Help me choose a 6 prong setting

[dr_chill]

Nice to e-meet you all!

I have been reading the forum for the last I guess 1 month, but eventually decided just to give it a go and post a new thread hoping to get some nice advices. I'm planning to propose to my girlfriend as soon as I set my mind on the ideal ring. I will try to keep it short with a few key details:

1) Budget ~4500$ for setting and diamond. Diamond will be round. Setting will be in 18K White gold.
2) Carat around 0.60-0.75. Nothing more than this. She is in the medical industry so anything above would hinder her daily tasks.
3) Whiteflash vendor, going for ACA diamond. I prefer to get 0.60 ACA with better colour and clarity than a 0.75-1.00 with less quality.

So I actually can decide on the diamond really fast , but the setting is the problem. I have come down to three options with their pros and cons. Hope you help me decide:

1) The famous Vatche U-113. Looks to me like the best Tiffany replica and my girl ( no surprises) really likes Tiffany. It also sits flush with a wedding band.

My biggest concern here is I am not sure if it will look good on 0.60 carat diamond with the tab prongs. They said claw prongs can be made, but today I found a thread where claw prongs on U113 didn't look good at all. PS members mentioned Vatche are good at tab prongs and it is not a good idea to consider claw. Also claw prongs would make it look less like a Tiffany replica. Tab prongs seems like they overwhelm the diamond.

U-113 on 0.75carat with tab prongs

2) Elegant Tiffany (https://www.whiteflash.com/engageme...fany-style-solitaire-engagement-ring-3581.htm) . Actually this is my favourite, claw prongs looks amazing and the price is half the one on U113. Getting that I might either save 800USD or go with a bigger diamond.

Concern here is I cannot really find any information on that setting anywhere. In addition the ring would not allow to sit flush with a band. Whiteflash website states that thickness is only 1.4mm which to me seems very low.

U113 ( back ) vs Elegant (front). Quality gets bad when I upload but you can still see the more delicate prongs on the elegant setting.

3) CVB Jovyn ( https://www.cvbinspireddesign.com/product/jovyn-ring/) Just WOW. Seems like everything I want is in this ring. Too bad it is not listed in the Whiteflash website. I am even willing to pay the high price for it. Claw prongs are amazing.

Concern here is ... can I buy it and they send to Whiteflash to set the diamond? What is the process ? Is there any guarantee from both vendors ?

As a last note, I have to mention that the engagement ring will be sent to Europe. So I expect to pay some VAT , but that's not an issue. The issue with me not being in the USA makes me reconsider the CVB setting because if there is any problem it might turn into a mess to deal with two vendors on the other end of the world.

And another thing - I know of the Whiteflash Classic Tiffany modification that you guys share here. I do consider it as well, but I couldn't find any examples of the modification with smaller diamond , so I prefer to play safe and not go for it, especially when I am so far away and don't know what I can expect as an end result.

Thanks a lot!

 

[Weecam]

I have Whiteflash’s Elegant solitaire setting in platinum and it’s super comfortable. The prongs are tiny and all you really see is the diamond. I had an Authentic Tiffany & Co. solitaire ring that I purchased preloved before my Whiteflash ACA and I found the knife edge very uncomfortable....

Attached is a picture of Whiteflash’s Elegant solitaire setting with a 1.62ct ACA.

 

[dr_chill]

@Weecam , thank you for your post. That is encouraging. Did you make any modifications to the Elegant Solitaire or just purchased as it is?
Also it seems to me the wedding band sits flush ?

I think the U-113 is considered as soft knife edge, otherwise I would also not prefer knife edge. Don't like how it looks. The comparison with Tiffany is more on the prong style.
Thank you!

 

[lovedogs]

I think tab vs. claw is up to you, but I would 100% stick to the WF settings. Because if you try to get the setting from CVB, you'll have to get it sent to her, buy insurance to protect the stone during setting, and then have her send it to you in Europe. It gets pretty complicated to have 2 vendors working on a ring, especially if you aren't in the US. Plus, the WF options are gorgeous, so I would definitely stick with those. I personally don't think the tab prongs will overwhelm the setting, especially if done by an experienced bench like WF.

 

[Weecam]

@Weecam , thank you for your post. That is encouraging. Did you make any modifications to the Elegant Solitaire or just purchased as it is?
Also it seems to me the wedding band sits flush ?

I think the U-113 is considered as soft knife edge, otherwise I would also not prefer knife edge. Don't like how it looks. The comparison with Tiffany is more on the prong style.
Thank you!

@dr_chill i purchased it as is, no modifications. The band and the diamond eternity ring sit flush against it.
The U-113 is a very popular setting, I’m sure someone will post pictures of that one as well.

 

[dr_chill]

It gets pretty complicated to have 2 vendors working on a ring, especially if you aren't in the US. Plus, the WF options are gorgeous, so I would definitely stick with those. I personally don't think the tab prongs will overwhelm the setting, especially if done by an experienced bench like WF.

This is my reasoning as well. It gets too complicated and too risky.

