Please help me select a setting!

[amyc]

Hi there! I''ve received some valuable input on selecting a stone over the past few weeks and would love some help choosing a setting.

I have very small hands so I''m looking for a delicate pave setting. My boyfriend has given me a budget in the $5000-6000 range for the stone and setting. I have fallen in love with a setting that I tried on at Robbins Brothers but of course it was one of the priciest in the store. What can I say...I have good taste!

So here''s the setting I LOVE by Ritani...

Option 1: http://www.robbinsbros.com/ProductSearch/productDetail.asp?prod_id=28843&pType=ring&intIsJewelry=0&set_shape=1013

I''ve found some other less expensive options that look good online but I haven''t seen in person. If you have one of these settings I would love some feedback...

Option 2: Very similar to the Ritani but the diamonds don''t go all the way around. Not sure of the quality in comparison to the real thing.
http://www.firenzejewels.com/store/moreinfo.cfm?Product_ID=3063

Option 3: I like this setting but really want to see it in person.
http://www.whiteflash.com/Engagement-Rings/Styles/Diamond-Settings/The--Legato--with-Micro-Pave_1071.htm

Option 4: I haven''t tried a ring with a "French Cut Pave" but it looks nice. Anyone have this one?
http://www.jamesallen.com/products/item_412-1936_build.asp?module=setting

Option 5: I like this one but it looks a little thicker than the others. I''d love to see a picture of this on someone''s hand.
http://www.jamesallen.com/products/item_412-1921_build.asp?module=setting

Option 6: A little more ornate than the others...it''s pretty but not sure it''s me. Haven''t heard anything about the quality from this company either.
http://www.engagement-ring-mountings.com/ring_settings_info_1542.htm#more_pictures

Soooo....those are the options I''m looking at and I would love some feedback. I''m torn between getting the more expensive setting vs. spending more on the stone. I would prefer a platinum setting but I wonder if my money would be better spent on the stone since we''re on a budget. The two settings from James Allen are really reasonable especially if I go with white gold.

I appreciate any input you can give. Thanks!

 

[Sparkalicious]

That Ritani setting is LOVELY!
Have you checked out Pearlman''s Jeweler''s? It is a PS favorite and they may be able to offer some sort of PS discount or more competitive pricing?

 

[sera]

The Ritani is beautiful... well made and very delicate. I''ve tried it on at RB''s too.

A lot of people here have the Legato and love it. Like you, I have not seen it in person.

The other options are nice, but I would probably go with the Ritani. I sometimes find when I try to go with an alternate of something I love, I feel like I''m settling and will always compare the two. If I loved two settings equally, I would go with the less expensive. But if the one I loved happened to be the expensive ones and the others were not thrilling me, I would go with what I love.

 

[coatimundi_org]

That French cut pave is very pretty

 

[nolimits]

Both the Ritani and Firenze look very classy. It wouldn''t bother me about the diamonds not wrapping as far around on the Firenze. I see that as a hazard waiting to happen, but I''m a guy and if I had stones on the bottom of my ring I know I''d knock them loose somehow.

The real problem is I see that Ritani is $3,400 at Pearlman''s which is a considerable chunk of change for a setting, especially in a $5k budget. I would opt for the same style in a less expensive option such as the Firenze. Also a local jeweler might be able to replicate the look for considerably less.

It sounds like you love platinum but I really wouldn''t eat up all my budget getting it. Instead go with an 18k white gold. Or better yet, consider palladium. It''s a little more durable, doesn''t yellow like white gold does and is a very minimal upgrade in price (maybe an extra $150 to $200).

Best of luck!

 

[diamondseeker2006]

Date: 1/25/2008 2:37:38 AM
Author: nolimits
Both the Ritani and Firenze look very classy. It wouldn''t bother me about the diamonds not wrapping as far around on the Firenze. I see that as a hazard waiting to happen, but I''m a guy and if I had stones on the bottom of my ring I know I''d knock them loose somehow.

The real problem is I see that Ritani is $3,400 at Pearlman''s which is a considerable chunk of change for a setting, especially in a $5k budget. I would opt for the same style in a less expensive option such as the Firenze. Also a local jeweler might be able to replicate the look for considerably less.

It sounds like you love platinum but I really wouldn''t eat up all my budget getting it. Instead go with an 18k white gold. Or better yet, consider palladium. It''s a little more durable, doesn''t yellow like white gold does and is a very minimal upgrade in price (maybe an extra $150 to $200).

Best of luck!

I think you must have been looking at the wrong ring. I see that ring listed at $2400.

http://www.pearlmansjewelers.com/jewelry-designers/ritani-jewelry/rings/06QQ1/24/

I think my advice is this. Get the largest diamond you can afford and set it in a $200 white gold solitaire setting. Then maybe for your anniversary, have it reset into the Ritani set. The Ritani is gorgeous, but it will cost most of your ring budget to get the e-ring and matching wedding band. Have you tried it on? That e-ring is super thin, and one pricescoper had hers made 2mm to match the wedding band, but it is still thin.

 

[amyc]

Thanks! I actually found the Ritani setting for $1900 which is a GREAT price or I wouldn''t even be considering it. Robbins Brothers was selling the same setting for $2900...a whole thousand dollars more! I did not have a good experience with Robbins Brothers so I definitely won''t be buying there. I do think they have an excellent selection and it gave me a chance to try on a lot of different settings that I had only seen online.

Even though it''s a great price on the Ritani it''s still $1000+ over some of these other options. And that''s a good point about the wedding band...although the cost of the wedding band isn''t included in my budget I do need to keep that in mind. I''m sure the matching wedding bands aren''t cheap.

Decisions, Decisions...I''m sure I''ll be extremely happy with whatever I get but I just want to make sure we get the most for our (okay boyfriends) money.

 

[Diamond*Dana]

My first choice would be the Ritani, and the Legato would be a close second!

 

[dani13]

I agree with Diamondseeker. Get the best diamond you can afford, and then mount it in a plain wg solitaire setting. Then you can save up and upgrade the setting at a later point....

 

[Italiahaircolor]

I would absolutely go with the Ritani...I just think it is by far the prettiest! On all the other settings, I found at least one thing I didn''t "love" about them. But, with that said, I''m pretty picky!

Whatever you end up with, I''m sure you''ll love and adore!