Has anyone gone too big and regretted it?

[mandielee]

Date: 4/24/2008 5:34:44 AM
Author: Splinter
[Boredom at work] + [Access to Flash] + [Too much chocolate cake] = [Bad cartoons and animations]

Scientific fact.

My thoughts on the whole ''Can a diamond be too big'' issue is yes, but it''s a very personal opinion. I live in Europe and it''s just as mandielee says, smaller diamonds and a lot less bling are the norm here. It''s a look I prefer. My avatar gives a pretty good idea of the size of diamond my girlfriend will be wearing.

Please note: I live in real Europe. That is to say: England. Not some pretend Europe country like Germany.

I never thought I''d hear an Englishman boasting that his country was more European than some other one...

My guy (a northern German) understood my culture well enough to know that everyone back home would immediately look at my left hand and would think he was cheap if I didn''t have something nice and sparkly sitting there, and wanted me to have it. Plus, I''ve been excited enough about it that he considers it money well-spent.

Here''s some more insight: DeBeers'' infamous "two months'' salary rule" campaign was modified for Europe and Japan. Combining Japanese men''s willingness to shower their girlfriends with money and a common Asian preference for colorless, near-flawless stones, they marketed a "three months''" rule. In Europe, on the other hand, where giving diamond engagement rings is not as common, they tried pushing "one month''s salary," probably figuring Europeans would think that any more than that was completely irrational.

 

[Splinter]

Date: 4/24/2008 6:07:22 AM
Author: mandielee

I never thought I''d hear an Englishman boasting that his country was more European than some other one...

Ah, as posted at the bottom of the first page, I''m certainly no Englishman!

I totally agree with what you''re saying about diamond size varying by locale. I think the place you live/grew up in will have a big impact on your preference.

Growing up in South Africa you couldn''t walk 2 steps without tripping over a darn diamond. You get sick of the sight of them eventually, maybe that''s why I prefer smaller stones.

 

[ursulawrite]

Date: 4/24/2008 5:34:44 AM
Author: Splinter
[Boredom at work] + [Access to Flash] + [Too much chocolate cake] = [Bad cartoons and animations]

Scientific fact.

My thoughts on the whole ''Can a diamond be too big'' issue is yes, but it''s a very personal opinion. I live in Europe and it''s just as mandielee says, smaller diamonds and a lot less bling are the norm here. It''s a look I prefer. My avatar gives a pretty good idea of the size of diamond my girlfriend will be wearing.

Please note: I live in real Europe. That is to say: England. Not some pretend Europe country like Germany.

Very true. The only large diamonds you see in London are worn by Americans living off the King''s Road.

At my last workplace in London, an American lady received a three-carat solitaire. When it appeared on her hand, it literally became the talk of our 200-strong open-plan office--nothing nasty whatsoever, just plain old astonishment and "Wowie!". And these were people with second homes in Cornwall, lifetime membership at the Groucho, and permanent tables at The Ivy. One-carat is still a big deal, and three carats...I think everyone thought she was marrying some tech billionaire.

 

[diamondfan]

I would not do well in England then! I like my bling too much!

I know many Brits who are living here in PA and they do not have big bling at all. They are much more low key. They spend on cars or vacations or clothes or second homes before bling.

 

[wen104]

Don''t know how I missed this thread but it was funny to read! I have a .70 and boy sometimes it looks tiny but then I see someone with like .10 and wow boy does my ring ever look big again

But if my man were willing to put a bigger stone in that ring I would be opting for that 1.5 or so Yum! Maybe when the kids move out!

 

[2danes]

Mine''s a .92, so close to a carat...and yet... and yet...
It is a personal taste thing, but I really do wish mine was a bit OVER a carat, instead of a bit UNDER.
If money wasn''t an object... I''d have gone bigger, it was, though, and I was impatient... so I got my little beauty.

Here''s another thing to consider: setting makes a difference too. Originally I wanted my ring set low, I consider myself active and somewhat clumsy, and I didn''t want it "in my way." Now I''m havin it reset higher, and with a halo to make it look bigger, so tastes do change.

 

[tberube]

Yeah sure, I could feel like a stone is too big....if it was 10 carats.

 

[wyomingdiamondgirl]

My e ring is .3 and worn steady for 30 plus years, when I received my 1 carat, for rt hand it seemed sooo big. But after awhile it was just fine - then I received 1.71 and it still seems huge and great - I still wear my original e ring, having the 1 reset into a pendant and the new rock to counter balance on rt hand ( don''t want to take away from original wedding set!)

 

[Splinter]

Date: 4/24/2008 11:13:26 AM
Author: wyomingdiamondgirl
My e ring is .3 and worn steady for 30 plus years... ...I still wear my original e ring...

That''s just awesome.

 

[jewelerman]

When i was a kid(12)and first studying in the jewelry trade i used to think that 3/4 was huge.Now after wearing a 2.54 for several years im ready to work up to a 4 plus size but a few friends in the trade have advised against it because of cost and because they say that a 2.54 is a large size for a gents ring.If i had my choice i would have a 5ct. round brilliant or up to a 7 ct. emerald cut for a gents right hand ring(I like a plain gold wed band).Eliabeth Taylor said that "diamonds shrink over time"and its true.I have always advised the couples looking at wed sets that if you dont plan on trade up in the future than buy a little larger then planned and you will thank me in a few years.I always get positive feed back because of what someone in this thread called diamond shrinkage syndrome...its true.

