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Diamond Studs Advice for husband

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nek

Rough_Rock
Joined
Mar 30, 2009
Messages
37
Hi All,

About twice a year i post here to get some excellent advice before my next jewellry purchase for my wife and so far everything has worked out really well. My wife loves her 'starter' collection and is often given very approving compliaments!

Next on the list are diamond stud earrings. (As a side issue is there a list of nice pieces to collect? Such as a diamond tennis bracelet, cartier trinity style diamond ring, etoile bracelet etc?)

Rather than buying preset studs i would like to choose the diamonds and have them fitted into a good white gold setting. With a good locking mechanism, "buttlefly" clasp maybe?

I'm currently thinking i would like to get bigger rocks (0.70-0.95) [avoiding the premium on 1ct stones], round, excellent performing cut, Si1 eye clean, and then colour wise i'm thinking maybe H-J. Her other rocks (wedding, e-ring, 5stone ring) are all colour D-F and (VS2+) and i'm concerned that a H-J stud may be of a noticeably less colourless tinge when compared with the D-F rocks...

By going to J and Si1 i'm hoping i can get larger excellent cut rocks and stay in a budget of <7k-ish. As always i'm happy to order online with the usual suspects and ship to Australia (must pay 10% tax on arrival).

Any help much appreciated!
nek.
 
nek|1322873320|3073186 said:
Hi All,

About twice a year i post here to get some excellent advice before my next jewellry purchase for my wife and so far everything has worked out really well. My wife loves her 'starter' collection and is often given very approving compliaments!

Next on the list are diamond stud earrings. (As a side issue is there a list of nice pieces to collect? Such as a diamond tennis bracelet, cartier trinity style diamond ring, etoile bracelet etc?)

Rather than buying preset studs i would like to choose the diamonds and have them fitted into a good white gold setting. With a good locking mechanism, "buttlefly" clasp maybe?

I'm currently thinking i would like to get bigger rocks (0.70-0.95) [avoiding the premium on 1ct stones], round, excellent performing cut, Si1 eye clean, and then colour wise i'm thinking maybe H-J. Her other rocks (wedding, e-ring, 5stone ring) are all colour D-F and (VS2+) and i'm concerned that a H-J stud may be of a noticeably less colourless tinge when compared with the D-F rocks...

By going to J and Si1 i'm hoping i can get larger excellent cut rocks and stay in a budget of
Any help much appreciated!
nek.
Click to expand...

I bought my wife a set of diamond stud earrings a few years ago. I literally do not think she has taken them off in that time. I think its much more practical than a tennis bracelet... The total price was also less than $8k

Anyhow, I had a similar philosophy as you--keep them under 1 ct each to avoid the price increase (went with .90 ct on each side). Her engagement ring is an E so I didn't want to go below an F for the earrings. Oh, I also had platinum 3 prong martini earrings made by Whiteflash, who did a fantastic job. They have a custom martini setting that is not on their site but really sits lower to the ear--more diamond, less metal...

Here's my old thread. Good luck!
[URL='https://www.pricescope.com/forum/show-me-the-ring/new-studs-arriving-tomorrow-pics-t78495.html']https://www.pricescope.com/forum/show-me-the-ring/new-studs-arriving-tomorrow-pics-t78495.html[/URL]
 
SNA77, Good job mate! I've just read through your earring thread and those studs are exactly what i had in mind! So WF hey... ill have to go look now and try and source some diamonds from them. Also, where is the setting on their website? Perhaps i should contact them directly to get this project underway. Any other final tips improvements? I think this has the setting sorted, just need to find the right pair of diamonds.
 
Diamond prices have shot through the roof recently.

I think maybe calling up Yekutiel of ID jewelry or calling Engagement Rings Direct would be of value to your search. I would get GIA stones at Ex/Ex and see what these vendors (who are in NYC and can get their hands on diamonds other than their own inventory quickly) can offer you.

As for a list of pieces that are nice to have.

