How close in size for studs?

[Dreamer_D]

How close in diameter do you think two diamonds need to be to be well matched for studs?

 

[JulieN]

Depends on the availability. Easy to find, probably 5% (of surface area). If somewhat hard to find, up to 7 or 8. Very hard to find, case by case.

 

[Rhea]

If you're looking at older cut stones, the stone itself can be of by .2 or more mm. I think it depends on the shape of the stone. My current OECs average 4.34 and 4.37 mm so are pretty close. I'm looking for larger studs and am considering a greater difference, the average mm difference would probably be .15 mm though each stone isn't round is something like 5.3 - 5.45 mm so I don't think the size difference will be noticeable.

For newer, retail purchased studs I'd want a much closer match.

 

[yennyfire]

I currently have a 5.7mm oec at singlestone waiting for Ari to find a match (I got this stone for under $300 b/c it has a decent sized chip, but since I'm planning to bezel them for studs, Ari said it would be fine). Of course, I keep trolling for a cheap match and found a 5.5mm stone and had it sent to Ari to see if the facet pattern and size would work. He said that he felt that the size difference was too much and had me return the stone. I wonder if this is one of those things that needs to be decided on a case by case, stone by stone, basis.

 

[Phoenix]

I currently have a 5.7mm oec at singlestone waiting for Ari to find a match (I got this stone for under $300 b/c it has a decent sized chip, but since I'm planning to bezel them for studs, Ari said it would be fine). Of course, I keep trolling for a cheap match and found a 5.5mm stone and had it sent to Ari to see if the facet pattern and size would work. He said that he felt that the size difference was too much and had me return the stone. I wonder if this is one of those things that needs to be decided on a case by case, stone by stone, basis.

Wow! What a bargain, even with a chip!!

Dreamer, I am a fussy duddy - I just cannot wear studs that are more than 0.05mm difference in diameter!

 

[diamondseeker2006]

I think the size of the stone has a lot to do with it. But my margin is small. For new studs, I get diameters that overlap, such as 5.5x5.58 and 5.7x5.9. I guess if I found great OEC's that were 5.5 and 5.6, I might consider them, but I wouldn't go any greater than that. I would want the size difference to be hard to see side by side. I'd really probably be more like Phoenix with .05, though!

 

[yennyfire]

It was steal and Ari agreed that it was a pretty stone, but we've been looking for a mate for 6 months and so far, nada. I'm trying to be patient because I know that in the end, I'll have gorgeous earrings at a fraction of the price!

Sorry to threadjack Dreamer!

 

[yssie]

I agree that it really depends on the type of stones - and the settings!

I do think w/ OECs you have a bit more give - my new ones are 6.65x6.75 and 6.7x6.88 and they look totally fine face-up right next to each other, because they're off-round so the dimension differences just kinda cancel each other out. The 8 prongs really help - makes both outlines unarguably "round". With RBs, princesses, ECs, other clearly defined shapes that rely on symmetry for clean outlines I'd want them to be more closely matched by the numbers I'd think.

 

[Dreamer_D]

Sorry, of course I mean old cuts, with modern RBS I could just order them nearly identical!

Just toying with ideas, nothing actually on the horizon.

 

[evergreen]

Hee, for my $0.02, I'm pretty sure my whole face is a couple percent larger on one side. I mean, none of us are really symmetrical, especially if you really go looking for differences between your right and left sides. (Please don't. You'll make yourself crazy.) It'd really surprise me if a 5% difference in surface area was noticeable on both sides of your head, what with hair and face and maybe glasses and whatnot all going on in the middle.

I'm wearing a pair of french-hook bezeled pearl earrings that are 8mm and 8.5mm and, though I've noticed the difference since I keep staring at them for e-ring inspiration, I bet you a zillion dollars my boyfriend never has, though I wear them nearly every day. That's 50.26 mm2 vs 56.74 mm2, or about 13% different. And while I totally wouldn't go THAT different for simple diamond studs, I bet 5-7% would be OK.

 

[Dreamer_D]

This matters because I toy with finding a mate for my OEC to make earrings. I am growing my hair so will see them more often. My OEC is 6.2mm and 0.97ct. I could save a fair bit if I can get a "match" that is more like 6mm because it would be in a smaller carat weight, more like 0.85ct.

But I am silly enough that I would care about the match

I am also thinking of a pendant for my OEC, something substantial with a halo or other "booster" design.

And then I also am obsessed with the lovely vatche solitaires everyone and their dog is getting

I think this stone might stay in its "temporary" mounting for a while!

 

[Rhea]

Dreamer, I'm currently working on the match for a 0.75 that I own. It's not an easy task. I found with my smaller set a few years ago that I had some tolerance for size but got quite picky about crown height and culet size. I ended up setting another diamond while I continued to look and found the perfect match. For me, I think I'd try to get a bit closer than 6mm, unless 6mm is the smaller side of the new stone and 6.2 is the larger side of the stone you already own.

 

[Dreamer_D]

Dreamer, I'm currently working on the match for a 0.75 that I own. It's not an easy task. I found with my smaller set a few years ago that I had some tolerance for size but got quite picky about crown height and culet size. I ended up setting another diamond while I continued to look and found the perfect match. For me, I think I'd try to get a bit closer than 6mm, unless 6mm is the smaller side of the new stone and 6.2 is the larger side of the stone you already own.

My diamond is 6.11 x 6.27, though the stone is much more symmetrical that that makes it sound. At most points where I measure it is 6.2.

I don't think I want to find another stud. a) it is difficult and b) I would rather upgrade this diamond than have two this size for the same money and c) I don't *really* need 2cttw studs! LOL!

Story of my life. Every time I think about spending money on settings or anything, I always think "Jeez why would I spend money on that when I could upgrade size?" haha