shape
carat
color
clarity

Poll: Which pendant to go for?

Which pendant?

  • 1. BGD

    Votes: 10 22.2%
  • 2. BN

    Votes: 26 57.8%
  • 3. Other

    Votes: 9 20.0%

  • Total voters
    45
  • Poll closed .

mayerling

Ideal_Rock
Joined
Mar 4, 2010
Messages
2,357
Hi everyone,

I know I should be posting this in CS but I thought I might get more responses this way. I'm finally ready to buy and would like some opinions on which pendant to go for.

Option number 1 is a sapphire and diamond halo pendant from Brian Gavin: http://www.briangavindiamonds.com/home/ring-details/?product_id=5661
The sapphire is dark blue with intense colour, and no visible inclusions.

Option number 2 is a sapphire and micropave diamond pendant from Blue Nile: http://www.bluenile.com/sapphire-diamond-pendant_8150
The sapphire is between 0.46 and 0.50 carat, and "shows even colour at a medium dark blue" (according to BN customer service).

Both look lovely to me, so I'm finding it hard to decide for myself. Please help! :wavey:
 

MissGotRocks

Super_Ideal_Rock
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16,272
Based on looks alone I prefer the BN pendant!
 

yennyfire

Ideal_Rock
Trade
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6,872
I agree with MGR....
 

Tanzigrrl

Brilliant_Rock
Joined
Sep 17, 2010
Messages
744
I prefer the bail on the BN pendant so I voted for that one. Either would be lovely
 

AmeliaG

Brilliant_Rock
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Jan 8, 2011
Messages
880
Me too. BN
 

princesss

Ideal_Rock
Joined
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Tanzigrrl|1309788974|2961486 said:
I prefer the bail on the BN pendant so I voted for that one. Either would be lovely

Ditto.
 

junebug17

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I went with BGD - more diamond weight (.35 opposed to .10) and the quality of the diamonds seems better. Both are really pretty!
 

MichelleCarmen

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Messages
15,880
I also like the BN one b/c of the bale. I don't like the BGDs one.

Just a bit of thought though...I've ordered pendants from BN and one thing I don't like is they do not provide side shots of their pendants so the side view is a bit of a surprise when you get it (it took ordering three seperate times before I found an amethyst pendant I liked). They are very fast shippers and have a great return policy, so I'd say order and hope that you like the side as much as the front!

Good luck.
 

mayerling

Ideal_Rock
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MC|1309791743|2961520 said:
I also like the BN one b/c of the bale. I don't like the BGDs one.

Just a bit of thought though...I've ordered pendants from BN and one thing I don't like is they do not provide side shots of their pendants so the side view is a bit of a surprise when you get it (it took ordering three seperate times before I found an amethyst pendant I liked). They are very fast shippers and have a great return policy, so I'd say order and hope that you like the side as much as the front!

Good luck.

I actually thought of that myself, MC, but unfortunately I don't think I can do that. If I go with BN I'll be ordering from their US store (if I order from the UK store I'll have to pay VAT which comes up to 20% making the pendant about £120 more expensive), and having it shipped to relatives in the US who will then bring it to Europe for me when they come over for my wedding. So I can't really return it; if they take it back with them I won't be able to receive the new one until the next time I'm in the US - and there are no plans for that any time soon.
Do you think I might be able to ask for a photo of the side view of the pendant?
 

MichelleCarmen

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mayerling|1309792020|2961523 said:
MC|1309791743|2961520 said:
I also like the BN one b/c of the bale. I don't like the BGDs one.

Just a bit of thought though...I've ordered pendants from BN and one thing I don't like is they do not provide side shots of their pendants so the side view is a bit of a surprise when you get it (it took ordering three seperate times before I found an amethyst pendant I liked). They are very fast shippers and have a great return policy, so I'd say order and hope that you like the side as much as the front!

Good luck.

I actually thought of that myself, MC, but unfortunately I don't think I can do that. If I go with BN I'll be ordering from their US store (if I order from the UK store I'll have to pay VAT which comes up to 20% making the pendant about £120 more expensive), and having it shipped to relatives in the US who will then bring it to Europe for me when they come over for my wedding. So I can't really return it; if they take it back with them I won't be able to receive the new one until the next time I'm in the US - and there are no plans for that any time soon.
Do you think I might be able to ask for a photo of the side view of the pendant?

For sure call and find out if they can provide a side view. They do have great customer service, I'm just not sure as to how far that extends (since they also don't provide all info about diamonds, etc.) .

That sucks that you can't order and return so easily. I live less than 30 miles from them so when I order something, the FED EX box arrives the next day. lol

Anyway, if you can't get a photo of the BN, possibly look around a bit more b/c the BN bale is so much more impressive than the BGD one...maybe you can find a similar one to the BN from another vendor.
 

diamondseeker2006

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58,547
I voted for the BN one. But if I were making one that was not custom, I'd choose a round sapphire and have it set in a Beverley K setting. That would be my choice over either of these.
 

mayerling

Ideal_Rock
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Messages
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diamondseeker2006|1309795078|2961539 said:
I voted for the BN one. But if I were making one that was not custom, I'd choose a round sapphire and have it set in a Beverley K setting. That would be my choice over either of these.

Excuse my ignorance, but what's a Beverley K setting?
 

