How similar should diamonds in 3-stone ring be?

[cammy85]

I am very new to this forum, and seeing that a lot of other good advice has been given, I was hoping to receive some myself...



I am looking at using two diamonds I already have as side stones for a three-stone ring. I recently had them appriased. They were both F-G-H Color, .31 carat, SI1. The difference is in the cut. He said the one stone had a very nice cut while the other had a slightly deep pavillion. Honestly, I don''t know too much about diamonds, they just both look sparkly to me..

My question is, he said they should be enough of a match to work in a 3 stone ring, would that be accurate? I don''t know too much about the cuts.

Also, for the center stone, I was thinking anywhere from .6-.9 carat with similar characteristics (SI1, good cut, F-G-H color) Would this look ok having these characteristics in a larger stone? Also, I am sure there is a very wide price range, but is there an ''average'' amount I should be looking to spend given those qualities?

Any knowledge would be greatly appreciated. I don''t know very much about diamonds... yet.

 

[vslover]

Date: 2/28/2008 12:36:28 PM
Author:cammy85
I am very new to this forum, and seeing that a lot of other good advice has been given, I was hoping to receive some myself...




I am looking at using two diamonds I already have as side stones for a three-stone ring. I recently had them appriased. They were both F-G-H Color, .31 carat, SI1. The difference is in the cut. He said the one stone had a very nice cut while the other had a slightly deep pavillion. Honestly, I don''t know too much about diamonds, they just both look sparkly to me..


My question is, he said they should be enough of a match to work in a 3 stone ring, would that be accurate? I don''t know too much about the cuts.


Also, for the center stone, I was thinking anywhere from .6-.9 carat with similar characteristics (SI1, good cut, F-G-H color) Would this look ok having these characteristics in a larger stone? Also, I am sure there is a very wide price range, but is there an ''average'' amount I should be looking to spend given those qualities?


Any knowledge would be greatly appreciated. I don''t know very much about diamonds... yet.

The 3 stone in my avatar is a .9 center with .51 sides...sides are H color ideal and center is G color ideal. the measurements of the sidestones were identical in mm...that was very important to me. How close are the measurements of yours? Are the colors close when looking at them with the naked eye?
I''m not much help but figured I''d respond to bump it up!

 

[cammy85]

Date: 2/28/2008 4:24:09 PM
Author: vslover

Date: 2/28/2008 12:36:28 PM
Author:cammy85
I am very new to this forum, and seeing that a lot of other good advice has been given, I was hoping to receive some myself...




I am looking at using two diamonds I already have as side stones for a three-stone ring. I recently had them appriased. They were both F-G-H Color, .31 carat, SI1. The difference is in the cut. He said the one stone had a very nice cut while the other had a slightly deep pavillion. Honestly, I don''t know too much about diamonds, they just both look sparkly to me..


My question is, he said they should be enough of a match to work in a 3 stone ring, would that be accurate? I don''t know too much about the cuts.


Also, for the center stone, I was thinking anywhere from .6-.9 carat with similar characteristics (SI1, good cut, F-G-H color) Would this look ok having these characteristics in a larger stone? Also, I am sure there is a very wide price range, but is there an ''average'' amount I should be looking to spend given those qualities?


Any knowledge would be greatly appreciated. I don''t know very much about diamonds... yet.

The 3 stone in my avatar is a .9 center with .51 sides...sides are H color ideal and center is G color ideal. the measurements of the sidestones were identical in mm...that was very important to me. How close are the measurements of yours? Are the colors close when looking at them with the naked eye?
I''m not much help but figured I''d respond to bump it up!

Thanks for the bump

The side stones differ on mine by 0.1 mm i believe, so not a huge difference. I inherited them, so I''m using them because of their sentimental value. To the naked eye, I really can''t tell a difference, though people who know what they are doing probably see them as mismatched atrocities!

The colors of my side stones are identical to me to the naked eye. I haven''t gotten to check out the eventual center stone ''contenders.''

I know that in the two diamonds I already have, I don''t really notice anything to my eye as inclusions, even though they are SI1 - would that still be true for a bigger stone? Or do small inclusions affect a larger stone differently? If not, I think cut will end up being a big factor, followed very closely by color.

One of these days I will figure out what I''m doing.

 

[gemgirl]

vslover, your stones look so much bigger than that! It''s gorgeous!

Cammy, first find out from your jeweler if the two stones you have match in color. Him giving you a range of colors doesn''t really answer your question. While the ideal is to have all of the stones match, ONE color grade difference won''t matter too much. If they are the same or within one color grade of each other, then you can start shopping for a center stone. Your stones are loose right? because no one can grade stones while they are in a mounting with any degree of accuracy, not even a GIA GG. (The metal will influence color grading as will dirt, body oils and anything else that is reflected from or stuck to or in the mounting).

Next, most three stone rings have a center stone that is twice as large as the side stones, except- for engagement ring three stone rings. If it''s meant to be an engagement ring, then you can make the center stone much more prominant if you''d like to and go to three times the size of the sides. This is just a rule of thumb that most of my GG jeweler friends use.

The most important thing is to find out what you really own first. There''s a noticable difference between an F color stone and an H color stone. Find out what you have, then come back and ask for recommendations for center stones.

 

[gemgirl]

cammy, GIA grades small stones the same way they grade large stones. Grading has to do with the nature, position and number of the inclusion/s within the stone.

Just keep reading everything you can here on Pricescope, both the "chat" and the tutorials and you''ll begin to understand, and if the diamond "bug" really bites you like it has me and a lot of other PSers, enroll in the GIA Graduate Diamonds program. I''m happy I did! Then you''ll REALLY understand.

 

[Diamond*Dana]

My three stone has a .51 center and .27 on each side. They are all F VS2. I did not pick the stones, I have a friend who is also a jeweler who works part time in a shop and also does work for friends at his house...he got the stones from his "diamond guy" and matched them up, so they are matched really well...he did send one back because it was not a good enough match.

Honestly, if the stones look like they match well enough to you, then that is what is important since you are the one that will be wearing it. You should not have any trouble finding an eye clean SI1 in the size you are considering, and I would probably not go more than 1 color grade either way...but again, it is all in what looks good to you!