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Helping with finding an MRB please!

sweetpea&babycorn

Brilliant_Rock
Joined
Nov 4, 2009
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Hello everyone! I am so excited to be posting this request because my brother is getting engaged! His partner has asked me to help with finding an MRB for my brother's engagement ring. His budget is quite tight for what he is looking for, 3-5k for both the diamond and the ring.

My thought was to ask David Klass to make this ring:

1746060521978_1562786449235870.jpeg

To fit an up to 1 ct MRB, with the best cut he can get for his money, with "mind-clean" clarity, so I think a killer SI2 or SI1 would work, otherwise VS2 to be safe. Color wise I don't think we need a stone that is colorless, but I think he could start seeing a difference around the I/J range, so overall, I think an H/I VS2 to SI2 would get him hopefully close to budget.

I'm not sure how much this ring design would cost - my brother's ring size is a 10.5, but with David's amazing prices, I'm hoping this setting could be below $1200? And that would leave up to $3800 for a stone? I don't think my is open to a lab diamond. I feel like WF would be the best vendor to go to but if there's another website that can offer more options for my future BIL's budget, I'm good with that too as long as the stone is certed etc.

I found these 3 options through WF that are just above potential diamond budget but I think could be worth the small bump in price. All of them look gorgeous to me, but I am more of an antique diamond girly myself:





I also browsed JA and found a few True Hearts options, though I'm not sure how these are any different than an excellent cut diamond from AGS or GIA:




Please help a modern diamond clueless lady out!
 
Hi,
Before finding the diamond, if the budget it tight, you may want to ask DK for a quote on making the ring. You don't say if you what white gold, 14k or 18k or platinum, but gold is high right now so $1200 may not get you there. Once you know the cost of the setting, you can look for a diamond that still keeps you in budget.
 
I like this expert selection diamond. One full carat, G color, VS2 clarity, which I understand is more than you asked for but. . . Wire price 5335.00 which allows a few hundred for a solitaire setting. However, I would consider this in a simple solitaire setting that Whiteflash carries. It can always be reset down the road but I bet she would love it. You would also get the trade in policy with this diamond. I would be proud of this ring! Big, bold flashes of light with that crown angle!! Just something to consider!
Ooops - sorry - I see now that you were looking at 5k max. This would be closer to 6.
 
His partner has asked me to help with finding an MRB for my brother's engagement ring.

I'm not sure how much this ring design would cost - my brother's ring size is a 10.5,

I like this expert selection diamond. One full carat, G color, VS2 clarity, which I understand is more than you asked for but. . . Wire price 5335.00 which allows a few hundred for a solitaire setting. However, I would consider this in a simple solitaire setting that Whiteflash carries. It can always be reset down the road but I bet she would love it. You would also get the trade in policy with this diamond. I would be proud of this ring! Big, bold flashes of light with that crown angle!! Just something to consider!
Ooops - sorry - I see now that you were looking at 5k max. This would be closer to 6.

I think she is looking for a ring for a man. Maybe I'm not searching right but I only found men's bands, not settings at WF.
 
His partner has asked me to help with finding an MRB for my brother's engagement ring.

I'm not sure how much this ring design would cost - my brother's ring size is a 10.5,



I think she is looking for a ring for a man. Maybe I'm not searching right but I only found men's bands, not settings at WF.

Ok, missed that part! I love the tension set mens rings but that would add considerably to the cost. Back to the drawing board!
 
Ok, missed that part! I love the tension set mens rings but that would add considerably to the cost. Back to the drawing board!

That's why I thought she should find the setting first, or ask DK for a quote. Without that, we don't really know the budget for the diamond.
 
and David Klass can provide a diamond for the setting.
 
Thanks for the feedback so far! I emailed David but obviously won’t hear back until after the holiday here in the US.

