Do you have an ACA princess? Tell me about it.

[In the rough]

This post is coming from pure paranoia...I think we have decided on a stone...it is an ACA princess...I will post specs and stuff later...I would like to hear from some of you that have an ACA princess that is worn regularly...

Do you worry about chipping...have you ever hit the stone? If so, is it ok...How does it compare to non ACA princess stones...How long have you had it?

Princess cut is my favorite stone, but I don''t want to sit around and worry if it is going to chip every time I bump my hand on something...So...I would like to hear from those of you who have a princess cut and how it has held up...the good, the bad and the ugly (and the pretty too...)

Thanks...

 

[neatfreak]

I don''t have a princess, but I do have some advice:

1. INSURE INSURE INSURE. That way if it ever DOES chip, you''ll be covered.

2. Avoid a thin or less girdle. Those are most likely to chip, it doesn''t mean that a thicker girdle won''t chip, but it''s less likely.

3. Get a setting that protects the corners, I think that is where a stone is most likely to chip.

4. Although ACA princesses are amazing stones, consider an X-factor. It''s a princess with clipped corners, and I assume cut to the same standards since they are also GORGEOUS. It will just be a bit sturdier than a princess with corners.

 

[Clio]

ITR, I have a regular princess (not ACA), which I love. Having never seen an ACA princess in person, I can''t compare the two (though the pictures of the ACAs that I''ve seen are beautiful), but I''ve had my princess for nearly 15 years with no problems. And I''m not exactly the most graceful person in the world - I''m all the time knocking my hand on something.

I do sometimes have a bit of concern about the corners, but so far, so good. Insurance is a must, though.

 

[In the rough]

Clio,

Thanks for your response...do you have a v-prong?

 

[jstarfireb]

I have an ACA Princess, but I''ve only had it for about 6 weeks. So far it''s been fine. I haven''t banged it around much, but I do work with my hands a lot, and I wear it 90% of the time. I''ve been procrastinating the insurance issue until I stop being a student and start having a steady income, but I intend to get insurance on it just in case something happens, since it''s not in a v-prong setting. I do have it set as low as possible, which helps quite a bit, since I think I''d be knocking around a higher-set stone a lot.

I don''t really have any reason to believe ACA stones are less prone to chipping than any other. As far as I know, a well-cut stone will not necessarily be any sturdier than a poorly cut one...just more beautiful.

 

[iheartscience]

Date: 7/8/2007 12:43:28 AM
Author: jstarfireb
I have an ACA Princess, but I''ve only had it for about 6 weeks. So far it''s been fine. I haven''t banged it around much, but I do work with my hands a lot, and I wear it 90% of the time. I''ve been procrastinating the insurance issue until I stop being a student and start having a steady income, but I intend to get insurance on it just in case something happens, since it''s not in a v-prong setting. I do have it set as low as possible, which helps quite a bit, since I think I''d be knocking around a higher-set stone a lot.

I don''t really have any reason to believe ACA stones are less prone to chipping than any other. As far as I know, a well-cut stone will not necessarily be any sturdier than a poorly cut one...just more beautiful.

Sorry for the thread jack, but jstar, you HAVE to get insurance! It''s serious like a few hundred dollars a year which breaks down into such a small amount monthly! You''d be out thousands if you chipped your stone! Get insurance!

Okay, back to the original question: in the rough, I would just insure that baby (with coverage that will replace it if it''s chipped) and get v prongs! If it did chip, that would suck, but insurance would cover a new stone so it wouldn''t be the end of the world.

 

[Clio]

ITR, no I don''t have v-prongs. I''m thinking about changing to v-prongs, though, just for the added peace of mind.

 

[jstarfireb]

Date: 7/8/2007 12:58:00 AM
Author: thing2of2

Date: 7/8/2007 12:43:28 AM

Author: jstarfireb

I have an ACA Princess, but I''ve only had it for about 6 weeks. So far it''s been fine. I haven''t banged it around much, but I do work with my hands a lot, and I wear it 90% of the time. I''ve been procrastinating the insurance issue until I stop being a student and start having a steady income, but I intend to get insurance on it just in case something happens, since it''s not in a v-prong setting. I do have it set as low as possible, which helps quite a bit, since I think I''d be knocking around a higher-set stone a lot.


