have to prioritise what is more important to you from the 4 C''s. With me it was Cut, Carat, Colour then Clarity.

I wanted as big as I could get for my money. So now I am upgrading to an M I1. Its beautiful and perfect for me. And I get the size I always wanted.

You need to work out what is more important to you and then let us find you the ring of your dreams!
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Date: 2/21/2009 1:44:41 PM
Author: Maisie
I suppose when it comes down to it you have to prioritise what is more important to you from the 4 C''s. With me it was Cut, Carat, Colour then Clarity.


I wanted as big as I could get for my money. So now I am upgrading to an M I1. Its beautiful and perfect for me. And I get the size I always wanted.


You need to work out what is more important to you and then let us find you the ring of your dreams!
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This is what I would say my ranking is, too. As long as the colour is good enough that it looks white to me.
 
Well I would honestly suggest you look at I and J colours. I had a J and it faced up perfectly white. I started off with a G and then went to I then to J now to M! But size is so important to me!!
 
Date: 2/21/2009 1:43:35 PM
Author: abcdefg

Date: 2/21/2009 1:39:35 PM
Author: elle_chris
Who graded the ''H'' stone that you thought looked yellow?


Unless you''re extremely color sensitive there''s no way an H can look yellow. A properly graded H, while it doesn''t look like a D, will still be white.
Click to expand...

I have no idea... I didn''t look into it that far. I wouldn''t be terribly shocked if what the salesperson told me was untrue, but they insisted that it was an ideal cut diamond. It wasn''t just a mere hint of a tint that I might notice over time - it was immediately obvious to me. I mean it wasn''t hideous, but not worth spending that much money on, in my opinion. I feel like I''d rather go smaller than get something that tinted.
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That makes a BIG difference. I don''t think they intentionally lie(
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), but they do tend to over grade if they do it themselves. If you plan on going back to look, ask to see stones that are only GIA or AGS certified. They probably won''t have much if any that are AGS, but make sure you at least get to see H''s and I''s that are GIA. no other cert.
 
Date: 2/21/2009 1:29:08 PM
Author: glitterata
Here''s another trick that might help. Buy yourself a cheap little silver ring with a tiny CZ or other stone in it. Make it a really thin ring (at most 2 mm) with a really small stone, at most 4 mm ( .25 ct). Wear it all day every day for a week. Then go look at diamond rings again. You''ll be amazed how much bigger they look.
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Haha great minds think alike
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I think the halo is a great idea and would make your stone appear alot larger. I have a K diamond and its plenty white to me, you might want to try looking at another store.
 
Holy shmoly Maisie! Gorgeous halo!

Hijack over.

ETA: OP-I wear a size 7, and I have a kickin .52. I tried a halo on today and I had them put in a .50 stone so that I could get an idea of what it would look like if I used my stone, and let me tell you, it look like it was at least a 1ct. Don't get discouraged because of jewelry stores. Most of them are ripoff's anyways. I think the idea of a colored gemstone in a halo would look amazing, and it would be unique from what all your friends have/want.
 
1. Diamonds are small. Think, pencil eraser. But, the good diamonds can be breathtaking, and are noticeable from across a room, even at that size.
2. For some reason, loose stones seem to appear smaller than they do after they are mounted. Also, when you are shopping for diamond rings, it is easy to get influenced by the larger rings in the store. Don''t be discouraged. Yours will appear more significant back in the "real world."
3. Generally, you will pay more for a round brilliant, especially any of the branded stones, than just about any other shaped diamond of the same weight and overall specs.
4. An H-color diamond should not appear yellow. Ask to see stones with GIA or other reputable reports so at least you''re sure of what you are looking at in terms of color.
5. Just to share: I am very sensitive to color and I have a lower-color diamond mounted in platinum that usually looks whiter face-up than several of my higher-color stones. They are out there. Also, I have lower color diamonds mounted in yellow gold that look KILLER.
6. If size is most important, think about going down to, lets say, K, even L-color, and mounting it in yellow or rose gold. The non-white metals are not too common these days, but the overall warm, golden look is rich and VERY flattering. Plus, you won''t have to rhodium wash as you would with white gold. If you''re set on platinum, then, that is another story...
7. If you love halos, start there. You should be able to find something lovely within your budget, especially if you are willing to "give a little" in terms of center stone size, color, or clarity. Maisie''s before and after ring shot is a great example of how much mileage a halo can give you. The split shank helps too. If the halo doesn''t work out, then, generally speaking, baguette shaped diamonds are relatively inexpensive cuts; used judiciously, they may provide the east-west finger coverage you desire at a reasonable cost.
8. There are several gemstones that would be suitable as center stones for an everyday-wear ring. However, you will may find it more difficult to find a reasonably priced, beautiful, colored stone than it is to find a reasonably priced, beautiful, diamond.

As you say, diamonds aren''t the point of getting married. So, follow you heart to the one stone, or combination of stones, or simple metal band, or soda can ring – whatever it may be – that makes your heart sing and is truly symbolic of your loving relationship. Don''t give up... perhaps, after the small-stone-shock wears off, you''ll become more comfortable with the little buggers!
 
I agree that a halo would make the size of your stone look huge in comparison to a solitaire. My original stone is .37 and I had it haloed into a necklace and from a distance it looks like a 1 ct.
 
Anything under .75 is going to look pretty small unless you have a size 4 finger. Not saying small can't be grand but it is what it is.

How would you feel about a nice 1 ct. five stone ring with .20 diamonds? That can give you nice finger coverage. I wear an 8 and it covers mine.

By the way, EricaGrace just posted some beautiful transitional and OEC diamonds around .50-.40 for under $700.
 
Date: 2/21/2009 4:34:06 PM
Author: purrfectpear
Anything under .75 is going to look pretty small unless you have a size 4 finger. Not saying small can''t be grand but it is what it is.

How would you feel about a nice 1 ct. five stone ring with .20 diamonds? That can give you nice finger coverage. I wear an 8 and it covers mine.

By the way, EricaGrace just posted some beautiful transitional and OEC diamonds around .50-.40 for under $700.
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Oh boy PP, why did you have to say that???!!!!!

off to look at Erica's website.....
 
Date: 2/21/2009 12:40:19 PM
Author: abcdefg

Date: 2/21/2009 12:37:07 PM
Author: neatfreak
Well first of all I assume these stores were crappy. Thus the colors and cuts of these stones are likely to be a lot crappier than if you buy an AGS ideal stone, so I wouldn''t discount the lower colors just yet. Also, these stores tend to have yellow lighting making everything look yellow. That said though, your expectations of size were likely skewed. Diamonds are pretty small.
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I guess I''m just shocked because I wasn''t expecting them to be THAT small. I don''t care how much a rock sparkles if it''s like half the size of a pencil eraser? I can''t really justify spending thousands of dollars on that... I guess I just don''t get it. Maybe I''ll just go with a plain band for a ring.
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Its a shock isnt it when you see them irl after seeing them on the computer screen!!!!

And yes, diamonds are really expensive, much more than often realised.
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As Ive gotten older, Ive come to appreciate the eternity band even more than a solitare. Its definately more affordable with more finger coverage, and you can still strive for better cut stones without breaking the bank. And you can get really dainty settings these days that look like you are wearing just a circle of diamonds!!!!!!

Otherwise, I see nothing wrong with a plain band. There will always be diamonds to buy if you ever change your mind down the track.
 
How about a band like this? Its 1ctw and costs $2195 in white gold from Whiteflash.

ring_1219-2120.jpg
 
Here is a handshot. The owner is Jo C. I hope she doesn''t mind me posting her picture.

ringjc23.jpg
 
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