Love the look of rounds, but just not on my own hand?

[espressa]

Hanging around here has made me want to switch to a round stone. Right now I have an X-Factor, and it is an amazing stone, sparkles like crazy, but sometimes I look at it on my hand and it doesn''t look "right", it seems harsh or something. So, I''ve been considering switching to a round, which seems so much "softer" to me. My fiance has been great about all of this and is willing to let me upgrade the diamond (within reason) or change the setting (I have the Legato Sleek Line setting, which is gorgeous, but sometimes I wish I had a shared prong or pave setting).

When I started looking at engagement rings a few years ago I decided that I definitely wanted a square stone. I don''t know why, but I just did not want a round. Now I don''t know what I want. I figured that the best thing to do was actually go try on some round diamonds and see if I liked them, which is why I''m posting...

I went to Tiffany''s with my fiance tonight (we knew we wouldn''t be buying a ring from there, the new stone would come from WF, but I wanted to see a good quality round and try on wedding bands while I was there). I don''t know what it is, I seriously must be crazy, but I did not think the RBs at Tiffany''s looked all that great. They looked DARK. Not yellow, but dark. They were sparkly, but so was my ring, and all of the rings in all of the cases, for that matter. I do think the rounds sparkled more than mine, which I expected, since mine is a square cut and rounds generally sparkle more.

Anyway, the round diamonds looked weird on my hand. I can''t explain how, but it just felt "off". I''m not sure if I''m just not used to the look of a round on me or what the problem is. I thought rounds were supposed to look good on everyone?

Does anyone else feel this way? Did any of you start out being opposed to round stones but end up switching to one? I love the look of a round when it''s not on my finger, and I would love to have the added sparkle and size that a round does, but I can''t get over the way I felt with that round Tiffany diamond on my finger. It didn''t feel like me, and I was so disappointed, because I really wanted it to.

Can anyone relate? And does anyone know why the Tiffany round diamonds might have looked dark to me? Or am I just nuts?

Thanks.

 

[Addlepated]

You sure it was just the rounds that seemed dark? Seems like I''ve read that the lighting at Tiffany isn''t always the best for checking out diamond performance.

 

[espressa]

Date: 2/1/2008 1:42:16 AM
Author: Addlepated
You sure it was just the rounds that seemed dark? Seems like I''ve read that the lighting at Tiffany isn''t always the best for checking out diamond performance.

I didn''t try on any diamonds there that weren''t round, but I didn''t think my X-Factor looked dark like theirs did. I could be wrong though... Thanks for the suggestion!

 

[urseberry]

I think you''re probably very used to seeing a square shape on your finger, so the round looked strange. Tiffany''s employs lots of spot lighting to make their diamonds sparkle, and that sort of lighting tends to make stones look dark. Did your stone look dark too?

You might consider some of the proprietary square shapes that are cut for light return, such as the Princess of Hearts or Jubilee. Good Old Gold carries a few of them.

 

[espressa]

Date: 2/1/2008 1:45:40 AM
Author: urseberry
I think you''re probably very used to seeing a square shape on your finger, so the round looked strange. Tiffany''s employs lots of spot lighting to make their diamonds sparkle, and that sort of lighting tends to make stones look dark. Did your stone look dark too?


You might consider some of the proprietary square shapes that are cut for light return, such as the Princess of Hearts or Jubilee. Good Old Gold carries a few of them.

My stone might have looked dark too, but if it did, it wasn''t as noticable as the rounds. It''s just that the first thing that I thought of when I put it on was, "Wow, this looks really really dark!"

I had thought about the PoH or Jubilee, too, but if I''m going to upgrade it has to be from WF due to their trade-up policy. Otherwise that would probably work out best.

 

[bee*]

Rounds don''t look nice on my finger either-not sure what it is but my lucida looks at home on my finger, the rounds just looked strange! Maybe try on a couple more and see can you get a size that you think looks good on your finger? As someone else said, you might just be used to seeing your X-factor on your finger and it might just take a bit of getting used to having a round on it.

