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When to say when

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Brilliant_Rock
Joined
Jul 4, 2007
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There's another thread where someone is debating on whether or not to upgrade her diamond or spend the 5K on a setting, that woudld pretty much render her diamond non upgradeable (well in that setting at least). In that thread I said I would never want a mount over $2500. My rationale had always been that anything over $2500 could go towards a bigger diamond. So my question is. When do you say "ok, this is my forever diamond" will there ALWAYS be a constant stream of upgrades? I imagined that for me there would have been so this diamond is non upgradeable.. pretty much to stop myself from "the chase" so I can just love my diamond for what it is and move on to other things (right now probably a reset). Now my current diamond is 3CT (3.07 if we're being obnoxious, which I guess I am). When I first saw it I thought it was HUGE and now I'm like "wow, I could have gone bigger" I laugh because I know in my heart I would have been saying that FOREVER! I KNOW I'm not the only one too! So what's your stopping point? Is it by size? cost? sentiment?
 
I can't upgrade my diamond. It has no upgrade policy. So yes, I would spend more than $2500 on a new setting. I'm already thinking about a new setting and I've only had it 2 years. I'll wait until the 5 years from the upgrade to change it though.
 
I have a 1.7ct J VS1 RB (well, 1.666ct but that is annoying to type all the time :tongue: ). It is my ...*gulp*... fourth diamond and it is my last! Though I will never say absolutely never

I think my stopping point is a little based on budget and a little based on social norms. It would cost me about another $10k, close to double, to upgrade and have the size difference be noticable (in the 2.2ct range). And that just really does not sit right with me when I think I could buy another large diamond for that price and set it in another style that I adore, like a halo! Also, I think I am maxed for size given my age and social norms. No one wears big diamonds where I am so this is about as big as I am comfortable going. My diamond feels big to me on a daily basis and that is all I wanted!

I am open to one day upgrading, maybe, but it is not something I yearn for.
 
My stopping point would have to be when it no longer became financially responsible to upgrade. If I found myself taking money from say, the grocery budget, or extending lines of credit to afford bigger bling, that's when I'd realize I was going too far and stop.

If I had unlimited funds, who knows? Maybe never! Bwahahaha...
 
What do you call it when you limit yourself because you think you have spent enough on a sparkly ring for your finger?
I guess you could call it a financial limitation but...what if you do have more money to spend on it but you just think
that you have spent enough (probably an odd concept for PSers :) ) already. Its not really finanical...its more of
a self-imposed limitation. Just wondering what the right name for this would be? I haven't hit that limitation yet
but I could probably get close with a reset.
 
tyty333 said:
What do you call it when you limit yourself because you think you have spent enough on a sparkly ring for your finger?
I guess you could call it a financial limitation but...what if you do have more money to spend on it but you just think
that you have spent enough (probably an odd concept for PSers :) ) already. Its not really finanical...its more of
a self-imposed limitation. Just wondering what the right name for this would be? I haven't hit that limitation yet
but I could probably get close with a reset.
Fiscal responsibility? That's my thought too. I *could* ask for a bigger stone and get it, but it becomes ridiculous to me at some point. I think I've reached that point, and it's a personal decision.
 
Well, a lot of royalty from what I'm reading in the royal jewels thread seem to stop at around 3 cts. so if you do stop you're prooooobly Ok. :twirl:
 
!

I started with an expensive setting, apprx $5000 I believe. Though my MIL swears you shouldn't wear a center diamond less than 2ct :roll: , I was more than happy to accept my 1.57ct to accompany my setting that carries 1ct in diamonds. (2 0.25ct traps and some pave) My setting will fit up to a 2ct, so if we upgrade, I will just place the new diamond in my current setting.

With that said, the designer makes my same setting in a version with traps that are .5 each! So that would be the next step down the road, after upgrading the center stone I have now! :naughty:
 
My current (well since we're all being obnoxiously specific - it's not MINE at the moment, but it will be soon) e-ring is beautiful but "dainty". I doubt I'll ever upgrade it. However, my heart still yearns for an AVC in the future, but it's a little out of our budget at the moment. I'd love to get an alternate e-ring in a few years instead of any sort of upgrade. I can't say for sure, but at that point I'd like to be done with any ering changes and just focus on expanding my collection, rather than upgrading it :bigsmile:
 
I spent a LOT on my current setting for my diamond. I really think it is my forever diamond. I agree though with not spending a lot on a setting unless you are SURE you are not going to go bigger.

I wouldnt say I would NEVER go bigger... but I think this will tide me over for a good 5 years or so ( knock on wood).

The current setting is large enough that while it is not huge to me anymore, I still think it is a good size for my hand. I guess I just hope this is the right size for me!
 
I won't upgrade my e-ring because I'm a sentimental sap, but a diamond RHR (that can be worn as a "second" e-ring :cheeky: ) could be upgraded infinitely, so long as there is money to be spent (not credit)

...Except diamonds are not my most-favorite thing in the whole wide word :o So my stopping point is when I start to think of all the other things I could do with the money and would rather do those things than spend it on a diamond. So imprecise!
 
