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Small diamond studs - couple questions

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Elmorton

Elmorton

Ideal_Rock
Joined
Jul 5, 2007
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So, our first anniversary is more than a few months away, but all the V-day commercials and circulars have been great timing to bring up with DH that I''d like a pair of small, every day diamond studs on a special day in June. :) He''s been really receptive so far, so I know that means I just need to make up my mind as to what I''d like and let him know plenty of time in advance.

We spent some time last night looking at PS and decided on a few things and also got confused by a few things, so I''d love some advice!

Here''s my parameters:

1) Budget - it''s tight. I''d like to suggest something no more than $350-75.
2) Quality - he wants to get the best diamonds for our $, as do I.
3) Size...I''ve seen them side by side and know that there''s not THAT much difference in 1/4-1/3, but I think I''d really like the 1/3 ctw.

4) Here''s where I''m really torn- bezel, martini, or 4-prong? Bezeling a 1/3 stone would make it look bigger for sure ("Show Me Your Diamond Studs" really proves that - helped so much last night!) and I love modern styling. Buuuut, down the road, I''d like to jacket them (I love the bezel/jacket look that someone posted a couple of weeks ago, so that''s not a problem, but would it be harder to have a jacket made for a bezel? Would it have to be custom at that size anyway?) AND the bezel makes it harder for light to get in, right? So would I be losing the sparkle, especially with the size of the stone I''d be putting in the bezel?

I also really like the martini setting - and as we were putting the computer away, DH said "You know, I really like that martini one - it just looks cool." I totally agree - the diamonds look like they''re floating - but the WF ones are a bit out of budget and I haven''t found anyone else who offers a 1/4-1/3 pair in a martini. Anyone know of a good place to get a 1/3 ctw martini set pair for less??

ERD has 1/3 -4 prong and a 1/3 ctw bezel for $275 - best I''ve found so far. Are there pics out there of the ERD bezel? Or the BN bezel (they look totally identical on the websites).

Or, are 4-prongs the best choice? Would they be easier to pair a jacket with in the future/maximize the stone size more than the martini setting without the bulk of the bezel? I know some of this is personal pref...but aaack, I have no idea what I want (except for diamonds, of course)! :)

Okay...I think that''s all my confusion/questions :) TIA for the help!!!
 
Date: 2/7/2008 10:09:19 PM
Author: urseberry
I''m confused as to why you think the Whiteflash studs are out of budget. The 0.30 ctw Ready Set Go martini studs are $440: http://whiteflash.com/Fine-jewelry/Diamond_Studs/Three-Prong--Martini---READY-SET-TO-GO_950.htm
Click to expand...
her budget is $350 to $375....

Elmorton, I dont have much to offer help wise, but I am wondering a lot of the same things, and have looked at the bezels on Blue Nile and ERD. I know that the bezels are not thin like FGs and TGals, but I still like the look and the price can''t be beat. The jackets you referenced for bezels I am pretty sure were for thin bezels, so you may want to ask around to vendors about the possibility of jackets for the stock bezels. You could also maybe get ERD to email you better pics, that one on the site isnt very helpful IMO.

You could also get the .3 WF RSG baskets and then put them in martinis later, if you decide you dont like the setting.

Let us know what you decide!!!
 
Cross Jewelers has 1/4ct martinis for $375. They also have bezels, but they are $885 for the 1/3ct. I have a pair of sapphire bezel studs from them, and love them. The bezel is pretty thin.

A bezel setting should not affect the sparkle of a well cut stone, because the sparkle comes from the light entering the table and reflecting, not from light entering the sides.
Link to Cross Martini earrings
 
Selkie, I found the martinis at Cross - I absolutely adore your bezel sapphires - those are Cross, right? Man, if the budget was bigger, their bezel setting would be at the top of my list! But so far, their martinis are the ONLY ones I can find in our price range! Thanks for pointing me in their direction. I probably need to e-mail and ask, but do you know off hand what the stat range is on the diamonds they use?

