diamond earrings - fair price?

[ilikediamonds]

Hi - new to the board but I like what I''ve read.

I lost a .90 diamond earring waterskiing 2 weeks ago. Fortunately, I had it insured for replacement value and settled w/my insurance company within a week. Here''s what I ended up replacing it with:

1.25 ctw, SI3, H - 6.96x6.91x4.23, depth 61, table 60, 14 crown, 43.4 pavillion
1.21 ctw, SI2, J - 6.87x6.84x4.23, depth 61.8, table 57, 15 crown, 43 pavillion

They are mounted in 14ct white gold filligree setting and I paid 8559 total...I checked ebay and after reading a lot of too good to be true comments, I decided to work with my jeweler instead of take a chance and save 1000 on something substandard. I saw a similar pair at a retail jeweler for 12k - before tax...so I think I did okay +/- 10%.

Thanks!

 

[phoenixgirl]

If you like them, that''s what matters.

Do these have EGL reports?

I think the diamonds could have been better matched -- usually they are within one color grade.

You can search here on PS to see what similar stones are going for. Both of your stones were actually listed by one of the vendors here (but they obviously say not available when you click on the link). Your J stone was for $3792, and your H for $3919.

I don''t really think you can judge the price based on the similar pair you saw unless they are so similar they could be twins (same color, clarity, cut quality, size, and the same lab issued the reports). So maybe you spent a few hundred more than what you could have gotten literally the same pair for online, but you shopped locally and you didn''t get ripped off on eBay, so if you like them, be happy.

 

[ilikediamonds]

Yes, I have the egl reports. I checked and you''re right - I think they are the same diamonds. I''m happy with them. They are big though, maybe too big for me. In my ears, you cannot tell the color difference, and when I laid the stones down next to each other, it was nearly impossible to tell a color difference (and I have a good eye).

You''re probably right about saving a few hundred dollars had I purchased them myself. Oh well, live and learn...

 

[ilikediamonds]

I''m thinking about getting the diamonds reset in a setting similar to this one...

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=5021053276&rd=1&rd=1

can anyone tell me how I can go about finding this setting?

Thanks,
Leslie

 

[MissAva]

Hmm, well you could ask the jewler where you purchased them. Or you could contact WF in houston as they have made some really lovely custom pieces.
Are you sure you want to keep them, you do not seem 100% in love with them. I would hold off on custom work until you are entirely sure you want thoose exact stones.

 

[phoenixgirl]

I didn't mean to imply the price wasn't good. You often expect to pay a bit more locally . . . they have the upkeep of their store and the perks of local service. Obviously the white gold setting is worth something as well, although I don't know about $900. So maybe you could have saved 3 or 5%. No biggee. The good news is you didn't say, I paid $12k for these earrings, did I do well? Then the answer would N-O!

That setting is pretty. Have you tried holding them under your ears to see if you like the look? I think stones that size might be a bit big to be dangling.

I haven't seen a similar setting for sale elsewhere, so it might need to be a custom job.

 

[Jennifer5973]

Date: 8/11/2005 10:23:42 AM
Author: ilikediamonds
I''m thinking about getting the diamonds reset in a setting similar to this one...

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=5021053276&rd=1&rd=1

can anyone tell me how I can go about finding this setting?

Thanks,
Leslie

I found this ebay listing several weeks ago when I was purchasing my 2 ct tdw studs...it is a very pretty style . What I would have done (I opted for the martini setting instead) is take the pics to my local jeweler and he would ahve replicated them. Once you are sure of your decision both to keep the stones and set them this way, take the pics to the jeweler and see what he says. It is not a difficult or complex design.

 

[ilikediamonds]

My jeweler would have to sub them out - he deals in mainly stones. I''m getting over the paying 1k more than if I purchased them on line (at least that is what my husband wants me to do!) and the fact that the color isn''t identical (you can''t tell with them in my ears) .

However, they are big and droop on my ears. I hate that! May go smaller - to 2 ctw.

I contacted Whiteflash regarding making me that setting for the diamonds - the seller on ebay won''t sell me the setting (not sure I''d want to buy it from them anyway.) Should have a quote next week.

Thanks for the help and advise - next time I will consult before I purchase.

 

[phoenixgirl]

Wasn''t the price of the earrings included? Don''t feel bad! Remember, you yourself said you thought you were within plus or minus ten percent (I assume of the magical, mysterious price that represents the lowest a regular consumer like you could expect to pay). You were nowhere near ten percent when you consider the cost of the earrings they were set in. Be happy!

 

[Mara]

Drooping may be the setting, try a martini, a 3 prong...those puppies won''t sag!! I didn''t like my 4 prong baskets because they were too saggy even with smaller stones.

 

[ilikediamonds]

Thanks Mara - what kind of backs do you have? I tried the screwbacks for my first pair of 1 ctw - lost one. Large pressure backs on my 1.8 ctw - lost one. I now have the pressure backs.

I did more research on my diamonds using data from this site - the 1.25 diamond rated a 2.9 on the holloway scale w/vg across the board, while the 1.21 ct rated 1.2 - excellent except for spread, which was very good. Since the diamonds are in my ears, not on a ring, I''m doing better with them not being "identical" to each other color and clarity wise.

However - I''m still hoping I can find this spectacular setting to drop the diamonds in - if not will definitely switch to three prong.

Thanks!