Thoughts on this setting?

[melpla]

Hi Everyone,

I''m in talks with Mark T about a cushion cut and it looks like he may have found a nice .77 carat rectangular stone for me (will post a pic for your opinion as soon as I get it), but in order to stay in budget (we''re still grad students, so need to save $), I need a rather inexpensive setting.

I really love the look of all the cushions in pave settings that I''ve seen on this site. So I am considering this rather inexpensive pave one from James Allen: http://www.jamesallen.com/products/item_58-1895.asp

I''d like the setting to help the stone "pop" rather than have it sit too low. I don''t have a good sense of the height or what this ring will look like on my finger. Any thoughts? Do you like this setting okay?

If anyone has other suggestions for pave settings under $500, I''m all ears

 

[neatfreak]

The issue for me is that I doubt any pave setting under $500 will be good quality pave. Bad pave won't sparkle that much AND if it's also poorly set pave you will lose stones like crazy. For that price, I would stick with channel set if you want stones in the band.

Just my 02. though. But if it were me, I would buy a plain ol' solitaire right now and then when you have a few more bucks down the line change to the pave setting of your dreams.

 

[melpla]

Anybody else?

(shameless bump)

 

[monarch64]

I agree with NF, if you''re going to do a pave band, you want it to be of great quality to maximize sparkle. Without seeing the setting in person, I wonder how great this one actually looks. I also agree that the smartest thing to do would be to get a plain metal setting of your choice that fits in with your budget for now, and maybe for a special anniversary you can upgrade the setting to include some fabulous diamond pave. That way you''ll still have your original engagement stone, but you can change the setting and probably her wedding band so the whole set will scream "bling!"

Have you thought about wedding bands yet, btw?

 

[melpla]

Thanks for reply, monarche64. By the way, I am the "she" of the couple My fiance and I are looking for rings together...we''ve been researching all summer. I''m so glad I found this site.

I do like plain bands, as long as they''re nice looking. I can''t find the thread now, but someone on this site who purchased two solitaires--one for themselves and one for their mother--had really beautiful plain-ish settings (though they probably are also out of my price range). Because I don''t know when a reset will be in my future, I would like the initial band to be a bit more visually interesting than the "temp" settings on Mark T''s site, if possible, I think. By the way, Mark T may be making/procuring the setting for me...the James Allen pave one is an example I emailed to him to show him what I''d considered getting. He is out of the office today, so I won''t know until Monday what sort of setting will be feasible for him to do for under $500. He''s aware of our budget and says we''ll figure something out Maybe I should just ask Mark for suggestions on the band?

If there is no decent pave band for under $500, then I would prefer a plainer band. Does anyone have any ideas for me? I have such a hard time deciding what I like. I have looked at tons of wedding bands too, but I''ve been putting that on the back burner until I can make a decision about the e-ring.

We''ve been dating for over a decade now, through college, grad school, and doctoral program (we''re both still in school). So, though we''re not yet set financially, we''re not a young couple either. So, I''d rather get a band that doesn''t scream "temporary", if that makes sense.

 

[melpla]

Well, deciding between platinum and white gold is just as confusing as deciding between pave and plain bands!

Question: Do you think this $500 dollar platinum solitaire is nice? (or is platinum something else that must be more expensive to be good quality)? http://engagementringsdirect.com/jewerly/Engagement-Rings/Classic-Solitaire-Ring-Collection/2806

They have white gold solitaire''s for half that price, but I was wondering whether the platinum one might look more substantial, since I don''t plan to upgrade for a long time?

 

[LAJennifer]

If you like that pave setting - why not try it out? I have a pave eternity ring for my wedding band - the stones are 2 pointers set in 14k white gold and go all the way around. It was made by a jeweler in the NY diamond district. The cost was only $440 (total carat weight is around .78 - my ring is a size 3.5). The pave diamonds are high color/high clarity and give lots of sparkle. I also put it in my ultra sonic nearly every other day and have never lost a stone.

ETA - the ring was purchased about a year ago.

 

[LAJennifer]

Knox Jewelers also has some affordable, pretty settings. Like this one:

http://www.knoxjewelers.biz/index.htm?crn=200&rn=809&action=show_detail

 

[Gypsy]

Date: 8/3/2007 10:37:20 AM
Author: melpla
Thanks for reply, monarche64. By the way, I am the ''she'' of the couple My fiance and I are looking for rings together...we''ve been researching all summer. I''m so glad I found this site.

