DSS and other people''s rings?

[vslover]

This is weird but wanted to find out if I''m the only one. Upgraded to a 1.77 RB a couple of months ago and am now finding that my diamond and everyone else''s I see seems to be shrinking! No joke...all the rings around here that I used to think were huge are now looking very small. It''s kind of sad. Is this normal? Pics I see on pricescope don''t look tiny, but real life rings sure do. Ugh. FWIW I think most e-rings around here are 1 carat...

 

[Maisie]

DSS is talked about a lot on Pricescope! I do think after a little bit of time, no matter how large your diamond, you will get some degree of DSS. I have had 3 diamonds in the last 8 months!!! However, even though I do feel like I would love a bigger stone, I won''t be upgrading. I have fallen in love with this diamond, plain and simple. Never thought it would happen to me.

I think I may go for a coloured stone if I fancy wearing something a bit bigger.

 

[bee*]

I haven''t experience DSS yet. I adore the size of my ring (1.23ct) and I don''t think that I''d ever get a bigger one. This one just suits me.

 

[erica k]

i don''t think i''ve experienced DSS yet, but i do know that i want to get a larger 1.5-1.6 ct stone in the future. my original .52ct isn''t shrinking in my eyes, but it is what it is. i wear a 5.5-6, and from all the times i''ve tried on rings at tiffany, i''ve learned that i would like something closer to 50% finger coverage.

i mean, sure, sometimes i try on a 2ct and think, hmpf, that''s not ''so'' big. but at the end of the day, i would like my next stone to be just big enough to be a proportional size on my hand. honestly, even if i had the money for a bigger and better stone and better (i.e. 3.4ct OEC, H, VS1, $40,000), i''m sure there are other things i could do with that money (college fund, clothing, vacations, charities, etc).

now, if i suddenly inherited $2 million, i might think differently...

 

[Phoenix]

It definitely has set in for me!!

 

[zoebartlett]

I hate to admit it, but I think it''s set in for me too. Not so much with my center stone but with my side stones. I now wish I had gone a little bigger. I know it would hurt my FI though if I bring it up so I haven''t.

 

[lyra]

I have a 1.77 RB too. Sometimes I do have DSS, but my family just thinks I''m crazy. I think we get used to seeing our rings up close so much. When I make my daughter wear my ring, it looks huge.

I don''t see many women at all around here who have stones this size or bigger. So I must be crazy. My husband has made it abundantly clear that the upgrade stops here too, and I agree with that. There are other priorities in life.

 

[LitigatorChick]

PS invokes serious DSS. There is a direct correlation here. In "reality", other peoples'' diamonds are smaller than PS. More PS equals more DSS equals urge to buy a big honker!!!

 

[HeartingDiamonds]

Yep. Another victim of the dreaded DSS here. When I got my 2ct, I was over the moon and thought that I was in diamond heaven. Two years later, not so much.

I am hankering for a 3+ct honker now. BADLY. Had an opportunity to own a 3.50 OEC and had to pass but I thought that that was the perfect size (size 7).

Cant wait for 2008 to be over (am on a jewelry moratorium for the whole year

)!

PS: Dont we have a temper-tantrum-throwing, expletive-screaming icon somewhere?

 

[Ellen]

I got it, had it for a long time, now it''s gone. I''m not sure why it''s gone, but possibly telling myself it could shrink all it wanted, I wasn''t getting a bigger one, and, that all the other people in my life still see it as it really is, may have had something to do with it.

At any rate, I''m loving my stone.

 

[Elmorton]

My stone is definitely on the smaller spectrum here, so yeah, it''s hard to not be affected by DSS. But, there are two things I always keep in mind: 1) I remember reading someone''s post in an upgrade thread that it makes sense for your ring to reflect your lifestyle. A bigger ring really wouldn''t fit my lifestyle - but my stone fits my life and fits me perfectly. 2) And just because DH and I agreed "no upgrades" doesn''t mean that in 20 years I can''t be the proud owner of a mad blingy anniv or RHR. Ogling everyone''s beauties here just helps me continue the creative juices that are needed to compile a wishlist

 

[Lynn B]

I think you either have the DSS gene, or not!!!

Some lucky folks just seem to love and adore their stone size (larger or smaller, doesn''t really much seem to matter) and just don''t experience the dreaded, relentless shrinkage problem. They seem happy as clams and aren''t itching to upgrade.

Then there''s folks like me. My blasted 2.36 shrinks every time I get it wet

-- by now, it''s darn near down to nuthin''.

But since the budget will probably never comfortably allow an upgrade to 3.5+ or so, I am just gonna have to suck it up and DEAL WITH IT!

(And the reality is that since DSS would probably STILL set in, even with a 3.5''er, and I''d be jonesing for MORE, I may as well quit now and at least I can continue to eat and live indoors!!!)

