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Help finding rock of my girlfriend''s dreams

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crackerbarrel

Rough_Rock
Joined
May 28, 2006
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My girlfriend''s fallen in love with this ring: http://www.hsamuel.co.uk/webstore/detail/R/5220157/N/0/?Ntt=aquamarine&Ntk=ALL and can''t stop talking about it. I plan on proposing to her in the near future and would like to get her it as an engagement ring. The only problem is that instead of the aquamarine stone in the centre, I''d like to substitute an emerald cut diamond.

Has anyone seen a ring like this on the Internet for sale with a diamond in place of the aquamarine stone?

If not, and assuming that I would be able to buy the ring with the aquamarine stone removed, I would need to find a replacement emerald cut for the centre of the ring.

I''m going to be in the United States, Amsterdam, Antwerp, and Cairo in the next few months. I''d be extremely grateful if someone could suggest where they think I''d be able to get the best value for money for the centre diamond in the ring. My sense is that Amsterdam and Antwerp might not be the bargains that they''re made out to be for loose diamonds. What about Cairo? Could anyone recommend a reputable jeweler there for the centre stone?
 
Hi Crackerbarrel and welcome
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I cannot help you with any suggestions in cairo but there are several online vendors here in the states who could help you find a center stone and make a setting very similar to the one you linked.

I''d check out Goodoldgold
Engagementringsdirect
Winfield''s
whiteflash
and
Quest Jewelers

you can email them with what you are looking for and your budget and do some comparision shopping. Once you have some stone suggestions from them you can always come back and post the stone and specs here for some opinions if you''d like. You can also do a search on any of the vendors I mentioned to read up on other consumer experiences.
 
Unless you have connections, and know just where to get a "deal," I have heard Amsterdam and Antwerp aren''t great for finding a diamond. I have heard US prices are much better comparatively. You might be able to find that setting by checking out various places that sell engagement ring settings, or maybe a vendor could custom make it for you.
 
Hi everyone,
thanks for your responses to my first question. I was wondering whether it might be best to have the ring custom designed. Could anyone please share their experiences of having an engagement ring made?

Thanks,
crackerbarrel
 
Crackerbarrel, welcome! I would do a search of "custom ring" on here, and you will find a lot of info. Good luck!
 
Hi Crackerbarrel,

I would second mrssalvo''s recommendations for custom work.
 
I would agree that the setting she likes would be easily custom made by WhiteFlash or Quest. It will be easiest if you choose the vendor and have them find you a diamond and then make the setting.
 
If she has fallen in love with the aquamarine ring.....why do you want to get her emerald
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Blod

P.S. Was she thinking about the ring as a RHR when she was admiring it. It might not be what she has in mind for an engagemnent ring. (just a thought)
 
Welcome Crackerbarrel
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I found this by chance while browsing the PS gallery.

http://www.dscaasi.com/engagement/Gemstones/pages/1A2B4.asp

It is similar - ish although with a ruby and this vendor has an excellent rep here, it might be worth asking him if he could make the ring for you as he also sells great diamonds too. I just thought this design was similar to the one you like, they say to contact them if you like the ring or would like a modified version. This has trilliants instead of the clustered rounds but I thought it might be worth posting it for you to see what else is out there. It says on the site that the item can be customized to exact specifications, give them a call or email as I am sure they will be able to help you.





Hope this helps.
 
Hi...I would look into custom making the ring. I had mine done that way with Whiteflash and it was great. I don''t think their prices for custom work is too expensive. All you have to do is call them and once in touch with someone you can email them a picture of what you want done and wait for a quote.

GL
 
Thanks for your help. You''ve all given me some good ideas and links and vendors to follow up with. Oh, and in response to one of the posts, my girlfriend and I have explicitly talked about getting this design as an engagement ring. We just think the aquamarine might date as an engagement ring, and we''d like to get something classic that will always be in style. Thanks again, diamond lovers.
 
Hi everyone,
thanks for all the help you gave me in the past regarding my search for the perfect ring. We went ahead and bought the cheap ring that my girlfriend loved which the aim of getting one made. The actual ring is actually alot dainter and alot more beautiful than the ring in the picture. We are trying to find a 0.75 carat radiant diamond and were offered this:

0.74ct I SI1 GIA
83.9% Depth
76.0% Table
5.97x4.16x3.49
$1,850

Any thoughts or suggestions would be appreciated. As our budget is limited, would you suggest that we scrap this idea and just opt for a round brilliant solitaire on a plain platinum band?

thanks in advance,
crackerbarrel
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Trouble is we have a UK pricescoper here. So whatever he buys is coming through customs and there will be import duty...taxes etc..

