Diamond w/ Sapphire Side Stones E-Ring Advice

[neutralaegis]

Hello all!

I've been lurking on this site for the past few months while playing with ideas regarding an engagement ring for my girlfriend and figured it was probably time to jump in and get some advice from the experts.

A bit of background: my girlfriend is German, and like many Germans is not so into the giant ring thing. Engagement rings aren't really a part of the culture here (changing a bit with globalization though), so the whole thing seems a bit nuts to her. And its probably because of this that I know any ring I get her above 0.1c will probably make her faint. Which just makes it even harder for me to resist.

A bit more background: we both met in New York during my first year of work when she was interning for our company. After seven months or so, she moved back to Germany and joined the company full-time (different departments). After some wrangling, I was able to eventually get a temporary 18 month assignment here in Germany, and we were finally together in the same place. Thus, it was a not-so-wonderful twist of fate when the company decided to temporarily relocate her to Hong Kong for the last 7 months of my assignment. We visit each for about one week out of every four during this time (she is still there now), but also realize we can't keep up all this insanity.

And that is why my girlfriend took it upon herself to apply for a permanent transfer to our office of New York. She will be arriving just prior to my scheduled return date in March (still different departments, it's a very big company). After three years of back-and-forth trips, skype calls, and general uncertainty, we finally have a set-up where we can stay together without any worries one of us is going to be sent to Timbuktu the next day.

This is the amazing girl I will ask to be my wife after we get to New York next year. And that is why I now spend my evenings after work lurking on your forum trying to figure out exactly what ring I will make that proposal with.

A few general thoughts about the ring:
-My girlfriend loves sapphires (and the color blue), so incorporating those is a must
-She also only wears white jewelry, so platinum or white gold setting
-I'd still like to get her a central diamond
-It seems like with a sapphire/diamond mix, the color of the diamond would be more important than usual. Namely keeping it D/E/F. Any thoughts?
-With the sapphire sidestones and her not caring much, if at all, about size probably better to go for higher quality and a bit smaller stone rather than the reverse.
-Probably nothing with more than a bit of pave if at all, as that much "bling" wouldn't fit her personality
-Altogether probably thinking Round 1.5-2.0 carats, Ideal cut, D/E/F, VS1 or higher for the center jewel, and either a 3 or 5 stone setup in total. If 5, probably alternating diamond/sapphire/diamond

I've done a lot of searching and have come up with a few options online to give you an idea of what I'm thinking. For those with three diamonds, imagine the outer stones being rather sapphires (assume this is easily possible with these companies).
http://www.thenaturalsapphirecompany.com/Blog/elegant-new-custom-wedding-set
http://www.whiteflash.com/engagement-rings/three-stone/3-stone-butterflies-diamond-engagement-ring-230.htm
http://www.briangavindiamonds.com/engagement-rings/three-stone/crossed-trellis-platinum-5460p

Any thoughts on these sites? NSC is located in New York, so I can easily stop by there to talk to them about the setting on a trip, but would need to buy the diamond from somewhere else. I've seen many positive reviews for the quality of WF and BGD on this forum, and looking at their designs I can see why. As WF and BGD are both in the Houston area, do you think it would be best for me to take a trip out there to take a look, or might I be okay shipping things back and forth? Or are there enough reputable dealers in New York (at similar price levels to Houston), that I could find everything I'm looking for there?

One last question. BGD's site mentions their blue fluorescent diamonds as well. These seem fascinating, as my girlfriend really does love the color blue. And having a center diamond that matched the sapphire accents under a blacklight would be kind of awesome. My only concern is that I've heard slightly mixed comments regarding the ability to see the blue under day-to-day lighting conditions (fluorescent lights in an office for example?). But if this is really only something to show-off at a party, it would be a rather nice, and fairly unique, way of accenting the overall ring.

So to anyone who made it through this lengthy initial post, I thank you in advance for any feedback or advice you might have.

