Would you let the vendor pick the side stones on a 3 stone ring?

[Dee*Jay]

I was going down the path of turning my current diamond into the center of a three stone ring, all rounds. In a project like this would you let the vendor pick the stones and set them sight-unseen?

The reason I ask is that I have recieved some matched pair suggestions that I''ve been less than thrilled with.

For instance, one scores a 2B on the DIY but the HCA won''t score it because it says the girdle is dangerously thin. One scores a .6 on the HCA but a 3A on the DIY. One scores well but is smaller than the minimum size I designated for the project because I have a certain ratio for the center/side stones that I like.

Am I being too picky? I''m trying to stay below the 1 ct premium so these are .9 to .99 ct stones, and they are *side stones* after all, but I am paying a nice chunk of change for this whole thing to be put together...

I was really hoping to just find a setting that I liked, ship of my current stone with a check, let them put the whole package together, and open box to a ring full of magic when it all comes back. But now I''m nervous about the side stones if these are the type of examples I''m getting.

What do you think?

(There''s a part of me that wants this to be SOOOOO over with that I''m tempted to go to my local guy and just get bigger side pears and be done with it. I''ve gotten to the point that this isn''t fun any more... )

 

[diamondseeker2006]

If I were looking at anything over .5 in RB, I'd be picking the sidestones myself!!! In fact, I'd order them from one of these vendors and then provide all three stones to be set. Definitely.

PS I do love the side pears like Kristy's and Kaleigh's rings, though!!!

 

[Kim N]

If the side-stones were rounds, as yours are, I''d definitely pick them myself.

 

[CaptAubrey]

Reality check, folks. Picking a single stone from various options is something a neophyte can do.

Matching stones is only for the experts. It is much harder than you may think to put together three stones that have a close, complementary appearance. The human eye is capable of picking out very fine distinctions between diamonds, even those with nearly identical numbers. Only an experienced jewler can manage this; it is beyond the abilities of a consumer.

That doesn''t mean you should let the jeweler do this sight unseen. Definitely you should ask to see the stones they''ve picked (or a set of options) and compare them. But the actual selection should be left to someone who knows what they''re doing.

 

[Dee*Jay]

I think I need to clarify what I mean by "picking the stones." Since I'm doing this project remotely I was hoping to just get diamonds specs sent to me and could approve (or not) based on that info. I would have to trust the vendor on whether they were eye clean (since I'm asking for SI2s) and looked good together.

Wasn't sure that my first post conveyed that I am in involved in the processs *on paper* but that the paper I've received to this point hasn't been very encouraging.

Capt - I just want to make sure I understand what you're saying. Do you mean that I should be confident in the pairs that a vendor would send me as being good stones and well matched, even if they don't score well?

 

[aljdewey]

Date: 8/11/2006 2:11:58 PM
Author:Dee*Jay
I was going down the path of turning my current diamond into the center of a three stone ring, all rounds. In a project like this would you let the vendor pick the stones and set them sight-unseen?

The reason I ask is that I have recieved some matched pair suggestions that I've been less than thrilled with.

Then I absolutely would not them be set sight-unseen. They should be subject to your visual approval prior to setting.

Am I being too picky?

Not at all. I used .30 stones for my sides, and I selected them. And then, when they didn't have the same personality as my center stone, I exchanged them for two others, and those were perfect. YOU are the one who's going to be wearing it, so it has to please you.

I was really hoping to just find a setting that I liked, ship of my current stone with a check, let them put the whole package together, and open box to a ring full of magic when it all comes back. But now I'm nervous about the side stones if these are the type of examples I'm getting.

You can still do most of that with just one more step in between. Put the word in to a few vendors (this might be a good way to try the online guys since there is no trade-up lost), and when one finds a pair that you like/approve of, get them and ship all three stones. They can still put it together and provide the box of magic!

Only you can determine how much stamina you have left. All I can add is, I'd rather be bone-tired with the effort to get it right than to be mentally irritated later when I look at it every day.

