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Rookie trying to pick an engagement stone/ring...

M

memogensen

Rough_Rock
Joined
Jul 7, 2014
Messages
18
The subject pretty much says it all. While attempting to learn the basics of the diamond industry, I have found myself traveling further down the rabbit hole. After reading many various reviews, as well as a number of threads here on pricescope, I have pretty much narrowed my search down. I am looking for a stone with an ideal cut, H-J color, VS1-S1 Clarity. I have been looking primarily at the Brian Gavin Blue Collection, as I like the idea of fluorescence, as long as they don't negatively effect the diamond.

Anyway, here is a stone I am currently looking at and am wondering if I could get some knowledge folks opinions on this stone and the price.

http://www.briangavindiamonds.com/diamonds/diamond-details/1.258-h-vs2-round-diamond-ags-bl-104073209004#!prettyPhoto[gallery2]/3/

Below is the setting I am leaning towards. I am torn between rose gold and white gold as well, so if anyone wants to chime in on that debate as well, I would greatly appreciate it!

http://www.briangavindiamonds.com/engagement-rings/pave-and-side-stones/avery-14k-rose-gold-5928r14

I GREATLY appreciate any advice, feedback, etc!!!

Matt
 
Excellent diamond choice! I love the setting, too. :appl: :appl: :appl: :appl:

I'd pick yellow gold over rose, unless you're sure your girl likes RG. Another option to consider is unplated white gold, that would be my second choice behind yellow.
 
Great job. I love that setting. But it is an aquired taste. Are you sure it's her style? Have you asked her? Or did she give you pictures of things she likes?
 
Thanks for the replies!

I have been trying to stay on the traditional side by hoping to truly suprise her with the ring style and stone size. She has occasionally said she likes this or doesn't want that, but not a lot of details. She has mentioned liking a few different vintage style settings we have seen in passing and I feel this matches up pretty good with what she will like. Very hard to know for sure, but she isn't all that well versed in diamonds either.

My hope is that the rose gold will add to the vintage look and create contrast that will help the stone stand out more. Thoughts? Thanks again!
 
memogensen|1408614395|3736727 said:
Thanks for the replies!

I have been trying to stay on the traditional side by hoping to truly suprise her with the ring style and stone size. She has occasionally said she likes this or doesn't want that, but not a lot of details. She has mentioned liking a few different vintage style settings we have seen in passing and I feel this matches up pretty good with what she will like. Very hard to know for sure, but she isn't all that well versed in diamonds either.

My hope is that the rose gold will add to the vintage look and create contrast that will help the stone stand out more. Thoughts? Thanks again!
Click to expand...


ok, so Ill start off by saying that setting is very pretty, but i have some reservations based on a few things you said, highlighted above.

1. vintage style, this is not. Its a very modern design. Nothing wrong with that, but the millgrain and color metal itself will not make it vintage looking.

here are a few from Brian gavin that are more on the vintage side, however, most of his rings arent exactly antique in style.

http://www.briangavindiamonds.com/engagement-rings/pave-and-side-stones/lace-18k-rose-gold-5934r18-1

http://www.briangavindiamonds.com/engagement-rings/pave-and-side-stones/engraved-cathedral-18k-rose-gold-5453r18

http://www.briangavindiamonds.com/engagement-rings/pave-and-side-stones/halo-engagement-ring-18k-rose-gold-5441r18

(sholdt to me isnt a vintage brand more like an ultra mondern one, but if you like sholdt, this one to me seems the most "vintage" of any"
http://www.briangavindiamonds.com/engagement-rings/pave-and-side-stones/isabelle-14k-rose-gold-5926r14

2. You talk about rose gold like youre choosing it. Does she like rose gold, has she specifically said so, or in passing when she mentions rings, are they usually a particular metal? Metal is a pretty hit or miss thing, someone who wants white does NOT want rose, and the other way around.
 
Good old gold, on the other hand, they sell a LOT of vintage style bridal designers. If she wants vintage, i think I would look into them too.

heres a similar size
http://www.goodoldgold.com/diamond/11808/
or this one (i like the fat arrows on this )
http://www.goodoldgold.com/diamond/12372/

both cheaper, about the same size, and most likely eye clean (good old gold could confirm that for you)

They sell tacori and beverly K, both vintage, both well made
 
I'm with Neil, that is NOT vintage. It might have milgrain, but that's not enough. It's a very masculine setting, which is pretty much the opposite of vintage.

This is the setting I recommend:
http://www.briangavindiamonds.com/engagement-rings/pave-and-side-stones/lace-18k-rose-gold-5934r18-1 It is a gorgeous setting that will allow a flush fit wedding band, something that is very important to many women.

