Did you ever "downgrade" your e-ring (or other expensive piece), as opposed to upgrading?

[Missy]

I live in rural(ish) Virginia. I love huge diamonds. I don't love huge diamonds on me. My regular e-ring is a halo set 1ct OMC. I love the stone but I find the halo fussy. I much prefer my .82 nicely cut rb solitaire for the day-to-day. I know, I know - please don't make me give up my PS card. I would like to get a larger nicely cut lab diamond and put it right back into a high set simple Ritani knife edge setting. But larger to a point. I love the "V" lines on a solitaire ring, and at some size that V becomes spready and lost in a much wider angle. I figure I want a 1.20 ct at most to keep my "V" angle intact. I crust on a simple solitaire design. How weird is that?! .

Not weird at all. You know what you love and what works for you. That comes with hard earned experience and self awareness. You go girl

 

[MMtwo]

Not weird at all. You know what you love and what works for you. That comes with hard earned experience and self awareness. You go girl

Thanks Missy - if I don't typo at least once in a post - someone needs to figure out who snatched my body. I crush, not crust on the basic solitaire design. Egads, I am the typo queen.

 

[tyty333]

@tyty333 do you have a thread or pictures of your 7 stone 'nonchalance' band please - I'm at the start of a band hunting journey and the blingy but not showy is exactly what I'm looking for.

@luckygreen317 I'd love to see your DK anniversary band too, bezels are my favourite setting.

My 1.4ctw 7 stone from IDJ from a distance. I feel like I can wear it anywhere and it doesnt really stick out but its blingy enough to make
me smile when I look at my hand! Thats what I love about it!


Upclose

 

[Tartansparkles]

My 1.4ctw 7 stone from IDJ from a distance. I feel like I can wear it anywhere and it doesnt really stick out but its blingy enough to make
me smile when I look at my hand! Thats what I love about it!


Upclose

Gorgeous, and thanks for the distance shot - smiling when I look at my hand is what I'm after but with smaller (4.5) fingers I'm struggling to find the right proportions.

 

[tyty333]

Gorgeous, and thanks for the distance shot - smiling when I look at my hand is what I'm after but with smaller (4.5) fingers I'm struggling to find the right proportions.

Unfortunately, with my size 6 3/4 finger, I dont feel your pain!

No, I actually get it. Maybe go with 15 pointers?

 

[Austina]

I’m also a 6 3/4 ring size, so I don’t actually feel that Bella is too large.

 

[Missy]

I’m also a 6 3/4 ring size, so I don’t actually feel that Bella is too large.

Bella is the *perfect* size for you. IMO

 

[lookingforsparkle]

I haven't downsized, but I did select an upgrade diamond that was smaller than I could have had.

 

[hathalove]

Bumping this to see if there are any new or old stories PSers want to add?

 

[secretagentlaura]

I've downgraded the pearl earrings that my DH bought for me to wear at our wedding, which is a wee bit awkward at the jewelry boutique. A few mm less in diameter and I felt more like I was looking at myself in the mirror, instead of a pair of earrings wearing my ears! We've both discovered that I enjoy looking at blingy pieces way more than I actually like wearing them, so my jewelry collection is mostly more minimal pieces these days.

 

[Beagles]

I have a 5 ct diamond tennis bracelet I seldom wear. It seems too showy for my workplace and lifestyle in general. I love the look however, so I'm seriously considering a 2 carat bracelet -- just a subtle line of sparkle that I could stack.

 

[diamondseeker2006]

this might take some thought. Notwithstanding, on PS 4-5 carat is the new 2.

Ha! That's the truth! When I came here 15 years ago, there were people upgrading to 1.5 and a few to 2 cts. I remember Mara's eventual goal was 3+ cts, and that was an anomaly! It is amazing that we see 3-5 ct diamonds posted all the time now!

However, in my local life, I know of no one with a 4 or 5 ct diamond. I know very few with an over 2 ct diamond. My original engagement ring was 1 ct. and I wore it for almost 30 years. Came to PS to buy an anniversary ring and got a 1.6 H&A. I can't tell you how many times I probably emailed Jonathan telling him I thought it was too big and might have to trade it in for something smaller! Then I switched to a "good deal" 1.58 ct solitaire. I still didn't think I had found "the one", and I had fallen in love with the AV stones that combined antique style cuts and ideal cut light return. To make this short, I looked at a few stones in the 1.5-1.8 ct range and most were too low in color for me. So I was kind of forced to look at two I color stones above 2 cts to get my minimum color, and ended up keeping the 2.3 ct stone that is in my avatar picture. Both of those stones were equally beautiful, but I was swayed by the fact that my stone was one of the few AVRs cut by Yoram of Gem Concepts. So then I had a diamond much larger than my previous one, and I was certainly self conscious! Again I told Jon I thought it was too big! They never had anything I could possibly upgrade for such as a higher color, smaller stone, and I did list it for sale myself at least once. I finally had it long enough that the size didn't bother me (and I always loved the stone), but I couldn't decide on a permanent setting. After 8 years, I finally reset it with a beautiful setting by Victor Canera, and I can honestly FINALLY say after 15 years that I am CONTENT and thrilled with my diamond and ring!!! Yes, it's really large now, but I guess I care less about what other people think the older I get (I am not a big spender in other areas anyway). Plus, I do have bands I can wear if I don't want to wear this ring somewhere.

So I guess to the OP, I'd say to give it some time. I eventually adjusted to every size I had, but it took years. Upgrade policies with a vendor who carries a wide range of stones is the safest option, because it is possible to go smaller with higher specs, and you always still have the option to go larger again in the future with no loss of money when you switch!

 

[kenny]

Yes and no.
Years ago I wore a beautifully-cut 2.27 ct Asscher.
After a few years I sold it on consignment, then bought a 1.51 ct Octavia Asscher.

The size was a downgrade, but the light performance of the cut was a through-the-roof upgrade!

BTW I paid about $27K for the 2.27 Asscher, but it sold on commission for around $43K.
Lucky timing.

 

[diamondseeker2006]

BTW I paid about $27K for the 2.27 Asscher, but it sold on commission for around $43K.
Lucky timing.

Whoa, lucky indeed! I did sell one when priced spiked around 2011-12, but it wasn't nearly as lucrative as yours! I've come out about even overall in buying and selling!