Ring Project with Whiteflash HELP!

[j450n]

hi guys,

first time poster..been lurking around this site as a reader for a few months, and finally decided to sign up so i could post! Frm Australia and will be heading up to the states in December and the rings/diamonds here seem over priced with not many choices in settings!

I have learnt a lot by reading about all your reviews and how to choose a diamond etc and it's all been very well. Now it's my turn to take the plunge and have decided on WF due to the positive reviews here!

I've been emailing Liza from Whiteflash who has been fantastic but just need more feedback regarding settings and choosing a diamond!

My Wants
My budget is $4500 (eg: $3.2-3.5k diamond /$1-1.3k setting)

Diamond
Prefably an ACA diamond with: 0.6-0.0.8carats, colour of-G, clarity only up to VS2 and ideal cut.
I've got these as a shortlist, please feel free to add to these with other diamonds you can find on WF, and tell me which you believe to be better:
1) http://www.whiteflash.com/loose-diamond ... 355073.htm (0.618 D VS1 ACA)
2) http://www.whiteflash.com/loose-diamond ... 291016.htm (0.632 E VS1 ACA)
3) http://www.whiteflash.com/loose-diamond ... 340001.htm (0.726 G VS2 ACA)
4) http://www.whiteflash.com/loose-diamond ... 355081.htm (0.706 G VS1 ACA)
5) http://www.whiteflash.com/loose-diamond ... 231212.htm (0.728 F VS2 which is a near miss ACA)

Setting
The girlfriend/fiance to be has really long slender fingers (Size J or 4.75-5) and her fingers are as long as mine and most guys but she doesn't have 'big' hands. We've looked at a few settings here and have liked the shimmery look of the pave settings and the T&C knife edge settings. However she can be quite rough and having talked to Liza she reccomends that I need to think about her lifestyle and whether the pave will be suitable as the diamonds may drop off!

What we don't like is when the claw looks too big for the diamond (which is what we are seeing with diamonds in the 0.5-0.7 carat range here. With a 1carat it looks fine, but with a 0.6 or 0.7 i feel the claw looks like it overpowers the diamond at times! Any pros and cons with the heart shape claws? does it add weight/size to the look of the claws (especially with a smaller 0.6-0.7 diamond?)

I do like the look of the legato setting but am having trouble on deciding which one to use it on and need your help! We want something that has a pave without too much metal showing and we love the shimmery look. Alternatively we may choose not to have any pave at all.

Depending on which setting prefably platinum, but it looks like it might have to be white gold.

1) ROUNDED PAVE: http://www.whiteflash.com/engagement-ri ... ng-563.htm (i really do like this but it looks way too delicate!) so i think this is ruled out, but this was on top previously.
2) No pave option LEGATO SLEEK LINE: If im not mistaken these 2 are the same but has been modified by user 'jw07':
a) http://www.whiteflash.com/engagement-ri ... re-728.htm
b) show-me-the-ring/my-very-own-wf-legato-t111761.html
3) HARMONY- this looks nice, but the price blows it out of my budget!
a) http://www.whiteflash.com/engagement-ri ... ng-879.htm
b) viewtopic.php?t=119101
c) viewtopic.php?t=46129 (Lynn's ring which looks fantastic!)
4) LEGATO MICRO PAVE
http://www.whiteflash.com/engagement-ri ... e-1011.htm

I think it comes down to Harmony or Legato Micro Pave. Any suggestions or things I should know about?

A lot to digest there and read, but your help is needed!

Thanks
Jason

 

[JulieN]

I like the G VS2, very sharp, just goes POW.

I also like the Legato Pave setting. No heart prongs.

 

[j450n]

*BUMP*

Hi Julien.
Thanks for the reply!
What about it makes it go POW?
i'm looking at all the differnt pictures...

THanks

 

[yssie]

I like the F VS2.

High colour, only a couple hundred more than the G VS2, beautiful stone, qualifies for all WF's trade/return/upgrade policies. D is overkill in colour (you won't see an iota of diff in this size range btwn a D and an F when set), VS1 overkill in clarity. If the price diff was more I'd pick the G VS2, but given how little it is..