Regarding the settings from WF ... actually the Vatche setting is not done by Whiteflash, is it ? I mean they send the diamond to Vatche and it is them that make the setting , no ? So isn't it two vendors again working on one ring?


On the claw vs tab prongs Vatche I found this thread -> https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/its-almost-here-u113.225581 and the post by wildcat03 made me reconsider going with claw prongs on U113. I think she has a point:

Vatché does tabprongs beautifully. I haven't seen many examples of their claw prongs and honestly haven't paid much attention to them, because in the end I wouldn't ask Vatché to do claw prongs for me - I'd pick a different vendor who had shown over and over again that they could do them beautifully.

 

[southernicetea]

I loved WF's "elegant" setting in the store as well!

I was strongly tempted to get that one over the Vatche U113 but it didn't quite look right with my stone size. I think the delicate nature of the prongs, taper of the band towards the stone, and your diamond size will look very cohesive. Keep in mind that the band on "elegant" is half-round and tapered towards the stone, vs. the Tiffany (or Vatche U113) is knife-edge and does not taper.

To complicate matters for you, you can ask Vatche to "soften" the knife edge if you're leaning towards Vatche but the knife edge bothers you.

 

[dr_chill]

I loved WF's "elegant" setting in the store as well!

I was strongly tempted to get that one over the Vatche U113 but it didn't quite look right with my stone size. I think the delicate nature of the prongs, taper of the band towards the stone, and your diamond size will look very cohesive. Keep in mind that the band on "elegant" is half-round and tapered towards the stone, vs. the Tiffany (or Vatche U113) is knife-edge and does not taper.

To complicate matters for you, you can ask Vatche to "soften" the knife edge if you're leaning towards Vatche but the knife edge bothers you.

Thanks!
Can you post some picture of the U-113 that you got? I think the U-113 is a soft knife edge by default?What was the size of your stone?

Sorry but all those engagement ring terms overwhelmed me, I think I got what you mean but with English not my native language with "cohesive" do you mean that it would actually look good because the diamond size is smaller?

 

[southernicetea]

Thanks!
Can you post some picture of the U-113 that you got? I think the U-113 is a soft knife edge by default?What was the size of your stone?

Sorry but all those engagement ring terms overwhelmed me, I think I got what you mean but with English not my native language with "cohesive" do you mean that it would actually look good because the diamond size is smaller?

I had semi-custom modified the Vatche U113 and had the basket modified so I don't think you should go by my version. My requests (switching the usual Vatche prongs for tabs, deepening the valleys between the prongs so I can see the culet of the diamond, and thinning out the prongs) made the prongs thinner but wider. In the end, the tabs that hold the diamond look wider than the original Vatche's prongs. Vatche's tabs look otherwise very good though (symmetrical, held the diamond evenly, etc.). WF is currently swapping out my modified basket for the original Vatche U113 basket because my requests completely changed the basket into something that I did not like. This has nothing to do with Vatche's workmanship though--the ring felt very high-quality and some people on this forum really liked the new changes.

I loved the band modifications though-I asked to switch the knife-edge band out for half-round, and I think Vatche softened knife edge a lot. Thus near the stone, it is knife edge but very quickly it becomes half round at half-eternity (between the fingers) and around towards the palms.

My stone is 2.24 carats. The WF elegant setting could have worked but I didn't want a taper towards the stone. With a taper, I didn't want a gap between the engagement ring and wedding ring. The WF elegant basket was beautiful though.

 

[dr_chill]

@southernicetea Thanks! Looks amazing.
I would definitely stick to the original setting. I am curious what are the original Vatche prongs, I was left with the impression they are tabs?

On the Elegant Ring - WF representative also told me it would not allow flush sit, but in the meantime I see Weecam was able to achieve flush with the elegant.

 

[josieKat]

Weecam's is not flush - if you look closely you can see where the wedding band(s) are pushed away from the ering just slightly due to the donut at the bottom of the ering head. Some people prefer this (sometimes even much more of a gap), and others prefer it to be flush, so it just depends on your girlfriend's preferences.

 

[Weecam]

@dr_chill the taper towards the diamond is subtle so the band or eternity ring sits mostly flush but not 100%. There is a small gap near the diamond because of the donut as @josieKat mentioned.

 

[dr_chill]

So actually I started considering the modified Tiffany Knife edge as well, but still my concerns are:

1) U113(1600$) - mostly price, if I go with another option I will save 1000USD* ( price difference + import taxes)
2) Modified Knife edge(1000$) - I really like the modified one, it looks amazing with the claw thinner prongs, but I am not sure if the knife edge even softened will be comfortable for my GF. Her ring size is rather large 7,5. In general she is not used to wearing rings at all so I got nothing to compare with. Knife edge will be risky, just to get it to look like Tiffany ...
3) Elegant(850$) - all that stops me is the non-flush sit, but it is not knife edge, not even softened, so it will be more comfortable and safer bet.

So on the flush question. If the e-ring and the band sit together wouldn't that cause some rubbing between them.I like how it looks with a small gap, but I think this can only be achieved with the Vatche.

@Weecam do you experience any rubbing betting the rings with that setting?