Lisa, thanks for the link - those are the ones I remembered! I hope Butterfly does post the profile shot - unless I missed something, I couldn''t tell what kind of bezel she has.

Miscka, I think I will e-mail and ask for some "real life" photos from ERD - when I saved the images to my computer, I noticed that ERD and BN use the exact same photo...kinda weird? If they send me anything, I''ll post it here. I have some fakey bezels that I bought from a dept store and they just seem so bulky.

So...I''m thinking more and more about a 4 prong, since so far the 1/3 4-prong from ERD seems to be the best buy at $275. Ohhh but those martinis are so tempting!!
 
Miscka, thanks for the clarification. I misunderstood the budget. Sorry for my confusion!
 
Oops! Sorry that link didn''t work, but I''m glad you were able to track them down. God knows I''ve posted that website often enough here! I should get commission.
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Anyway, I''ve never bought a diamond from them, but they do claim that 90% of their diamonds are ideal cut, and that most come with GIA or AGS certs: http://crossdiamond.com/tda/default.htm. There''s also an article on the site headlined something like "Cut is the most important of the 4C''s," so I''m guessing they''d meet the PS seal of approval. With the studs, they may use non-ideals, but they have great customer service so you can always call and find out. I''ve worked with Stan, and I think Diamondseeker had high praise for Ralph. Good luck in your quest!
 
Actually Urseberry, I went back to WF and realized that the martinis are $350 in 1/4 ctw - DOH! I must have been looking at the plat or something. Thanks saying something, I''m glad I went back to check!

So...now the question is:

Martini from WF or Cross at 1/4 ctw $350-375

or

4 prong from ERD at 1/3 ctw $275?

I went to the mall last night and bought a pair of CZs that I think are about a 1/4 in a four prong to "play" and I really like the look - it''s simple and classic...but the martini is just so cool in the way that the diamonds seem to just float on the ear. Also, I think DH has a bigger problem, because my little CZ earrings came in a set with a pair huggies and they''re stinkin fun! N/m on the jackets now, b/c huggies are next on my list. ;)

Anyway, I digress...Is there really a visible difference between a .13 stone and a .16 stone? The price from ERD seems to be excellent (I e-mailed about cut, haven''t heard back yet) so I''m assuming it''s probably the better buy ($275 1/3 4-prong vs $350 1/4 martini). I''m having a hard time justifying spending $100 more for a smaller set even though I love the martini...thoughts?
 
Hi Elmorton, just checking in to see how your search is going. You wouldnt happen to have the mm measurements on each size? I think the chart I always use starts at .25. I am honestly not sure about the visual difference. I *think* I am going to save my pennies until I can get .50ctw. I think that is still too small for jackets
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Also, are you thinking screw backs or push backs? Decisions, decisions! I do think you seem to really be head over heels about the martinis, so you should go with that if you are ok with the smaller size.
 
Hi Elmorton

I second Miscka''s request to know the mm measurement for both the 1/4 and 1/3 ct sizes. Please share the info if you have it. I''m guessing that if you get bezel ones from ERD that they might add about 1 mm but am not sure. I like the ERD ones because they look to be a thinner bezel than whiteflash''s pair as well as more affordable. If anyone also happens to know what the overall cut quality is for ERD earrings, it would also be helpful.
 
I found an email I got from Blue Nile about their bezels. They told me that an earring from a 1/3ctw pair is aprrox 3.4mm and total with bezel is 5mm. I do not know about the mm for the smaller size...
 
Date: 2/8/2008 10:17:24 AM
Author: Selkie
A bezel setting should not affect the sparkle of a well cut stone, because the sparkle comes from the light entering the table and reflecting, not from light entering the sides.
Link to Cross Martini earrings
Click to expand...
I have both a bezel and a four-prong pendant and both sparkle nicely when looking directly at the front of the stone, but I notice that if the bezel pendant tips down, it isn''t as sparkly because you cannot see the fire reflected from the girdle. Would earrings be the same? I only have prong studs.
 
