Anyone NOT Suffer from DSS?

[Lynn B]

Date: 12/14/2006 2:42:11 PM
Author: grapegravity
I have DSS and I just upgraded my diamond from 0.82 ct to 1.2ct... it''s only been two days since I got the new ring and it''s looking smaller and smaller on my size 5 finger

.... I need a cure!

*oh dear* Only 2 days?! You definitely have DSS. And I''m afraid it''s looking like a very serious case!!!

 

[Lynn B]

Date: 12/13/2006 9:59:18 PM
Author: kenny
Lynn you don''t live in rural PA.

You live here with us, on Pricescope!

OHMYWORD, Kenny! ROFLMHO!!!

 

[Lynn B]

Date: 12/13/2006 10:11:41 PM
Author: TCBug
Lynn-- I love you! What I would tell my best friend is, ''Stop your belly aching already.''


Look at your diamond. . . and then look at it again. More lovely than you ever imagined, right? Even in PA, or Cleveland, or NYC? I mean LOOK at your stone, sans Pricescope, (ok, even WITH PSsope) look and just SMILE!!!!!!!! Your rock ROCKS, girl. Love it, cherish it, and enjoy your life!!!!!!!!

Awwww, thanks, TCBug. You''re right, I''m nuts. Certifiably. Get the straight jacket ready. (Diamond-studded, though, please, sir!!!

)

 

[Mara]

I''ve pretty much accepted that I am infected with DSS and it will flat out NEVER GO AWAY. I can delude myself into thinking ''well if I had a 3c or a 3.5c or a 5c'' it would be diference BUT IT WOULDN''T. Your eye gets used to it each andd every time and it will always eventually just look ''normal''.

 

[Cehrabehra]

I had major dss issues prior to getting my diamond but none since then. I love my stone and know that to have something larger would require more money than I would pay unless we had scores of millions just waiting to be spent. There are too many other things I want to blow money on!! Also, this one is MINE and I knew going into this that *whatever* I got -this was it! When I look at my stone it is filling up with memories already, feelings that I''ve had for the past few months.... if it were just a diamond to me I might think I wanted to trade it up someday, but this one has value beyond the superficial. Plus, since I know DSS is an illness that warps "normal" and makes what we perceive as "normal" as something inferior - I don''t know how I could indulge it even in jest. I would like another diamond someday but I''m certain it will be under a carat. Sure, I''d love to have a 5 carat stone to play with but I''m absolutely not willing to spend the money on it even in fantasy, and it''s an unrealistic ring to wear on a daily basis. I''m really glad I got it all out of my system before I got my stone. But it was pretty intense prior to purchase LOL I went from 3/4 carat to 1 to 1.5 to no way in hell under 2 to how high can I go? LOL I love my husband dearly for not gasping, gagging, or even blinking heavily when I told him I''d about quadrupled the budget - but I also know there''s no way he''d be comfortable spending 50k on a ring and I would never ask him to. I found the perfect balance - I pushed the limit as far as I felt comfortable, and I got a stone that will last me a lifetime... now I just need a freaking ring!!!!!! lol If our wealth ever rivals gates and i feel the need for bigger diamonds, I will *add* to my collection LOL!!

 

[Cehrabehra]

Date: 12/13/2006 9:30:48 PM
Author: Lynn B
To you non-DSS sufferers, what IS your secret??!

buying from a vendor that doesn''t have an upgade policy? hehe

 

[Cehrabehra]

Date: 12/14/2006 12:02:10 AM
Author: diamondfan
TC, you are lucky that you have what you love.

Don''t get me wrong because I love my ring and I loved the upgrade before it, and do not need any else in life as an upgrade to my ring, but honestly, if my hubby offered? I might look and see what is out there and think about it, I would never say never.

I am glad you were able to get the ring of your dreams and that it still gives you joy...

DF do you have any other rings? I think if I was in your situation and it was offered I''d just add more rings lol! I''d buy variety over a yet bigger diamond. Though I really did love madrock''s 10c oval!!

 

[diamondfan]

Mara, you are on the money. I still get eye rolls from hubby when he hears me say that I am used to my ring and that I would go bigger if it were offered, provided it were well cut and pretty and a great setting. That is not to say in any way that I am unhappy or do not love and appreciate my gorgeous ring, but I would never say never, if something amazing was offered to me. Which it will not so hey, no worries...

