If you can’t afford the stone you want...

[Klynn19]

Wanting a approx. (give or take) 2ct Round preferably (D-G, Excellent/Ideal, more flexible on clarity) but it’s not in my budget right now. I’m looking at more in the 1.5ct range (again give or take).

Just wondering, if you couldn’t afford the stone you want; would you prefer to buy the 1.5 now from a vendor with a great upgrade policy and upgrade later or just save and wait for the 2ct?

 

[amoline]

A 2 carat G-H is not far off the same price as a 1.5 carat D-E.

I guess if I were you it would depend on what you valued most. I think I'd start at 1.5 carats and upgrade later if I felt like it. I know many people say that "diamond shrinkage" is a thing and you get used to the size of a stone, but starting out at 2 carats is significant, and you may find yourself feeling plenty satisfied with 1.5 for some time.

 

[tyty333]

Buy the 1.5 now (put in inexpensive solitaire setting or setting that is easily modified to hold a 2 carat) from a vendor with $1 upgrade policy.

Done

 

[whitewave]

But what you can afford from a hassle free upgrade policy and then upgrade later when you can afford it.

 

[Klynn19]

Who has the best Upgrade Policy here? Wink and Whiteflash? Any other great ones?

 

[bludiva]

Depends on how i would plan to set it. If it would mean a big expense or sunk cost to reset later I'd wait and do it all at once.

 

[mrs-b]

Wanting a approx. (give or take) 2ct Round preferably (D-G, Excellent/Ideal, more flexible on clarity) but it’s not in my budget right now. I’m looking at more in the 1.5ct range (again give or take).

Just wondering, if you couldn’t afford the stone you want; would you prefer to buy the 1.5 now from a vendor with a great upgrade policy and upgrade later or just save and wait for the 2ct?

That's exactly what I'm doing. I started a diamond upgrade project with Blue Nile. Their upgrade policy is tough, because you have to spend double each time you upgrade. but since I'm heading for a large amount, this doesn't really bother me. Also, I'm not convinced I want another round, so I need more options than WF or HPD gives me. August Vintage isn't currently doing upgrades, and GOG has fallen off the radar somewhat. I'm addicted to ideal light performance, so Old World Diamonds are out for me. BGD's upgrade policy is odd and prohibitive. DKJ has an upgrade program, but I've never used it. I think it, too, is a 'spend double' scenario. On the up-side, tho, they can access all shapes.

I had a bunch of money saved up, tho, so I bought a 1.4 I SI1 diamond and had it set in a plain solitaire. I may as well wear the money I've saved while I'm waiting, and since I like stones of all sizes, not getting something huge in the meantime didn't bother me one bit. The ring I currently have I'm using as a travel ring - which is convenient. I don't feel safe wearing a lot of my stuff on public transport, or traveling with it in general. So the travel ring option is a very handy one. But come next year, I'll upgrade again.

So obviously, I vote to get something now.

 

[lovedogs]

Who has the best Upgrade Policy here? Wink and Whiteflash? Any other great ones?

Yup, those are the 2 best.

 

[Klynn19]

That's exactly what I'm doing. I started a diamond upgrade project with Blue Nile. Their upgrade policy is tough, because you have to spend double each time you upgrade. but since I'm heading for a large amount, this doesn't really bother me. Also, I'm not convinced I want another round, so I need more options than WF or HPD gives me. August Vintage isn't currently doing upgrades, and GOG has fallen off the radar somewhat. I'm addicted to ideal light performance, so Old World Diamonds are out for me. BGD's upgrade policy is odd and prohibitive. DKJ has an upgrade program, but I've never used it. I think it, too, is a 'spend double' scenario. On the up-side, tho, they can access all shapes.

I had a bunch of money saved up, tho, so I bought a 1.4 I SI1 diamond and had it set in a plain solitaire. I may as well wear the money I've saved while I'm waiting, and since I like stones of all sizes, not getting something huge in the meantime didn't bother me one bit. The ring I currently have I'm using as a travel ring - which is convenient. I don't feel safe wearing a lot of my stuff on public transport, or traveling with it in general. So the travel ring option is a very handy one. But come next year, I'll upgrade again.

So obviously, I vote to get something now.

Thanks for your reply. Can I ask in what ways HPD and White Flash are limited regarding rounds?

 

[elizat]

But what you can afford from a hassle free upgrade policy and then upgrade later when you can afford it.

Same. And I would do a setting that's not expensive if you know you will plan to upgrade.

 

[mrs-b]

Thanks for your reply. Can I ask in what ways HPD and White Flash are limited regarding rounds?

I believe HPD only sells rounds and WF only offer upgrades on rounds and princess cuts, as they're the only shape they do in the ACA. I could be wrong on that, but I don't believe so.

 

[Dreamer_D]

I did not enjoy the upgrade process. The "placeholders" along the way did not satisfy my wants and thinking about the next step occupied too much mental energy. So I would either change my desired specs to get the size I wanted now or buy something completely different that I could afford and just keep saving for the 2ct. Or I would look on the secondary market to make my money go further. I do not recommend the "upgrade train."

 

[seaurchin]

I don't think I'd want to buy a ring that I knew at the time wasn't what I wanted. Instead, I'd just get a cubic zirconia for the time being and save for the one I really wanted.

I'd want the best deal for the money I was spending rather than be limited to a certain shop's selection, prices and other stipulations over the trade-up deal. And that's assuming they're even still in business when you're ready to trade up.

My second choice after waiting would be to borrow the extra money and get the ring I really wanted.

 

[Klynn19]

I believe HPD only sells rounds and WF only offer upgrades on rounds and princess cuts, as they're the only shape they do in the ACA. I could be wrong on that, but I don't believe so.

