Right size diamond for non-jewlery-type woman? (semi-long)

[M_Coupe]

OK... I know the "average size?" and "size poll!" posts have shown up again and again, but I''m looking for a more direct answer

I''m looking at my recently purchased stone mounted on a simple 2.5mm solitaire ring and wondering (aka having second thoughts) about the size decision. My budget was $5000-$5500, and my dolor preference is H or better, so there are a wide range of eye-clean sizes I could get.

My girlfriend hardly ever wears jewlery. She has a simple Timex watch (gold-color w/ leather band) and will wear a simple pearl pendant from time to time. That''s it! No earrings (''cept at weddings and once when i took her to the ballet). She''s 5''10" with a size 6.5 ring (tall/thin type). And she''s also active with her hands (art projects).

SO - I ended up picking a .733c stone of very high quality, as opposed to a 1.0+c stone of lesser quality for my $5k. However, the recent polls indicating the desire for a 1.0-1.5c stone are making me doubt my decision.

Thoughts?

Current stone is
.733 / D color / VVS2 /AGS 0 (angles, etc attached)

- Ryan

 

[Carmen]

Hi~~

In my opinion, she would love anything you get her. But if you're having doubts, a 1.00 carat would be very nice as well.. and it's not too huge. For someone like her who is active with her hands ... you can have the one carat set very, very low in, for example a "basket setting" or a setting where it's inside the ring... so the look is more conservative.

Will this be an engagement ring? You know some girls just doesnt' buy lots of jewlery... and don't own many so they don't wear/change jewlery all the time.. But to own a 1 carat that's an engagement ring could be something the most special...

Just my opinion.. what do ya think?

Carmen

 

[Hest88]

I wouldn't worry. It's a good size you have. I know quite a few women who can't be bothered to put on jewelry everyday, yet think of their e-rings as something beyond jewelry. It becomes a statement of who you are and your status in life so they wear them even if they never wear anything else. I'm actually one of those and have just starting making the effort to put on my right-hand ring. I don't wear earrings or necklaces unless it's a special occasion.

Have you thought of putting the diamond in a bezel-set ring? Modern, sleek, non-pretentious, and great for an active lifestyle.

 

[pqcollectibles]

You didn't give the diameter, but it looks like a nicely cut diamond from the diagram. Chances are, most folk will think you gal is wearing a 1 carat diamond because they aren't used to seeing well cut diamonds. I have a .766 and it happens to me all the time. In my area, a lot of gals have 1/3 to 1/2 carat diamonds. Some of the younger gals have 3/4 carat size center stones. Some diamond accents, some wraps, some diamond wedding rings. So far everyone with a 3/4 carat, and even 1 with a tad over 1 carat, have thought mine is a carat sized diamond.

Don't fret over the carat weight because you were thinking of how "jewelry modest" she is and how active she is with her hands. Has she given you indicators that she would like a larger carat weight diamond?? That's the clues you need to look for and consider.

 

[glitterata]

Are her friends engaged or married? Do they wear engagement rings? What size are their rings? You don't want her to have a ring that's a whole lot smaller than all her friends' rings. Given that she's not a jewelry person, though, you probably don't want her to have a ring that's a whole lot bigger than her friends' rings, either. That might make her feel self-conscious and strange.

If her friends don't wear engagement rings, smaller is probably better.

Your stone sounds beautiful. Unless you see honkers on her friends' hands, you should probably stick to it.

 

[M_Coupe]

Wow! What fast replies! This forum is amazing.

Thanks for the fast replies and reassurances, all!

The measurements are:
5.79*5.83*3.56 mm

I did look at the bezel-set rings, but I don't think she'd go for them. The 'timeless' (old fashioned?) solitare in 18k yellow gold (platinum head) is more her style.

It IS very well cut and sparkles like mad. It's actually the second ring I've purchased (the first had a fracture). You should have seen me running all over the house looking at it under different lights!!

Candlelight? Check! Flourescent? Check! Incandescent? Check! Glow from monitor? Check!

