Help - ACA Studs!

[AmberGretchen]

Hi all, so I''m hoping you guys can help me out in finding the perfect pair of Whiteflash stones for a pair of ACA stud earrings. I''m thinking I''d like to maximize size for my budget of $1850 or so total (can be a little flexible on that), including settings (not sure which ones yet but figure around $200). Here is the first stone I found that I like:

0.415 ct ACA J VS2

But it had no match in the ACAs. I''m also a tiny bit concerned about the J color - part of the reason I''m getting these in this color range is to see how I feel about I-J diamonds, and I suspect that with the ideal ACA cut I will be OK, but I want to make sure I have the trade-in option if not. Bob at Whiteflash suggested this stone to go with it:

0.402 I VS2 ES

But I''m not sure whether the trade-in applies to ES stones as well for studs - I think that the website says they do, but have e-mailed Bob to be sure. I also found the following ES stone as a possible match to either the original ACA or the other ES stone:

0.411 I VS1 ES

I''m hoping all of my favorite PS gurus can help me find more options to fit my budget - I''d really like to maximize the size (spoken like a true PS girl

), and I want to be sure I''m getting the best possible stones. Thank you!

 

[belle]

i think you will be surprised about how 'white' a 'j' can look. i think it's a fab choice! obviously, it's also a great way to maximize the budget.

es stones are upgradeable. any stone that is 'in house' (and not already preset in jewelry) qualifies for an upgrade.

 

[AmberGretchen]

Thanks Belle. So I think I''ve narrowed it down to two sets of stones as choices (I''m pretty sure I''m going to take the J plunge). here''s the first set:

0.401 and 0.404 J VS1 ACA''s

And the second set I couldn''t get to come up as a pair, but here they are one at a time:

0.422 J VS1

0.415 J SI1

I''m really drawn to the second set for some reason. Can anyone tell me if the clarity difference (VS1 vs. SI1) will be a problem? Is there a reason to go with one set over the other that I''m not seeing?

 

[chrono]

Well cut J's aren't noticeably warm. I have 2 J diamonds (RHR) set in platinum and both look white to me. I even bezeled one of them. WF's ES are upgradeable. For earrings, as long as the SI1 is eye clean, no one will realize that their clarity is different.

 

[FireGoddess]

ES stones are upgradable. The RSG stones aren't, and I believe those are uncerted. So you're fine with an ES stone in terms of upgrading. Clarity diff shouldn't be a problem as long as the SI1 is eye clean. I adore my new ACA studs (0.8 ctw, F, SI1) and you are gonna LOVE YOURS!!! Any reason you're particularly drawn to the 2nd pair? They are all lovely stones!

 

[belle]

argh.... lost my post!

both sets are great matches. if you are drawn to the second set....GO FOR IT! there is absolutely nothing wrong with getting vs/si no one will ever be able to tell the difference. you may even get them mixed up yourself!

 

[snlee]

As long as the SI1 stone is eye clean, there's not much of a difference between the two pairs of diamonds you posted. All of them are lovely. I agree that a well cut J can face up pretty white. I have a pair of ACA studs (.70tcw, I, VS2) and I absolutely love them! Like you, I wanted to see how I felt about I-J diamonds. I was really excited to get I colored studs and I am very pleased with them! You will love them too!

 

[AmberGretchen]

Thanks you guys - you are making me feel really good about this whole purchase!! That''s great to know about the SI1 vs. VS1 difference. I suspected that was probably true, especially in stones this size, but I''m trying to really be sure. snlee - what color is your e-ring stone? Mine is a G, and while I could see a tiny hint of color when it was un-set, I haven''t been able to see a thing except super whiteness since its been set in my platinum three-stone.

 

[snlee]

Date: 6/22/2007 12:49:52 PM
Author: AmberGretchen
snlee - what color is your e-ring stone? Mine is a G, and while I could see a tiny hint of color when it was un-set, I haven''t been able to see a thing except super whiteness since its been set in my platinum three-stone.

Amber, my e-ring is a F.

 

[Mara]

oh and re: earrings, i would not spend to get whiter stones in .40c earrings...i have .38c I''s and they are so blazing white when set against my ear and my dark hair makes them whiter too. i see really no color in them. so while some might hesitate on lower colors for rings which i can understand, i personally would only go I or J on earrings unless the stones were massive and might show color.

 

[Lynn B]

Oh, don''t worry about the J color for your new studs!!! I have killer cut H&A studs, .90 tcw and one is a J and one is a K!!! And I can''t tell the little beauties apart! Honestly!

And don''t worry about clarity, either... if WF says they are eye-clean you will likely be quite pleasantly surprised. My studs are SI2 and VS2 (I think?!)... and again, I can''t see a darn thing in either one!

Oh YAY! Whatta FUN project, AG! Enjoy!!!

 

[AmberGretchen]

Thanks Mara and Lynn for the contributions - its really helpful to hear so many great opinions. Unfortunately, Bob just e-mailed me that the 0.415 ct J SI1 is not eye clean "if you have good eyes." So I''m not sure how I feel about that yet. He did suggest these four stones as possible replacements (including the two I listed above):

J VS1 ACA stones

These all fit within my budget, although I was hoping for slightly smaller tables and a little bit of a shallower depth than the two on the left. What do you guys think about these?

