Thoughts on 4.34 EC-J

[Emeraldsaremyfavorite]

Did you check out this JA stone? https://www.jamesallen.com/mobile/l...ut/4.40-carat-i-color-vs1-clarity-sku-4988914

Out of budget and IGI

 

[Emeraldsaremyfavorite]

Here are some size comparisons:
Bigger vs smaller- bigger is 1:26 ratio, smaller is 1:30. In my head I keep saying I should be happy with the smaller and save the 8k! Logical and practical choice. I know one will sing to me though! I’m scared to post video here because I feel I will be even more conflicted

 

[Emeraldsaremyfavorite]

@Blingalingaling hi! Just wanted to update you... getting a diamond today from Shulamit and then looking at a slightly larger one Saturday but will pick one for sure, both look beautiful! Will update when the first one arrives today. How is your ring coming along?

 

[Blingalingaling]

@Emeraldsaremyfavorite , [I]I'm so excited for you!!![/I] Thank you for sending me an update! I can't wait to see both of the stones! I'll keep checking to see what you post! This is great! :)

My ring is still in progress! The jeweler is on vacation for the first two weeks in July, so I'm not expecting to see anything until she gets back! I decided to go with slightly larger trapezoids, just a little bit wider than the small ones, if you remember what they looked like. I wanted slightly more finger coverage; they're not taller than the other small traps, just wider. So making that change held up the process a few weeks because we had to select the stones and alter the plans for the setting. But fingers crossed, I should have it by the middle of July!

Thanks for asking and I'll "talk to you" later!!! :)

 

[Emeraldsaremyfavorite]

So exciting, and well worth the wait! The diamond just arrived, it’s absolutely stunning however it doesn’t look a whole lot larger than my last one, I don’t know if my eyes are playing tricks on me, but I have to make sure it’s worth the jump. I will attach photos and then I see the larger one this Saturday. Thanks for the update!

 

[Emeraldsaremyfavorite]

So I’m going to reach out to everyone... If I find them equally as beautiful, same clarity and color, but one clearly larger... would you be willing to pay 8k more?? This is such a personal decision I know!! But I don’t want to regret it. Basically the smaller one was well under budget, the larger one was right at budget. If that helps. I know I’m asking a question that only I can answer, but I need help!

 

[OoohShiny]

That looks great!

Does it perform well in a range of lighting environments?

We are always welcoming if videos


If the larger one is still within budget, and is not unreasonably more expensive, then perhaps it would make sense to get the larger one?

Do it once, do it properly, and all that?



Oh, wait, that doesn't apply to DSS... LOL

 

[Emeraldsaremyfavorite]

@OoohShiny well you got that right about my hubby!! He is 100% in for the smaller one, of course! I am going to try to take some decent videos today when I have a minute. It does seem to perform very well, it got an excellent excellent on the Sarin report. The other diamond is in a setting so it’s going to be hard to compare the two. Here are two screen shots... Of course I can’t download video until I upload it to YouTube, so frustrating. Also please refer to size comparison I did on diamdb!!
. Smaller one is in tweezers

 

[Emeraldsaremyfavorite]

This was my original 3 ct unmounted, this is why I think I’m having trouble justifying size.:: thoughts?

 

[Blingalingaling]

It looks like a BEAUTIFUL stone!!! I love the corners and the crisp faceting!
So, the first picture on your hand is of the new stone that you just got. The photo with a stone in a ring is of the stone you'll be getting on Saturday, right? And the one in the tongs is also of the one you just got?? And the one in the triple shot is of the stone you sold?
(I'm just checking to be sure I'm on the same page.)
So, your new stone is the 1.30 ratio and I definitely like the stone a lot! But, I do see what you mean about the size. What were the dimensions of your old stone and how do they compare?
(Just an aside...I'm so excited and happy to be walking through this with you!)

 

[Emeraldsaremyfavorite]

@Blingalingaling you are too sweet feel like we have so much in common... petite girls after big ECs!! So I’m going to do a side by side of my old vs this new one- both in clip holder rings, unmounted. Top new... bottom 2 old. Old was 1.38, Shulamits- 1.3 and one in the setting which I have not seen 1.26. I now tend to love 1.3 and below... chunkier. Shulamit’s is definitely big, and I am grateful. Just want to make sure I make a big enough jump in size to make this whole process worth it... I have been looking for 8 months and now have 2 great options. My husband is terribly annoyed with the whole thing so this has to be the last time!!

 

[scarsmum]

Ok well I don’t know what the difference in price is between your first emerald and this one; but I have watched your journey looking for this diamond and I have to say that I suspect that really you will only be truly satisfied with something over 5 carat. Here is a chart of typical mm to carat weight conversion https://www.diamondnexus.com/product-education-mm-to-catat-weight-conversion.html
When you get into the larger carat weights, particularly step cuts, you can easily be paying 10 grand for every mm of size increase. I’m not sure I would consider that worthwhile unless you are adding a really noticeable chunk of size; and sorry to say I do not see it. I mean, I see a small size difference over your first diamond, but it doesn’t seem in any way dramatic. Sorry and I hope this isn’t depressing feedback, I’m just saying this because I suspect you won’t be satisfied with the new diamond for long. I could of course be wrong.

 

[Blingalingaling]

Ok, so before I walk away from my computer, I wanted to let you know that I just saw the diamdb and FWIW, I can see the size difference between the two stones and that one is slightly longer and wider. I think you might see a bigger difference between your original stone and this one, versus the shape and size difference of your "old" EC, also because of the more chunky look of the 1.26 ratio and that it's a larger stone, overall.
It might come down to which stone you find more exciting (or as you said, makes your heart sing).
Is it worth the $8K? I think it is, if you love it when you see it, if it makes sense size comparison-wise, and the price is within your budget. If it were over-budget, then I might be more apt to say no, but since it's in budget, I think decide on which stone you love and let that be the determining factor!
I can't wait to hear you thoughts and see what you think when you have both of them!

