need your expert help with small semi-eternity band

[lavatea]

I''m in the process of having a ring custom made. It will most likely be a 2 mm platinum semi-eternity style set with yellow diamonds. I''ve been searching PS for a couple of weeks now as more and more questions enter my head.

The main question I have today is how much control should I expect to have over the selection of the diamonds that will go into this ring? I realize they will be very small and will come without certs. This bothers me a little mostly because I''ve only ever purchased one diamond (the center stone of my engagement ring), and I was very invested and involved in that decision. This ring that I''m having made is very important to me, even though it will be a tiny ring (there is a big emotional component here), and I''m obsessing a bit about it.

I also would like to at least comparison shop to see if the prices I''m offered are competitive. I have no idea how one goes about that with these small stones.

Also, I had originally intended to use rounds in this ring, but now I''m wondering if I should look for a more unique cut. Do tiny accent diamonds come in unusual cuts? Or am I limited to rounds and princesses?

Ack, maybe I should have stayed off of PS. There are so many beauties floating around here, and it just adds fuel to my indecision fire.

 

[stone-cold11]

Really depends on how much you trust your jeweler and how good he is with the sourcing of the melee stones.

 

[Lorelei]

Date: 12/17/2009 11:23:26 PM
Author:lavatea
I''m in the process of having a ring custom made. It will most likely be a 2 mm platinum semi-eternity style set with yellow diamonds. I''ve been searching PS for a couple of weeks now as more and more questions enter my head.

The main question I have today is how much control should I expect to have over the selection of the diamonds that will go into this ring? I realize they will be very small and will come without certs. This bothers me a little mostly because I''ve only ever purchased one diamond (the center stone of my engagement ring), and I was very invested and involved in that decision. This ring that I''m having made is very important to me, even though it will be a tiny ring (there is a big emotional component here), and I''m obsessing a bit about it.

I also would like to at least comparison shop to see if the prices I''m offered are competitive. I have no idea how one goes about that with these small stones.

Also, I had originally intended to use rounds in this ring, but now I''m wondering if I should look for a more unique cut. Do tiny accent diamonds come in unusual cuts? Or am I limited to rounds and princesses?

Ack, maybe I should have stayed off of PS. There are so many beauties floating around here, and it just adds fuel to my indecision fire.

Hi Lavatea

If you want yellow melee diamonds it would probably be easier to find those in round stones. You have decided to source stones yourself rather than leave it to the craftsperson making your ring?

 

[bgray]

yellow diamonds are typically cut round and radiant or princess. very rarely a large stone might be an EC --of extraordinary quality. Faceting intensifies the color so yellow diamonds are rarely anything but round,radiant or princess. May I ask where you live? If you are near NYC I can make some suggestions where you can go to look.

 

[lavatea]

I don''t necessarily want to *buy* the stones I source, I just wanted to have some idea of what they should cost so I know for sure I''m getting a good deal. I like the jeweler I''m working with, but how does one know if a jeweler knows their stuff? They may know one area and not another, you know? I just want to educate myself as much as possible so I know my ring is a good quality ring for a fair price. Even if it''s a small ring, it means a lot to me, plus I plan to wear it everyday from now until forever, so I don''t want to end up hating it later. I think the more informed and involved I am the better chance I have of loving it forever.

I''m nowhere near NYC, but thanks for the help! I actually live not far from DFW.

 

[lavatea]

Wow, as soon as I posted my last response I got an e-mail back from the jeweler I'm working with. His answers have really lined up with what I've gleaned from you guys, so I feel even better about this whole thing.

Thank you all for your excellent help! I really love this forum.

ETA - For really small stones, how low can I go on clarity? Does cut and polish matter as much? How picky would you be on these small stones (bearing in mind that they're the *only* stones)?

 

[stone-cold11]

Date: 12/18/2009 10:31:47 AM
Author: lavatea
Wow, as soon as I posted my last response I got an e-mail back from the jeweler I''m working with. His answers have really lined up with what I''ve gleaned from you guys, so I feel even better about this whole thing.

Thank you all for your excellent help! I really love this forum.

ETA - For really small stones, how low can I go on clarity? Does cut and polish matter as much? How picky would you be on these small stones (bearing in mind that they''re the *only* stones)?

Clarity, as long as eye-clean and do not look dead. Cut is important? Polish not that much.

 

[Lorelei]

Date: 12/18/2009 10:31:47 AM
Author: lavatea
Wow, as soon as I posted my last response I got an e-mail back from the jeweler I'm working with. His answers have really lined up with what I've gleaned from you guys, so I feel even better about this whole thing.

Thank you all for your excellent help! I really love this forum.

ETA - For really small stones, how low can I go on clarity? Does cut and polish matter as much? How picky would you be on these small stones (bearing in mind that they're the *only* stones)?

The diamonds normally come in packages so you could look at SI clarity, you want lively stones but polish and symmetry I believe are not normally so important in these sizes unless they are a branded melee. If these are yellow stones you want the colour is what matters so if I were you I would ask the vendor to find you the best looking melee which are eyeclean that they can, stones which are bright and lively and of good colour saturation and match well.

As you are in DFW you could contact John Pollard of www.craftedbyinfinity.com and see what he can suggest.