As diamond prices go up, I'm already two years ahead planning for my 10 year anniversary gift in 2013.
For my engagement ring, I was luckily blessed with an Eight Star. But in the back of my head, I knew I would want a Royal Asscher as a right hand ring. I've been talking to a Royal Asscher vendor who has old stock that they've had (what I think to be reasonably priced as they said that these are 2008 prices) for awhile. What do you think of the size and the prices? Are they reasonable?
.87, F, SI1, $3,500 for the loose stone
1.45 and set in Royal Asscher Lucida type platinum setting, H, IF, $13,870 either for the stone sold loose or with the ring altogether...I don't remember as I had asked for both prices...Currently the ring is set in that platinum setting that I just described.
Which would you purchase?
A part of me wants the bigger stone as my Eight Star is about a carat so I was told by a few Royal Asscher vendors that I should purchase about a carat and a half bigger Royal Asscher to match the size of my Eight Star. I've also seen a one carat Royal Asscher and it doesn't show quite the detail a larger stone would show so that's another concern. If I'm paying for the R.A. line already, you're paying for that extra detail that you can see right?
A part of me wants the less expensive stone because this is a luxury item, and we are still living in a recession so to speak. I have two kids under five, house mortgage, and one income (husband's), and we could use the $10,000 difference to support the charities that we like to support. So I guess the less selfish me wants the smaller rock. I guess if times were good, I was still working, and money was no object then the bigger stone would make sense, but for now I'm leaning toward this one. What would you pick and why?
Thanks for reading this post. I look forward to what everyone has to say.

.87, F, SI1, $3,500 for the loose stone
1.45 and set in Royal Asscher Lucida type platinum setting, H, IF, $13,870 either for the stone sold loose or with the ring altogether...I don't remember as I had asked for both prices...Currently the ring is set in that platinum setting that I just described.
Which would you purchase?
A part of me wants the bigger stone as my Eight Star is about a carat so I was told by a few Royal Asscher vendors that I should purchase about a carat and a half bigger Royal Asscher to match the size of my Eight Star. I've also seen a one carat Royal Asscher and it doesn't show quite the detail a larger stone would show so that's another concern. If I'm paying for the R.A. line already, you're paying for that extra detail that you can see right?
A part of me wants the less expensive stone because this is a luxury item, and we are still living in a recession so to speak. I have two kids under five, house mortgage, and one income (husband's), and we could use the $10,000 difference to support the charities that we like to support. So I guess the less selfish me wants the smaller rock. I guess if times were good, I was still working, and money was no object then the bigger stone would make sense, but for now I'm leaning toward this one. What would you pick and why?
Thanks for reading this post. I look forward to what everyone has to say.
