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Diamond stud help please.

Vangrocks

Vangrocks

Rough_Rock
Joined
Dec 19, 2015
Messages
35
Hello All,
I have been lurking on Pricescope for months. I suspect all pricescopers have a history of lurking...guilty!. Well it is a great place so I am going to lurk away.
I am here today as I would really like to buy my first pair of stud earrings and I don't want do go wrong on this as I have in the past..with B&M shopping...which only happened once but never gain. I know I am in the right place.
So for starters, would I be better to search for my own matching pair or request the assistance from a rep at good old gold or other great personable diamond store?
I have read a few things in regards to diamond searches for BN and wondered how has experiences been with either your own hand picked search or a search with the assistance of a store rep?
Thank you all and good morning from Rochester NY!
Oh one more big question. What style cut of the rounds makes the best earrings? For my first pair I would like something I can wear everyday and just sparkle like a dream. Well why don't you all just lay it out there if you would be so kind. From experience what would you recommend for best diamond studs lay out.
Thanks again!
 
Hi - i'm in the trade and forum rules don't allow me to comment on specific stones/other vendors, but here are a few guidelines that may help you when trying to pair up a set of diamonds for stud earrings:
- mm diameter is quite important -for rounds, I find that anything more than 1/10th of a mm out is a bit too noticeable
- you want to keep the colour close - but they don't have to be spot on - for example, if you find a low end F colour, you can usually get away with matching it up with a top end G colour to perhaps save a few bucks, and you won't notice any difference.
- clarity is often sacrificed a bit with studs to improve other aspects (often colour/carat) - normally the same level of scrutiny isn't applied when people are looking at someones earrings as compared to looking at an engagement ring - so, depending on your tolerance, you can usually get away with a nice light coloured SI2. The same can apply here regarding having a range as well - there is no reason why you can't have, for example, a VS2 with a nice eye-clean SI1.
- make (cut) is very important - things like having the same table size / mm spread / depth / etc. is quite important - it doesn't have to be spot on (remember there's a head in between), but you don't want to have a 55% table with a 60% table. Pay attention to the cut grade - as you know, cut is what determines how light interacts with the diamond.
- many sites allow you to search for pairs - just use the search function (and advanced search function) to get a few results - if you need to filter further, you can then manually go through and find what you like
- it's always helpful having a rep assist (as long as you're confident that they have your interests in mind)
Hope this helps
 
ANDN thank you for your response. You say your in the trade. How may I ask are you involved?
I am so new to this I do not have any direction on Reps with the customers true interest in mind. I am here to hopefully lean more. Is there a certain premium paid when choosing to bring in a rep rather then doing my own search?
Also do you encourage certain figures for table size/mm spread/depth etc?
 
Vangrocks|1455761599|3992396 said:
ANDN thank you for your response. You say your in the trade. How may I ask are you involved?
**I'm and online vendor (diamonds/diamond jewellery) in Australia.
I am so new to this I do not have any direction on Reps with the customers true interest in mind.
**Just like when dealing with every other person trying to sell you something, go in with a certain level of scepticism (not hostility :) ) and just use your best judgement when dealing with vendors - see what they have to offer/say, if they seem straight up...great...but if you're in doubt, look for further advice back here on PS. I am here to hopefully lean more. Is there a certain premium paid when choosing to bring in a rep rather then doing my own search? **nope - this is why we retailers pay our staff, to help the customer. I'm not talking about those 'independent' third party online 'experts' that 'help' people for a fee...that's a whole new thread... :roll:
Also do you encourage certain figures for table size/mm spread/depth etc?
**really depends on the size and your personal tolerances - - there are of course some numbers that are preferred over others (I'll leave that to non-trade PS members to advise you as I don't want to be seen as 'crossing the line' on this forum...just keep in mind that it's about balancing the numbers to get the best light return - so even if something falls just outside of what is considered 'ideal' in the online forum world, it may still be a perfectly fine/beautiful diamond.
So to start, you might want to post your diamond criteria (size/colour/clarity/etc.), and other PS members will help you with your selection.
Good luck with your search
Click to expand...
 
