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Is there something magic about 2 cts?

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Imdanny

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I keep seeing 2 ct rings and posts about wanting 2 ct rings. Even posts from or about women who grew up knowing they wanted a 2 ct ring.
6.gif


Is there something magic about the 2 ct mark?

I remember growing up people used to talk about 1 ct. That was a kind of goal people had, at least people I knew, at least then.

What do you think?

Myself, diamonds start looking "really big" to me at around .75. But maybe this is because I could not afford a 2 ct diamond?
32.gif
 

JulieN

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because a 1 ct is just SOOO common.
2.gif
 

decodelighted

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Growing up in the South in the seventies/eighties ... I thought one carat was the ideal. Going to a private college in the Northeast ... I started hearing variations of the sentiment "under two would never do". Especially from the Long Island contingent.
3.gif
Guess my DH & I split the dif @ 1.5
1.gif
- though its an Asscher so it''s face up appearance is probably more along the lines of the one carat rounds I grew up with.
 

vespergirl

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1 ct is beautiful. Any girl would be happy with that.
 

mrscushion

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Date: 3/16/2009 10:28:21 PM
Author: vespergirl
1 ct is beautiful. Any girl would be happy with that.
Agreed.
 

Kelli

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2 ct. wasn''t magic for me. I had a shot at a VERY cheap consignment one but instead opted for smaller with better cut and clarity.
 

Imdanny

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Date: 3/16/2009 10:28:20 PM
Author: decodelighted
Growing up in the South in the seventies/eighties ... I thought one carat was the ideal. Going to a private college in the Northeast ... I started hearing variations of the sentiment 'under two would never do'. Especially from the Long Island contingent.
3.gif
Guess my DH & I split the dif @ 1.5
1.gif
- though its an Asscher so it's face up appearance is probably more along the lines of the one carat rounds I grew up with.
I didn't know there was a saying for it.
6.gif


Wow.
 

sba771

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For me, it was not so much magic, but more like I worked in a world in NY where what you wear and how you look mattered. (I have since left that world as it made me sick) You were judged on everything. I also explained to my FI that my man hands were huge. I will be honest, I wanted a ''big'' stone, or at least one that faced up big, sadly living and working on the UES got to me a bit. I had really wanted an emerald cut because they can appear larger. In the end we compromised- FI loved round and I loved size
2.gif
To be honest, now that I live somewhere were people don''t even have e-rings I kind of try to hide it because sometimes I get embrassed and also don''t want people making assumptions.

PS- Imdanny, I know I owe you pictures! Seriously, I will dig out my camera tonight I promise!!!
 

atroop711

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I was ALWAYS into big stones...as a kid I had the play jewelry and always has the massive plastic BLING on my hand. It was in me to have some nice finger coverage. I tried on 1ct and it was too tiny on my flintstone fingers. I wanted a 2ct and a custom setting. Due to budget, ended up with 1.77 (close enough
2.gif
). Here in NYC I''ve seen some MASSIVE bling...as a kid going down 5th ave, I would stare into the windows at 47st (Diamond district) and knew that one day I wanted one of those blingy beauties!
30.gif
 

atroop711

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Date: 3/16/2009 10:28:20 PM
Author: decodelighted
Growing up in the South in the seventies/eighties ... I thought one carat was the ideal. Going to a private college in the Northeast ... I started hearing variations of the sentiment ''under two would never do''. Especially from the Long Island contingent.
3.gif
Guess my DH & I split the dif @ 1.5
1.gif
- though its an Asscher so it''s face up appearance is probably more along the lines of the one carat rounds I grew up with.


LOL...so true. My sis moved to Long Island (from Manhattan) for med school and the majority of her mommy friends have at LEAST 3ct
30.gif
(including my sis)
 

sba771

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Date: 3/17/2009 7:23:54 AM
Author: atroop711
Date: 3/16/2009 10:28:20 PM

Author: decodelighted

Growing up in the South in the seventies/eighties ... I thought one carat was the ideal. Going to a private college in the Northeast ... I started hearing variations of the sentiment ''under two would never do''. Especially from the Long Island contingent.
3.gif
Guess my DH & I split the dif @ 1.5
1.gif
- though its an Asscher so it''s face up appearance is probably more along the lines of the one carat rounds I grew up with.