 

[Weecam]

So actually I started considering the modified Tiffany Knife edge as well, but still my concerns are:

1) U113(1600$) - mostly price, if I go with another option I will save 1000USD* ( price difference + import taxes)
2) Modified Knife edge(1000$) - I really like the modified one, it looks amazing with the claw thinner prongs, but I am not sure if the knife edge even softened will be comfortable for my GF. Her ring size is rather large 7,5. In general she is not used to wearing rings at all so I got nothing to compare with. Knife edge will be risky, just to get it to look like Tiffany ...
3) Elegant(850$) - all that stops me is the non-flush sit, but it is not knife edge, not even softened, so it will be more comfortable and safer bet.

So on the flush question. If the e-ring and the band sit together wouldn't that cause some rubbing between them.I like how it looks with a small gap, but I think this can only be achieved with the Vatche.

@Weecam do you experience any rubbing betting the rings with that setting?

I don’t experience any rubbing or discomfort at all @dr_chill and my plain platinum band is a size 5 and the Elegant solitaire is a size 4.5.
I just purchased the platinum band from e-weddingbands.com because I don’t always want to wear an diamond eternity ring. I bought half a size larger as I recently broke my wrist and the 4.5 is still a little tight. All this to say that even though they are different sizes, I don’t experience any rubbing or pinching.
I also like the fact that the diamond sits ever so slightly lower. I tend to bash my rings on things....

 

[southernicetea]

If you're considering the modified WF knife edge, you can check out @Ereeg's thread and his journey. Well, I think he has the modified WF knife edge...but perhaps he can better inform you what he has.

I was concerned about the knife edge and didn't find it comfortable between the fingers. However, many people have commented that once you have the wedding band on (presumably the matching one that is also knife-edged), you don't notice the knife edge at all.

 

[dr_chill]

@Weecam I will be really grateful if you can post some solo ring pictures (not on your hand - like the ones of @southernicetea above ) Thank you!

@southernicetea Now I noticed you mentioned half-round, I really cannot get what that means. I get the tapered towards the head , but it seems to me the rest of the ring is also kinda "flattened"

@All Would you recommend me some modifications for the diamond size I am considering 0.6-0.75carat? Diamond is set at medium according to WF. I have only requested 18K White Gold Palladium alloy that will cost extra 125$, but I think it's better than the nickel.

Should I be worried that the thickness is only 1.4mm ?

I think I like the way Elegant setting looks without any modifications and WF has also sent me some pictures to see real life examples. Therefore I believe I will go with the elegant rather than requesting some modifications that I might not like ( as the example thread I gave with Vatche claw prongs )

 

[southernicetea]

@dr_chill A half-round band refers to a band with a dome shaped top (part not touching finger) with flat interior (part touching finger).

 

[Weecam]

@dr_chill these are the only other pictures I have as I’ve sent the ring in for an upgrade....
Hope this helps.

 

[dr_chill]

I have decided to go with the Elegant, now I want to ask does it make any sense to have an azure(hole) below the head of the ring? By design the elegant doesn't have, unlike the U-113 ( for example).

 

[southernicetea]

I think the azure allows you to access the culet of the diamond for cleaning. I'm not sure how necessary it is though, since presumably an ultrasonic machine can get fluid in between the prongs to clean the diamond.

 

[headlight]

If you haven’t already purchased the mounting here are my thoughts:
Knife edge rings are not comfortable although in the case of the Vatche I believe the edges are more rounded and not as severe (and sharp in my opinion) as the one from Tiffany & Co. However, due to the extra width of the WF elegant, that would sit better as it has a little extra width and because of the taper it will be a better balance... those super thin rings such as the Vatche have a tendency to spin on the finger which is beyond annoying and in my experience just makes it a really unpleasant thing when the E-ring is supposed to bring such immense joy but it’s not joyful when you have to constantly keep taking your pinky finger to move it back into place. I would strongly suggest you not order modifications... this will be a huge hassle if it is not to your liking to rectify and others here have been disappointed when they strayed from the original design as it was intended. Better you select a mounting as it is and you know what it will look like or I think you are opening a Pandora’s box if you get my meaning. As was stated by others here, while I know some have made the Eleganr work for them, a band really doesn’t sit flush and ultimately the 2 metals that touch in such a way will damage one another over time. Because of the work you said she does and needs a comfortable ring, having 2 rings that are not made to fit together perfectly will drive her nuts. I personally have found that when wearing rings together that don’t fit flush is very uncomfortable and I can feel that so the ring does not feel effortless and natural to wear and becomes a nuisance. Clearly others here have not had that that issue so maybe it’s just me. Personally I love the joven mounting but I don’t think you can wear a band flush? On that note, for one that isn’t conducive to wearing flush you could have one made to fit flush back at home. However, custom is custom so you will pay for that, and the band will not be able to be worn on its own as it will be notched in some fashion to fit against the way the E-ring is constructed. But what I wanted to say with regard to having a mounting from 1 vendor and a diamond from another, you could purchase each separately and then have it set at a jeweler local to you. You will pay a setting fee although I don’t know if you get the setting included in these other scenarios or if you are paying anyhow. Of course, you would incur shipping charges for both instead of just one.
With regard to the prongs, they should file them in proportion to the size of the diamond and you can discuss this with WF but I wouldn’t go as far as to change the style of prongs they have deemed best for any particular style. If you aren’t happy and need more modifications not only will you have the hassle of shipping it back and forth internationally at your expense, you will pay for the redo. So lots to consider. Sure love that Joven though.