(Note to admin: please let me know if this should be moved to a different forum! Given the array of different questions, I wasn't quite sure where it belonged)

 

[Enerchi]

[URL='https://www.pricescope.com/forum/preloved-ps-jewels/need-to-sell-asap-t182197.html']https://www.pricescope.com/forum/preloved-ps-jewels/need-to-sell-asap-t182197.html[/URL]
Very motivated seller and now reduced to $3300. Would this appeal to you and your future fiance???

 

[Anise]

Your ideas sound like they would make a very beautiful ring.

I recently had a not-so-good experience with BGD on the custom diamond-and-sapphire engagement ring my SO and I were trying to get. We ended up bailing on the project and are going with a stock ring, and having the sapphires we bought set as earrings later. I think if you go with them that it might be good to ping Lesley first when you approach them.

I don't think sapphires fluoresce the same way a BGD blue diamond would, so I'm not sure if you would get the effect you are looking for if you go that route.

 

[neutralaegis]

Hi Enerchi,

That really is a gorgeous ring, but not exactly what I had in mind. Good luck with your sale!

 

[JulieN]

I wouldn't buy anything above F, definitely not a D. Fluorescence gives you a nice discount in higher colors, though, so it might work out. You didn't mention budget. You won't be able to see fluorescence most of the time, only sunlight or if you are under blacklight.

If you just need a diamond, James Allen, Id Jewelry, Good Old Gold are local to you. They can all set you up with a setting or also check out Diamonds by Lauren. For a 3/5 stone set up Leon Mege does distinctively beautiful things.

 

[neutralaegis]

Hi JulieN, The budget is $20k or so. I am targeting F, but have heard that for coloring below that it might be more noticeable due to the sapphires. Thanks for the recommendation on Jewelers! From a quick look on Leon Mege's site, their stuff does seem to be quite gorgeous.

 

[JulieN]

Hi JulieN, The budget is $20k or so. I am targeting F, but have heard that for coloring below that it might be more noticeable due to the sapphires. Thanks for the recommendation on Jewelers! From a quick look on Leon Mege's site, their stuff does seem to be quite gorgeous.

VS2/SI1 will help you stay in budget.

Leon mostly does fancy-shaped sides, it is a flattering look, but different than the examples you posted.

 

[yssie]

My DH and I were LD for a while before getting engaged too - he started grad school on the west coast while I stayed on the EC to finish school. He proposed two weeks after I moved out, and it was definitely partly a celebration of stability just like yours will be!


Some thoughts on your thoughts:

- I would stick with the three stone, or if you do five I'd make the sides the same type of stone. A center diamond with sapphire sides or sapphire with diamond sides is both "elegant" and "classic" by all definitions of the words, but a five-stone with alternating colours just sounds a bit too... what's the word... cutesy? Fun and flirty but lacking gravitas?

- You have a generous budget. And are you set on the center being a diamond? I think you could make a lovely ring either way, and if she loves sapphires maybe she'd love a sapphire center? Either way it's clear that you want a high-quality piece, so I'd strongly recommend that you start a thread in the coloured stones section to get more advice about the sapphires whether that's sides or center. Precision-cut coloured stones are a bit of a different animal - diamonds are easier to choose by the paper - you definitely want the *right* sapphires, and some vendors are better for some sorts of stones and cuts than others. NSC is not one of the most highly recommended CS vendors.

- I don't much care for the idea of fluor for this ring, honestly. And I normally love fluor because I think it's a really neat effect. But the colour of strong fluor under a blacklight is very, very different to the colour of most sapphires - unless you're looking for very unique sapphires, and even then the glowy effect is completely different! If you just like fluor, or if you think she would, then go for it, but if you're looking for a way to accent the piece or tie the center and sidestones together or anthing more *meaningful* than "hey, that's kinda nifty" I'd say look elsewhere...

