Help PLEASE! choosing ring/most economical way.

[toosamom]

Okay, hopefully that was a good enough headline to get at least a few people in here to give me opinions about my situation. I am currently looking for an engagement ring. My boyfriend wants me to choose it because he wants me to love it since I will wear it every day for the rest of my life. Anyway, I have my wedding ring, ring wrap and a diamond band from my previous marriage. I am trying to figure out a way to get the current ring for as little money as possible because we are saving to buy a house. Do you know if any places that will take your old diamond and give you the value of the first towards the purchase of a new stone? I know that a lot of jewelers around here will do that but only if the diamond you wish to buy is worth double the amount your original diamond was. It would really be nice if I could just do a trade up for however much the difference is. Let's just condense this down for the ease of the responders I hope will join.

1. Does anybody know of a place that allows for a trade-up but without the requirement of being double the price?
2. Do you all consider diamonds That were in an engagement ring and wedding ring to be , this sounds a little too dramatic, CURSED?!
I have a.82ct. Radiant cut Diamond solitaire. If it will help anyone to see the GIA report, just let me know.

I collect gemstones and have a few that I wouldn't mind using as a center stone. Now, if I can upgrade my diamond, the. I would just get a solitaire. On the other hand, if I end up using a gemstone for the ring then I will want a setting That has diamonds. I think that contrast is important to making the ring look polished. If I did it this way, then all I would need to do is to find the right semi mount with diamonds. I really like the look of three stone rings. Anyway. The two stones are attached. I have some photos indoors and outside. One is a 7.5mm round tanzanite. The other one is a cushion cut blue and purple color changing sapphire. I feel like it could be a spinel, but whatever.
3. Do you think I would regret not having a classic diamond ring?
4. Any other suggestions or feedback that you all can give me will be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance!
~Brenda~

 

[toosamom]

Here are some photos of the two stones sitting inside of a ring guard to get an idea of what that might look like. These photos were taken inside. Thanks again!

 

[Snowdrop13]

If it were me (and I'm sure others will not agree with me) I wouldn't want to use the previous set or any money gained from selling/trading in either. I don't believe jewellery can be "cursed" but you are starting afresh, wouldn't it be better to look down at a ring with no other associations? Personally I'd sell or consign that first set and buy something else with the cash!

Both of your coloured stones are pretty, the most economical option might be to pop one of them into a stock setting from somewhere, do you have any ideas about what you'd like? I'm not sure tanzanite is a hard enough stone for daily wear, though.

Another option would be to post your likely budget on here- I've seen Pricescopers come up with some fantastic rings for people even on very small budgets, you'd be amazed!

 

[Gypsy]

Do you have a picture of your radiant?

I don't believe in curses. I don't believe that items like rings become tainted.

That said, I don't know that I'd reuse a diamond in an engagement ring with another man. I mean, I would keep the sucker. But I would probably put it in a pendant or something. Or I'd sell it. Why? I don't believe there is a curse. But the engagement ring is a symbol of your commitment to each other, and I wouldn't want something from my previous relationship mixed up in there. I don't have a problem selling it and using the money. Money is money.

The sapphire looks pretty. And is durable enough for a engagement ring. The tanzinite isn't.


Here's what I'd do. Honestly.

1. Post your GIA lab report. And a couple pictures for us. We will find you comps, so you can know what the current retail price is for your stone. And then we'll tell you what you can reasonably expect on ebay for it.

2. On whatever you day off is, on a nice day, take a TON of pictures of you current ring. Here's a thread about taking pictures of your stone. [URL='https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/how-to-take-good-photos-of-your-diamonds.102989/']https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/how-to-take-good-photos-of-your-diamonds.102989/[/URL] Post them here. Take a good picture of the lab report as well.

3. We will help you list your stone on ebay. You can do an auction on there. We can help you structure the listing in a way that captures a lot of interest and gets you bids.