LOL...so true. My sis moved to Long Island (from Manhattan) for med school and the majority of her mommy friends have at LEAST 3ct
30.gif
(including my sis)

My FI keeps warning me since we will be moving to LI when we get back- he is like we can''t keep up with the Jonses! Luckliy I think I will blend in since I grew up on the Main Line. It is so stupid, but sadly it is how it is in those parts
 

atroop711

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Date: 3/17/2009 7:27:16 AM
Author: sba771
Date: 3/17/2009 7:23:54 AM

Author: atroop711

Date: 3/16/2009 10:28:20 PM


Author: decodelighted


Growing up in the South in the seventies/eighties ... I thought one carat was the ideal. Going to a private college in the Northeast ... I started hearing variations of the sentiment ''under two would never do''. Especially from the Long Island contingent.
3.gif
Guess my DH & I split the dif @ 1.5
1.gif
- though its an Asscher so it''s face up appearance is probably more along the lines of the one carat rounds I grew up with.

LOL...so true. My sis moved to Long Island (from Manhattan) for med school and the majority of her mommy friends have at LEAST 3ct
30.gif
(including my sis)


My FI keeps warning me since we will be moving to LI when we get back- he is like we can''t keep up with the Jonses! Luckliy I think I will blend in since I grew up on the Main Line. It is so stupid, but sadly it is how it is in those parts


very true. My sis had a rude awakening moving from East Village of the city (where I''m at) to Muttontown when it came seeing how ppl had the need to keep up with the Joneses
 

makemepretty

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I think 2 ct almost makes you "feel" rich. Even in a rural area where I live, a 1ct isn''t uncommon. A 1 ct is large but not so costly that you can''t put it on lay-a-way or pay on it over time. It costs less than a used car. A 2 ct however, is quite a bit of a jump up in price so you almost have to decide if you want to spend that much on a diamond. I have two sister in laws who each have a 1 carat ring. One ring cost $3,000 range, the other $9,000 range. Big price range there. I used to have a 1.5 ct but due to job loss we sold it. When we had to do that my husband said someday, he''d buy me a 2 ct. Why a 2 carat? Because he wanted me to feel like I deserved a bigger ring for being willing to sell my other one.

I got engaged with a rope gumball machine ring, then upgraded to a blue topaz, then a 1/4 ct, then a 1/3, then a 5/8th, 1.5 and now a 2 carat. I''ve kept the same husband for 18 years of marriage while the rings kept changing. I haven''t even shown my ring to anyone in my family, I wear it for ME. I don''t even wear it all the time because I''m a housewife and I''m always cleaning. I think my husband actually likes the idea of me owning a 2 carat more than I do. It''s more of a "you deserve this for sticking with me through thick and thin".

So, a 2 carat ring is a nice size for not being too much but being still bigger than most people out there.
 

neatfreak

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2 carats is now the new 1 carat...
 

vespergirl

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Date: 3/17/2009 7:23:54 AM
Author: atroop711

Date: 3/16/2009 10:28:20 PM
Author: decodelighted
Growing up in the South in the seventies/eighties ... I thought one carat was the ideal. Going to a private college in the Northeast ... I started hearing variations of the sentiment ''under two would never do''. Especially from the Long Island contingent.
3.gif
Guess my DH & I split the dif @ 1.5
1.gif
- though its an Asscher so it''s face up appearance is probably more along the lines of the one carat rounds I grew up with.


LOL...so true. My sis moved to Long Island (from Manhattan) for med school and the majority of her mommy friends have at LEAST 3ct
30.gif
(including my sis)
Well, as a member of the LI contingent, I have to say that they attitude is true there. I did end up eventually with a bigger stone, but where I live now, no one would look down on a 1 ct stone.

Honestly, no one would say anything about one on LI either, but 2 ct is really more the average there. I do know a lot of friends who have highly included, low color stones that are in the 3-4 ct range there, because size trumps everything else there.
 

Imdanny

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Date: 3/17/2009 5:31:04 AM
Author: sba771
For me, it was not so much magic, but more like I worked in a world in NY where what you wear and how you look mattered. (I have since left that world as it made me sick) You were judged on everything. I also explained to my FI that my man hands were huge. I will be honest, I wanted a ''big'' stone, or at least one that faced up big, sadly living and working on the UES got to me a bit. I had really wanted an emerald cut because they can appear larger. In the end we compromised- FI loved round and I loved size
2.gif
To be honest, now that I live somewhere were people don''t even have e-rings I kind of try to hide it because sometimes I get embrassed and also don''t want people making assumptions.