So I wouldn't go the ebay route....because it is a 'leap of faith' that you will get what you expected!

However, I would have no hesitation buying from one of the PS online vendors. You will know exactly what you are getting, and even with import taxes etc...you will still be saving £'s.

AND it will be far superior in quality to anything you could buy on the high street in the UK.

Blod
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I''m looking around the Adwar Catalogue for you. You can go through a jeweler who can order the setting (since Adwar doesn''t sell directly to the public). This will be a cheaper way than going custom and there''s a wide selection to choose from.

Link: here

Item # 19906L
 
sorry it''s so hard to see:

adwarffff.jpg
 
What do you think of this? The cluster consists of 6-10pointers in the cluster. That may be a little big depending on how big of a center stone you put in the middle.

Link

18Adwarring.jpg
 
This one might be a little closer to the ring you pointed out. It has 6-3point stones on the sides. They could order this in yellow gold, white gold or platinum I believe. Don't be thrown off by the color of the picture...it's just the design you are looking at.

adwarrrrrr.jpg
 
Does she dream in black and white? Or color?

Sorry.. just could not resist...
 
Hi Crackerbarrel,

This all depends on what your (and your fiance''s) preferences are.

A round brilliant solitaire is much easier to buy because there are so many more of them available, and because we can look at the numbers and narrow down the choices that way. There are some ideal cut hearts and arrows vendors on pricescope I would (and have) buy a round brilliant, h&a from sight-unseen.

A fancy cut (like a radiant) is harder/riskier to buy without seeing in person first.

Also, what is drawing you to the radiant? A well-cut radiant that''s the same carat weight as a round brilliant can look a little bigger than the RB. But you were originally looking at the aquamarine, and then at emerald cut diamonds for the ring. Those have a very cool, classic, understated look to them. A radiant is much more sparkly, and has more the look of crushed ice to it. If it''s sparkle you''re after, nothing beats a well cut, round brilliant. If it''s cool, classic, understated elegance, go for the emerald cut. If it''s the square/oblong shape WITH sparkle, go for the radiant. Remember, the sparklier the stone, the more the inclusions and color can be hidden. With an emerald cut, you have to get a pretty good clarity and color grade. Could be more expensive for you compared to the quality you could go down to in a sparklier cut.

As for the one you''ve been offered, I can''t help you there. I don''t know enough about radiant cuts to know if this is a good one or not. Perhaps a search on the ideal specs of a radiant would help you.

I can only tell you, based on my personal experience, what I would do if I were you (so this may or may not be of any help to you whatsoever
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.

You said you were coming to the US in the next few months?

Are you going to be near NY, Washington, Atlanta or Houston?

If so, I would email or call Whiteflash (Houston), Good Old Gold (Long Island, NY), Engagement Rings Direct (NYC), Quest in Virginia, Pearlman''s, James Allen (Atlanta?) or whatever Pricescope vendor you are going to be near on your trip, and talk with them about the options available with in-house stones, and their cost. Also, send the picture you posted here so they can give you an idea of availability, choices and costs of settings that approximate the one you want.

After settling on one or more stones via phone and/or email, make an appointment to go see them in person while you''re here (bring your money). If you like any of the stones, buy it (make sure you get the Pricescope discount), and then work with the vendor to come up with a setting (either purchased from Adwar, designer, stock, custom), and have them make up the ring and send it to you. They all have good return policies. Pain in the butt from England, but still, better than getting something you regret.

So, that''s what I would do.

Hope this helps. Let us know what you end up doing.

Best,
LizzyD
 
Date: 7/4/2006 8:51:42 AM
Author: crackerbarrel

0.74ct I SI1 GIA
83.9% Depth
76.0% Table
5.97x4.16x3.49
$1,850

Any thoughts or suggestions would be appreciated. As our budget is limited, would you suggest that we scrap this idea and just opt for a round brilliant solitaire on a plain platinum band?

thanks in advance,
crackerbarrel
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Click to expand...
I would be concerned about an I color in a radiant, as radiants trap a lot more color than other cuts. Look at all the luscious yellow radiants...they're cut in that shape for a reason.

83.9 depth is a bit much, although there is that rectangular stone bias. So going on to the measurements, it is a bit small... I expect something closer to 6 x 4.5. Does it fit into your setting?

Also, I do believe 9 k gold is a bit soft, so do have the ring checked regularly.
 
Date: 7/4/2006 3:14:25 PM
Author: JulieN

Also, I do believe 9 k gold is a bit soft, so do have the ring checked regularly.
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Actually I was always told that 9 k gold was far tougher than others
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My wedding ring is 9k and has stood up to 18 years of abuse
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and looks like new....be interesting to find out if it is softer etc or tougher
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