 

[Angel7]

Espressa - I had a similar thread posted not too long ago. Although, my situation is a little different. I didn''t have an engagment ring. I''m shopping around for one and have always seen myself wanting a princess. I always thought rounds were old-fashioned and boring..however I realized that the square look just didn''t do it for me anymore. I did go to several stores and try on the RB vs Princess and the RB''s won out.

If they don''t look good on your hand and you don''t like the look, there is nothing wrong with that however, it may be that you are so used to the square shape. Or maybe Tiffany just didn''t have great diamonds. Once I went to a jeweler that had some really beautiful cut RB''s I was hooked. My bf, even turned around on his decision.

Whatever you choose, keep us updated! (Do you have any pics of your beautiful X-factor?)

Here is the link to my thread...there was some great advice from other PS members..
https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/round-or-princess.76900/

GOOD LUCK!

 

[espressa]

bee*, it''s refreshing to hear that I''m not the only one who thought rounds looked strange on my finger! Maybe the rounds I tried on were too small?

I was trying on 1 carat rounds, which for now is about as big as our budget will let me go for an upgrade (although WF does have a few 1.1-ish rounds that might work), but I''ll have to go back sometime and try more on. I remember someone here saying they bought a fake in the shape they were considering to wear around the house and see how they liked it, and I''m considering doing something like that. It just might take me some time to get used to a round.

Angel7, thanks for the link to the thread, I had already read through that and it was helping me decide to switch to a round!

I''m feeling a lot like you did. I had always thought rounds were boring and the fact that so many people had them made me want a square, but RBs perform a lot better than square cuts. The appraiser that I went to did say that my X-Factor performed a lot better than a similarly cut princess would (because of the crown angle on it, I think), which made me feel better for a while, but I''m still not sure it''s the shape I want to wear for the rest of my life...

You can see pictures of my ring at https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/just-got-engaged-this-week-x-factor-from-wf.69063/. The pictures are pretty bad and don''t capture the beauty of the stone, but those are the best I''ve managed to take.

Thanks for the help, all of you!

Oh, I forgot to mention, we also went into Bailey Banks and Biddle for a few minutes (I had wanted to try on rings at Cartier but they moved out of the mall we were at

), and the diamonds did not look good at all. My fiance was also surprised by the quality of the settings we were shown - the prongs were huge and looked terrible! I know BBB has some designer settings that look nice but the ones we saw definitely weren''t those, and for the first time my fiance actually understood what a great deal we got by going to WF and how much better the diamond and setting is. The prongs on my ring are so delicate and perfect.

The woman who was helping us kept asking me questions about my ring and wanted to know where I got it. I was a bit taken aback though when she asked us how much we paid for it! I kind of sidestepped the question... She got out her loupe though and was looking at the stone. I''d be very suprised if she managed to find anything! It''s a VS2 but extremely clean, especially when set.

I also forgot to mention that the guy at Tiffany''s asked me if my ring was a Lucida, which I got a kick out of.

I don''t think it looks anything like the Lucida (aside from the stone''s shape, perhaps) but it was fun to hear someone who works at Tiffany''s ask if my ring was from there.

 

[Angel7]

Date: 2/1/2008 11:29:44 AM
Author: espressa

Angel7, thanks for the link to the thread, I had already read through that and it was helping me decide to switch to a round!

I'm feeling a lot like you did. I had always thought rounds were boring and the fact that so many people had them made me want a square, but RBs perform a lot better than square cuts. The appraiser that I went to did say that my X-Factor performed a lot better than a similarly cut princess would (because of the crown angle on it, I think), which made me feel better for a while, but I'm still not sure it's the shape I want to wear for the rest of my life...

You can see pictures of my ring at https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/just-got-engaged-this-week-x-factor-from-wf.69063/. The pictures are pretty bad and don't capture the beauty of the stone, but those are the best I've managed to take.

Thanks for the help, all of you!

Espressa - Your ring is beautiful! It sounds like you got a great xfactor from WF. Enough to make professionals stop and take notice and comment on what a great stone it is!

I think that once you find a stunning RB, it may help clear up any doubt. I was the same way. I was going to buy a CZ round and wear it around however, you don't get the brillance and sparkle effect that you would from a real RB so I didn't bother. Keep us posted and good luck!

