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Is Bigger Always Better?

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SpencerDane

Rough_Rock
Joined
Oct 18, 2016
Messages
33
I have always loved princess cut diamonds. I know that many women love large, flashy diamonds in their engagement rings, but I really do not. I have a simple princes cut solitaire that has a rather small stone and I absolutely adore it. Are bigger stones better? Do they hold up longer or are they just preferred because they show up more and reflect light better than most small stones.
 
I don't think it is at all. Different people have different tastes.
 
That's like asking which is prettier..blue or red?

Pick something that YOU love..whether it's big or small I always say.
 
Bigger is only better if you desire bigger... 8)
 
I would rather have the smaller, high quality, very well cut stone, than the larger, poor quality diamond with poor cutting.

Make that "much rather"
 
Some people just prefer big. I was just thinking about this with my eternity band. It's .10 pt stones and for me I prefer this size because of all the little flashes. Someone else wants .50's. As Kenny says, people vary.
 
Houston|1477339688|4090123 said:
I would rather have the smaller, high quality, very well cut stone, than the larger, poor quality diamond with poor cutting.

Make that "much rather"
Click to expand...

Agreed... but bigger doesn't mean "lesser quality" just like smaller doesn't necessarily mean "high quality"

All things equal, it's whatever you prefer in terms of size. :bigsmile:

Edited to add:

...and what you can afford.
 
No, bigger is not always better. Variety is the spice of life ;-) (except when it comes to husbands... just one PITA husband at a time, please!)

Oh, the irony, my favorite pieces are probably my cheapy plain comfort fit bands from e-weddingbands. :lol: Seriously!
 
Not in my book!
 
Not in my book too.

DK :))
 
Not necessarily. Get the size you like.
 
You know, it's all relative. My diamond is one of the largest in my local group of friends, but when I get together with my PS friends, mine is one of the smallest. I don't worry about it now, even though it took me awhile to adjust to the size I have now. I buy what I love and can afford (with my husband's blessing).

This is really no different than cars, houses, etc. Someone will always have a bigger and better one regardless of what we have. Be content with what you have, or work toward saving for the things that are important to you.
 
honestly
 
I much prefer smaller stones. My largest stone is a ~1.3ct and I think it's massive and I would have preferred a .5. My new cushion os 0.46. I can't imagine sporting some of the doorknobs on here - more power to those who can! - but it just does not jive with my lifestyle or who I am at all.
 
No. Whatever you like is what is best for you. "Better" is not a objective standard, it is a subjective one.
 
msop04|1477331762|4090072 said:
Bigger is only better if you desire bigger... 8)
Click to expand...
Are you referring to diamonds?... :Up_to_something: b/c SIZE means nothing if IT doesn't perform... :wink2:
 
I'm sure she was referring to diamonds. LOL I have to agree with everyone else. Find what you love and stick with it. I have known of people who have stuck their nose up at ladies who did not wear engagement or wedding rings that were not at least a few carats in size. For me, I like diamonds that are no more than 2 carats in size. But, if I found one that was tiny and I absolutely loved it, I would not think twice about getting it put in a gorgeous ring setting and wearing it all the time.
 
Hi Spencer,

As you can tell, your question seems to have an easy answer: get what you like.

Often a well cut smaller stone can appear larger than a bigger stone that is poorly cut, adding a whole new element to the discussion.

But the advice remains: get what you like.
 
Not for me.
Personally I think after Cut and Colour, Clarity and Carat are a budget issue and depending on preferences the balance between the two will be different for every person. For me I would choose quality as I prefer smaller (but no less sparkly!!!) anyway.
I know this to be true because I own diamonds both ends of the spectrum. I have a 2ct D IF perfectly cut diamond. I also have 3 carat diamond studs that are I colour SI clarity. They are *all* nice and yes they all look the same from a distance but put them together and I can tell the difference side by side which of course you can as they are very different specs. Knowing the studs are I SI does disappoint me, I wont lie. I didn't expect any more IF diamonds don't get me wrong but I thought my husband new me better than that. I wold never ever say anything but I feel he sold me out with the studs... I'd have rathered smaller earrings and colourless vvs clarity. That's why I get upset sometimes on these forums when people assume everyone wants bigger. Now I have these huge studs lol... Anyway first world problems!!! Most people would give their eye teeth to have any diamond no matter the size or quality.
 
I lose things, often. I cannot afford to spend thousands of dollars on jewelry of any kind. I live in a city where robberies are common. Therefore, smaller is ALWAYS better for me.
 
I'll play devil's advocate here, and say that sometimes bigger is better. Deep step cuts, like Asscher and Emerald, really are showcased much better in the larger sizes. An 8mm diameter Asscher, or even a 7mm, will show its steps and windmills off much better than a 6mm Asscher will. There might be some other makes that just are better suited to larger sizes. RB can go either way. Princess might fall somewhere in between. There is more than one way to pattern a Princess, and some of those might look better for larger stones than for smaller ones. It's not just the people that vary, haha.
 
I have a 2.28 carat OEC, a 1.59 carat antique pear, and a .93 OEC. My .93 is my best performer. It's SO bright all the way to the edges, that it faces up like a one carat stone. I LOVE my little diamond! :love: :love: :love:
 
I know a lot of women have been conditioned to think that bigger is always better (don't kill me for saying that) but sometimes the smaller stones can be just as exquisite as the huge ones. I know I can't afford a humongous stone for my girlfriend, but it will definitely be beautiful.
 
Objectively, assuming all else equal, yes size is better. To the industry anyways. That's why they cost more. That's why people don't take 2 ct D IF ideal cut rounds and recut them down to .5 ct D If ideal cut rounds.

Doesn't mean there aren't ugly stones at any size. And doesn't mean you can't love whay you have.
 
I think the size and shape of the wearer's hands/fingers make a huge difference and must be part of the formula for what is most flattering. On tiny fingers a big rock can look a bit silly, or even fake! While on big hands a smaller stone may not have the impact desired. So there is no way to make a blanket statement about size.
 
I think the question is odd. Most people have a budget and buy what they think looks nice within that budget. That means deciding which of the four c:s are most important. For some it is carat weight. If you like small stones, congratulations to you. Buy a small stone. I agree with Niel if you want an answer based on statistics.
 
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