Trying to decide on two very different e-ring options

[04diamond<3]

Well...why not? I mean, a "red" MMD I can't imagine would perform anywhere close to what a colorless diamond does so if she wants a dull performing stone she can pay less to get the same size in a sapphire. Even sapphires can be better performers... and I totally agree with DS, the color on that stone looks terrible! I think the OP has plenty of opinions and will just have to decide for him/herself.
<snip>
When put into the HCA tool, assuming these numbers are correct you get a 4.7 which is absolutely horrible (literally says "fish eye, should not be considered for purchase)! Even without the ugly color we would never suggest buying a stone with these dimensions. Also, when flipped around (63% depth), it says it can't come up with a score because these numbers would suggest a far too thick girdle.

So since you're using the HCA tool, does that mean I *can* use HCA to evaluate colored stones? Or does color performance change the "optimal" properties?

I'm not necessarily fixed on that particular stone, just using it as an example since I don't know how to pick a good one (yet). I'm female, but my boyfriend is leaving the selection up to me.

well, it's a diamond. The HCA tool is for round diamonds which is why I used it on this stone.

 

[Niel]

I know even less than nothing about lab created stones, but I agree with those who say - buy what YOU like (or she likes . If you/she likes a three stone - what about a lab created center with natural diamond sides - or the other way around - a diamond center with lab created sides - getting the best of both ideas!

That's kinda a neat idea -- I guess we'd buy the three stones separately and then get it set by a 3rd party?? Who should I go to get such a ring set???

If you buy your MMD as a loose stone, you can jsut ship it to a vendor to be set in a three stone with mined sides. Like whiteflash or brian gavin would set your stone and put well cut whites next to it, then you would get sparkle galore!

 

[Circe]

The HCA wasn't designed for colored diamonds. Sure, OECs are technically round, too ... but it gives completely inaccurate results for them. Between the fact that the light performance will be different and the secondary fact that because of that, they'll be cut completely differently ... ixnay on the HCA-hay.

Generally, colored diamonds aren't cut into rounds. The biggest and most important factor in their creation is to maximize their color. I think I'd try to treat them like colored stones when buying - shop with your eyes, but better yet, find a trusted vendor, and pre-shop with theirs.

BTW, for what it's worth ... while I probably wouldn't go for that round, they have an red emerald with an orange modifier that's quite attractive at .57 points that's only around 2K. That would leave you a nice chunk of change to get a one-of-a-kind setting from a very talented jeweler ....

 

[Niel]

The HCA wasn't designed for colored diamonds. Sure, OECs are technically round, too ... but it gives completely inaccurate results for them. Between the fact that the light performance will be different and the secondary fact that because of that, they'll be cut completely differently ... ixnay on the HCA-hay.

Generally, colored diamonds aren't cut into rounds. The biggest and most important factor in their creation is to maximize their color. I think I'd try to treat them like colored stones when buying - shop with your eyes, but better yet, find a trusted vendor, and pre-shop with theirs.

BTW, for what it's worth ... while I probably wouldn't go for that round, they have an red emerald with an orange modifier that's quite attractive at .57 points that's only around 2K. That would leave you a nice chunk of change to get a one-of-a-kind setting from a very talented jeweler ....

Oh that emerald is really pretty to me!
A setting like this it would be very lovely! Maybe in yellow gold?
http://www.briangavindiamonds.com/engagement-rings/three-stone/emerald-and-baguette-18k-white-gold-5449w18

Thats a lot of exclamation points i have there

 

[Circe]

Ooo, that's a classic, I love that. Or maybe something like Woofmama's east-west emerald in a semi-bezel? I think it's Sholdt setting, and it looks like a gazillion bucks.

ETA: linky! https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/ec-in-sholdt-semi-bezel-pearlmans-pics.180994/

 

[Niel]

Ooo, that's a classic, I love that. Or maybe something like Woofmama's east-west emerald in a semi-bezel? I think it's Sholdt setting, and it looks like a gazillion bucks.

ETA: linky! https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/ec-in-sholdt-semi-bezel-pearlmans-pics.180994/

Oh gosh that would be amazing too. I was in 3stone mode i didnt even think of that

 

[forestbrook]

The HCA wasn't designed for colored diamonds. Sure, OECs are technically round, too ... but it gives completely inaccurate results for them. Between the fact that the light performance will be different and the secondary fact that because of that, they'll be cut completely differently ... ixnay on the HCA-hay.

Generally, colored diamonds aren't cut into rounds. The biggest and most important factor in their creation is to maximize their color. I think I'd try to treat them like colored stones when buying - shop with your eyes, but better yet, find a trusted vendor, and pre-shop with theirs.

Thanks, Circe, that's super helpful to know.

 

[CharmyPoo]

I don't really know how man made colored diamonds are made but in my mind ... don't they have more control over color saturation and distribution? This to me would mean that they would be able to cut the rough to optimize light and color performance. Who knows ... I am wildly guessing here with no educational background.