 

[star sparkle]

Date: 2/1/2008 1:35:24 AM
Author:espressa

When I started looking at engagement rings a few years ago I decided that I definitely wanted a square stone. I don''t know why, but I just did not want a round. Now I don''t know what I want. I figured that the best thing to do was actually go try on some round diamonds and see if I liked them, which is why I''m posting...

Does anyone else feel this way? Did any of you start out being opposed to round stones but end up switching to one?

I started out definitely wanting a princess in a certain type of setting, and now I have a round on reserve at Whiteflash and am looking at a setting that is pretty different from what I originally "definitely wanted."

 

[Gypsy]

I have an asscher and have tried on HonFire rounds MANY times over the years, and always, they just don''t feel or look right to me on my hand. I love the look of my asscher. It''s got such a lovely type of fire ans sparkle that appeals to me.

 

[diamondseeker2006]

I think it was the lighting. Ideal cut stones can look dark in certain lighting, and that is why I repeatedly tell people that you can''t tell a thing about the color of stones inside a Tiffany store. They all look the same.

I do think rounds look good on everyone, but I am sure we all favor the look of certain sizes over others. The size might have been the issue for you.

As far as settings go, you will find that many of us like more than one look, and it can bankrupt you if you keep changing settings! For me, the best thing to do was to go with a plain solitaire, and that way I can switch wedding bands when the mood stikes, and it gives me the variety I want without doing a complete reset every time! I think the Legato setting is just perfect to wear with different kinds of bands, so I would vote for keeping that setting and just having the head replaced if you go for a round.

 

[espressa]

Thanks, Angel7.

You''re right, a fake round won''t sparkle like a real one will, but I guess my main concern is to have a diamond that I like the look of even when it isn''t sparkling, you know? My X-Factor is sparkly in most lights, but on a cloudy day while I''m in the car, sometimes I look at it and it''s just kind of there. And that''s my problem, I guess. When my diamond is sparkling, or when it''s full of bright white light, I totally adore it and am so happy that I went with this one, but it''s when the lighting isn''t great that I look at it and wonder if I should have gone with a round. But maybe a round will make me feel the same way in the same kind of lighting? I don''t know.

star sparkle, I''m glad to hear there are more people out there who changed their mind about what they wanted in terms of shape!

Gypsy, that''s the way I feel with the rounds on. It just doesn''t look or feel right to me.

diamondseeker2006, thanks for the input about the darkness of the stones. I figured that I wouldn''t be able to distinguish between the different colors, as I had heard that almost all diamonds looked the same color in Tiffany lighting, but I suppose I wasn''t expecting the darkness that I saw. I think next time I go out trying on rings, I''ll ask to try on different sizes. That could be the problem, like you suggested.

I love the Legato setting and I think it''s the best looking solitaire setting I''ve seen, especially for my hand (I love how low it is...I don''t like high settings at all on my fingers). I''ve been considering getting a RB shared prong wedding ring from SP, and I tried on one like it at Tiffany''s and definitely liked it the best (as did FI! he liked it way more than the plain platinum band). Assuming I stick with this setting, I do think I will be getting the shared prong ring from SP.

Having a solitaire setting does make it a lot easier to get different looks with wedding bands. It''s silly, but a big part of the reason that I''m regretting getting a solitaire is that all of the rings I see in real life on people have pave, sidestones, or something different. A lot of people that FI and I know are recently engaged/married, and mine is the ONLY solitaire. I know my diamond is likely much higher quality than the majority of theirs, but it still makes me feel self-conscious to be the only one without a fancier setting (most of them have white gold, though, as opposed to platinum, which makes me feel a little bit better, hehe).

I hate the idea of changing settings after having spent $1,000 on this one. The idea just makes me sick. So I really think that I will stick with this one regardless of what I do. I''m waiting to hear back from WF about whether a 1 carat round will be able to fit into the setting, or if the head would have to be replaced and what the cost of that is. The good thing about all of this though is there isn''t any rush, since I can upgrade anytime I want due to WF''s upgrade policy. I am so happy I decided to go with them!

