kmoro
Brilliant_Rock
- Joined
- Sep 13, 2018
- Messages
- 1,083
Hi Everyone!
First, I just want to thank you all for the advice and help that you share with anyone who wants to know! I would never have ended up with such a pretty diamond that I am so pleased with! Being on these boards for the last few months, I have read many posts and see there are a whole lot of fabulous people here.
Anyway, here is my Ridiculous Diamond Journey:
I think I started liking diamonds because of my mom. We always shopped the jewelry store windows, especially looking at the diamond rings. My mother always wanted a diamond ring. By the time she was older and my parents could afford some luxury items, she refused to get one, saying that her hands were too old and ugly. Instead ... she bought me some bling a couple of times ... always modest pieces, but I still have them all today. I think the funniest one was when my best friend got engaged at 20, and my mother went out and bought me an aquamarine and diamond ring, afraid I would just get engaged just to get a diamond ring, lol.
Over the next few decades, I was engaged a couple of times. At each break-up - back went the ring (except one where he insisted I keep it). I got married but when that didn’t work out ... I was struggling and ended up pawning it.
About 10 years ago I bought a 1.05 carat G VS1. My brother, who had by this time been buying SIL huge bling, gave me unending grief over not buying a D FL, lol. At first, I thought he was joking. We discussed the four Cs and I realized that he wasn’t joking. But he was like that - everything had to be the best of the best ... and he could afford it. Eventually, I sold that 1.05 carat diamond ... and was actually heartbroken. I beat myself up over how heartbroken I felt ... it was ... ridiculous.
My brother passed away last year and left me a lot of stuff ... he didn’t make me rich, but suddenly, I can afford a few expensive things.
I thought about buying another diamond and having it set in a solitaire .. then decided it was too expensive. I still wanted some bling, So I bought these (1.25 ctw in 14k white gold)
A couple of months went by ... I wasn’t really feeling like I had the diamond thing I wanted. So I bought these (.90 ctw, G, IF (before PS ok!!!)):
(Sorry these pictures aren’t very good)
Yeah! The earrings were nice ... I liked them better because the diamonds were a bit bigger. I wear them all the time. Except for the fact that they are IF (grrrr), I really love them. But ... I can’t look at them all the time since they are in my ears. I still felt like I needed a diamond.
So ... then I bought this (.62, D, IF - again before PS ... later found it scored 1.4 on HCA):
Another but ... I really wanted something around a carat. I was having a hard time with the price tag. I friend said what ... you’re wasting your money on the thing you don’t REALLY want. I returned the .62 for a refund and decided to go for something just over a carat.
That’s when I re-found PS. I remembered it from many years ago but somehow did not remember/find it when I started my solitaire search. I posted an AGS diamond ... or two (I can’t remember exactly now) ... got some mixed opinions - it was ok because AGS0 but not super-ideal ... then got on the super-ideal band-wagon. I started to look at diamonds on Whiteflash.
I found a beautiful ACA, D color (because of my brother) 1.21 (approx. - can’t quite remember the weight now) VVS1 (also because of my brother ... couldn’t quite bring myself to FL, lol) and ordered it. While I was waiting ... I upgraded to a D 1.424 VVS2 (still close to my brother’s FL but at a value I can live with) ACA. I still wonder how many people upgrade while waiting, lol. I guess I started to think maybe I could get away with something closer to 1.5 carats, and thought 1.424 would be a good value as it was just under. I watched the video and seemed a bit more spectacular than the other diamond. I found a setting, ordered that ... it was all good, I settled in for the four week wait.
I did that, all in my typical internet shopping style - educated myself as much as possible and spoke to no one, lol.
Eventually, I got this (1.424 ACA in A. Jaffe platinum setting):
I loved loved loved the ACA! Oh my gosh! I know most go for more size, but I got the ring in “Memory of Wil Moro,” I wanted the diamond to be among the best of the best, rare and a bit over the top - just like my brother. Except ... I noticed the diamond took on a blue hue a lot of the time .... I knew that AGS “negligible” did include fluorescence up to just under medium but took my chances, thinking maybe, at the most, it would be faint.
But then I found this:
Hmmmm. This looked pretty close to medium to me. This would be fine - it’s a beautiful blue - except ... I just didn’t like the blue tone that the diamond took ... a lot more often than expected. Also, I felt that I didn’t get the best value ... for example, if I had it graded by GIA and it came back as “faint” or “medium,” this would decrease the market value. Don’t get me wrong - I’m not trying to put down the preference for fluorescence, but if I wanted it, I would have gone for a BGD Blue, where the diamond had been screened for any ill effects, and where I got the price advantage. Suddenly, it was obvious that I, the ultimate internet shopper, should have interacted with a person after all, and I should have asked them to check the diamond for me. Oooops!
However, there I was with this fabulous upgrade policy. I checked the site ... thinking the 1.424 didn’t look too large for everyday wear ... maybe I could go a bit bigger ... I discovered the thing ... bigger diamonds are more beautiful to me. I didn’t see anything on the site that I wanted. I placed a notification request for a diamond with the spec’s that I wanted ... D, VVS2, around 1.6 - 1.75 carat. I don’t have the smallest finger size, but I do have small hands, social circle, blah blah. I just feel best staying under two carats for everyday and Safeway, lol.