 

[dr_chill]

@headlight Amazing! Thanks so much for that!

I didn’t purchase yet, but will go with the design as it is, the Elegant has the thin tiny prongs and I actually agree with you and like that taper towards the head. I wouldn’t risk changing anything , especially after reading that modifications didn’t go well for some people and caused a lot of hassle.

Joven setting is amazing, even I as a man can notice the supremacy of that design, but that would require dealing with two vendors and I don’t want to go that way. In addition I will need insurance and considering the high price of the Joven setting I think I will go over my budget. Better to save the hassle and some money.

On the flush fit - yep, unfortunately flush fit will be better for her as she puts on gloves all day, but eventually she can always wear the band and the e-ring on separate hands. There is no law saying they should sit beside each other , so I think there is an easy solution to this or we can try the custom band at home.

I have just three simple questions I would really like your input on. Unfortunately all three are modifications to the ring, but just slightly:

1) Your opinion on the azure ? It costs additional 75$ and I actually doubt my girlfriend is going to benefit from that hole at the bottom. If she is to clean it, she will use professional services, that have the ultrasonic machines I believe.

2) The Elegant is standard construction ( flat on the inside). WF can make the shank comfort fit. That costs additional 175$. I read of all the benefits comfort fit shank provides, but still not sure how worthy it is. Of all the threads I saw I didn’t come across anyone complaining of uncomfortable standard construction fit shank. However I am concerned comfort fit might affect ring size and currently I managed to find the exact ring size ( for standard fit ). Also another concern is that the ring might seems larger and not so appealing.

3) Ring will be purchased in 18K White Gold Alloy(75% gold + … ). I need to decide on 25% nickel based alloy or palladium alloy. I decided to go with palladium but then I started reading that palladium is quite dark , even darker than platinum. I had the idea with palladium because Vatche also makes their rings with palladium alloy and thought it is higher quality, but then I saw the colour issue. Palladium will cost additional $125.

Thank you in advance @headlight . You seem to be so well informed!
Btw what setting is your ring in (assuming the avatar picture is your e-ring) ?

 

[kmoro]

Not sure if this is helpful or not, but if you see a setting by a designer not listed on the WF website, they still may be able to source it for you ... so if you change your mind, it’s a good idea to ask them - they may surprise you.

Also, prongs are fashioned at setting ... so you can request tab or claw or blob or whatever, lol.

I had a setting sent to WF for them to mount the diamond ... it was dumb because WF could have sourced the setting but I didn’t ask (Stuller). However, it was no problem at all ... I think it does void the warranty though .. and it cost $100. Turned out beautifully, imo, and was no hassle at all (for me).

I also highly highly (did I say highly?) recommend platinum. If you must go with white gold, please please get the one with palladium to avoid the chance of allergic reaction to the nickel. Platinum is considered a white metal and is quite beautiful, imo. It does get the “patina’ but it polishes easily and never loses weight or need redipping ... also many people love the patina.

ETA: I meant to mention also that I find prongs always look bigger in pictures ... always, lol

 

[dr_chill]

Hi @kmoro,

Yes, they have the setting service. It costs 100$, I have no idea how that works and how are they going to set the diamond if CVB sends them the complete setting, but I guess it is part of the magic.

CVB also told me they are able to work with WF diamonds, but that the other way around - sending diamond from WF to CVB to set it. Then I need the insurance on diamond. Also CVB are not so responsive to messages.

Believe me it might always turn into a big hassle. After all you deal with two vendors , not one. Anything can happen , for example I have signed the waiver for Whiteflash to work on setting provided by me(Jovyn Setting by CVB) and they might break the prongs while working on the setting , why not ? Then I lose above 1000$ spent on the Jovyn setting, because I have signed the waiver. I know WF are professionals but still …

For the alloy - that’s the reason I want to go with palladium, maybe it’s no coincidence nickel is banned in the European Union, but still I don’t like the patina look(hence not considering platinum as well) and I don’t like the grey colour of the palladium compared to the nickel alloy. I read that palladium is even greyer than platinum. I have no idea if the palladium can be rhodium plated, my guess would be no? Check image below for reference:

1. 18K yellow gold
2. 18K white gold, rhodium plated
3. 18K palladium white gold, not plated

 

[headlight]

@headlight Amazing! Thanks so much for that!

I didn’t purchase yet, but will go with the design as it is, the Elegant has the thin tiny prongs and I actually agree with you and like that taper towards the head. I wouldn’t risk changing anything , especially after reading that modifications didn’t go well for some people and caused a lot of hassle.

Joven setting is amazing, even I as a man can notice the supremacy of that design, but that would require dealing with two vendors and I don’t want to go that way. In addition I will need insurance and considering the high price of the Joven setting I think I will go over my budget. Better to save the hassle and some money.

