Starter Superideals

[WinkHPD]

You know, @Wink - I am in Salmon, ID at a lake cabin once every couple of years... it’s just a short 5-ish hour drive to come visit your shop!

Let me know when you are coming, I will throw a steak on the Traeger for you.

Wink

 

[WinkHPD]

I considered it, but it is an "I". Before I buy another, I would have to see a "G" in person.
Dream stone would be a 4ct F-VS1 CBI for me @Wink. If 3cts is about 100k I wonder what 4cts would be?

Hmmmm.

More.

Wink

 

[Octo2005]

The problem with upgrades is the loss on setting costs... the less pricey the stone the greater the magnitude of loss, comparatively! I'd choose pieces that you enjoy most with smaller stones that you won't feel compelled to upgrade... then just buy more bigger stones down the road

Single-station DBTY bracelets are lovely with sub-0.5ct stones, IMO! Larger than that and (also IMO) the culets become uncomfortable and the flipping becomes obvious.

I had a 0.7ct OMC set into a hair clip a few months ago - CVB's Spring Gulch. Adore this little luxury

What a great idea @yssie! Do you have a SMTB thread on your new clip?

+1 on the smaller stones for a by-the-yard bracelet/necklace, I find the culets to be a little scratchy.

 

[Dancing Fire]

I considered it, but it is an "I". Before I buy another, I would have to see a "G" in person.
Dream stone would be a 4ct F-VS1 CBI for me @Wink. If 3cts is about 100k I wonder what 4cts would be?

More than my house!

 

[icy_jade]

Icyjade, this is spectacular. Please do a SMTB. Let us know your thoughts about your CBI in this size. Big enough? Fantastic, IMO. I also would LOVE to hear about your setting journey, as I am considering Stuller settings for my own CBI. I honestly don’t want an expensive setting. I want to put my money into a bigger (or additional smaller) CBI stones LOL. It’s been a bit time consuming to pore through all the Stuller options on their website. How did you find your setting model? What metal did you select, did you have Stuller set the pave? Was cost differential significant from other settings available?

Thank you and the SMTB thread is here: https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/2-05-cbi-from-hpd.242718/

Let us know your thoughts about your CBI in this size. Big enough? Sadly not on my size 8 finger... I have a feeling only a 3 ct will be “big enough”.

How did you find your setting model? Layla found it for me when I found the custom route with HPD kinda pricey... I actually wanted a custom design (which I had already drawn out) but it takes at least a month and I didn’t have enough time for that. HPD also set the H&A melees into the Stuller setting. It’s in 18k WG palladium so that I don’t have to plate it. The Stuller setting is actually more pricey than going the custom route with my local jeweller (I’m located in Asia).

 

[whitewave]

Let me know when you are coming, I will throw a steak on the Traeger for you.

Wink

My sister is moving to Redding, Ca and you know I already mapped it to see how far you are. Still 9
Hours away, darn it!!!

 

[KristinTech]

Just an idea, this cluster pendant is pretty... then I could plop a CS in it when I trade up... I love this type of scalloped/daisy cluster.

https://www.adwar.com/products/styles/C15696/view

Also thinking about a small 3 stone with .40 point stones. Simple, stock setting to dump the money into the diamonds. I’m thinking $4K is the budget, time will tell as I figure out how much I can squirrel away, lol.

https://www.stuller.com/products/bu...mmendationSource=SiteSearch#/mounting-options

This second idea lends itself to the “wasted setting“ idea that has come up in a couple of different posts. I could turn it into a rarely-worn RHR with CS...

 

[KristinTech]

I wish I had not spent so much time on slow motion lol; you see all you need to see in the beginning. No sense watching all what 8 minutes lol

@whitewave How is your three stone project going? Let me know if you will have a “wasted” setting from that .56 that may need a loving home!

 

[KristinTech]

I have an itty bitty .30ct H SI1 ACA diamond pendant. I had originally purchased the stone with the intention of collecting ACA’s one at a time for a future 5 stone ring, but once I received the stone I just had to have it set. It turned out to be a great size for my lifestyle as an everyday wear pendant, and I can layer it with other pieces if I want a more blingy look. I never thought anyone would notice it, because of it’s smaller size, but I have had strangers comment on my pretty necklace
The glamour shot Whiteflash sent me:

Beautiful! I love hearing about how the smaller stones do leave a big impact. My ering is an oval, and I do love it, but I’d love to stare at a perfect superideal round.