My 3.55 OEC is absolutely, positively the largest round size I could pack onto my 4.75 finger. I love the color (M) and clarity (VS2), and it's not upgradeable anyway, so it's a forever stone for sure. It doesn't seem so ridiculously huge anymore as it did when I got it, but rounds just look weird on me over the size of my OEC. (I had never planned on such a large stone but I could NOT pass up the deal when I found it, and I know I can resell it at absolute worst for what I paid, so it was a good purchase for me.)

And I also sold my 2 ct transitional cut because I always wore my 1.22 ct OEC instead on my right hand. Size isn't everything... I like the OEC look more than the transitional (both are pretty typical examples of each, with the OEC returning more fire and the tranny more white light.) I absolutely adore the antique setting on my smaller OEC, so it's 100% done.

The larger OEC I would probably reset someday. Especially if I lose anymore weight, as it isn't sizeable and is loose already.

For a setting, I can imagine I will spend up to $4- or $5K for something I really, really, really want. But in practical experience, I will instead spend that amount on something else, that is in my mind more substantial (like a 2 ct transitional cut, lol). I think the most I've spent on a setting is about $700, for my current antique platinum filigree setting on the larger OEC. $2K is probably what I could actually in all practicality make myself spend on a really nice setting w/o feeling like I overspent. Or a smidge more.
 
I have a 3.13 cushion center, size 6.5. It's in a 5-stone, if I were to break the quintet up, I might upgrade, maybe? but probably not. Only if I won a lottery or something like that. The cushion is pretty deep and has a nice pillowy top. It looks like quite a rock all by itself, so I would say 3ish is fine for me. (but if someone wants to pass on a 4-5 ct for me that would be ok)

btw, When I was in a diamond broker's office, he showed me a diamond ring that belonged to someone else that was something larger that 7 carats. IMHO it didn't look quite real. Maybe it was a high color low clarity but it was not my cup of tea (sorry if this belongs to a pser out there!). The broker looked at me like I was nuts when I was clearly not impressed at all. So, it was easy to get back to the 3 range.
 
OK, I agree that I couldn't stomach 5k on a setting.. I'm guessing at this point in my life 3k is the absolute MOST, but even then, it better be perfect and exactly what I want.

My 3.18 RB (or the side .73 rbs/) is/are not upgradable (grandmas). I will never get rid of it. But, just for the sake of argument, if it wasn't hers and I had that size to start with, I would upgrade it. I'm used to the size and I feel it looks small on my wide 7.25 finger ;( Hopefully changing the setting will fix that. Last August I had the band repaired and re-shanked and blah blah blah but it still looks like it was made for a 2ct and not a 3ct. For safety reasons I will need a new band sometime soon :)

My .70 OEC is not upgradable, and that's ok too :) I think eventually it might be destined for a pendant or another setting though, but not until I reset the 3.18!

So that brings me to... diamond stud earrings! I have been drooling over studs for the last year- heck I got surgery on my ears to fix them, I've re-pierced them and now I'm seeing how they heal! I DO NOT want to buy diamonds for them that are not upgradable. I know myself, that I will get used to whatever size they are and want bigger ones.. I have a size in mind that will be my "last upgrade" size which ideally would be 1.80-2ctw ... so.... we will see!
 
I love my ring, but I have wondered about upgrading in the future. We're not able to for two main reasons: 1) cost and 2) my husband's extremely sentimental about "our" ring (even more than I am).

Honestly though, even if we had the money to upgrade, I'd probably end up choosing to spend it on a once in a lifetime vacation or put it in savings. I think. I know, I'm boring.
 
I'm not sure what my stopping point is because I haven't hit it yet.

DH proposed with a 2 ct cushion. I love it. Will we upgrade someday? Probably. I'm so in love with Wallermama's and Burk's rings that I'll probably want an OEC at some point.

Assuming that we have the means, and that I am motivated enough to put in the legwork to find an upgrade stone and a new setting for it, I'll probably just keep on going until I don't have an itch left to scratch! (Although, I'd probably be pretty darn happy for a veeeeery long time with a 3 ct OEC in a setting like either of my dream rings, mentioned above.)
 
PilsnPinkysMom said:
I won't upgrade my e-ring because I'm a sentimental sap, but a diamond RHR (that can be worn as a "second" e-ring :cheeky: ) could be upgraded infinitely, so long as there is money to be spent (not credit)

...Except diamonds are not my most-favorite thing in the whole wide word :o So my stopping point is when I start to think of all the other things I could do with the money and would rather do those things than spend it on a diamond. So imprecise!

This is me to a T. Too sentimental about my e-ring to ever modify it. Would love a substantial RHR, but too practical to prioritize it. I keep telling myself that I'll get a great RHR when our house is paid off, but I'm sure when that's done I'll have another excuse. I do find myself considering smaller projects just to scratch the itch.

ETA: Haven, sometimes I feel like you must think I stalk you on threads, haha. We posted 2 seconds apart and both referenced scratching an itch!
 
