Settings for princess cuts are hard to choose!

[Ben_G]

Hello folks! I've been lurking here quite a while and soaking up all the information and helpful advice that everyone here seems to have to offer. What an eye opener it's been!

I too, as many of the men here, have finally decided to suck it up and get get a ring and propose to my girl. I've decided to go with WF as they seem to have quite a good reputation here for service and quality.

The diamond I'm looking at will be either this, or a very similar one, depending on whether it's still in stock when I actually go to buy later this year.

ACA Princess (http://www.whiteflash.com/aca_princess/A-Cut-Above-Princess-cut-diamond-160456.htm#)

. Shape: A Cut Above Princess
. Carat: 0.550
. Depth %: 74.6
. Table %: 70
. Crown Angle: 43.6
. Crown %: 12.5
. Pavilion Angle: 39.7
. Pavilion %: 58.2
. Girdle: Medium
. Measurements: 4.40-4.38X3.27

However, choosing the diamond isn't my problem. It's choosing a setting to go with it. Because I'm looking at a fairly small stone, I decided that getting a semi-mount setting would be a good way to add more weight without breaking my limited budget.

I'm considering either of the below settings, but would like some input into what you guys think.

Flush Fit (http://www.whiteflash.com/Engagement-Rings/Styles/Diamond-Settings/-Flush-Fit--Diamond-Ring_1063.htm)

Bead Set (http://www.whiteflash.com/Engagement-Rings/Styles/Diamond-Settings/Bead-Set-Engagement-Ring_966.htm)

My concerns are:
1) that the first link (Flush Fit) is awkward and clunky looking in the pictures. Does anyone own it/have hand shots they can share?

2) that the prongs in the second link (Bead Set) are too heavy and will obscure the diamond too much from the side.

3) that perhaps even both rings are too wide and will make the diamond look even smaller than it already is (all you PSers own such massive stones!!!!

)

4) that I need to find a different setting that will protect the centre stone more since my girlfriend is a TEENY BIT accident prone. (knocks her hand into door knobs and drawers more often than the average bear)

Thanks!

 

[kcoursolle]

Hi Ben_G, it looks like you are doing your homework and you''ve learned a great deal. You picked out an excellent stone that should be gorgeous. However, you might want to drop a little on color and clarity to go a little bigger. If you go to the H/SI1 range (many are still eye clean and H is still very "white") you could go quite a bit bigger.

Of the settings you chose, I think I like the first one better because it does allow a band to sit flush and it seems a bit more delicate than the second setting. However, you might want to check out this setting: http://www.whiteflash.com/Engagement-Rings/Styles/Diamond-Settings/Petite-Open-Cathedral_1211.htm and this setting: http://www.whiteflash.com/Engagement-Rings/Styles/Diamond-Settings/The--Legato--with-Micro-Pave_1071.htm. These settings are thinner and more delicate and will help your center stone "pop" a little more and they also allow a band to sit flush with them.

As long as you get V-prongs on the head of your setting the center stone should be pretty well protected if she bangs it around. With any pave setting a stone might fall out occassionally, but this will happen to anyone and it isn''t expensive to repair.

 

[RxTechRN2b]

I agree with getting an eyeclean SI1/H in order to maximize the size. Setting the diamond in a thin white gold bezel surrounded by a delicate halo on a 2mm shank would make the diamond appear larger in addition to protecting the center stone. The halo I have on my ring (my avatar right hand ring) does not have prongs or beads and I have never lost a stone in 4 years of 24/7 wear! I wish I knew what the setting style was called, maybe fishtail? There are tiny holes on the sides of the ring where the metal was brought together, but the top is all smooth. My center is 0.75mm, and the melee is 0.26 carats total -- I just say "thankyou" when people in real life comment about my ring looking as if it''s at least a carat (in my area typically size is less than 0.5 carat center stones).

 

[RxTechRN2b]

Whoops, I meant to say my center canary diamond is 0.75 carats, not mm -- it is actually 5.5 mm and with the bezel it is 6mm and then the halo brings the circumference to 8mm.

 

[Ben_G]

I've been wrestling with the eye clean/mind clean/not quite colourless issue for a while and as illogical as it sounds, I don't think that I'd be comfortable with going below and F VS2.

Before I reduced my budget for this venture, I had already purchased a 1.06 VS2 H RB with AGS0 cut/polish/symmetry. I returned it not because it was too expensive, but because it bugged me that it was an H and not DEF....

It's interesting that you point out those two settings. Those two were the ones I originally was looking at, but discounted them because I was afraid that the whole head would get knocked off (especially the micro pave one!). But now that I think about it, I can't recall any PS story about an entire head falling off a ring..... hmmmm.......

As for the halo, I never even considered that! Thanks! More searching to do!

