100k budget for e-ring+wedding band and gifts. Any suggestion please!

[woahdiamond]

Hello Guys,

First of, thank you so much for sharing all these valuable infos about diamonds! I’ve learned a lot from here!

My soon-to-be fiance gave me a budget of 100k for e-ring and a necklace (as an engagement gift).
He wants me to get 3ct+ oval solitaire on a pave band and a diamond necklace of my choice, and told me he hopes I choose something elegant over super extra Kardashian kind of jewelry.
I am really petite with slim fingers so I don’t think I can do 4ct for the e-ring. My SO thought 2ct RB from tiffany already had enough estate coverage on my finger, but that was not enough for me

I am very grateful for the budget, but I think it’s a little too much for just an e-ring and a necklace. I am squeezing a wedding band and wedding gifts to this budget lol After researching online for some time, I came up with realistic/practical combo for this budget that will work with my everyday outfit for a long time. Oh, I think i should mention that I am only interested in natural stones.

So for now, I plan to allocate
70-75k for the 3ct+ Oval engagement ring. (3ct+ g/h color vs2 and up, but has to have the best cut.)
7-8k for 5 pointer tennis necklace (I think I can get it around 7k tbh. Any leftover from this budget will go to the studs)
5-8k on a eternity wedding band. (I am thinking 3-4ctw total radiant or emerald band! Don’t want to overwhelm the e-ring)
10k for a pair of 2ctw ish lower color AVR diamond studs (I have a 1ctw ACA studs and been wanting to upgrade them with something different! I like lower color stones for antique cuts)


what do you guys think?
My best friend suggested me of getting a substantial solitaire necklace instead of tennis necklace, but I already have a dainty 0.3ct heart cut necklace. I’ve been digging this stacked tennis necklace look for a while, and I know I will make better use out of a tennis necklace vs a solitaire at the moment.
Should I forget about studs and allocate more budget to the ring or the tennis necklace? (Necklace is a must!!) 5 pointer tennis necklace is def not substantial, but going bigger is too dressy for me and my job which is quite conservative.

I already have a 5ct tennis bracelet, and ACA studs, a small 0.3ct solitaire pendant, a couple of valuable watches, and a lot of gold jewelry. I want to get something that I don’t have yet, but will work with every occasion.

Any suggestions will be appreciated! Thank you in advance!

 

[yssie]

I think get the e-ring first and worry about everything else later. If you’re like 99.999% of buyers you’ll find something you adore that’s over your “budget”, so if you’re mentally apportioned 70-75k for that piece you’ve got a nice amount of overflow space.

 

[woahdiamond]

I think get the e-ring first and worry about everything else later. If you’re like 99.999% of buyers you’ll find something you adore that’s over your “budget”, so if you’re mentally apportioned 70-75k for that piece you’ve got a nice amount of overflow space.

Hello Yssie!
Thank you so much for your input! You don’t know how much I learned from your prior posts!

You’re right, I also think I should get the e-ring first and then figure out the rest, but we are located outside of the US. We’re flying to the states later this year to see everything in person within one trip, so I am booking appointments now. My fiance will fly over again and pick up what we’ve ordered during this trip when they‘re ready. I thought it’d be better to have a general wishlist prepared so we execute everything in order I tend to micro-manage my schedule like a freak hahaha.

Thank you again for your tips!!

 

[kenny]

You have a big budget but don't want a big diamond.
Hmm ... Have you consider a Fancy Colored Diamond?
They are custom made for folks with big budgets who don't want a big stone.
For $100K you might get a quarter carat pure red diamond, the most costly hue.

Fortunately they come in all the hues of the rainbow and a wide range of prices.

If interested, I strongly recommend checking out the Fancy Colored Diamond vendor that I have worked with for years.

www.leibish.com

 

[woahdiamond]

You have a big budget but don't want a big diamond.
Hmm ... Have you consider a Fancy Colored Diamond?
They are custom made for folks with big budgets who don't want a big stone.
For $100K you might get a quarter carat pure red diamond, the most costly hue.