Thanks again ADN. Your advisement is appreciated. Good Morning again PS members! Ok so I do have some criteria for a pair of round diamond studs. I guess I should bring up budget first and for most because you can only go so far with that considering all other specs. I would like to make a match of diamond studs for $1,000 or less for the whole shebang of setting (not sure how much this should cost), diamonds, and NY taxes :roll: .
I began to discuss this with Marie from GOG. Marie began to ask me the same questions of specs and budget. Then I started to think about this and decided I should venture into PS before I answered her questions. I just don't know enough about diamond studs to commit to anything yet so here I am.
I know I want round, I know I want yellow gold for setting, I know I want to keep the whole bundle under $1,000. I have been wondering a whole lot about a pair of AVR (I would like to upgrade e-ring to a AVR in the future...that I am certain of :angel: ). I also wonder how other round cuts compered for sparkle power on the ears. I have read that the "old cuts" with the larger facets are less forgiving of finger prints, lotions, etc. So I almost think the AVR might not be a great choice for earrings. If ears are not the best place for AVR what other cut should I consider?
 
Hi Vangrocks! I'm definitely not one of the experts, but thought I'd respond with my 2 cents! I've read many threads in the last few months about diamond studs since I was also in the market for some. What I read about AVRs is that below a certain size, it's harder to appreciate their facet patterns versus a modern round. I didn't see your color/clarity requirements, but I think you'd be looking at .40/.50ctw max for AVRs (my reasoning is the price of this one .31 AVR http://www.goodoldgold.com/ecommerce/0-31ct-j-si1-august-vintage-round-diamond.html) and I'm not sure how distinguishable from MRBs they'd be at .25 or smaller each.

I saw you said you want them to sparkle like a dream and I think ideal cuts in a smaller size would definitely do that for you. I worked with IDJ and they are absolutely fantastic and could certainly get you an amazing pair of studs within your budget! I assume you're in NY since you said NY tax and they are in the city so super convenient. They're very helpful and patient-tell them you want Pricescope quality diamonds! Good luck!

Eta: If you're definitely planning on upgrading your e-ring to an AVR, it may be worth saving up a bit more for a larger pair of AVR studs so they would match and that too would be gorgeous!! :love:

And a couple of helpful threads: [URL='https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/oec-or-mrb-studs.205638/']https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/oec-or-mrb-studs.205638/[/URL]

And on page 25, the last post is of .41 ctw OEC studs for perspective: [URL='https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/show-me-your-diamond-studs.51981/page-25']https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/show-me-your-diamond-studs.51981/page-25[/URL]
 
Hello acano117 and good early morning!
I thank you for your response. My first thought went to being able to appreciate the AVR if it were under a certain size. I do believe I am leaning more towards the MRB. I did not have a color expectation mainly due to that I was considering the AVR which I know can be very appreciative in a warmer color so I was ok with a M color on AVR. Now that I am leaning towards MRB I was thinking that going higher up in the color range is a good idea. But really that is why I am here on PS.... for advice on this. As for clarity I am looking for advice since they are earrings. For an e-ring eye clean is my goal as for earrings is there more play with clarity?
I did mention NY...but no NYC here. I live in Rochester, NY (NY taxes still apply :nono:) so...unless someone can recommend a none B&M great reputable store in Rochester NY then I will be an online shopper =) . Which through PS I am learning is ok and lots of folks have had really great experiences.
So now that I have a direction of modern rounds and a budget would it be recommended to go ahead with Marie at GOG? I have read she is great, no question on that. But I initially went to GOG and started asking questions because I was really interested in the AV stones for sure on an e-ring and partially on earrings. So now that I am interested in MRB there is going to be more availability. But I wonder for the same budget should I do my own search on diamonds to have them set and shipped or could I do just as well or better with Marie at GOG?
 