 

[Cehrabehra]

Date: 12/14/2006 6:36:17 AM
Author: jfo
I don''t suffer from DSS because I do think that my 1.23 radiant is the perfect size for my size 4 finger. I had a slight awakening when I joined PS and realized that square shapes show smaller than rounds in the same carat weight, but I''m still ok with it. That said, I suffer from the other form of DSS (Diamond SHAPE syndrome)... Seeing all these beautiful diamond shapes (i.e., cushions, rounds, ec''s, asschers, omc''s, ovals) really makes me want a diamond shape of every kind!

That said, I have been married just under a year and can''t imagine getting another diamond ring for a LONG time... Plus it is highly likely I will inherit my mom''s original 1 ct round brilliant some day and will have it reset. Maybe that will satisfy me at that time for a while...

okay THIS DSS I do have a bit of lol I never liked marquise diamonds but the ones I saw were typically very narrow and I found the fat ones are very attractive to me! And of course I need a "perfect" round - D str blue haha - and I wouldn''t turn down a nice 3 carat asscher

 

[diamondfan]

Cehra, I have an eternity band of emerald cuts and my ering. I have a couple of fun rings, including a really pretty cushion tanzanite in a pave halo, about 3-4 carats, adn some stack things with enamel and gold, in colors (Hidalgo) but I tend to wear my ering and eternity band so I am not a ring switcher. If we are traveling and I do not want to take the ering, I might take the e/c band, and wear a gold band as well. I think I was Zsa Zsa Gabor in another life...cause I could certainly go bigger if I liked the overall ring and stone...but I might not wear it all the time...

 

[Stone Hunter]

Date: 12/14/2006 2:54:31 PM
Author: TravelingGal
I did have DSS, in the sense that my diamond doesn''t look as big as when I first got it, but it just looks normal now. I like my ring more and more every day and am glad I got something simple, because it''s just so wearable. Most of the folks I hang out these days wear diamonds in the 2-4 carat range but you''d think I''d be more prone to shrinkage, but it sparkles so gloriously that it keeps me happy and proud of wearing it.

Me too. But when I take it off for a day or look into the mirror at it I realize it has sparkle and size. And I''m very pleased with it.

That said my stone is a 15th anniversary ring. My origional ering was the prettiest one in the case, prettier than the two the jeweler had brought in...but it was small. I should have given size more thought 16 years ago. I was just happy to be engaged.

 

[Stone Hunter]

Date: 12/14/2006 6:51:18 PM
Author: Cehrabehra
I had major dss issues prior to getting my diamond but none since then. I love my stone and know that to have something larger would require more money than I would pay unless we had scores of millions just waiting to be spent. There are too many other things I want to blow money on!! Also, this one is MINE and I knew going into this that *whatever* I got -this was it! When I look at my stone it is filling up with memories already, feelings that I''ve had for the past few months.... if it were just a diamond to me I might think I wanted to trade it up someday, but this one has value beyond the superficial. Plus, since I know DSS is an illness that warps ''normal'' and makes what we perceive as ''normal'' as something inferior - I don''t know how I could indulge it even in jest. I would like another diamond someday but I''m certain it will be under a carat. Sure, I''d love to have a 5 carat stone to play with but I''m absolutely not willing to spend the money on it even in fantasy, and it''s an unrealistic ring to wear on a daily basis. I''m really glad I got it all out of my system before I got my stone. But it was pretty intense prior to purchase LOL I went from 3/4 carat to 1 to 1.5 to no way in hell under 2 to how high can I go? LOL I love my husband dearly for not gasping, gagging, or even blinking heavily when I told him I''d about quadrupled the budget - but I also know there''s no way he''d be comfortable spending 50k on a ring and I would never ask him to. I found the perfect balance - I pushed the limit as far as I felt comfortable, and I got a stone that will last me a lifetime... now I just need a freaking ring!!!!!! lol If our wealth ever rivals gates and i feel the need for bigger diamonds, I will *add* to my collection LOL!!

I''m totally with Cehra on this. No surprise huh? LOL

I drove everyone around me CRAZY before I decided on my stone. Now I''m just fine. Well others may not agree but that''s my story.

