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Seeking advice on how to choose an engagement ring for life

catou said:
Hi everyone,

Thought I'd post a quick update but I called and emailed a few vendors and bumped up my budget a bit and I think I found the perfect stone! I opted for an actual antique diamond in lieu of an AVC, and decided on a rose or yellow gold setting. Just trying to figure out a solitaire setting that isn't boring and stays classic and modern at the same time. What are your thoughts on a warm antique cushion with a brushed satin rose gold setting with 4 prongs? Ought to stand the test of time, no, and I can "update" it with stackers. :)
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Brushed rose gold with warm antique diamonds = Yummy :love: share with us your selections!
 
SimoneDi said:
Brushed rose gold with warm antique diamonds = Yummy :love: share with us your selections!
Click to expand...

I am literally consistently scouring the internet for good ideas! LOL So far nothing has come up yet unless it's yellow. Also kind of nervous about rose gold since it comes in so many crazy shades, from coppery to straight up baby pink. I just want it to match the Tiffany wedding band I plan on getting: http://www.tiffany.ca/jewelry/rings...d=&trackpdp=bg&fromcid=616859&trackgridpos=55

Open to suggestions!
Thank you everyone, truly. You make this SO much easier :-)
 
catou said:
Hi everyone,

Thought I'd post a quick update but I called and emailed a few vendors and bumped up my budget a bit and I think I found the perfect stone! I opted for an actual antique diamond in lieu of an AVC, and decided on a rose or yellow gold setting. Just trying to figure out a solitaire setting that isn't boring and stays classic and modern at the same time. What are your thoughts on a warm antique cushion with a brushed satin rose gold setting with 4 prongs? Ought to stand the test of time, no, and I can "update" it with stackers. :)
Click to expand...
OOH! can we have pictures of the stone you ended up getting? And in the "settings that aren't boring" department, have a look at Caysie Van Bebber's designs - she has a real gift for gorgeous designs and also does custom too. Also Erika Winters settings are gorgeous and she does a fabulous satin finish too.
 
In my opinion, Tiffany rose gold is a very unique shade of rose gold. Have you seen it in person? I found it to be more yellow and less red than say, Cartier's rose gold.
 
I have almost exactly what you are describing (I think) hahaha and I LOVE my ring :love:

Where did you get your diamond from? Can they source a setting? (My experience is that it was easier to get a diamond and setting from the same vendor, but if you're willing to do the leg work then there are a number of classic-modern solitaire settings on PS you can either buy directly, or take inspiration from.)
 
LLJsmom said:
https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/custom-avc-2-0.232125/

Do you like the brushed gold on @JDDN's bezeled AVC? I think it's the perfect shade and complements antique cuts so well. Rebecca Overman in San Francisco set it. She seems to have a modern aesthetic.
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YES! I'm basically combining a bit of all the designs I like in a setting. So far the contender is a pretty stone from OWD, and I very much like the satin finish I have on another ring of mine. I figure satin/brushed gold never needs polishing and since it's rose gold, never needs replating like white gold. Going to try as well to incorporate some milgrain detail on the basket, inspired by my love for Edwardian antiques :)

It's all slowly coming together :)
 
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pearaffair said:
In my opinion, Tiffany rose gold is a very unique shade of rose gold. Have you seen it in person? I found it to be more yellow and less red than say, Cartier's rose gold.
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Yes this is why I'm choosing one of their bands. I hope the vendor I chose can reproduce that colour of rose gold- I find it super flattering on my skin tone without being too pink or too coppery. I want the platinum for the durability and because my fiancé is adamant for a white metal for his wedding ring.
 
totallyfree said:
I have almost exactly what you are describing (I think) hahaha and I LOVE my ring :love:

Where did you get your diamond from? Can they source a setting? (My experience is that it was easier to get a diamond and setting from the same vendor, but if you're willing to do the leg work then there are a number of classic-modern solitaire settings on PS you can either buy directly, or take inspiration from.)
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Yes come to think of it your ring is directly an inspiration for the one I envision :-)
 
foxinsox said:
OOH! can we have pictures of the stone you ended up getting? And in the "settings that aren't boring" department, have a look at Caysie Van Bebber's designs - she has a real gift for gorgeous designs and also does custom too. Also Erika Winters settings are gorgeous and she does a fabulous satin finish too.
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I didn't buy the stone yet but I have a good contender that is the perfect size! I'm also leaving on vacation soon so I will need to put my project on ice for a few weeks but I'm feeling very hopeful I will have a finished ring by September:-)
 
catou said:
Yes come to think of it your ring is directly an inspiration for the one I envision :)
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Which is a lovely turn of events, because mine is a pre-loved OWD/PS special :love:
 
So stupid question perhaps but how does one determine a fair price for an antique diamond?
 