It's different for everyone but here's my list with the categories and also with the specific pieces in that category to illustrate

* Engagement ring.
* Wedding band.
* A couple of bands different to the wedding band to switch out (so if the wedding band is plain metal, a nice pave or a shared prong is a great change, alternately if the wedding band is pave a plain metal or shared prong would be a nice change).
* Multistone diamond band that can stand alone-- 7-9 stone band for me with 10 pointers would be ideal, that's based on trying things on and seeing what looks best on my fingers. Though MANY ladies here opt for 5 stone bands with 30-50 pointers. It's very personal.
* Diamond Pendant -- single solitaire is the most classic pendant. Many go for rounds (and I love a round in the Bellirna Pendant by WF for example) but I prefer a single bezeled pear drop for a solitaire. But honestly I own, and overall much prefer, a non-solitaire pendant.
* Diamond by the Yard Necklace to dress up the pendant. 7 pointers are ideal but 5 pointers are nice too. Have to make sure the pendant bail would fit over the bezels of the necklace though.
* Pearl Earrings (can be enhancer drops for studs, and actually I prefer this) and Pendant with diamond accents (I prefer Peacock or Silver Tahitians AAA quality 10-12mm size. But white-ish or gold pearls are nice too)
* Diamond RHR-- something totally different from the engagement ring in a setting that can stand alone and doesn't look like an engagement ring. (I have an asscher with a halo for my engagement ring, so my RHR is a OEC round in a Deco setting with no halo)
*Diamond Bracelet (I won't be getting one of these for a looooooooong while as I prefer 12 carat bracelets).
*Diamond Stud earrings (I really like 6mm rounds in each ear for presence and that's about the size you are considering)
*Nice Watch (totally optional in this day and age with cell phones. They are more an accessory and status symbol than a practical item these days). I ADORE this Bedat (with diamonds would be even nicer, but I just like this one as is) http://www.neimanmarcus.com/store/catalog/prod.jhtml?itemId=prod48110019&eItemId=prod48110019&cmCat=search&searchType=MAIN&parentId=&icid=&rte=%252Fsearch.jhtml%253FN%253D0%2526Ntt%253DBedat%252B%252526%252BCo%252BWatches%2526_requestid%253D67495
* Colored stone pieces if your lady likes them. I like having a colored stone stacking ring for my engagement set (emerald band) and will probably eventually get a colored stone RHR in my birthstone (sapphire) as well, for example.

That's my list.
 
I would seriously consider bezel settings. Prong style earrings catch in my hair. I am hoping to get some bezel studs soon myself.
 
Thanks for the advice guys,

Gypsy- that list is brilliant! I will refer to that with future purchases! You are not kidding about the price of diamonds, what has happened?!? There is no way i can get what SNA got for <8k. My searching on WF shows 2 ex cut 0.91H si1 for ~11k. :o ! Are prices going to pull back a bit?!!? or wishful thinking. I could put off diamond studs and consider a white gold bracelet, maybe another ring? Its difficult for me to call the NYC jewellers since i'm in Australia.

MIssStepCut- bezel is a good idea and i like the appearance. I also like the look of the 3-prong but they seem a bit too delicate, catching hair would also be annoying... but how well would a bezel setting show off the diamond compared to 3prong?

WF don't have many I/J Si1 diamonds, Eternity Diamonds have quite a few (pricescope search)... should i not go past H so as not to test the colour threshold with the other diamonds? Just means i will probable end up with 0.7-0.8 rather than 0.9 ct.

cheers
 
I think that anywhere from 0.7-0.9 for size will be very nice. I think you need to see how color-sensitive you or your wife are before going to an H...is there anywhere locally you can see stones in person just to get an idea of color? You can probably go lower in color for studs than for an e-ring but it's personal choice.

My "must-have" list for jewelry basics is similar to the PP

Diamond e-ring
Diamond WB and plain WB
RHR or several options - diamond and/or colored stones
Diamond studs
Nice watch
Everyday necklace or pendant
Diamond solitaire pendant
Pearl strands
Pearl studs
Diamond hoops or huggies
Plain hoops or huggies
Bracelet - either plain or diamond

Have fun shopping and building your wife's collection! :wavey:
 
Mrsacornblue, thanks for the list of essentials :)Yes, we should refresh our colour senstivity and take another look at some diamonds in person.
 