- I don't think the colour of the diamond is any more significant because there will be sapphires adjacent. You'll be fine with anywhere from D-H in that 1.5ct size range - the stone will look very white. In fact the blue of the sapphires, if you choose a "traditional" blue, is likely to overpower a slight yellow tint in the diamond, so you'd probably be fine going even lower in colour, but the D-H range is safe and G/H is going to be a LOT more cost-effective than D/E. 99% of VS2s in this size will be clean to most people's specifications, even the more nitpicky folk, so I'd aim for VS2 or higher if you're buying blind. There may well also be SI1s that meet your specifications for eyeclean, depending on what they are, but it sounds like you'd prefer higher clarity.


Butterflies was my first custom design with WF so I'm biased and I think it's best suited to a round center. I DO, however, think it (and the crossed trellis) are designs that look best when the centerstone is quite a bit larger than the sidestones, vs. threestones where all three stones are similarly sized.
That plus the fact that darker stones generally look smaller (that's just how they work... lighter things look bigger), plus the fact that diamonds have a much more InYourFace sort of sparkle than sapphires (higher RI) makes me wonder if the sapphire sides might not get the attention they deserve flanking a large diamond center, especially if the blue is very important to her...? The most incredible sapphire I've ever seen was ever so slightly silky - it *glowed*, and the change from dark to light as you rocked the stone was very different from the hard, sharp on/off of a diamond - it was a slower rolling gradient that was absolutely mesmerizing. It wouldn't have been nearly so captivating in smaller stones though, just because of how the change altered the overall look of the stone - course, it had a pretty impressive pricetag too


I just reread what I wrote - I'm not trying to sway you either way, because I really do think both are lovely options! Just throwing things out there.

Some pics of my first Butterflies (in plat, I had it remade in a yellower metal later) - 2ct center and 0.3 sides





Kaleigh's oval with halfmoon sides by Leon Mege - this would be STUNNING with a sapphire center and diamond sides, if you do decide to explore that route -






Last thought - having owned both cast and handforged plain metal settings I will say that I don't think the advantages of going handforged are significant with this sort of setting, especially with the (massive) price differential, so I'd say just go with whichever vendor you feel most comfortable with - and if you decide not to spend on handforging don't feel like you're missing out on something big!

 

[diamondseeker2006]

I definitely agree with making a 3 stone and not a 5 stone if you are combining a diamond with sapphires. I have always loved the classic Tiffany engagement ring with diamond and sapphire sides! You can have the same thing made for less, but I do love the simple elegant Tiffany style more than any other. And I think it would suit her well since you said she would probably prefer something simple rather than ornate.

http://www.tiffany.com/Engagement/Item.aspx?GroupSKU=GRP10042#f+11/0/0/0/0/0

If you like this style, I would get the Vatche 3 stone setting in platinum as they make fine quality settings very similar to Tiffany.

http://www.dvatche.com/index.php?page=collection&catID=2,9&id=79 (314 Classic 3 stone)

If you prefer a trellis style setting, I also believe they have one of the finest:

http://www.dvatche.com/index.php?page=collection&catID=2,9&id=3 (308 3 stone Royal Crown)

I personally have bought 2 diamonds from Good Old Gold, and GOG would be my personal choice for the center stone because they really provide a LOT of information to help you get a very well cut diamond. Then they could also source your sapphire sidestones for you. And they sell Vatche so they would send your stones to Vatche to be set, then check the ring before sending it to you. (I have a Vatche solitaire setting and I love it! In fact, I had a Leon Mege setting first and replaced it with the Vatche.)

Your story is very sweet, and I hope you two will be together forever, very soon!

(Oh, and there is no reason to get a stone with fluorescence since she likes the color blue. You almost never see it. I had to buy a UV light to see mine! But there can be a nice discount if you choose to try to find one! I also think G color is totally fine to have side sapphires.)

 

[BeachGirlG]

I just had to post so you could see my ring...it's a bit different than the average 3-stone with sapphires.
Specs are 1.90ct H/s12

 

[AprilBaby]

BeachgirlG, that is the most exquisite three stone ever!!! I am in love!!!