Whiteflash checked with the cutters and let me know that there was nothing with my preferences in the works. They offered the custom cut in three size ranges ... I picked the 1.7 - 1.75 option. And waited. And waited. I didn’t just wait, I waited in the worst way possible. I worried and stressed. I second-guessed everything. When the images came in, I worried about them too. I had just worked myself into that state. My poor Whiteflash rep became half counsellor, lol. Magen did a fantastic job of dealing with me! I give her a ton of credit.
While I was waiting, I was heavily critiquing my setting. I liked it a lot. From the top it was all about the diamond, with a thin and slightly tapered band, four prongs NSEW ... some melee on the side ... really loved it ... just felt like it looked .... not quite right for my hand.
Then @icy_jade posted a pic of her ring .. a floral Stuller setting. I fell in love with it. I noticed that her two carat diamond was set slightly higher in the setting, making the petals look more like an outline than a main feature (the way it looks on the Stuller site). I didn’t think that Whiteflash dealt with Stuller (duh, again, I should have asked - because they do!) ... so I sourced the setting through Good Old Gold, where David did an outstanding job for me. He was also part counsellor and an amazing human being. I got the setting for with a 7.4 mm head, knowing my diamond would be slightly bigger and would sit slightly higher, the way that I wanted. I sent the setting to Whiteflash so that they could set the new diamond when it came in.
FINALLY, IT HAPPENED!!! I received my new ring!!!! I LOVE my new diamond that Whiteflash sourced - before it was cut, I was assured the diamond had no fluorescence... and it doesn’t.
During the whole process, the entire Whiteflash team went above and beyond any expected level of customer service! They sent me chocolates for my birthday and flowers when my daughter was in the hospital! They sent me a gorgeous trinket tray as a thank you! Even Bryan was personally involved. They continue to back me up with JM. Just an amazing, amazing team!!
I have to give a shout out to David at Good Old Gold as well ... I had complained about my bad hips and being housebound - he sent me a sticker by number book to keep occupied!
Amazing experience!! Thank you to EVERYONE involved - and that includes the PS family!!!!
That concludes my Ridiculous Diamond Journey.
Apparently, I can’t attach more than 10 pictures to a message, so here are four pics ... I’ll have to do separate threads for the rest ... I’ve got about 40!!! I hope you all don’t mind!!! I am REALLY showing you the bling, lol.
First, I just want to thank you all for the advice and help that you share with anyone who wants to know! I would never have ended up with such a pretty diamond that I am so pleased with! Being on these boards for the last few months, I have read many posts and see there are a whole lot of fabulous people here.
Anyway, here is my Ridiculous Diamond Journey:
I think I started liking diamonds because of my mom. We always shopped the jewelry store windows, especially looking at the diamond rings. My mother always wanted a diamond ring. By the time she was older and my parents could afford some luxury items, she refused to get one, saying that her hands were too old and ugly. Instead ... she bought me some bling a couple of times ... always modest pieces, but I still have them all today. I think the funniest one was when my best friend got engaged at 20, and my mother went out and bought me an aquamarine and diamond ring, afraid I would just get engaged just to get a diamond ring, lol.
Over the next few decades, I was engaged a couple of times. At each break-up - back went the ring (except one where he insisted I keep it). I got married but when that didn’t work out ... I was struggling and ended up pawning it.
About 10 years ago I bought a 1.05 carat G VS1. My brother, who had by this time been buying SIL huge bling, gave me unending grief over not buying a D FL, lol. At first, I thought he was joking. We discussed the four Cs and I realized that he wasn’t joking. But he was like that - everything had to be the best of the best ... and he could afford it. Eventually, I sold that 1.05 carat diamond ... and was actually heartbroken. I beat myself up over how heartbroken I felt ... it was ... ridiculous.
My brother passed away last year and left me a lot of stuff ... he didn’t make me rich, but suddenly, I can afford a few expensive things.
I thought about buying another diamond and having it set in a solitaire .. then decided it was too expensive. I still wanted some bling, So I bought these (1.25 ctw in 14k white gold)
A couple of months went by ... I wasn’t really feeling like I had the diamond thing I wanted. So I bought these (.90 ctw, G, IF (before PS ok!!!)):
(Sorry these pictures aren’t very good)
Yeah! The earrings were nice ... I liked them better because the diamonds were a bit bigger. I wear them all the time. Except for the fact that they are IF (grrrr), I really love them. But ... I can’t look at them all the time since they are in my ears. I still felt like I needed a diamond.
So ... then I bought this (.62, D, IF - again before PS ... later found it scored 1.4 on HCA):
Another but ... I really wanted something around a carat. I was having a hard time with the price tag. I friend said what ... you’re wasting your money on the thing you don’t REALLY want. I returned the .62 for a refund and decided to go for something just over a carat.