I’ve read nothing but amazing reviews about GOG and would love to work with them! I don’t think there’s anything wrong with shopping around to see what they have to offer within your budget. The only reason I would urge you to also call IDJ is because they have certed and non-certed diamond (PS quality, though, which are ideal cut F/G eye-clean SI stones) that may be able to get you a little more bang for your buck. A PSer from upstate NY recently (in the last few months) had an amazing experience purchasing an e-ring upgrade from IDJ – I believe she would call, speak to Yekutiel about her specifications, and they shipped her the diamond/ring so I have no doubt they could do the same for you! It’s your preference though and any PS recommended vendor could produce great results!

As for your clarity question, you’ll get a mixed bag of answers. Some people think more about “mind-clean” rather than “eye-clean” but, me personally, I would prefer getting larger studs with eye-clean SI clarity because no one is going to be inspecting your ears at such a close distance to see any inclusions (and if they do, they have issues!!! :lol: ) . It’s the cut that makes a diamond sparkle so that is the #1 priority!
 
Hello again acano117. I am certain I will be working the GOG in the future for an e-ring upgrade so I am thinking this time around I will really look into IDJ. I have been scoping out their website and what they offer on ebay. They have so much! I do appreciate all your thoughts. I think I am headed in the right direction. I also think I am going to adjust my budget a tad and go for $1,000 on the stones alone instead of that amount for everything including tax. I think I will email them tonight and see what they have.
Thanks for all your help.
 
Well. Well...well. Thank you pintobean. I like the sound of no sales tax and those are nice. I was just looking through whiteflash website. There is a lot of info there. Do you know off hand what their upgrade policy is?
 
Vangrocks|1456016738|3993494 said:
Well. Well...well. Thank you pintobean. I like the sound of no sales tax and those are nice. I was just looking through whiteflash website. There is a lot of info there. Do you know off hand what their upgrade policy is?
Click to expand...
http://www.whiteflash.com/about-diamonds/whiteflash-policies/lifetime-upgrade.htm

The upgrade policy wouldn't apply to the preset earrings I linked above though.

BGD is also in TX and I've personally upgraded with them a few times! Here is the upgrade policy below.
Do you have a Lifetime Upgrade Policy on your diamonds?
We offer a Lifetime Upgrade Policy on Brian Gavin Signature Hearts and Arrows certified diamonds. This does not apply to jewelry that contains diamonds.

Apply the original purchase price (less shipping) towards your upgrade and pay the difference.
We also offer a Lifetime Upgrade Policy on Brian Gavin Blue diamonds. This does not apply to jewelry that contains diamonds.

When upgrading to a Brian Gavin Blue diamond, apply 95% of the original purchase price (less shipping) and pay the difference.
When upgrading to another Brian Gavin Signature Hearts and Arrows diamond, apply 100% of the original purchase price (less shipping) towards your upgrade and pay the difference.
ALL upgrades need to include two of the three following variables - size, color and clarity, additional charges may apply at time of upgrade .

Please note: Original certificates must be returned together with the diamonds. Each certificate that is not returned in its entirety and/or its original condition will incur a $50 restocking fee.
 
Since you probably will be spending $800 on the diamonds and $200 for the settings, I think you probably need to go to ID Jewelry and start out with ungraded diamonds. Tell them you want excellent cut, and at least I-J color and SI1 clarity. Since you will be looking at .25-.30 each, you really don't have to have the mark-up of the lab reports, but be sure IDJ will let you upgrade them.

My studs are from Whiteflash and fabulous quality, but you'd really need to save a little more to start out with their upgradable stones ($1600 with the settings):

http://www.whiteflash.com/loose-diamonds/round-cut-loose-diamond-3497445.htm

http://www.whiteflash.com/loose-diamonds/round-cut-loose-diamond-3222874.htm

I also have an AVR diamond and love them, too, but they are generally higher in price than ideal cut rounds, and I would recommend getting those in larger sizes anyway.
 