I''ve found this chart to be fairly accurate. It lists 0.12 carat as 3.2 mm and 0.15 carat as 3.4 mm. Someone on Pricescope photoshopped the two Blue Nile earshots for 1/4 ctw and 1/3 ctw next to each other, but I wasn''t able to find it after many minutes of searching. The difference was barely perceptible, but after seeing the graphic, I decided to get the 0.30 ctw RSG studs rather than the 0.25 ctw I originally considered.
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Date: 2/12/2008 2:06:09 PM
Author: urseberry
I''ve found this chart to be fairly accurate. It lists 0.12 carat as 3.2 mm and 0.15 carat as 3.4 mm. Someone on Pricescope photoshopped the two Blue Nile earshots for 1/4 ctw and 1/3 ctw next to each other, but I wasn''t able to find it after many minutes of searching. The difference was barely perceptible, but after seeing the graphic, I decided to get the 0.30 ctw RSG studs rather than the 0.25 ctw I originally considered.
9.gif
Click to expand...

Thanks urseberry - that chart is helpful. Are your studs prong or bezel set?
 
Mine are 3 prong martini. From the pictures I've seen, the bezels definitely give small stones more presence, but I prefer the look of just a stone floating on my ear rather than the stone plus a metal bezel.
 
FOUND IT!

https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/25-30ctw-rsg-studs.71474/

Urseberry, that picture DOES make me lean toward the 1/3 rather than the 1/4. Would it be possible for you to post an ear shot of your set? So many of the pics I''ve seen in the 1/3 are in a second hole next to a bigger stone, so it''s hard to get an idea of what they''ll look like on their own.

Thanks everyone for your help!!!!! I STILL have no idea what I want to do - bezel, martini, or 4-prong. I think I''m moving away from the bezel - my fear is that, like MC said, that the sparkle will be kinda one-dimensional. My CZ bezels look like there is absolutely nothing in them from certain angles, and that makes me nervous. I also want the earring to sit close into my ear, and I''m just not sure the bezels will do that unless they''re like the handmade ones from WF. I''m also realizing that there is probably no way to jacket stones that small, so I should probably just concentrate on what will be the best look just on its own.

And I''m soooo coveting the martini ones...I just wish I could find them at the ERD 4-prong price!!!!!

Ohhh, and Miscka - I''m definitely doing screw backs. I''ve heard they can be a little uncomfortable at first, but I''m the queen of losing earrings and don''t want to take the chance with the friction backs. Once they''re in my ear I want them to stay there! :)
 
Here you go! 0.30 ctw Ready Set Go martini from WhiteFlash, G SI. I'm a pretty small person, 4'10".

30ptMartiniRSGears.jpg
 
Urseberry those look great on you! Good size.
 
Ooooh, Urseberry, those are lovely!!!!!!! Thanks so much for posting a pic. :)
 
elmorton,

first thing I have to say is there is a difference between the 1/4 and the 1/3 carat. I think if you got the 1/4 you would regret it.

Personally if money was no object I would love to own 3 pairs of diamond earrings: a
1/3 tcw bezeled for every day wear,
a .75 in either martini or 4 prong, and
1 carat plus in dangle leverbacks!

I guess what I''m trying to say is I think bezels look good on smaller earrings and I like martinis on larger diamonds.
 
I agree about the size difference in person - I went to a B&M jeweler yesterday that I''m not a fan of but knew they had all sizes of studs, and tried on a 4 prong 1/4 and a 4 prong 1/3 - one in each ear. There was a difference, for sure and I know I want to go with the 1/3. They had 1/4s in a 3 prong and there was SUCH a difference between those and the 1/4 4-prong (the prongs seemed to add more size), so that does make me nervous about the 1/3s being smaller in the 3-prong, but I''m not sure I like how the basket sticks out on the 4-prong, and that''s what worries me about the bezel, too. I really want maximum sparkle for the size - and max comfort. I don''t plan to take these out at night. While I''m a larger build than Urseberry, I do love the look of those martinis in the 1/3 - dainty and classic!