 

[Cehrabehra]

Date: 12/14/2006 7:04:47 PM
Author: diamondfan
Cehra, I have an eternity band of emerald cuts and my ering. I have a couple of fun rings, including a really pretty cushion tanzanite in a pave halo, about 3-4 carats, adn some stack things with enamel and gold, in colors (Hidalgo) but I tend to wear my ering and eternity band so I am not a ring switcher. If we are traveling and I do not want to take the ering, I might take the e/c band, and wear a gold band as well. I think I was Zsa Zsa Gabor in another life...cause I could certainly go bigger if I liked the overall ring and stone...but I might not wear it all the time...

hehe on the zsa zsa comment lol Don''t get me wrong - I love big diamonds, I mean hey - my philosophy is the bigger the diamond the bigger the facets But I''m soooooo casual I think my under 3 carat is going to push the limits of congruity when people look at me lol 9 carats would look ridiculous on me - I couldn''t carry it off. Zsa zsa could and I''m sure you can, but it''s kinda like slinky sequined dreses on women with..... many many curves shall we say. Dress is pretty, woman is beautiful - but the two together? Yikes! In some ways I envy the ability to carry it off more than the jewelry itself, if that makes since I would love to see your eternity band and tanzanite!

 

[diamondfan]

I will take some pics soon...I like the tanzanite, color is good, and since I reset it it is much nicer. HATED the setting it was sooo tacky. Yuck.

I THINK I can carry of what I wear. I am sort of used to it. I have a good sense of style, I follow trends but only what looks good on me, I know the limits. And I just love love love bling and clothes and shoes and pursesand make up...I really do. And I love putting outfits together with all the pieces and parts, down to the make up. I am very aware of the setting and the purpose and always feel I have gotten it right, I am not usually too over or underdressed but always feel good about what I chose...so that is great...

And I think you could carry of whatever you wanted to...it is easier than you think!

 

[Cehrabehra]

Date: 12/16/2006 12:07:11 AM
Author: diamondfan
I will take some pics soon...I like the tanzanite, color is good, and since I reset it it is much nicer. HATED the setting it was sooo tacky. Yuck.

I THINK I can carry of what I wear. I am sort of used to it. I have a good sense of style, I follow trends but only what looks good on me, I know the limits. And I just love love love bling and clothes and shoes and pursesand make up...I really do. And I love putting outfits together with all the pieces and parts, down to the make up. I am very aware of the setting and the purpose and always feel I have gotten it right, I am not usually too over or underdressed but always feel good about what I chose...so that is great...

And I think you could carry of whatever you wanted to...it is easier than you think!

Maybe.... but I have this fear of being like my best friend's mom. We make fun of her (lovingly and in jest) because she doesn't care about her appearance at all, Looks like she got her clothes from kmart but is just dripping in jewels - 4 rings per finger, sometimes more than one on a finger (not the stacked look but stacked nonetheless lol) and it's all real of course - she's very well off, lives in a 3 million dollar house in the hills of silicon valley.... but she looks so incongruent. I really don't begrudge her her bling though she loves it... it just looks weird to see the combo. I love jeans and clogs and not wearing makeup and just being super comfortable.... I love dressing up and wearing makeup but only occasionally. I'm going to wear my stone whether it fits my style or not because I love it and I suppose that's all it takes is the desire to wear it ad the confidence to actually do so.... but oh I dunno. Maybe if I HAD a 9 carat I'd force myself to wear it whether it looked right or not lol!

ETA: ELEGANT!! That's the word I was looking for. I am not elegant. Not in any way. I wish I was, but I'm not. And it takes a certain elegance - even in jeans - to carry it off

 

[Kaleigh]

Diamondfan has a great sense of style. She wears stuff that is hip, but that isn''t over the top. She''s more conservative to me than you guys might think. Her taste is classic and elegant. Her eternity band is gorgeous. I hope she takes pics soon, as I know you guys would love it.

 

[phoenixgirl]

I don''t know. Time will tell for me.

We''ve only been married two years. My diamond is an heirloom (1.14 carats), and since I was only 24 when I got engaged, I think that is a substantial size, especially for a teacher. At the time I wanted it set in the x prong so that it wouldn''t stand out as much -- I was actually trying to minimize the stone! Now I think I could be convinced to get an upgrade for ten years or more, but for now, a diamond over one carat is more than most people could want or expect in my circumstances. Also, I am weirdly frugal, so at this point in life it would be hard for me to justify spending over maybe $2k on jewelry (ok, I realize that only on PS could this statement translate into being frugal).