You are more than welcome for the list.

I think shooting for 5.8mm to 6mm in I-J stones for earrings is smart. As for calling ERD or ID, hmm, neither are that good on email-- they can get MANY things that aren't listed on their sites-- Try an Email and see what happens. I think what you want is doable through the right vendor. WF, like BGD or Infinity, have super ideal precison cut stones and those come with a premium. You don't need that for earrings. You can get ideal light performance and get cutting in a GIA Ex/EX with a good HCA score (under 2 is good: https://www.pricescope.com/tools/hca ) and save money and you will be thrilled.

As for other pieces to consider-- here is a beautiful ring (I am biased as I used to own it)... do you know if she wears a 6.5 because the stones are BGD signature super ideal hearts and arrows F-G for the whole ring and Dreamer's price is great for it. [URL='https://www.pricescope.com/forum/preloved-ps-jewels/for-sale-brian-gavin-diamonds-aurora-band-t168533.html']https://www.pricescope.com/forum/preloved-ps-jewels/for-sale-brian-gavin-diamonds-aurora-band-t168533.html[/URL]
 
I just received a pair of 1.53 studs yesterday from Yekutiel at ID Jewelry. His customer service is second to none.

My list of basics is really simple compared to some as I do not wear necklaces or watches and I prefer "fun" inexpensive rings for RHR.
I do love my diamond ER, eternity band and plain band, diamond studs and tennis bracelet :D :love:
 
Thanks Gypsy, I think i should probably contact those guys with an email and see how it goes. I do need to take another look at H-J diamonds in person in the 0.75-0.9 sizes. For similar money, would you go for 0.75 with better colour rank (f-H) or 0.9 with lesser colour score(i-J)? All other specs being equal.

Also, what is the name of the claps /setting i should request, or just attach a photo of SNA earrings? I can't decide between bezel and 3 prong!

Do you have a photo jewels2 ?
 
BTW Dreamers ring is fantastic, but as i have already purchased a 5 stone (2.5tcw) ring that is very similar i would like to get something a bit different! If i had the funds i'd buy it anyway! lol.
 
nek|1322880551|3073267 said:
Thanks Gypsy, I think i should probably contact those guys with an email and see how it goes. I do need to take another look at H-J diamonds in person in the 0.75-0.9 sizes. For similar money, would you go for 0.75 with better colour rank (f-H) or 0.9 with lesser colour score(i-J)? All other specs being equal.

Also, what is the name of the claps /setting i should request, or just attach a photo of SNA earrings? I can't decide between bezel and 3 prong!

Do you have a photo jewels2 ?
Click to expand...



I can try and take some with my iphone as my camera is broken :(sad Hoping Santa brings me a new one LOL
 
nek|1322880551|3073267 said:
Thanks Gypsy, I think i should probably contact those guys with an email and see how it goes. I do need to take another look at H-J diamonds in person in the 0.75-0.9 sizes. For similar money, would you go for 0.75 with better colour rank (f-H) or 0.9 with lesser colour score(i-J)? All other specs being equal.

Also, what is the name of the claps /setting i should request, or just attach a photo of SNA earrings? I can't decide between bezel and 3 prong!

Do you have a photo jewels2 ?
Click to expand...


Personally I'd take the larger I-J's in well cut earrings. No question. There is a difference between being able to tell the DIFFERENCE between colors and being bothered by it. A lot of people think that if they can SEE the color they are color sensitive. The truth is you are only color sensitive if you can SEE it AND are BOTHERED by it. In well cut diamonds for my ears I am absolutely not bothered by a little tint I won't notice most of the time. But, the larger size I would notice all of the time.
 
You can email and ask to see if these are eyeclean and at what distance they are clean from. I would do SI2 for studs if they were clean:

I personally don't NEED G's for my ears. But at 80 points (6mm) and AGS 000 (also not something I NEED for earrings) with similar sized tables these might be a nice choice --the clarity IS risky, but with an email you can resolve that issue one way or another.

http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/G-SI2-Ideal-Cut-Round-Diamond-1407806.asp
http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/G-SI2-Ideal-Cut-Round-Diamond-1344169.asp

I like the look of bezels, but it's a personal choice. I would get 8 prongs or bezels if I was buying studs. But both would have to be handmade settings. If I were doing stock settings I don't know. Probably Martini's and I could reset them locally if it bugged me.