Fortunately they come in all the hues of the rainbow and a wide range of prices.

If interested, I strongly recommend checking out the Fancy Colored Diamond vendor that I have worked with for years.

www.leibish.com

Hi Kenny!
Thank you for the input! I’ve also considered fancy colored diamonds, but I think I would prefer classic white for e-ring as I’d be wearing it everyday. 90% of my wardrobe is neutral. But this vendor you’ve recommended has a lot of beautiful options! My wishlist is only getting longer I will def consider them for my anniversary or birthdays. Thanks again!

 

[kenny]

Glad to help.
Good luck; I'm sure you'll end up with some stunning pieces.

 

[tyty333]

You have a very generous budget. I would think you would be able to fit everything in!

I just wanted to comment on Oval cuts a bit. They come in all LxW for the same carat weight so you might want to play around
with this tool to figure out the min/max size (LxW) that will work for you. Not necessarily needed now...but down the road when
you're actually looking at stones. Hopefully, you will get to try some on in person before your trip too. I think its really difficult
to put so much pressure on one trip...I think its a great idea to do some pre-shopping to know your wants/needs before then!

Diamond Database - Compare Diamond Shapes and Sizes

Diamond comparison platform where you can compare and evaluate actual diamond sizes on ring and finger. Explore diamond shapes, get buying advice.

www.diamdb.com

 

[woahdiamond]

You have a very generous budget. I would think you would be able to fit everything in!

I just wanted to comment on Oval cuts a bit. They come in all LxW for the same carat weight so you might want to play around
with this tool to figure out the min/max size (LxW) that will work for you. Not necessarily needed now...but down the road when
you're actually looking at stones. Hopefully, you will get to try some on in person before your trip too. I think its really difficult
to put so much pressure on one trip...I think its a great idea to do some pre-shopping to know your wants/needs before then!

Diamond Database - Compare Diamond Shapes and Sizes

Diamond comparison platform where you can compare and evaluate actual diamond sizes on ring and finger. Explore diamond shapes, get buying advice.

www.diamdb.com

Hi tyty333!!!

Thank you so much for linking this amazing tool!
One of the reasons why we decided to fly to the States is because I could not find any oval stone that I liked in Europe!
I kid you not, we literally visited over ten stores here (including tiffany, cartier, and other reputable local jewelers) and had no luck. Most of the stones they had were around 1.0ct range, and they all had bowties or were way too elongated.
Biggest oval I was able to try on without leaving deposit was 2.3ct from tiffany and meh… It was too skinny. Guess I prefer rather traditional or chubby ratio?

It seems the best I can do is to order cheap cz stones just so I know what to expect face-up size wise.

Thank you so much again!! This tool will def help me!

 

[Sprinkles&Stones]

Hi!

ovals can be tricky with light leakage. For something of this budget and size, I would definitely recommend Jon at Distinctive Gem. He has 2 varieties of ovals that he has designed the cut for optimal light performance. I have purchased many times from him, and everything is always perfect.


This is just an example of his Elyque cut oval in a 3ct range. This is a modern cut with great light performance.

The Elyque Oval by AV Inc.

The Elyque Oval by August Vintage Inc. is the first oval of it's kind that eliminates the bowtie effect, eliminates blatant light leakage as well as color absorption producing the brightest, most stunning oval diamonds to ever hit the market and are confirmed AGS Ideal. Each day I am alerted to...

www.distinctivegem.com

This is an example of his vintage cut oval. This link is for his lab diamond because I couldn't find an example of his earth mined, but it gives you an idea on cut. Contact him for a quote for an earth mined.

