Which pendant?

[E B]

I've decided to choose a bezel-set pendant for myself (from DH) for Christmas, and as I see it, I have 2 choices. Both have pros and cons, but I'm having a hard time deciding what the heck I want to do. I would appreciate any help (in the form of e-nudges) I can get!


Choice #1) .25ct Ready Set and Go Whiteflash bezel pendant.

I'm a bit of a perfectionist, but every. single. picture of a bezel necklace I've seen from WF has been flawless. No unevenness that I could detect from the magnified photos. They do beautiful work. However, I was hoping for something a little larger than .25ct, but I'm not sure if it'll even qualify as a RSG if you go above .25ct (say, to a .30ct eye-clean J) and my budget only allows for a .25ct RSG. I've emailed them with this question.

Pros: Beautiful work, beautiful stones, stone and setting from one vendor
Cons: A bit smaller than I wanted, bezel possibly a little thick


Choice #2) I found a nice stone at another vendor with a spread of ~4.60mm (as opposed to a .25ct, which is ~4.10mm) and an online coupon for this site, so the diamond is pretty affordable. It has a great HCA score, and is eye-clean. I got a quote from a local jeweler for a custom made WG bezel that's less than half what I've seen anywhere online, which would put me at approx. the same price as the RSG. The problem is that I've never worked with this particular jeweler and they only have one review here at PS. Custom makes me really nervous, as I have no idea how it'll turn out in the end.

Pros: Bigger diamond! Setting made locally
Cons: Not familiar with the quality of the work, have to work with 2 different vendors


Will I really see a .5mm difference? Is going from a 4.10mm stone to a 4.60mm stone going to be a considerable size increase? What about from 4.3mm to 4.6mm?

Thanks to anyone who can help me make up my mind!

 

[Mara]

.5mm in a small stone like that will make a huge difference.

honestly i'd probably go with the other vendor due to a larger stone and a half price setting.

one thing is that the WF bezel setting, if it's not one of the handmade ones, is a stock stuller piece that they modify. it's really lovely, it's essentially what i had them do for my sister's pendant a few years ago, but it's still more of a stock piece. i have had the opp to compare their handmade bezel to the more stock piece and the worksmanship differences ARE visible. but yeah, one's more expensive...so you pay for the additional work.

if this is really about getting the most stone bang for your buck then i'd go with this other vendor and just get the large stone. one thing though, for a more budget-friendly item, i wouldn't expect 'flawless' work...so i'd just be sure to have your expectations set correctly so you are pleased when it's said and done. one other thing, can you just get more of a stock bezel from this other jeweler, does it have to be custom? i don't know that i'd feel super confident with that either, my own experience with custom is that it can be hit or miss.

 

[E B]

Thank you Mara!

To be honest, I don''t know if the quote was for stock or for custom. I told her what I wanted in a custom piece, and she told me her ''version'' (design) was even better in terms of not flipping, so it could very well be a stock piece. I''ll look into that further. The PSer who had her ring made with this jeweler was very happy with it (and it''s a beautiful piece!), but I''m hesitant because I just don''t know what the result could be. It''s a gamble!

Would your opinion be the same if the size difference was ~.3mm? From a 4.3mm stone to a 4.6mm?

 

[E B]

Anyone?

 

[Mara]

i''d probably still go with the other vendor for a .3mm diff. in stones that small it does make a difference in my opinion. if you were talking 2c to 2.25c, then no way. but in the smaller sizes, i do believe it makes a diff. i have .38c earrings and i tried on .55cs and to me they looked huge. almost double. but in reality not that much diff mm wise.

if the PS''er had a pendant made by this jeweler you are considering and it''s the same style then it''s not quite so hit or miss right? or is it a diff style pendant she had done?

 

[E B]

Date: 11/19/2007 12:42:52 PM
Author: Mara
i''d probably still go with the other vendor for a .3mm diff. in stones that small it does make a difference in my opinion. if you were talking 2c to 2.25c, then no way. but in the smaller sizes, i do believe it makes a diff. i have .38c earrings and i tried on .55cs and to me they looked huge. almost double. but in reality not that much diff mm wise.


if the PS''er had a pendant made by this jeweler you are considering and it''s the same style then it''s not quite so hit or miss right? or is it a diff style pendant she had done?