 

[sumbride]

I''m not a fan of rounds on my hand either. I fell hard for ovals though so that''s what I have. Sure, it doesn''t sparkle as much as a round, but for me it was an easy decision because I went with my gut. Don''t overanalyze it. If you don''t like rounds on your hand, look for something that makes your heart sing!

 

[Rhea]

Could it just be what you''re used to seeing on your hand? Or maybe the tiffany setting didn''t look good on you?

 

[tberube]

I'm with ya, girl. Rounds look totally out of place on my hand. On everyone else they seem so clean and sparkley and modern - but on me they look...somehow...inappropriate. It's really hard to explain. It's like it feels like someone else's diamond and not mine. They're also way too perfect, calculated for my artsy-fartsy, just-left-of-center, understated style.

Rounds are pretty, but they're just not for me. And I know they're extremely popular, but I don't think they're for everyone.

 

[Tacori E-ring]

I agree go with the shape you LOVE not with the one that''s popular. Rounds are classic and beautiful but luckily if you don''t like them on your hand there are many other options.

 

[vespergirl]

I used to have a 2.25 ct asscher and traded it for a 2 ct round, and am so glad I did so.

We shopped for my ring together, and my husband really wanted to get me a 2 ct round to begin with. I also didn''t like the look of it on my hand, so I went with an asscher. I got tired of the asscher, and to my huband''s amusement, went with a round instead.

I realize that I originally didn''t like the rounds on my hand because:

1. I didn''t like the "standard" 6-prong setting they had in a lot of the stores. they weren''t all pretty like the TIffany setting, and sat up really high - that made it look weird on my hand.

2. I wasn''t trying on "Ideal Cut" rounds, and they just didn''t look as "symmetrical" as the asscher. An ideal cut round is totally different than what you see at the mall (that''s where we went to try stuff on to get an idea of what I would like).

So, maybe try on some rounds in different setting types. But I love square shapes too! You just have to try on a bunch of rings until you find something that you love. Good luck!

 

[fleur-de-lis]

Espressa, boy this sounds familiar! I too had always been a lover of fancy shapes for primary stones, but when I first came to PS and saw such beautiful photos of hearts and arrows from proud owners of ideal cut round brilliants, I too became swayed by the arguments for the RB. Anyhow, after a few months of obsessing over how the 40.7 degree pavillion angle resulted in a light return you could not predict with fancy shapes, I... returned to my norm and swooned over what I had always swooned over. Lucida, asscher, pear, and emerald in everyday circumstances, and specialty cuts (like the ones DiaGem shows around here, flanders, etc. etc.) when they float on by.

Espressa, when it comes to changing your ring, you have time. Since you described your stone as "an amazing stone, sparkles like crazy, but... doesn't look 'right'", have you considered that it might be... a setting issue? Square stones can look so very different depending on the setting, and little things like prong head shapes can make SUCH a difference, you know?

Would you be interested in posting a photo of your ring for feedback to see if neutral eyes see something from a fresh perspective that might be escaping you?

 

[marcy]

I considered other shapes when I upgraded but decided to get RB to get the most sparkle for my buck. I am glad I did. The lighting in Tiffany''s is weird (dark and yellowish to me). My RB ideal cut E looks dark in their store. I also think a RB would look good on anyone but it''s all what you get used to wearing. Your current ring is beautiful.

 

[espressa]

Thank you all so much for the responses!

sumbride, Addy and Tacori, thanks for the input.

I''m trying to decide if I still love the square shape, or if it''s just what I''m used to seeing. I''m planning to get a fake in the meantime to see if the shape grows on me (in case it''s a problem where I''m not used to seeing a round on my hand), and also try on more rounds in different kinds of settings.

tberube, I know exactly what you mean about it feeling like someone else''s diamond! That''s exactly how I felt when I tried them on.

vespergirl, thanks for sharing your experiences with me. That''s so funny that you ended up going with a round after your husband wanted you to get it from the beginning. I''m glad you ended up being happy with the round, and I appreciate you explaining why you didn''t like the rounds on your hand originally. I''m going to try to find more jewelry stores to try rings on at. I thought Tiffany''s would be the perfect place but I couldn''t get past the weird lighting so I think I''ll have to find some other places.