Your Custom Cut August Vintage Oval Private Reserve Lab Grown Diamond

This is the page where you'll order your brand new signature August Vintage Oval Lab Grown Diamond by Rhino, cut to your desired specs. On this page you'll leave your payment to begin the process. Please take note of the following... Size options up to 4ct at the present moment. We guarantee...

www.distinctivegem.com

 

[woahdiamond]

Hi!

ovals can be tricky with light leakage. For something of this budget and size, I would definitely recommend Jon at Distinctive Gem. He has 2 varieties of ovals that he has designed the cut for optimal light performance. I have purchased many times from him, and everything is always perfect.


This is just an example of his Elyque cut oval in a 3ct range. This is a modern cut with great light performance.

The Elyque Oval by AV Inc.

The Elyque Oval by August Vintage Inc. is the first oval of it's kind that eliminates the bowtie effect, eliminates blatant light leakage as well as color absorption producing the brightest, most stunning oval diamonds to ever hit the market and are confirmed AGS Ideal. Each day I am alerted to...

www.distinctivegem.com

This is an example of his vintage cut oval. This link is for his lab diamond because I couldn't find an example of his earth mined, but it gives you an idea on cut. Contact him for a quote for an earth mined.

Your Custom Cut August Vintage Oval Private Reserve Lab Grown Diamond

This is the page where you'll order your brand new signature August Vintage Oval Lab Grown Diamond by Rhino, cut to your desired specs. On this page you'll leave your payment to begin the process. Please take note of the following... Size options up to 4ct at the present moment. We guarantee...

www.distinctivegem.com

Wow! you are amazing!

I am def going to send him an email. I‘ve seen his elyque ovals before and thought it was a little too busy for me, but woww his vintage oval whispers magic to me!!! I didn’t know about them until now! Thank you so much! I really appreciate it!

 

[Sprinkles&Stones]

Hi!


Wow! you are amazing!

I am def going to send him an email. I‘ve seen his elyque ovals before and thought it was a little too busy for me, but woww his vintage oval whispers magic to me!!! I didn’t know about them until now! Thank you so much! I really appreciate it!

Yay! @Rhino is great. I have 3 moissanite, 1 natural diamond and 1 lab grown diamond from him I see no reason why he couldn't do his vintage oval in a natural earth mined! i love those big facets Keep us updated on what he says!

 

[WillyDiamond]

With a budget like that……go to Cartier and look around, I think you will be wowed.

 

[RunningwithScissors]

I may be the odd one out, but I think $100K will only cover a 3 ct ring and a small tennis necklace and there will not be much, if any, left over after those two items are purchased, unless you are willing to really lower the color/clarity/cut/setting craftsmanship. (Even if you are comfortable with warmer color, I personally wouldn't recommend dropping the clarity/cut/craftsmanship.)

 

[yssie]

I may be the odd one out, but I think $100K will only cover a 3 ct ring and a small tennis necklace and there will not be much, if any, left over after those two items are purchased, unless you are willing to really lower the color/clarity/cut/setting craftsmanship. (Even if you are comfortable with warmer color, I personally wouldn't recommend dropping the clarity/cut/craftsmanship.)

I agree with this. In fact I wouldn’t be surprised if 100k doesn’t even cover ring plus tennis necklace.

Hence recommending prioritizing the ring and letting everything else fall where it may.

 

[Lookinagain]

You say the Elyque is to busy for you. Have you looked for antique ovals or movals? It seems like you lean toward vintage stones. Finding well cut antique ovals, movals, are not easy to find, but neither are well cut modern ovals, other than the Elyque. If you can go the custom route for a natural vintage oval thru Distinctive Gem, that would be great. Just be mindful of the time line and the risks involved with custom. I just remembered you said that you were flying over to view things in person and then your your fiance would fly back for pick up so that does that mean everything needs to be purchased at one vendor or at least from vendors all in the same city, with a showroom or B & M location? In which cities are you currently making the appointments?
.

 

[woahdiamond]

I may be the odd one out, but I think $100K will only cover a 3 ct ring and a small tennis necklace and there will not be much, if any, left over after those two items are purchased, unless you are willing to really lower the color/clarity/cut/setting craftsmanship. (Even if you are comfortable with warmer color, I personally wouldn't recommend dropping the clarity/cut/craftsmanship.)