On the flush fit - yep, unfortunately flush fit will be better for her as she puts on gloves all day, but eventually she can always wear the band and the e-ring on separate hands. There is no law saying they should sit beside each other , so I think there is an easy solution to this or we can try the custom band at home.

I have just three simple questions I would really like your input on. Unfortunately all three are modifications to the ring, but just slightly:

1) Your opinion on the azure ? It costs additional 75$ and I actually doubt my girlfriend is going to benefit from that hole at the bottom. If she is to clean it, she will use professional services, that have the ultrasonic machines I believe.

2) The Elegant is standard construction ( flat on the inside). WF can make the shank comfort fit. That costs additional 175$. I read of all the benefits comfort fit shank provides, but still not sure how worthy it is. Of all the threads I saw I didn’t come across anyone complaining of uncomfortable standard construction fit shank. However I am concerned comfort fit might affect ring size and currently I managed to find the exact ring size ( for standard fit ). Also another concern is that the ring might seems larger and not so appealing.

3) Ring will be purchased in 18K White Gold Alloy(75% gold + … ). I need to decide on 25% nickel based alloy or palladium alloy. I decided to go with palladium but then I started reading that palladium is quite dark , even darker than platinum. I had the idea with palladium because Vatche also makes their rings with palladium alloy and thought it is higher quality, but then I saw the colour issue. Palladium will cost additional $125.

Thank you in advance @headlight . You seem to be so well informed!
Btw what setting is your ring in (assuming the avatar picture is your e-ring) ?

I think you've given great thought to all these elements (yes, I know, it should be much easier!). I give you so much credit... my husband would never do all this for me!
I do want to point out with regard to being able to wear a band sometimes together and sometimes on opposite hands, you need to make sure she has the same size ring finger on both hands! Not everyone does. In fact, I think most people probably do not. So the idea of swapping back and forth might not be doable. I don't even wear a band with my ring. My diamond's mounting is 2.7mm wide which is a nice size width for a ladies band that would be worn on its own so that is all I wear. But I've also been married for almost 30 years so I've done the whole wedding band thing. When you are a new bride you want a wedding band I actually wear my ring on my right hand but that's a whole other story. So, yes, you are right... there are no "rules" as to how the rings should be worn.
As for the hole at the bottom, I don't know if it is absolutely necessary but I do think it would make a difference depending on how low they set the stone. You want to be able to get in there to clean it really well because diamonds are magnets for grease. it is shocking how much "gunk" they attract. Even soap that normally cleans things creates build-up. And it sounds like she is washing her hands all the time. When there is this build-up of stuff on the diamond, and it is always down in the pavilion area, it actually creates light leakage because grease has a higher refractive index than air which changes the critical angle with regard to how light will enter and exit the diamond. My current mounting that I've only had since mid-Feb does not have a hole at the bottom. There is a little space between the culet and the actual bottom of the inside of the mounting but not a lot. I really notice how the yuck builds up throughout the day more than when I used to have basket mountings that had an opening on the bottom. My husband wanted me to have our jeweler remount my diamond and have it sit up higher so there would be more space under there but I like the height it is at and I didn't want the prongs messed with so I'm now a lunatic with trying to keep it as clean as possible. With regard to getting it professionally cleaned, she is not going to want to be doing that a lot. She is not going to want to have to be at the mercy of getting over to the jeweler so her ring can look its best when you have evening plans. I find myself using an ultrasonic and steam each night. She can purchase one for home use. So now that I am writing all this to you I would say spend the extra $75 for the hole to be made so she can clean it easier and just bring your lunch to work for a week and you've got it paid for!
Comfort fit: You are exactly right. My first thought when I read your post was that it will change the ring size. And yes, it can make it be a little more "chunky", less dainty. Also, you would then need to have the band also be comfort fit because clearly there will be a discrepancy if one is one way and the other different... and we are already concerned about finding a band that will work together without having to go custom. Weecam showed her photos above and unless hers is comfort fit, it sure seems to be substantial enough in width to be comfortable.
As for the metal, first off, what makes you choose 18k over 14k? I ask because 18k is softer and better suited for jewelry that takes less wear, like earrings and necklaces. With that said, everyone offers their ring mountings in plat, 14k and 18k so surely people are going with 18k. I went with the 14k because it is a little harder (given less gold and more alloys, hence the gold is the soft part of the mix, so the more gold the softer). You do have to potentially rhodium plate every number of years to bring back the white luster but it is not expensive and is a quick job for the jeweler. However, if you are careful to avoid wearing it in swimming pools, jacuzzis, the ocean, exposure to household cleaning products, etc., you will not have to do it too often. If your girlfriend has an allergy to nickel there's your answer right there. The Palladium, as I've read, would not need to be re-plated. But your color is more like a platinum versus a bright lustrous white. I had platinum for a very long time and chose to go with 14k this round because I didn't like the weight of the platinum as my new mounting is very light and that is what I wanted because I have problems with my finger joints. You will read things that say that over time 14k will wear out. With proper care, it shouldn't happen and, even with improper care, would take decades. If anything, perhaps a prong would need to be remade but she should have the ring inspected every 6 months anyhow. For all you know, she may decide down the road to do a completely different ring altogether. You just don't know. I would get some insight into what WF has to say regarding the metals and have them help you make the best decision as I'm just a single consumer, this is what they do for a living. If the upcharge to get palladium is $175 and it means it will never need to be re-plated, then it is worth it as I'm assuming it is approx. $50 to get re-plated every so many years. So over the course of a long time you will be ahead (but that is a long time depending on how it is cared for). And some people may just think 18K is more high-end or luxurious or whatever. The cost on my ring was nominal between the 2 so for me it wasn't about the cost, it was about 14k being more durable in my mind and understanding (not as soft as 18k). Now that you have raised this question, I am going to see if I can find out what alloy was used in my ring... perhaps it is palladium!
What color grade is the diamond you are getting? Let me know and I will give you more input regarding the color of the metal. That may help you make your decision.
As for how I know "so much" (ha ha) is because I've been through a lot of rings (and a lot of other jewelry). I've made a LOT of really stupid mistakes with my diamond ring(s). It's been a journey and I wish I had been smarter about it. Took me this long to get it right! Oh, and that's how I know a lot about modifications and custom... I've most often been disappointed and had to have things remade so for me it is better to buy something already made so you know exactly what it will look like and there are no (bad) surprises. The jeweler isn't in my head and I'm not in the jewelers head and it is not easy to speak the same language when talking custom, in my experience at least.
My mounting is by Cliq. They make mountings that open and close. I have a big disparity between my knuckle size and the size of my finger where the ring sits so this ring has been wonderful. And I love the lightweight of the 14k vs the platinum, yet this is still a substantial mounting, it is not "cheap" in any way (and certainly not for what they charged!!!). The side view is not anywhere near as pretty as what you are purchasing but I can live with that. For me this ring is about the diamond, not about the setting. I've had many different settings and after all of those I am happy with something very basic.
Please let me know the color of the diamond you are purchasing.

