Size in the UK versus size in the US

[mayerling]

So today I continued my search for a half-eternity at a few more mall stores.

At some point I started wondering whether I really want a half-eternity or whether I should just go for a plain platinum band. At which point the sales-lady says: "I don't know why you'd go for an eternity given the size of that rock on your finger!"

My "rock" is a tiny .52 princess!

 

[Trekkie]

Bwahahahaha!

But in the UK half a carat is HUGE!

I also have half a carat and while it's a mere spec in PriceScope land, it gets LOTS of attention in small town South Africa.

I can't imagine what the townies would say if confronted with Yssie's 3-stone or one of Madame Bijoux's pieces!

 

[mayerling]

Does it make me shallow that I actually enjoyed hearing it?

 

[kelpie]

Too funny! My rock is getting a lot more attention in Africa than it did in the US. Ladies actually grab my hand to inspect it and ask me how many carats. That never happened in the US.

 

[mayerling]

Kelpie, what's the carat weight of your ring?

 

[Miss Sparkly]

Yep, and your rock looks stunning with a half eternity

 

[mayerling]

Yep, and your rock looks stunning with a half eternity

Haha, I'm slowly coming around to thinking that the half-eternity is the only way to go (except maybe for the 1/3 eternity). Now I just need to convince FI...

 

[kelpie]

Kelpie, what's the carat weight of your ring?

Two

 

[rosetta]

it's funny.

here in the UK, my 1 carat gets a lot of attention, out and about. On the bus. In queues.

my three stone with a 2.58 ct centre gets completely ignored, UNLESS i'm in a high end shop.

The places where it was admired:

De beers

Tiffanys

Boodles

Vera Wang

various designer wedding boutiques

I'm starting to think that some people think my bigger ring is fake....

 

[Pandora II]

LOL!

I have the same with my rings - my e-ring which is a tsavorite not a diamond gets loads of compliments everywhere, my 3-stone OEC ring which has amazing amounts of fire and is around 2cts total weight gets comments only from jewellery people.

I guess it's a lot bigger than many people's e-rings and I wear it on my right-hand so maybe people think it's just cz or something!

Among my peers - all 30 somethings around a carat is probably average - the extremes being a 2.35ct (one of the girls on my FGA course who's a diamond expert), 1.5ct (my American SIL) and at the other end a 0.25ct (she's a banker married to another banker!)

Mayerling, where are you based? I may be able to suggest someone to go to...

 

[Black Jade]

it's funny.

here in the UK, my 1 carat gets a lot of attention, out and about. On the bus. In queues.

my three stone with a 2.58 ct centre gets completely ignored, UNLESS i'm in a high end shop.

The places where it was admired:

De beers

Tiffanys

Boodles

Vera Wang

various designer wedding boutiques

I'm starting to think that some people think my bigger ring is fake....

They do. Most people don't know what a diamond looks like and decide if it is fake by it's size more than anything else. At least that's my experience. I have big diamond studs, which do not look fake at all, and it has happened several times that I go around with friends wearing czs, and because the cz's are a more usual size for earrings (.25-.50ctw), their cz's get admired and my 1.81 ctw, H & A ACAs H color VS2 get ignored.
However, that does not make me want to give mine up (smile).
the people in the sales places you mention know what a diamond looks like and so they can tell your ring is real and that it is special and they compliment it, which is nice (even though they are probably hoping that a lady who can afford such a beautiful ring will want to drop $$$$ at THEIR shop, when they do that..)
That's the way of the world.

 

[rosetta]

I am TOTALLY happy with people thinking my ring is fake!

it makes me feel much safer walking around with it on!

 

[rosetta]

here's a gratuitous side shot anyway....

 

[mayerling]

Kelpie, what's the carat weight of your ring?

Two

Oh, then I totally understand why it would get so much attention. My .52 being called a 'rock' is a completely different story though...

 

[mayerling]

LOL!

Mayerling, where are you based? I may be able to suggest someone to go to...

You mean someone to go to for an eternity? Please do! That would be great. I'm based about 45 mins from King's Cross so Hatton Garden is definitely doable though I was there last weekend and probably won't make it back for at least another week or so.

 

[Pandora II]

Let me talk to a couple of people on Monday and I'll get back to you.

What kind of thing are you after? Half, full, 8-4? Channel/bead? Ct weight? Metal? mm width?

 

[mayerling]

I'm looking for a half-eternity (or 1/3 if that's possible), with channel-set round diamonds, on the smaller carat side (up to .25 both for budget and for look; I want it to be thin). Platinum band between 2 and 2.5mm.

My e-ring is a D, VS1 so I don't want to go too far down, especially in terms of colour; I really don't know as much about diamonds as other PSers but I'm worried that if I go too far down in colour there will be a mis-match with my e-ring.

My maximum budget is £1000 (link to a thread I have in BWW about this to give you an idea of what I'm mostly looking at: [URL='https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/which-wedding-ring.157125/']https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/which-wedding-ring.157125/[/URL])

Thanks Pandora!

