I'm a new member and appreciate all the advice, help and education you all have been giving me. Thanks! You all steered me away from a set that I should have looked on with suspicion and will skip. I'm learning more about quality verses size, and focusing on finding a nice balance between the two. I'm never going to be overly picky but hopefully a better buyer and get the best value for the money.
This is a bit of a long post, so please bear with me.
I went out and tried on a LOT of rings this weekend and tonight-new ones and vintage ones. I tend to lean strongly toward vintage and vintage style pieces and halo sets. I also tend to have a weird thing about not liking sets with one band, most I think look better with a band on each side, especially the curvy sets.
I have not appreciated solitaires in the past, I thought they were plain and boring. I'm beginning to realize I was wrong. Having made a mistake in my original bridal upgrade (my original ring was a very nice 1/4 ct family heirloom diamond of very fine quality set on a band, but I wanted something bigger) in 1995. I got a good deal on it at the time ($550 for the e-ring and then a few years later on bidz.com the diamond band for $65) It's quite dated and the diamonds while sparkley, are not that great. I learned at a jeweler this weekend (reputable one and another one seconded this) that I have some big cracks in the diamond (a bit under 0.50, probably 0.40) that were hard to see in a loupe but visible under microscope and made the diamond have no trade up value. I'm going to keep the set to wear with yellow gold and for everyday use (apparently I'm rough on rings).
I realize now if I had gotten a solitaire it wouldn't have looked dated except for maybe the yellow gold being out of favor. So I see the value of classic styles.
Here's the set in this link.
[URL='https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/should-i-keep-this-new-ring-and-how-should-i-wear-it.160801/#post-2923443#p2923443']https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/should-i-keep-this-new-ring-and-how-should-i-wear-it.160801/#post-2923443#p2923443[/URL]
I have my choices narrowed down to about three. I'm looking for something in white gold. I tend to be focused on a vintage look, which I think is classic, but does go in and out of style-but I don't think will ever loose it's charm to me. Verses the clean cut of a solitaire, what do you all think? Why would you go vintage over classic solitaire or classic solitaire over vintage looks?
First of all, what do you all think of European cuts? I'm doing some research on the board. I found at a local reputable shop a lovely single solitaire 0.70 center European cut in 14k white gold (which has a lovely patina) with I'd say about 0.25 maybe a touch more or less of side stones. I'm not sure of the side stone weight. My camera phone messed up and I didn't get a picture.
I did look under it with a loupe and so did my hubby who is MUCH picker and has a better eye under the loupe than I do. We both thought it was exceptional, I don't have the grading, but judging it by what I have and the gradings they are-the worst it is is I1, likely VS1 or VS2. Not sure of the color but it was very clean and nice. After seeing this I appreciate why I was encouraged to literally look at the difference between a bad and good stone.
The cost was $1,995 and they agreed to a discount of $1,400 (it is a very reputable local shop that has been there for years and years, 30+ years) would this be a good price for this ring?
The ring is gorgeous and fits well with my grandma's plain white gold band. I thought I'd need a diamond band, but I don't-it's just that pretty. It's tall and a round stone set in a very tight semi square setting, almost the illusion of a cushion cut. With two side stones and stones on the band.
I looked at solitaires out of the case (unsure of the ratings, but they were nice, didn't look with a loupe) at a local jeweler and I can get a plain white gold solitaire for $1,295 for 0.50 & $1,992 for .75-are those good prices?
However...at Kohls there's a 1.08 solitaire that is I2, HI that with the next sale should be about $2,000-$2,400 , it was certified. However, under the loupe it looks like crap next to the vintage diamond above.
My last thought was this ring, but I'm unsure if it's a good value, it's with the round 0.50 center (I1 option) (2.25 total weight) $1,969.99
To me the setting is perfect. I'm torn between this one and the vintage mine cut
http://www.jewelocean.com/product_details.php?prod_id=1770
So ladies and gents, sorry to be so long winded, what is my best option? For $1,000 (dare I ask, under)-$2,000 (my budget was supposed to be a bit more, but it's now that) could I do better elsewhere? I really want a min of 0.50 center stone, 0.75 is good, 1 ct ideal.
