Oval with pears..

[*RubyRN*]

I am trying to decide on an engagement ring, and it is a lot harder than I thought! Initially, I thought I wanted a simple RB in a pave or prong-set diamond setting. Of course I did all kinds of research about RBs, etc. and was close to making a decision. Then, I saw Kucinta''s ring and fell in love with the style. My budget is smaller than many of you lucky PS folks, so I would have to opt for more like a 1 ct center and .25 ct sides (I wear a size 5 so I think it would still be pretty). Therefore, I contacted Leon who gave me a $1750 estimate for a similar setting. However, with our budget being $6000 at the most, that leaves only 4250 for all three stones. I''ve looked, and it''s difficult to find the pears in the size I would need, and finding a nice Oval is not going so well either. I feel like I don''t know what to look for, however I do know that I want a smaller bowtie.

SOOOO.. my question is this: Do you think I can reasonably create this ring within my budget and still have a quality piece, OR
do you think I should go back to the RB and find a simple setting I like?? I would really appreciate opinions and suggestions from all of you diamond lovers out there!

 

[NewEnglandLady]

I am still swooning over Kucinta''s ring, so gorgeous! You posted it a few days ago somewhere else a couple of days ago and it was stuck in my head. I had to take my e-ring in to the jeweller yesterday and I saw a 2 carat oval with .5 pear sidestones, which I tried on and LOVED.

A very good friend of mine has a 3-stone ring with a 1.5 carat RB center and .5 pear sides. She didn''t want a RB solitaire because she thought she wanted something different. Her ring is beautiful and I love that it''s a little different from most rings you see, but after six months of wearing it and having to choose a wedding band, she now wishes that she''d gone with the solitaire. She feels that having 3 stones doesn''t allow your eye to focus on one stone. She wishes that she''d put the money they spent on the two pears towards the center stone and gotten something larger.

She also had a tough time choosing a wedding band. She wanted diamonds on the band, but with the three stones on the e-ring, stones on the band was just looking really cluttered. She decided on a 5-stone, but says she feels her center stone gets lost in all of the other, smaller diamonds.

She said that if she were to do it again, she''d either get a larger center stone and smaller side stones, so the center stone would definitely stand out, or she''d forget the 3-stone and get a solitaire in a classic setting. When she was choosing a wedding band she really felt that the eternity bands and 5-stone rings she was looking at would compliment a solitaire setting more.

I don''t have a 3-stone ring, or a RB for that matter. I have a 1.5 carat asscher and have small .20 carat pears on either side (it''s just a simple art deco setting). Sometimes I feel that even my very small side stones takes a little away from the center stone.

Finding a balance that works for you takes some time. And be sure to try them on with wedding bands so you get an idea of the whole picture (if you''re wearing both rings together).

Do you think you''re more of a solitaire girl or not? I feel that most women fall into the "solitaire'' camp or the "non solitaire" camp.

 

[FireGoddess]

Have you asked one of the vendors (GOG, WF, JA, etc) what the setting would cost from them? Leon is supposedly reasonably priced but he IS a designer after all, so I would imagine the setting would cost less from someone else? I don''t know how much less though, not knowing if there''s a stock item that could be used or not. I''d find out. Unless of course, you''re bent on having Leon create the ring.

 

[*RubyRN*]

FireGoddess: Yes, I have checked out a couple of other vendors, and believe it or not, most of them are actually the same or more than Leon (I couldn''t believe this at first, but it''s true!). And I think most of them have too much metal and looked bulky compared to Leon''s. But thanks for the advice

NewEnglandLady: I really found your experience (or your friend''s experience) with a 3-stone ring helpful. The more I think about it, the more I do worry about finding a wedding band or just ending up wishing I had gone with a solitaire or something simpler. Soo... I will probably go back to a RB stone. WOW, this ring-searching thing has made me feel like a crazy person! Every week I think I''ve found something I have to have, and then I can''t stop changing my mind. I''m starting to think I need to get away from PS for awhile; maybe that will clear my mind of the extra bling that is clouding my decisions! LOL

Thanks!

 

[Gypsy]

Are you sure the other vendors qoutes were for setting only? It seems a little odd to me, as Leon I know would be qouting without the pears included... but most other vendors seem to qoute three stone SETTINGS with the side stones included in the price. Are you sure you''re comparing apples to apples?