please help me replace my rings

[ChattyCat]

My diamond engagement and wedding rings were destroyed on Thanksgiving by my stepMIL. She accidentally threw them down the drain with the garbage disposal running, while she was cleaning up.
The center stone was a 1.5 carat oval, E color, SI1, with a GIA cert, set in platinum. The wedding band was a wrap in 14K white gold with two .25 carat diamonds, G color, VS1. It appears that our insurance will pay out, but I'm not sure where to start.

It was a very traditional look. I think that I may want something a bit more unique, although not really trendy. I'm think that I may actually want to go with a less expensive ring. Something around $5-6K perhaps. But, then I feel like it would have to be really different to compensate for the fact that I'd be wearing a much less expensive diamond. So, then I think that maybe I should just get a diamond band. $5K could buy a really cool looking band, I would think, more than just a standard eternity band or something.

ACK! Help, please!

 

[wen104]

Ow I am really sorry, that can really ruin a holiday! The good thing is you had it insured and this is exactly what it is for! I would go for a set and not settle for just a band because later you will probably change your mind, at least I did! Are you willing to go a little smaller or do you want a 1.5 still??? I have a .70 ideal and it is beautiful and to add some flash I paired it with 2 sapphire and diamond 7 stone rings and put one on each side. It appears like a wrap but I can change it at anytime and wear it many ways. There are so many options out there but it really depends on what you are looking for! After reading your blog it seems that the diamonds in the wrap can be used so why dont'' you get a 3 stone ring and set the 2 small diamonds on the side of your new diamond. That way you still having something left from the old ring! That would be really pretty and something like that you dont'' really even need to put a band with it but later on for a nice present you can get something to go with it. Just a thought, well good luck and I am really sorry!

 

[neatfreak]

First of all I'm sorry to hear that. But now you get to go shopping! My advice is to go out and try on many different rings, in different styles, in different combinations, and see what you like. You may fall in love with something totally different than what you think you'll love.

And I have to disagree with Wen, I think if a band is what you want, you should go for it! I personally love the look of one really blingy band all by itself...so try some stuff on and see what YOU love!

 

[erica k]

I can''t believe the before and after photos.

Well, at least you know your garbage disposal works really well

!

Have you considered a bezel-set solitaire? It would definitely look different than your original ring (a little more modern), and might be easier to wear.

I don''t know what your style is, but there are lots of interesting eternity band settings. Single Stone has some gorgeous old cut bands: http://www.singlestone.com/site.php?page=collections&catID=9&pID=65&startRow=1

There''s also Beverley K (Pearlmans carries this line), and you might want to consider going custom if you have a definite idea of what you''d like.

 

[Maisie]

Date: 11/27/2007 10:55:31 AM
Author: erica k
I can''t believe the before and after photos.

Well, at least you know your garbage disposal works really well

!

Have you considered a bezel-set solitaire? It would definitely look different than your original ring (a little more modern), and might be easier to wear.

I don''t know what your style is, but there are lots of interesting eternity band settings. Single Stone has some gorgeous old cut bands: http://www.singlestone.com/site.php?page=collections&catID=9&pID=65&startRow=1

There''s also Beverley K (Pearlmans carries this line), and you might want to consider going custom if you have a definite idea of what you''d like.

Where are the before and after photos?

I am so sorry your rings got mangled! I hope you find something that you will love just as much as your other set

 

[ChattyCat]

I didn''t know that I couldn''t link to my blog, so the link was removed. Sorry about that. I''m not sure how else to show y''all the pics. Anyway, it suffices to say that the rings were destroyed. The 2 smaller diamonds may be recoverable. We won''t know until a jeweler removes them from the ring.

 

[Maisie]

You can attach a file on here if you want to show us the rings. Its on the upper left on your reply box thingy

 

[ChattyCat]

This was a before shot of the ring. It''s completely filthy at the time of the pic, but it was still nice.

 

[ChattyCat]

Ok, I couldn''t figure out how to do more than one pic in a post. Sorry for the serial posting here.

This is all of it from one angle.

 

[ChattyCat]

This is the opposite view of everything. I''ve flipped over the 2 rings and the diamond to try to show all the damage.

