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Diamond & setting Advice needed--Please!

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BG1979

Rough_Rock
Joined
Dec 12, 2006
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6
Hey Everyone,

I'm new to Pricescope but I've been lurking for a few weeks now as my boyfriend and I have just started looking at stones & settings. We really only know what we've been told by the jewelry stores we've gone to, so I'm hoping you all will be able to provide us with some 2nd and 3rd opinions. :)

My biggest questions are:
1) Would you sacrifice quality over quantity? i.e Should we go up to a 1.15ct wt with less quality?
2) Re:Side stones--are channel set or prong set better? Are channel sets too old fashioned?
3) How important is a 'hearts and arrows' stone?

Right now we're thinking of a 1ct center round brilliant cut stone, two 15pts side stones, and then 5pt channel set stones down the band.


** Also--I should add--this would be done in White Gold.

Here's the specs on the diamond--tell us what you think!!

GIA Certified
measurements 6.46-6.49 x 3.92mm
1.0 Ct wt
Color Grade: F
Clarity Grade: SI1
Cut Grade: Excellent

Finish
Polish: Excellent
Symmetry: Very Good
Flourescence: None


Do I need to give you any more information to be able to give your opinions?

Thanks in advance!!
33.gif
 
Bead set instead of channel? I don't like the holes. Very small stones is ok, but the void will be bigger on 5 pters.

F SI1 is very nice. A G SI1 is also safe. I would move down to G if it meant 1.1+
 
Thanks Julie--
that''s exactly the kind of feedback I''m wanting-- I need you guys to help me think of pros/cons I''ve not thought of yet!!:)

I like the idea of the bead settings--but.. I also don''t want it to look vintage and I want a wedding band to be able to sit flush to the engagement ring..

hmm..
 
1. depends on the receiver''s preferences. many times a superior cut diamond that is smaller could look the same or perhaps larger than a larger, poorly cut diamond.

2. no comment

3. it can be a romantic notion. there are certainly diamonds out there that have great optical performance and are not hearts and arrows.

Pugsy
 
Also,

My other issues are:

I don''t want the side stones to make it look like a 3 stone engagement ring

and..

i want to make sure the setting is flattering to my hand and not just ''the perfect'' ring.

the jeweler were hoping to go with does custom work and will make the wax mold for us to choose the right sizes, etc. Is this the way to go?
 
Hi BG-

I just picked up on somethings you wrote-"I do not want this to look vintage", and "the jeweler wants us to do custom".

I am thinking that bead set could make it look vintage-have you seen that size diamond in the band bead set? Also, it is very much in style now to do milgraining and engraving. I know you didn''t mention these, but just be sure you know exactly what your jeweler has in mind, as these DO make a setting look more vintage. Are you wanting more of the bright metal look?

I am in the process of designing a custom ring and have been working on it for quite some time, and it is difficult. I would not reccomend this to anyone who did not know EXACTLY what they want, and had not looked at a ton of settings. Usually when a wax is made, you will be incurring some costs. It is a way though for some jewelers to get you committed.

Do you have any ideas of what you want, or other things you have liked? Custom is most likely going to be expensive
 
Oh now I see what you want in your setting? I am thinking you can find something very much like that without going "custom". Have you looked online at the PS vendors to see if they have anything?

Hearts and Arrows are very nice, but you can for example get a WF ''expert selection'' stone, and those are off by just a hair and still beautiful, and with less of the pricetag.
 
BG-

Check out Boogeyman''s post and look at the expert selection stone he used-it''s beautiful!
30.gif
 
Date: 12/12/2006 11:23:12 PM
Author:BG1979
Hey Everyone,

I''m new to Pricescope but I''ve been lurking for a few weeks now as my boyfriend and I have just started looking at stones & settings. We really only know what we''ve been told by the jewelry stores we''ve gone to, so I''m hoping you all will be able to provide us with some 2nd and 3rd opinions. :)

My biggest questions are:
1) Would you sacrifice quality over quantity? i.e Should we go up to a 1.15ct wt with less quality?
2) Re:Side stones--are channel set or prong set better? Are channel sets too old fashioned?
3) How important is a ''hearts and arrows'' stone?