I think 80 points (6mm) is just right, personally. I have a pair currently in my possession that are this size and they are just right.
 
Thanks Gypsy,
I've had many look throughs that thread, it is truly epic :) As many of the thread posters comment, they lean toward the 3 prong martini.. and that the fine bezel is very chic... i guess it just comes down to personal taste, i don't think my wife will mind if her hair gets caught occassionally... should be worth it :)
8 prongs is not overkill to hold in the diamond? Both settings show the diamond off well right? I will make sure i go handmade.

I think 0.75-0.8 will fit my budget better. The James Allen diamonds look nice but i think i will try and stay Si1 +. I'd rather not have to send anything back. Their true hearts are very nice... i have some already :)

I like how WF indicates the stone is 'eye clean' but the only 0.75 sizes they have in I+ are in their 'virtual selection'.
 
Thanks again gypsy, i know i'm being annoying and i need to make some decisions, so i think i will go with 18k white gold bezel setting and 0.8ct diamonds.
I've noticed eternity diamonds are significantly cheaper for similar diamonds (some of the posters in the earring thread used them) however it doesn't look like they have earring settings? Also their si1 diamonds don't indicate if they are eye clean. Once they are open after the weekend i think i will contact them. They have good HCA scored 0.8ct H excellent cut rounds for ~3100. If these are eyeclean and i can have them set then this seems ok, otherwise i might have to get them set elsewhere and then that might cause further problems and i would just be better off with BGD, ID etc.
What do you think?
 
nek|1322886399|3073308 said:
Thanks again gypsy, i know i'm being annoying and i need to make some decisions, so i think i will go with 18k white gold bezel setting and 0.8ct diamonds.
I've noticed eternity diamonds are significantly cheaper for similar diamonds (some of the posters in the earring thread used them) however it doesn't look like they have earring settings? Also their si1 diamonds don't indicate if they are eye clean. Once they are open after the weekend i think i will contact them. They have good HCA scored 0.8ct H excellent cut rounds for ~3100. If these are eyeclean and i can have them set then this seems ok, otherwise i might have to get them set elsewhere and then that might cause further problems and i would just be better off with BGD, ID etc.
What do you think?
Click to expand...

I'm sure they can order stock settings from Stuller. They won't be handmade but they will be nice-- Also you can ask them if they CAN do custom settings and see what they say. It never hurts to ask. The .80's sound JUST RIGHT. I think it's a good plan. I don't think ID does handmade either-- honestly BGD has the nicest of the handmade settings for the pricepoint-- but studs are more about the diamonds than the settings. I've read good things about Eternity and if they are eyeclean then I think it's a great fit. I'd prefer 80 pointers too. 6mm exactly is ideal.
 
UPDATE

After much time searching, researching and visiting local stores i'm now looking at:

2 x 0.80ct I Si1(eye clean) excellent HCA performing round diamonds with 3 prong 18k white gold martini settings, friction backs (better than la pousette right?).

I have come across these two from the pricescope search and i also like the prices- advice most welcome, one has a feather that might be a problem.

http://www.eternitydiamonds.com/diamond_detail.php?id=593206&ref=pricescope
http://www.eternitydiamonds.com/diamond_detail.php?id=604711&ref=pricescope

I also searched BGD and he does seem to have a quite a few 0.80 I Si1 diamonds but without all the details such as GIA reports and HCA etc.

Can any recommend any better diamonds or safer diamonds for similar price?