I don''t really have any reason to believe ACA stones are less prone to chipping than any other. As far as I know, a well-cut stone will not necessarily be any sturdier than a poorly cut one...just more beautiful.

Sorry for the thread jack, but jstar, you HAVE to get insurance! It''s serious like a few hundred dollars a year which breaks down into such a small amount monthly! You''d be out thousands if you chipped your stone! Get insurance!

Yeah, I know!

I''m still really on the fence, for the following reasons:

1) I''m trying to hold out for a year because I''ll graduate from med school in May, and once I''m actually making money, it will definitely seem like a small amount. But right now, a few hundred a year is huge to me. And my fiance and I agreed that I would be the one to cover insurance, which seems only fair since he paid for the ring.

2) I''m struggling with the idea of a replacement policy, because my appraisal isn''t as complete as I''d like it to be, and I''m afraid the insurance company would skimp on the replacement. I could submit more info like the AGS report, pictures of the setting, etc, but I''m afraid that if it''s not on the official appraisal, it won''t count. I''d be so upset if I chipped my ACA and it got replaced with a non-ideal princess...or if they replaced my custom-designed setting with a stock setting. Might as well have the freedom to buy whatever I want with my own money. Chubb seems to be the only company that just cuts you a check, but the value of my ring is under their minimum of $10k.

3) If the rate is 2% of the value per year, and I have the ring for 50 years without any issues, then I''ve already paid for the entire value by the time I''m 75. So, with insurance, I pay $6-9k (purchase vs. appraisal, and that''s a whole other issue) over 50 years, whether I need it replaced or not. Without insurance, I pay to replace it in one lump sum and only if I need to have it replaced. When I look at itand it might get stolen that way, I might as well take my chances on breakage, since I don''t plan on having it reset or doing anything that might have a high risk of breakage. The reason I''m still considering insurance is that I''ll probably be moving to a high-crime area next year, and the risk of getting robbed may make the insurance worth it.

...and now back to your regularly scheduled thread!

 

[neatfreak]

Date: 7/8/2007 9:52:44 AM
Author: jstarfireb

Date: 7/8/2007 12:58:00 AM

Author: thing2of2

Date: 7/8/2007 12:43:28 AM


Author: jstarfireb


I have an ACA Princess, but I've only had it for about 6 weeks. So far it's been fine. I haven't banged it around much, but I do work with my hands a lot, and I wear it 90% of the time. I've been procrastinating the insurance issue until I stop being a student and start having a steady income, but I intend to get insurance on it just in case something happens, since it's not in a v-prong setting. I do have it set as low as possible, which helps quite a bit, since I think I'd be knocking around a higher-set stone a lot.



I don't really have any reason to believe ACA stones are less prone to chipping than any other. As far as I know, a well-cut stone will not necessarily be any sturdier than a poorly cut one...just more beautiful.

Sorry for the thread jack, but jstar, you HAVE to get insurance! It's serious like a few hundred dollars a year which breaks down into such a small amount monthly! You'd be out thousands if you chipped your stone! Get insurance!

Yeah, I know!

I'm still really on the fence, for the following reasons:


1) I'm trying to hold out for a year because I'll graduate from med school in May, and once I'm actually making money, it will definitely seem like a small amount. But right now, a few hundred a year is huge to me. And my fiance and I agreed that I would be the one to cover insurance, which seems only fair since he paid for the ring.


2) I'm struggling with the idea of a replacement policy, because my appraisal isn't as complete as I'd like it to be, and I'm afraid the insurance company would skimp on the replacement. I could submit more info like the AGS report, pictures of the setting, etc, but I'm afraid that if it's not on the official appraisal, it won't count. I'd be so upset if I chipped my ACA and it got replaced with a non-ideal princess...or if they replaced my custom-designed setting with a stock setting. Might as well have the freedom to buy whatever I want with my own money. Chubb seems to be the only company that just cuts you a check, but the value of my ring is under their minimum of $10k.


3) If the rate is 2% of the value per year, and I have the ring for 50 years without any issues, then I've already paid for the entire value by the time I'm 75. So, with insurance, I pay $6-9k (purchase vs. appraisal, and that's a whole other issue) over 50 years, whether I need it replaced or not. Without insurance, I pay to replace it in one lump sum and only if I need to have it replaced. When I look at itand it might get stolen that way, I might as well take my chances on breakage, since I don't plan on having it reset or doing anything that might have a high risk of breakage. The reason I'm still considering insurance is that I'll probably be moving to a high-crime area next year, and the risk of getting robbed may make the insurance worth it.