 

[surfgirl]

Wow,I''m so sorry to hear that. But man, you''ve got your MIL over a barrel now, dontcha?!? Hey, I''m trying to look on the bright side of things here...work with me!

I think you should make a BIG cup of coffee/tea/scotch, and settle in and look at every single photo on the SMTR thread, top thread. See what jumps out at you, and then go shopping and start trying things on. I''d get something you just love and I''m betting that once you start shopping, you''ll forget all about that silly idea of not using the entire insurance amount!

 

[ang3199]

Holy goodness gracious. Your poor babies. Poor you. Sheesh, I can imagine how your heart sank when you heard those babies in the garbage disposal.

 

[Maisie]

Good grief! They are well and truly mangled!

 

[~*Snow*~]

Wow... just Wow... i would be in tears... for days....

But i completly agree with SurfGirl, just sit down and go through all 101 pages of the Show Me the Ring thread... it''s long but so much fun! and you''ll really get a sence of what you really like...

Good luck! and keep us updated!

 

[ChattyCat]

Date: 11/27/2007 1:37:50 PM
Author: ang3199
Holy goodness gracious. Your poor babies. Poor you. Sheesh, I can imagine how your heart sank when you heard those babies in the garbage disposal.

I was in another room at the time. I had left my rings to soak in a cup of windex, because while they were off, I realized how completely dirty they were. The center was an SI1, but it was totally eye clean. It had a few small inclusions, but they were toward one end, and were hard to see because of the cut, even with a loupe. That was one reason we went with that stone. It was colorless and technically an SI1, but really not bad. The cut was really nice. I can''t remember what it was graded as, and I''m glad the ins. co. has a copy of the report from GIA, because I can''t find it right now. Anyway, MIL did it and apparently didn''t notice the horrible clanging sound they must of made. It wasn''t until I came in looking for the up a while later, that she realized what she had done.

I''ve gotten through page 31 of the SMTR thread. That''s a lot of rings!

 

[Diamond*Dana]

Oh my, oh my...that is just awful, I am so sorry for you! I think looking through the "eye candy" thread is your best option, that will help you see some styles that you may not have even thought about.

 

[MoonWater]

 

[joflier]

When I read your story, my jaw just dropped! I know the feeling (to an extent), I had a rhr that got run over by a car

.....Surprisingly it was still somewhat wearble though, so it wasn't quite as devastating.

So did the center stone itself get destroyed or just chipped? Perhaps it could be recut and set into a pendant or something if your sentimental about the stone...
Good luck in your hunt!

 

[ChattyCat]

Date: 11/27/2007 5:07:31 PM
Author: joflier
When I read your story, my jaw just dropped! I know the feeling (to an extent), I had a rhr that got run over by a car

.....Surprisingly it was still somewhat wearble though, so it wasn''t quite as devastating.

So did the center stone itself get destroyed or just chipped? Perhaps it could be recut and set into a pendant or something if your sentimental about the stone...
Good luck in your hunt!

It''s more than a chip, but it''s not totally destroyed. The top is almost all there, but a good chunk of the side and back is missing. The diamond can probably be cut down, but I''d be surprised, if were over 1/2 carat by then. I imagine USAA will want what''s left of it anyway as salvage, once they cut us a check.

 

[poshpepper]

Oh my!!!!!

I am so sorry about your rings, I cant even imagine that feeling!

Hope you find something you love to replace them with, there are lots of options out there

 

[ChattyCat]

I''m now on page 60 of the SMTR thread, and I just want to cry. The pic I posted of my ring before the incident really doesn''t do it justice. Dh and I searched so long for a pretty oval. It was an SI1, but the inclusions were small and towards one end. There were no feathers and nothing in the middle. It was an E color!!! With an actual GIA cert, so we know it wasn''t bunk! AUGH!!!! This is so frustrating! The thought of spending all that money again, even though we''ll be reimbursed is killing me. I keep looking at other options like an opal or sapphire as my center stone, but dh really wants me to get another diamond. He doesn''t want me to have buyer''s remorse a few months or years down the road.

I kind of like some of the halos that I''m seeing, but dh hates them. He think they make the center stones look smaller. I also kind of like the A Jaffe bezel setting MES057 (can''t find a good link, but you can look it up on the site), so I showed it to dh, he said it "looked like a flying saucer perched on a ring," so I think that one''s out.