Here are some others that might work as well depending on whether she prefers solitaires or halos:
http://www.briangavindiamonds.com/engagement-rings/pave-and-side-stones/engraved-cathedral-18k-rose-gold-5453r18
http://www.briangavindiamonds.com/engagement-rings/pave-and-side-stones/halo-engagement-ring-18k-rose-gold-5441r18
 
What about proposing with just the diamond in a temporary setting and letting her pick the setting later? I am not a huge fan of the first setting the others suggested as (for me) the diamond sits up too high. They are fabulous at picking out settings and stones but that one in particular makes me cringe if she prefers lower set stones that are found in many of the antique settings.
 
I've got to say OP, I love vintage settings and I love rose gold, but that first Sholdt setting is most definitely not a win for me.

Getting the Brian Gavin Blue diamond and then getting the setting from another vendor is another option. Some of my very favourite vintage style settings are from:

http://www.loveaffairdiamonds.com/signature-setting-portfolio/
and
http://www.jewelsbygrace.com/erika-winters-bridal.html

As far as rose gold is concerned, it seems to be something people either love or hate. I love it, but I still opted to go white for my e-ring, and then I wear it with a rose gold band. I love the look of a non-matchy set, and this gives me versatility for the future if I get tired of the RG.
 
I have never seen that setting before but I love it. It's ulta modern. Not even close to vintage.
 
Wow! First off, thank you everyone for all the responses and the great suggestions. I am going to take some time and look through the various different recommended sites.

Secondly, I maybe should have chosen my words a bit more carefully in my second post. Although she has mentioned liking the "vintage" style a few times, she has also pointed out a handful of very modern settings, such as the Avery, that she really likes. Like I mentioned, she does not wear very much jewelry and therefore doesn't seem to have her heart set on one design over another, as far as I can tell. When I have asked her if she would like to help me pick the setting out, she always says she wants to be truly surprised, which I kind of admire. Just makes my job more difficult since there are so many different options and she hasn't given me much concrete information.

In regards to the rose vs. white vs. yellow gold. I know she is not the biggest yellow gold fan. She has a rose gold watch that she loves, but she also wears very simple silver jewelry occasionally. I think she would be very happy with either rose or white.

Lastly, Niel, thanks for some other stone suggestions. What are others thoughts on the stone and the price? Thanks again!

Matt
 
OK. Hmm.

What does her other jewelry look like. What does the watch look like? And the silver jewelry, what's that look like? What jewelry does she wear all the time?

Also, just how simple is the silver jewelry she wears? Do you think she might like a more simple setting? Or do you think that's no indication of her e ring style.
 
I am happy to say that I have pulled the trigger on the following BGD blue stone:

http://www.briangavindiamonds.com/diamonds/diamond-details/1.475-h-si1-round-diamond-ags-bl-104074030027

Now, its onto the setting. Once again I am glad I listened closely to you folks here on pricescope! I broke down and asked Chelsie for a bit more guidance, which was probably best because I'm not so sure she would have been completely happy with either the Avery or Elle. We looked at a number of settings and she gave me a little bit more direction this time. She would like to go try a handful on to see what she thinks about certain aspects in person (pave, mill grain, split shank, double halo, etc.), but I think I have a much better idea of what I'm looking for.

Below are 2 of the settings that she pointed out. I have contacted both Blue Nile, as well as Knox Jewelers (Minneapolis based) about each of the settings and both jewelers said they do not sell the setting without purchasing a center stone. This was obviously disheartening, but I am hoping you folks will be able to help point me in a similar direction with jewelers who are willing to sell setting alone.

http://www.bluenile.com/build-your-own-ring/monique-lhuillier-double-halo-engagement-ring-platinum_35402?elem=img&track=product

http://www.knoxjewelers.biz/products/design-1988

A few other questions I have:
1) Are there certain jewelers that have much higher quality settings than others?
2) Do you typically send the stone to the setting jeweler or the setting to the stone jeweler?
3) Thoughts on asking BGD to custom design a setting close to these?

Thanks everyone!!!

Matt
 
So does she like to see space between the diamond and the halo? Most PSers like to have the halo "hug" the center diamond so you do to see a gap. See the example below where there is no space between the double halos or diamond. It doesn't have a split shank, but I wanted to show you the difference to make side we understand what you/she is looking for.

http://www.stevenkirsch.com/engagement/halo/r0105.html
 
Good question. We have looked at both styles and she seems to like the halo settings with a gap as she wants to ensure the center stone is the highlight of the ring. I don't think she is strongly against the tighter fit and maybe her opinion will change once she tries both styles on. Also, I think she prefers the single halo over the double halo, but since she is torn between white gold and rose gold, she liked the ring from blue nile.
 
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