 

[Emeraldsaremyfavorite]

@scarsmum You are not depressing me at all this is exactly what I want to hear! Sometimes I don’t trust my own eyes I don’t know if they’re playing tricks on me. So I love all this feedback. I hope some of you are around on Saturday when I see the other one, LOL! So like I said, the smaller one was below budget and the larger one came in right at budget. There is an 8k difference for 1/2 carat.

 

[Blingalingaling]

@Emeraldsaremyfavorite you are so right! We are very much alike in our quest for the love of EC's! Haha!
I took the liberty of making one photo of the three you just posted so you can see in one straight line (I hope) the new stone on your hand in comparison to the old one. The new one is on the left and the old one is in the middle and on the right. Here goes:

 

[scarsmum]

And I’ll just add to be cheeky, if you do this to it, I don’t think you’ll ever look back- AIRLINE baby!

 

[baby monster]

@Blingalingaling you are too sweet feel like we have so much in common... petite girls after big ECs!! So I’m going to do a side by side of my old vs this new one- both in clip holder rings, unmounted. Top new... bottom 2 old. Old was 1.38, Shulamits- 1.3 and one in the setting which I have not seen 1.26. I now tend to love 1.3 and below... chunkier. Shulamit’s is definitely big, and I am grateful. Just want to make sure I make a big enough jump in size to make this whole process worth it... I have been looking for 8 months and now have 2 great options. My husband is terribly annoyed with the whole thing so this has to be the last time!!

I've been following your threads with interest. FWIW, I see a size difference between old and new stones. Are you happy with the color and how it performs?

 

[scarsmum]

 

[Emeraldsaremyfavorite]

Wow! That’s a ring!!

 

[scarsmum]

Wow! That’s a ring!!

I’m going to be doing a variation on this to the Montana sapphire I have coming. My asscher will look like the poor cousin.

 

[Emeraldsaremyfavorite]

@Blingalingaling Thanks for the side-by-side comparison! There’s a little difference, this one is wider, and if the other one does not perform well then I am going to definitely buy this one because it is beautiful. I’m ok with the color, clarity and everything... size is the concern. Not that it’s big enough, just that if it’s a big enough jump. But you are so right, this other stone I have not seen is still in budget so I need to think long and hard. Thank you so much everyone and anybody else who wants to chime in please feel free!

 

[Emeraldsaremyfavorite]

I’m overloading you all with so much info... sorry! Just want to make the best decision possible. Here is what I want my ring to look like. I LOVE Jean Dousset designs and it seems to me he favors chunkier ECs? Hoping to come close to this!!

 

[diamondseeker2006]

Love!!! I like the new stone very much! It's not a lot of difference in size than your old one, though. So if the larger one is as well cut, I think $8k is a small extra price to pay (when we are talking stones of this size) to get a noticeable size difference. Cut is my number one, but if both are well cut, I'd go for the larger one or I think you'll feel like you didn't really upgrade. Ugh, I wish I could have an EC, too!!!

 

[Emeraldsaremyfavorite]

@diamondseeker2006 thank you... agree, going to all come down to cut and how they perform!! But how lucky do I feel to see both in person side by side... so lucky!

 

[Octo2005]

I can't speak to the "quality" of the cut, since I know nothing about EC's, but I do think the one that you received today is beautiful (the bigger one).

It is a very personal decision and only you can decide what your priorities in an upgrade are, but since you asked I have to agree that it doesn't seem to be giving you much visual size difference. It does seem a little wider than your avatar stone, but if you are not comparing side-by-side, will it be enough of a difference for you to feel that you gained enough size to not cause buyers remorse?

 

[diamondseeker2006]

Yes, it helps GREATLY to get to see both diamonds together! It is MUCH harder to compare stones when you can't!

 

[Emeraldsaremyfavorite]

Does everyone agree Jean Dousset seems to be chunckier?? That’s my dream setting. May be too hard to tell.

 

[Matthews1127]

I’m team “it doesn’t give you much visual size-up compared to your old EC”. Honestly, it was very difficult to tell which diamond was featured in each photo. They seriously look like the same diamond. I can see the “squat” in he new diamond, but as far as making a noticeable difference on your finger, I don’t see it.
To put that kind of money into something that is so close to what you already have is something you really need to consider. I’m in agreement with @scarsmum, I think you should wait for the opportunity to upgrade to 5ct. Five, chunky carats of step cut luciousness. You’ll def notice a difference between your old, and a 5ct rock.
That’s just my 2ct worth. I know you’re super excited, and I can’t blame you. This is even exciting for me, and I’m not the one purchasing it...lol!!
Yes...I believe JD seems to favor chunky EC’s.

 

[Emeraldsaremyfavorite]

@Matthews1127 thanks!! To be really honest... I will never feel comfortable buying a 5ct. I just can’t with 3 kids who will eventually be on college. So here is the side by side of the larger vs my older stone. I think this is very noticeable! This might be the right compromise IF it performs well. I sincerely thank all who are helping me!! Oh and my finger is a size 4 so only so much it can handle!!

 

[PintoBean]

If you have the $8k to spend, and you love that stone more, get it. If you don't love something, you won't wear it as much so you'll be out more than $8k in money out the window, kwim?

If anything, you could think of the $8k as setting money that you can save up for again by delaying putting the EC in its forever home.