 

[whitewave]

Just an idea, this cluster pendant is pretty... then I could plop a CS in it when I trade up... I love this type of scalloped/daisy cluster.

https://www.adwar.com/products/styles/C15696/view

Also thinking about a small 3 stone with .40 point stones. Simple, stock setting to dump the money into the diamonds. I’m thinking $4K is the budget, time will tell as I figure out how much I can squirrel away, lol.

https://www.stuller.com/products/bu...mmendationSource=SiteSearch#/mounting-options

This second idea lends itself to the “wasted setting“ idea that has come up in a couple of different posts. I could turn it into a rarely-worn RHR with CS...

A small 40 point 3 stone necklace might be my next CBI project.

I may very well have a used plat setting for sale, but it is a RHR so size 8.25 I believe. White gold Stuller peg head I think.

 

[KristinTech]

I really like the idea of buying a "starter" super-ideal and then seeing where it takes you. I think CBIs start around 1/3 carat. Something between .35 and .45 carats (stay below .5 carat to avoid the price jump) would be the perfect size to put into a small (cheap) bezel pendant or RHR, maybe made of silver or 10K gold to keep setting costs as low as possible.

At this size, your future possibilities are endless. You could leave the stone as-is if you end up liking the small pendant/ring. You could trade in the stone later for credit towards a larger one. You could buy a matching stone and make a pair of .7-.9ctw studs, which are a good size for everyday wear. Or you could use it as a side stone in a 3-stone ring like @cflutist's beautiful example.

I think you're on the right track.

I’m having fun on the Stuller site, just perusing examples... I like the idea of a pendant, but the more I’m thinking about it, the more I realize that I really do want to stare at it — and that’s hard when it’s on a 17- or 18-inch chain!

I’m waffling on three smaller stones or one .70ish one. Our 20th anniversary is in 2020, so that would be the (super)ideal time to upgrade! The 10K option on rings only seems to save about $100 or $150 on the simple solitaire settings. Hmmm.... still thinking!

 

[KristinTech]

Erm. I’m late to this superideal thing so here is my starter superideal, a 2.05 ct CBI in a Stuller setting...

I’m thinking of either getting another 4 stones to do a 5 stone ring or to trade in for a bigger solitaire next... but still thinking since I just got the ring a week ago.

@icy_jade I love the head on that ring! So gorgeous. Quite an “entry level” diamond.

 

[canuk-gal]

HI:

My starter super ideals were from Wink and Jon. They were (each) 1.01, but were I1 clarity. I wore then in earrings, back in the day when I wore large diamond studs. It is the only time I've owned I1 diamonds but they were beauties cuz of their superb cut.

I wonder if I have a thread on them.....

https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/waiting-is-the-hardest-part.56768/

ETA: here is the thread with the details. And they were 2.09 ctw.

cheers--Sharon

 

[KristinTech]

Icyjade, this is spectacular. Please do a SMTB. Let us know your thoughts about your CBI in this size. Big enough? Fantastic, IMO. I also would LOVE to hear about your setting journey, as I am considering Stuller settings for my own CBI. I honestly don’t want an expensive setting. I want to put my money into a bigger (or additional smaller) CBI stones LOL. It’s been a bit time consuming to pore through all the Stuller options on their website. How did you find your setting model? What metal did you select, did you have Stuller set the pave? Was cost differential significant from other settings available?

OP sorry to threadjack. My honest opinion is to find an inexpensive ring setting and enjoy the heck out of your diamond’s perrformance, front and center on your hand (as opposed to a bracelet, necklace, earrings). You are going to want to let that diamond play with light and enjoy it at all times. I bought a “starter” .95 carat, E SI1 CBI, and after seeing the cut performance of a superideal for the first time, I feel I could easily have gone smaller and lower colored, as well as easily gone bigger too! I would urge anyone to see for themselves: there’s something special about superideals, even small ones. Set them so you can see them (at least for your first one anyway...)

@LightBright - thank you for this post! I’ve read it through a couple of times, and I do think I need this beauty to be on my hand.

Here is a helpful part of Jon’s site that can give an idea of Stuller costs (you can select pre-set, or unset):

https://www.augustvintageinc.net/pages/stuller-settings

Happy shopping!

 

[KristinTech]

I've upgraded my Whiteflash ACA studs several times. They have a great selection and upgrade policy, as well as competitive pricing.