I do like plain bands, as long as they''re nice looking. I can''t find the thread now, but someone on this site who purchased two solitaires--one for themselves and one for their mother--had really beautiful plain-ish settings (though they probably are also out of my price range). Because I don''t know when a reset will be in my future, I would like the initial band to be a bit more visually interesting than the ''temp'' settings on Mark T''s site, if possible, I think. By the way, Mark T may be making/procuring the setting for me...the James Allen pave one is an example I emailed to him to show him what I''d considered getting. He is out of the office today, so I won''t know until Monday what sort of setting will be feasible for him to do for under $500. He''s aware of our budget and says we''ll figure something out Maybe I should just ask Mark for suggestions on the band?

If there is no decent pave band for under $500, then I would prefer a plainer band. Does anyone have any ideas for me? I have such a hard time deciding what I like. I have looked at tons of wedding bands too, but I''ve been putting that on the back burner until I can make a decision about the e-ring.

We''ve been dating for over a decade now, through college, grad school, and doctoral program (we''re both still in school). So, though we''re not yet set financially, we''re not a young couple either. So, I''d rather get a band that doesn''t scream ''temporary'', if that makes sense.

THat''s Traveling Girl.

 

[FireGoddess]

Hmmm, WF has a similar pave ring also for under $500. One of my friends is considering it. I wouldn't think it'd be bad quality, but probably not necessarily as substantial as something more pricey.

 

[kcoursolle]

If you are still considering the setting from JA, I would email them for *actual* pictures of the setting rather than the fakeish looking one''s they have on there now. That would give you a better idea if the pave quality is nice or not.

 

[february2003bride]

Date: 8/3/2007 1:40:08 PM
Author: Gypsy

Date: 8/3/2007 10:37:20 AM
Author: melpla
Thanks for reply, monarche64. By the way, I am the ''she'' of the couple My fiance and I are looking for rings together...we''ve been researching all summer. I''m so glad I found this site.

I do like plain bands, as long as they''re nice looking. I can''t find the thread now, but someone on this site who purchased two solitaires--one for themselves and one for their mother--had really beautiful plain-ish settings (though they probably are also out of my price range). Because I don''t know when a reset will be in my future, I would like the initial band to be a bit more visually interesting than the ''temp'' settings on Mark T''s site, if possible, I think. By the way, Mark T may be making/procuring the setting for me...the James Allen pave one is an example I emailed to him to show him what I''d considered getting. He is out of the office today, so I won''t know until Monday what sort of setting will be feasible for him to do for under $500. He''s aware of our budget and says we''ll figure something out Maybe I should just ask Mark for suggestions on the band?

If there is no decent pave band for under $500, then I would prefer a plainer band. Does anyone have any ideas for me? I have such a hard time deciding what I like. I have looked at tons of wedding bands too, but I''ve been putting that on the back burner until I can make a decision about the e-ring.

We''ve been dating for over a decade now, through college, grad school, and doctoral program (we''re both still in school). So, though we''re not yet set financially, we''re not a young couple either. So, I''d rather get a band that doesn''t scream ''temporary'', if that makes sense.

THat''s Traveling Girl.

https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/twins-a-cushion-for-me-and-a-cushion-for-mom.45066/ TravelingGal''s thread

 

[neatfreak]

Date: 8/3/2007 2:40:04 PM
Author: kcoursolle
If you are still considering the setting from JA, I would email them for *actual* pictures of the setting rather than the fakeish looking one''s they have on there now. That would give you a better idea if the pave quality is nice or not.

Very good tip K! Also, Mark won''t sell you something crappy. I think that platinum setting you posted is very nice, and no platinum does not need to be expensive to be good quality.

Just stick with something Mark recommends and you should be set to go!

 

[melpla]

Yes, good idea K--I just emailed JA to ask for a photo of the pave band. If it''s no good, maybe just a plain platinum one from Mark...I could maybe pair it with a pave wedding band later and still get the "look" that I like...

Thanks so much for everyone''s feedback!

 

[melpla]

Hmm, well JA apparently doesn''t have other images of the ring to send out...I was directed to look at the pictures on the website. I have to hand it to them for being responsive to email though...