...and now back to your regularly scheduled thread!

Jstar, if your ring is worth under $10K and it's a 2% cost in your area, even IF your ring was valued exactly at 10K it would only be $200 a year. If it's valued at $6K, it's only $120 a year. I'm sure you spend that much on coffee or something else that you could purchase insurance with.

ALSO, the point of insurance is that they say you should have it if you can't comfortably afford to replace your ring without feeling a pinch. Since you're saying that a $200 insurance cost is would make you pinched, you can't afford NOT to have insurance.

But that doesn't mean that you need to insure it for your whole life. You can just insure it for the few years where you could not afford to replace it. So unfortunately, your reasoning about the 75 year thing doesn't make sense because it is unlikely that you would NEED to insure it for 75 years assuming that you do well for yourself.

Also, on the appraisal notes, I went with Jewelers Mutual, because you can work with your own jeweler for the replacement, AND they take everything into consideration (as most companies should actually). So while my cushion GIA cert is pretty generic, I also sent Mark's appraisal of both the stone and the setting, pictures of the entire thing including my facet pattern, pictures of the Ritani mark on the inside of my ring, EVERYTHING.

With yours being an ACA, I am SURE that you have other documentation like Sarin reports, ASET, Idealscope, etc. ALL of these things can be submitted to your insurance company and used in the case of a claim. It does not have to be "official" documentation, even pictures of a custom made setting can help you.


Soooooo...now I am getting off my soapbox, but trust me, you can't afford to NOT get insurance.

 

[Ellen]

Date: 7/8/2007 10:01:50 AM
Author: neatfreak



Soooooo...now I am getting off my soapbox, but trust me, you can''t afford to NOT get insurance.

Ditto.

Can you afford to buy a new ring should it be lost, stolen, damaged beyond repair? If the answer is NO, you really can''t afford NOT to get insurance.

I don''t quite understand why you have to cover the expense, just because he bought the ring. It NEEDS insurance, and if he has the money, he should pay it. Pay him back a bit at a time if need be, although I really think it shouldn''t matter who buys the insurance. That just goes part and parcel with the ring, imo.

As for the complete appraisal, did WF do it? It should have enough info on there I''d think, and be listed as a brand...But some info is better than none...On my ACA studs, I had them copy their report, grading report, everything that said anything about them.

You are taking a HUGE gamble here, especially with a Princess. Get it insured, now.

 

[jstarfireb]

Date: 7/8/2007 10:01:50 AM
Author: neatfreak
Jstar, if your ring is worth under $10K and it''s a 2% cost in your area, even IF your ring was valued exactly at 10K it would only be $200 a year. If it''s valued at $6K, it''s only $120 a year. I''m sure you spend that much on coffee or something else that you could purchase insurance with.


ALSO, the point of insurance is that they say you should have it if you can''t comfortably afford to replace your ring without feeling a pinch. Since you''re saying that a $200 insurance cost is would make you pinched, you can''t afford NOT to have insurance.


But that doesn''t mean that you need to insure it for your whole life. You can just insure it for the few years where you could not afford to replace it. So unfortunately, your reasoning about the 75 year thing doesn''t make sense because it is unlikely that you would NEED to insure it for 75 years assuming that you do well for yourself.


Also, on the appraisal notes, I went with Jewelers Mutual, because you can work with your own jeweler for the replacement, AND they take everything into consideration (as most companies should actually). So while my cushion GIA cert is pretty generic, I also sent Mark''s appraisal of both the stone and the setting, pictures of the entire thing including my facet pattern, pictures of the Ritani mark on the inside of my ring, EVERYTHING.


With yours being an ACA, I am SURE that you have other documentation like Sarin reports, ASET, Idealscope, etc. ALL of these things can be submitted to your insurance company and used in the case of a claim. It does not have to be ''official'' documentation, even pictures of a custom made setting can help you.



Soooooo...now I am getting off my soapbox, but trust me, you can''t afford to NOT get insurance.

