Diamond vs Setting - Cost?

[jewels2]

So as I sit here impatiently waiting for a Diamond to ship from Ritani, I was thinking what setting I might want and where to get it (hoping I love this diamond fingers crossed!)

My favorite solitaire is the one from Tiffany so of course my first thought is Vatche U 113.
In this case the setting would cost More than the Diamond itself. With EMD the Diamond would more than likely be much more than the setting.

Curious what everyone’s thoughts are on LGD and settings?

 

[Jax172]

If it is a special ring like an engagement or anniversary ring than I am willing to spend more for the setting since I plan to keep it a lifetime. And having had both high quality and budget settings I can say that spending the extra $$ is worth it. For a fun project that I might sell or reset at a later date I prefer more budget friendly settings. But there are some lovely places to get settings that are still pretty good quality without being super expensive Ivy and Rose is a good one and I've been pretty pleased with all my Daniel M settings though he is taking a bit longer to do things these days.

 

[dk168]

It is not uncommon for the setting to cost more, sometimes much more than the coloured stone itself; with many examples about.

DK

 

[ItsMainelyYou]

What about the Valoria or contemporary solitaire? People have a lot of good things to say about these mountings.

Valoria Petite Six Prong Solitaire Engagement Ring | 6158

Embrace the classic charm of the Valoria Petite Six Prong Solitaire Engagement Ring. Find your dream ring at Whiteflash and symbolize your everlasting bond. | 6158

www.whiteflash.com

Contemporary Classic Solitaire Engagement Ring | 1416

Contemporary Classic Solitaire Engagement Ring. A ring that combines timeless elegance with a contemporary touch. | 1416

www.whiteflash.com

There's some really nice settings from many vendors that will get you the look.
It's really a matter of what you're willing to shell. I don't think you should be limited by stone cost if you want the artistry of a particular maker.

 

[jewels2]

Thanks for your replies, much appreciated!

 

[Slickk]

If it’s a forever ring (or hopefully will be..) I wouldn’t hesitate to get the setting I loved. I agree that a quality setting is really a good investment as with a cheaper one you may not be happy with it and will end up resetting anyway. In this case, I’d get the vatche! Hope you love your diamond.

 

[jewels2]

If it’s a forever ring (or hopefully will be..) I wouldn’t hesitate to get the setting I loved. I agree that a quality setting is really a good investment as with a cheaper one you may not be happy with it and will end up resetting anyway. In this case, I’d get the vatche! Hope you love your diamond.

Thank you! I did have a ring previously with a diamond I loved and cheaped out on the setting that I didnt so yes this should be a no brainer for me lol

 

[oncrutchesrightnow]

In your particular case I say splurge on the setting.

in general I think spending more on the setting than on the stone could become the norm as LGD become cheaper and more popular. I have a cynical theory that there will always be some people who use jewelry to signal wealth. Since LGD are visually indistinguishable from EGD that means that conspicuous consumers are going to have to spend money on something else that is visually distinguishable. That could very well turn out to be name-brand settings.

 

[vintageinjune]

I'm having a setting made for a lab grown sapphire that will cost more than 3x what I paid for the center stone.

If the stone I bought is pretty enough to set, it deserves exactly the setting I want. My collection is fairly minimal (cheap CZ testers used to help narrow down my preferences notwithstanding), and my hope is to always keep each piece of fine jewelry I have until I pass.

I say get the setting you want, doesn't matter if the diamond was cheaper than the setting as long as the two are what will make you happy to have on your finger.

 

[emmy12]

Agree with the posters above that if you know exactly what you want it's better to buy once, cry once! It'll be worse if you hate the setting and stop wearing the ring because of it. Also a high-end custom setting will make your LGD "look more expensive" than it is....the opposite effect of buying a high quality EGD only to put it in a cheaply made setting that makes it look low quality.

Speaking from experience, I have a lab grown alexandrite in a custom 18k pendant where the setting was between 2-3x the cost of the stone. I knew what I wanted and knew I only wanted to set it once and be happy with it so I splurged and went custom instead of settling for a stock prong setting I knew I'd hate.