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Small hands: searching for a 0.6-0.8 ct w/ a tapered setting

27nickel

27nickel

Rough_Rock
Joined
Nov 14, 2010
Messages
20
Dear All,

I am new and hoping I could tap into your collective expertise for my search! :)

Here is a little background:

I wear a size 8 ring, but my hands are small (I wear small size gloves).

I am looking for an accented solitaire setting in yellow gold (I have olivy skin). I would like an cathedral setting or to have x-type (or trellis) prongs and 1-5 simple channel or bezel set accent stones. Also, I would prefer if the setting tapered from wider at the top.

We are looking at 0.6-0.8 ct round stones and I would really love a hearts and arrows diamond.

I was wondering, what shank width would set off a stone of this size the best? I found this James Allen setting I like, but it is 3.3mm in width and I am concerned it will overpower the center stone and my hand. Also it does not taper.

http://www.jamesallen.com/engagement-rings/contemporary-rings/gold-solitaire-diamond-ring.html

I also like this Ritani setting, but it also does not taper:
http://www.ritani.com/products/view/537/in_collection/5


And Jeff Coopers 3280, although I'd love to have the sides be a little more jazzy.
http://jeffcooperdesigns.com/

Lastly, what color diamond works best with yellow gold? Is it okay to have a lower color grade?

If anyone has any stone designer or setting recommendations they would be very welcome!

Thank you!!
 
Re: Small hands: searching for a 0.6-0.8 ct w/ a tapered set

Thanks for the suggestions!

@AmysBling: I'd like it to be widest at the top

@Yssie: I have been perusing those site quite intensely. We are on an approximately $3000-$4000 budget. We're both graduate students in chemistry :) and are splitting the cost of the ring. I'm a little OCD and probably will be looking at the stone under our lab microscope so I'm hoping for VS2 or up. :-P
 
Re: Small hands: searching for a 0.6-0.8 ct w/ a tapered set

@EB That is a really lovely ring. :) Although I am not sure about the split shank. Maybe I need to go custom.

What's the feeling about bandwidth vs. stone size? And optimal color grade for yellow gold?
 
Re: Small hands: searching for a 0.6-0.8 ct w/ a tapered set

27nickel|1289782733|2766072 said:
I'm a little OCD and probably will be looking at the stone under our lab microscope so I'm hoping for VS2 or up. :-P
Click to expand...

Just a thought, given your budget:

I looked at a bunch of stones under a 70x microscope (I should have put my SI1 under my dad's Zeiss electron microscope [he's a biologist] when I was home this weekend) and I actually think that the less-clear diamonds are WAY more interesting to look at than the more clear diamonds. I saw one that had a mini-milky way (really nice spiraly cloud), what looked like shooting stars (ok, very fine needles), etc.

If you're on a budget, I'd actually encourage you go go down in clarity to get a larger diamond. I would stop short of a diamond that is not "eye-clean" (I like to see MY inclusions, but I don't want other people to see them) or structurally unsound (feather in corner = no), but that's it.

I really do think you'll have more fun looking at it (in high magnification) and there will never be any question that the diamond is "yours" because you'll be able to ID the inclusions easily.
 
Re: Small hands: searching for a 0.6-0.8 ct w/ a tapered set

antelope1|1289834934|2766594 said:
27nickel|1289782733|2766072 said:
I'm a little OCD and probably will be looking at the stone under our lab microscope so I'm hoping for VS2 or up. :-P
Click to expand...

Just a thought, given your budget:

I looked at a bunch of stones under a 70x microscope (I should have put my SI1 under my dad's Zeiss electron microscope [he's a biologist] when I was home this weekend) and I actually think that the less-clear diamonds are WAY more interesting to look at than the more clear diamonds. I saw one that had a mini-milky way (really nice spiraly cloud), what looked like shooting stars (ok, very fine needles), etc.

If you're on a budget, I'd actually encourage you go go down in clarity to get a larger diamond. I would stop short of a diamond that is not "eye-clean" (I like to see MY inclusions, but I don't want other people to see them) or structurally unsound (feather in corner = no), but that's it.

I really do think you'll have more fun looking at it (in high magnification) and there will never be any question that the diamond is "yours" because you'll be able to ID the inclusions easily.
Click to expand...


I have to agree, with a budget of 3-4,000 including setting I am assuming...??? You would maybe have better luck with a SI1 eyeclean stone, that way you can get the bigger end on the size range your posted. Settings w/ paves/side stones will set you back anywhere from 700-1,200, so if that is included in the budget of 3-4,000- you will need the lower clarity and maybe a lower color to help you acheive the size you are looking for.
 