 

[headlight]

Hi @kmoro,

Yes, they have the setting service. It costs 100$, I have no idea how that works and how are they going to set the diamond if CVB sends them the complete setting, but I guess it is part of the magic.

CVB also told me they are able to work with WF diamonds, but that the other way around - sending diamond from WF to CVB to set it. Then I need the insurance on diamond. Also CVB are not so responsive to messages.

Believe me it might always turn into a big hassle. After all you deal with two vendors , not one. Anything can happen , for example I have signed the waiver for Whiteflash to work on setting provided by me(Jovyn Setting by CVB) and they might break the prongs while working on the setting , why not ? Then I lose above 1000$ spent on the Jovyn setting, because I have signed the waiver. I know WF are professionals but still …

For the alloy - that’s the reason I want to go with palladium, maybe it’s no coincidence nickel is banned in the European Union, but still I don’t like the patina look(hence not considering platinum as well) and I don’t like the grey colour of the palladium compared to the nickel alloy. I read that palladium is even greyer than platinum. I have no idea if the palladium can be rhodium plated, my guess would be no? Check image below for reference:

1. 18K yellow gold
2. 18K white gold, rhodium plated
3. 18K palladium white gold, not plated

I totally get what you are saying about the colors of the metal. Let me know what color grade diamond you are getting.

 

[dr_chill]

@headlight,

Thank you so much.
I really hope this thread will be helpful to all others looking for advice.

Also thanks for the compliments , I am flattered. Actually I really thought it is an easy task - you like the setting, you choose the diamond and you have it. Boy , I was wrong ... still I think I am moving really fast. I started researching two months ago and I hope I will seal the deal by the end of May.

So let me reply step by step. Long post ahead...

The azure: Diamond is set at medium height in the Elegant setting. I guess it will allow cleaning and there will be enough space between the culet and the base of the head. You are correct on the use of soap in her daily work and it’s plenty. Actually maybe I need to be more specific - she is an anaesthesiologist and you make imagine the amount of any other liquids , drugs and etc. that she uses which require proper cleaning afterwards. I have even seen blood stains on her clothes, of course don’t imagine she is working in a butchery , it’s clean and sterile environment , but it is rather different than working in an office space.

About going to a jeweller to clean it, the issue wouldn’t be she is not going to wear it, but rather if we can find a trustworthy jeweller we are comfortable with. Trust me the e-rings and diamonds we get here even from reputable mall stores are nothing compared to what I have seen on WF website (price-wise and quality-wise). I will be very restricted to giving a 5K e-ring for cleaning in a store that sells a lower quality ring for 10K. Let me rephrase - if we had Tiffany or WF or any recommended vendor here I wouldn’t bother with the azure and order as it is with cleaning services done by reputable providers.

Hahaha, you really made me laugh on the lunch box part. The additional price (75$) is not an issue, the issue is if it’s worth changing the design with the hole at the bottom as I don’t think anyone considered this. Even for the classic tiffany that many of PSers have - no one mentions modifications with azure at the bottom.