So I just read the website and the reds are achieved through irradiation.

I guess in my mind ... I might as well buy this for $10 ... nice color.
http://www.ebay.ca/itm/IF-48-cts-Huge-Round-20-mm-Lab-Red-Ruby-Diamond-AAA-C3-/150985094827?pt=Loose_Cubic_Zirconia&hash=item232769b6ab&_uhb=1#ht_500wt_1156

This one is nicer in color too than the man made one
http://www.ebay.ca/itm/1-54-carat-Fancy-RED-Natural-Diamond-Round-Brilliant-GIA-Certified-RARE-/111004192106?pt=Loose_Diamonds&hash=item19d85d8d6a&_uhb=1#ht_4970wt_1344

If you like red, I would seriously consider an awesome red spinel. Drool.

 

[forestbrook]

I don't really know how man made colored diamonds are made but in my mind ... don't they have more control over color saturation and distribution? This to me would mean that they would be able to cut the rough to optimize light and color performance. Who knows ... I am wildly guessing here with no educational background.

So I just read the website and the reds are achieved through irradiation.

I guess in my mind ... I might as well buy this for $10 ... nice color.
http://www.ebay.ca/itm/IF-48-cts-Huge-Round-20-mm-Lab-Red-Ruby-Diamond-AAA-C3-/150985094827?pt=Loose_Cubic_Zirconia&hash=item232769b6ab&_uhb=1#ht_500wt_1156

This one is nicer in color too than the man made one
http://www.ebay.ca/itm/1-54-carat-Fancy-RED-Natural-Diamond-Round-Brilliant-GIA-Certified-RARE-/111004192106?pt=Loose_Diamonds&hash=item19d85d8d6a&_uhb=1#ht_4970wt_1344

If you like red, I would seriously consider an awesome red spinel. Drool.

#1 is cubic zirconia and #2 is... a little out of our budget!!

Anyway, yes the MMD reds/pinks/purples are irradiated but have nothing to do with radioactivity (completely different process), which is actually what makes them interesting to us --- the color is formed through exposure to electrons from a van der graaf generator, which is the machine you usually see at science museums where you stick your hand on it and your hair stands straight up.

 

[Niel]

I don't really know how man made colored diamonds are made but in my mind ... don't they have more control over color saturation and distribution? This to me would mean that they would be able to cut the rough to optimize light and color performance. Who knows ... I am wildly guessing here with no educational background.

So I just read the website and the reds are achieved through irradiation.

I guess in my mind ... I might as well buy this for $10 ... nice color.
http://www.ebay.ca/itm/IF-48-cts-Huge-Round-20-mm-Lab-Red-Ruby-Diamond-AAA-C3-/150985094827?pt=Loose_Cubic_Zirconia&hash=item232769b6ab&_uhb=1#ht_500wt_1156

This one is nicer in color too than the man made one
http://www.ebay.ca/itm/1-54-carat-Fancy-RED-Natural-Diamond-Round-Brilliant-GIA-Certified-RARE-/111004192106?pt=Loose_Diamonds&hash=item19d85d8d6a&_uhb=1#ht_4970wt_1344

If you like red, I would seriously consider an awesome red spinel. Drool.

#1 is cubic zirconia and #2 is... a little out of our budget!!

Anyway, yes the MMD reds/pinks/purples are irradiated but have nothing to do with radioactivity (completely different process), which is actually what makes them interesting to us --- the color is formed through exposure to electrons from a van der graaf generator, which is the machine you usually see at science museums where you stick your hand on it and your hair stands straight up.

I agree thats super neat. Sounds to me like you like the idea of a mmd. Did the emerald one just not speak to you? I really like the color of that.

 

[Circe]

Will also say, I love the color AND cut on this Fancy Deep Brownish Purplish Red Radiant cut (good god, that's a lot of modifiers, but the color looks like a lovely imperial purple in the pics). http://d.neadiamonds.com/lab-created-diamonds/PR02 Alternately, do they custom cut? Can you maybe request exactly what you'd like in an ideal world?

 

[forestbrook]

Circe, nielseel, I'll make a separate thread in the MMD subforum so that we don't talk too much about them on this subforum.

More generally, let's say we spend $2k-$2.5k on the center stone, is it still feasible to find a pair of colorless side stones AND get it all set with the remaining $1.5-2k through JA, BGD, or Whiteflash???

 

[Niel]

Looking at brian gavin. There was 3 stone rings that had baguettes, one with .2 on either side pears, or .2 Gs ags ideals all under or around 2k

 

[forestbrook]

Looking at brian gavin. There was 3 stone rings that had baguettes, one with .2 on either side pears, or .2 Gs ags ideals all under or around 2k

I found the baguette and the pear settings, which one is the third?