fleur-de-lis, I''m not sure that it''s a setting issue with my current ring. The setting is very nicely done, sits low on my finger (which I really wanted) and the prongs look fantastic. I''m finding that I''m not liking the other princess/square stones on PS like I used to, and when I see the round stones I find that they look so much more appealing to my eyes. No offense to people with square stones - they''re still very beautiful, but just not what makes me go "Wow!" anymore. You can see pictures of my ring at https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/just-got-engaged-this-week-x-factor-from-wf.69063/. Do let me know if anything stands out to you.

marcyc, I''m glad I''m not alone in finding that the lighting in Tiffany''s makes the stones look dark! Thanks for the compliment on my ring.

 

[lumpkin]

Date: 2/1/2008 6:15:47 PM
Author: vespergirl
I used to have a 2.25 ct asscher and traded it for a 2 ct round, and am so glad I did so.

We shopped for my ring together, and my husband really wanted to get me a 2 ct round to begin with. I also didn''t like the look of it on my hand, so I went with an asscher. I got tired of the asscher, and to my huband''s amusement, went with a round instead.

I realize that I originally didn''t like the rounds on my hand because:

1. I didn''t like the ''standard'' 6-prong setting they had in a lot of the stores. they weren''t all pretty like the TIffany setting, and sat up really high - that made it look weird on my hand.

2. I wasn''t trying on ''Ideal Cut'' rounds, and they just didn''t look as ''symmetrical'' as the asscher. An ideal cut round is totally different than what you see at the mall (that''s where we went to try stuff on to get an idea of what I would like).

So, maybe try on some rounds in different setting types. But I love square shapes too! You just have to try on a bunch of rings until you find something that you love. Good luck!

I got a little tired of my pear, too!!! Although I do love pears, for myself I think I''d prefer them for a right hand ring. My husband tried to tell me....

I ended up with a round, too, and unfortunately the time I spent hem hawing around about it meant I lost a considerable amount of size on my trade in because diamond prices went up a lot.

I''d try different settings and looks. The setting makes a huge difference in what it looks like on your hand.

 

[Fly Girl]

About 8 years ago (pre-PS) when I upgraded to my 1.5 ct F VS2, the sales clerk showed me an ideal cut diamond. He held it under very bright spot lighting with a black background, and the diamond disappeared from view (in other words, turned dark and invisible) and it shot a blinding laser-like red beam into my eye. It just wasn''t what I expected a diamond to look like, so I chose a well cut 60/60 style stone instead. It is a bright, sparkly, beautiful diamond and I enjoy it very much.

Now I know that ideal cut diamonds will do that disappearing thing in certain lighting. It is a matter of expectations, and today, I''m not sure I would make the same choice of stones.

It sounds like you have a beautiful diamond already. I''m not sure you need to switch, any more than I do. But, it sure is fun to look, isn''t it?

 

[espressa]

lumpkin and Fly Girl, thanks so much for the advice and for sharing your experiences.

I''ve decided to stick with what I have, for now at least. In the last few days I''ve been happier with my ring and haven''t felt the uncertainty that I was feeling before. I do really love the square shape, and I think it looks best on my hands. At some point in the future I may change it to something else, but I want to be really really sure before I do that. I''ve started to realize that I shouldn''t have to convince myself that a round is better - if that''s what I really wanted I would know it!

But since FI is willing to spend more money on my engagement ring and wedding ring

to ensure I''m totally happy with it, I''ve decided that I''m going to use some of the money that would have gone towards the upgrade to get a second shared prong band to match my wedding ring! This way I can have one on each side of my engagement ring.

I''m planning to get the .47 ctw platinum band from Signed Pieces (http://www.signedpieces.com/item.cfm?item_id=3663). I''m going to talk to FI about ordering them this weekend.

Thanks again for helping me decide what to do!

 

[Diamond*Dana]

I think getting a decoy ring in a round is a good idea, that way you can see if the RB grows on you. I tend to think that it is just because you are used to the square shape, but maybe this will help you decide for sure.