Do you already have studs? Because those are going to be the least expensive settings. A stuller 4 prong pendant might be the next least expensive. I personally probably wouldn't set them until you're ready to upgrade if you can't choose a really cheap setting option or already have studs. As other have said, paying for settings to be discarded is a waste of money, and money that could go towards the diamond upgrade.

@diamondseeker2006 - I do have studs-1.0 ctw. I also have two young daughters (ages 10 and 14), so a setting could be potentially re-used with a gemstone intended for one of them. I also actually have my original platinum ering setting that needs a new head, so that could be utilized—it’s sitting in my jewelry box looking pretty pathetic these days! I have been saving it for a bicolor or particolor sapph, but it could be used for this project...

 

[KristinTech]

A small 40 point 3 stone necklace might be my next CBI project.

I may very well have a used plat setting for sale, but it is a RHR so size 8.25 I believe. White gold Stuller peg head I think.

That’s not far off from my size at all. I’m a 7.75-8 on my right hand.

 

[PintoBean]

I had a bgd rabbit ear pendant and bought my mom almost 1ctw studs that she never wore. I traded all 3 in for a quadex around 2011(?). Upgraded the quadex to a 1.2 bgblue blue. Upgraded that to a 1.5 bgblue. The next jump in size was too big a jump in price. It's also not a great feeling knowing that I could have gotten a similar 1.5 with fluor for thousands less had it not been branded. Idk. Maybe one day I'll reset as a 3 stone or get a match and make it into a pair of studs (from virtual unbranded stock)

 

[WinkHPD]

My sister is moving to Redding, Ca and you know I already mapped it to see how far you are. Still 9
Hours away, darn it!!!

What's nine hours between friends, especially when one of them likes to go dig diamonds in the heat of the summer? I have confidence that you can do it!

My steaks are mighty good!

Wink

 

[whitewave]

What's nine hours between friends, especially when one of them likes to go dig diamonds in the heat of the summer? I have confidence that you can do it!

My steaks are mighty good!

Wink

You got me there. Lol. I’ll work on it.

 

[KristinTech]

@whitewave - and then, since you’ll be “in the neighborhood,” you should continue on to Gem Mountain in Montana for sapphire panning! (A vacation didn’t happen in the Tech house unless bumper stickers get affixed to the garage beer fridge!).

 

[whitewave]

@whitewave - and then, since you’ll be “in the neighborhood,” you should continue on to Gem Mountain in Montana for sapphire panning! (A vacation didn’t happen in the Tech house unless bumper stickers get affixed to the garage beer fridge!).

Omg. I have to make this happen.

 

[Wewechew]

Omg. I have to make this happen.

I’m thinking PS GTG

 

[whitewave]

@whitewave How is your three stone project going? Let me know if you will have a “wasted” setting from that .56 that may need a loving home!

It hasn’t begun yet. It is my September birthday project. I’m getting the pieces together right now....

 

[whitewave]

I’m thinking PS GTG

@Wink how many people can you fit in your office?

 

[Dancing Fire]

My sister is moving to Redding, Ca and you know I already mapped it to see how far you are. Still 9
Hours away, darn it!!!

Wink can pick you up with his private jet.

 

[KristinTech]

So, tell me if I’m crazy here. Get up to the 1 carat K SI1 one way or another, then swap it out for a higher color and clarity - F, VS2, let’s say (reusing the same ring setting). This bump in color/clarity will be a few thousand—even up toward double the cost of the K, depending.

THEN at the next upgrade, go for a 1.3 G or H, SI1 in a new “forever” setting. Sounds easy, right? “Ain’t nothin’ to it but to do it!” I should schedule more clients now, LOL.

 

[whitewave]

I would absolutely consider starting with a K color.

I’m expecting a return on an investment I had, but I have zero idea how much or when. It could be hundreds of dollars or thousands of dollars. I have my eye on a few CBI stones...

I’m of the opinion that two rings could rule the world. Lol my asscher and a CBI

 

[whitewave]

I wonder if HPD (or whiteflash) has any videos of a K color stone on YouTube?

 

[KristinTech]

I wonder if HPD (or whiteflash) has any videos of a K color stone on YouTube?

I’d even be interested in a lower color, if available when I’m buying! That’s the fun of an awesome upgrade policy. Playing around a bit as you eek up toward the “forever” one.

 

[whitewave]

Here is a CBI K color

http://handshake2.jivesystems.com/videos/cgyetumzs0