Miscka, the ones I tried on yesterday were screw-back. I''d read that screwback is more appropriate for bigger diamonds, but I loved them with the smaller guys! Really comfortable and also very secure. They did take awhile to get on and off, but it wasn''t a biggie for me.

Part Gypsy,- Your "if money was no object" list is almost identical to mine! I want to start out with a small pair of studs, a half to a full-carat studs someday when we''re more established (although a pair of huggies is inching out those larger studs on the list), and then my dreeeeaaam is a larger pair of ECs in fixed leverbacks.

But, PG, you do get me thinking again - if I really should maximize the small ones with the bezel. Bezel owners out there, does anyone find that they lose a little bit of the sparkle from certain angles due to the bezel? Or is the bezel the best way to go in this size?? I''d love some input!
 
If you go with the bezels to me, the color/clarity is not going to make much of a difference at that size, but cut quality will, if you can get ideal cut they will perform well and look larger. I really like bezels (my anniversary has the center stone semi -bezeled and I see no detriment in performance).

I think for 1/3 size if not going bezel the classic 4 prong basket setting is nice, as it has more metal presence and lifts the stone a little more off the ear, making it look a tad larger. Check out ''scoper Cachette''s studs, though in a larger size gives you an idea.

It''s good that you like screw backs, as I do not care for them. I like to take my earrings off at bedtime and when I had a pair of screwbacks it seemed to take FOREVER to screw them off!

If I was in your boat I would check out Blue Nile. Pluses is the price is nice for the quality/size and they have a very good return policy; minus they do not have cut info on presets and (for me) their preset studs come in screwbacks.
 
Good find, Sparkles22!! That was helpful. I was a little dissapointed to see that the visual difference between 1/3 and 1/2 was so small. Especially since the price is double. Hmm I dont know what to do, I guess I should do like Elmorton and try some on.

Elmorton I am glad you liked the screwback. It is so tempting to go with them since I would die if I lost one. But I have never lost an earring, and I would like to take them out every once in awhile. It also makes me nervous that it could tear my hole.
 
Update: Found a 1/3 ctw with a 3 prong basket setting and tried ''em on today - it''s 100% official, I''m completely, completely in love with the size and the 3-prong. I have kinda big lobes so I was worried that they''d get lost on me, but in the 3-prong they were still commanding plenty of attention with lots of sparkle (and the stats were G-H, SI2, didn''t ask about cut). I think I''m going to be very happy (once we decide for sure on which vendor!) and a good size for my first studs.

The jeweler (whom we do trust, where we bought my e-ring), said that they don''t sell a lot of screwback anymore because people were having issues with the threads becoming stripped and then they wouldn''t provide much security at all. The ones I tried on had friction back, but the associate suggested that I get a special back - she brought out a stuller catalog and showed me a type of back that you squeeze when you''re putting it on and then it clamps down on the back. To re-do the post/back, they quoted $160 (at first the associate thought it was a $30 change, but to re-do the post/setting fee/increase in gold cost, apparently it''s much much more than she thought). I think I''m still going to do the screwback, but I thought my new find was worth a mention on this thread for anyone else who was still considering.

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So did you get them? This may be late but James Allen is having a 15% off sale their preset studs. They probably have some in your budget.
 
Nooooope...waiting til closer to June. DH said he''d like to spend no more than $400 after taxes/shipping, and I''m trying to get him to consider WF for $40 more.

I''m headed to James Allen... there were a couple of PS vendors that I''d eliminated, I can''t remember if it was not carrying 1/3 ctw or not carrying the martini... but I''m still going to go check!!

Ooooh, while I''m here, does anyone know which PS vendors (if any) have a PS discount??
 
Update: JA studs start at $850, 1/2 ct is smallest option. They DO have a very pretty martini setting though, and the 15% discount is pretty nifty.
 
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