shape
carat
color
clarity

Diamond cheaper than setting

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

mrfourpointo

Rough_Rock
Joined
Jul 12, 2005
Messages
16
My quest for an engagement ring has now taken a drastic turn. Today we fell in love with a setting that restricts what I have been shopping for. It is a platinum antique style ring that would hold the diamond at a 90 degree angle.(I have been told this is called a kite set) We could go no larger than .5 carat when I was origionally shopping for something twice that size. The ring only as about .2 TCW. We would rather have the ring in white gold, however they said that they cannot get it in any other metal. The problem is the setting would be about 5 times the cost of the diamond. About 4500 after all discounts and taxes.

I know I am going to get hell for this, but we found it at a local B&M, in the mall no less.

Do you all know of anybody who may be able to create something simiilar at a better price?
Is it a bad idea to place so much of my investment in the ring as opposed to the diamond?
In general, are they screwing me over?

Thank you all so much for the help you have already given me. Your advice and information is invaluable and will undoubtedly save me a lot of money-AND get me a much better ring!
 
I completely understand what your saying. I ended up buying the Ritani endless love e-ring and wedding band and it was *almost* as expensive as the nearly 1 carat princess cut diamond when you added them up together. I was thinking that I could have spent *almost* double on the diamond and got a larger rock, but then it would have been in a cheap setting.

In the end, the design of the band was more important than getting a large stone. Plus, I can always upgrade the stone in the future and stick it into the setting. I feel more attached to the setting than the diamond for sentimental reasons.

So, it''s really up to your girl...You can always do the opposite and get the nicer stone now with a starter setting...
 
I don''t see any problems spending more on the setting than the diamond. However, I do feel the setting you''re considering is overpriced. My GF wanted a small diamond so we got a 0.52 ct F VS2 RB from Nice Ice for $1825. The Vatche full pave setting (0.48 ctw) and matching band (0.52 ctw) were $2320 and $2180 respectively.
 
Sure, why not, but the setting better be worth the money. It probably is worth to you since you like it so much, but this is only half the way. There is some refference for the cost of diamonds, but for settings, what each is worth is anyone's guess.

Is there any way to show what this ring looks like ? Since the setting is sold to accomodate different diamond sizes, etc. it is obviously new (not an 'antique') and this means there are more of the kind somewhere becausefew jewelers do things away from the mainstream. Also, it may mean that it is adesigner setting that can be located elsewhere.

For alternatives, I would take a look at Artofplatinum and Karen Bleifer and Platinumsmith and perhaps Greenlakejewelry and Jewelryexpert for custom work, then Icestore and Weddingband (plus designer's sites - if on ehappens to work in the style you want) for new designs and Nelsonrarities, Estateiamondjewelry, Singlestone, Antiqueengagementrings and Faycullen (and a few more you might want to search on Pricescope and I can't remember off the bat) for antique (true and styled).

If you can find a photo of a similar ring, chancesare someone can point out a source of similar styled jewelry - without such refference I just mentioned all that came to mind...

The good news is that for that price tag and few small diamons included as you say, there is lots of room for very, very nice custom work
11.gif
.

I could imagine some rings that may actually not be redone for the money because of unusual skills involved, but it is unlikely that this is the case. A picture would sort that out.

Just my 0.2


After all, any choice about jewelry is better justified by one's taste and pleasure. It can't hurt to make an informed decission though.
2.gif
 
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
Top