I agree with this. In fact I wouldn’t be surprised if 100k doesn’t even cover ring plus tennis necklace.

Hence recommending prioritizing the ring and letting everything else fall where it may.

Thank you for your tips guys! I‘ve gotten <75k quote from the vendors I liked and contacted so far, so thought maybe I could work the budget out a little bit. I will def keep your idea in mind! thank you so much!!

 

[woahdiamond]

You say the Elyque is to busy for you. Have you looked for antique ovals or movals? It seems like you lean toward vintage stones. Finding well cut antique ovals, movals, are not easy to find, but neither are well cut modern ovals, other than the Elyque. If you can go the custom route for a natural vintage oval thru Distinctive Gem, that would be great. Just be mindful of the time line and the risks involved with custom. I just remembered you said that you were flying over to view things in person and then your your fiance would fly back for pick up so that does that mean everything needs to be purchased at one vendor or at least from vendors all in the same city, with a showroom or B & M location? In which cities are you currently making the appointments?
.

Thank you for your comment!
Custom route scares me a little bit, so I started researching on vintage ovals. There’s a antique stone vendor in Antwerp and we are planning to visit them before I fly over to see if I would like vintage ovals in person.
If i like how it looks, then I would feel more comfortable going through the custom route with DG.

I am making appointments in NY area, but am not planning to purchase everything from one vendor. Most likely, I will have different vendors for the e-ring and the necklace. Half of my family live in east coast, so they can pick it up and just hand it to my SO!

 

[klrrrr]

"He wants me to get 3ct+ oval solitaire on a pave band"

Hi OP - congrats on your upcoming engagement. The ball is in your court - is an oval what you want, or what your partner wants? I think it's important to consider their preferences, but as the ultimate wearer (and decider) of the piece I hope that you pick the stone shape of your dreams.

 

[daisygrl]

Congrats on your engagement!

Good thing I did not have a budget of 100K for my ring. There would be no money left for anything else. I might squeeze in some setting. Lol. I also have small fingers (3.5), trust me, you will want to go as big as possible or at least with a company that allows upgrades because DSS is real.

 

[glitterbomb]

You mentioned you went to Tiffany, Cartier, etc and didn't see any ovals you liked....

If you are still looking, I saw an absolutely gorgeous 4 carat oval diamond on a pave band at Cartier earlier this month. No noticeable bowtie. I know that's a bit larger than you are wanting to go, but you should give it a try!

 

[woahdiamond]

"He wants me to get 3ct+ oval solitaire on a pave band"

Hi OP - congrats on your upcoming engagement. The ball is in your court - is an oval what you want, or what your partner wants? I think it's important to consider their preferences, but as the ultimate wearer (and decider) of the piece I hope that you pick the stone shape of your dreams.

Hello! Thank you for your concern! I originally picked oval and emerald cut, and couldn’t decide what I want more. So I told my SO to pick what he likes better

Congrats on your engagement!

Good thing I did not have a budget of 100K for my ring. There would be no money left for anything else. I might squeeze in some setting. Lol. I also have small fingers (3.5), trust me, you will want to go as big as possible or at least with a company that allows upgrades because DSS is real.

Hahaha thank you! I think I should def consider DSS as a factor — I got similar advice from many other friends of mine!

You mentioned you went to Tiffany, Cartier, etc and didn't see any ovals you liked....

If you are still looking, I saw an absolutely gorgeous 4 carat oval diamond on a pave band at Cartier earlier this month. No noticeable bowtie. I know that's a bit larger than you are wanting to go, but you should give it a try!

Hello! thanks for your input! Cartier here quoted me around 140k for a 3ct oval, so am not sure 4ct will fit into my budget. But I would love to see the stone you’re referring to!!!! Thanks again!