 

[Tuckins1]

Hi Ben G,
I think your stone is stunning! I personally would choose the first setting you posted (the flush-fit) out of all of them, even the ones that were suggested by other PSers. (No offense to anyone, they are all lovely!) Just my opinion. Good luck with your decision!!

 

[jstarfireb]

I found a great setting that seems to fit the bill on all counts:

Knox Bezel ring

1) Halo = bigger looking stone!
2) Don''t go with a heavy setting; use a thinner band to make the center stone pop more.
3) The bezel will protect the stone from your accident-prone lady

Maybe WF could replicate a setting like that? They do great custom work!

I also second the idea of going down in color and maybe clarity to get a slightly bigger stone. Here''s a great looking I/SI1. Or how about something like this? Or maybe this?

Another suggestion: if you''re buying from WF, have you seen their X-factors? They''re gorgeous and better protected because they don''t have corners. This one looks promising.

 

[kcoursolle]

Date: 7/13/2008 2:11:56 PM
Author: Ben_G
I've been wrestling with the eye clean/mind clean/not quite colourless issue for a while and as illogical as it sounds, I don't think that I'd be comfortable with going below and F VS2.

Before I reduced my budget for this venture, I had already purchased a 1.06 VS2 H RB with AGS0 cut/polish/symmetry. I returned it not because it was too expensive, but because it bugged me that it was an H and not DEF....

It's interesting that you point out those two settings. Those two were the ones I originally was looking at, but discounted them because I was afraid that the whole head would get knocked off (especially the micro pave one!). But now that I think about it, I can't recall any PS story about an entire head falling off a ring..... hmmmm.......

As for the halo, I never even considered that! Thanks! More searching to do!

Hi Ben,
I would strongly advise you to think about what your GF would want instead of what you want. Although an H or an SI diamond might bug you, it's important to find out whether she would rather have a slightly larger stone or a stone with high color/clarity. Do you also know that she wants a princess instead of a round? You are doing a great job, but I just wanted to point out the distinction that this purchase is really all about her.


ETA: it is extremely rare for an entire head to fall off. However, you should get insurance no matter what type of setting you get to protect the stone and setting from damage and loss. Then you don't have to worry about it.

 

[jstarfireb]

Date: 7/13/2008 2:11:56 PM
Author: Ben_G
I''ve been wrestling with the eye clean/mind clean/not quite colourless issue for a while and as illogical as it sounds, I don''t think that I''d be comfortable with going below and F VS2.


Before I reduced my budget for this venture, I had already purchased a 1.06 VS2 H RB with AGS0 cut/polish/symmetry. I returned it not because it was too expensive, but because it bugged me that it was an H and not DEF....


It''s interesting that you point out those two settings. Those two were the ones I originally was looking at, but discounted them because I was afraid that the whole head would get knocked off (especially the micro pave one!). But now that I think about it, I can''t recall any PS story about an entire head falling off a ring..... hmmmm.......


As for the halo, I never even considered that! Thanks! More searching to do!

You and I were posting at the same time, so I guess my diamond suggestions won''t help! But I feel the exact same way about the micropave ring. Someone recently put it very well by saying it looks like the head was just dropped onto the setting, and I don''t like that look at all (not to mention that it might be a little fragile).

 

[Ben_G]

kcoursolle - I know she likes the princess over the rounds, but I''ll do my best to see if she has a preference for size or colour/clarity. A little hard to do when she doesn''t know this is coming and I''ve been playing the "we don''t need to get married" card for the past 4 years.....

jstarfireb - your suggestions are helpful, especially if she ends up wanting size over colour/clarity

 

[shimmer]

This setting is really delicate and low set, I have it w/out the pave. Because of the tapering, it really makes the center stone stand out. I think it would be stunning with a princess!

Sleek Line Pave

 

[kcoursolle]

Date: 7/13/2008 2:33:25 PM
Author: Ben_G
kcoursolle - I know she likes the princess over the rounds, but I''ll do my best to see if she has a preference for size or colour/clarity. A little hard to do when she doesn''t know this is coming and I''ve been playing the ''we don''t need to get married'' card for the past 4 years.....

jstarfireb - your suggestions are helpful, especially if she ends up wanting size over colour/clarity

Great, then you are on the right track with the princess stones. As far as finding out what size stone she would like and whether she would like high color/clarity over size...that might be a little tough to find out without ruining the surprise. Any chance you could talk to one of her friends? Girls do talk about rings sometimes and she may have told her what size she would like.

Has one of your friends recently gotten engaged? Any chance you could sneak in a comment about the ring and she if she gives an opinion of it? For example, say a friend got engaged with a huge rock...you could say, did you see Cindy''s ring? I thought it was pretty big, do you think it was too big? Do most girls like big rings over high quality rings?...how about you?...