 

[Niel]

Looking at brian gavin. There was 3 stone rings that had baguettes, one with .2 on either side pears, or .2 Gs ags ideals all under or around 2k

I found the baguette and the pear settings, which one is the third?

you have to pick the sides out your self for that one
http://www.briangavindiamonds.com/engagement-rings/three-stone-trellis-18k-white-gold-5376w18
http://www.briangavindiamonds.com/diamond_pair_comparisions/compared_diamond_details/AGS-104049683101/AGS-104051761052

 

[forestbrook]

Looking at brian gavin. There was 3 stone rings that had baguettes, one with .2 on either side pears, or .2 Gs ags ideals all under or around 2k

I found the baguette and the pear settings, which one is the third?

you have to pick the sides out your self for that one
http://www.briangavindiamonds.com/engagement-rings/three-stone-trellis-18k-white-gold-5376w18
http://www.briangavindiamonds.com/diamond_pair_comparisions/compared_diamond_details/AGS-104049683101/AGS-104051761052

Wow that could totally fit in our budget!

 

[Niel]

Looking at brian gavin. There was 3 stone rings that had baguettes, one with .2 on either side pears, or .2 Gs ags ideals all under or around 2k

I found the baguette and the pear settings, which one is the third?

you have to pick the sides out your self for that one
http://www.briangavindiamonds.com/engagement-rings/three-stone-trellis-18k-white-gold-5376w18
http://www.briangavindiamonds.com/diamond_pair_comparisions/compared_diamond_details/AGS-104049683101/AGS-104051761052

Wow that could totally fit in our budget!

Yeah you have a very healthy budget, so now itts deciding what shape you want. Pears or rounds with a round, or that baguette one if you like a step cut

 

[Ella]

Please remember everyone no discussions of simulants on PS and MMDs in their own forum only. Thank you for your cooperation.

 

[periwinklegirl]

If you go with option #1, I suspect conversations will go somewhere like "oh cool ... is that a pink diamond". "No, it is man made ..." People go away thinking ... so it is fake? I don't think it really matters what people think but that is what I suspect the reactions will be.

This is not my experience (in three years of wearing a lab grown fcd and working with the public). The general public doesn't seem to be aware that there are such things as blue diamonds or red diamonds. Usually I get, is that a sapphire? Or aquamarine? And I say no, it's a diamond. And if they want to keep talking, I usually tell them it's lab grown. Here in my part of the world (PNW) mined diamonds are somewhat on par with wearing fur coats. Most people I've met think it's pretty cool that diamonds can be grown in a lab (at which I sometimes start talking to them about superconductors!) I have never had one single person say to me, oh, so it's fake?

 

[periwinklegirl]

Circe, nielseel, I'll make a separate thread in the MMD subforum so that we don't talk too much about them on this subforum.

ETA: Sorry Ella, just saw your post. I'll put the rest of my replies there too!

 

[EEFranklin]

forestbrook started another thread in the MMD forum, but I wanted to address a few of the general questions in this thread about fancy colored diamonds.

Fancy colored diamonds still sparkle just like you expect a diamond to. If someone mistakes a red diamond for a ruby or blue diamond for a sapphire, it will be the prettiest ruby/sapphire they have ever seen. Much of the general public isn't aware diamonds come in colors other than white (and maybe yellow, "champagne" and/or "chocolate").

The HCA and all the other cut charts and systems are ultimately measuring ambient (white) light performance in a colorless diamond. "Ideal" ambient light performance in a colored diamond means the diamond will look a little less saturated than if that same diamond were a "good" cut, similar to how an ideal H faces up whiter than a good G.

The problem with cut grades in fancy colors is that saturation is different in every diamond. It is perfectly possible to have a good cut lower saturation fancy colored diamond that will look sparklier than an ideal cut with high saturation. Cut can be used to compare two diamonds of the same fancy color grade, but isn't as useful when looking at different hues and saturation levels.

Fish-eye in colored diamonds really just means if you look at an angle through the table, that edge where you might see a fish-eye in a colorless diamond will have more saturation than if you look straight into the center. It isn't normally obvious, and the only reason you would probably notice is if the HCA told you it has potential for fish-eye.

 

[Niel]

ThOught id pass this along, cute three stone under 4k!
http://www.doverjewelry.com/engagement-rings/all-engagement-rings/product/10792-estate-1-03cts-emerald-cut-diamond-platinum-engagement-ring

 

[Julia_SD]

I know even less than nothing about lab created stones, but I agree with those who say - buy what YOU like (or she likes . If you/she likes a three stone - what about a lab created center with natural diamond sides - or the other way around - a diamond center with lab created sides - getting the best of both ideas!

That's kinda a neat idea -- I guess we'd buy the three stones separately and then get it set by a 3rd party?? Who should I go to get such a ring set???

Forestbrook this sounds like a winner to me!! It balances all your concerns. Regarding budget I have no idea, but many more experienced PSers will. Many places you could buy a center stone from, sign away liability for the side stones you already own, mail them in, and have it all put into a custom or stock setting. I just got done dealing with Brian Gavin Diamonds so I know they do have a process like that. Now whether or not they would frown on handling and setting your MMD stones I have no clue. People are always talking how it's a bad idea to send your own stones to Blue Nile btw.