I have no reservations about the overall look of the stone I picked... just the size factor. Perhaps it's shallow, but I dont want people to look at it and think she's got a cheap fiance'

Thanks again!!
- Ryan

 

[M_Coupe]

glitterata -

Very good point. Now that you mention it, I DID ask around with a couple of our mutual friends. One with a .61 / G / VS2, and another with a 1/2c (She didn't know the specs, but it was quite colorless to my eye). Of course, she also has a friend with some huge (I'd guess 2.5c?) stone balacing precipitiously in its cathedral setting =D

Thanks for reminding me of that point though. You all have helped greatly! I'm keeping the 3/4. Proposal is New Year's eve - the day of our first date. Wish me luck! =D

- Ryan
P.S. to "pqcollectibles" - eating dessert first is VERY good advice. Advice I whole-heartedly agree with!

 

[magna2]

No need to doubt. It is a lovely diamond. Don't let the forum members give you the impression that you need something more than 1 carat - 0.733 ct is a very good size. The polls were typically what a person would like if they could versus what a person actually has. The typical engagement ring diamond is less than 3/4 ct unless you happen to be a forum member.

And by no stretch of any imagination can someone label you as cheap for shelling out $5000 for a 0.733 ct diamond - read somewhere recently that the typical price spend on an engagement diamond is in the neighborhood of $3000 (I wish that I had saved that link). People will notice how well a diamond performs well before they zone in on the size.

You've made a great selection so stop all your worrying and self doubting.

 

[Carmen]

hahaha....

Now I feel bad that I even suggested a 1 carat would be nice..


But like I said, I'm sure she'll love anything you get her... and these diamonds that everyone is helping you out with I'm sure will beat a lot of the bad cuts out there.... and they are right...., it is what SHE is comfortable with..

good choice and good luck!!

Carmen

 

[yngdaniel]

I don't think you should worry. I got my girl a 0.79 square (well cut) in a hefty platinum band. She's about 5'10 with a size 7 finger, and it doesn't look undersized in the slightest. It's the sparkle that draws the eye, and you should have that in spades.

 

[Mara]

I of course will chime in with my typical note...size!

Without sacrificing too much...why not get something like a G SI and get a bit bigger stone?




The reason I say this is because I am not a jewelry person. NO REALLY.

Before I got hooked on diamonds, I wore simple silver hoop earrings. No watch. A simple silver ring sometimes. No bracelets. No necklaces. Nothing else.




Then my fiance (bf at the time) got me some diamond earrings. Wore those. Liked diamonds. Eventually got myself a diamond bracelet...subtle and understated, for daily use. I wear jeans alot during the week and so nothing too fancy.




Then I found Pscope and the madness hit. Got my engagement ring. The funny thing is that we were looking initially for MAYBE 1c. We weren't sure what the costs were, our budget was etc. I figured that 1c was a good standard size. Long story short....my e-ring is a 1.23 that is shallow cut so looks visually like a 1.35c. At the time it was aweseome. Now..a year later, it really is too small for my tastes. I still love it but think...damn 20/20 hindsight.




What changed? Who knows. But knowing what I know now...that sometimes even people who are not into jewelry or don't wear fancy stuff can easily get hooked on the sparkle white rocks and wish that theirs was bigger. Hence my noting of erring on the side of larger caution...and possibly thinking of getting that 1c stone. This is just my opinion of course, and you know your girl best. Don't let us 'sizies' influence you to the point where you doubt your decision, it's your decision to make and you should stand by it. But knowing me and how I started out and where I ended up now--I still don't wear alot of jewelry...today in fact I have on my e-ring and simple silver hoops. But I would, hands down, love a bigger stone.




Hope this didn't confuse you even more. I could say...'no what you got sounds great!' ..in fact it sounds like a very beautiful stone--chosen with much care. But I wouldn't want to wear a D VVS smaller stone. I'd want a more middle ground and slightly larger stone --but of course that is just me.

It's always difficult when you ask strangers what they think. That poll is there for a reason--most of the women on here tend to want at least a 1c stone. But is that your girl? In the end...you know best.




Good luck!!