That 5 stone ring is an absolute showstopper. I would leave the solitaires behind and go with something totally different. But thats me!
 
Hey Catou,

A lot of great advice here - please promise to come back with pictures once you have a finished ring!
 
catou said:
Yes this is why I'm choosing one of their bands. I hope the vendor I chose can reproduce that colour of rose gold- I find it super flattering on my skin tone without being too pink or too coppery. I want the platinum for the durability and because my fiancé is adamant for a white metal for his wedding ring.
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You would want to ask about matching shades of rose gold - at least in my experience, it is the darnest thing; reason why many workshops make some shade or other their signature... You could come close but no cigar every time, for a while. That is to say, your jeweler of choice could do both band and ring details in a shade of rose that you like - perhaps very close indeed to Tiffany's - yet not match the brand's precisely enough to withstand a hundred years of scrutiny side by side.

Just a thought ...

____
There aren't many RG & Pt. rings around here ... The combination certainly does work WWW !
 
catou said:
So stupid question perhaps but how does one determine a fair price for an antique diamond?
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If you have a stone you've seen for sale somewhere that you're trying to work out a price for, I'd use the well-known vendors like OWD, JBG, LAD to do comparisons. If it's uncerted, or EGL certed, assume the colour grade you've been given is most likely 2 grades lower than it is claimed to be.
OWD's site in particular will let you set parameters like depth and table to help you really narrow it down for a good comparison.
 
Hi all,
I'm back to report I'm looking at three different stones now and would love your advice. All from the reputable old stone diamond dealers online.
One is a transitional cut with a J color, one is a K color antique cushion and the last is a K color OEC. the Ks make me nervous because of their warmth and although I am being reassured they "face up white", how realistically do they compare to an actual white stone? I wear other diamonds and wonder if these warm guys will look out of place next to my F/g's. The J looks the whitest and is also the most expensive, so I need to dig deep for it. Do you find the videos that people post are accurate to reality?
What kind of stats in the cut should I be looking at for each? They all retail for anywhere between $8000 and $10,000 but their certs say nothing about cut quality, which I understand is common.

I feel crazy skittish about buying sight unseen. I pulled the trigger on one and then all kinds of fedex issues left me having to return it to the vendor without even seeing it and now I'm out $500 on my credit card due to the exchange changing (in a week!) so I literally can't afford to pay upfront for them to see them in person, and send them back if they don't work for me. Plus the pressure some vendors have to sell. I understand they want me to pull the trigger super fast bevause they make a living but it stresses me out, like I'm passing up the deal of the century. So I really need to be able to rely on pictures and be handheld through the whole thing. :-(

Maybe I should save another couple of thousand and revisit the project next summer...
 
which one is the J? From LAD?
 
catou said:
Hi everyone,

Thought I'd post a quick update but I called and emailed a few vendors and bumped up my budget a bit and I think I found the perfect stone! I opted for an actual antique diamond in lieu of an AVC, and decided on a rose or yellow gold setting. Just trying to figure out a solitaire setting that isn't boring and stays classic and modern at the same time. What are your thoughts on a warm antique cushion with a brushed satin rose gold setting with 4 prongs? Ought to stand the test of time, no, and I can "update" it with stackers. :)
Click to expand...
The only thing that might "date" it is the rose gold. It is very in right now, but who knows another 5, 10 years? But for me as long as YOU love it, is the most important thing. There are different shades of rose gold. The most important thing is that you pick a shade (whether it is white, yellow, rose) that compliments your skin tone. You may need to try them on to figure this out.
 
The other thing I'm concerned about, is whether you are color sensitive. Your last diamond was an E. Even in an antique cut, you may or may not like color. Going from E to J or K is a big leap. The only way is to try on, or ideally wear stones of different color levels in different environments. I believe Wink makes czs in warmer colors. Maybe wear one in the levels you are thinking of (J, K) and see if the color bothers you? If so you will know to either go with 5 stone band, or save up for color, size you want.
 
soxfan said:
which one is the J? From LAD?
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yes! I had approached her about it because I was mesmerized by the videos, and then left it alone for a couple of days to readjust my eyes and now I'm like, "do I like it because it's the whitest or is it the whole package?" I am paranoid in person it will look just like a typical RB when not doing its flashy thing.
JbG offered me the K color OEC and I love the chunky flashes, but then I'm wondering if it's too yellow.
Finally now I am thinking of going with 14K yellow gold because yes- I wonder if rose gold will date it! I wear every metal colour well, I am as neutral as it gets. I forget who told me this but they said that yellow gold makes a warm diamond face up whiter the best of all colours.

