Need to know where to start on a 3 stone ring?

[Ponybear]

Yes, I confess, I''m responding to the diamond industry''s current marketing campaign. (plus it''s a nice thing to do). Our 15th anniversary is coming up and I was thinking of a 3 stone anniversary ring. Dumb question, what does it replace, the wedding band or the engagement ring? If it was the engagement ring, I thought I might use the 1.48ct, rb, I color, I-1, as the center stone. (I know, I was young, didn''t know anything & got it a mall store, but it shows good). The wedding band is a gold band with 5 small, channel set, rb stones. Your thoughts?. Thanks l

 

[fire&ice]

Most people use their orgininal e-ring as their center stone. The sides are usually of the same or similar quality.

Congrats & good luck.

 

[Mara]

I would build a whole new ring...for a few reasons. She can wear it on her right hand, or transfer her e-ring to right hand..and wear this on left. Plus she gets more diamonds.

But really, I say this because it's a bit harder to match quality of cut to a previously purchased stone if you don't have specs on it. Now if you really wanted to take that center stone and reset it into the 3 stone, take it into an independent appraiser, have them unset the stone and do a full workup on it.

That will give you more information to work with in selecting the side stones. BUT if the cut of the center stone turns out to be merely 'good' and you find that you want to get extremely well-cut side stones for sparkle value, the center stone may end up looking dead.

Matching 2 side stones to that center would almost best be done in person so that you can see for yourself which stones look good and which don't. Or sending the entire ring to an online vendor and having them handle it for you and find you 'matching' sides in terms of looks and cut quality.

So matching the 3 stones may prove more difficult than you may assume. I'm a matching freak though so maybe that wouldn't bother others.

I would do a whole new ring and get the 3 stones of the same cut quality and similar color grades, all eye-clean. What's your budget and timeline?

 

[perry]

I second the comment on starting over - unless you get a good workup on the existing diamond and it checks out.

Several other things to consider...

3 Stone rings come in several patterns. The most common one has side stones at about 1/3 to 1/2 the carat size of the center diamond. Thus the total carat weight is 1.67 to 2 times the center stone.

Other people like to have small side stones (1/6 to 1/4) of the center stone such that the center stone stands out and the side stones are merely good accents. In this case you can purchase settings that already have 0.15 to 0.25 side stones set in them from some of the companies.

However, an issue rarely discussed is the quality of the sidestones. Most sidestones, especially if smaller than 1/2 carat, are not really cut that good (yes you can find a few pairs of 3/8 well cut side stones from a few of the vendors - but only a few pairs). Thus you may realistically end up with a smashing dazzling wonder of a center stone - only to end up with side stones that are kinda (or totally) dead.... (especially in a setting with preset sidestones).

In light of this issue, and in my case based on what my SG is interested in, and my desire to have side stones that look great as well... I have started a specifc serch for a pair of excellent cut 1/4 carat sidestones that will have real life all on their own. I have been advised that it may take months to find such a matched pair to my specifications (and I have allowed a wide range on color and clarity).

Perry

 

[fire&ice]

If you bought into the debeer''s marketing - then what the three stone ring represents is past present & future. Hence, the reason for using your orgininal e-ring as one of the stones.

Mara, even I wouldn''t try to match the sides myself. I would hand that task to a trusted jeweler & let my eye be the deciding factor. A good jeweler shouldn''t have any problems.

As a caveat - do have your stone checked out. We had an I1 stone reset nightmare here recently. The stone chipped badly.

Also, another factor is what kind of sides you want. Pears are an easier match because they don''t have to have the same cut factors as another Rb. Also, ratio of center to sides are personal.

I don''t know if they still have this on their website; but, the debeer''s site at one point had a visual "build your own three stone ring" program to let you view the different shapes & proportions.

Lots of things to think about. And, also how attached you are to your e-ring stone. Also, do a search & work yourself around the threads. There have been quite a few really good ones.

 

[noobie]

I''d say start over as well. I did, and turned the e-ring stone into a half bezel set pendant. With respect to side stone sizes, go to the debeers site and play with the model.