 

[iheartscience]

Hmm...I wouldn''t mind the color, especially in earrings, after hearing so many positive recommendations from PSers who have J ACAs. I would mind it not being totally eyeclean if you have good eyes. (I know I do!) I think the other pairs you posted look great, though! I''m dying for some ACA earrings myself!

 

[rocks&purses]

Hello,

I just got my .70 tcw I SI1 ACA H&A earrings from WF the other day and they look very white. I am very happy with my earrings. I was hesitant to get an I color at first, but after reading numerous posts here I was convinced an I color would be fine esp. for earrings and with an ACA. Plus, like others said, if there's a hint of color, it won't be noticeable because they're smaller stones.

Good luck with your purchase. I think you'll be very happy with your purchase with WF. I am.

 

[Lynn B]

I also wouldn't worry too much about slightly deeper stones -- in that size, for earrings. My diamond studs are a little deeper than my e-ring, too... and of course I obsessed and agonized over the numbers... but I learned that's not uncommon in stones of that carat weight, and performance was definitely NOT compromised. Oh, I think you are gonna be DEEEE-lighted!

 

[MichelleCarmen]

Hi,
Would you consider going down in clarity? I was looking at similar .40ish, I VS stones and then found that for just a tad more I could get F SI1s. I ended up with both F SI1stones set into WG baskets for $1900 and they are blindingly white!

 

[Finding_Neverland]

I just got a tad over .5 cwt each (1+ tcw studs), I color stones set in 18K WG. One is SI and the other is VS. No color and can''t see the inclusion in the SI.

I actively searched I/J/K for several months after reading other''s comments here. Finally, the right pair came along. I''m so glad I found these and I am absolutely thrilled with them.

As others have said, I believe you''ll be pleasantly surprised with your selection. And you get more bang for the buck too!

 

[AmberGretchen]

MC - I actually wanted lower clarity, eye-clean stones, but couldn''t find that combo of I/J in SI1/SI2, only in the VS''s, except for the one SI1 I posted that Bob said isn''t eye-clean. So I think I''m getting higher clarity, lower color stones, to fit within my budget. This is the pair I''m currently leaning towards - I don''t think the minor size difference (0.06mm) will be visible, do you guys?

0.823 cttw ACA J VS1 stud stones

 

[Lynn B]

Oh AG,
Those look GREAT! I doubt the size difference will be noticeable to the naked eye, and those look like truly killer diamonds! Blazing little firecrackers... YUM! And you stayed in budget!
Yeah... you could probably get a little *bigger* if you went with SI stones... but it comes down to what''s in inventory... or waiting for something to come INTO inventory. And waiting is not MY strongest suit!

Soooo... personally, I''d jump on these, and if they *shrink* in the future... well, that''s what the UPGRADE POLICY is for, right?!!!

 

[AmberGretchen]

Yeah Lynn - my *dream* stats were I SI1''s, but there aren''t any of those in stock, unfortunately. And you''re right - the upgrade policy is always there if I want to go up in size and/or stats. I''m going to think about it some more for the rest of the weekend. I''ve pretty much decided on the 3-prong martini settings as well. I''m with you on waiting not being my strongest suit - plus, I have this evil little voice in the back of my head saying if I can get the order in on Monday, I should have the earrings in my hands in time to take them on our one-year anniversary trip starting July 8, which would be amazing

I''m still torturing myself about the J''s vs. I''s and whether that will bother me, but I''ve set myself a deadline of Monday (or Sunday night rather) to make a decision, because the agonizing is just not productive past a certain point. I will admit that I was strongly influenced by Rascal49 (Michelle)''s pictures of her J SI1 0.80 cttw ACA studs in the other thread - I couldn''t even see the littlest hint of color in those against the white background in the box, so that makes me feel pretty encouraged, since my skin is so fair that they will basically be set against a white background most of the time!

 

[Lynn B]

AG,
I am VERY fair (PALE!) too, and my J (and K!) studs look amazingly white against my skin and hair (also fairly light). I have photos of them posted somewhere around here (in someone''s stud thread, I think)... have you seen them? They are *gorgeous!*

 

[AmberGretchen]

Lynn - I did see the pictures in the stud thread of yours, and they are *GORGEOUS*

athough in the picture your skin actually doesn''t look all that fair - it looks like maybe you have a slight tan or something, like a really pretty pale golden (which matches nicely with your fair hair in that same pic, btw). I have true porcelain skin - its so light that about half the makeup brands I''ve tried don''t even make a foundation light enough to look natural on my skin tone (that''s me and DH in me avatar, although harder to tell in the B+W). But I do have dark hair, so maybe that will balance it out. Like I said, I''m pretty sure I''m going to just pull the trigger on these so I can have them for my anniversary trip, but I have the rest of today and tomorrow to think about it...

Thanks so much for all your advice and insight though - its such a privilege to be part of an online community that has such wonderful knowdlege and is willing to share it and to be so supportive.

 

[AmberGretchen]

OK, just to muddy the waters, I went back and looked at the stones again, and I have to say this pair of I volor VS1/VS2 ES stones are looking awfully tempting as well:

ES I VS1/VS2 0.813 cttw

Can anyone tell me why these weren''t ACAs? I''ve read so many conflicting things about whether or not you can really tell the difference with the ACA''s vs. not. These look like ES''s that just missed being ACAs but I''m not sure why. Help? Anyone?

I do love the nice small tables on these - for some reason I''m really drawn to that nice small table look, especially in the smaller stones.