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Upgrade question---does 0.5mm make a big difference?

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ootori227

Rough_Rock
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Jun 16, 2004
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I have been thinking about getting me a bead-set wedding band and bead-set setting for my 1.3 carat ACA, then I came to realize if I have that kind of chunk of money (bead-set band and setting total would be $3300), maybe I could upgrade my diamond instead.
So...I was looking at WF site and this site as well and learned that if I add $2000 more, I could get 1.5 or 1.6 carat diamond.
Here is my question. My 1.3 carat diamond measures about 7.0 mm and some of the 1.6carat stones measure about 7.5mm. Does 0.5mm make a big difference? Is it visually recognizable?
Or, should I wait and keep on saving money until I can get at least 1.8 carat level?

I appreciate your opinion!
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If your actual diamond is 1.3ct, a 1.56ct would be a nice size difference.
Because if a stone is 20% heavier, the difference will be visible.
But I''m not an expert.
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Yes, you would see a difference.
 
I recently upgraded and my original stone was around 7.28 and the new stone is approx 7.76 I could tell a difference!
 
Don''t forget that it''s not only the spread that makes a diamond look big, our eyes perceive three dimensions, so we also see the volume.
I remember Brian Gavin showed me 5 diamonds, I took the 2.123 ACA. There was a 2.52 ACA, and it looked much bigger, even if the spread difference was only about +/- 0.45mm.
If I remember well, to see a real difference in size, 20% more weight is enough.
 
Yes, the difference IS visible. I just upgraded my ring this year from 5.5 mm to 6.0 mm.
 
Stephan,

I tend to think only measurements but you are right! Carat means volume, not the measurements. I guess I have to keep it mind when I make a choice of diamonds. I just wish I could see the actual diamonds in person.
Thank you for your advice. It is greatly appreciated!
 
Marcyc and Chrono

Thank you for your reply. It is nice to hear 0.5mm makes a difference.
 
You stated that it is 15% larger face up area. In your opinion, do you think it is still visibly noticable?
 
Impatientone,

It is nice to hear form somebody with the same kind of situation. Do you have any pictures of your old diamond and new upgraded one?
 
Thank you Diamondseeker2006! Yeah, actually I looked at the page you gave me before I posted my question. It was very educational and I even kept that page. I saw 1.3 and 1.6 diamonds and could see a difference in size but not a whole lot.
That is why I posted my question here.
I understand upgrade is kinds expensive --so I need to think about it very carefully. I am going nuts!!
 
Well, I think your reasoning is good that the money could be better spent on a diamond upgrade rather than on new settings. I'd want to be certain I was on my permanent stone before investing in new settings. I don't think going from a 1.3 to 1.5 is really worth it, but if you can go to 1.6 at least, I think you'll see the difference. Obviously the jump to 1.75 would be even more significant, but I really don't want to wear a diamond larger than I have now (1.63 cts.). Oh, and 1.6 cts. should be about 7.6mm.
 
Date: 5/4/2008 7:09:10 PM
Author: ootori227
Thank you Diamondseeker2006! Yeah, actually I looked at the page you gave me before I posted my question. It was very educational and I even kept that page. I saw 1.3 and 1.6 diamonds and could see a difference in size but not a whole lot.
That is why I posted my question here.
I understand upgrade is kinds expensive --so I need to think about it very carefully. I am going nuts!!
Click to expand...
Yep. In stones under a carat, it IS a huge difference. After you get past 1 carat, you see it, but it takes a lot for a "huge" difference.
 
Yes, I think it does make a difference, not a huge difference, but big enough.

In fact I am in the same situation as you, my anniversary is coming up and I was going to reset my diamond and realized it would cost me more money to reset it than to just get a larger diamond. I am going about .6 mm bigger and I had Whiteflash take pictures of the new stone next to a stone the same size as what I currently have, and it it a noticeable difference to me.

I figured that it would be better for me to just get the larger diamond as I have changed settings about 3 times already and it just didn''t make sense to keep changing the setting.

I am planning to set the new stone in a temp. 6 prong setting for now until I can figure out what I want.
 
Date: 5/4/2008 6:37:17 PM
Author: ootori227
Impatientone,

It is nice to hear form somebody with the same kind of situation. Do you have any pictures of your old diamond and new upgraded one?
Click to expand...

Sorry! Unfortunately I deleted them all off of my computer!
 
Date: 5/4/2008 6:09:17 PM
Author: Chrono
Yes, the difference IS visible. I just upgraded my ring this year from 5.5 mm to 6.0 mm.
Click to expand...
Your second stone is +/- 29.8% heavier than your first one, that''s a visible difference.
 
Hi ootori,
I thought this video may help. I am also considering upgrading and this is the vid that Jon just shot me. At the end when his daughter sarah puts a couple on her finger, the difference between those two stones is only 0.4mm. I think there is a noticeable difference for sure, and keep in mind it''ll look even bigger when set!
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http://www.goodoldgold.com/video/

second one down "Comparing 5 H&A"..
 
Absolutely, positively, definitely...need I say more?
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Hi arjunajane and Phoenix!
thanks for your positive responses. I am still thinking though. It''s a big shopping to me and I need to think about it very carefully...
Hope to find something I can afford.

And thanks arjunajane for a video. I could see a difference and it was very educational for me.
 
if you can go to a b&m and try on several different stones, that''ll be the one of the best ways to get a sense of whether the size jump is worth it. photos and videos are really helpful, but there''s nothing like trying on rings in different styles and carat weights.

i go to tiffany''s all the time to try on rings, and in the classic setting, i would say that the 1.30ct is lovely, but the 1.50ct is a skosh better. anything larger is just icing on the cake. i have a 1ct right now, and was looking at 1.25-30ct stones online when my husband told me to stop tempting myself. he said that i''ll only be happy with at least 1.5ct whenever i argue that a 1.30 doesn''t look ''that'' much smaller and maybe i''d be ok with that size. i think he''s afraid that i''ll keep upgrading for the rest of my life (considering i''m on ring #2), so we might as well get the one that looks just right on my hand. i definitely feel that anything larger than 2ct is too big for my lifestyle, so we might have to use that as a target size. of course this means the upgrade will take longer than expected, but i''d rather wait than spend my time shipping stones back and forth and adding and subtracting pieces on my insurance as i inch towards my ideal diamond size. i''m pretty lazy that way.
 
Butterfly 17,
Thanks for your reply. I am glad to know you are in the same situation. I am kinda looking at a diamond which is about 0.59mm bigger than mine. If you see a difference in your diamond which is 0.6mm bigger than your old one, I will probably see the difference,too. I wish I could go up to 2.00carat to see the difference but I know I cannot afford it for now.
You are planning to do 6prong setting. I was thinking about the same setting until I save up my money for a new beautiful setting if I upgrade my diamond.
I am still thinking hard about all this. I hope I can get some sleep tonight because I could not last night thinking about it....
 
thanks, erica k

Yeah, I know it''s much better to see the stones in person. I wish there was Tiffany around my area. ..I might still go see some diamonds at the mall though. I know what you are saying about waiting and saving enough to go BIG! My husband is like that, too.
He says he wants me to be happy with what I have...well I really don''t know what carat makes me happy.... I am still thinking....I am about to go to bed and tonight is going to be another sleepless night.
 
Make sure if you go looking, that you ask to see differences in diameters. There''s a good chance at the mall, that their stones will not be cut as well and therefore aren''t facing up as they should, and won''t be truly representitive of their ct. weight.
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