The one thing I''d want is a H&A stone. I don''t have any cut information on my stone except that when it was set the first time it was said to have a low depth percentage and bigger table. I get compliments on its sparkliness, but I think that''s because I clean it every day and take it off when I wash my hands. I don''t think it has an extraordinary cut, just that most people''s diamonds are dirty.

 

[poptart]

Well, I know I suffer from DSS, but only have myself to blame. My wonderful DH got pretty much exactly what we talked about (platinum head at the very least, simple yet elegant, no bigger than .25 carat, dainty), and what do you know, my tastes changed. I feel terrible about it because he puts a lot of sentimentality on the ring itself. I still love it, but I love so many other jewelry pieces too! It will definitely take some gentle nudging to get him comfortable with the idea of getting a new ring. I''m hoping I can say something to the effect of, "Well, at some point we want two kids, and I would like for them to each have a diamond piece from me.... and right now I only have ONE diamond" lol. But who knows. We also REALLY wanted to pick the ring out together, but circumstances just didn''t allow it and then he got caught up in making it a suprise. So I guess only time will tell... *sigh*. On the plus side, I know EXACTLY what I want now, haha.

*M*

 

[diamondfan]

Thanks Kaleigh!!! I think you do too so that is a nice compliment...

Cehra, trust me I am not always in Chanel with my make up done...Most days I wear work out wear (so I am ready to go if the mood strikes!) or I wear jeans, sweats, etc...but I do try to buy nicer pieces, even if it is just sweats. I also go to lots of stores for pieces, I will wear an Old Navy tank with a Chanel jacket...I am not that into matchy and being so formal. I guess, at (almost) 41 I feel comfortable with my taste and style...I want to enjoy my things and when I buy I really try to make good choices for me and my needs. I look decent, but I am not a teenager, and there are just some things I cannot wear well, and I won''t. Plus I see my 14 year old son''s girlfriends and I get a reality check...BUT, overall, I kinda know what works and what does not and it all seems to come together in the end...

 

[Mara]

i love when people are incongruent. i personally don''t love when people are all dolled up all the time AND dripping with jewels AND driving their mercedes etc. i like when i see people in casual jeans with a sweater or whatever with big bling...or in an older car with bling (hee hee)...or in flip flops and jeans and big bling. or in sweats in a mercedes. it''s just fun to kind of mix it up a bit. i like thinking outside of the box and doing whatever makes you feel comfortable. for me i am sure some think my rock is big (greg likes to say ''that is a huge rock for a young girl''...i''m like awww honey you think i''m a young girl?) and i might look kinda funny with my super old car (seriously need a new one in 07, just gotta get around to it!)..in jeans and flip flops but i don''t care. if it was a 5c i would still wear the same outfit. i am far from elegant as well!! so anyway in terms of ''carrying it off'' i think that the attitude you portray is most important. if you feel like you HAVE to look the part, chances are you end up missing what you were striving for BECAUSE you were striving. i love casual elegance or people who can wear the sloppiest of clothes yet still look awesome.

 

[Lynn B]

This thread is cracking me up.

Well, for where I live (rural PA), what I do (social work), what I drive (Rav 4), and what I wear (jeans and flip-flops), my 2.36 RB seems *big* and like Mara said, probably rather "incongruous" for my lifestyle. Which I think is fun, and is fine with me... because gosh, I adore that diamond!

And I also agree with her, when you have DSS it's unlikely that ANY SIZE will ever really seem BIG enough. I've resigned myself that it's never going to end... so it may as well stop here!

 

[mia15]

Date: 12/16/2006 1:20:17 PM
Author: Mara
i love when people are incongruent. i personally don't love when people are all dolled up all the time AND dripping with jewels AND driving their mercedes etc. i like when i see people in casual jeans with a sweater or whatever with big bling...or in an older car with bling (hee hee)...or in flip flops and jeans and big bling. or in sweats in a mercedes. it's just fun to kind of mix it up a bit. i like thinking outside of the box and doing whatever makes you feel comfortable. for me i am sure some think my rock is big (greg likes to say 'that is a huge rock for a young girl'...i'm like awww honey you think i'm a young girl?) and i might look kinda funny with my super old car (seriously need a new one in 07, just gotta get around to it!)..in jeans and flip flops but i don't care. if it was a 5c i would still wear the same outfit. i am far from elegant as well!! so anyway in terms of 'carrying it off' i think that the attitude you portray is most important. if you feel like you HAVE to look the part, chances are you end up missing what you were striving for BECAUSE you were striving. i love casual elegance or people who can wear the sloppiest of clothes yet still look awesome.

