Find your diamond
Find your jewelry
shape
carat
color
clarity

Budget: $4,000.... Looking for studs... Clueless!!!

Status
Not open for further replies. Please create a new topic or request for this thread to be opened.
sslkrissi

sslkrissi

Shiny_Rock
Joined
Sep 6, 2005
Messages
238
Hello all,
I have recently decided that I would like to purchase a pair of diamond studs for myself. I don''t know much about them, or where to find them. I do know that I want as close to 1.5 ctw as possible and that I like the three prong martini setting. Anyone have any suggestions? Where do I begin to look for them? Should I try to find unset diamonds, or should I be looking for a ready made pair? How about color and clarity? Is it possible to get a pair of 1.5 ctw for $3,500?

Thank you!
 
I'd look for unset diamonds of about H SI1. Others are very comfortable with colour and choose J SI1, and some choose F SI1.
Are you planning to buy online or from a local store?

As for pricing, here's what I found for a single stone:
0.5ish G SI1 = $1400
0.6ish I SI1 = $1400
0.7ish H SI1 = $2600
 
I would check out Whiteflash.com. They have ready set to go pairs or you can build your own. To maximize your budget, I would go with eye clean, ideal cut, I, SI's.

WF has a ready set to go pair a little over your budget: 3-prong 'Martini' Diamond Earrings, 14k White Gold. Color: I, Clarity: SI (1.50ctw) $4,120.00
 
I''d suggest calling Whiteflash and letting them help you find a pair of well matched, ideal cut diamonds. Their customer service is top notch and I think you can find what you''re looking for in your price range depending on your color/clarity preference.
36.gif
 
Date: 7/26/2007 12:43:39 PM
Author: snlee
I would check out Whiteflash.com. They have ready set to go pairs or you can build your own. To maximize your budget, I would go with eye clean, ideal cut, I, SI''s.

WF has a ready set to go pair a little over your budget: 3-prong ''Martini'' Diamond Earrings, 14k White Gold. Color: I, Clarity: SI (1.50ctw) $4,120.00
Click to expand...
Just remember that the RSG from WF is NOT upgradeable.
 
I found mine at WF, but you''ll probably need to go down a little in size or color to do a pair at $4000. I''d definitely go with WF regular ideal stones or ACA''s rather than ready-set-go since they cannot be upgraded, as Chrono mentioned. I think RSG is great for very small diamonds that a person wouldn''t ever consider upgrading. But if you are putting $4000 into them, I''d certainly want the future option of upgrading either size, color, etc.

In looking at WF now, there aren''t any matched pairs of I SI1''s in your size range. There is a great pair of .73 each, H SI1''s that would run around $5300 with the discounts not including the settings. They get new stones in every few weeks, so sometimes you just have to wait and watch until they get what you want in. I like their stones, though, because they are easy to match since they cut their stones to certain specifications.

http://www.whiteflash.com/diamonds/Compare_Diamonds.aspx?idnos=283244,283247
 
Thank you for all of the replies. I just got finished speaking with Whiteflash. They explained the same thing, that the ready pairs, are not upgradable, but the unset are. What exactly does that mean though? Do you get the full value of what you paid towards another pair? If so, that is definately the way to go. Is there a time limit? Well, I guess I am going to keep looking. I am going to take a look at some stores in person, but if nothing stands out, then I will probably go with the WF ones. Also, can someone tell me exactly how much is the pricescope discount at Wf that I always hear about. Is it a percentage?

Thanks
 
.....I believe the discount is a percentage. If you search for stones here on PS you can see what the discount is. I don''t know if they discount the settings, but I don''t think they do. Yeah, the unset are the way to go so that you have the upgrade policy----for whatever reason, you want bigger studs later or some other piece of jewlery all together. :)
 
Date: 7/26/2007 4:32:35 PM
Author: sslkrissi
Thank you for all of the replies. I just got finished speaking with Whiteflash. They explained the same thing, that the ready pairs, are not upgradable, but the unset are. What exactly does that mean though? Do you get the full value of what you paid towards another pair? Yes. If so, that is definately the way to go. You bet! Is there a time limit? Nope. Well, I guess I am going to keep looking. I am going to take a look at some stores in person, but if nothing stands out, then I will probably go with the WF ones. Also, can someone tell me exactly how much is the pricescope discount at Wf that I always hear about. Is it a percentage? I think it ranges from 2% to 5% depending on if it is a ES or ACA, or bankwired.

Thanks
Click to expand...
 
The disount is 5% if you pay by wire transfer rather than credit card.

I recently purchased studs from WF and after started looking around in stores to see what the comparables would be and I''m SO glad I purchased the WF ones. For the same price I paid, I would have been stuck with so-so cut diamonds with black visable inclusions rather than amazing cut stones with NO inclusions visable! It''s appauling what mall jewelers will try and pass off as quality stones!

Have fun picking out earrings. I wish I had $4K to spend on studs
2.gif
 
There have been a few posts on the complex WF pricescope discount... I think the basics are: it *ranges* from 2% to 5% depending on the stone, but its not a straight percentage off, so it is confusing at times.

There is a separate wire transfer discount available to general WF customers, but you cannot get the wire transfer discount in addition to the pricescope discount - its one or the other. And you *must* pay by wire transfer to get the pricescope discount, which is always the best discount.
 
Date: 7/26/2007 4:37:50 PM
Author: MC
The disount is 5% if you pay by wire transfer rather than credit card.
Click to expand...
Not necessarily. The discount is typically 5% on ACAs, but as others mentioned, it''s less on ES stones. Don''t know what the provisions are for RSG stones.

FYI - I just bought a pair of H, SI2 stones - .75 each, for about what your budget is. Completely eyeclean. I''d really consider this as a way to hit your budget. Earrings aren''t viewed as closely as rings, and if the SI2s are eyeclean, they make an easy way to hit budget.
 
I agree with Aljdewey - check out some eyeclean H SI2 diamonds for your studs. Dropping to SI2 will help you get bigger stones for your money. My own studs are 1.25 carats each, H SI2, completely eye clean, and ideal cut. To me this is a perfect combination for earrings.
 
Status
Not open for further replies. Please create a new topic or request for this thread to be opened.
GET 3 FREE HCA RESULTS JOIN THE FORUM. ASK FOR HELP
Jewelry Blog
PriceScope-Concierge-Ad
Find prime cuts.
Top