How much would you pay for mind-clean perfection?

[diamondyes]

…to get a VS1 vs an SI1 that looks the same?
…to get a hand-forged ideal setting, vs one that looks good unless you use a loupe?
…to buy an earth-mined stone vs a lab-created that look identical?

Myself, I have my dream setting but I’ve noticed some imperfections. It’s not obvious and 99% of people would not have noticed. I’m wondering if it’s worth $1000 to have the setting rebuilt. Sometimes I like things more when they were a good deal- if I sink $1000 into this, it’s definitely not a good deal! But mind clean might be worth it.

How do you decide? Give me examples!

 

[nala]

If money can buy you happiness, peace of mind and you have the money to do it—it’s a no brainer. Pay it.
To your specific question—no one else has to notice it or will notice it—I don’t wear my jewelry for anyone but myself.
I posted a thread the other day about colorless bands matching my colorless stone and shockingly, very few notice the difference—except me. Sigh. I can’t trade my eyesight with theirs, lol. So I have to fix it to make me happy. Or change my mindset.

 

[MissGotRocks]

My ering is a VS1 but I have had a SI1 diamond before. It was very eye clean and I didn’t have a problem with it but . . . I love my VS1 diamond! Mind over matter - I don’t know but a VS1 is that for a reason as is a SI1. I paid more for a VS1 and have never regretted it.
As for a setting, I don’t think I would pay more for hand forged unless I was changing it up in a significant way. Eye clean in a setting is not nearly as important to me as it is in a diamond.
I am an earth mined diamond girl all the way. I know my diamond still looks good millions of years later - not sure man made will be able to say the same. I just like mine from the earth even though it is much more expensive!
What is good for one isn’t good for all - that is what makes the world go round!

 

[diamondyes]

Interesting viewpoints so far. I’m hoping to hear from more! Thanks for sharing, Nala and MissGotRocks. I never thought about those angles before.

 

[DejaWiz]

…to buy an earth-mined stone vs a lab-created that look identical?

Why can't a lab grown diamond be mind clean? They are available in extremely high clarity grades assessed by every reputable lab, the same as earth grown are graded.

 

[marymm]

I would not pay more for a VS1 if a SI1 looks the same

I do not loupe my settings. Keep in mind, "hand forged" means just that, made by hand; it doesn't necessarily mean it is flawless or well finished. That said, I am willing to pay what it takes for a custom setting to be well-crafted with excellent finish and polish.

I do not want a lab diamond so cost is not relevant.

I'm with @nala -- I wear my jewelry for myself, and it is only what I think that matters. If something is not finished as it should be, as I ordered it, as I paid for ... then I will go back to vendor for fix/return/refund. If I buy something that is exactly as ordered, but I find out I don't like the design, or the color, or the shape ... that's on me, and I sell it or re-set it or put it away for a while.

YMMV.

 

[elle_chris]

1. to get a VS1 vs an SI1 that looks the same?
Depends on the size. For under 1ct I'm fine with SI1, for larger I prefer VS2

2. to get a hand-forged ideal setting, vs one that looks good unless you use a loupe?
My wedding band is cold forged and that was important to me. I don't care whether or not it looks like a cast ring, I know the quality of my band, and that's all that matters.

3. to buy an earth-mined stone vs a lab-created that look identical?
Again, my jewelry is for myself.
I don't care if mined and lab look identical since what I choose is not based on looks alone, it's based on what "I" perceive is quality and my own preferences.

 

[diamondyes]

Why can't a lab grown diamond be mind clean? They are available in extremely high clarity grades assessed by every reputable lab, the same as earth grown are graded.

Oh sorry! I didn’t mean to imply anything! I know for some people, lab grown wouldn’t work for them even if it looked identical. I was merely trying to think of examples where the difference is only in the price and in the brain, and not so much in the look.

I love lab created stones

 

[Lakefront]

For me it depends on the piece.
I have pieces that are completely mind clean and probably more than others would need as far as specs.
I also have pieces that I love that I have a lower bar for.
Some people have a lower bar for earrings than and engagement ring, etc.

Would I pay to “fix” something? Yes if I had the extra cash (not debt) and it was one of my high bar pieces. Otherwise I’d let it slide and use the money for more jewelry! … or something more practical.

 

[yssie]

Since I buy my jewellery for myself, if it isn’t mind-clean to me then it isn’t going to be something I enjoy.

That said, my own personal bar for what is and isn’t mind-clean changes with time and type of project. If I demanded perfection in every capacity at all times I’d not only be broke, I’d also have no jewellery

 

[Demon]

Luckily for my budget, I don't need perfection - I just need to love it. And I guess I can see why someone would want a D flawless, but to me that's boring. . I love my little diamond in my avatar but if I'd been looking for perfection I wouldn't have it - it has 4 naturals including a tiny one on the crown. and 1 indented natural on the crown (the diamond is only .44, so everything is pretty small). The reports list the imperfections like this:

Twinning wisps
Crystal
Indented natural
Natural

Additional twinning wisps, pinpoints and surface graining are not shown.