 

[Robyn12]

As someone who never wears jewlery except for special occasions, I would say go for the 1 ct. It's probably the only jewlery she will have on regularly, and that is exactly why it should be as wonderful as possible. If it were me, I'd want the larger stone! Like some other people suggested, stick with a low setting, and I'd say an understated band -- but I would go for the bigger stone. A 1 ct stone just has a much greater WOW factor than a smaller stone, and no matter who she is, or how much jewlery she doesn't wear, I'd say the 1 ct will be much more exciting to her...

Good luck!

 

[M_Coupe]

Carmen -

Don't feel bad. Your advice was good, sound advice. It was welcome and appreciated - thanks!

yngdaniel -

She sounds like she's similar in build to my GF. Good to know that the 3/4 looks good on her!

Mara -

Thanks for the counter-point. It made me sit and think "Would she become 'addicted' to diamonds and start to want something bigger?". Food for thought indeed, though the more I think about it the more certain I am that I've had the right pick all along. (Sure are some nice 1.0c G-color SI1's in that price ballpark though!)

Seriously, this would be easier if the two of us were hopping together. She could just TELL me what she wants... but I know she wants the ring and proposal to be a suprise.

Thanks again everyone. And my most sincere apologies for consistently misspelling "jewelry". Doh!

- Ryan

 

[Summer]

I'd take this diamond any day (great quality)!. In my opinion 3/4 is a good size and I think a good size for someone who doesn't normally wear jewelery. In fact, it may very well be a size she'll need to grow into!

Go with your gut instinct. It seems like you are very happy with the 3/4 D that you chose and it sounds like you know her taste. So you're the only one that can judge what is right for her.

 

[Mara]

M...glad you worked things out for what is best for you. Post pictures of the ring when you get it and let us know about your results!

 

[Carmen]

You are most welcome.

*whew*

I'm sure she will love this one you have.... and most likely beat her other gf's *sparkle* hehe..

Congradulations & Good luck!!

Carmen

 

[rocks]

had i been in your position, i would have opted for an evs2 with similar cut. that would buy you something close to .90ct. you might also consider resetting the diamond with sapphire side stones (a traditional three stone ring). that will make the ring look more substantial, without increasing the height, and thus wearability of the ring.

i'm in the trade, and that is what i would do for myself!

good luck!

 

[fire&ice]

Can you perhaps enlist the aid of a friend to get her preferences? An E-ring is a different animal than "jewelry in general".

That said, it sounds like a *very* nice sizable stone. I would go with it as long as your poll about size of friends stones holds true.

 

[M_Coupe]

Update!!

I just wanted to let everyone who provided input know that my fiance LOVES the ring. In fact, she's still getting used to the size of the 3/4carat. I think she was thinking of something more like 1/2c. She's commented that "I will take [her] a while to get used to it!".

Thanks again everyone. I'd post a picture, but I'm having a hard time taking one. I have a Canon S40, and I can't seem to get the macro mode or and close-ups to work :-/

- Ryan

 

[Mara]

Congrats Ryan!! Don't worry, she will get used to the size...we all do!!

Please do post pictures

 

[KittyTiger]

Congradualtions! The best to the both of you!!~~~




Pictures~~

 

[sumi]

I'm chiming in a little late to this discussion, but better late than never!

My engagement ring is about 3/4 carats and it is of excellent quality. I LOVE my engagement ring. I am an attorney and as you can imagine, I probably have one of the smaller engagement rings in my peer group. However, I have noticed that my diamond is the most beautiful. I say quality over quantity any day. Also, I don't think I could personally pull off a huge diamond. My mom has a 3 carat ring that I've tried on and it looks a little silly on me.

However, if your fiance is itching for some more sparkle on her finger, then I suggest that she get a diamond eternity band as her wedding ring. My wedding ring is a diamond eternity band and it really compliments the e-ring very well.

 

[highendgems]

you picked a very well cut stone-

the bigger the better--so it all depends on your budget.

once set, there is no difference between a good I color stone (properly certified I) and a H or G, to the untrained human eye.

so, going down to an I will certainly open the possibilities.

your stone has a good spread, so it will look like a .85 ct.

bigger still? then seriously drop the VVS and go to VS2. furthermore, get out od D range and go to G or H--F at most...

all this being tru, on a well cut (ideal) stone.