That’s when I re-found PS. I remembered it from many years ago but somehow did not remember/find it when I started my solitaire search. I posted an AGS diamond ... or two (I can’t remember exactly now) ... got some mixed opinions - it was ok because AGS0 but not super-ideal ... then got on the super-ideal band-wagon. I started to look at diamonds on Whiteflash.
I found a beautiful ACA, D color (because of my brother) 1.21 (approx. - can’t quite remember the weight now) VVS1 (also because of my brother ... couldn’t quite bring myself to FL, lol) and ordered it. While I was waiting ... I upgraded to a D 1.424 VVS2 (still close to my brother’s FL but at a value I can live with) ACA. I still wonder how many people upgrade while waiting, lol. I guess I started to think maybe I could get away with something closer to 1.5 carats, and thought 1.424 would be a good value as it was just under. I watched the video and seemed a bit more spectacular than the other diamond. I found a setting, ordered that ... it was all good, I settled in for the four week wait.
I did that, all in my typical internet shopping style - educated myself as much as possible and spoke to no one, lol.
Eventually, I got this (1.424 ACA in A. Jaffe platinum setting):
I loved loved loved the ACA! Oh my gosh! I know most go for more size, but I got the ring in “Memory of Wil Moro,” I wanted the diamond to be among the best of the best, rare and a bit over the top - just like my brother. Except ... I noticed the diamond took on a blue hue a lot of the time .... I knew that AGS “negligible” did include fluorescence up to just under medium but took my chances, thinking maybe, at the most, it would be faint.
But then I found this:
Hmmmm. This looked pretty close to medium to me. This would be fine - it’s a beautiful blue - except ... I just didn’t like the blue tone that the diamond took ... a lot more often than expected. Also, I felt that I didn’t get the best value ... for example, if I had it graded by GIA and it came back as “faint” or “medium,” this would decrease the market value. Don’t get me wrong - I’m not trying to put down the preference for fluorescence, but if I wanted it, I would have gone for a BGD Blue, where the diamond had been screened for any ill effects, and where I got the price advantage. Suddenly, it was obvious that I, the ultimate internet shopper, should have interacted with a person after all, and I should have asked them to check the diamond for me. Oooops!
However, there I was with this fabulous upgrade policy. I checked the site ... thinking the 1.424 didn’t look too large for everyday wear ... maybe I could go a bit bigger ... I discovered the thing ... bigger diamonds are more beautiful to me. I didn’t see anything on the site that I wanted. I placed a notification request for a diamond with the spec’s that I wanted ... D, VVS2, around 1.6 - 1.75 carat. I don’t have the smallest finger size, but I do have small hands, social circle, blah blah. I just feel best staying under two carats for everyday and Safeway, lol.
Whiteflash checked with the cutters and let me know that there was nothing with my preferences in the works. They offered the custom cut in three size ranges ... I picked the 1.7 - 1.75 option. And waited. And waited. I didn’t just wait, I waited in the worst way possible. I worried and stressed. I second-guessed everything. When the images came in, I worried about them too. I had just worked myself into that state. My poor Whiteflash rep became half counsellor, lol. Magen did a fantastic job of dealing with me! I give her a ton of credit.
While I was waiting, I was heavily critiquing my setting. I liked it a lot. From the top it was all about the diamond, with a thin and slightly tapered band, four prongs NSEW ... some melee on the side ... really loved it ... just felt like it looked .... not quite right for my hand.
Then @icy_jade posted a pic of her ring .. a floral Stuller setting. I fell in love with it. I noticed that her two carat diamond was set slightly higher in the setting, making the petals look more like an outline than a main feature (the way it looks on the Stuller site). I didn’t think that Whiteflash dealt with Stuller (duh, again, I should have asked - because they do!) ... so I sourced the setting through Good Old Gold, where David did an outstanding job for me. He was also part counsellor and an amazing human being. I got the setting for with a 7.4 mm head, knowing my diamond would be slightly bigger and would sit slightly higher, the way that I wanted. I sent the setting to Whiteflash so that they could set the new diamond when it came in.
FINALLY, IT HAPPENED!!! I received my new ring!!!! I LOVE my new diamond that Whiteflash sourced - before it was cut, I was assured the diamond had no fluorescence... and it doesn’t.
During the whole process, the entire Whiteflash team went above and beyond any expected level of customer service! They sent me chocolates for my birthday and flowers when my daughter was in the hospital! They sent me a gorgeous trinket tray as a thank you! Even Bryan was personally involved. They continue to back me up with JM. Just an amazing, amazing team!!
I have to give a shout out to David at Good Old Gold as well ... I had complained about my bad hips and being housebound - he sent me a sticker by number book to keep occupied!
Amazing experience!! Thank you to EVERYONE involved - and that includes the PS family!!!!
That concludes my Ridiculous Diamond Journey.
Apparently, I can’t attach more than 10 pictures to a message, so here are four pics ... I’ll have to do separate threads for the rest ... I’ve got about 40!!! I hope you all don’t mind!!! I am REALLY showing you the bling, lol.
. I could never be sick of diamond photos 
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