No one said E ring shopping was going to be so hard!!

[TG]

So after hours spent researching diamonds and hunting through inventory on the many sites endorsed by PSers I decided on a 0.906 ct I VS2 BGD Blue, with very strong fluoresence (which I never seem to spell properly). I thought the hard part was done but now I have to pick a setting. This is proving to be every bit as hard as selecting a stone. I am keeping everything a surprise so asking the ff is out. But I have a pretty good idea of her style. I am going with a simple solitaire from BGD and am debating between the

Tiffany Half Round

http://www.briangavindiamonds.com/engagement-rings/solitaire/classic-tiffany-style-half-round-platinum-5478p

Tiffany Tapered Round

http://www.briangavindiamonds.com/engagement-rings/solitaire/tapered-tiffany-style-half-round-platinum-5540p

Novela Patientia

http://www.briangavindiamonds.com/engagement-rings/novela-platinum-5517p

All the pics on BGD are of stones that appear much larger than the one I have selected. I have searched PS and found many pics of similar sized stones in the Tiffany settings but have not found any for the Patientia. I would love to get some opinions on the settings and any pics of a Patientia if possible.

Thanks,

TG

 

[ame]

So after hours spent researching diamonds and hunting through inventory on the many sites endorsed by PSers I decided on a 0.906 ct I VS2 BGD Blue, with very strong fluoresence (which I never seem to spell properly). I thought the hard part was done but now I have to pick a setting. This is proving to be every bit as hard as selecting a stone. I am keeping everything a surprise so asking the ff is out. But I have a pretty good idea of her style. I am going with a simple solitaire from BGD and am debating between the

Tiffany Half Round

http://www.briangavindiamonds.com/engagement-rings/solitaire/classic-tiffany-style-half-round-platinum-5478p

Tiffany Tapered Round

http://www.briangavindiamonds.com/engagement-rings/solitaire/tapered-tiffany-style-half-round-platinum-5540p

Novela Patientia

http://www.briangavindiamonds.com/engagement-rings/novela-platinum-5517p

All the pics on BGD are of stones that appear much larger than the one I have selected. I have searched PS and found many pics of similar sized stones in the Tiffany settings but have not found any for the Patientia. I would love to get some opinions on the settings and any pics of a Patientia if possible.

Thanks,

TG

I love the tapered of the three the most. if only bec it will really make the stone pop bec of the tapering in.

 

[marcy]

Another vote to the tapered.

 

[SMC]

I think you need to decide if you want to go 4 prongs or 6 prongs first. That will help you narrow between the Patentia and the Tiffany settings. The Patentia is the Novela without the melee so hopefully you can find pictures of the Novela here, then imagine it without the melee.

 

[kmn010613]

Novela, I think 4 prongs for a diamond that size

 

[Niel]

personally i think the tapered round is the most flattering, the tapering will make it looks larger and i like the 6 prongs, i think that also helps in the size of the stone.

 

[Smith1942]

Good Lord, a four-figure sum for a plain solitaire setting? I've said it before and I'll say it again: I can't believe how much settings cost in America. That's where the jewellers make their money.

Just as a comparison, Blue Nile has perfectly nice solitaire settings in platinum for a few hundred dollars:

http://www.bluenile.com/build-your-own-diamond-ring?first_step=style&forceStep=STYLE_STEP

Or, get a good local jeweller to set it. I'm sure they wouldn't charge $1250 for a classic plat solitaire. BGD is a fabulous jeweller but he IS expensive and I think his prices can be eye-watering. They once quoted me a figure which was a few hunderd dollars more than any other high-end jeweller I looked at....for HALF the carat weight that all the others were offering. I think BGD pieces are lovely but I remain far from convinced that they offer the best value.

 

[Niel]

Good Lord, a four-figure sum for a plain solitaire setting? I've said it before and I'll say it again: I can't believe how much settings cost in America. That's where the jewellers make their money.

Just as a comparison, Blue Nile has perfectly nice solitaire settings in platinum for a few hundred dollars:

http://www.bluenile.com/build-your-own-diamond-ring?first_step=style&forceStep=STYLE_STEP

Or, get a good local jeweller to set it. I'm sure they wouldn't charge $1250 for a classic plat solitaire. BGD is a fabulous jeweller but he IS expensive and I think his prices can be eye-watering. They once quoted me a figure which was a few hunderd dollars more than any other high-end jeweller I looked at....for HALF the carat weight that all the others were offering. I think BGD pieces are lovely but I remain far from convinced that they offer the best value.

if we were recommending non BG setting, THIS is what i would choose, easy as long as you have a local Ritani seller.
http://www.ritani.com/engagement-rings/tulip-airline-solitaire-engagement-ring-in-platinum/5660

 

[Smith1942]

Well, it's nice but I still think $755 is an awful lot of money for a solitaire setting with no diamonds. Blue Nile has nice ones for $560, although they have gone up recently - that setting was only $380 a few weeks ago. I'm sure that a very nice, classic 950 platinum solitaire setting can be had for about $400 - $450, probably in a good local jeweller.

 

[ame]

Maybe, but they look very plain and basic. And they're also not from the same diamond vendor so it's an extra hassle that will require probably a setting fee and additional insurance.

 

[Niel]

Maybe, but they look very plain and basic. And they're also not from the same diamond vendor so it's an extra hassle that will require probably a setting fee and additional insurance.

agreed. I would totally understand if TG went with a BG setting, its easy and it was budgeted for in the first place, so no one could fault him. plus they are pretty.

 

[diamondseeker2006]

The BG rings seem to have heads that are custom made for the stones. They are nicer quality than the basic stock solitaire settings. I really like all three. I have a similar one to the first two but with a knife edge shank like the Tiffany ring. But I like either of the first two settings the most, with the last one very close!

 

[Smith1942]

Agree it's easier to get stone and setting from the same vendor.

But as for the solitaire settings being plain and basic, well, solitaire settings ARE plain and basic, aren't they? The point of solitaire settings is to show off the diamond in all its glory and not to detract from it.

It's a case of buyer beware, that's all. If the OP is OK with paying four figures for a solitaire setting that's fine - just wanted him to know the range of prices for solitaire settings and that it's right at the top end for a plain metal setting, in case he didn't know. Some people would prefer to put as much of the budget as possible into the stone and he might have missed the opportunity if he thought that $1250 is a low price for a plain metal setting and that he wouldn't get lower elsewhere.

Out of the settings posted, I like the BGD Patienta setting the best. I think that setting will show off the diamond beautifully. I've seen some settings like that in real life and they really make the diamond pop, especially with the four prongs as opposed to six. The prongs look nice and delicate. I see the argument about the tapered band making the diamond look bigger, but only if you view the ring from dead-on front. People are often seeing the band from the side as she moves her hand about. I also think the tapered aspect makes it look a bit wonky/out of proportion more than anything. We can give our opinions, but really it's up to the OP to decide! Sorry, we're probably really confusing you.

If the BGD settings are what you want, then I'm sure they will be gorgeous and will fit the stone perfectly. The prongs and workmanship are probably finer than stock settings, too.

Speaking generally about settings, not about the OP's setting: DS, I think vendors like Blue Nile custom-fit the heads to the stones too - after all, the stone and head have to fit otherwise the stone would be loose. I'm not sure what the difference is in the fitting process between a $500 setting and a $1250 setting.

 

[TC1987]

Stuller casting company makes mountings that any jeweler can purchase. So does Adwar. Both have web sites. Cost for those settings would be considerably lower, if you are not sure whether or not she would want to leave it in a solitaire mounting or change it to a halo or other more elaborate mounting.