I''m Back...And With A New Mission

[wonka27]

Ok...I don''t know how many people will remember me, but I was pretty active on here a couple of years ago. A house and wedding planning slowed me down a great deal.

I hope all the members and pricescope can forgive my absence. I''m back to chat, help, and learn...and I can see there are some new toys out there that I haven''t even heard of.

Let me start you with my latest project. My (now) wife has received from me an engagement ring, dia stud earrings, and a dia. pendant when we first were engaged. Now that we are married, I''d like to plan a nice gift for our 1 year anniversary. This is 11 months away, but I always like to be on top of things.

I''m thinking a nice dia. tennis bracelet...ideal melee of course. Budget up to $3K.

I''ve looked around here using the search but want some honest opinions. Who should I put the feelers out to on the project. I know Whiteflash has awesome products in bracelets. Anyone else that can put it together for me. What do you guys think I can get out of it. I want to make sure we can SEE the diamonds!

Ideas, thoughts, please!!!

 

[pricescope]

Welcome back Wonka!

nice to have you here for another 11 months - that''s going to be one thoughtful gift!

 

[wonka27]

I truly hope that my stay will be longer than 11 months. I do apologize for the absence, but life with the first time house and wedding really kept my focus elsewhere.

I enjoy pricescope so very much!!!

 

[Mara]

welcome back wonka!

what about the new WF shared prong bangle like sundial''s?!?!! that thing was 2ctw i think and like $3k? the diamonds were DEFINITELY visible. that with 2 white gold thin bangles flanking it would be really yum!!!!

 

[wonka27]

Mara, I hadn''t even looked at that one. I don''t know if she is a bangle girl or not to be honest. Heck, I don''t know if she is a bracelet girl. But if I put superior diamonds in one, I think she will love it!!!

Any other suggestions? I think I remember Wink doing a real nice bracelet. Any other vendors that may be able to do what I want?

And btw, I know I could email and ask...this is just some pre-thinking

Also, if anyone wants to chime in with styles too...I''d love to see pics. Remember, I''m a man. I understand the diamonds, but I don''t get the fashion!!!

 

[Sundial]

There are some great bracelet pictures on this thread:

https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/show-me-your-diamond-bracelets.11924/=

I have the Whiteflash shared prong bangle in the 3 carat size and I love it! Lots of bling and the diamonds are so firey and brilliant! It is more than you are wanting to spend, but there are smaller sizes that would still be terrific. They also make a great looking 3 prong or semi-bezel style tennis bracelet.

Wink Jones did a bangle for Sharon (Canukgal on this forum) that has diamonds all the way around that looks just gorgeous.

You can also call Good Old Gold and they can put together anything you like. Tim is very helpful.

 

[Dancing Fire]

welcome back wonka

glad to hear you are still alive.

 

[pinkflamingo]

I love your avatar. that''s my favorite movie!

 

[Kaleigh]

Welcome back Wonka, nice to see you back on PS!!!!

I was a new member back then but do remember you. Good luck with the diamond bracelet.

 

[wonka27]

Thank you all for the warm welcome back.

I think I need to look at some styles and see what I think will be best, and then throw some emails out to the different vendors and see what they say. All my previous work was with GOG and have nothing but the highest regard for them. But I know the other vendors would love my business too.

I will keep you guys posted and probably seek more advice along the way!

 

[Mara]

well in terms of fashion....the tennis bracelets are classic....bangles are more modern and maybe more trendy. it just depends on what you think your girl might like. spending $3k on something if you don't even know if she likes a bracelet could be kinda iffy? if that is the case i'd try to get something stock rather than custom so that it can be returned. WF may have some stock bracelets with a return policy. i'd ask the other vendors about that too. just a thought in case you aren't really sure if she will love a bracelet...have plan B ready.

what about diamond toe rings? yeah!!! those are classic. hehe.

 

[coda72]

I think if you want ideal cut diamonds in the bracelet, Whiteflash is your best bet. I have the 3 carat tennis bracelet, and I am very happy with it. The diamonds are about 6 pointers, and while they aren''t huge, they are definitely visible. If your budget is $3K, I''m not sure you''ll be able to go above 3 carat total weight. Diamonds and precious metals have gone up in price and the same bracelet my husband purchased for me 9 months ago is now around $375 more.

 

[aljdewey]

WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOONKA! Geez, man, great to see you back! Glad to hear things have been well on your end.

Regarding the bracelet....if she IS a bangle girl, I like the solitaire bangle that Mara and I saw at Whiteflash during our visit. It features a .50 ACA stone....timeless and elegant.

I also love the bangle with melee that Mara mentioned, too.

 

[JohnQuixote]

I had to pop in and say WELCOME BACK Wonka!

Planning for an anniversary that''s 11 mos out? That''s setting the bar pretty high ya know.

Nice to hear about your house and wedding; taking care of those things is always #1. Great to see you around. Looking forward to more.

...CaptAubrey...now you...Next thing you know we''ll have a Reena sighting.

 

[diamondseeker2006]

Just FYI, Signed Peices/Facts has a 3.39 traditional bracelet for $3740. I think they have great prices for high quality stones. You'd have to ask if they could make it the right size, though. Girls with small wrists would want this cut down to 6 1/2 or so. And maybe you can ask if they make one closer to your $3000 target.

http://www.thefacetscollection.com/item.cfm?item_id=2292

 

[wonka27]

Al & John! Great to see you guys. Thank you for the warm welcome back.

I am setting the bar pretty high. However, I had her e-ring almost 6 mos ahead of schedule. I think when I get ideas I like to move, because you never know what will come up.