Very good points...you almost have me convinced, neatfreak! What you said about Jewelers Mutual was just what I needed to hear. I wasn''t sure if they would actually consider information that wasn''t contained in an official appraisal (i.e. AGS document, Sarin, ASET, IS, my own pictures). Also, I went to JM''s site and started to do their application just to get an actual quote, and they quoted $111 for my current address with no deductible...much better than I expected, though I''m sure it will be more next year. You''re right; although I''m not a coffee drinker, I definitely spend more than that on pretty unnecessary things each year. I also didn''t realize you could stop the policy at any point. I thought it was pretty much a lifetime thing.

So let''s say my ring gets stolen. You think JM would let me talk to WF, have the custom setting that they made for me duplicated, and another comparable ACA princess of my choosing set in it, provided it''s under the covered value? If so, I''m really impressed and almost sold on JM. Maybe I''m just a skeptic, but I never thought an insurance company would be that accommodating and involve the consumer in so much of the decision-making.

In the Rough...sorry again for hijacking your thread, but hopefully all of this might be educational for you too!

 

[jstarfireb]

Date: 7/8/2007 10:19:17 AM
Author: Ellen
Ditto.


Can you afford to buy a new ring should it be lost, stolen, damaged beyond repair? If the answer is NO, you really can''t afford NOT to get insurance.


I don''t quite understand why you have to cover the expense, just because he bought the ring. It NEEDS insurance, and if he has the money, he should pay it. Pay him back a bit at a time if need be, although I really think it shouldn''t matter who buys the insurance. That just goes part and parcel with the ring, imo.


As for the complete appraisal, did WF do it? It should have enough info on there I''d think, and be listed as a brand...But some info is better than none...On my ACA studs, I had them copy their report, grading report, everything that said anything about them.


You are taking a HUGE gamble here, especially with a Princess. Get it insured, now.

I guess the issue with me being the one to pay for insurance comes down to the fact that we''re not a very "traditional" couple, and I feel like I should give something back since he put down a lot of money (by our standards) for a ring. I always joked with him that I should give him an engagement gift in exchange for a ring, something like a down payment on a car. But I can''t afford that now, so I offered to pay for the insurance. He took a year off from school and was actually getting paid for a bit, so that''s how he could afford the ring. (To clarify, that''s not the reason why he took a year off, but it was a nice perk.)

I actually started another thread about the appraisal a while ago. We requested that an appraisal be included, so WF had it sent to a local appraiser before they sent the ring to us. Unfortunately, although it describes the ACA inscription, it says nothing about the diamond being ideal cut, and it does not describe the setting in great detail. The general conclusion was that my appraisal wouldn''t cut it for a "like kind and quality" policy. BUT if JM is as accommodating as neatfreak mentioned, I probably don''t have much to worry about. If I can get away with not having it reappraised, I will (by sending other info to JM along with the appraisal).

 

[neatfreak]

Jstar,

From what I understand about how JM works (although I have yet to file a claim), yes you could just call WF and they can help you replace it. Your insurance company will ask YOUR jeweler to replace it, so if it''s an ACA in a custom setting, that''s what you should get back. Since JM lets you work with your own jeweler on it, I assume it would be no problem to assure that you get the exact same thing back that you had. BUT you should have paperwork at least from WF that states it is an ACA stone right? You should at least make sure you have SOMETHING that identifies it as an ACA, even if it''s just a receipt from WF.


But if you want more info, just call JM. They are very nice. And yes, it''s not a lifetime thing, they stop the coverage as soon as you stop paying premimums! Since my ring is only worth a few thousand, we probably won''t insure it forever either. But for right now, if I lost it, it would be a big hit for us, so it''s insured for now. Once we start working we probably won''t insure it because it makes more sense for us to take the risk because if it were lost/stolen we could take the hit.

And as for the "non-traditional couple" thing? Really, it needs to be insured. And your $ will be his and vice versa VERY SOON. Get used to it! I totally understand your thinking on this, this is the reason that I bought my own wedding ring instead of having him buy it. Because we''re both students, it was expensive (a Ritani), and he had already bought my ering. But I could afford it. If I couldn''t, he would have automatically ponied up for anything I needed because our money will be BOTH of ours very very soon.

