Studs for my wife ...

[DexterSinister]

What color / clarity range should I be looking at ... ?

I''ve been looking at H&A and some other *super ideal* makes,
but I''m concerned about the basics ... and wondering what will
actually be visible when she''s wearing them.

My *goal* is somewhere around .75 to .80 total weight ... and
I want them to be very good & firey [planning on platinum settings].

Thanks in advance for any assistance ... !

 

[niceice]

It all depends on your personal preference with regards to clarity and color, what do you want to see in your wife's ears? A lot of our clients will buy D - G color, VS-2 clarity and higher diamonds for engagement rings which are going to be closely scrutinized by friends and family and then put I-1 clarity, J-K color goods up in the ears which are often hidden by hair... The reality being that people aren't likely to get close enough to the earrings to see much of a difference. Although our preference is still for higher color, higher clarity combinations of ideal cut diamonds - we're merely indicating what people 'tend' to do...

 

[Mara]

Dexter...I've posted a few threads on this in the past...responses that is. You may want to run a search on 'studs' or 'earrings' in the Search area.




I'll say what I say to everyone about diamond studs. Get good quality and focus on cut. Why? Because you can go to the maul store and plunk down the SAME MONEY for a pair of crappy pre-set studs. So why not build your own? For something like .80tcw in an H or I SI clarity which will still be white and eye-clean you'd pay around $1500-2000 at a B&M depending on where you go. Online if you build your own you can get that same thing for around $1500-1600. I know this actually because 'cali8569' just bought a pair of .88ctw I SI H&A stones for his girlfriend for around that same amount online, and he did it in a day and they are supposed to arrive today!




So hands down, build your own. They don't have to be super-ideal H&A but I think it's fun, esp when you know that you'd pay the same amount at a B&M because of their markup. I would focus on something like G/H or maybe I in color and SI in clarity, making sure they are eye-clean. On the platinum settings..I would also price out white gold. Earrings don't get the same knocks as rings and other jewels do, so sometimes it doesn't make sense to pay a large premium for platinum baskets.




Good luck and run those searches. Also when you see some of the H&A earrings, trust me, you will want to build your own. Some of the recent posts have pictures of the finished products. Lovely.

Good luck!




Happy Holidays!

 

[DexterSinister]

Thanks for your help !

I was thinking about G or better for color ... and VS1 or
better for clarity.

I know there's no such thing as *too good*, but is that
overboard for a pair of studs ?

She doesn't wear much jewelry ... so I like to get her
very good stuff ... I also love to see the look on other
people's faces when they take the time to look at the
pieces that she wears ... ! If they're used to maul quality
it usually takes them a couple of minutes to recover
from seeing her stuff ...

For size ... .35 ct each is about the minimum and .45 or so
would be about as big as she'd be comfortable wearing.

Thanks again for your comments & assistance !

 

[Jennifer5973]

Hi. I think VS1 is over-the-top for stud quality, but it's your personal choice. Even VS2 will save you some money and be totally clean. Good SI1s are nice for studs...the cut and sparkle are what you want. I plan to get studs this coming year and my goal is good SI1s, G-H color, with a quality cut. Build your own and stay away from the maul and middle of the road dept. stores that have "frozen spit at premium prices."

Good luck.

PS the recent thread by Cali was excellent to address your concerns....check back a week or so from this post in Rocky Talk

 

[MichelleCarmen]

Hi,

I just wanted to comment and say GET H&As and make this number one priority. Studs get dirty quickly AND their harder to see when covered by hair, so for these two reasons alone, having a better cut pair will make them stand out more when dealing with these obsticals. I too think VS is overkill, BUT, would get them if money wasn't an issue. . .otherwise, a nice pair of F-I color SI clarity, H&A will be JUST AS amazing as the VS ones.

Looks like Mara picked out a bunch of nice pairs. . .take her advice

Michelle

 

[fire&ice]

My vote - go with larger I color/si1/2 stones w/ a good make. In a stone this size color is not going to be noticed. People will notice the sparkle & size. An I stone is still near colorless. Don't get hung up on the specs.

Personally, I'd go J/K I1 (if I can find clean ones). Another consideration, what is her skin tone? Also, how big are her lobes? Size can be relavent. On my dopey tiny lobes, I could never get away with large carat diamond e.r.'s.

 

[fire&ice]

Am I the only one who thinks it is irresponsible or down right a crime to let your diamond get guck on it? Cleaning your diamond is free. I would honor the giver buy cleaning regularly.

 

[Mara]

I agree F&I..but I'm an obsessive cleaner type with my stones...I know how quickly that dirt, grime, lotion, skin etc can get into the tiny areas and make the stone look like crap. Why bother wearing diamonds if they don't sparkle to the best of their ability?

 

[hoorray]

I'm with you F&I on cleaning! I just let mine sleep in cleaning fluid each night. Makes the sparkle much more fun.

So what size studs is right for you? I have tiny lops also, and am trying to figure out what size studs I want. I started thinking 1ct each, and then backed off to .75 each, and am now thinking .5 each (1ctw total). I think there is someting to be said for staying smaller for every day wear.

 

[Mara]

Lop I think that .5c in each ear is large enough for daily use..esp for small ears. I have small ears (Greg calls them 'tiny elf ears') and while I love the big stones of course, don't really know if I could get away with something like a 1c on each ear without it looking horribly huge. Guess we'll just have to find out later!

 

[DexterSinister]

Ok ...