Thankyou
 
What is your maximum budget? I like the following two - the colours should be more comparable with what your wife has now and they should be eyeclean (but ask Brian).
http://www.briangavindiamonds.com/diamonds/diamond-details/0.807-g-si1-round-diamond-ags-104055121023
http://www.briangavindiamonds.com/diamonds/diamond-details/0.802-h-vs2-round-diamond-ags-104055121022

(btw, you shouldn't be able to discern the difference between G and H, esp not in earrings)

As for the list of "diamond staple", I'd think:
- diamond ering
- WB - preferably one plain metal one and one with diamonds
- diamond studs

Nice-to-have's:
- RHR (either diamond and/ or gemstone)
- diamond bracelet
- diamond pendant
- watch
- pearl strand
 
I really like what Gypsy posted aswell, but when i tally it all up, (+ exchange and fees) i'm looking at $9k in AUS or US (virtually the same).
It would be great if they were eyeclean si1 or at least vs2 so i could avoid the ~$400 ish premium each for vs1. I'm sure there is also a bit of a premium attached for the H&A, and if another excellent cut stone was to perform just aswell but without the ideal symmetry then i could save a little bit more again. I could get back down to my budget of around ~7k.

I like how BGD have all the lab reports etc, you don't get this on eternity diamonds- but then what look like similar spec cut diamonds on eternity are a fair bit more affordable. Looks like the couple i picked out aren't really getting any ps forumites too excited though!

I suppose if i can't quite find the diamonds that tick all the boxes i guess i probably will end up stretching to 9k anyway! to get those BGDs. !
 
nek|1322884569|3073296 said:
Thanks Gypsy,
I've had many look throughs that thread, it is truly epic :) As many of the thread posters comment, they lean toward the 3 prong martini.. and that the fine bezel is very chic... i guess it just comes down to personal taste, i don't think my wife will mind if her hair gets caught occassionally... should be worth it :)8 prongs is not overkill to hold in the diamond? Both settings show the diamond off well right? I will make sure i go handmade.

I think 0.75-0.8 will fit my budget better. The James Allen diamonds look nice but i think i will try and stay Si1 +. I'd rather not have to send anything back. Their true hearts are very nice... i have some already :)

I like how WF indicates the stone is 'eye clean' but the only 0.75 sizes they have in I+ are in their 'virtual selection'.
Click to expand...

Just wanted to say that my hair has never gotten caught in my studs. The only time anything has caught in a studs was, believe it or not, my fingernail. I was wrestling around with my son and my nail got caught in a prong and it actually yanked my earring out of my ear! It was the strangest thing. Never had that happened before or happened since! lol

For that size, 8 prong may look good... regardless of what style you get, get insurance!
 
Further feedback: I have never caught my hair on the prongs of my stud earrings and I have curly hair that catches on everything (drives me crazy getting tangled in necklace catches).

I would definitely not buy martini settings unless your wife has previously tried them on. when I bought my earrings (from whiteflash but they were made by Brian Gavin, this was before he started his own business) I was all set to buy martinis because everyone on Pscope said they were the best--fortunately I tried some on before ordering because I found that they don't look good on me. You couldn't see the diamonds from the front in my ears when I tried martinis (and the earrings I bought are not small--they are 1.81 ctw). I have not heard of this happening to anyone else but you might want to make sure your wife is not another unique case before ordering all the way from Australia.

I have H color but I tried on on J color and they were fine, they did not look yellow. You need not worry about this as the slight tint in J's would be visible only from the side and only you are going to be close enough to your wife to see it, KWIM?

Re: other staples

A diamond solitaire pendant is nice but I would put that secondary to a beautiful string of pearls. In fact, I might buy a string of pearls AND a pearl pendant before going for the diamond solitaire pendant. There are lovely colors in pearls now and I think Australia is a great place to buy pearls.

I love my tennis bracelet but I am older. I note trend among younger women (under thirty) to prefer diamond bangles and to think of tennis bracelets as a 1980's style. So I don't know that I would say that a tennis bracelet is exactly a 'staple'.

for RHR I would definitely check out colored stones for variety's sake. You also might consider plain gold jewelry. Yellow gold, especially high karat gold, is very much in style again and there are some great designers out there. We have a thread on this somewhere.

You sound like a very nice husband, I'm sure your wife appreciates you.
 
Gypsy|1322875196|3073206 said:
Diamond prices have shot through the roof recently.