Please please please get it insured. For $120 a year you can''t afford not to! Think about it, even if for some crazy reason you couldn''t get an ACA (and that''s very doubtful if somewhere on your paperwork it''s called an ACA because they then need to make you whole which means replacing with an ACA), you could require that the new stone be EXACTLY like the one you have now in terms of angles, cutting, etc. So considering that it''s certified, that would most likely get you a stone VERY similar to the one you already have. Especially if you work with whiteflash. So really, there is no reason not to.

 

[divergrrl]

Date: 7/8/2007 9:52:44 AM
Author: jstarfireb

Date: 7/8/2007 12:58:00 AM
Author: thing2of2

Date: 7/8/2007 12:43:28 AM

Author: jstarfireb

I have an ACA Princess, but I've only had it for about 6 weeks. So far it's been fine. I haven't banged it around much, but I do work with my hands a lot, and I wear it 90% of the time. I've been procrastinating the insurance issue until I stop being a student and start having a steady income, but I intend to get insurance on it just in case something happens, since it's not in a v-prong setting. I do have it set as low as possible, which helps quite a bit, since I think I'd be knocking around a higher-set stone a lot.


I don't really have any reason to believe ACA stones are less prone to chipping than any other. As far as I know, a well-cut stone will not necessarily be any sturdier than a poorly cut one...just more beautiful.

Sorry for the thread jack, but jstar, you HAVE to get insurance! It's serious like a few hundred dollars a year which breaks down into such a small amount monthly! You'd be out thousands if you chipped your stone! Get insurance!

Yeah, I know!

I'm still really on the fence, for the following reasons:

1) I'm trying to hold out for a year because I'll graduate from med school in May, and once I'm actually making money, it will definitely seem like a small amount. But right now, a few hundred a year is huge to me. And my fiance and I agreed that I would be the one to cover insurance, which seems only fair since he paid for the ring.

2) I'm struggling with the idea of a replacement policy, because my appraisal isn't as complete as I'd like it to be, and I'm afraid the insurance company would skimp on the replacement. I could submit more info like the AGS report, pictures of the setting, etc, but I'm afraid that if it's not on the official appraisal, it won't count. I'd be so upset if I chipped my ACA and it got replaced with a non-ideal princess...or if they replaced my custom-designed setting with a stock setting. Might as well have the freedom to buy whatever I want with my own money. Chubb seems to be the only company that just cuts you a check, but the value of my ring is under their minimum of $10k.

3) If the rate is 2% of the value per year, and I have the ring for 50 years without any issues, then I've already paid for the entire value by the time I'm 75. So, with insurance, I pay $6-9k (purchase vs. appraisal, and that's a whole other issue) over 50 years, whether I need it replaced or not. Without insurance, I pay to replace it in one lump sum and only if I need to have it replaced. When I look at itand it might get stolen that way, I might as well take my chances on breakage, since I don't plan on having it reset or doing anything that might have a high risk of breakage. The reason I'm still considering insurance is that I'll probably be moving to a high-crime area next year, and the risk of getting robbed may make the insurance worth it.

...and now back to your regularly scheduled thread!

Jstar: I have my insurance through Country Companies (attached to my homeowners). I have my princess w-ring appraised/insured at $10,400 & my diamond stud earrings at $4800. It costs me $75 a year to insure BOTH those items. I also have my car insurance through them. I get "Retail Replacement Value" for loss, theft, or damage... I mean, I don't really have an extra 15k just laying around for jewelry if something were to happen to my stones. I don't even NOTICE the money gone....its just part of our homeowners ins. that is tacked onto our mortgage payment. If you aren't a homeowner, get the renters ins. I know med school is expensive, but even when I was a dirt poor student renting an apt, I always had renters insurance. Sure came in handy when my water heater broke & soaked my apt & ruined quite a bit of stuff---got it all replaced for free. No hassles.

I paid less for my ring & studs than what they appraised for, and the important thing is, if I lose them, I will get a check from my ins. co. for the amount listed on my appraisal (to get a "like quality" replacement--but its at B&M prices, not smart PS shopper prices) and my insurance co. would not have anything to do with where I replaced it. My understanding is that in this type of event, you file a claim, receive a check, and then you are responsible for choosing/purchasing a new ring. That is how it was explained to me by the underwriter & believe you me, I grilled them. AND I have my policy filed in my office for backup along with originals of my appraisals.