VRBeauty

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Pearlman's carries BeverlyK settings.
 

mayerling

Ideal_Rock
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Yeah, Beverly K is way over budget. I want to keep the whole thing below £650.
 

karpouzi

Shiny_Rock
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tyty333

Super_Ideal_Rock
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soocool

Ideal_Rock
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2,827
I love the BN pendant hands down!
 

mayerling

Ideal_Rock
Joined
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Messages
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tyty333|1309802036|2961592 said:
Daniel M makes a lovely setting also...you could get the CS folks to help you find a stone and then have daniel m set/mount
it for you.

http://www.etsy.com/transaction/48667076

I'm a bit reluctant to go the custom route because, like I said, the pendant has to reach my relatives in less than two months so they can get it to me; otherwise it'll be too late. Doesn't custom work take longer?
 

mayerling

Ideal_Rock
Joined
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Messages
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karpouzi|1309800637|2961586 said:

This does seem like a very good deal, but how would it work for me? Would the sapphire be sent to me and then I'd have to send it to be set? Because that would defeat the purpose of trying to avoid paying import duty? Or would the sapphire seller ship to the setting seller?

Does anybody know how this might work?
 

marcy

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Both are pretty but I like BN better.
 

mayerling

Ideal_Rock
Joined
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For those who prefer the BN design, do you think that design should take precedence over quality? I'm saying this because the diamonds in the BG are of better quality...

This is basically what's bothering me. I love the BN look, but I know the BG will sparkle more.
 

AmeliaG

Brilliant_Rock
Joined
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Messages
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mayerling|1309811739|2961658 said:
For those who prefer the BN design, do you think that design should take precedence over quality? I'm saying this because the diamonds in the BG are of better quality...

This is basically what's bothering me. I love the BN look, but I know the BG will sparkle more.

I wouldn't get the best diamond quality unless I could also get the best sapphire quality and honestly I don't know how the quality of the sapphires of either choice stacks up.
 

tyty333

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AmeliaG|1309814982|2961669 said:
mayerling|1309811739|2961658 said:
For those who prefer the BN design, do you think that design should take precedence over quality? I'm saying this because the diamonds in the BG are of better quality...

This is basically what's bothering me. I love the BN look, but I know the BG will sparkle more.

I wouldn't get the best diamond quality unless I could also get the best sapphire quality and honestly I don't know how the quality of the sapphires of either choice stacks up.


Thats why custom would be the way I would go (you can pick what sapphire you want) but I understand you are under a time line.

I also think the Blue Nile is prettier.
 

karpouzi

Shiny_Rock
Joined
Dec 31, 2009
Messages
307
mayerling|1309806308|2961629 said:
This does seem like a very good deal, but how would it work for me? Would the sapphire be sent to me and then I'd have to send it to be set? Because that would defeat the purpose of trying to avoid paying import duty? Or would the sapphire seller ship to the setting seller?

Does anybody know how this might work?

If you could get the stone and setting for 20% less than the premade pendants you're looking at, then maybe it would be worth paying the import duty? And then you would avoid the stress of having it shipped to your relatives and not seeing it until the last minute. (I was thinking you would have both the stone and setting sent to you, then have a local jeweler set the stone, but I'm betting Tan would ship the stone to the setting seller as well.)

The thing about the BN/BGD pendants is that you aren't seeing the actual photo of the stone/piece. That would bother me on a $1000 purchase.
 

swingirl

Ideal_Rock
Joined
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Messages
5,667
junebug17|1309791605|2961518 said:
I went with BGD - more diamond weight (.35 opposed to .10) and the quality of the diamonds seems better. Both are really pretty!
Yep, more carat weight and since the bale is plain all the diamond weight is in the halo. Even though the bale looks pretty in the photo I wonder how much sparkle you'll see off it. I'd also check the sapphire size of both pendants.
 

Indylady

Ideal_Rock
Joined
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Messages
5,717
mayerling|1309805975|2961626 said:
tyty333|1309802036|2961592 said:
Daniel M makes a lovely setting also...you could get the CS folks to help you find a stone and then have daniel m set/mount
it for you.

http://www.etsy.com/transaction/48667076

I'm a bit reluctant to go the custom route because, like I said, the pendant has to reach my relatives in less than two months so they can get it to me; otherwise it'll be too late. Doesn't custom work take longer?


Yes, it does take longer. I'd definitely ask both BN and BGD if their stones are heat only or if they've been BE difused. BE diffused stones are very inexpensive, and I wouldn't pay the pricetag of either of those vendors if their stones are BE diffused. Here is a really stunning sapphire for a very reasonable price http://www.litnon.com/index.php?page=viewgem&id=8779 that will definitely have quick shipping--for the BGD melee, what I'd do is ask BGD what the cost of just the mount would be and ask if they can set or stone, or I'd go with Daniel M who is also very reliable.
 

mayerling

Ideal_Rock
Joined
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Messages
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IndyLady|1309835537|2961775 said:
mayerling|1309805975|2961626 said:
tyty333|1309802036|2961592 said:
Daniel M makes a lovely setting also...you could get the CS folks to help you find a stone and then have daniel m set/mount
it for you.

http://www.etsy.com/transaction/48667076

I'm a bit reluctant to go the custom route because, like I said, the pendant has to reach my relatives in less than two months so they can get it to me; otherwise it'll be too late. Doesn't custom work take longer?


Yes, it does take longer. I'd definitely ask both BN and BGD if their stones are heat only or if they've been BE difused. BE diffused stones are very inexpensive, and I wouldn't pay the pricetag of either of those vendors if their stones are BE diffused. Here is a really stunning sapphire for a very reasonable price http://www.litnon.com/index.php?page=viewgem&id=8779 that will definitely have quick shipping--for the BGD melee, what I'd do is ask BGD what the cost of just the mount would be and ask if they can set or stone, or I'd go with Daniel M who is also very reliable.

I've asked BG about treatments on the stone and I'm still waiting to hear back. I think the stone comes from a third party vendor and they need to check with them.

I've also made an enquiry with Daniel M and I'm waiting to get some more details from them before I can decide whether going the custom way is doable.
 
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