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juliejewels

juliejewels

Rough_Rock
Joined
Mar 11, 2008
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19
Long story short, I have to choose a new e-ring setting and am going with a classic Cartier style solitaire.

I am giving up a 1.6 radiant , I color , SI 1 along with some nice 1 carat side stones on a thick platinum band

for a

1.48 ideal cut round brilliant , E color, VS2, classic platinum cathedral style setting similar to Cartier.


It feels so small on my finger compared to my original ring.

I am pretty disappointed that we cannot go bigger , as I always had the notion I needed a large solitaire to look decent on my gigantic hands.

Fiance insists on D,E,F color and will not budge, but that means the smaller stone to stay in our price range.
Should I ask him to consider G or even H color as an option? or am I just being crazy here?

I know I appear selfish and ungrateful for whaty he is already giving me. I just feel a bit disappointed that the center stone will not be bigger especially since I am now getting a solitaire with no side stones. Not to mention I am giving back the setting/stone he proposed with. ( I cannot keep the center stone, I do not care for radiants as solitaires)

Maybe I just need to get used to the look and actually see the stone set in the mounting. The SA is going to search the archives to see if she can find a bit larger in our price range.

So what are your thoughts on this trade out of rings?
 
Hi,

I would for sure try and go down in color to a G or H and get a larger stone. Maybe tell him you liked the "warmth" of the I stone you had more and that a G/H would be good compromise between a D-F and an I?
 
You originally had an I so why do you now need to stick to the D-E-F range? With an Ideal cut round brilliant, there is no reason not to consider even a J color in order to get at bigger stone. Of course, there is no way a 1.48 ct. round is small!!!

I don't know what your budget is, but here are a couple of Ideal cut rounds from GoodOldGold.com to compare pricing of different colors:

1.55 F/VS2 priced at $21,473 http://www.goodoldgold.com/diamond/5080/

vs.

1.59 H/VS2 priced at $16,086 http://www.goodoldgold.com/diamond/4833/

Wouldn't mind this 1.80 D/SI1 priced at $21,425 http://www.goodoldgold.com/diamond/5022/

Or this 2 I/VS2 priced at $21,284! http://www.goodoldgold.com/diamond/4766/
 
Fiance thinks the other stones will look too yellow as the only stone in the ring so insists on staying in D,E,F range. One of his gal-firends at work got engaged and he has remarked at the yellow-tinge of her solitaire diamond and said he does not want mine looking like that.

I also think he has become more educated in diamonds since the original purchase in April, thus his wanting to stay in that near colorless range

As for buying online, I wish we could. The deals are amazing, but we have to use the store we bought at locally. They are not refunding us due to the problem setting, but rather letting us pick another one entirely.
 
I don't see why he should not compromise and get at least a G (I'd get an H). That's my thoughts on that.

Since when are G's yellow?
 
I think a E VS2 platinum RB solitaire will be stunning! It sounds like the entire ring is smaller, including the missing sidestones and thinner band, which is what you notice. I suggest keeping that solitaire, and pairing it with a super blingy wedding ring. Once you add the wedding band, you will have a larger and more blingy set. BTW, I can understand not wanting the radiant. They just don''t do it for me, either. But, a well-cut E VS2 RB is going to be amazing.
 
bottom line - you are not gonna be happy with the smaller size. We went for D color and I got a smaller stone and now a year and a half later, I''m upgrading to a larger stone in a F/G color. Wish I had found this site before making that first purchase. GL!
 
I went with an H VS1 at 1.63 cts. Because it is ideal cut, it reflects light beautifully and does not show color. G-H color in GIA or AGS graded stones should be safe. I probably would not try G or H in EGL graded stones as they are often lower than they say,
 
When you and your SO are looking at stones who is grading them? AGS, GIA or other? That could make a difference. AGS Gs look anything but yellow. They are pretty darn white. If his friend has a yellowish G or H it is probably not an AGS or GIA graded stone.