PS- Imdanny, I know I owe you pictures! Seriously, I will dig out my camera tonight I promise!!!
Thanks!
 

Imdanny

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Date: 3/17/2009 8:43:03 AM
Author: makemepretty
I got engaged with a rope gumball machine ring,
1.gif
 

Imdanny

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Date: 3/17/2009 9:40:01 AM
Author: vespergirl
Date: 3/17/2009 7:23:54 AM

Author: atroop711


Date: 3/16/2009 10:28:20 PM

Author: decodelighted

Growing up in the South in the seventies/eighties ... I thought one carat was the ideal. Going to a private college in the Northeast ... I started hearing variations of the sentiment ''under two would never do''. Especially from the Long Island contingent.
3.gif
Guess my DH & I split the dif @ 1.5
1.gif
- though its an Asscher so it''s face up appearance is probably more along the lines of the one carat rounds I grew up with.



LOL...so true. My sis moved to Long Island (from Manhattan) for med school and the majority of her mommy friends have at LEAST 3ct
30.gif
(including my sis)

Well, as a member of the LI contingent, I have to say that they attitude is true there. I did end up eventually with a bigger stone, but where I live now, no one would look down on a 1 ct stone.


Honestly, no one would say anything about one on LI either, but 2 ct is really more the average there. I do know a lot of friends who have highly included, low color stones that are in the 3-4 ct range there, because size trumps everything else there.
That''s something I don''t understand. I''ll say that flat out. I can see having a 2 ct stone (sure, if you can afford it, why not) but when people get highly included stones just to get to any size mark- well, again, people can spend their money how they want-- I don''t like highly included stones myself, and I always can tell (I don''t know- maybe because this is my hobby) when people have thrown over the other considerations for size. That''s the last thing I''d do.
1.gif
 

chrono

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Date: 3/17/2009 9:29:49 AM
Author: neatfreak
2 carats is now the new 1 carat...
I was about to type this myself. Gee, in today''s economy, many should be happy to even get a ring. Any ring.
 

february2003bride

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Date: 3/16/2009 10:28:21 PM
Author: vespergirl
1 ct is beautiful. Any girl would be happy with that.
Totally agree!
 

Haven

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I think the magic is in what a ring symbolizes, not the size. I would have been happy with a promise and no ring at all.

As for the highly included diamonds you mentioned, imdanny, I haven't seen many of those here on PS. I think we're a pretty discriminating bunch, in general.

3+ ct diamonds abound where I live, and I love it--talk about real-life eye candy! Good thing I could not care any less about keeping up with the Joneses; I am perfectly happy as is.
 

Dancing Fire

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nowadays,girls are getting more greedy.
 

Imdanny

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Date: 3/17/2009 10:45:43 PM
Author: Haven
I think the magic is in what a ring symbolizes, not the size. I would have been happy with a promise and no ring at all.


As for the highly included diamonds you mentioned, imdanny, I haven''t seen many of those here on PS. I think we''re a pretty discriminating bunch, in general.


3+ ct diamonds abound where I live, and I love it--talk about real-life eye candy! Good thing I could not care any less about keeping up with the Joneses; I am perfectly happy as is.
No, I know you''re right, but I remember growing up, two teachers (yes, two) who had big, included diamonds. One of them made a joke one day, and talking out loud, said, "Are your diamonds fake? No, they''re real!" and held out her hand. I remember thinking how ugly these stones were (they were, and what stood out about them were the inclusions, not the size) but of course I never would have said anything, but I thought it.
 

Sharon101

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Date: 3/17/2009 10:04:41 PM
Author: Chrono

Date: 3/17/2009 9:29:49 AM
Author: neatfreak
2 carats is now the new 1 carat...
I was about to type this myself. Gee, in today''s economy, many should be happy to even get a ring. Any ring.
Even a phone call?
9.gif
 

MMT

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2ct still seems pretty big to me
9.gif
9.gif
 

geckodani

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Date: 3/16/2009 10:10:43 PM
Author:Imdanny
I keep seeing 2 ct rings and posts about wanting 2 ct rings. Even posts from or about women who grew up knowing they wanted a 2 ct ring.
6.gif


Is there something magic about the 2 ct mark?

