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Did your diamond "speak" to you? And any last minute advice for me?

BlingDreams

BlingDreams

Ideal_Rock
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Joined
Jul 12, 2015
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I'm headed to NY next weekend with my boyfriend for a fun little getaway, and we'll also be meeting with Good Old Gold and IDJ to look at diamonds for my (future) engagement ring. We've narrowed down approximately what we want and have asked them to pull in selections for us. I'm wondering a couple of things...

When you chose your centerstone, was it an "absolutely, yes, this is the one!" moment? I mean, did you just get this connection with the stone that told you it was the one for you? I'm worried about hemming and hawing over choices and being unable to make a decision!

Did you know for certain what cut you wanted? I was 100% sure I wanted an asscher, but last night I started wondering if an AVC would be a better choice. I do like the more subdued style of the asscher vs AVC, but cringe at how large of a stone we'd need to get for decent finger coverage. I'm considering the AVC because it also gives off broad pastel flashes and has that vintage feel; I just think it might be too sparkly for my taste. Neither of us wants to upgrade this stone in the future so I'm feeling a lot of internal pressure to get this right.

Lastly, any words of wisdom or insight for this process? What should I keep in mind? Anything you wish you'd done differently when you chose your dream diamond?
 
I like round and rounded stones, so I like round shape on first place, an antique cushion on second. I have had Asscher for a while, but I decided, that the sharp edges are not for me.
I get easily exited about some particular stones, so if I have to choose between two or three, I imagine them on my finger, and let my intuition to speak...I just ask my feelings which diamond I feel more comfortable, which diamond makes me more happy...
 
I didn't have the option to buy in person so had to use photos but I found "my" ring was the one I kept coming back to over and over and I just couldn't stop looking at it.
I had no idea what I wanted initially - here in NZ stores, the dominant cut by far is MRB with some very few cushions and pears - all modern splintery cuts and all I did know was I didn't like them!
If you're going to see your potential stones in person, you will probably find your eyes like one stone more than others.
Make sure you see them in as many different lights as you can and if you have a particular setting style in mind, sit the diamond into an example if that's possible so you can see how it affects the look of the stone. Trying them on is really important - there are many stories here of people who knew they wanted X cut or Y style but when they actually got a chance to try it on, realised it looked wrong to them on their hand.
Good luck on the visit - what a FUN thing to do! If you think you might like old cut diamonds, maybe see if you can schedule in a visit to Old World Diamonds too while you're in NY. Post pics if you get a chance too - we love looking at diamonds!
 
I suggest not spending a lot of money on a stone if it doesn't speak to you, and keep shopping until you find one that does.

And yes - try things on!
 
Yes-- my HFG antique cushion made me actually gasp when I opened the package. I KNEW it was the diamond for me.
 
I also have a love for well cut antique stones and newly cut antique style stones and their lovely facet patterns.

I promise, I have never heard anyone say an AVC is "too sparkly". Brilliant cut stones you might find "too sparkly", but that generally would be a compliment to brilliant cut stones! You just have to decide what your personal preference is. But I now have an AVR (newly cut OEC) and an antique asscher, and I still would love an AVC! So it can be difficult to narrow it down to just one!
 
HI:

Words of wisdom? Trade in policy.

cheers--Sharon
 
I suggest trying on all the different shapes/cuts and keep an open mind. I think if I had more exposure to the cushions and antique cuts that I might have chosen differently on my original engagement ring. My original engagement ring is an asscher. I also have a modern european cut round (canera european round) and an august vintage cushion. I love the performance of both the CER and the AVC! I still love my asscher, but it has a very different character than the other 2 stones.

Have fun shopping!!
 
My words of wisdom also look at short dumpy Antique emeralds that look more like Asschers but give you the better spread of Emeralds. Try Grace at Jewels by Grace, Erica at Love Affair Diamonds and Adam at Old World Diamonds. You might be able to make an appointment with Adam and see what he has as well on your trip.
 
poshmommy said:
I suggest trying on all the different shapes/cuts and keep an open mind. I think if I had more exposure to the cushions and antique cuts that I might have chosen differently on my original engagement ring. My original engagement ring is an asscher. I also have a modern european cut round (canera european round) and an august vintage cushion. I love the performance of both the CER and the AVC! I still love my asscher, but it has a very different character than the other 2 stones.