Y'all have me thinking about VS2 or SI1, F or G color.

Now for the mounts ...

3 prong or 4 ... ? [they will be platinum]

Thanks !

 

[fire&ice]

----------------
On 12/22/2003 3:34:43 PM lop wrote:

So what size studs is right for you? I have tiny lops also, and am trying to figure out what size studs I want. I started thinking 1ct each, and then backed off to .75 each, and am now thinking .5 each (1ctw total). I think there is someting to be said for staying smaller for every day wear. ----------------

Unless someone wears the studs everyday, anything approaching a carat in each ear my "fake" radar goes off. I know Oprah can afford it; but, - dare F&I say - her's are too big.

 

[Mara]

3 or 4...either works. Some like the way that 3 looks, some like 4. I think it's more of a preference thing. Earrings don't get alot of 'wear' on your ears so I wouldn't worry about safety in a 3 or 4 prong...just be sure she gets the prongs checked on all her diamonds once a year and she should be more than fine.




3 seems more trendy, 4 more classic. But then again maybe 3 is the new classic.

Whichever you get, just be sure they are more flat basket style than true v-prong because my v-prongs fell all the time on my ears and my baskets never do. Screw back or pousette style? I like SB though some don't.

If she plans to wear them to sleep, don't get SB as they will dig into the side of her head. But if she will take them on and off daily, SB should be fine.

 

[DexterSinister]

Yes on <.5 ct each ...

These are daily wear ... and she's very self-conscious
especially about jewelry.

The *flash* is for us to enjoy, not to impress anybody else ...

 

[fire&ice]

----------------
On 12/22/2003 3:37:42 PM DexterSinister wrote:

Ok ...

Y'all have me thinking about VS2 or SI1, F or G color.

Now for the mounts ...

3 prong or 4 ... ? [they will be platinum]

Thanks !
----------------

Four. I really think you may want to consider going down in color. These are small stones - color is not going to be discerable in the near colorless range. You will be buying only on the specs. Many women would rather have a well cut .50 near colorless stone in each ear than a .30 colorless stone. The dif. will be only in *your* perception on paper.

Edited to add: while it's sweet that you want the quality on paper, many women will want the size. Been there. Done that.

 

[Mara]

Aww let him have his F VS studs

Sounds like his wife wouldn't want bigger anyway.




Personally I'd do something like G SI but that's just me.

If you can afford the better color in earrings, I definitely think you should go for it--as long as it's nothing riduclous like D! But if you were strapped on budget, I'd say drop to H or I. Since that's not the case, doesn't really matter what I think.

 

[hoorray]

My goodness -- I never thought I'd see Mara recommend a smaller size

.

I love the 3 pronged setting, as it shows more of the stone. I agree that you should get it set so that it will sit a flat as possible. I personally don't like screw backs. I can't sleep in earrings -- and putting them on and taking them off takes waaaay too long for my type A lack of patience to tolerate. Also, they tend to be a little thicker and bother some people.

 

[Mara]

lop I think I have the flu.




Hahaha

 

[MichelleCarmen]

I'm also obsessive about cleaning my diamonds, but don't take my earrings out every day since my hands are full with the guy pictured at the left PLUS his brother

, so this is one nice reason to have well cut stones for earrings.

Lop - I think .5 each ear is nice for every day wear, possibly a bit big. Mine are .25 each ear and I never take them out, so they're perfect for the daily chores and comfortable to sleep in too. BUT, that said, I'm still saving up for a pair of .8-.9 carat total weight to wear once or twice a week when I'm out having fun, versus the other days that are spend changing diapers. lol

AND, FWIW, to the original poster, my earring upgrades will be H or I color. I don't think I'd buy colorless for earrings again unless I had tons of money to spend!

Michelle

 

[cali6869]

Check my post, is in the previous page.
https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/help-new-here-and-thinking-of-buying-studs.11311/
I bought a set of .88ctw, I SI for 1460...including setting and the white gold settings, and I guess shipping too. They will arrive tomorrow. I just talked to linda (seller) and she told me theay are spectacular, Im very happy with my purchase, good thing I didnt buy from the maul stores.
check my post and you will be alble to see pictures of the diamonds. I agree with everyone else, go for cut first...(thats what I learned so far).
I will post pictures of mine tomorrow when I get them.

 

[DexterSinister]

Mara ... if you're still here ...

I can't find these:

.381 F VS2 H&A AGS0 A Cut Above SuperIdeal 1.7 EX HCA: $985
.382 F VS2 H&A AGS0 A Cut Above SuperIdeal 1.7 EX HCA: $985


at www.whiteflash.com ...

Do you have the stock numbers ?

Thanks !

 

[Mara]

Here are the direct urls:






http://www.whiteflash.com/diamonds/diamond_Details.aspx?itemcode=AGS-4226008


http://www.whiteflash.com/diamonds/diamond_Details.aspx?itemcode=AGS-4226101




Also this is another similar ACA .38 F VS2 if you want a 3rd option though the first two have closer diameters for a matching visual:




http://www.whiteflash.com/diamonds/diamond_Details.aspx?itemcode=AGS-4226007




They are all $985 each for Pricescope customers....be sure to mention it.

 

[Giangi]

Those .38's look really pretty! That said, I would go with I-J/SI stones... This is not to discourage you, it's just my opinion, as earring don't get much very close inspection. But if you are feeling comfortable, with F and VS 2, you're doing great, especially because they are ACA's!

 

[Mara]

n2q...the more suggestions the merrier!