 

[plethora23]

Wish I''d gone bigger! I''ve been wearing a 3.03 carat since my engagement 5 years ago and it doesn''t seem big at all...

 

[UCLABelle]

Yes, I have a 1.5 emerald cut, and I just sit and stare all day about how it is too too big. I wish it were a .15 instead.......j/k

I highly doubt many on this board would think there is such a thing....but I could be wrong

I guess though that a 10ct on my small frame (5'0) would be a bit much (and the fact I am young...and work in education)......however, I would take the 10ct, store it away and wear it on special days....and settle for an everyday ring of 4cts....

 

[DiamondGirlHH]

I think it''s all relative...When does big become too big?

I believe it''s a personal preference as soon as you are happy with it.

I have a 1.25 round center, would I want a larger diamond? I am sure another 0.25 wouldn''t hurt but I am happy and thankful with what I have.


Heather

 

[Rhea]

Yes, but it depends on social circle, location, and career.

I was raised in the South of the US where 1-1.5 carat right after finishing university was the norm. I now live in the UK where .5 carat is about the largest among my age group that I see on the train (mid-20s, the older women typically wear a sapphire surrounded by diamonds on a thin yellow gold band paired with a wider wedding band). I also work in a charity, with homeless people in fact.

Going back and forth between several different cultures is a bit of screwy thing for my mind that my DH doesn''t understand. In the US my ring is "cute" or "petite". In the UK outside of work my ring is either large or normal. In the UK at work it draws more attention than I''m comfortable with and I recently stopped wearing it to work. I prefer to either wear a knife-edge silver ring I made myself or my titanium wedding band. I do find that my earrings are a whole different story. A lot less in your face than your hand when you shake someone''s hand or need to back away from someone who is homeless, feels the system has let them down and is quite angry about it.

My e-ring is about .45 centre stone on a size 7 finger.

Get what makes you happy but you may also want to take into consideration where you plan to wear it and what your friends and family are wearing.

 

[lisamarie]

Thanks for all the responses! I''m loving all the points of view here.

I think the other issue is, I''m struggling with how I''ll feel having the smallest diamond among my friends. I know I shouldn''t let that get to me at all, but even my assistant was surprised that I was looking at diamonds under a carat. I think I''m going to stick with whatever feels right on my hand - I''m a small person with small hands. If I get a bad case of DSS, I''ll upgrade later on.

After all, I''ll probably have the sparkliest, most well cut diamond of anyone I know, thanks to you guys!

 

[Splinter]

Date: 4/24/2008 3:32:39 PM
Author: lisamarie
Thanks for all the responses! I''m loving all the points of view here.


I think the other issue is, I''m struggling with how I''ll feel having the smallest diamond among my friends. I know I shouldn''t let that get to me at all, but even my assistant was surprised that I was looking at diamonds under a carat. I think I''m going to stick with whatever feels right on my hand - I''m a small person with small hands. If I get a bad case of DSS, I''ll upgrade later on.


After all, I''ll probably have the sparkliest, most well cut diamond of anyone I know, thanks to you guys!

I think that''s the right attitude. It''s about what you want. You can always upgrade if you change your mind!

 

[simplysplendid]

Date: 4/23/2008 9:28:56 PM
Author:lisamarie
I''ve heard about the dreaded DSS but I''m just curious if anyone''s ever just felt that their diamond was just too big? Or do you just get used to it at some point?

Thanks in advance!

Never did and never will!

Give me a 20carat and I will still be able to think of a way to wear it!

 

[Jenn5504]

Date: 4/23/2008 10:39:38 PM
Author: diamondseeker2006
I''d definitely go with a carat if you can. You''ll be glad later when you are older that you did!

Ditto.

I know for me, you could put a 10ct rock on my hand and I''d manage to eventually suffer from DSS. My current 1.82 looks like a grain of sand to me lately.

I think the size range you''re waivering between is very close. You''ll be AMAZED how fast you''ll grow used to the size, even if it feels maybe a tad big at the moment. Finger size also has a lot to do with how large the stone may feel. What size ring do you wear?

 

[Rhea]

I think I found a semi-cure for DSS if, like me, you aren''t able to upgrade. Don''t wear the ring for a couple of days at all and when you do wear it again for the first time wear it out to eat at a place with those great lights. This normally makes me like my ring again for a few weeks.

 

[diamondfan]

Date: 4/24/2008 10:49:58 AM
Author: tberube
Yeah sure, I could feel like a stone is too big....if it was 10 carats.

Therube, my ring is that and I STILL could go bigger...

 

[canuk-gal]

HI:

Nope, I really love my stone size. Don''t want anything larger tho--just a nice D IF in another shape

cheers--Sharon

 

[bgray]

i did. i went big and i feel like i cant wear my ring everyday. but i think it depends on where you live and what you do for work.

 

[lisamarie]

Date: 4/24/2008 5:23:34 PM
Author: Jenn5504

Date: 4/23/2008 10:39:38 PM

Author: diamondseeker2006

I''d definitely go with a carat if you can. You''ll be glad later when you are older that you did!

Ditto.


I know for me, you could put a 10ct rock on my hand and I''d manage to eventually suffer from DSS. My current 1.82 looks like a grain of sand to me lately.

I think the size range you''re waivering between is very close. You''ll be AMAZED how fast you''ll grow used to the size, even if it feels maybe a tad big at the moment. Finger size also has a lot to do with how large the stone may feel. What size ring do you wear?

I wear a 6 but I have very short fingers.