I remember growing up people used to talk about 1 ct. That was a kind of goal people had, at least people I knew, at least then.

What do you think?

Myself, diamonds start looking ''really big'' to me at around .75. But maybe this is because I could not afford a 2 ct diamond?
32.gif
Hee hee. I have a .75. And it looks just perfect to me.
9.gif
In fact, it''s what I asked for. Has some shrinkage set in? Well, maybe a little. But not so badly that I''m ready to trade my beauty any time soon!

Also, my .75 is larger by far than many of the diamonds I see in my area.
 

NovemberBride

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Date: 3/17/2009 7:27:16 AM
Author: sba771

Date: 3/17/2009 7:23:54 AM
Author: atroop711

Date: 3/16/2009 10:28:20 PM

Author: decodelighted

Growing up in the South in the seventies/eighties ... I thought one carat was the ideal. Going to a private college in the Northeast ... I started hearing variations of the sentiment ''under two would never do''. Especially from the Long Island contingent.
3.gif
Guess my DH & I split the dif @ 1.5
1.gif
- though its an Asscher so it''s face up appearance is probably more along the lines of the one carat rounds I grew up with.



LOL...so true. My sis moved to Long Island (from Manhattan) for med school and the majority of her mommy friends have at LEAST 3ct
30.gif
(including my sis)

My FI keeps warning me since we will be moving to LI when we get back- he is like we can''t keep up with the Jonses! Luckliy I think I will blend in since I grew up on the Main Line. It is so stupid, but sadly it is how it is in those parts
It will be interesting to see how the new economy affects the LI contingent. I knew a lot of people in this group well when I lived in Manhattan, and since most of them were traders, i-bankers and lawyers, many of whom have lost their jobs recently, it will be interesting to see how they adapt and adjust their expectations to the new reality.
 

Kelli

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I worked with a lady who had a very big pear stone. (Ok maybe around 2 cts, but where I live, that''s pretty large.) I commented on her big beautiful diamond and she said "We could only afford it because it has a flaw." She stuck her hand out and there was a BIG black carbon spot in the middle. There''s another lady I know who has a 3.5 carater that just looks like gravel when you get closer than from across the room. I heard her say "I''d rather have a big rock than a perfect one."

Perfect?? Maybe not, but come on. It looked like a whitish clear, faceted piece of amber. At least it didn''t have bugs in it though.
3.gif
 

Mariposa

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My mom upgraded to a 2.16 ct after her bout with breast cancer. I was only 11 when she and my dad did this and I was so angry. I loved her original set - it was a simple 0.66ct diamond in white gold with baguettes on either side. Her new diamond looks like a dirty baby tooth and the sentiment (to me anyway) is completely lost.

I''m so glad I''m from Michigan where my 0.58 ACA is just perfect!

Mariposa
 

Imdanny

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I've said this before, but you can go to the VCA website and download their current catalog online (and you can ask them to mail it, and I did).

The engagement rings it shows pictures of are .4, .5, .3, and .5. I'm pretty sure these are in the F VVS2 range.

This is in a catalog where the highest listed price of an item is almost $100,000, and where several pieces have no price listing. For example, there's a three row necklace where the rows are used as the framework for sapphires. There are flowers made of pear shaped sapphires, except every one leaf of each flower is falling away from the flower. It's almost $90,000.

Yet, the e-rings they show are .3 - .5. All of the rings are platinum. The .4 and one of the .5's have pave. The .3 has been chosen because it is not wider than the non-tapering band it sits on top of.

VCA could have shown diamonds of any size. You don't get the sense from reading their stuff that it's a "price is the object" kind of place. I think small stones with top range specifications happens to be a market, and I have to assume that the people who are buying these rings, think that they're the size they should be, that the size fits the ring. You would not expect the rings to look bad in pictures, but they do look great.

I'm pretty sure that if you took any one of these VCA rings and compared it to a mall ring with the same size diamonds or bigger, that these hand made rings would blow the mall rings away. I think it's about the quality of the diamond and the setting. I don't care whether a diamond is even 1 ct! I know. That's unusual, but I don't. A quality cushion at about .75 and RB's from .333 to .6. I guess if I was going to want a bigger diamond I would have gotten the memo by now. I think I'm pretty much set in what I want. It's a personal decision and a matter of individual taste. I don't go in for it "has to be" 1 or 2 myself.
3.gif
 
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