Which comes first - the stone or the setting?

[SparkleRx]

I have been getting different advice on my question of which to buy first - the stone or the setting.

I have some ideas for settings (rough ideas) and don''t know which to buy first.

I am told to buy the stone first because you can build the setting around it (if custom), it will fit better (if pre-made setting), you can get an idea of size on the finger.

I am told to buy the setting first because you know the size on the finger, you will know what size stone to buy, you can play with different colors in the empty setting, you will know the overall look on the finger.

I have a few custom made ideas (and I think I should buy the stone first in that instance) and am falling for the pre-made LOGR (thanks to LaruenThePartier) (and in this instance I think I should buy the setting first).

If I buy a setting first, is it hard to measure and find a stone already cut to fit the setting?

If I buy a stone first, what happens if the custom job I want made doesn''t really fit around the stone I already bought?

What do the majority do? Thanks.

 

[CharmyPoo]

My understanding is that you buy the stone first no matter if you go custom or not. The stone typically is the more expensive of the two. Your setting has to fit the stone and in order for you to know that - you have to have the stone already!

The custom route typically requires you to send the stone to the jewler.

 

[MissGotRocks]

Regardless of custom or ready made settings, I would definitely select the stone first. In a custom made piece, you can definitely have the setting made to fit the stone. In ready made settings, the head can be replaced to fit your stone. If the setting is too intricate or involved to change the head, you could also have a custom ring made from the design of the ready made. In other words, the size of the head in a setting can be changed whereas the size of the diamond cannot be altered.

I also think alot of people would rather max their money on the stone. A simple setting would always suffice until you could find or afford your dream setting.

 

[Finally!]

I'll just warn you now, my brain doesn't always take the straightforward path. I'm often on Frost's "road less taken." Here's how my story's gone so far:

At first We did a lot of B&M looking, and we focused on the stones because we were learning about the 4Cs. I found it hard to focus on settings because I really didn't know what I liked. Eventually I realized that I was having a hard time with settings because I really didn't like any of them much. So I decided I'd just try them on to evaluate aspects of them... "Do I like the width of this ring on my finger?" "No, that's too wide, it covers too much finger." "No, that's too tiny, too petite-looking." "Oooh, I like that size." The width of the setting is important because you can then decide how far over the edges of the setting you'd like the stone to hang, if any. Now you can focus on the diameter of the stones when you're searching them, and see what carat-weight stones would meet your ideal "look". Here's where the reality of your budget sets in - if your budget is $2k, then a stone diameter of 7.5mm is more than likely out of the question. Time to go back to the B&Ms and look at more petite settings.

In evaluating "aspects" of settings, I made a list of the features I liked. I searched really hard to find a pre-made setting that combined these features, but none was to be found, so I've gone custom. I'm just now returning to the stone search.

Getting the stone last has worked out for me, because I decided I liked the color of natural white gold somewhat late in the process. Knowing that the setting's color will reflect back to the stone, I've gotten over my 'issue' with H-I color, and have embraced it. I've also learned that a great cut can make a somewhat included stone look less so, and a lower color stone look higher than it really is. Giving a little on the color and clarity means I can give a LOT more to cut and a little, possibly, to carat.

 

[purrfectpear]

Buy as much stone as you can afford, setting back between $600 for a plain solitaire setting, to $2000 for a modest pave type setting. If you want a complex multi diamond custom setting figure somewhere around $4000.

 

[swingirl]

I think you need to consider both but buy the stone first. Buying the setting will limit you in case you find a gorgeous stone that you love but it wasn''t what you first started looking for. There was a fella on PS not long ago that bought a setting for a 1.25ct stone only to realize that his budget was not large enough to cover that size in a well cut stone. So I suggest--

1) Budget
2) Look at settings
3) Buy stone
4) Get setting ready- or custom-made

 

[honey22]

Ditto - get the stone first. I remember a thread here awhile ago where someone had a really hard time finding a stone large enough to fit the setting he had already purchased. You don''t want to go with a much lower colour and clarity stone that you were hoping for just to get the size needed. On the other hand, you don''t want to limit the size stone you can get if your budget affords a larger one.