 

[TravelingGal]

I did have DSS in the sense that I don''t think it''s as big as when I first got it, but I still don''t think it''s small. In fact, it''s the perfect size for me...big enough to look substantial (and shoot off nice sparklies) but not too big to comfortably wear every day. It''s just a very practical ring!

 

[Independent Gal]

No DSS here with my 0.7 ct. I still love it! However, my stone did give me DES - diamond enlargement syndrome. The last time I visited my mom, her 2.67 seemed waaaaaay bigger than it had before, since I had grown used to looking at my 0.7. I was all "Holy cr@p, Mommy! That thing is freaking HUGE!"

 

[coatimundi_org]

ok, so I know I just got my 1.85 RB, so it looks really huge to me--well, not huge exactly, but just right.(Went to Home Depot today, and could not focus on paint selection!-man, the lighting in that store!)I know that it will probably shrink, and I'm ok with that. It's just my nature. I have the jewelry gene and the dss gene lodged deep in my chromosomal makeup. There is nothing I can do.

It's funny though, my jeweler said to hubby and I, "In ten years I will be selling you a 5 carat." And he whips out a 5 carat round just "to show me." Thank Gawd it looked ridiculous! (Simply cannot afford those aspirations) My size 4 finger cannot handle that many millimeters. But a 3.5? Sure!

 

[iheartscience]

Ahh, the dreaded DSS! I think I have something more like Diamond Dysmorphic Syndrome...everyone else''s diamonds look big enough for them, but mine doesn''t look big enough for me! Every now and then I''ll have a moment of clarity and realize that my diamond does look like nice and big on me, but those moments are very rare!

I''ve only had my e-ring for about 10 months and I think it''s definitely too soon for an upgrade. *Siiiiiiiiiiigh*! The bright side is that I think my fiance is totally down with me upgrading once I''m done with school and back to working full time again. (Right now I''m only working about 30 hours a week because I''m in school full time also.)

 

[coatimundi_org]

Date: 1/26/2008 9:10:49 PM
Author: thing2of2
Ahh, the dreaded DSS! I think I have something more like Diamond Dysmorphic Syndrome...everyone else's diamonds look big enough for them, but mine doesn't look big enough for me! Every now and then I'll have a moment of clarity and realize that my diamond does look like nice and big on me, but those moments are very rare!


I've only had my e-ring for about 10 months and I think it's definitely too soon for an upgrade. *Siiiiiiiiiiigh*! The bright side is that I think my fiance is totally down with me upgrading once I'm done with school and back to working full time again. (Right now I'm only working about 30 hours a week because I'm in school full time also.)

Ah! DDS--that's very good!

I think I may discover that one at some point!

That's great that your fiance is down with your...ups. My husband is very understanding about this stuff as well.

It's funny, or not, but I'm already plotting an upgrade on my oval stone, and I only got that a few months ago! It will have to wait, though...a loooong time.

ETA:
DSS diamond shrinkage syndrome
DDS diamond dismorphic syndrome
DDD? diamond disphoric disorder--the constant scrutiny under the loupe?

 

[NewEnglandLady]

For whatever reason, I didn''t really love diamonds until after I was engaged. I did a ton of research on my engagement ring, but I never cared about size. The bottom line is that I''m a cheapskate and if DH was going to be spending a chunk of change on a ring for me, I wanted to make sure he was getting the best price possible and as with all things in life, I knew the key to not getting ripped off was to be educated.

When we were ring shopping DH would tell me that in the long run, I''d probably be happier with a 2 carat center stone. I kept telling him that I thought that was silly and really just wanted an eternity band, anyway. He would tell me that I could get an eternity band at any time, but this was my engagement ring and that down the road I might wish I had let him splurge a little more.

At the time, I thought that the 1.5 carat was more than I wanted, but I fell in love with the stone and the setting and thought that the size of my center stone balanced best with the side stones. I still love my ring and always will, but every so often I wish I''d listened to him. I''ll never upgrade, this ring means too much to me to alter it in any way, so now I''ll just shift the focus to a RHR.

Pricescope has a funny way of making you want not only bigger diamonds, but many of them. The good news is that IRL you rarely see rings you love as much as PS rings.

 

[iheartscience]

Date: 1/26/2008 9:21:08 PM
Author: coatimundi

Date: 1/26/2008 9:10:49 PM
Author: thing2of2
Ahh, the dreaded DSS! I think I have something more like Diamond Dysmorphic Syndrome...everyone else''s diamonds look big enough for them, but mine doesn''t look big enough for me! Every now and then I''ll have a moment of clarity and realize that my diamond does look like nice and big on me, but those moments are very rare!

I''ve only had my e-ring for about 10 months and I think it''s definitely too soon for an upgrade. *Siiiiiiiiiiigh*! The bright side is that I think my fiance is totally down with me upgrading once I''m done with school and back to working full time again. (Right now I''m only working about 30 hours a week because I''m in school full time also.)

Ah! DDS--that''s very good!

I think I may discover that one at some point!

That''s great that your fiance is down with your...ups. My husband is very understanding about this stuff as well.

