Problems with Baguettes?

[AFDanHef]

Please, bear with my story ..... or just read the last sentence.

Thanks.

Hello everyone, I''m a newbie to this site ... and I''ve been researching and studying about diamonds for about a month now due to the fact that I''m shopping for an engagement ring. I''ve just about driven myself crazy going to every jeweler in town and hunting for the best ring in my price range and I have heard conflicting advice from every jeweler about different things. I know they are trying to make a sell by down talking the competition ... but damn ... it''s getting to where I don''t know who is telling the truth anymore. Basically, I''ve been looking for a 3-stone emerald cut e-ring.

Today I found, at a very reputable jeweler, (actually the largest independent jeweler in the nation) a ring with two 1/3 ct. baguettes on the side and I picked a 1/2 ct. emerald cut VS1 H color for the center stone. I immediately liked the looks of it ... and out of all the TONS of shopping I''ve done, I really thought I had found the ring for me.

So I''m excited about this, although I had another jeweler to go to this afternoon that I had been to before and the lady was incredibly helpful, straight talking, and sincere. She had sourced me out two rings exactly like I had asked her for. BEAUTIFUL 3-stone colorless VS1 emerald .60 ct center and .20 outers. At first they were out of my price range. But then I told her I had found a ring today that was in my price range and I loved it and she called the ring company owner and got the price brought down to my range. So she ask me about the ring that I had found and I told her about it. Then she tells me that she never suggest baguette diamonds to anyone, that they are problematic about breaking and falling out of their settings and if they are not kept clean at all times they will get very dingy and not shine. Now of ALL the CRAP that I''ve heard from jewelers over the last month it''s hard for me to believe that baguettes are as bad as she made them out to be. Although, I''ve been reading around this forum and I''m starting to think she might be right.

So to FINALLY get to the point.

What are the cons of baguette diamonds? Are they as problematic as I''ve been led to believe?

Thanks

 

[Indira-London]

Emerald cut with baguette diamond is a classic combination and one that you will see being sold from Harry Winston through to Tiffany to independent jewellery shops. Baguette diamonds have the least sparkle as they have the fewest facets and yes they do not look good when they are sdirty but then neither does an emerald cut diamond look so good as part of the beauty of the step cut shapes is the "clean" look of the likes/large see-through facets.

As a vendor who sells custom-made rings - I have never had any problems with a client with baguette cut diamonds but then my clients typically come back to have their rings serviced regularly (diamonds re-secured if they become loose, ring re-polished if it is platinum or re-rhodiated if it is 18ct white gold) as we offer this for free.

Hence, I would not be too unduly alarmed re. baguettes assuming that they are at least VS quality or better i.e. no large cracks/inclusions which might cause problems with wear/tear.

I hope this helps.

 

[Ellen]

I totally agree with Indira. And I have an EC with bags that I wore for several years, quite often. I''m also not the easiest on rings sometimes, and neither of mine ever came loose.

I would just add to her post, along with quality stones, you want a quality setting. Any stone can come loose it the setting isn''t made well.


However, in reading over your post, my sneaking suspicion is that this jeweler''s biggest motivation to discourage you from bags may have been the fact that the ring that you liked (with bags) didn''t come from her. Of course, I could be wrong...

 

[Rosa]

Hi there,

I have a round brilliant center stone and baguettes on either side (kind of like leaves on a flower, to my mind!) and have never had a problem.

Once a week I just use a jewelry cleaner with a soft brush and as long as I don''t get hand lotion or something on the ring, that keeps them pretty and sparkly.

One of the diamond dealers on 47th St actually told me I could spray windex on the ring and then rinse with water (b/c it is just diamonds and platinum) and that is essentially the same as the jewelry cleaner (b/c of the ammonia, I think.) I did this once in a pinch and it worked great.

But don''t ever try it on colored stones or pearls!

Buy the ring you love the most and take care of it and you won''t have a problem.

 

[Catmom]

I have a radiant cut diamond ring with specialty cut baguette side stones. I have had my ring for almost 2 years and wear it 24/7 and have never had a problem with any of the stones in my ring. Baguettes sides are such a classic and popular look that has been around forever and I can''t imagine that it would remain the case if there was such an issue with baguettes. They do tend to collect dirt but then so does an emerald cut diamond so just make sure you clean, clean, clean and all should be good!

 

[LD]

I wouldn''t hesitate to buy a ring that has baguettes - although as Indira says, the clarity must be good because imperfections will show and an included baguette isn''t particularly pretty.

One other thing that the sales lady may be right about is that baguettes (and indeed Asschers, Emerald, Princess cuts etc) do show dirt and dust more readily and need to be cleaned to look their best. That''s not a reason NOT to buy them though. If you like the look then that''s what''s important.

 

[strmrdr]

baguettes can be cut to be pretty but they usually arent.
They usually are just there...

They arent any weaker than most long diamonds but the way they are set in the ring often makes them very vulnerable to getting snapped in half or knocked out of the setting or both.
The same side impact that to a solitaire bends or snaps the heads off will shatter baguettes in a typical setting with them along the shank of a ring.
It is a very common type of hit for a ring to take.

 

[tyty333]

I have a pear engagement ring with baguettes on either side. I've been wearing it for 10 years with no problems.
Its true that my baguettes do not sparkle much. They are only about .15 carat a piece so rather small. To add
sparkle to my ring finger I added a 5 stone ring to it instead of the 3 stone baguette wedding band that matches
it. See pic...