 

[natascha]

Perfectly normal to enjoy hearing that your engagement ring is a rock. I would love hearing that never do thou since I live in Sweden where many consider anything over 0.20ct to be big and since mine is a bit bigger they think it is fake. I mean even a friend of mine asked what type of stone it was ( code for it's a cubic right?). I find it funny now but it made me a bit sad before that when I just wore a simple band and 0.10ct solitaire people would grab my hand and ask if I was engaged, now I have to tell them I am engaged and I have been asked where is my engagement ring even tho I am wearing it.

Enjoy the heck out of your engagement ring, a half carat is such a lovely size ( I originally wanted a 0.40 carat and I am a size 5.25 so I just love that type of proportions). And it will look great with that size half eternity, I really like 2-4 pointer eternity's.

 

[mayerling]

And it will look great with that size half eternity, I really like 2-4 pointer eternity's.

I'm afraid I don't really know much about jewellery. What's a 2-4 pointer eternity?

 

[mayerling]

Natascha, it sounds like Sweden is very much like most of Europe with respect to diamond size. Where I'm from originally, you don't really see anything over .3 and mostly in white gold.

 

[Pandora II]

And it will look great with that size half eternity, I really like 2-4 pointer eternity's.

I'm afraid I don't really know much about jewellery. What's a 2-4 pointer eternity?

A carat is made up of 100 points. A two pointer is 0.02ct. So, Natascha is talking about an eternity ring set with stones that are either all 0.02ct or all 0.04ct.

What you want should be totally doable, will get back to you as soon as I can with recommendations.

 

[mayerling]

And it will look great with that size half eternity, I really like 2-4 pointer eternity's.

What you want should be totally doable, will get back to you as soon as I can with recommendations.

Great! Thanks! I think I should be able to make it to Hatton Garden (assuming that's where your contacts are) next weekend and can't wait to look at some stuff.

 

[Black Jade]

here's a gratuitous side shot anyway....

that's a BEAUTIFUL ring

 

[Black Jade]

Perfectly normal to enjoy hearing that your engagement ring is a rock. I would love hearing that never do thou since I live in Sweden where many consider anything over 0.20ct to be big and since mine is a bit bigger they think it is fake. I mean even a friend of mine asked what type of stone it was ( code for it's a cubic right?). I find it funny now but it made me a bit sad before that when I just wore a simple band and 0.10ct solitaire people would grab my hand and ask if I was engaged, now I have to tell them I am engaged and I have been asked where is my engagement ring even tho I am wearing it.

Enjoy the heck out of your engagement ring, a half carat is such a lovely size ( I originally wanted a 0.40 carat and I am a size 5.25 so I just love that type of proportions). And it will look great with that size half eternity, I really like 2-4 pointer eternity's.

That IS annoying. You must be glad to have pricescope. Are pictures of your ring up on here?

 

[natascha]

Perfectly normal to enjoy hearing that your engagement ring is a rock. I would love hearing that never do thou since I live in Sweden where many consider anything over 0.20ct to be big and since mine is a bit bigger they think it is fake. I mean even a friend of mine asked what type of stone it was ( code for it's a cubic right?). I find it funny now but it made me a bit sad before that when I just wore a simple band and 0.10ct solitaire people would grab my hand and ask if I was engaged, now I have to tell them I am engaged and I have been asked where is my engagement ring even tho I am wearing it.

Enjoy the heck out of your engagement ring, a half carat is such a lovely size ( I originally wanted a 0.40 carat and I am a size 5.25 so I just love that type of proportions). And it will look great with that size half eternity, I really like 2-4 pointer eternity's.

That IS annoying. You must be glad to have pricescope. Are pictures of your ring up on here?

I am VERY glad to have pricescope, I kinda feel like a druggie that comes over here to get a fix and to justify my sparkly abuse, saying look they get more and bigger sparklies than me, so I am fine, I am not addicted

You can see some bad photos of my baby here [URL='https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/my-omc-engagement-ring-with-black-enamel.155485/']https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/my-omc-engagement-ring-with-black-enamel.155485/[/URL] she is currently in the US getting a divorce and both parts of the 145 year marriage have found new partners and are getting remarried. The diamond to a halo setting and the setting to a bluish spinel.

 

[mayerling]

Hi Pandora,

I'm just following up on this in case you have any leads. I'm still planning a trip to Hatton Garden on Saturday to check out more bands but if you don't hear of anything in the meantime I could always go back at a later stage.

 

[House Cat]

here's a gratuitous side shot anyway....

::::Big Sigh::::

Thank you.

 

[Pandora II]

The guy I wanted to speak to wasn't there today but should see him tomorrow - if I don't I will give him a call. Either way I'll have some names for you before Saturday!

 

[mayerling]

The guy I wanted to speak to wasn't there today but should see him tomorrow - if I don't I will give him a call. Either way I'll have some names for you before Saturday!

thank you

 

[mayerling]

Hi Pandora,

I hate to push this as I know you have other things to worry about, not just my band, but I need to plan my trip to London tomorrow and was wondering if you've had any leads. If not, don't worry; I'm sure there's lots in Hatton Garden to keep me busy