4. Sell your stone on ebay.

5. Use proceeds of that, plus maybe a little money and get something like this: http://www.jamesallen.com/loose-diamonds/round-cut/0.45-carat-k-color-vvs2-clarity-excellent-cut-sku-1078018 in a setting like this: http://www.jamesallen.com/engagement-rings/solitaire/?OrderBy=Price%20asc For a grand total of $1000. (slightly less, I think we can get you 100 bucks off).

Why? Because that gets you a beautiful diamond solitaire at 5mm for less than 1000 bucks. And you get an upgrade policy. So that later on down the road, you can match the price of the stone, for another 850, and upgrade it to whatever size you want later on down the line.

 

[toosamom]

Hey Gypsy! Thanks for the advice about my ring situation. I don't think !stones are CURSED either. Anyway, I can tak,e some pictures of my old ring now and of the GIA report, but tomorrow I can take some better pictures of the diamond andqthe rings "

 

[Gypsy]

Yes. Good idea.

 

[Fulvia]

I voted to get a new diamond in a new setting, for I think you'll ultimately regret not having gotten a symbol of your new union. In the moment financial pressures often feel overwhelming (don't I know it - my BF and I are also trying to buy a house in a city with a HUGE real estate bubble) but you also need to mark this moment with your new man. And after all: YOLO!

I agree entirely with gypsy: get a ring from a vendor with an upgrade policy so that you have some options in the future. Good luck!

 

[tyty333]

That blue is really pretty...I know IDJ has some halos on ebay that would make for a pretty ring.

3 stone...not sure if it is big enough to hold one of your gems. You would need to talk to IDJ.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/0-24ct-2-Trilliant-Cut-Diamond-Setting-F-VS-18K-White-Gold-/182033804787?hash=item2a620f6df3:g:llYAAOSwe7BWzLXW

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Infinty-Twist-Micro-Pave-Diamond-Semi-Mount-/381471459455?hash=item58d178887f:g:s5UAAOSwxp9W2eOh

http://www.ebay.com/itm/0-65ct-Round-Brilliant-Cut-Diamond-In-Square-Halo-Setting-18K-White-Gold-/381559696426?hash=item58d6baec2a:gxQAAOSwP~tW1yDq

http://www.ebay.com/itm/0-28ct-Round-And-Trillion-Cut-Diamond-In-Pave-Setting-18K-White-Gold-/381547686072?hash=item58d603a8b8:gg4AAOSwezVWw4By

 

[liaerfbv]

I would sell your current set and use the money for a diamond halo setting with the sapphire. Very pretty stones!

 

[soxfan]

Wow. The cushion cut sapphire is gorgeous! I would totally set that and wear as my e-ring.

 

[luv2sparkle]

I would skip the tanzanite. It is too soft to wear on a daily basis and wouldn't hold up in an e-ring. Save that stone for a lovely pendant.

I would also not wear your previous marriage diamond. I don't think it is cursed. It is just a hold over from a old relationship. Your new marriage should be completely yours with no traces of a past relationship. If you had a diamond that hadn't be given to you by a previous husband/boyfriend then I would use that, but this one has.

The sapphire is lovely. I would go with that stone. If it is a standard size that you could later trade for a diamond in your setting, that would be even better.

I hope you find a lovely setting that thrills you!

 

[msop04]

Hi! I really love your sapphire, and I think it would be great for an engagement ring!

If you don't mind not having a diamond, I would absolutely sell the other items and use that money toward the setting you want for the sapphire. I can't wait to see what you decide! CONGRATULATIONS on your engagement -- very exciting!

 

[susief]

How do you and your SO feel about re-using the previous diamond, in a new setting?

There is nothing inherently wrong with doing this. It's just a diamond. You can link whatever meaning you want to it. If you feel you could put its past behind you and wear it again as a symbol of your new relationship, and your SO is happy with this, then do it.

I am not sentimental. I would use a diamond from a previous relationship if I loved it, and if not using it meant I had to settle for a ring that, deep down, I didn't like as much. In your situation I actually would put the radiant in a new setting, and perhaps use it to part-exchange towards a new diamond in a few years for a milestone anniversary when there are more funds. But... I'm not you

Just thought I would throw it out there.

