How to match diamonds for multiple diamond ring?

[aaronka99]

I am trying to decide what is the best way to match my side diamonds to my center diamond. (Setting will be a princess cut center with two pear shapes on each side) My center diamond is a D, VS1 princess. How should I match them?

Match color of pears to center stone?
Match clarity of pears to center stone? (or both clarity and color?)

And how similar in size and quality should the two pears be?
Same carat weight, clarity, dimensions?

I was planning on matching the colors to the center diamond but I''m not sure if I should get D, or E, or F or if it makes a difference.

Thanks for your input

Aaron

 

[valeria101]

Here are a couple of 'rules of thumb' - part of how I would do it (so just a personal take and suggestion).

- match color within one grade: so D-E
- get them eye clean: so VS1 and VS2 grades are sure bet
- forget carat weight: the cut proportions of a pear can vary so much, that the correlation between size and weight is quite imprecise.
- decide the size you want for the 'look' of the ring and the desired size of it (for example, too big side stones could be tricky to fit on the finger and the outline of the ring will have to change drastically to fit in the extra length).

From all this plus some considerations on cut quality (sure you have seen those AGA charts, for example) will result in an approximation of the weight of the sides you need. Pears are rather 'big' for their weight and thin, long pears are tricky to fit as side-stones... SO the outline of the ring is an important constraint.


And a bit of digression

to plead for a style I found quite interesting:

If you want large sides, short pears are usually the solution to fit them near the center... and hart shapes are close to this 'wide-pear' type. For example, This ring (radiant and harts)

 

[sunseeker]

Aaron, If this is an engagement ring, something you may also want to take into consideration is if a wedding ring will be able to sit flush against this ring. I'm shopping now for an engagement ring AND wedding ring, and am finding that some of the engagement ring settings would not allow a wedding band to sit against it because the side diamonds were either too large or the way they were set would make it hard for another ring to sit flush. Just a little something to consider if this ring will eventually have a wedding ring go with it. Good luck!

~Sunseeker

"This too shall pass"

 

[aaronka99]

thanks for the info valeria, that helps put everything in perspective. I have been looking at carat size and so the dimensions have been frustrating me because I am not finding exactly what I have been looking for. I want shorter wider pears so they are similar to heart shapes. Thanks for the pic of that ring, very nice!

 

[Giangi]

I agree with Ana. Get a very close color grade, D-E would be the best. As for clarity, I don't know what size you're looking at, but most probably even SI 1 would be great. Just pay attention to the cut: avoid deep & shallow stones and be sure to choose a pair with minor bowtie.