Thank you! That''s good to know about the mm size.

The PS''er had a ring made, but it was a halo, which should help to speak for the kind of work they can do! I just love the idea of doing it all through one vendor, with few possible problems, you know? That''s what''s holding me back, I think.

 

[tulip928]

EBree! Well, fancy meeting you here shopping for a pendant!

Think your getting dizzy? I''m waiting for a quote from WF on a .30 for my daughter''s pendant. I took a look at the mm chart and the difference is .1 (4.1 vs. 4.2) Would *that* even be noticable? I''m going martini after emailing back and forth with Lesley.

 

[E B]

Date: 11/19/2007 1:10:37 PM
Author: tulip928
EBree! Well, fancy meeting you here shopping for a pendant!

Think your getting dizzy? I''m waiting for a quote from WF on a .30 for my daughter''s pendant. I took a look at the mm chart and the difference is .1 (4.1 vs. 4.2) Would *that* even be noticable? I''m going martini after emailing back and forth with Lesley.

Why hello!

When you say the difference is .1, do you mean the bezel only adds .1mm?

 

[tulip928]

Yep! .1mm I just talked to Lesley, and I''ve ordered the .25 martini.

 

[E B]

Date: 11/19/2007 2:05:47 PM
Author: tulip928
Yep! .1mm I just talked to Lesley, and I''ve ordered the .25 martini.

Fabulous choice! Promise to take pictures?

 

[TravelingGal]

Are ya closer to a decision EBree?

 

[tulip928]

I'll get pictures, but it will be a wait 'til Christmas! This is going to be tough. hmmmm . . . I'll have to try it on myself. Darn.

Did you see TanDogMom's pictures in Show Me of her new martini pendant? Sure is pretty!

 

[E B]

Date: 11/19/2007 9:12:51 PM
Author: TravelingGal
Are ya closer to a decision EBree?

I wish!

WF doesn't have anything in the size and color I want, but they're getting new inventory soon. I've still got some time to decide, which is good, but I'm set on a bezel and a ~.33-.40ct stone. I'm also looking into buying the 4.6mm stone and having WF set it, but it all depends on how much everything will cost.

tulip,

I can't wait to see pictures! I did see TanDogMom's solitaire, and it's absolutely gorgeous. Your daughter is going to love her pendant!

 

[TravelingGal]

Date: 11/19/2007 11:15:39 PM
Author: EBree

Date: 11/19/2007 9:12:51 PM
Author: TravelingGal
Are ya closer to a decision EBree?

I wish!

WF doesn''t have anything in the size and color I want, but they''re getting new inventory soon. I''ve still got some time to decide, which is good, but I''m set on a bezel and a ~.33-.40ct stone. I''m also looking into buying the 4.6mm stone and having WF set it, but it all depends on how much everything will cost.

tulip,

I can''t wait to see pictures! I did see TanDogMom''s solitaire, and it''s absolutely gorgeous. Your daughter is going to love her pendant!

I''d wait...stalk their inventory and wait for a great I or J SI1 stone. Would that be in the budget?

 

[E B]

Date: 11/19/2007 11:17:11 PM
Author: TravelingGal

I''d wait...stalk their inventory and wait for a great I or J SI1 stone. Would that be in the budget?

Maybe. One of WF''s reps showed me a really beautiful ~.3ct H, VS2 H&A in budget, but I''d rather go larger with an eye-clean SI1-2 I or J. It really all depends on when they get their shipment in, because I need everything done before Christmas.

I can''t wait, though. I was looking through posts from over a year ago where I was drooling over other people''s pendants. It''s my turn!

 

[gailrmv]

Aw, thank you guys for the compliments on my pendant! When I joined PS I never dreamed I would own something that people would be complimenting on other threads! You guys made my day.

I may have said this before, but I had a very hard time deciding too. I love my martini setting and I think I would have liked bezel a lot too. I love how versatile my pendant is, it goes with nearly everything. I think .40 is a great size and I do not regret having a J SI1. I'm pretty tall, and didn't want something small to get lost on me. I didn't want to spend too much so J SI1 allowed me to get more size. I think it is a great value. A nice perk of the martini setting is that you can see and appreciate so much of the diamond, it is really like it's just floating on your neck. If I want it shorter like a choker I can usually pull it back and it stays pretty well. If I want it longer, I pull it down (the chain is 17 inches).