 

[VRBeauty]

I like the idea of using the sapphire somehow. But be forewarned - it's a big sapphire, and if you want diamonds in the ring, they're either going to have to be reasonably sized diamonds (if you're going for a 3-stone look) or there will need to be quite a few of them. Could you use the ring guard you've used for a mock-up somehow? That combination looks pretty nice!

I also like the idea of selling the whole kit and caboodle and putting those funds towards a new set.

 

[toosamom]

I took some pictures. I don't mind selling them. I just don't want to lose a lot of money by doing so. I am not sure where would be the best place to sell it for the best return. It's too bad there isn't just a wait trade it for something comparable. Like I said in the first post, I believe that most of the local jewelry stores require you to purchase a diamond worth double what they give you for the original stone. Also, just for the record, I am the one who wants to be conservative with the spending. He really loves to spoil me, but we both are ready to buy a house. Here are some pictures inside and outside along with one of the GIA report.

 

[toosamom]

Hopefully those pictures are good. All I can see is how dehydrated my skin looks haha! Thanks so very much for all of your input. It is a very exciting and happy time for us!

 

[Gypsy]

It's a pretty ring. I think it's probably worth around 2000, retail. You aren't going to be able to get that but you can hope for 1200 pretty reasonably and maybe even 1400 with the right buyer and listing.

And you can definitely get a nice ring for that.

I'd advise you to get as many nice pictures as possible. Particularly close ups that show the inclusions, if you can capture them.

That's the route I'd go.

 

[toosamom]

It has one feather that is hidden by the prong. I have had two jewelers look at it in the past who had a difficult time finding it. I am pretty sure the diamond was $2,327 for the diamond in 2008.

 

[Gypsy]

Diamond prices go up and down. And every jeweler has different overhead and prices things differently. If it was purchased in a brick and mortar store, they will have different mark ups. And... well, it's not unusual for people to get ripped off (not saying it's what happened).

Right now diamonds are not at the highest point, prices have come down. And radiants aren't terribly popular, unfortunately.

If there is a feather hidden by the prongs, then that needs to be disclosed. It's good you know that! If you have the original receipt you can certainly post it in your listing. But a savvy buyer can check prices online. And that will show stones ranging from 1900-2200 right now for .80-.85 F Si2 GIA.



We always tell people who are selling their jewelry that diamonds are a poor investment for a reason. I hate to be the bearer of bad news. But the reason most people can't sell their stuff is they have an over inflated sense of it's value.

We have no stake in this. You will do what you will. But you asked for advice, and... that the advice.

 

[AprilBaby]

I'm not as sentimental so I would reuse the diamond in a nice setting. Keep the nice size and do something that makes it totally different from the first time.

 

[toosamom]

Gypsy,
It sounds like I must have come off sounding like I didn't respect or trust your advice. I apologize sincerely for having done so. I keep giving more info as I think of it only because I am not sure what tidbit may be important to the discussion and what may not. Had I not respected the opinions of the people in this forum in the first place, then I would not have posted for help initially. I actually see the merit of each option, and that is why I posted! I have really been oscillating between each option so much that I had come to a stand still. I truly appreciate each one of you who has taken time out of your life to help me. However, please tell me if I have come off sounding completely ungrateful sounding, and I will delete my post and will avoid posting again here in the future. I sincerely hope that is not the case. Once again I want to offer my apology to you. Thanks again to all of you!
~Brenda~

 

[Winks_Elf]

Just a thought, but why not think outside the box and go for a nice diamond band instead of the traditional engagement ring? I've had clients decide to forego the traditional diamond solitaire and get a beautiful diamond band or even an eternity band that serves as both engagement and wedding band. You're only engaged for a short period of time, so while it may seem very different while engaged, it wouldn't even make people blink once you're married. There are no rules saying you have to have X, Y, or Z when you get engaged or married, and you can always add a diamond solitaire later on down the road.