 

[CircularBrilliant]

Have you been to Graff? If not, I highly recommend a visit. They have beautiful craftsmanship, knowledgeable SAs, a wide selection of larger stones, and surprisingly good pricing. They have fcds too, if you are interested in trying some out.

 

[diamondseeker2006]

I personally would not pay double the price (or more) to get a branded e-ring.

Great ovals are hard to find. You can't just choose a vendor and expect them to have a large selection. You might need to look at 50-100 to find a good one. To do that, you start online at vendors who have photos or videos of the stones such as Adiamor or James Allen. Get some help from people here. One thing you need to know about Jon's beautiful ovals is that they are generally deeper and face up smaller than regular ovals. So you might need a larger (higher weight) one if you go that route.

Studs:
I also would suggest upgrading your ACA studs rather than getting a different pair of studs. A half carat each is small in proportion to a 3 ct oval ring. I'd upgrade those to a carat each. You will not be able to get low color 2ctw AVR studs for $10k, and I will tell you, studs are going to show up better in near colorless to colorless. Plus you want to stay in a range that will look good with your e-ring. So I still think upgrading your current studs is the most sensible choice.

"5-8k on a eternity wedding band. (I am thinking 3-4ctw total radiant or emerald band!"
This is too large to wear with the oval e-ring if that's what you mean. It will compete and possibly damage the prongs of the e-ring. If it's a standalone ring, then that's fine. I would personally prefer an emerald cut one. Hopefully you plan a small diamond eternity (like 2mm) to wear with your e-ring.

I think these will fill your budget. But I think the item you'd wear the least is a tennis necklace. I'd definitely postpone that as those may be in style now, but they generally aren't. A larger solitaire pendant would be a great item to have in the future and far more wearable.

 

[woahdiamond]

Have you been to Graff? If not, I highly recommend a visit. They have beautiful craftsmanship, knowledgeable SAs, a wide selection of larger stones, and surprisingly good pricing. They have fcds too, if you are interested in trying some out.

Hello! Yass! I completly forgot about Graff! Thank you for your input! I am a bit scared about the pricing, because a friend of mine paid over 42k for a 1ct solitaire . But I do think I should give them a visit as they have more knowledgeable SAs and wider selection of larger FCDs as you mentioned!! Thank you so much!!!

I personally would not pay double the price (or more) to get a branded e-ring.

Great ovals are hard to find. You can't just choose a vendor and expect them to have a large selection. You might need to look at 50-100 to find a good one. To do that, you start online at vendors who have photos or videos of the stones such as Adiamor or James Allen. Get some help from people here. One thing you need to know about Jon's beautiful ovals is that they are generally deeper and face up smaller than regular ovals. So you might need a larger (higher weight) one if you go that route.

Studs:
I also would suggest upgrading your ACA studs rather than getting a different pair of studs. A half carat each is small in proportion to a 3 ct oval ring. I'd upgrade those to a carat each. You will not be able to get low color 2ctw AVR studs for $10k, and I will tell you, studs are going to show up better in near colorless to colorless. Plus you want to stay in a range that will look good with your e-ring. So I still think upgrading your current studs is the most sensible choice.

"5-8k on a eternity wedding band. (I am thinking 3-4ctw total radiant or emerald band!"
This is too large to wear with the oval e-ring if that's what you mean. It will compete and possibly damage the prongs of the e-ring. If it's a standalone ring, then that's fine. I would personally prefer an emerald cut one. Hopefully you plan a small diamond eternity (like 2mm) to wear with your e-ring.

I think these will fill your budget. But I think the item you'd wear the least is a tennis necklace. I'd definitely postpone that as those may be in style now, but they generally aren't. A larger solitaire pendant would be a great item to have in the future and far more wearable.

Hi! Thank you for your valuable input! I thought about it and soon realized I would rather prefer a thin gold band as a wedding band instead of an eternity for comfort. I will also take a look at daintier wedding bands like you recommended!!