Thanks for the other suggestions as well. I am really going to start to look more closely at these things. I actually "snooped" around in her jewelery box. She has rarely worn bracelets, but to be honest, her box does not have anything of any real quality concerning bracelets. Maybe I''d be better off going for a multi stone diamond ring or something. I know she would like that for sure. I need to descretely probe her ( and maybe family) about the bracelet thing.

Thank you again for all of the support and welcomes!!!

 

[coda72]

The Signed Pieces bracelet is nice, but it''s around $1000 more than the Whiteflash one, and the Whiteflash diamonds are all ACA melee. I think the diamonds in the Whiteflash one may also be slightly bigger although the total carat weight of the Signed Pieces one is higher. If it were me, I would definitely go with the Whiteflash one.

 

[diamondseeker2006]

In light of your last comment, I''ll say something as someone who has been married a long time. The first anniversary is special and I think it is great to get her something that she''ll love! But just speaking for myself, I''d rather get small gifts for most anniversarys, but then get a really great piece every 5 years or so! I''d rather wait a couple of years and get a $6000. pair of diamond studs rather than some half the size (unless they were bought as individual stones that can be upgraded). Same with a pendant or bracelet. A pendant is easily upgradable if you select a H&A stone just like you did the e-ring diamond. You could get a pretty nice pendant with $3000., probably a .75 or so.

 

[wonka27]

Date: 7/18/2006 12:37:35 PM
Author: diamondseeker2006
In light of your last comment, I''ll say something as someone who has been married a long time. The first anniversary is special and I think it is great to get her something that she''ll love! But just speaking for myself, I''d rather get small gifts for most anniversarys, but then get a really great piece every 5 years or so! I''d rather wait a couple of years and get a $6000. pair of diamond studs rather than some half the size (unless they were bought as individual stones that can be upgraded). Same with a pendant or bracelet. A pendant is easily upgradable if you select a H&A stone just like you did the e-ring diamond. You could get a pretty nice pendant with $3000., probably a .75 or so.

Diamondseeker -

Thanks for your advice. I know there is merit to what you say. Trust me, I won''t be shelfing out this kind of money every year, but I did want to make the first one special. I am looking bracelet, mostly because when I bought her ering, I bought her diamond stud earrings, and a diamond solitare pendant. They may not be the biggest in the world (1/2 cttw for the earrings and 1/3 ct. stone for the pendant), but those should hold her over for awhile. And I do have a trade up with GOG when the time comes to improve!

That''s why I figured bracelet...the one thing I haven''t given her yet. If I can''t get it done, I will go with some sort of multi diamond ring...Like the 5 or 7 diamond ring from WF for example.

I need to work this out by "snooping" as I said before.

 

[fire&ice]

Hey there Wonka!

I hope you are enjoying your house! Good to see you & married to boot!

Al & Mara - you posted a bangle pic when you were at Whiteflash. It was way cool, sleek & easy to wear. Can''t find it.

If your not sold on a bracelet - you could always go w/ a diamond anniversary ring.

 

[wonka27]

Hey fire! Good to see you again. Yep...still in the house and made it official with the little lady. Now I''m just trying to get her more ice!!! Call me crazy!!!!!

 

[WinkHPD]

WOW! A refreshing blast from the past! Nice to see you again. Nice to see that you are going to be a busy man and back with us again. Congrats on the wedding and I am a big fan of making the first anniversary special, it is the only first anniversary that you will ever have. It will be tremendoius fun to see what you decide on!

Wink

 

[aljdewey]

Date: 7/18/2006 4:11:45 PM
Author: fire&ice

Al & Mara - you posted a bangle pic when you were at Whiteflash. It was way cool, sleek & easy to wear. Can''t find it.

Yep - and here it is. This is the one I was mentioning above - classic, sleek simple bangle with a .50 ACA stone.

 

[aljdewey]

Another view of it. It's on the Whiteflash website, but it's MUCH prettier in person!

VERY popular style, too......my mom's jewelry store is carrying this design with their Leo cuts.

 

[wonka27]

Wink - Good to see you again. I hope I can become somewhat helpful here at Pricescope again. Even if moral support!

Al - Thanks for the pics. Seeing the solitare bangle on a wrist helps me out a lot! I did see it on WF''s site, and wasn''t sure how I''d personally like it, but it really looks great! The nice thing about it is you get one bigger bang for less than a bunch of smaller bangs. Now I just need to decide if that is what I want to do for her!

 

[wonka27]

You know what...let me throw this idea out there.

Has anyone ever seen diamond bracelets that have diamonds "spaced out". What I''m thinking...since I want to try to get diamonds as big as possible (knowing that in a bracelet with many diamonds they will still be small), could I do something that is more like a tennis bracelet, but with diamonds more spaced out, but potentially bigger?

You guys follow me here?

 

[diamondseeker2006]

wonka, I'm sorry I totally forgot you had already bought her earrings and a pendant! You are one smart guy to buy items that can be upgraded later!!!

I know what I would LOVE...similar to what you are talking about!! It is the Diamonds by the Yard bracelet. I'd like one of those to wear often as opposed to my 4 ct. bracelet that I rarely wear. I'll dig up a picture. They are sold at Tiffany's, but you could certainly have WhiteFlash or GOG make one for you with little H&A stones!

ETA: Mara had a little necklace made like this with one diamond for her sister and it turned out great!

 

[diamondseeker2006]

This belongs to Butterfly17:

 

[diamondseeker2006]

Another

 

[belle]

i have never seen butterfly''s bracelet. it''s beautiful! thanks for posting it ds!

is that what you are looking for wonka?