In the rough: To answer your original query: My princess stone chipped while originally being set into a v-prong temp setting for my e-ring. My first reset had my princess stone in a regular prong (not V) and it was very secure & I liked the look better. Now its bezel set (see my avatar) and nothing is getting chipped in this baby! LOL. But I smack my hand around like crazy -- I'm a very DIY kind of gal & am notorious for fixing things, and doing heavy chores around the house and forgetting to remove my rings. Insurance is key. That way you won't worry...but I wouldn't worry too much anyway...as long as you don't have an inclusion making an edge or corner weak, your diamond is going to be pretty sturdy. Can't wait to see pics! Good Luck!

 

[jstarfireb]

OK, OK...you all convinced me. Took the plunge today and filled out the online JM application. I sent them a zip file of my documents including the following:

1) Appraisal
2) AGS report
3) Invoice from WF (says "A Cut Above" and describes ring setting)
4) CADs and final pictures from WF
5) Various pics I took of the ring
6) 30x photo, IS, and ASET images
7) Sarin report

I think that should be more than enough. I guess $111/year isn't so bad for peace of mind.

Diver - thanks for the tip! I did look into payout policies, but they're a lot more expensive than replacement policies, and the only non-homeowner's one I found was Chubb, which won't insure my sub-10k ring. I do feel a lot more comfortable with the JM replacement policy knowing now that they'll let me go back to WF and ask for the same setting and a comparable ACA diamond. I've actually never had renter's insurance, and it's my last year here, so I think I'll wait it out. I'll probably look into insurance when I start my residency, though. I'm in university housing now, and the maintenance people are very quick to fix anything that goes wrong (including the freezing shower and a toilet in my fiance's place that got stuck on "fill" mode when it was flushed and started to flood the whole apartment...but that's another story for another time

).

 

[jstarfireb]

Sorry, double post!

 

[BigDiamonds]

I know I''m a little late to the party here, but I did want to add one little insurance tip that I learned from Neil Beaty somewhere the way-

A lot of policies, including most homeowners/renters insurance policies that provide "like in kind and quality" replacements have a provision that results in a cash-out for the appraised value. The cash-out provision applies if the insurance company is unable to reach an agreement with you regarding the settlement for any reason. That could include you being unwiling to accept any of their proposed replacements for reasons like "the pavillion angle is .1 degrees off." It would take some work, but I think you could get a cash payout from a regular policy just by being a huge PITA.

And jstarfireb- SO glad you made the move for insurance! It is well worth the peace of mind!

 

[btrflygrl23]

Hi sorry to see this late but I''ll reply anyway...I have an ACA princess and I''ve had it for awhile now with no problems at all. I''m pretty careful and I do try not to bang it around. The setting is not super low though I have the legato head from WF. It is really beautiful and I honestly don''t stay up at night worrying about chipping it all the time. I agree with neatfreak though get insuarance for it for sure and you should be fine. The ACA princess really are a thing of beauty. Hope that helps

 

[divergrrl]

Date: 7/8/2007 6:22:23 PM
Author: BigDiamonds
I know I''m a little late to the party here, but I did want to add one little insurance tip that I learned from Neil Beaty somewhere the way-

A lot of policies, including most homeowners/renters insurance policies that provide ''like in kind and quality'' replacements have a provision that results in a cash-out for the appraised value. The cash-out provision applies if the insurance company is unable to reach an agreement with you regarding the settlement for any reason. That could include you being unwiling to accept any of their proposed replacements for reasons like ''the pavillion angle is .1 degrees off.'' It would take some work, but I think you could get a cash payout from a regular policy just by being a huge PITA.

And jstarfireb- SO glad you made the move for insurance! It is well worth the peace of mind!

wow, some of these insurance policies are so picky! I never thought of doing anything other than my homeowners (but I guess if you are still a hardworking med student you might not be in your home yet) insurance & it couldn''t be easier. I would just get a check for the retail replacement value amount listed on my appraisal & I could buy from anyone -- or not at all (just using that as an example). I know it is in my best interest to have my jewelery re-appraised every 5-10 years since values change. For instance, my w-ring stone would cost more now than it did 6 years ago.

They are the same way with my car. I''ve been hit 3 times in the last 2 years (only once have i been in the car & caught the stinker) and I just get a check from my insurance company made out to me & then its up to me to fix my car---they never even talk to the body shop after I fax in the estimate.