It''s funny, or not, but I''m already plotting an upgrade on my oval stone, and I only got that a few months ago! It will have to wait, though...a loooong time.

ETA:
DSS diamond shrinkage syndrome
DDS diamond dismorphic syndrome
DDD? diamond disphoric disorder--the constant scrutiny under the loupe?

Hahaha...I love all the diamond disorders!

The way I see it, diamonds are one of my hobbies...so why shouldn''t I mix it up every now and then?!

I switch up handbags, shoes, etc., so my fiance knew right off the bat I''d want to switch up my engagement ring! Plus I plan on keeping my halo setting and getting a sapphire custom cut for it, so I really will have and wear my original engagement ring regularly...just as a RHR and without the diamond!

I must say, we are definitely lucky to have accommodating significant others!

 

[Lynn B]

I think I have Diamond Anorexia.

Everyone else''s 2+ caraters look really *BIG* to me, but in my eyes, my own looks like a little diamond chippie. If that isn''t a skewed image of reality, what is?!!

 

[Kaleigh]

Date: 1/26/2008 10:50:00 PM
Author: Lynn B
I think I have Diamond Anorexia.

Everyone else''s 2+ caraters look really *BIG* to me, but in my eyes, my own looks like a little diamond chippie. If that isn''t a skewed image of reality, what is?!!

Hey Lynn, every time I see pics of your ring, it looks positively HUGE to me.

 

[strmrdr]

I get DSS then look at prices and say zircon/sapphire/ruby/topaz/garnet/spinel anyone?
Call me a nut but Id rather have a 2ct cinnamon garnet, blue zircon, blue sapphire, red ruby, blue topaz or one of a dozen different colored garnets or a red or blue spinel than a 2ct diamond.
Except for maybe a 2ct asscher.

but the other day i did get GSS wanting a larger garnet lol

 

[joflier]

Sigh.....that''s all I can say. Maybe if I wear just a plain band for a couple weeks, I''d relieve my DSS symptoms for awhile!

Temporary fix, no doubt.

 

[Lynn B]

Date: 1/26/2008 11:18:57 PM
Author: Kaleigh

Hey Lynn, every time I see pics of your ring, it looks positively HUGE to me.

Awwww, Lisa, THANKS!
You have NO IDEA what that means to me!!! XOXOXO!

 

[Lynn B]

Date: 1/27/2008 1:02:02 AM
Author: strmrdr
...Call me a nut but Id rather have a 2ct cinnamon garnet, blue zircon, blue sapphire, red ruby, blue topaz or one of a dozen different colored garnets or a red or blue spinel than a 2ct diamond.
Except for maybe a 2ct asscher...

You''re a nut.

 

[LaurenThePartier]

I think my husband cleverly predicted my potantial for DSS, and added that bevel to my bezeled halo that visually extends the diamond by about 1 mm.

I have a new RHR that has a 6.5 mm temporary CZ in it, and my little .71 Asscher seems to hold its own in comparison. I''ll never part with the original ring, but luckily my husband has no problem letting me add to my collection.

 

[lisa1.01fvs1]

I might be getting a little philosphical and definitley neurotic here but DSS exists to get us out of bed in the morning, help us achieve, strive for better, and look forward to the future. I think its simply human nature to want more than you already have.

However, we certainly can overcome our basic cro-mag ways and turn our focus to RHR say or earrings or??????

Ah, displacement the ultimate defense mechanism.

I know I''m looking forward to my upgrade one day and I do this with shameless glee.

 

[October2008bride]

I too, sad to say, have started to experience DSS. I feel awful when I think about it looking small-ish.

It''s my own fault though. I bought a fake set to wear on the honeymoon and when we travel, and even though it was supposed to be 1.75 carats (mine is 1.9) it is wayyyy bigger (i.e. 2.5 maybe?) so when I tried it on, mine felt so small!!

I''ve put it away in my jewellery box so that I don''t get used to it. I think I just need to go into the jewellery store and maybe try on a few smaller ones to remind me that mine is huge! haha

 

[partgypsy]

Haven''t experienced DSS for other people''s rings, but then I haven''t experienced it for my own ring, which has a .47 carat center. I completely love my ring, not just the center stone, but the total design and as someone said it fits my lifestyle, etc, absolutely no plans to upgrade.

On the other hand, I finally got my diamond stud earrings, and I can''t believe I''m saying this but I can imagine going a little larger. They are .66 tcw. Part of the issue is that the cz earrings I wore before getting them are larger. I think it would be nice to bump them up into the .7-.8 tcw and bezel them, but that ain''t going to happen any time soon (also on jewelry purchase moratorium).

Like storm most desire for big bling for me will be satisfied by gemstone purchases. Love the garnets too!

 

[vslover]

The extra-ridiculous thing about feeling my diamond is "small" is that my good friends only have diamonds that are .25 and a couple that are .5...none over 1 carat. I think I''ve lost my mind!