Right now we''re thinking of a 1ct center round brilliant cut stone, two 15pts side stones, and then 5pt channel set stones down the band.


** Also--I should add--this would be done in White Gold.

Here''s the specs on the diamond--tell us what you think!!

GIA Certified
measurements 6.46-6.49 x 3.92mm
1.0 Ct wt
Color Grade: F
Clarity Grade: SI1
Cut Grade: Excellent

Finish
Polish: Excellent
Symmetry: Very Good
Flourescence: None


Do I need to give you any more information to be able to give your opinions?

Thanks in advance!!
33.gif
Click to expand...
at that size I would absolutely not sacrifice cut for size. After you get up to like 2 or 3 carats... the bigger the stone, the more I might fidge a *little*. But for a carat i would definitely stay tight.
 
Okay so I think I need to do more soul searching as to exactly the type of setting I'd like.

To clarify things:

The jeweller isn't trying to convince us to do custom--we're choosing that ourselves.

The stone cost right now that we've been quoted is $5,065.
Here's the specs again:

GIA Certified
measurements 6.46-6.49 x 3.92mm
1.0 Ct wt
Color Grade: F
Clarity Grade: SI1
Cut Grade: Excellent

Finish
Polish: Excellent
Symmetry: Very Good
Flourescence: None

medium faceted girdle
60% table
60.5 % depth
33 degree crown angle
41.5 degree pavillion angle

Does this price sound like it matches the quality?? When i search for similar stones online I find them to be higher priced.

19.gif
 
Vell, I think you can do a little better.
 
JulieN--

What is it about this stone that makes you say/think I can do better?

Please expand on that so I know what your concerns are.

Anyone else too? Your thoughts--PLEASE!! :)
 
That diamond scores a 4.4 on the HCA. Something around/ below 2 is what you should be looking for. That is not a well performing diamond... so that is why the prices seem higher on pricescope
 
Most definitely I had a wax setting made for my saffire and it was really helpfull...
 
Julie N--

Oops! It should be 41.6 degree Pavillion angle.

my mistake!

But can someone tell me what this higher score (4) means? I''ve read the tutorial section on Pricescope for the HCA but I still am confused.

Is this a stone you all would RUN away from?

I of course don''t want something that is just ''okay''--especially if I''m looking at it as going with a 1 ct stone to get better quality vs. going to a 1.15 or 1.25, etc.

I''m also having a hard time readin the proportions diagram on the GIA page. If anyone has any good links to an actual key for all of the angles, table percentages, etc, that would be helpful.
 
yeah, that's a stone I would run away from; you're not getting a good enough discount that I would consider it.

If you look at the picture here: http://diamonds.pricescope.com/tolk.asp
53%=table
34.5=crown angle
40.75=pavilion angle
59.3%=depth as % of diameter
16.2%=crown height as % of diam
43.1%=pavilion depth as % of diam
 
Date: 12/14/2006 11:14:40 PM
Author: BG1979
Julie N--

Oops! It should be 41.6 degree Pavillion angle.

my mistake!

But can someone tell me what this higher score (4) means? I''ve read the tutorial section on Pricescope for the HCA but I still am confused.

Is this a stone you all would RUN away from?

I of course don''t want something that is just ''okay''--especially if I''m looking at it as going with a 1 ct stone to get better quality vs. going to a 1.15 or 1.25, etc.

I''m also having a hard time readin the proportions diagram on the GIA page. If anyone has any good links to an actual key for all of the angles, table percentages, etc, that would be helpful.
Click to expand...
And GIA rates that an "excellent" (their top grade) cut? That is really a poor HCA performer for that cut grade. My guess is that the angles are not too good and this is causing the poor performance. You can do better for optical performance.

Pugsy
 
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