 

[distracts]

That plus the fact that darker stones generally look smaller (that's just how they work... lighter things look bigger), plus the fact that diamonds have a much more InYourFace sort of sparkle than sapphires (higher RI) makes me wonder if the sapphire sides might not get the attention they deserve flanking a large diamond center, especially if the blue is very important to her...?

In my experience, this is opposite - colored stones stand out more and thus look bigger, and diamonds look smaller. I have a fake cz ring that's very close to my ring but the center is technically bigger, but it looks smaller than the sapphire on my hand. I also have some fakes with white center and blue sides and don't like the look as much - I feel the blues draw away from the clear center and your attention gets split instead of staying on the middle stone. BUUUUUUUUUT I am also super pale white so diamonds blend into my skin. I also think you can find sapphires that are more sparkly and can hold their own against diamonds. Mine is, though I've definitely seen ones that aren't.

 

[Polished]

- You have a generous budget. And are you set on the center being a diamond? I think you could make a lovely ring either way, and if she loves sapphires maybe she'd love a sapphire center?

Yssie floating the idea of a centre sapphire got me thinking. I don't know your fiance so I don't know whether my thoughts would apply to her or not. My sister-in-law's brother though is married to a german woman, who came out to live here in Australia and has been very happy. However she is someone who feels her german background quite strongly and this does influence her wanting quite a lot of things to be done according to the traditions of her background. I think it's wonderful that you want to get your future fiance something special and bestow on her the tradition of an engagement ring. The aim with this though is to make her happy and I wonder if a sapphire centre (which if chosen with care are utterly gorgeous) might show you know what she loves, while at the same time you give a nod to her not coming from a background that celebrates such an occasion with a ring. As strange as it may seem not everyone feels comfortable with wearing a large diamond ring. Then again you know her and she might love it.

 

[yssie]

That plus the fact that darker stones generally look smaller (that's just how they work... lighter things look bigger), plus the fact that diamonds have a much more InYourFace sort of sparkle than sapphires (higher RI) makes me wonder if the sapphire sides might not get the attention they deserve flanking a large diamond center, especially if the blue is very important to her...?

In my experience, this is opposite - colored stones stand out more and thus look bigger, and diamonds look smaller. I have a fake cz ring that's very close to my ring but the center is technically bigger, but it looks smaller than the sapphire on my hand. I also have some fakes with white center and blue sides and don't like the look as much - I feel the blues draw away from the clear center and your attention gets split instead of staying on the middle stone. BUUUUUUUUUT I am also super pale white so diamonds blend into my skin. I also think you can find sapphires that are more sparkly and can hold their own against diamonds. Mine is, though I've definitely seen ones that aren't.

I LOVE your centerstone!! The colour is hypnotic. I've had the opposite experience in terms of white/coloured or light/dark, but I do think sapphires like yours come into their own when they're bigger than sidestones often are, like centerstones... I like your description of having to split your attention and not knowing what to focus on, whereas diamond sides just look like accents and the sapphire *is* the star of the show...

 

[SB621]

I love the idea of sapphires incorporated into the ering. Have you gone to the colored stone forum and looked at the ering folder? You will see many sapphire erings that might give you some inspiration.

I have posted my 2 all time favorite sapphire erings below. I know you wanted a diamond center, but I thought you might still be swayed.

Since it seems you are going for quality first, I HIGHLY recommend contacting Jeff White for sapphires (side stones or center). The LM sapphire ring below was cut by him and I think he has an amazing eye. He tends to be a bit more $$, but he is an award winning precision cutter so you can't go wrong.

I personaly would stay away from The Natural Sapphire Company (search reviews on PS about them). They have some business practices that I just don't agree with, plus I think they are expensive for the products they offer.

Goodluck and congrats on your future engagment. DH and I were long distance for a year before we got married as we were both finishing up school/ trainning. This will be a wonderful surprise for your gf.

 

[motownmama]

How did I miss your ring Beachgirl?????