 

[Dee*Jay]

Al, you hit the nail on the head. In addition to all the "basic" stuff, I am worried a bit about the *personality* of my stone. I ended up with an odd one (due to the numbers it is a very bright stone) and I wonder if I will be able to match it to sides, even if those sides match each other.

 

[Rod]

I agree with Alj.........My ring is a man's three stone ring and the sides are .3 carat rounds. I asked my jeweler to find appropriate matches to my center stone and the initial pair they found didn't meet my expectations so they found alternatives which did. I would not just let your jeweler pick out the stones and hope they did a good job. The cost is too great for both of you if you're not happy as you'll have to send it back and they'll have to remake it. Best to make it right the first time. You'll both be happier.

 

[diamondseeker2006]

I just have a different view from Captain Aubrey because I have been looking at pairs of diamonds for studs and I certainly believe I can find stones that match. I look for measurements the same down to the LGF''s, and all H&A, of course. I think I take more time matching my own stones than someone else would! Lol! So I think DJ definitely can do better looking herself because she can probably beat the price of a local jeweler, too. But in my case, I can also have Jonathan at GOG look for that kind of thing for me, because he deals in the kind of stone I want and has access to many suppliers.

 

[CaptAubrey]

Date: 8/11/2006 2:46:44 PM
Author: Dee*Jay

Capt - I just want to make sure I understand what you''re saying. Do you mean that I should be confident in the pairs that a vendor would send me as being good stones and well matched, even if they don''t score well?

Well, I''m personally not a big fan of shopping by the numbers, so you may be asking the wrong guy that question. I prefer to see things in person.

That said, my concern was with the matching, and letting the vendor pick the stones for you to approve. If you''re not confident that what they''ve picked will meet your expectations, then absolutely send them back for more. It''s your ring.

 

[cpster]

I would pick them myself. With stones of that size, I'm sure you are spending a lot of money. Are you mounting your 3.37 carat diamond into this three stone? Can't wait to see. Who will be designing the ring for you?

I do love the pears too though...what a tough decision.

 

[Dee*Jay]

Yep, the 3.37 in the center. But now I am sufficiently frightened by Al and Rod not being pleased with their first matched sets that I need to think it over this weekend and make a final decision.

Those pears are looking mighty good right now...

 

[cpster]

Either way you go it''s going to be stunning. Do you think having almost a carat on each side will be comfortable on your small finger? Will they fit?

Hang in there...I''m going through the same thing as you trying to find a matched pair of stones. I so want to be done too!

 

[aljdewey]

Date: 8/11/2006 4:34:58 PM
Author: Dee*Jay

Yep, the 3.37 in the center. But now I am sufficiently frightened by Al and Rod not being pleased with their first matched sets that I need to think it over this weekend and make a final decision.

Gee, I don''t want to frighten you, or even to give you the wrong impression, so let me add a little.

There was absolutely nothing wrong with the first pair of stones I got. They were beautiful, ideal cut stones that matched each other very well. On their own, they were beautiful. When I bought them, the numbers were the closest thing they had available to the numbers on my center stone.

When I looked at them next to my center, though, my center had a different look/personality to it. The pair, while beautiful, didn''t pop the same way my center stone did. When the vendor got a few more stones in my range in, there were two that seemed like a closer match by the numbers to my center. So, I returned the first pair and got the second pair.

The second pair, next to my stone, had that same pop quality to my eyes that my center does.

 

[Dee*Jay]

Well, I just had a comforting conversation with a certain diamond cutter in Houston (

) and I feel a whole lot better.

When I explained my "problem child" (otherwise know as my steep/shallow stone, LOL) he understand my concerns right away abound matching *personality.*

Honestly, for the couple hundred bucks it would cost me to fly to any of the vendors I''m talking to I think it would be worth the trip. It''d be some amount of $ to ship the stone regardless, so this way the stone would get there faster and I could actually see it''s siblings.

What an ordeal!!!