Really not sure on this one as it will require design change. And really not sure if she is ever gonna bother cleaning it through that tiny hole at the bottom. Do you personally manage to get it good cleaned with that ultrasonic machine at home? Hey maybe @Weecam can also give some insights how hard it is to clean it?

---------------------------
Comfort fit: Good point on the wedding band! Actually I can say getting comfort fit I think makes the setting a bit higher as it will be round on the inside too and might allow a band sitting closer. Now the cons - I don’t want to risk going that way as 1) I cannot see the design in person 2) no one seems to have tried that 3) WF assured me that ring size will be the same , however “it will require more metal, making it a bit wider between the fingers”. I am worried on the bit more chunky and less dainty part, my girlfriend has short and rather thick fingers so adding more metal that will make the ring appear chunky - nah, I don’t think that’s the right approach just to get that comfort feeling.

---------------------------
Alloy: I am not sure they have the 14K white gold , website have listed only 18K. I will check with them. On the palladium alloy I have good news. WF will make the 18K White Gold ( 75% yellow gold) with 25% palladium and this will be rhodium plated, so I will get the shiny bright white look. Still they were honest and said this is closer to platinum look but almost no one can say the difference between nickel and palladium alloys. No patina will be developed with the palladium alloy, they assured me. I think we have a winner here.

The 14K white gold alloy is 58.5% gold, 24% copper, 9% zinc, 9% nickel and might cause skin irritation , also according to their info page it is more prone to wear compared to 18K White gold ( https://www.whiteflash.com/about-diamonds/jewelry/an-overview-of-common-alloys.htm - somewhere in the middle of the page ). Seems like it is considered lesser quality.

---------------------------
Diamond colour: I believe I will go in the high-end of G to D. Cut: ACA, Clarity: VS2 or above. Carat size I already mentioned 0.6-0.7 due to her daily duties. Actually I can talk a bit more here, generally I didn’t pick a specific diamond yet as I am going with in-house WF and the selection for that criteria is limited to ~10 stones. I want to say that I am pretty aware I could go with H or I colour, ACA and SI1 clarity which will get me 1 carat stone for the same price, but I don’t aim at getting bigger stone. It is not an issue of affordability but simplicity and practicality. I cannot imagine her walking around working with laryngoscope with 1 carat diamond under her gloves. The only thing I might make compromise here might be the colour , I can go with H , but if the price difference is meaningless 200-300$ then I will get the high-end colours.

Example diamond I really like: https://www.whiteflash.com/loose-diamonds/round-cut-loose-diamond-3964570.htm

I will appreciate insight on the 4 highlighted topics.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THIS!

 

[headlight]

Here's my input based on your latest post:
1. Skip the hole at the bottom - if they leave a little space you will be fine. That "hole" isn't going to do so much! Will cause too much other concern and not worth it.
2. Skip the comfort fit - too many unknowns and it looks quite comfortable in the regular version. No one who owns it here on this site has mentioned issues and they would honestly offer that info if they experienced an issue. We are here to help and share our experiences. Also, having the comfort fit under medical gloves will be really uncomfortable.
3. Alloy - go with their 18k, it sounds great. I think you will be happy. It is going to give you more of the white gold luster look versus the platinum patina look which is what I think you are going for yet you get the benefits of all they have to offer with their 18k. For me it wasn't about the price for 18 or the price for plat, I just wanted 14k for whatever reason and I'm happy. Also, I've changed my mountings so many times I guess in my mindset it wouldn't phase me to change it if I ended up being disappointed.
4. Diamond - go with the size you know she wants rather than bumping it up and going lower on clarity and color than you wanted to. She doesn't want a larger stone so why go there. ACA in VS2 in a D to high G (you don't need to go D)... will be amazing. Since you are open to G, I would suggest you go with F. There is no point in the D as it is incredibly indiscernible to an E but much more pricey. There is a slight difference (slight) from E to F but there is from F to G, so why don't you "split the difference" between your range of D to high G and go with an F. As for there only being 10 to choose from, as my husband always says about everything... you only need 1! I feel confident that if there are 10 ACAs in your size range, clarity, and color range you have plenty of great options.
This is FABULOUS!
So I just checked the link... I didn't see that before I suggested to consider F color and that one is! I am not the expert on ASET images, etc., so I am sure others will weigh in on it. I don't think the arrows are super duper precisely aligned but I don't think you will see it in real life. As I said on another thread yesterday, real life isn't an ASET or scope image. From what i have gathered time and time again on this site from owners of ACAs and other super ideal aficionados, if it qualified for ACA you should feel confident. I did not run it through HCA... maybe someone here can do that for you.

 

[southernicetea]

@headlight,

Thank you so much.
I really hope this thread will be helpful to all others looking for advice.

Also thanks for the compliments , I am flattered. Actually I really thought it is an easy task - you like the setting, you choose the diamond and you have it. Boy , I was wrong ... still I think I am moving really fast. I started researching two months ago and I hope I will seal the deal by the end of May.

So let me reply step by step. Long post ahead...