 

[susief]

Gypsy,
It sounds like I must have come off sounding like I didn't respect or trust your advice. I apologize sincerely for having done so. I keep giving more info as I think of it only because I am not sure what tidbit may be important to the discussion and what may not. Had I not respected the opinions of the people in this forum in the first place, then I would not have posted for help initially. I actually see the merit of each option, and that is why I posted! I have really been oscillating between each option so much that I had come to a stand still. I truly appreciate each one of you who has taken time out of your life to help me. However, please tell me if I have come off sounding completely ungrateful sounding, and I will delete my post and will avoid posting again here in the future. I sincerely hope that is not the case. Once again I want to offer my apology to you. Thanks again to all of you!
~Brenda~

Did I miss something?

Anyway, I think Winks Elf's idea is a brilliant one. Diamond band now (maybe with proceeds from sale of the radiant, or keep it to set into a pendant). If you still want a big diamond later, it can be a lovely anniversary gift.

 

[iluvshinythings]

I don't think there's any such thing as a curse on a diamond or piece of jewelry but I'm not a big fan of the idea of using your old diamond. That's just my two cents though. I'm not sentimental at all but I look at my wedding ring all the time and I wouldn't want any bad thoughts or memories associated with it. Again, just my thoughts. If you love your old diamond, use it. (When I divorced I sold my old set on eBay - but I wasn't that attached to the diamond)

I do love your sapphire and think it would be outstanding in a new setting. I recently fell in love with a sapphire and wear it a lot with my wedding ring and I feel quite rich and fashionable when I do.

I can see a lot of value in the James Allen idea too. I think that would be a great option too. And I love the idea of a diamond band and skipping the e-ring.

So, basically I'm no help. You have a lot of great options though and you'll end up with something you love.

 

[iluvshinythings]

I forgot to add that my BF (now DH) let me pick my own ring too and I had so much fun shopping and I puffy heart love what I chose. It's just perfect for me.

 

[toosamom]

I was just worried that gypsy thought I came off sounding ungrateful or rude in my replies. I did not intend that and wanted to be sure that I was clear about my appreciation for the help.

 

[toosamom]

Gypsy,
It sounds like I must have come off sounding like I didn't respect or trust your advice. I apologize sincerely for having done so. I keep giving more info as I think of it only because I am not sure what tidbit may be important to the discussion and what may not. Had I not respected the opinions of the people in this forum in the first place, then I would not have posted for help initially. I actually see the merit of each option, and that is why I posted! I have really been oscillating between each option so much that I had come to a stand still. I truly appreciate each one of you who has taken time out of your life to help me. However, please tell me if I have come off sounding completely ungrateful sounding, and I will delete my post and will avoid posting again here in the future. I sincerely hope that is not the case. Once again I want to offer my apology to you. Thanks again to all of you!
~Brenda~

Did I miss something?

Anyway, I think Winks Elf's idea is a brilliant one. Diamond band now (maybe with proceeds from sale of the radiant, or keep it to set into a pendant). If you still want a big diamond later, it can be a lovely anniversary gift.

I was just worried that gypsy thought I came off sounding ungrateful or rude in my replies. I did not intend that and wanted to be sure that I was clear about my appreciation for the help.

 

[toosamom]

I loved the James Allen settings! I am not sure I even know the best places to shop! I really enjoy the process! My birthday is Sunday...here's hoping that I get the reason to finish figuring out what to do soon. Either way, I feel very lucky to have found the one for me. I have no worries about that part and know that I would even wear a bent paperclip as a ring as long as I get to marry him.

 

[RockBrat]

I just wanted to suggest a B&M store since you're limited in your options. If you live near a ShaneCo, they buy diamonds and their trade up policy is you only have to pay an additional dollar. Might be a good option for you if you don't want to do ebay or don't get a buyer. Doesn't hurt to get an evaluation. They have a wide range of diamonds, so do your homework before choosing one. They aren't all graded, but they do sell AGS Ideal diamonds as well as uncerted.

 

[Gypsy]

No apology needed. I wasn't offended.