Based on my search so far, am I heading in the right direction? When I offered the idea of temporary setting my future BIL said he would feel better presenting a complete ring, especially since he knows what my brother wants. He said he could go to 5k but “it better be f*cking good” lol
 
I was just browsing on Etsy and noticed David Klass' shop has a lot of prefab settings listed. If you're curious that may give you an idea of the ballpark price, plus add something for custom if you go that route. Good luck and congratulations to your family!
 
You still haven't told us what metal you that you want. That will of course impact the price that DK charges. His prices are very reasonable, but they have gone up some with the cost of gold, so depending on when a ring in his Etsy store was made, the price may not reflect the higher gold prices. I think waiting for them to give you an estimate is your best bet.
 
Hi again everyone! DK quoted $2250 for the setting in platinum. I shared this update with my future BIL and he was able to increase his budget to 6K, but really no more than that which would allow for the setting and a diamond in the $3800 range

So there we have it - any suggestions on a diamond?!
 
Didn't @kenny have his diamonds set in a non-precious metal by Boone or am I making that up? Is that an option?

Looks like this is $895 in titanium:
1748465244640.png
 
Didn't @kenny have his diamonds set in a non-precious metal by Boone or am I making that up? Is that an option?

Looks like this is $895 in titanium:
1748465244640.png

You're right.

I've had 4 or 5 made, 4 from either titanium or cobalt chrome (my current and favorite).
First was in platinum from Gelin Abaci, which went out of business.

Link: Scroll to post # 10.
2r.jpg

Screen Shot 2022-07-23 at 8.29.14 AM.png

011hm.jpg


12 3M.JPG


0sideslanthm.jpg

0p0ml.jpg
 
You're right.

I've had 4 or 5 made, 4 from either titanium or cobalt chrome (my current and favorite).
First was in platinum from Gelin Abaci, which went out of business.

Link: Scroll to post # 10.
2r.jpg

Screen Shot 2022-07-23 at 8.29.14 AM.png

011hm.jpg


12 3M.JPG


0sideslanthm.jpg

0p0ml.jpg

Great, thank you!

Here's hoping titanium or cobalt chrome will work because that leaves a lot more budget for the diamond.
 
Thanks for this! @kenny whats your take on platinum vs titanium vs chrome for tension setting? The downside perhaps for using platinum in a tension setting is that it is a softer metal, so would that risk anything regarding security to the diamond? I’m also not sure if DK works with metals other than gold, platinum, and maybe silver.

If my brother is set on platinum, I don’t want to dissuade him unless there’s an advantage to using another metal that won’t tarnish, and of course the price piece. He also expressed not being interested in a stone that’s much more than 1ct, maybe 1.2 - 1.25 carat since he has bigger hands.
 
See the pic above of the tarnishing of titanium, vs. cobalt chrome.
My current ring is cobalt chrome; after maybe a decade it still looks like new.

Skipping the precious metal leaves a larger budget for the star of the show, the diamond.
My perfect diamond setting would be invisible.
The diamond would just magically hover over my finger.
More light in, more light out.

The elephant in this room is weather a buyer can let go of all that sentimental meaning fluff, from Market Street, convincing people that the more you spend on the metal the more it "proves" your love. :roll:

I let go of that.
Nearly everyone is ignorant of the truth from physics/science about how metals and alloys compare under specific stresses.
If you want a more certain answer than mine, locate and a degreed metallurgist.
Ask them how platinum and cobalt chrome alloy compare under the specific stresses of a tension setting in terms of never letting the diamond fall out.

BTW tension setting is actually a misnomer.
The metal is pressing on the diamond, not pulling on it, so the diamond is not under tension.
It is under the opposite force, compression.

Be sure to explain the to the metallurgist.
Upon hearing the term tension (s)he may assume the force in question is the opposite of what it really is.
 
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I don’t think DK would make that setting as a true tension setting. He would include a bridge.
 
I don’t think DK would make that setting as a true tension setting. He would include a bridge.

I was thinking this too so I’m looking at the vendors Kenny had mentioned in his linked thread and will reach out to them too
 
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