Help Picking 5 Stone Ring Please

[englishgirl]

Hi All,

I am new to the boards and newly engaged. I have a 1 carat round solitare diamond. The setting style that I want to use is a classic 5 stone wedding band and engagement band (4 stone in the engagment band so I can drop my solitare stone into the band). I am thinking that I want to have approximately 1 carat of stones in both the wedding and engagement band of side stones for a total of 2 carats of side stones. What are your thoughts as to the size/total of stones in my engagement/wedding bands (without my center stone)? Should I go smaller or larger? My hands are fairly average size as I wear about a 6.75 ring.

Any advice or thoughts on helping me to select a ring/diamonds would be appreciated. I know nothing about diamonds or rings.

Thanks so much!

Laura

 

[Dreamer_D]

With the size of your diamond I would not go bigger than about 10 - 15 points pers stone to keep the center stone popping.

 

[Rockdiamond]

I agree with dreamer that sticking at .15ct each- or smaller- is going to give you a better proportion.

I''d also suggest looking into "common prong" settings.
They are less busy, and wear very well, if done properly.

 

[Gypsy]

Okay so you want two rings right? An engagement setting with 4 sides stones for your 1 carat center (bringing total of stones in fully set ring up to 5 stones). AND a five stone wedding band.

Plus you want a certain carat total weight for each rings melee stones (not the center stone).

Here are my thoughts. To go with what you say you want, you would need your engagement setting to have 4 sidestones of .25 carats each. And then your wedding band to have .20 carat each stones. In my opinion, having seen similar engagement settings-- I think the sidestones at this size would be too big and would overwhelm the center stone. I like Dreams suggestion of 10 pointers at the maximum (my preference would be 5 pointers if you are doing two diamond bands and a 1 carat center). Of course your total carat weight of the engagement setting (not including the center) would be .40 carats. And your five stone would be .50 carats.

I personally don't care for 5 stones in that point size though (and my right hand ring finger is similar in size to your finger). I much prefer 7 or 11 stone rings for finger coverage if the point size is in that range, or larger stones in a 5 stone. So if I were you I'd consider 10 pointers in my engagment setting. And then .20 pointers in my five stone. OR... .15 in a 7 stone ring. You may or may not like this look, however.

Best thing I can recommend is to go and try on a ton of rings and see what size stone you prefer with a 1 carat sized center in an engagement setting. And what size diamonds you like with that setting in a wedding ring.

Then there is the question of settings. There are a ton of setting styles for 5 stone bands and settings. Look at the prongs and you'll see the difference in the setttings:

http://www.bluenile.com/diamond-anniversary-ring-platinum_487 common prong

https://www.pricescope.com/idealbb/files/3.2memoriebandplatheadonwithsemitmount.JPG shared prong set

http://www.bluenile.com/diamond-ring-platinum_9717 "Floating single shared prong" (gorgeous, but this one would have to be a stand alone ring).

http://www.briangavindiamonds.com/home/ring-details/?product_id=5446 U prong

http://www.briangavindiamonds.com/home/ring-details/?product_id=5399 Trellis

http://www.memoire.com/catalog/collections.aspx?products=2167 Single prong setting.

The issue with having two bands with diamonds worn together is that they have to be perfectly made to fit together and be worn together, otherwise the diamonds from one will damage the girdles on the diamonds on the other. And will damage the metal. Memoire (last link) is one of the few companies that makes diamond bands that can reliably be worn together (Memory Fit collection) without damage. And while their quality and product is just flat out fantastic... it is pricey. If you are going to have these two rings custom made, I personally would recommend you get them made at the same time, by an excellent jeweler who will be able to fit them and design them to be worn together without damage. You will need a very skilled jeweler for this. With a good warranty to back up their work.

Have you considered a fancier soliataire and a really blingy 2 carat total weight 5 stone? That would give you a ton of options (wear the five stone by itself or with the solitaire), be very safe for wear and also is very practical. Or a three stone engagement ring (maybe pear sidestones for the round center) and a blingy five stone?

Alternately. I'd suggest two half eternity rings... 8 stones on the engagement setting at 10 points each. And an 11 stone band at 10 points each. Custom made for precision side by side wearing by the same vendor.

 

[ImpatientOne]

JMHO, but I would definitely go with 10 pointers or less. My original set had a 1.5 center with 15 pointers in both bands and the center ended up being overwhelmed. I think 25 pointer in the e-ring with a 1 carat stone will be too overpowering, especially if you have 20 pointers in the wedding band as well and plan to wear them together. My 1.5 was lost with smaller stones than that, and I disliked it so much I ended up getting a completely new set.

I ended up switching it out and now have a 1.73 with 10 pointers in both bands and I LOVE this combo.

 

[Gypsy]

I agree Impatient one. I have a seven stone band wtih 7-10 pointers (it's a vintage band, so I don't know the exact point size as I've never unset them for weighing) and I think that two rows of diamonds at that size would overwhelm a 1 carat center by A LOT. If it were me, I'd go smaller (5 pointers) with a 1 carat center. Or just do a blinged out band, but with a less blingly engagement setting (either a lovely metal only solitaire or a three stone ring).