 

[j450n]

hi thanks guys!
Could you explain why one ring over the other?

how about setting.. any reccomendations?

Leaning towards a harmony but adjusted so its sunken with heart shaped claws.

Regards,
Jason

 

[Supers]

Hi Jason,

Fellow Aussie here! I too have decided that there is better value buying on the internet than in Australia.

On settings, this is the one I would have bought from WF (didn't end up doing it as they couldn't ship to my diamond vendor) - it's the http://www.whiteflash.com/engagemen...eek-line-pave-diamond-engagement-ring-422.htm

It's within budget, has the Legato head. I prefer the head to be more integrated with the ring, rather than just sitting on top (if you know what I mean), so that was my pick. Not sure how delicate it would be if your gf is a bit rough though.

 

[septsparkle]

I would go with Diamond 3 or 5. I agree D is overkill in color and I think you are totally fine with VS2 for clarity and you'll get a little more size with those then the others and I honestly don't think you'll notice the difference otherwise. As for which round is a better stone, I'm not qualified like the others to tell, I can just tell you what I like the best from the images.

If you don't want the prongs to overpower the stone, I say stick to the basic and not go with the hearts.

I am partial to the Legato Micro Pave setting as I just ordered it for myself. If I wasn't going to opt for the pave, I was going to go with the Legato Sleek line solitaire. Something about that Legato head I just love, love, love.

 

[j450n]

hi there..oh wow thats quite nice too..i haven't looked at that yet. Iagree with you aobut the setting/head sitting lower down instead of on the actual ring itsself which makes it all very chunky! Supers: from what i can see from forums if your diamond vendeo will send it to whiteflash they can set it for you. Means you need to pay for shippin/insuracne and all that...but might be worth if if you like that setting?

What do people mean when they say D is overkill in colour..as in its too white/pure? Isn't that what ppl buy it for..or am i wrong here?

septsparkle: the harmony uses a legato head too. the only diff from what i can see is the size of the pave diamonds which seems to be bigger than the legato micro pave.

Thanks for your feedback...i need someone whose an expert to tell me about these diamonds and which is better and for value !!! based on the est ideal scope etc...!

 

[Supers]

The problem for us Aussies is that we can't get a Jewellers Mutual policy to cover the loose diamond while it is being set.
I'm pretty sure that WF would do a good job with setting the diamond, but the paranoid part of me says what if there is some accidental damage?
It's all good though - I found a similar setting from Brian Gavin and they will send the setting to my diamond vendor.

 

[pancake]

I don't think it matters if you choose F or G. You won't be able to tell the difference when there's just one sitting on her finger and some people wouldn't even be able to tell them apart side by side. Personally I think money saved is money saved...so I would go with the G. But clearly there's not much between them, looking at the responses here! I personally wouldn't go with the D as I don't think the difference is enough in a stone of this size to warrant the price jump - and a well-cut F or G in this size will look very white indeed.

I like the Harmony and I like the idea of a more integrated head. In this size stone I wouldn't go with heart-shaped prongs though as I'd be worried that they'd look bulky and too busy. The setting is already quite busy as it is because of the melee, so I would go with the smallest and most unobtrusive prongs possible.

Re the risk of having an uninsured stone set - this is something I grappled with a bit as well as I bought my stone in the US but had it set in Australia. I was assured that provided that the stone's inclusions weren't an integrity issue and because my diamond didn't have corners (princess corners are apparently the riskiest in setting - mine's an EC) that the chances of something bad happening were vanishingly small.

 

[tyty333]

Setting...I like the Legato micro pave. If you are worried about stones falling out maybe you could ask them to do 1/2 or
3/4 way around the band so less stones to worry about.

 

[Lula]

I like the F VS2.

High colour, only a couple hundred more than the G VS2, beautiful stone, qualifies for all WF's trade/return/upgrade policies. D is overkill in colour (you won't see an iota of diff in this size range btwn a D and an F when set), VS1 overkill in clarity. If the price diff was more I'd pick the G VS2, but given how little it is..