 

[CaptAubrey]

Date: 8/11/2006 5:26:34 PM
Author: aljdewey

There was absolutely nothing wrong with the first pair of stones I got. They were beautiful, ideal cut stones that matched each other very well. On their own, they were beautiful. When I bought them, the numbers were the closest thing they had available to the numbers on my center stone.

When I looked at them next to my center, though, my center had a different look/personality to it. The pair, while beautiful, didn''t pop the same way my center stone did.

This is exactly what I was talking about. It''s not just the numbers. Trying to match one stone with two others long distance on your own is just Not Going to Work. It''s hard enough doing it in person. Let your vendor pick out some possibilities that will match, and then pick the ones you like from those. You''ll save yourself no end of hassle.

Dee, I think you''ve got the right idea now.

 

[aljdewey]

Date: 8/11/2006 8:16:49 PM
Author: CaptAubrey

Date: 8/11/2006 5:26:34 PM
Author: aljdewey

There was absolutely nothing wrong with the first pair of stones I got. They were beautiful, ideal cut stones that matched each other very well. On their own, they were beautiful. When I bought them, the numbers were the closest thing they had available to the numbers on my center stone.

When I looked at them next to my center, though, my center had a different look/personality to it. The pair, while beautiful, didn''t pop the same way my center stone did.

This is exactly what I was talking about. It''s not just the numbers. Trying to match one stone with two others long distance on your own is just Not Going to Work. It''s hard enough doing it in person. Let your vendor pick out some possibilities that will match, and then pick the ones you like from those. You''ll save yourself no end of hassle.

Ah.....but Capt., it DID work. It worked the second time, when the stones available more closely matched what I had already.

See, when I bought the first set, the closest choices they had in inventory were 40.7 pavilions paired with 35.0 and 35.1 crowns. I figured, well, how much diff could that make? (My center is 34.6 crown, 40.7 pavilion). I found out.....more than I''d imagined.

Then, they got in stones with 34.5/40.7.....so I swapped my original sides for these. These were shipped, and they popped the way my center did. Not because I "expected" them to.....because honestly, I expected not to see a difference in the first pair. Since I did, I scrutinized the daylights out of the second set, and they were a match. Not because I expected them to, but because the looked the same.

I''d still agree with you, though, that it''s much easier to let an experience eye do it.....but I''d never want to give up the right of refusal and let anyone set side stones sight-unseen.

 

[aljdewey]

Date: 8/11/2006 5:56:39 PM
Author: Dee*Jay
Well, I just had a comforting conversation with a certain diamond cutter in Houston (

) and I feel a whole lot better.

When I explained my ''problem child'' (otherwise know as my steep/shallow stone, LOL) he understand my concerns right away abound matching *personality.*

Honestly, for the couple hundred bucks it would cost me to fly to any of the vendors I''m talking to I think it would be worth the trip. It''d be some amount of $ to ship the stone regardless, so this way the stone would get there faster and I could actually see it''s siblings.

What an ordeal!!!

Brian''s a dream, isn''t he? I''ve learned so much when we''ve gone out to see him.

This (flying out) is a splendid idea! You''ll be able to see the match yourself AND hand-deliver your 3.37. No lines, no waiting, no angsting during shipping, and no angsting during production about "what if I don''t like the sides?"

 

[perry]

I would not let just any jeweler find and match stones; but I would let a few: NiceIce, Good Old Gold, top the list becasue of their focus on extreemly well cut diamonds and the different in-house testing available to match light return as well.

One of the things I noticed was a number of 3 stone rings where the center stone had good life and the sidestones were rather dead. Ugg....

In my case I purchased a set of matched 1/4 carat sidestones - that took about 3 months to locate to my range of specifications. They are almost identical within measurement tolerences and have a good ""pop" to them.

They were purchased with right to return if I was not pleased with them after I saw them, they were not the cheapest set of 1/4 carat stones either.

Matching stones by all of the dimensioins, ratios, and similar scoring systems - and matching them to a center stone with the same ratios and similar score should be effective. But I''d want to see them all together.

Perry