I think maybe calling up Yekutiel of ID jewelry or calling Engagement Rings Direct would be of value to your search. I would get GIA stones at Ex/Ex and see what these vendors (who are in NYC and can get their hands on diamonds other than their own inventory quickly) can offer you.

As for a list of pieces that are nice to have.

It's different for everyone but here's my list with the categories and also with the specific pieces in that category to illustrate

* Engagement ring.
* Wedding band.
* A couple of bands different to the wedding band to switch out (so if the wedding band is plain metal, a nice pave or a shared prong is a great change, alternately if the wedding band is pave a plain metal or shared prong would be a nice change).
* Multistone diamond band that can stand alone-- 7-9 stone band for me with 10 pointers would be ideal, that's based on trying things on and seeing what looks best on my fingers. Though MANY ladies here opt for 5 stone bands with 30-50 pointers. It's very personal.
* Diamond Pendant -- single solitaire is the most classic pendant. Many go for rounds (and I love a round in the Bellirna Pendant by WF for example) but I prefer a single bezeled pear drop for a solitaire. But honestly I own, and overall much prefer, a non-solitaire pendant.
* Diamond by the Yard Necklace to dress up the pendant. 7 pointers are ideal but 5 pointers are nice too. Have to make sure the pendant bail would fit over the bezels of the necklace though.
* Pearl Earrings (can be enhancer drops for studs, and actually I prefer this) and Pendant with diamond accents (I prefer Peacock or Silver Tahitians AAA quality 10-12mm size. But white-ish or gold pearls are nice too)
* Diamond RHR-- something totally different from the engagement ring in a setting that can stand alone and doesn't look like an engagement ring. (I have an asscher with a halo for my engagement ring, so my RHR is a OEC round in a Deco setting with no halo)
*Diamond Bracelet (I won't be getting one of these for a looooooooong while as I prefer 12 carat bracelets).
*Diamond Stud earrings (I really like 6mm rounds in each ear for presence and that's about the size you are considering)
*Nice Watch (totally optional in this day and age with cell phones. They are more an accessory and status symbol than a practical item these days). I ADORE this Bedat (with diamonds would be even nicer, but I just like this one as is) http://www.neimanmarcus.com/store/catalog/prod.jhtml?itemId=prod48110019&eItemId=prod48110019&cmCat=search&searchType=MAIN&parentId=&icid=&rte=%252Fsearch.jhtml%253FN%253D0%2526Ntt%253DBedat%252B%252526%252BCo%252BWatches%2526_requestid%253D67495
* Colored stone pieces if your lady likes them. I like having a colored stone stacking ring for my engagement set (emerald band) and will probably eventually get a colored stone RHR in my birthstone (sapphire) as well, for example.

That's my list.
Click to expand...

thanks for posting this Gypsy. I shall be sending this to my husband :naughty:
 
I would have your DW try on several different sizes of studs, and ask about her philosophy on size. Bigger is not always better on earrings. There's a lot of variation in ear lobe sizes, and it's hard to say that there's a single "best" size for diamond studs.

My opinions: I second the suggestion above re: bezels. I don't like how prong-set stones catching on my hair, and worry about the security of a prong-set stone where I can't see it. The bezel also adds a bit of extra size (I'd do white gold or platinum).

In trying studs on, I found that about .75-.8 total carat weight was where I wanted to be. Doing 1 ctw was just a bit larger than seemed to suit my ears. I wanted something for daily wear. If I ever wanted to do something really blingy, I might later get a "jacket" for my studs (it's basically a halo of small diamonds that encircles your studs), which makes them larger and more sparkly. A comfortable "daily wear" size may depend on social circle, age, and activity level.

While I'm one to believe that you can almost never get too big on an engagement ring, I think there's a "just right" size for each woman re: stud earrings. The visual coverage depends on ear lobes, and larger diamonds can be so heavy that they're annoying to wear all the time.

IMO, you can go lower on clarity, it's very rare for anyone to be close enough to earrings to see inclusions (SI2, maybe I1 if you can see it in person). I'd personally try to go whiter on earrings just because they tend to get less light than an e-ring. So, I'd go down on clarity, be a bit conservative on size, and go whiter on color (maybe G).
 
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