You know, I love this, because there's so many reasons that someone might have for wearing a big, sparkly diamond. It could be that they inherited it and wear it for sentimental reasons, that their fiances chose it, or that diamonds are their hobby and none of these reasons necessarily go with having to look super dressed up or expensively accessorized. I'm so for not judging someone because of something they own.

 

[Julian]

I think 9 cts is a lovely size and in no way too much! It is a dream size and should be worn proudly whether one is in jeans, cute sweats or a cocktail dress.

Look at the effortless chic of celebs who have stylists up the wazoo -- they are not always red carpet and yet their LA style casual goes so elegantly with big bling. For work, I''m always dressed up but you can bet on weekends I am in comfortable yet hip gear! Diamonds go with everything... I don''t have to dress up for my car or my jewelry. Rather, they adorn me! Cheers!!!

Diamondfan, your ring is the height of elegance and style. Very bling and oh-so-fab.

My dream ring!

 

[february2003bride]

Does anyone else notice that plain bands make an e-ring center stone look bigger? When I wear my diamond band it adds sparkle but doesn''t make my e-ring diamond POP. However when I wear my plain band, my e-ring diamond looks huge!

 

[Julian]

February2003bride, I TOTALLY AGREE!!!!!!!

I think it''s because the eye is drawn to the center stone and the metal acts as a frame. Plain bands definitely seem to make solitaire stones look huge!!! The eternity band look gives an overall impression of, "Wow, lots of bling" but the plain band is all about the center stone. I love both looks.

 

[Aurelia]

Hmm... you want suggestions as to how NOT to catch DSS? Don''t start in with diamonds in the 1st place... then you''re immune!

My e-ring is a sapphire eternity band... so I guess I would develop SSS - saphire shrinkage syndrome... which would be just TOO hard to say! But I love it every second since I got it : ) No shrinkage, no regrets!

Best of luck with your life-altering, crippling disease... for which there truly will NEVER be a cure!

Aurelia

 

[Cehrabehra]

Date: 12/16/2006 7:58:38 PM
Author: february2003bride
Does anyone else notice that plain bands make an e-ring center stone look bigger? When I wear my diamond band it adds sparkle but doesn''t make my e-ring diamond POP. However when I wear my plain band, my e-ring diamond looks huge!

oh yes, absoutely.... sometimes the stone can be completely lost. One of the jewelers I went to kept pushing a 9mm wide diamond encrusted band to set my diamond in and it was like you couldn''t even see the diamond at all!

 

[Lynn B]

OK, that''s it. I''m getting a solitaire on a plain .025mm band!!!

 

[diamondseeker2006]

The best remedy for avoiding DSS is to not hang out on here!

I did not really have DSS when I began looking for my new stone. But like Cehra, the size grew a little as I looked! I really think the 1.63 is a great size for me. Like Lynn, I don''t live in a big city and I work in schools with some lower socio-economic families, so I usually have the largest diamond of the people I work around. And at first, I was afraid it was too big..but thankfully, I got over that very quickly! The girls here really did the right thing to talk me into the 1.63 over the 1.37! I''d have to move somewhere else to be comfortable wearing a larger stone than I have now, and even then, I wouldn''t want a round stone larger than 2.0-2.3 or so or an asscher or cushion greater than 3.0.

 

[diamondfan]

Julian, I am blushing over here..thanks. I really do love my ring and have gotten used to it, if that makes sense. If I have not had it on for a few days, it really jumps at me when I put it on, and I really enjoy it...I truly love jewelry and have been slowly building a nice collection since I got married. I have a few more things I would like to round out my collection and hope I have nice daughter in laws and granddaughters someday to share it all with. Right now, though, it makes me happy so I am glad I can have some of things I want now, while I can really enjoy them fully. And if you saw me, most days it is my sweats, uggs, a t shirt and that is it...and usually no make up either! (though I love to buy it I just cannot be bothered to use it most of the time!)