The azure: Diamond is set at medium height in the Elegant setting. I guess it will allow cleaning and there will be enough space between the culet and the base of the head. You are correct on the use of soap in her daily work and it’s plenty. Actually maybe I need to be more specific - she is an anaesthesiologist and you make imagine the amount of any other liquids , drugs and etc. that she uses which require proper cleaning afterwards. I have even seen blood stains on her clothes, of course don’t imagine she is working in a butchery , it’s clean and sterile environment , but it is rather different than working in an office space.

About going to a jeweller to clean it, the issue wouldn’t be she is not going to wear it, but rather if we can find a trustworthy jeweller we are comfortable with. Trust me the e-rings and diamonds we get here even from reputable mall stores are nothing compared to what I have seen on WF website (price-wise and quality-wise). I will be very restricted to giving a 5K e-ring for cleaning in a store that sells a lower quality ring for 10K. Let me rephrase - if we had Tiffany or WF or any recommended vendor here I wouldn’t bother with the azure and order as it is with cleaning services done by reputable providers.

Hahaha, you really made me laugh on the lunch box part. The additional price (75$) is not an issue, the issue is if it’s worth changing the design with the hole at the bottom as I don’t think anyone considered this. Even for the classic tiffany that many of PSers have - no one mentions modifications with azure at the bottom.

Really not sure on this one as it will require design change. And really not sure if she is ever gonna bother cleaning it through that tiny hole at the bottom. Do you personally manage to get it good cleaned with that ultrasonic machine at home? Hey maybe @Weecam can also give some insights how hard it is to clean it?

---------------------------
Comfort fit: Good point on the wedding band! Actually I can say getting comfort fit I think makes the setting a bit higher as it will be round on the inside too and might allow a band sitting closer. Now the cons - I don’t want to risk going that way as 1) I cannot see the design in person 2) no one seems to have tried that 3) WF assured me that ring size will be the same , however “it will require more metal, making it a bit wider between the fingers”. I am worried on the bit more chunky and less dainty part, my girlfriend has short and rather thick fingers so adding more metal that will make the ring appear chunky - nah, I don’t think that’s the right approach just to get that comfort feeling.

---------------------------
Alloy: I am not sure they have the 14K white gold , website have listed only 18K. I will check with them. On the palladium alloy I have good news. WF will make the 18K White Gold ( 75% yellow gold) with 25% palladium and this will be rhodium plated, so I will get the shiny bright white look. Still they were honest and said this is closer to platinum look but almost no one can say the difference between nickel and palladium alloys. No patina will be developed with the palladium alloy, they assured me. I think we have a winner here.

The 14K white gold alloy is 58.5% gold, 24% copper, 9% zinc, 9% nickel and might cause skin irritation , also according to their info page it is more prone to wear compared to 18K White gold ( https://www.whiteflash.com/about-diamonds/jewelry/an-overview-of-common-alloys.htm - somewhere in the middle of the page ). Seems like it is considered lesser quality.

---------------------------
Diamond colour: I believe I will go in the high-end of G to D. Cut: ACA, Clarity: VS2 or above. Carat size I already mentioned 0.6-0.7 due to her daily duties. Actually I can talk a bit more here, generally I didn’t pick a specific diamond yet as I am going with in-house WF and the selection for that criteria is limited to ~10 stones. I want to say that I am pretty aware I could go with H or I colour, ACA and SI1 clarity which will get me 1 carat stone for the same price, but I don’t aim at getting bigger stone. It is not an issue of affordability but simplicity and practicality. I cannot imagine her walking around working with laryngoscope with 1 carat diamond under her gloves. The only thing I might make compromise here might be the colour , I can go with H , but if the price difference is meaningless 200-300$ then I will get the high-end colours.

Example diamond I really like: https://www.whiteflash.com/loose-diamonds/round-cut-loose-diamond-3964570.htm

I will appreciate insight on the 4 highlighted topics.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THIS!

It's so nice of you to think about all these features for your future wife.

You mention she's an anesthesiologist. I work in a similar field where we have to scrub in/out and use an aseptic method of putting our gloves on. Will she be wearing the ring on a necklace while in the operating room?

I ask because 1) I like my gloves to fit tightly for dexterity, and it's hard to put gloves over an e-ring without the glove exerting some pressure on the ring finger if the ring is still on, and 2) the chemicals we use to scrub in and out of the operating room are pretty harsh, with the first chemical staining everything orange and the second chemical washing off the orange (so no orange stain) but I imagine the second chemical will leave some residue on the diamond. This will happen with day 1 of wearing the ring into the OR. Most people I know take off their jewelry or wear a necklace in the OR.

If she's mentioned that she specifically wants that size diamond for work purposes, then it sounds like she's already taken into consideration the OR issues. If she hasn't, I'd consider getting the size you want and perhaps a necklace to hold her ring for when she has to take the ring off.

 

[headlight]

DEAR PS FRIENDS:
PLEASE CHECK THIS OUT! https://emilyc.com
I recently saw this and thought it was so cool. This seems like a perfect solution for you future fiancé as well as so many others here on PS.
I am seriously considering getting one for myself.
I am also wanting to get one for my mom to wear my late father's wedding ring on a chain.
I wish I thought of this idea! Seems much softer than just a chain.