Help me choose a diamond for a pendant for Xmas

[longtimelurker]

Well, my Christmas gift this year was a “certificate” good for a diamond necklace! Hubby knows me too well…he wouldn’t dare try to buy me a diamond (what are the odds he’d pick just the right diamond and setting….). So of course I managed to find some time today to browse through my favorite online stores. These are my top contenders. Of course, I can’t wait until the morning to see if any are “eye-clean.” But this will be for a pendant. Which one looks the best? Or is it a toss-up and I should call Whiteflash & have them take a look.

http://www.whiteflash.com/round_ideal_cut/Round-Ideal-Cut-cut-diamond-2167504.htm
http://www.whiteflash.com/round_ideal_cut/Round-Ideal-Cut-cut-diamond-2167508.htm#
http://www.whiteflash.com/round_ideal_cut/Round-Ideal-Cut-cut-diamond-2167505.htm#
http://www.whiteflash.com/round_ideal_cut/Round-Ideal-Cut-cut-diamond-2167506.htm
http://www.whiteflash.com/round_ideal_cut/Round-Ideal-Cut-cut-diamond-2167507.htm#
http://www.whiteflash.com/round_ideal_cut/Round-Ideal-Cut-cut-diamond-2167509.htm
http://www.whiteflash.com/round_ideal_cut/Round-Ideal-Cut-cut-diamond-2167510.htm#
Would one of them look “better” for a pendant? Of course, if all is equal, I’d prefer the one that costs less, but bigger is better. And I know a lot of people would go down in color, but…


Okay, now I know I''m rambling.

 

[longtimelurker]

.

 

[longtimelurker]

4 prong basket

 

[longtimelurker]

halo with unique back

 

[Mara]

I didn''t want to click on all the links...so I didn''t see any of the diamonds.

I would say get the biggest eye-clean well-cut near-colorless stone you can afford for a pendant.

That halo setting is pretty cool, where is it from??

 

[longtimelurker]

Date: 12/26/2005 1:46:42 AM
Author: Mara
I didn''t want to click on all the links...so I didn''t see any of the diamonds.

I would say get the biggest eye-clean well-cut near-colorless stone you can afford for a pendant.

That halo setting is pretty cool, where is it from??

Mara, I''m just going to have to wait for WF to look at them. They all just came in within the last few weeks--all expert selection, all E-G color, all Si2s and all between .7 & .76cts.

The pendant is from Good Old Gold -- the back has been posted before (athough this would be an "inspiration" since there''s a few elements I''d want to change)

 

[longtimelurker]

oops, forgot to post the back

 

[longtimelurker]

Okay, scratch the bezel setting. I think I''ll be putting my $$$ into the stone. So...after Brian looked at the stones, would you take (athough any of the 7 would be a good choice)

the G Si2, which is the cheapest stone. However, it has a crystal under the table, and is not 100% eye clean (when you look at 4" and tilt the stone). But, it''s for a pendant, and it''s very close to the imaginary buget I''ve been playing with in my mind. http://www.whiteflash.com/round_ideal_cut/Round-Ideal-Cut-cut-diamond-2167509.htm


Or

the .76 F Si2, which is the most expensive (approx $400 more). It''s eye-clean (borderline Si1), over the 3/4 carat mark, and Brian''s #1 choice (without knowing the prices)? http://www.whiteflash.com/round_ideal_cut/Round-Ideal-Cut-cut-diamond-2167510.htm

I''ll be setting it like Matadora''s https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/k-is-for.35638/=

 

[Mara]

Tough call...in reality for a pendant it doesn't have to be that 10000% eye-clean but what is your comfort level?

$400 more isn't that much more if you decide you do want it...the larger stone has some additional mm to it but not by much, the measurements on both look similar enough.

I'd go with your gut!!

 

[MissGotRocks]

$400 divided over many years will not be much - sounds like you like the attributes of the F color stone - I say go for that one!

 

[diamondlil]

The way I see it, for $400 more you get a better color (F vs. G), definite eye clean (per expert eyes), and a hair larger (in the mind it''s bigger). I''d go with the 0.76, F, SI2.

 

[FireGoddess]

And definitely that halo setting....it''s stunning, front and back!!

 

[longtimelurker]

I did it! It will be the .76 F Si2 from the expert selection. Many thanks to Brian for spending over an hour talking thru all the different options and how they look... I''m trusting his expert eyes. That''s what I wanted to do/said I would do, however there was a day there where my control freak tendancies were getting the best of me, but in the end I was able to overcome it with a little bit of a zen moment.

And it will be set in a three prong a la kaleigh''s https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/heres-my-new-three-prong-pendant.32204/= (and also Slammies, jenn''s and Tulipcloud''s).

I''m letting go of the halo for now, since I went with the most expensive diamond. I can always upgrade later

The halo above would be my inspiration, but, with several changes. I would make it be three, not four, swoopy things on the back, and have the chain go thru two of them, not hanging down from a chain, and....

Plus, a solitare diamond is more in keeping with "my style."

Okay, cross fingers now that it ships soon.

 

[diamondlil]

Yay!

I love that icy white F!

 

[widget]

Congratulations! I''m sure it will be lovely....

widget

 

[longtimelurker]

It''s here & it''s BEAUTIFUL. I am SO GLAD I asked Brian to pick the best one, and I am SO GLAD that I listened to him! Just to cover all of my bases, I took it to the appraiser, and he thought it was an F VS2, not Si2. The appraiser though I really got lucky and that it should have been sent back for a re-grade

Needless to say, it''s completely eye-clean.

I switched back to the 4-prong setting (it was either that or wait a couple of weeks for the 3 prong to come in). Well, that helped make that decision. I''m going to stick with the 4-prong...the 3-prong was making me a little nervous (but hubby was pushing for it since he liked the look). Plus, I''m really happy with the setting job and I don''t want to jinx it. I really like how these prongs are shaped. I''d also asked for the "ears" to be smaller, and they''re perfect.

I was waiting to get some neck shots, but it has been raining here pretty much nonstop & will be for the forseeable future. So here''s the WF picture.

Many thanks to the WF crew. I finalized the shift to the 4 prong setting on THURSDAY before New Years, and had it on my neck FRIDAY.

 

[longtimelurker]

and here is the 2nd picture from Whiteflash

 

[pebbles]

Just gorgeous! I just put my .38ct in a bezel setting; now I wish I had gone with the 4 prong setting like yours!