I agree with yssie -- the stone is the biggest, too.

As for setting, my suggestion is, given your gf's lifestyle, I'd get a low-set simple solitaire with no pave, get a plain wedding band, and then invest in one of WF's diamond bands for the times when your girlfriend wants more bling. Use both the plain band and the diamond band in the wedding ceremony, so each ring has the sentiment and symbolism of the wedding attached to it. A simple plain band is not that expensive, and WF makes a variety of styles of diamond wedding bands in different price ranges.

 

[j450n]

im looking at the F VS2 and could you guys explain the reasons?

http://www.whiteflash.com/loose-diamond ... 231212.htm
$3176 for a 0.728 ct F VS2 (NON ACA)

compared to this:
http://www.whiteflash.com/loose-diamond ... 340001.htm
$2933 for a 0.726 ct G VS2 (ACA)

would the ACA diamond not look nicer or...? What would be the reason why the non ACA was not graded a ACA?


im really liking the sleek line pave right now as we liked the T&C knife edge as well as a pave setting and this looks like it has both. just need to find more pictures. Its got a legato head too!!!

 

[Amys Bling]

In respone to the color debate... d being overkill... G or F or H...

In my opinion, it depends on your budget.... With a budget around yours where you are looking at .5-.7 stones, I would drop in the color area in order to get a bigger "bang" (carat) for your money. I think D-F are very close in color IRL especially set.

Some people do get a D because it is the highest grade and colorless and rare... I have a D Ideal RB. My fiance picked it out- at this time I had no knowledge of color. Now that I know what I know- I would have still gone with a D for myself, but my RB D color is 1.55 ct. If his budget allowed a .5 D, I would have pushed for a lower color and bigger stone. I think the color and clarity grades depends on your budget and what you want- the best possible stone for your budget- or a great bigger stone for your budget.

I don't think you can go wrong, and I think she will love whichever one you pick!

GoodLuck!

 

[j450n]

Thanks for all your comments guys/gals! Helping me a lot. Now i need help deciding on a setting. Tossing up with the:
1) Sleek Line Pave
2) Harmony
3) Legato Micro Pave

Attached are some pics:
SLEEK LINE PAVE:



HARMONY:





MICRO PAVE:

 

[septsparkle]

I'm not much help. I love them all. I had a hard time deciding between the Micro Pave and the Legato Sleek line with pave. Ultimately I made my decision based on the fact that the head on the micro pave would be easier to replace when I upgrade my stone again in the future. I wanted to be able to keep this setting and not let it go to waste again like my other one. I believe the Harmony would have done the trick, too but for me I couldn't justify the added cost of the larger melee as I was already $2k over budget as it was after ordering the matching wedding band!

 

[MidwestDiamondHunter]

I like the rounded pave a lot... why do you think it is too delicate?

 

[j450n]

yeh agreed that the harmony is more expensive. I'm leaning a lot more towards the sleek line pave.
septsparkle: does your micropave sparkle? =P don't think ill be replacing the band or the diamond very soon... so want to make a decision on something that would last!


as for the rounded pave, it has a lot of small diamonds on it. the gf isn't very careful and she will be wearing it 24/7 (reckons she will lose it if she takes if off!). i do like the rounded pave a lot, but it looks delicate in the sense you can't wash dishes with it etc... looks more like a ring you would wear on 'special occasions' only!

any more comments.....??
on diamond OR band?

 

[yssie]

yeh agreed that the harmony is more expensive. I'm leaning a lot more towards the sleek line pave.
septsparkle: does your micropave sparkle? =P don't think ill be replacing the band or the diamond very soon... so want to make a decision on something that would last!


as for the rounded pave, it has a lot of small diamonds on it. the gf isn't very careful and she will be wearing it 24/7 (reckons she will lose it if she takes if off!). i do like the rounded pave a lot, but it looks delicate in the sense you can't wash dishes with it etc... looks more like a ring you would wear on 'special occasions' only!

any more comments.....??
on diamond OR band?

If the gf isn't very careful and plans to wear it 24/7 (incl sleep/dishes/working out..) all of those are going to be PITAs, honestly - the 'best' choice by far is a plain band.