But I do''t see much difference in a 1.48 and a 1.6. Is it the side stones that you are missing for finder coverage? How about colored stones as side stones? Also, a split shank gives a little more finger coverage, too. What is your ring size?
 
Date: 12/26/2008 9:02:53 PM
Author: juliejewels
Fiance thinks the other stones will look too yellow as the only stone in the ring so insists on staying in D,E,F range. One of his gal-firends at work got engaged and he has remarked at the yellow-tinge of her solitaire diamond and said he does not want mine looking like that.

I also think he has become more educated in diamonds since the original purchase in April, thus his wanting to stay in that near colorless range

As for buying online, I wish we could. The deals are amazing, but we have to use the store we bought at locally. They are not refunding us due to the problem setting, but rather letting us pick another one entirely.
Click to expand...
Could be a poorly cut stone or a much lower color one (like much lower than I).
 
I would actually look for a larger stone with a lower clarity grade in the SI ranges. Don't waste your money on a VS, VVS, IF stone if size is important to you. Color is very important as well, but a well cut stone in the warmer ranges appeal to many as well. The thing that many people get too hooked on is clarity. No one is going to be able to tell the difference with the naked eye between an IF and SI2 stone, and the price differential between those seven clarity grades is enormous.
 
Date: 12/26/2008 9:02:53 PM
Author: juliejewels
Fiance thinks the other stones will look too yellow as the only stone in the ring so insists on staying in D,E,F range. One of his gal-firends at work got engaged and he has remarked at the yellow-tinge of her solitaire diamond and said he does not want mine looking like that.

I also think he has become more educated in diamonds since the original purchase in April, thus his wanting to stay in that near colorless range

As for buying online, I wish we could. The deals are amazing, but we have to use the store we bought at locally. They are not refunding us due to the problem setting, but rather letting us pick another one entirely.
Click to expand...
Unfortunately, your FI hasn''t become as educated as he would like to think, or he certainly wouldn''t be discounting other colour grades so easily.

A poorly cut stone will show more colour, so it''s likely that his friend''s diamond was a less well cut stone, and really, who knows what colour.

If you look at AGS or GIA graded stones (which will be accurately colour graded), you won''t see yellow at all in the G, H, I colour ranges FULLSTOP!
 
Ditto to what everyone else has said - an ideal cut I or J is going to look fine. I would go down in color and clarity and get a larger diamond.
 
I say push for what you want and what would make you happy. At the end of the day, your happiness equals to his happiness. For the average person, it will be very difficult for them to tell G from say E or F. I have a friend with an H that looks whiter than my friend''s D - they are both Tiffany Novo.
 
Get him to check out some GIA or AGS graded G or H colour in a similar size that you are considering, once he sees that these grades are in no way yellow, he might be fine with it. Also radiants can show more colour than a round, this is the reason so many fancy colour diamonds are cut into radiants, so if he is fine with a reliably graded I in a radiant, he will most likely be fine with G or H in a well cut and graded round.
 
I have been pondering this all weekend , so tomorrow I am going to the jewelers on my own to browse stones. I agree, indeed, that cut is so important. My fiance is not educated in buying diamonds at all, if he were he would not have bought from the B&M store and I would have a huge rock on my hand from GOG! But he would not trust the internet to a diamond purchase. He means well and I love him for it, but I shutter when I dream of the deal we could have gotten on line or whatever.

Oh well, if I can do the scouting and then just bring him in for the final approval, all will be well. I am certainly going to look at the G''s.
I just want to get my new ring. I have the setting already waiting for me, just gotta get the stone picked.

BTW- yes, I do think some of the shrinkage is coming because I am going from a thick band with accent stones to a single solitaire. I am only a 6.76 ring size, but have large knuckles and really long fingers. My hands are broad, too. Anyhow, in 6 months I plan to have a blingy wedding band to pair up with it and all will be good. I am actually looking forward to the better quality/cut diamond because I have always in the back of my mind thought my radiant was not the best cut.