I also looked at Blue Nile because I really liked their bezel setting and it was very affordable. They had a great selection of AGS000 stones in the smaller sizes and the prices seemed competitive. In the end, the personal service and possibility of upgrade led me to choose Whiteflash, but I know that others have been happy with their BN purchase (I think Piccoloscimmia compared both - you've probably seen her thread!) I was a little surprised at how much the martini setting itself cost at WF, but I wanted to convenience of buying everything from one vendor. I didn't really comparison shop for the setting, and I doubt I could have saved more than $100 or so with a stock setting from elsewhere and it might not have been as nice. If you buy everything from WF, the verfication letter reflects the total purchase and this might be sufficient for your insurance (it was for mine) and save you from the expense of another appraisal.

That's all I can think of... good luck in your purchase, I am sure you will LOVE your necklace!

By the way is that a different pic of you pug? He/she is really cute!

ETA I see you are for sure going with a bezel from WF - great choice! Disregard my ramblings about martini settings, I am tired. The one thing that was a dealbreaker for me with getting the WF bezel is I really wanted one smooth on the sides, and with the larger sizes (beyond .25) it was going to have a ridge on the side and perhaps be deeper (it appeared deeper in photos on PS, almost barrellike.) I wasn't sure if I would like that or not. If that detail is important to you, definitely ask! They were very flexible about ordering Stuller bezels or doing custom if I wanted, but in the end I went martini b/c I wasn't sure I could find a non custom bezel I would love at first sight.

 

[E B]

Of course, I've gone and found something out of budget. A ~5mm stone for $173 more than the 4.6mm stone. But DH is not a fan of diamonds, and nicely put, this will be my forever pendant. But now that we're getting into slightly bigger territory, is it worth the money (which wouldn't be a big deal if we're working with an e-ring, but we're talking about a small pendant budget, here) to go bigger, even if the HCA score is a little less excellent?

#1: 4.65mm J, SI1, GIA VG cut, 0.7 HCA (EX, EX, EX, VG)

#2: 4.95mm J, SI1, GIA EX cut, 1.8 HCA (EX, VG, VG, VG)

#3: Just wait and see what WF has. Geez, Mrs. Impatient.

Hmm.

 

[gailrmv]

If I were buying my FOREVER pendant, and it was going to be a bezel, as picky as I am about the side view, I would probably go w/ the blue nile bezel like KCoursolle's, as big as my budget allowed, J SI1. (I have no idea if they are the other vendor you are considering or not!)

I was probably editing my post above when you were posting, re: the bezel issues I had!

 

[Mara]

ebree, post a link to the stones?

if that larger stone has a really nice idealscope that shows a lot of light return, i''d probably do it even if the #''s are not AS stellar as the other stone (assuming here). for a pendant...i give a little more leeway on cut....if it''s on my hand it''s a different story. but in a pendant i mostly just want great light return and lots of visible flashes.

 

[E B]

TanDogMom,

Blue Nile is the other vendor in the mix! I've always felt that their diamonds were priced a bit higher than everyone else's, but I'm surprised to find that so far, they've been the most reasonably priced when it comes to the smaller guys. They've already verified that stone #1 is eye-clean, and I emailed them about stone #2. If it is, it sure is tempting. And what's $173 when you're talking about your forever (or until your husband warms up to diamonds) pendant? That's one trip to Costco. But I don't want to spend the extra $ if it somehow won't perform as well as #1 or the size difference won't be noticeable.

I completely agree about buying from one vendor, and if a fabulous stone/setting presented itself at either vendor, I'd take it! I'm waiting to hear on a custom price on a stuller bezel, because I don't need anything too fancy and quite like the bezels WF uses for the .25ct RSG (maybe shaved down a bit). I also have that quote at a local jeweler, which is half what I've seen online for other bezel pendant settings, so it all depends on the quote I get for a Stuller job + labor.

 

[E B]

Date: 11/20/2007 12:17:15 AM
Author: Mara
ebree, post a link to the stones?


if that larger stone has a really nice idealscope that shows a lot of light return, i''d probably do it even if the #''s are not AS stellar as the other stone (assuming here). for a pendant...i give a little more leeway on cut....if it''s on my hand it''s a different story. but in a pendant i mostly just want great light return and lots of visible flashes.