And GIA graded it as a VS2

I wouldn't have paid a penny more just to have it cleaner. I like to take out my loupe and look at the inclusions. What I would pay more for is for natural over lab.

 

[diamondyes]

Since I buy my jewellery for myself, if it isn’t mind-clean to me then it isn’t going to be something I enjoy.

That said, my own personal bar for what is and isn’t mind-clean changes with time and type of project. If I demanded perfection in every capacity at all times I’d not only be broke, I’d also have no jewellery

Gasp!!! Do you mean to tell me that you own a piece that isn’t perfect??? Well that just goes to show! They all look perfect to me!

 

[diamondyes]

Myself, I’m finding that if a piece comes to me imperfect, I’m ok with it, but if there’s something wrong with it because I got it resized and they did a bad job or I got a stone set and the claws aren’t lovely- then it’s instant distaste for me!!! But like, I have an antique ring and the halo has a visible blemish in the metal from an iffy repair that predates my ownership… and because it was done before my time with the ring, I’m like: ok, it’s fine. Not my fault haha

 

[diamondyes]

So I made this related thread:

Show me what’s wrong with your ring!

And other jewelry. Show me the failings, the blemishes, the less than perfect craftsmanship. Show me, and tell me why you love it anyways! I’m challenging the perfectionist part of myself. I’m hoping that seeing is believing and hearing your stories will help me. Nothing is perfect, it’s an...

www.pricescope.com

 

[AllAboardTheBlingTrain]

I am a “80% of the way to perfect is good enough” person. I’m picky about prongs - I don’t like my prongs to be visible, so I like either thin, tiny claws or small rounded prongs. That’s about the only thing I notice in a piece of jewelry.

I get my jewelry hand forged as a matter of course, and it matters to me that it’s well made, but I am not persnickety about small imperfections.

In terms of diamonds themselves, while VS1-2 is my sweet spot, I am ok with eye clean SI1 and it wouldn’t bother me to own.

I am weird about lab stones though, I would only want mined stones. I don’t know why, but lab growns are not mind clean for me!

 

[Diamond Girl 21]

I'm going to answer this about my higher end pieces. I certainly have less expensive pieces that I'm not nearly as picky about, but love them nonetheless.

I buy according to my personal tolerance. I'm really color and clarity sensitive, especially with engagement rings. My MRB is a D, VVS2, and my smaller emerald cut is a D, VS1, both natural diamonds. Cut quality is extremely important to me. I love when MRB diamonds fall in that sweet spot of GIA XXX and AGS 0. I would choose a smaller stone with a better cut, color, and clarity over size every time. For modern bracelets and earrings, I'll go as low H, VS2, but still prefer higher color and clarity. I am more accepting of lower color and clarity in vintage and antique stones, as I love their history and charm.

I like well made, heafty settings, and will use a loupe to make sure everything is polished nicely, and gems are set properly.

I love natural diamonds. They are billions of years old, of the earth, and romantic. If I could only have one diamond, it would be natural.

I was slow to accept LGDS, but they have opened up a whole new world to me. I love pink diamonds, but could never afford a natural one. Hello lab grown pinks! I bought a fairly inexpensive one that I absolutely love.

My husband suggested an upgrade for our anniversary a few years ago. I knew I wanted something fairly large, and to achieve that I'd probably have to part with one or both of my other engagement rings. I didn't really want to do that, so I put it off. When Jonathan of Distinctive Gem started custom cutting LGDS, I looked into it and decided to go for it. I'm thrilled with the result. I'm now comfortable owning both natural and LGDS.

I don't believe in universal perfection, one size fits all mentality. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. I shop for what I love, and speaks to me as long as it's within my means.

 

[dk168]

I have limited spare pennies to spend on blings (I too buy my own blings), therefore, there is always some kind of trade off leaning towards best value for money rather than the best of the best.

My 5cttw tennis bracelet with H/I SI2 stones bezel set in 14K WG is a good example.

I could have spend more on getting better colour and clarity stones, however, after checking with my key contact at the bench who assured me the stones would not look like frozen spits, I decided to go for it. And I am glad I did, as the bracelet looks lovely.

With hindsight, I should have drop the gold content to 9K as it would not look any different to 14K once it is Rhodium plated. This is what I have done since - opt for 9K WG for the settings for my lesser CSs.

I am in the process of upgrading the setting for my 1.19ct E VS1 EC, as I realised the current setting which was what I could afford at the time is not as substantial as I like, after bending it out of shape during one drunken session in a pub!

Although it was repaired and hammered back into shape, I have lost confident in the setting, in that I am worried that it may not survive another blow and would snap.

Hence I am having it re-set in the setting that I have always wanted, now that I have more spare pennies for bling and can afford it.

Not sure if the bench I am using for the re-set is going to make a hand-forged setting or cast one. The rough quote I had been provided implied it could be hand-forged, however, I shall double-check when I meet up with the bench in London in early May 2022 to discuss the details.