OP - I LOVE your idea - best of luck with yur project!!

 

[sonnyjane]

I just had to post so you could see my ring...it's a bit different than the average 3-stone with sapphires.
Specs are 1.90ct H/s12

BeachGirl, I'm so glad you posted this pic of your ring! I remember seeing it a while ago, but then later I tried to search for it but couldn't find it It's just SOOOO cool!

 

[chrono]

Here's one example. It's an F coloured stone but really, I had this one set with a J diamond previously and it still looked white, just not icy white.

 

[Laila619]

I think a 3 stone ring with a sapphire center stone and diamond sides is very elegant! I personally prefer that to a diamond center with sapph sides. I highly recommend the colored stone forum for help in sourcing good sapphire(s).

 

[distracts]

The more I think about it, the more I think there's no way this should be a surprise ring. German + diamonds + sapphires = a mix you may get terribly wrong. If you're confident you know what she wants, go for it, but if I were you I'd definitely talk to her about it.

 

[04diamond<3]

https://www.pricescope.com/forum/preloved-ps-jewels/need-to-sell-asap-t182197.html
Very motivated seller and now reduced to $3300. Would this appeal to you and your future fiance???

Aw, thanks SO much Enerchi!!! You're so sweet!

OP - I was actually just admiring Blue Nile's sapphire settings! Especially this one:

http://www.bluenile.com/sapphire-diamond-18k-white-gold-engagement-ring_19840

They have some other great options as well.

 

[neutralaegis]

Wow, so many great responses - thanks all! Certainly gives me a lot to think about. Some general responses:

-Yeah, I'm not 100% certain whether to go sapphire center or diamond center, but tend to prefer diamond. There is definite flexibility there
-Getting her involved is a possibility, but I'm afraid she'd push for a cracker jack box ring. I've gotten her some nice gifts before and she is always ecstatic, but she wouldn't ever buy something like that for herself (or knowingly allow me do it). I could not-so-subtly raise the topic of what styles she likes in general though
-Think I'll steer clear of NSC. I was originally looking at them because of the five stone ring I put in my first post. That is probably my favorite setting I've seen. Yssie, do you think that fits the "cutesie" look you were talking about?
-Just a personal opinion on the "what looks bigger - colored or clear stones." I think it depends heavily on the setting, but whatever is more eye catching will look bigger. That tends to make me think a sapphire will generally look "bigger", but maybe not if it is of significantly lower quality than the diamonds
-For the fluorescence, I guess I just find those diamonds a bit more interesting - especially if there is no general impact except under day-to-day conditions. The possibility of getting a bit more bang for the buck is also nice.

Since this post I've gotten in touch with BGD and WF to ask a few questions about diamonds I've seen online. Both have been extremely helpful, befitting their high review status on this site. I'll definitely take a look into Jeff White for sapphires. At one point I thought I found a "perfect" diamond (excellent cut at GIA, high scores all around), and 20% cheaper than everything else similarly specced. What I couldn't see were all the geometry details. BGD was able to look them up in their system and after doing some math let me know that it was actually a pretty awful cut, hence the low price.

Still uncertain as to what I'll end up doing, but I still have a few more months to look around and think about it before I'll pull the trigger.

 

[Sakuracherry]

You've got some great advice here.

I agree that it's better to get her involved. In my country, people prefer to have a 0.5ct D/IF over a 1 ct G/VS2. They don't wear big diamonds and it's rare to see lower color and lower clarity diamonds for engagement ring at jewelry stores. I know somebody whose husband got her a big eye clean, near colorless diamond, but she was not really thrilled. She does not feel comfortable wearing the ring even though she live in the U.S.

I hope you find something that makes both you and your gf happy. Good luck!

 

[Tacori E-ring]

I love the mix of diamonds and sapphires. My center stone is an "I". I think the sapphires make it look whiter not more yellow.

 

[Tacori E-ring]

BTW, Kirk Kara makes lovely sapphire and diamond settings.