Gotcha! Sorry read your original post that that you WERE convinced on another round. My bad!

 

[Victor Canera]

You’ve received some great advice here @Klynn19

If you’re positive that you’d like to move up to a 2ct at some point in time, it would be advisable to do this in an incremental way by going with a slightly smaller stone and upgrading when convenient.

Choosing a vendor that has a $0+ upgrade policy would let you upgrade without having you commit to spending more than the initial purchase. There are a number of vendors that offer such an upgrade policy with super ideal hearts and arrows cut diamonds.

If this is the goal, it wouldn’t make huge sense to spend large sums on a setting. If you have to replace the setting in the future, it would defeat the purpose a little bit by having to pay for two settings when that could have been allotted to the center stone.

Some settings like solitaires with Tiffany types heads could potentially be used for a 1.5ct and 2ct diamonds so that might be something to consider. It might be possible to use a single setting with a 1.7ct and a 2ct center stone. A larger stone would just sit up a little bit higher in the setting than the original smaller stone. The closer you get to your final desired diameter the first time, the easier it becomes to switch out the stones. Halos are pretty sensitive to different stone sizes. I typically recommend a spread of +- 0.2mm for a replacement stone in a halo.

Good Luck!

 

[LLJsmom]

Buy now with vendor with excellent upgrade policy. When you want to upgrade you will probably want to go bigger than 2.0. Perfect time for that.

 

[Dancing Fire]

So I would either change my desired specs to get the size I wanted now or buy something completely different that I could afford and just keep saving for the 2ct. Or I would look on the secondary market to make my money go further. I do not recommend the "upgrade train."

By then I could be dead.... Klynn, Buy the 1.5ct now and enjoy it . You can upgrade later if you so chose to.

 

[Dreamer_D]

By then I could be dead.... Klynn, Buy the 1.5ct now and enjoy it . You can upgrade later if you so chose to.

I mean, I wouldn't personally wait and save. I'd just buy a lower color or buy on the secondary market...

 

[seaurchin]

And always remember MasterCard isn't real money.

 

[Lula]

Personally, I found buying from a vendor with a good upgrade policy much less stressful and time-consuming than shopping on the secondary market. Especially if what you're looking for is a well-cut modern round brilliant. Unless you know exactly what you're looking for, you can waste a lot of time searching secondary market sites. Even if you set up alerts, the amount of junk you have to sift through on the web is staggering. Oh, what I'd give to get the hours back that I wasted trolling ebay and other similar sites! Buy what you can afford from a vendor with a good upgrade policy. It will give you a chance to test your size, color, and clarity preferences in your day-to-day life.

 

[ponyrider]

Seeing as "tomorrow" is never guaranteed, I would either settle for the 1.5 now OR lower my specs (I personally would go down in color, but I don't mind a little color in my diamonds).

 

[baby monster]

I didn't like how a smaller stone looked on me so wore an eternity band until I had the money to buy the size I wanted.

 

[Klynn19]

And always remember MasterCard isn't real money.

Can you tell my husband that!

 

[hypermom]

Personally, I found buying from a vendor with a good upgrade policy much less stressful and time-consuming than shopping on the secondary market. Especially if what you're looking for is a well-cut modern round brilliant. Unless you know exactly what you're looking for, you can waste a lot of time searching secondary market sites. Even if you set up alerts, the amount of junk you have to sift through on the web is staggering. Oh, what I'd give to get the hours back that I wasted trolling ebay and other similar sites! Buy what you can afford from a vendor with a good upgrade policy. It will give you a chance to test your size, color, and clarity preferences in your day-to-day life.

Totally agree with this!

 

[Lula]

Personally, I found buying from a vendor with a good upgrade policy much less stressful and time-consuming than shopping on the secondary market. Especially if what you're looking for is a well-cut modern round brilliant. Unless you know exactly what you're looking for, you can waste a lot of time searching secondary market sites. Even if you set up alerts, the amount of junk you have to sift through on the web is staggering. Oh, what I'd give to get the hours back that I wasted trolling* ebay and other similar sites! Buy what you can afford from a vendor with a good upgrade policy. It will give you a chance to test your size, color, and clarity preferences in your day-to-day life.

*trawling. Though at the time, I did feel like the amount of time I spent stalking certain ebay sellers' sites was more like trolling

 

[diamondseeker2006]

I did the upgrade thing with my diamond studs several times at Whiteflash. I have zero regrets. I kept thinking I was at my final size, but then I'd upgrade just a little more! I like WF because they have a great upgrade policy and probably the largest selection of hearts and arrows diamonds, which was especially important when I was planning to match pairs.

I second what someone else said...buy now and get a very inexpensive setting and save your dream setting for your final upgrade.

 

[Mixtress]

I think it depends on how much you want a ring right NOW. If you would like to have a ring sooner than later, then it makes sense to buy the 1.5 with a vendor who has a great upgrade policy and upgrade to a 2 carat later. If you feel you can wait it out and go without a ring, then continue to save up until you can afford the 2 carat.

 

[headlight]

Buy the 1.5 now (put in inexpensive solitaire setting or setting that is easily modified to hold a 2 carat) from a vendor with $1 upgrade policy.

Done

Ditto that!

 

[MK Malone]

I have had 4 different diamonds/wedding rings in my 30 years of marriage. It would have been very wise to have bought from a vendor with a great upgrade policy. If only!! You could consider and maybe look at a 2 carat ideal round in a H or I color, then upgrade color later (and possibly size, since diamond shrink?)

 

[OoohShiny]

Dare I mention MMDs? lol

But if sticking with Mined, I would be tempted to get the smaller stone now from a vendor with a +$1 upgrade policy and then go larger later - life is short, and increasingly it seems the view is to enjoy now while we can, just in case!