Thank you diamondseeker2006. I.D. Jewelry seems to be the recommendation and has been right from the beginning. I have sent an email out to them hopefully to get a response once they are open again. BDG and whiteflash were also considerations for a non tax option. But I like the idea of non cert stones that are just as beautiful and Im not paying extra for the cert. So is there a setting that is better based on the approximate size I am looking into or is the setting purely preferrence? I was thinking 6 prong in rich bright yellow gold.
 
Call Yetiekiel at IDJewelry just bought my daughter .81 tcw from him just a little above your budget and they are hearts and arrows and just gorgous
 
heididdl said:
Call Yetiekiel at IDJewelry just bought my daughter .81 tcw from him just a little above your budget and they are hearts and arrows and just gorgous
Click to expand...
Are they ceritified stone? I was hoping to go uncertified to spend more money on the stones. Can you get Hearts and Arrow with uncertified?
 
Hey All. So the question is screw backs or non? I have curly wavy hair so it does get caught in those sort of things.
 
Vangrocks|1456179043|3994137 said:
Hey All. So the question is screw backs or non? I have curly wavy hair so it does get caught in those sort of things.
Click to expand...
Omg no screw backs! I tried them once and they hurt being inserted!
 
Oh. Thank you PintoBean. Im not to worried about that..what is a little pain. I am more concerned with security of the earring. I would most likely were them all them a lot and would hate to lose one. Are there other thoughts and opinions on screw backs or non?
 
PintoBean|1456186513|3994193 said:
Vangrocks|1456179043|3994137 said:
Hey All. So the question is screw backs or non? I have curly wavy hair so it does get caught in those sort of things.
Click to expand...
Omg no screw backs! I tried them once and they hurt being inserted!
Click to expand...


omg no x 2! I have never lost an earring with butterflies or la pousette backs. But my ears may never recover from wearing threaded posts!

cheers--Sharon
 
My new studs have screw backs and I have no problem with them. My old pre-PS studs were also screw backs and I wore them daily for years and would never take them off. I guess everyone has a different tolerance! I find them super comfortable. My sapphire and diamond halo studs are push backs and I do find myself touching the back of the posts during the day just to make sure they are still there. For that reason and peace of mind, I prefer the screw backs. I've never had la pousette backs but one of my friends does and she struggles to take her studs on and off.
 
Thank you ladies for your comments on backings and the link to the discussion on it. I did find it helpful. So I have been in contact with IDJ now I am waiting for a reply email on the details/specs of my non cert stones. So while I wait I am bee bopping around on the net and landed upon this. Thoughts and opinions are very welcome. It turns out to be larger size stones just outside of my budget...but I wonder what is the catch?
https://www.ritani.com/diamond-stud-earrings/round-three-prong-martini-diamond-stud-earrings-in-14kt-white-gold/6615
Thank everyone!
 
Oh geez - why didn't I think of this sooner? If you have a Claire's in a mall near you, you could see if they have screwback earrings on the cheap, and also try some cheap studs with butterfly backs to see how they work out for you.
 
OK, here is a guys perspective and some experience.

Bought a pair of studs for the daughter, she proceeded to lose one of them, they had the friction backs, never again!

I sold the other one on eBay.

I worked with Leslie at BGD to pick me out a beautiful pair in my price range, she did all the rest. Found the pair, setting, etc. Daughter wears the almost every day.

Oh yes, they have the laPousette backs, recommended highly, will cost a few more buck but I think worth it in the long run.

So what is my recommendation.... call Leslie at BGD, tell her what you want and what you want to spend and she will do the rest.

Best of luck.
 
Hello All,

So I am getting very excited and cannot believe how quickly the process went. I guess I wasnt even fully aware that I was making the order with them until I received my last email stating they are a special order for me (my first online purchase). I thought we were just discussing the detail and then would consider it a order. Well as you may know I have been in touch with IDJ and working with Shulamit and Yekutiel on this pair. They are SI eye clean, F-G, 3 prong martini, yellow gold, non cert, upgradable, hearts and arrows. I don't have total weight yet. I did request that info so should have it in an email soon. They sent me a video but I cannot seem to down load.
 
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