This should be fun, but it is unbelievably frustrating. Stupid Insinkerator!

 

[snowflakeluvr]

wow, sorry to hear of your loss. you are handling yourself with such grace! not a word about any revenge toward mil

. i agree with the others, trying on many styles is the way to go. a picture says only so much to you. i have fairly longish fingers so kind of generic when it comes to trying on-nothing looks horrible but some things much better than others. i really like the idea of some type of great diamond band-good luck with your search. i lost my 2 1/2ct. diamond(i think i pitched it) a few years ago and was blessed to upgrade to an almost 4ct. the insurance company sent the check directly to my jeweler, wasn''t so bad. have fun finding something new.

 

[jewelerman]

You have lived through a jewelry lovers nightmare! Im very impressed by your positive attitude... relationships are as important as jewelry ...right? Just take your time and find something that will make you happy.Post and let us know that you plan on doing...much good luck!

 

[Kaleigh]

Oh geez, I am so sorry. I hope you find another stone that you love as much as the one that was damaged.... Take your time, and if you need our help, we are here.

 

[poshpepper]

Why not get another oval? And pair it with some side stones (to kind of recreate what you had without copying it)... or do you really want something different?

 

[ChattyCat]

Ok, here''s what I''m thinking and I think dh will go along with it. Another approximately 1.5 carat oval diamond (maybe a smidge bigger, but I''m not going under 1.5 dangit), D or E color, somewhere around SI1 or SI2. And, then flanking it with 2 padparadscha sapphires, like http://www.thenaturalsapphirecompany.com/Sapphires/Pairs/Padparadscha/Cushion/stoneid=PR382-PA

I want a flat (or squared, not sure of the term) shank. And, I want heads for the stones to come from the top so that a band will sit flush. Then I think just a plain flat wedding band next to it.

Do you think it would be odd to have the cushion cut sapphires next to the oval diamond? Also, is there somewhere online that I can just look at plain settings without stones at all? I have a jeweler that can order or custom make settings, but I''d much prefer that the stones that I buy can go into a prefab setting. I want to make sure that I can get one that can hold the various size stones. I know that a while back we looked at having some things reset, but due to the various sizes that we wanted in the same ring, it would''ve had to been custom made, which was about 4x as expensive.

Then I''ll turn the .25 diamonds that are left into earrings, I think. I''ve always wanted diamond studs. And, those are nice diamonds!

 

[Clio]

I think that would look lovely! I don''t think that cushion sapphires would look bad next to an oval at all.

 

[Delster]

Oh my goodness what an awful thing to happen! And you are so gracious about it all.

Your idea for the new ring sounds really lovely. There are lots of places to buy stock settings. In another thread on here somewhere there was a link posted to the Ingwer catalogue I think it was? It had literally thousands of settings that your jeweller can order in. Hang on, I'll go searchies...

ETA: Nope, the manufacturer was called Adwar. Another option! I'd check out the Pearlman's website too. Whiteflash. Good Old Gold. Engagement Rings Direct. You've lots of options!

 

[iwannaprettyone]

If my memory serves me Hudson Hawk has a beautiful oval halo...*runs off to find link*

HH oval

 

[poshpepper]

Date: 11/28/2007 9:10:20 AM
Author: ChattyCat
Ok, here''s what I''m thinking and I think dh will go along with it. Another approximately 1.5 carat oval diamond (maybe a smidge bigger, but I''m not going under 1.5 dangit), D or E color, somewhere around SI1 or SI2. And, then flanking it with 2 padparadscha sapphires, like http://www.thenaturalsapphirecompany.com/Sapphires/Pairs/Padparadscha/Cushion/stoneid=PR382-PA



Then I''ll turn the .25 diamonds that are left into earrings, I think. I''ve always wanted diamond studs. And, those are nice diamonds!

The ring idea sounds like it would be beautiful!!!! And I love the idea of using the left over diamonds for studs... but is your insurance company going to let you keep them or do they take them when you file a claim?

And, like Delster said, Adwar has thousands of mountings available... http://www.adwar.com/products/index.html