I would post idealscopes, but both stones are from Blue Nile and they don''t offer them. Bummer, I know. I already mentioned that it''d be a good idea to order both to DH, but he nixed that idea. He thinks I''ll want to keep them both.

 

[E B]

Here are the numbers. I'm hesitant to post links because I know stones have been quietly purchased while the OP was making up his/her mind.

Stone #1:

D: 61.4
T: 55
C: 35.5
P: 41
Meas: 4.61 x 4.67 x 2.85
GIA: VG cut
0.7 HCA

Stone #2:

D: 61.9
T: 55
C: 34.5
P: 40.4
Meas: 4.93 x 4.95 x 3.06
GIA: EX cut
1.8 HCA

Is one set of numbers more favorable than the other?

 

[E B]

Does one set of numbers look better than another to anyone?

 

[Mara]

Date: 11/20/2007 1:07:49 PM
Author: EBree
Does one set of numbers look better than another to anyone?

quite honestly to me not really. neither of those are stats i''d SEEK out for a stone...and without an idealscope it''s kind of hard to tell how they might look. i would say that if i only had those two stones in the world to consider, i''d probably take a risk on the 2nd larger stone...the numbers are not bad by any means and it''s still under 2 on the HCA. for a pendant, i wouldn''t be as strict as a ring stone. you can always order that one and send it back if it is unpleasant to you.

 

[aljdewey]

I agree with Mara.....neither set of proportions are what I'd seek out, but if your options were limited to just these two, I'd choose #2. I don't like the steep/deep combo on #1.

I know you've been waiting for a while, and I get how anxious that makes people, truly.......but since you're only gonna do this once, I'd focus on having enough patience to do it right. So, I'd wait to see what WF is getting in.

 

[E B]

Thank you both! If WFs shipment comes in soon, I''ll see what they''ve got. I''ll definitely steer clear of #1 and if time is running out, I''ll order #2 and see how it performs (and send it back if it''s a dud!).

 

[gailrmv]

ebree what did you decide?!

 

[E B]

Date: 11/21/2007 12:40:28 PM
Author: TanDogMom
ebree what did you decide?!

Well, I got verification that the bigger stone (~5mm) is completely eye-clean, so I''m just waiting to hear what WF has. My rep said they should be getting the shipment in late next week, but I''m thinking I might order the BN stone just in case while I wait, since BN has a 30 day return policy. I haven''t decided yet. I''m also still waiting to hear on how much it''d be for Whiteflash to bezel a stone, whether theirs or one I bring in.

I can''t wait! The buying process, while sometimes tedious, is also exciting.

 

[gailrmv]

Date: 11/21/2007 1:06:02 PM
Author: EBree

Date: 11/21/2007 12:40:28 PM
Author: TanDogMom
ebree what did you decide?!

Well, I got verification that the bigger stone (~5mm) is completely eye-clean, so I''m just waiting to hear what WF has. My rep said they should be getting the shipment in late next week, but I''m thinking I might order the BN stone just in case while I wait, since BN has a 30 day return policy. I haven''t decided yet. I''m also still waiting to hear on how much it''d be for Whiteflash to bezel a stone, whether theirs or one I bring in.

I can''t wait! The buying process, while sometimes tedious, is also exciting.

Definitely!
Just curious, which bezel are you interested in from WF? Do you agree with my concerns about the side slit/barrellike appearance to the stock setting (in larger sizes)? I LOVE the bezel they use on their smaller stones with the smooth sides, and I wish it had been available for the bigger stone w/o going custom. I''m so excited to see what you get!!!

 

[E B]

Date: 11/21/2007 1:15:25 PM
Author: TanDogMom

Do you agree with my concerns about the side slit/barrellike appearance to the stock setting (in larger sizes)? I LOVE the bezel they use on their smaller stones with the smooth sides, and I wish it had been available for the bigger stone w/o going custom. I''m so excited to see what you get!!!

That is actually my biggest concern about their stock setting! I asked about a Stuller piece that can be shaved down (like Mara did for her sister), and I''m going to ask for the most non-complicated Stuller they''ve got. I really like the bezels for the smaller guys (.25ct) so hopefully, they can find something that''s close.