This is a bit of a long post, so please bear with me.
I went out and tried on a LOT of rings this weekend and tonight-new ones and vintage ones. I tend to lean strongly toward vintage and vintage style pieces and halo sets. I also tend to have a weird thing about not liking sets with one band, most I think look better with a band on each side, especially the curvy sets.
I have not appreciated solitaires in the past, I thought they were plain and boring. I'm beginning to realize I was wrong. Having made a mistake in my original bridal upgrade (my original ring was a very nice 1/4 ct family heirloom diamond of very fine quality set on a band, but I wanted something bigger) in 1995. I got a good deal on it at the time ($550 for the e-ring and then a few years later on bidz.com the diamond band for $65) It's quite dated and the diamonds while sparkley, are not that great. I learned at a jeweler this weekend (reputable one and another one seconded this) that I have some big cracks in the diamond (a bit under 0.50, probably 0.40) that were hard to see in a loupe but visible under microscope and made the diamond have no trade up value. I'm going to keep the set to wear with yellow gold and for everyday use (apparently I'm rough on rings).
I realize now if I had gotten a solitaire it wouldn't have looked dated except for maybe the yellow gold being out of favor. So I see the value of classic styles.
Here's the set in this link.
[URL='https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/should-i-keep-this-new-ring-and-how-should-i-wear-it.160801/#post-2923443#p2923443']https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/should-i-keep-this-new-ring-and-how-should-i-wear-it.160801/#post-2923443#p2923443[/URL]
I have my choices narrowed down to about three. I'm looking for something in white gold. I tend to be focused on a vintage look, which I think is classic, but does go in and out of style-but I don't think will ever loose it's charm to me. Verses the clean cut of a solitaire, what do you all think? Why would you go vintage over classic solitaire or classic solitaire over vintage looks?
First of all, what do you all think of European cuts? I'm doing some research on the board. I found at a local reputable shop a lovely single solitaire 0.70 center European cut in 14k white gold (which has a lovely patina) with I'd say about 0.25 maybe a touch more or less of side stones. I'm not sure of the side stone weight. My camera phone messed up and I didn't get a picture.
I did look under it with a loupe and so did my hubby who is MUCH picker and has a better eye under the loupe than I do. We both thought it was exceptional, I don't have the grading, but judging it by what I have and the gradings they are-the worst it is is I1, likely VS1 or VS2. Not sure of the color but it was very clean and nice. After seeing this I appreciate why I was encouraged to literally look at the difference between a bad and good stone.
The cost was $1,995 and they agreed to a discount of $1,400 (it is a very reputable local shop that has been there for years and years, 30+ years) would this be a good price for this ring?
The ring is gorgeous and fits well with my grandma's plain white gold band. I thought I'd need a diamond band, but I don't-it's just that pretty. It's tall and a round stone set in a very tight semi square setting, almost the illusion of a cushion cut. With two side stones and stones on the band.
I looked at solitaires out of the case (unsure of the ratings, but they were nice, didn't look with a loupe) at a local jeweler and I can get a plain white gold solitaire for $1,295 for 0.50 & $1,992 for .75-are those good prices?
However...at Kohls there's a 1.08 solitaire that is I2, HI that with the next sale should be about $2,000-$2,400 , it was certified. However, under the loupe it looks like crap next to the vintage diamond above.
My last thought was this ring, but I'm unsure if it's a good value, it's with the round 0.50 center (I1 option) (2.25 total weight) $1,969.99
To me the setting is perfect. I'm torn between this one and the vintage mine cut
http://www.jewelocean.com/product_details.php?prod_id=1770
So ladies and gents, sorry to be so long winded, what is my best option? For $1,000 (dare I ask, under)-$2,000 (my budget was supposed to be a bit more, but it's now that) could I do better elsewhere? I really want a min of 0.50 center stone, 0.75 is good, 1 ct ideal.
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