Have fun shopping!!
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Agree with this advice! I thought I was set on an asscher but didn't like how it looked on my finger. Then I got fixated on old cushion cut, but again, didn't look right on my finger. Finally, I bounced between AVR and MRB and ended up with an MRB, which suits my finger really well. I still love AVRs and might get one someday but I felt the facets didn't show as well as they could in the size range I was in (1.7-1.9)
 
Having spent the last month looking at hundreds of different settings and stone shapes, I've realised I'm not a traditionalist, and a round is definitely not me. Great advice from everyone, don't discount anything until you've looked at everything! You might surprise yourself by choosing something that you previously thought you didn't want! Don't rush the decision, you say this will be the one, so take your time and make sure you'll be happy with it for the rest of your life.
 
I had a choice of 3 ECs, and one was eliminated right away as it was outside my budget.

Of the remaining two stones, one was chubbier than the other, and when they were placed on my hand, I just knew it had to be the skinnier one for me.

DK :))
 
All of your answers have been so helpful. Thank you!
 
Try a bunch of shapes, even it you think you don't like them. If nothing else, it will make you more secure in your decision by eliminating a few shapes you don't like. Do not try out stones that are just out of reach. You walk in wanting around 1 carat and get dazzled by a 3 carat and then feel that 1 carat is too small. Only have them show you stones in your size/budget range (or so far out by a few zeros as to only be fun). Think hard about your lifestyle and job when picking a stone and setting.
 
Take a lot of pictures and videos for yourself!

You'll love a lot of things in the moment but, when you refer back to them, you may feel differently. I chose my diamond after I kept being drawn back to a video I'd taken of it. I'm glad I gave myself the time to carefully think it over, and the pictures helped me do that.

Also, since you mentioned you're feeling pressured to get it right on the first try, ask your vendor about their return period. We actually bought my diamond, set it, and I wore it around pre-engagement during the 10 day return period. Probably a weird move for most people but it worked for me : )
 
Definitely keep an open mind. And yes, my diamond jumped at me!

I absolutely wanted a marquise cut, come hell or high water, and had many out in the table top that I was browsing, placing on my hand etc. And then a pear cut in the next cabinet just sort of caught the corner of my eye with some rainbow flashes as I leaned back in my chair. I asked the dealer to pull it out for me & it was love at first sight. It's chubby & fat & very far removed from the elegant elongated marquise I had dreamed of, but it was The One. A million years later & I still love it.
 
My the diamond I picked out for my wife spoke to me. The diamond came from Russia and I could not understand Russian, so I had to teach it English over the next few years.
 
The one I have now did. I saw it 6 months before I bought it. When I had $$. I went back to buy it. I remember when I opened the package I thought, "I can't believe this beautiful diamond is mine!" Yeah, it spoke to me.
 
I hesitated to answer your question because I don't want to set up unrealistic expectations but yes I just knew when I saw my OEC that it was the one for me. And in fact I think I said to Adam when he showed it to me yes that's the one. And he's the one who said you don't have to rush into the decision and I said no this is the one.

However I don't think that is always the case. For example with my dh I didn't know he was the "one" till after 4 plus years of dating hahaha so perhaps something to think about. Meaning your "the one" jewel could let you know right away but it might not necessarily happen that way so keep your expectations realistic and see what happens. Sometimes you just don't know right away.
 
My DH said the moment he laid eyes on me, that he knew I was the one :lol:
 
Austina said:
My DH said the moment he laid eyes on me, that he knew I was the one :lol:
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Austina LOL my dh said something similar within the first month of dating. If I remember correctly he said around the second date there's nothing about me he doesn't love. Maybe he was drunk though hahha. I was not so quick to fall however. I guess our men are quite smart. :halo:
 
My DH told his friend on the night we went, that he was going to marry me, and within a few months, we were!
 
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