Sometimes not being an impetuous buyer feels like torture. Like, yay me, I am responsible with our money and I want the best I can afford, but I really wish I was the type of person with a well-defined sense of my own style. I just see diamonds and think "oooh, sparkly!" and can't.commit. argh.
 
partgypsy said:
Maybe wear one in the levels you are thinking of (J, K) and see if the color bothers you? If so you will know to either go with 5 stone band, or save up for color, size you want.
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Good idea. I tried on a few six and seven stones not long ago and they looked great. or maybe do a three-stone with an antique cushion and pear sides - so I can get full finger coverage and still something antique and tasteful. I saw one on Marc Browman (sp) Instagram and really liked it.

I figured I would like build up a jewelry box like Diamond Seeker's- one good solitaire (looking!), a sapphire ring (already own), an eternity band (already own), and a plain wedding band and then mix and match for however my mood goes. A five or seven stone would be a good addition to the mix either way, right?
 
I went from an F MRB to a K OEC. Here is a thread about my journey.

https://www.pricescope.com/communit...going-from-mrb-to-oec-avr-antique-cut.219320/

Here is the OEC I have now.
https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/3-04-oec-k-vs1-early-20th-anniversary.223129/

I do not regret it. I love the faceting of OECs and my eyes definitely prefer that to an MRB. But I do still really appreciate a superbly cut MRB. I had always wanted a stone that was super bright and sparkly 100% of the time in EVERY environment. As unreasonable as that sounds I wish I had a diamond that came with its own backlighting. :lol-2: but that hasn't happened yet. I will say that I love my OEC about 75% of the time whereas I loved my MRB 40% of the time. That is the best way I can quantify it.
 
I love a 5 and 7 stone ring, especially one that has graduation, so I like how you think. Regarding finding a solitare, DON'T rush into making a decision! This should be enjoyable. Explore your options before you make a decision.
 
catou said:
yes! I had approached her about it because I was mesmerized by the videos, and then left it alone for a couple of days to readjust my eyes and now I'm like, "do I like it because it's the whitest or is it the whole package?" I am paranoid in person it will look just like a typical RB when not doing its flashy thing.
JbG offered me the K color OEC and I love the chunky flashes, but then I'm wondering if it's too yellow.
Finally now I am thinking of going with 14K yellow gold because yes- I wonder if rose gold will date it! I wear every metal colour well, I am as neutral as it gets. I forget who told me this but they said that yellow gold makes a warm diamond face up whiter the best of all colours.

Sometimes not being an impetuous buyer feels like torture. Like, yay me, I am responsible with our money and I want the best I can afford, but I really wish I was the type of person with a well-defined sense of my own style. I just see diamonds and think "oooh, sparkly!" and can't.commit. argh.
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I had that stone in my possession. It's amazing. YOU cannot go wrong with it and yes, it faces up white. Totally white.
 
soxfan said:
I had that stone in my possession. It's amazing. YOU cannot go wrong with it and yes, it faces up white. Totally white.
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So what made it so amazing and why didn't you keep it? How does it perform vs how am OEC would? Do you think it would look better in rose or yellow gold? Thank you!! :-)
 
Sounds lovely to me!
 
partgypsy said:
The other thing I'm concerned about, is whether you are color sensitive. Your last diamond was an E. Even in an antique cut, you may or may not like color. Going from E to J or K is a big leap. The only way is to try on, or ideally wear stones of different color levels in different environments. I believe Wink makes czs in warmer colors. Maybe wear one in the levels you are thinking of (J, K) and see if the color bothers you? If so you will know to either go with 5 stone band, or save up for color, size you want.
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How does one get some of these warmer CZ's to try out?
 
if you type "wink cz" you will find the site. I was having trouble navigating the site, like maybe some of the links were broken. In that case I would call the number and ask if have any czs in the j/k color range.
 
partgypsy said:
if you type "wink cz" you will find the site. I was having trouble navigating the site, like maybe some of the links were broken. In that case I would call the number and ask if have any czs in the j/k color range.
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Thank you!
 
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