 

[fire&ice]

Date: 12/7/2004 5:52:38 PM
Author: noobie
I''d say start over as well. I did, and turned the e-ring stone into a half bezel set pendant. With respect to side stone sizes, go to the debeers site and play with the model.

Am I the only hopeless romantic in this bunch?

To add: two friends have used their center stones & both came out very nice w/ fairly easy matches. So, I''ve seen some nice finished products. Both of their center stones were sizable - one in the 1.5 range.

 

[noobie]

Date: 12/7/2004 5:55:56 PM
Author: fire&ice

Am I the only hopeless romantic in this bunch?

Are you implying I''m not romantic

. I bought the the e-ring and I actually pushed her to change and upgrade it. It''s a personal decision, but I found it easier to match well cut stones by starting fresh. Of couse, sentimental value and budget are prime considerations

 

[Mara]

Date: 12/7/2004 5:55:56 PM
Author: fire&ice

To add: two friends have used their center stones & both came out very nice w/ fairly easy matches.

Yes but did they come and ask diamond-junkie Pscopers for help??

I don't know if the OP wants shaped or rounds, but if its rounds and he wants to do it online vs offline, thats where the center stone becomes an issue as buying sight unseen. Doing it offline, if he's got a trusted jeweler would be easier.

For ME as the self-confessed diamond junkie, I wouldn't try to match a purchase I made in the past before I knew much...ESP if I started reading up and got edumacated...I would just start over and do the e-ring stone set into a pendant, or do the 3 stone as a RHR or similar.

It could also be that the workup on the center stone reveals it to be very well cut, making finding rounds online easier. Anyway until we know if he's going online, offline...round or fancies, hard to say more!

Oh one other comment is the I1 of the center stone, I assume it's eye clean and that no inclusions are interrupting sparkle, but again it'd be great for him to get that workup.

 

[fire&ice]

Yes but did they come and ask diamond-junkie Pscopers for help??

They asked this PS''er. Neither had any interest in buying online. They paid a bit more; but, the finished product came out very nice. My best friend''s stone even had some fairly strong blue fluor. She looked at the Vatche setting; but, the sides weren''t big enough. I have to say - her custom job turned out beautifully; she got exactly what she wanted w/ very personal upclose service. Her center stone has a very good make. And, the jeweler adept enough to know what matched. This was a B&M success story.

 

[Ponybear]

Thanks to all for your ideas and quick responses. The E ring is a bypass style, with 24 tapered baquettes (12 on each side of the 1.48 center stone). I plan to buy on line, from one of PS''s dealers. I am leaning towards a whole new 3 stone ring (thanks Mara & Perry for the idea) to replace the wedding band. This would resolve the matching CS issue and the wife would still have her original E ring. Budget tops out at about $15k, or less ). I guess (some thoughts here), that I would NOT want to buy too big a center stone, as i might "pull away" from the "impact" of the 1.48 E ring on the right hand. I was thinking of 1.0 to 1.25 cs with .75-.80 side stones, maybe H&A. Are the side stones to large for this size cs? The DeBeers site still has the "create your own ring" feature and some of those designer settings look great.

 

[Mara]

Hmmm...I don''t know that I have ever seen a e-ring and a 3 stone wedding band on the same finger? Is this pretty common?

I''d be afraid that it would look more like 2 totally separate rings than a ''set''...unless you could get the new 3 stone setting to somehow taper around the original e-ring?

I even think a 1c would take away from a 1.5c center stone and I''m afraid that 3 new well-cut stones might totally overshadow the e-ring entirely. I''ve seen 3 stone rings on and even tried one on and it''s a very IMPACTFUL look since the stones end up spreading across the finger almost entirely. You just want to be sure that this new ring doesn''t entirely eclipse the e-ring.

Have you thought about doing something like a 5 stone ring to replace the wedding band? Or use the new ring for a right hand ring? I am DYING for a right hand 3 stone ring after trying one on recently!!

Anyway just some food for thought.

 

[Mara]

there's a bunch of 3 stone ring pictures in the SMTR area if you need ideas, here is Aljdewey's ring which I adore...its also shown with the wedding bang. The center here is a 1.24 and sides I think are about .30 each to give you an idea of ratio.

https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/my-custom-rings-from-whiteflash-woo-hoo.16838/