Re: Small hands: searching for a 0.6-0.8 ct w/ a tapered set

It looks like you have a lot of promising options in you price, clarity, and carat range.. :bigsmile:
 
Re: Small hands: searching for a 0.6-0.8 ct w/ a tapered set

some options worth investigating.

http://www.whiteflash.com/loose-diamonds/round-cut-loose-diamond-2176282.htm

http://www.whiteflash.com/loose-diamonds/round-cut-loose-diamond-2228607.htm

http://www.whiteflash.com/loose-diamonds/round-cut-loose-diamond-2347510.htm

http://www.whiteflash.com/loose-diamonds/round-cut-loose-diamond-2428276.htm

http://www.whiteflash.com/loose-diamonds/round-cut-loose-diamond-2517187.htm

http://www.whiteflash.com/loose-diamonds/round-cut-loose-diamond-2517186.htm

http://www.whiteflash.com/loose-dia...-diamonds/round-cut-loose-diamond-2428269.htm

http://www.whiteflash.com/loose-diamonds/round-cut-loose-diamond-2347510.htm


all of those stones are under 4,000 with hearts and arrows, with vs2 or better clarity. the color ranges from G-I and the carats from .6 -.8
 
Re: Small hands: searching for a 0.6-0.8 ct w/ a tapered set

Thanks for all the suggestions!

I contacted Whiteflash this morning about semi-customizing this ring to make it in yellow gold and slimmer. They said it already tapers from 4-3mm. They will also give me a quote on adding bezel princess melee like in the JA design. JA didn't seem very open to customizing their design when I chatted with them yesterday.

http://www.whiteflash.com/engagement-rings/solitaire/x-prong-trellis-solitaire-engagement-ring-764.htm

AGS-104047199037 is lovely. Is it worth the extra $1000 to jump closer to 0.8 ct? Maybe If I get the job I am interviewing for later this week I can talk my soon-to-be finance in to it.... :)
 
Re: Small hands: searching for a 0.6-0.8 ct w/ a tapered set

only spend as much as you are comfortable with! If you need a stone closer to 2,000 after the pricescope discount and wire discount I will hunt for you. Getting a .8 H&A VS2 or better will be difficult, but if you are willing to drop to SI1 (eyeclean) and to an I-J color it may be possible.


ask for aset and idealscope images for a better idea regarding cut and clarity
http://www.whiteflash.com/loose-diamonds/round-cut-loose-diamond-2535800.htm
 
Re: Small hands: searching for a 0.6-0.8 ct w/ a tapered set

Have you checked out Mark Morrell (http://www.mwmjewelry.com/)? He makes some beautiful tapered settings and usually works in platinum but now I see he's using gold too.
 
Re: Small hands: searching for a 0.6-0.8 ct w/ a tapered set

I heard from Whiteflash this morning and they can do a semi-custom design!

The price and description would be as follows: http://www.whiteflash.com/engagement-rings/solitaire/x-prong-trellis-solitaire-engagement-ring-764.htm
Semi-Custom: 18k Yellow Gold $1,175.00
**Price based on the purchase of a center stone; 3mm at top tapering towards the bottom; includes 2 x .025ct Bezel set princess diamonds in shank on either side of center stone

So we have $1800-2800 to spend on a stone. I am mainly concerned about the size being balanced between the setting and my hand. I have liked ~0.75ct stones when I have tried them. They look right. I am starting to become intrigued by different inclusions and like thinking about how they make the stone unique. Can you point me to some references on how they affect fire and brilliance?

Thanks so much for all your help!!!
 
Re: Small hands: searching for a 0.6-0.8 ct w/ a tapered set

27nickel|1289930054|2768560 said:
So we have $1800-2800 to spend on a stone. I am mainly concerned about the size being balanced between the setting and my hand. I have liked ~0.75ct stones when I have tried them. They look right. I am starting to become intrigued by different inclusions and like thinking about how they make the stone unique. Can you point me to some references on how they affect fire and brilliance?
Click to expand...

Generally, inclusions are only a problem if (1) they are obstructions like a very very big feather -- say an I-range (I1-I3) kind of diamond -- that block light reflection, OR (2) if they are black and visible from the top (but even this will not hamper LP, unless it's really really big). If you are shooting for an "eye-clean" SI1 or SI2, they should be clear enough to have great LP if cut well.

There are some who think that clouds will make the diamond cloudy, but I haven't found this to be the case. You can certainly ask to see some SI1s and SI2s and judge for yourself.
 
Re: Small hands: searching for a 0.6-0.8 ct w/ a tapered set

have you found any potential stones?
 
Re: Small hands: searching for a 0.6-0.8 ct w/ a tapered set

AND THANK YOU! :)!! :appl:
 
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