Hopefully I can neogotiate at least a 1.75 centerstone, though.
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That would be perfect for me, well actually a 2.5 would be perfect, but I do not want to push it ;)

Wish me lots of luck. I will keep you posted.
 
Hi there Juliejewels,

I have bought a total of 7 diamonds in my life over a 14 year period. I'm not counting the ones I had for less than 3 weeks
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. Gratitude to Whiteflash for their patience!

The said diamonds were of various shapes, sizes, color and clarity. One thing I have garnered out of owning all these diamonds is the realization of MY sweet spot in terms of color and clarity.

My ultimate sweet spot without sacrificing too much size is a G SI1.

But I also appreciate each to their own in terms of wanting a D IF or VVS.

Every diamond has its own inherent beauty that speaks to people differently.

Good luck with your search....have fun

sparkles
 
What if you keep the diamond he is proposing and do a halo setting around it? The halo makes the diamond look so much bigger and will give you more finger coverage.
 
There have been so many good suggestions. I did consider briefly a halo to amp up the ring size on my finger or perhaps a thicker band, but fiance negged the halo immediately saying if he is paying big bucks for a nice centerstone he wants it to show. And I think the thicker band is just too much metal.

Something about the simple elegance of a solitaire appeals to me . However, it will be a big adjustment on my eyes when I look down at my hand because my current band is like 4.5 mm with accent stones and the new band is about 2mm with nothing but the platinum Cartier style cathederal setting.
It will look good with the wedding band for sure and be timeless.

So it will be a done deal this afternoon, I went and browsed stones again this morning just to be sure.
We are getting the E VS2 1.48 carat ideal cut for $11,500 . The setting is another $1200 ish.

We pick it up at 7pm.

I have to psyche myself up about this and love it... I guess I was envisioning a 2 carat solitaire on my hand, but that is out of the question. $16,000 + for a stone is just not in our budget. The new stone sparkles like the sun despitre it''s meager size. Now I have to lobby for that 2ct eternity band for the wedding band.

wow... I never thought I would have a solitaire. This will be a big adjustment- I am such a blingy girl. It is bittersweet having to surrender my original setting, but the stone is for sure nicer than my radiant. so to put our money into the stone is far better than to have $3500 wrapped up in just the setting.

My fiance is being so great about it all. Poor guy, he really worked hard to pick my original setting.

Anyhow, after we go pick it up at 7pm, he is taking me back to the place he proposed and restaging it all. Sweet guy...
 
He does sound like a sweetie.
Don''t forget to post pics!

~Kat
 
i bet it going to be BEAUTIFUL! I too love solitaires, and the way they just ''own'' your finger!
btw, i dont think its a small stone!! i''d hate to think what you thought of my little 1.01 carat!
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Juliejewels,


Did you pick the ring up yet?


You are getting a good sized stone with an incredibly enviable color!


Please post tonnes of pictures , if you haven''t already on SMTR.


emotion-19.gif





 
A carat and a half is NOT "meager." And it sounds like your fiance is sweet and patient. Lucky woman!
 
My GF actually prefers a smaller stone. I was instructed NOT to get anything over a carat (0.75-0.9ct being the sweetspot)
So I felt compelled to get a high colour (E).
Clarity wise, I simply wanted eye-clean from every angle, so we fell into the VS range. I don't think that's unreasonable.
I'm sure you'll LOVE your stone.
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I have a G (no yellow that is noticeable in my setting) SI 1 half carat center of a sparkly bar setting with side diamonds in platinum and I am upgrading to a G-H SI range with an ideal cut and either right under or a little over 1 carat. Im going with a plain Tiffany style platinum setting. I have a lot of sparkle in my current set, and I think less is more this time. Perhaps I will be able to save for a eternity band (3/4 eternity probably)!

Im sure you will be happy. I also have bigger hands.. makes it hard to find gloves
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But I prefer thinner jewelry myself.

I can completely understand dealing with a company over the Internet, but only because I am a very visual person. I want to see it, but I am going to go with an Internet vendor this time around.


Can't wait to see your ring!
 
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