looking for new studs

[leukolenos]

I am shopping for some new studs to replace the starter studs that were gifted to me a few years ago. They are just shy of 5mm, not sure of carat weight as they were a gift. My questions are....

-how much larger do I need to go to really notice a difference? I definitely want noticeably larger, and I also want to be done upgrading for the foreseeable future.
-old cut vs MRB...I am an old cut lover at heart. My first inclination is to look for old stones, and I've scoped out a few pairs but I know I will get more spread for my money with mrbs. My e-ring is an oec 3 stone, so would it be "off" to have mrb studs? I think honestly I would prefer old cuts, but I think I would be amiss not to consider new stones as well.
-to bridge the new/old gap...are AVRs worth it for studs? My guess is no, but I'm not sure I've ever seen them in earrings.

What do you think?

 

[Queenie60]

I would suggest you try on several sizes with CZ's or go into a jewelry store and try them. AVR's could be beautiful for earrings. You might reach out to Adam at OWD or Erica at Love Affair Diamonds to see if they have any pairs. And if you decide to go with mrb's, depending on your budget you could contact Yekutiel at IDJ. He's always willing to help and I find him to be quite honest. Good luck. Whatever you decide will be lovely!

 

[leukolenos]

I would suggest you try on several sizes with CZ's or go into a jewelry store and try them. AVR's could be beautiful for earrings. You might reach out to Adam at OWD or Erica at Love Affair Diamonds to see if they have any pairs. And if you decide to go with mrb's, depending on your budget you could contact Yekutiel at IDJ. He's always willing to help and I find him to be quite honest. Good luck. Whatever you decide will be lovely!

Thanks Queenie! I love your collection!

I have reached out to both Adam and Erica. Adam sourced my engagement OECs so he was first stop!

I have some really big CZs but need to find some smaller ones for comparisons sake.

 

[leukolenos]

So looks like Erica didn't have anything that fit the bill.

Adam as a few pairs...
1.90 K/VS GIA 6.2mm, already in bezels.
2.54 L/M VS 6.7mm, but no lab report. I do trust his color assessment though. More than I really wanted to spend, but I have a feeling that at almost 7mm, I could skip the DSS for a while.

I also found a pair from Ivy & Rose/Mydiamondzone. They are 2.3ctw, 6.5mm and J/K SI stones, though since I've never worked with them before I don't know how well I trust that assessment. They look pretty enough in the video he sent. They're almost as big as the 2.54 pair that Adam has, but substantially cheaper.

Any thoughts on those options? I'll try to get pictures together for comparison.

 

[diamondseeker2006]

I like My Diamond Zone and don’t think they misrepresent specs.

But I will address your question regarding AVRs. Jonathan had ordered quite a few new AVRs expected to be in before the holidays. He is planning to sell through James Allen, and the pricing is better than in the past. I did tell him some people would likely be interested in matches pairs. It was just never really possible before because the stones were mostly too different.

My 1.15 ct each WF studs were 6.7mm, so those stones are a little deep. I’d probably check out the ones from DZ first if that size range is what you want. I do think AVRs or modern ideal rounds are better for studs, though. Great light return is important for studs to show up well from a distance. Good luck with your search!

 

[PintoBean]

To definitely be noticeable increase in size, aim for an increase that is 10% more in mm. 5.5mm from 5mm lol.