About studs — you just enlightened me! I only thought about OEC stones being antique cut, not about them being stud earrings. I have an upcoming appointment with an antique cut vendor, so will try lower and higher colors for comparison and decide! I am also wiling to contribute for the studs, so if I like blings from MRBs better the budget will go to my ACA upgrade!

Thank you so much again for your thoughtful comment!

 

[CircularBrilliant]

Hello! Yass! I completly forgot about Graff! Thank you for your input! I am a bit scared about the pricing, because a friend of mine paid over 42k for a 1ct solitaire . But I do think I should give them a visit as they have more knowledgeable SAs and wider selection of larger FCDs as you mentioned!! Thank you so much!!!

Hrmm I obviously don't know the details of your friend's purchase, but in my experience, Graff is far better priced in the 3ct+ range than Tiffany's, HW, etc. They do not hold to their sticker prices, and will easily take 20-30% off if you're a serious buyer. It can't hurt to go look

 

[Chardonnay]

Hrmm I obviously don't know the details of your friend's purchase, but in my experience, Graff is far better priced in the 3ct+ range than Tiffany's, HW, etc. They do not hold to their sticker prices, and will easily take 20-30% off if you're a serious buyer. It can't hurt to go look

Oh wow....I didn't know price can be negotiate at Graff. This is useful !

 

[woahdiamond]

Hrmm I obviously don't know the details of your friend's purchase, but in my experience, Graff is far better priced in the 3ct+ range than Tiffany's, HW, etc. They do not hold to their sticker prices, and will easily take 20-30% off if you're a serious buyer. It can't hurt to go look

Wow!! I didn’t know about the room for price negotiation at Graff!! I always thought graff is more expensive than Tiffany & they’re more in Harry Winston price range. Thank you so much!!

Oh wow....I didn't know price can be negotiate at Graff. This is useful !

I know right!!!!

 

[emmy12]

If you like vintage cuts and designs and are going to be in NYC I would check out Victor Barbone.

Not an oval, but vintage Tiffany with a pavé band and it's stunning.

Vintage Tiffany & Co Diamond Engagement Ring

The Siranda ring is an absolutely gorgeous Vintage Tiffany & Co Diamond Engagement Ring. Shop this exclusive ring now at Victor Barbone Jewelry!

www.victorbarbone.com

And this one (over budget, 4+CT) is also signed antique Tiffany from 1915. They make their own replicas of this setting too called the Alyse but they won't be the original Tiffany so lower budget.

4.05 ct Old Mine Cut Tiffany & Co Diamond Ring

The Alyse ring is a vintage Tiffany & Co diamond ring from the Art Deco Era circa 1915. The ring centers a GIA-certified 4.05-carat old mine cut diamond of J color, VS1 clarity. The stone is set in an 8 prong platinum setting. Fourteen old cut diamonds are set in rows of two on each shoulder.

www.victorbarbone.com

 

[Phoenix]

You mentioned you went to Tiffany, Cartier, etc and didn't see any ovals you liked....

If you are still looking, I saw an absolutely gorgeous 4 carat oval diamond on a pave band at Cartier earlier this month. No noticeable bowtie. I know that's a bit larger than you are wanting to go, but you should give it a try!

I wonder how much a 4ct at Cartier costs.

 

[Venti25]

"He wants me to get 3ct+ oval solitaire on a pave band"

Hi OP - congrats on your upcoming engagement. The ball is in your court - is an oval what you want, or what your partner wants? I think it's important to consider their preferences, but as the ultimate wearer (and decider) of the piece I hope that you pick the stone shape of your dreams.

The only thing I'd add ATM is consider if you want pave all around the shank. If you are planning on wearing this on a day to day basis I found that even 3/4 with no diamonds (I have millgrain going 3/4 around) is going to potentially be more prone to damage when you lift or grab things and I imagine diamonds down the bottom may take a beating depending on wear and what your occupation is.