 

[septsparkle]

I will like you know about the sparkle factor in about a week. I ordered mine just over a week ago so I expect I should have it in about a week. These stones appear to be set pretty well, I'm not going to be scared to wash dishes or the likes. I will refrain from the other horrible for ring things that I tend to do...using screw drivers, gardening etc.

I'll take it off for bed and showering, etc. but I'm not going to live in fear over it. That's no fun either, ya know? I do feel that the sleek line is likely the most durable out of the three though, so that's probably a good choice and it sure is pretty!!!

 

[j450n]

haha i guess ill just have to force her to take if off when shes doing ring unfriendly things. keep us posted sparkle..post some pics up!

 

[septsparkle]

Hopefully she'll be so in love, she'll be afraid to hurt it and will be good about taking care of it right away!
I will post pics as soon as it gets here!!

 

[j450n]

hi guys
what do you think of this in comparison to the above diamonds?
http://www.whiteflash.com/loose-diamond ... 355082.htm

 

[yssie]

hearts & IS?

 

[amc80]

I would prefer the Legato or the Sleek line. They are all pretty equal to me as far as how pretty they are, but I'd rather put the additional $500 towards the diamond. Actually now that I'm looking again, my vote is for the sleek line pave. Good luck

 

[j450n]

hearts & IS?

Yssie...yeh hearts but whats IS?
there isn't a lot of other documents to look at
what do you think?

EVERYONE: ive narrowed it down to these three and need help deciding and reasons why:
http://www.whiteflash.com/loose-diamond ... 231212.htm
http://www.whiteflash.com/loose-diamond ... 340001.htm
http://www.whiteflash.com/loose-diamond ... 355082.htm

amc80: ive mroe or less decided on the sleek line pave =D

 

[cara]

I would go with the G VS2 in the harmony setting. But this is really personal preference! Here are my reasons:

I prefer VS2 if possible to avoid any eyecleanliness issues. But G is plenty white color for me, so I'd rather get the ACA and save a touch of money over the F VS2.

On the Harmony, I really like the Head and prefer slightly larger melee to micropave. When I was ring shopping, I *thought* I wanted micropave from the pictures, but in person the sparkles seemed too tiny. Also I don't care for the sleek line bit where the shank tapers up to the head. That is totally a personal preference, as some people do like that feature.

Last, a lifestyle note. If someone leads an active life, to me the best way to deal with it is to get a moderately robust ring AND be prepared to take that ring off when appropriate. There are just many activities when a ring is going to get in the way and you might put a lot of pressure on it. For example, my rings weren't comfortable to wear road-biking or weight-lifting or even running for that matter - no contact issues on the running but my hands swell sometimes when exercising. Also for me personally it is simply not comfortable to sleep in my rings. My fingers in the middle of the night swell if I try. Some people don't have this problem (particularly if their ring size is set by their knuckles rather than the fleshy part of the finger.) But I do. To keep from losing them, I basically only put them in one of a few safe places when I take them off. No leaving them on the windowsill while washing dishes or shoving them in my pockets haphazardly. Only those safe places. And insurance If your girl is active and sure that wearing her ring 24-7 is the way to go, then I would toss out the pave settings and get a plain one.

 

[yssie]

hearts & IS?

Yssie...yeh hearts but whats IS?

The pic w/ the black arrows on red.

 

[diva rose]

I would usually prefer F colour because I can tell the difference between a F & G etc.
From the photos from WF - the G diamond looks better though.
So no idea about which stone to select. I say no on the SI though unless it is eye clean.

With the band - the sleek all the way.
Mostly because it's narrow at the point where it meets the diamond - this makes the diamond look 'larger' than what it is.

I have to agree with prices in Australia. It's so expensive! My DH paid a fortune for my diamond.
If only I knew PS before we got engaged...if only!

 

[Supers]

I'd go for the G VS2.
Why? Probably cos it's an ACA (as opposed to the F diamond), VS2 (vs SI1) and is the cheapest!
But I defer to the experts.... those are my shallow reasons.