To be honest, it would not bother me whether it is hand-forged or cast, as long as it is well-made.

I made a decision that I shall not buy another diamond that trumps my 1.19ct E VS1 EC I bought myself for my 40th birthday some time ago.

If I were to buy another diamond, it would be an OEC.

Since I only wear one ring on each hand, with diamond-only ring on my right hand, and already have 2 right hand rings with ECs - the other EC being a small 0.46ct one, I decided to look for a LGD OEC.

Reason for going down the LGD route is down to cost. I would like an OEC near 1ct in weight, and a good earth-mined one would cost 3x as much as a LGD one. It is a no brainer for me not to go down the LGD route.

This new RHR with an OEC is going to be set in Platinum as I am heavy on my hand.

In short, my mind clean is largely based on what I can afford, and am quite happy to opt for lower specs if I cannot tell the difference unaided.

DK

 

[oncrutchesrightnow]

Depends on the thing. I once chose the cheaper of two versions for a setting and there was unevenness in the milgrain and I did not care because the ring was not a giant investment or super meaningful.

 

[caolsen]

I would not pay more for a VS1 if a SI1 looks the same

I do not loupe my settings. Keep in mind, "hand forged" means just that, made by hand; it doesn't necessarily mean it is flawless or well finished. That said, I am willing to pay what it takes for a custom setting to be well-crafted with excellent finish and polish.

I do not want a lab diamond so cost is not relevant.

I'm with @nala -- I wear my jewelry for myself, and it is only what I think that matters. If something is not finished as it should be, as I ordered it, as I paid for ... then I will go back to vendor for fix/return/refund. If I buy something that is exactly as ordered, but I find out I don't like the design, or the color, or the shape ... that's on me, and I sell it or re-set it or put it away for a while.

YMMV.

Ageee, I would never pay the same, or even near, for a VS versus a SI, all things being equal. Color and Clarity are marks of rarity from Mother Earth. Cut, polish, ASET, all that is a mark of man’s technical and artistic work.

 

[Lookinagain]

…to get a VS1 vs an SI1 that looks the same?
…to get a hand-forged ideal setting, vs one that looks good unless you use a loupe?
…to buy an earth-mined stone vs a lab-created that look identical?

• I'm fine with any stone so long as it's eye clean to me and the inclusions don't cause issues with durability, or impact brightness, etc.
• I don't loupe my settings. I've figured out for me, cast settings work best. I had one setting hand forged with lots of pave and it was pretty expensive and now after several years I find it's not my style anymore, but I hate the idea of resetting the stone b/c I paid so much for the setting. Cast settings, at their generally lower price point, are easier for me to part with if my taste changes and I want to reset.
• Mentally, I can't get myself to accept lab diamonds. I'm earth mined all the way.

 

[lovedogs]

I am fairly flexible with stones. I dont even require eye clean (if it's a stone I love). I honestly prefer eye clean SI1 stones, because I know I'm not paying more for something I likely cant see without a loup.

I dont care much about hand forged vs cast, but I will say that someday I want a VC setting because I've adored his work for years and years. But generally speaking hand forged isnt a make or break for me.

Lab diamonds vs natural also doesnt bother me.

Essentially, "mind clean" for me is much broader than I think it is for most folks.

 

[yssie]

I went down the handforged is better forged rabbit hole a few years ago.

Nope. The best method of manufacture depends entirely on
A) What the design is, and
B) What your trusted jeweller prefers

Most of my pieces are cast. A few are a mix of cast and handforged. Only a couple are fully hand-forged. Actually - some of my most perfectly-finished pieces are from Erika Winters, and she casts many components - and I dare anyone to find fault with her workmanship even with a loupe

 

[diamondyes]

I went down the handforged is better forged rabbit hole a few years ago.

Nope. The best method of manufacture depends entirely on
A) What the design is, and
B) What your trusted jeweller prefers

Most of my pieces are cast. A few are a mix of cast and handforged. Only a couple are fully hand-forged. Actually - some of my most perfectly-finished pieces are from Erika Winters, and she casts many components - and I dare anyone to find fault with her workmanship even with a loupe

I agree. Handforged isn’t necessarily better! I should’ve found a better dichotomy to illustrate the vs

 

[Demon]

I am fairly flexible with stones. I dont even require eye clean (if it's a stone I love). I honestly prefer eye clean SI1 stones, because I know I'm not paying more for something I likely cant see without a loup.

I dont care much about hand forged vs cast, but I will say that someday I want a VC setting because I've adored his work for years and years. But generally speaking hand forged isnt a make or break for me.

Lab diamonds vs natural also doesnt bother me.

Essentially, "mind clean" for me is much broader than I think it is for most folks.

Yep. I have two diamonds that are not eye clean, but I love them anyway. The rest you have to use a loupe, but like I said, I enjoy the inclusions.

I've been tempted by a lab diamond, and I might be ok with having one, but only on the D-Z scale. I'd like to be ok with colored lab diamonds, but I just can't get there. At least not yet.