My FF and I go back and forth on whether we should ever upgrade my engagement ring diamond or not. He has the ring and we picked out the diamond together, but I am currently waiting for him to propose - he wants for it to be a surprise, so I am leaving it up to him. :) Once it is on my finger though, I'm not really sure how we will feel about the upgrade issue.

Part of me feels that since this will be the diamond that he puts on my finger when he asks me to marry him, this will be the diamond I will keep forever. I am sentimental, and he is too, so I really think that we may just become completely attached to this stone as the one that represents our love for each other.

On the other hand, we have discussed the possibility of upgrading the diamond in the future. We agreed that it might happen, but that we will have to see how we feel when we get to that point.

Also, the diamond that we picked is quite large for this area (it is a 1 1/2 carat princess cut, but I believe that 1 1/2 carats is about the largest that I have seen amongst people that we know), and going larger might seem obnoxious. Maybe it will depend upon the city that we end up living in and the circle of people that we end up being around, and what the norm seems to be.
 
lyra said:
tyty333 said:
What do you call it when you limit yourself because you think you have spent enough on a sparkly ring for your finger?
I guess you could call it a financial limitation but...what if you do have more money to spend on it but you just think
that you have spent enough (probably an odd concept for PSers :) ) already. Its not really finanical...its more of
a self-imposed limitation. Just wondering what the right name for this would be? I haven't hit that limitation yet
but I could probably get close with a reset.
Fiscal responsibility? That's my thought too. I *could* ask for a bigger stone and get it, but it becomes ridiculous to me at some point. I think I've reached that point, and it's a personal decision.

Thats it! Thank you lyra! My DH should be proud of me for being fiscally responsible!
(well, thats after I get that reset!)
 
$5k is a lot to swallow on a setting, but I suppose if cost was no object, then yea, I could. But, I'd do it on a forever type ring - an upgrade to a huge cushion. For now, I'm happy with what I have.
 
I will not upgrade my diamond nor change my setting because I'm sentimental. If anyone knows the story, we went through a lot to redesign this one together and I'm just not willing to part with it.

However a RHR - thats a different story!
 
Sentiment keeps me from wanting to upgrade my engagement ring, but practicality, too: we bought it from an old-school dealer who would probably giggle at the idea of an upgrade policy. Since selling The Precious isn't an option ... no upgrade.

The funny thing is, I think once you introduce the notion of upgrading, you provide the temptation. When I bought my pendant, I thought it was ridiculously large for its purpose. I think my stone is pretty big at 1.3 for an everyday pendant ... aaaaaaaaaaaaand yet. Just knowing that I could hypothetically add its value to this year's jewelry budget and get, like, a 1.7 stone makes me peek through inventory once in a while to see if there's anything there. Craziness!

Given that there are plenty of other things out there that I want - OEC milgrained bezel studs, pear dangles, a designed-to-be-upgradable RHR - I'm going to resist the temptation. For now. Mwahahahaha ....
 
I would rather buy different diamonds and keep the ones I have when it come to certain stones. I will never upgrade my ER stone, it's only 1.06ct but I love it. I would just get more, lol. I will say one thing though regarding the costs of settings, I find it hard to spend more on a setting than the cost of the center stone. I would most likely never get a leon setting for my stone because it cost well under 3k and that I couldn't justify to myself, lol.
 
I'm not going to be upgrading my diamond but I am going to change the setting - ironically going from a 5k setting to probably a 2k setting. I bought the size I did because I knew it would always be big enough. It is the perfect size for me. It's well over 2 carats and under 3 and both of those boundaries speak to me as ideal. I would have been happy with far smaller but I might have wanted to upgrade it... this one I knew would be a lifer. I will put whatever money toward other things, starting with a new wedding ring to go with my new setting.
 
rhbgirl24 said:
I will not upgrade my diamond nor change my setting because I'm sentimental. If anyone knows the story, we went through a lot to redesign this one together and I'm just not willing to part with it.

However a RHR - thats a different story!
a ring like yours, you just.don't.change :)
 
shihtzulover said:
My FF and I go back and forth on whether we should ever upgrade my engagement ring diamond or not. He has the ring and we picked out the diamond together, but I am currently waiting for him to propose - he wants for it to be a surprise, so I am leaving it up to him. :) Once it is on my finger though, I'm not really sure how we will feel about the upgrade issue.

Part of me feels that since this will be the diamond that he puts on my finger when he asks me to marry him, this will be the diamond I will keep forever. I am sentimental, and he is too, so I really think that we may just become completely attached to this stone as the one that represents our love for each other.

On the other hand, we have discussed the possibility of upgrading the diamond in the future. We agreed that it might happen, but that we will have to see how we feel when we get to that point.

Also, the diamond that we picked is quite large for this area (it is a 1 1/2 carat princess cut, but I believe that 1 1/2 carats is about the largest that I have seen amongst people that we know), and going larger might seem obnoxious. Maybe it will depend upon the city that we end up living in and the circle of people that we end up being around, and what the norm seems to be.
You have so much time to decide on this - you could wait 20 years before you think of 'upgrading' but a wonderful option is just to get a right hand ring :D
 
my wife's two 14K wg solitaire setting costed me $750 total.
 
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