Am I crazy? An I1 for my matching stud?? Help please...

[heididdl]

Re: Am I crazy? An I1 for my matching stud?? Help please..

I would wait until I had the money to match it to my original stone?

After reading your other posts, would this affect your ring setting project?

If you have the money, but don't want to spend, then you have a reason, but take your
time to find out what that is and what you really want longterm. Of course it is your decision.

I also feel this way. Your diamond isn't going anywhere and sometimes instant grativication leads to remorse later on. Then as said above it you have the money and don't want to spend it separate issue. I had a paid of studs and one had a noticble black carbon that only I knew was there. It drove me to the point of driving my SO crazy. So I got rid of that pair and upgraded.

 

[diamondseeker2006]

Re: Am I crazy? An I1 for my matching stud?? Help please..

For that matter you can get a "stone that cannot be named here" for the other side, temporarily. I'd personally do that before I'd pay $6k for an I1. But that is just me. I do totally understand that many people have I1 for studs and no one ever knows. I have thought about getting a pair of the forbidden stones for larger studs because I can't stand the thought of paying $15k for 1 ct+ studs.

 

[LLJsmom]

Re: Am I crazy? An I1 for my matching stud?? Help please..

For that matter you can get a "stone that cannot be named here" for the other side, temporarily. I'd personally do that before I'd pay $6k for an I1. But that is just me. I do totally understand that many people have I1 for studs and no one ever knows. I have thought about getting a pair of the forbidden stones for larger studs because I can't stand the thought of paying $15k for 1 ct+ studs.

DS, does it change your opinion if I am getting it for $4900? $6K includes the platinum setting (I'm going with the 8 prong.) and tax (ugh, CA!!)

If it was $6K just for the stone, I would say forget it. The next contender was GOG H SI2 at $6600, stone only. Can you see the draw?

 

[Sunstorm]

Re: Am I crazy? An I1 for my matching stud?? Help please..

I think it is a good idea and wise to think about it but sometimes you know right away when something is meant to be. I have been thinking about buying a particular high white I1 stone for a long time, beautiful stone. Another time, a very short time ago I bought one right away but this one is a fancy color and an in between grade SI2/I1, in fancies it is harder to grade them as this stone has quite a bit of clouds but none are visible to the naked eye. What does your gut feeling tell you? I think in my case my gut told me to buy both but I had to choose at the time so I went with the fancy.

I do not think that selling I1s are really a problem; it depends on the stone, in Europe jewelers buy quite a few from wholesalers because this way customers can go up in carat weight, color and cut. Now if you can trust your source they will not sell you one where the integrity of the stone is jeopardized. Even when it may be the case once the stone is set and in your ears you do not have a problem. I have seen them set in rings as well with a feather going in right from the girdle all the way to the middle of the table; that one I would call a more dangerous inclusion. Most of these inclusions I see here on your plot do not seem of this kind, just by looking at the plot, I cannot tell you without seeing the stone IRL how much the inclusions are on the surface or deep in the stone but they are under the table, there is only a tiny one on the girdle but during setting care must be exercised anyhow. I do not think they would worry me much, key is that you trust your jeweler.

I disagree very much when people,even certain trade members tell you that the human eye cannot differentiate between the highest four color grades; then how on Earth would we color grade stones? The human eye can definitely perceive the difference (some of us have better eyes and some not but you feel the difference somehow), you may not be able to put a finger on it as to saying a G/H are yellowish, no they are not but they are also not icy white like E/F stones are, they just glow and sparkle differently. It is much harder to tell the difference between a D and an E or an E and an F but there is a definite difference between the character of an E and an H and the difference between the SI2 and I1 may be minimal to nil; after all a divergence of one grade is even allowed. Very difficult to grade clarity in case of borderline SI2-I1; one person might grade the stone an SI2 and the other an I1, I have wavered back and forth in many cases and I still do not know the answer in some; GIA may assign it an SI2 and AGS an I1 or vice versa. Do we really only grade stones with eye visible inclusions I1? What exactly is eye visible? I have seen plenty stones graded SI1 with eye visible inclusions because they had black crystals. Clarity grading is the most subjective of the four 4Cs; in case of color grading you can rely on a colorimeter next to the master set and the graders, in case of cuts high tech equipment are available (and HRD has the H&A software they have developed...), carat weight is easy but what about clarity, who decides?

In conclusion; in my opinion it is most definitely not worth paying the premium for an SI2 with much worse color as long as you love this stone and trust your jeweler. Trust your gut too and do not let others sway you, go with what you love. It does not matter what others think unless you feel that you are getting a substandard stone and this has to be personal, I find many I1s really cool and definitely amazingly gorgeous, the more we see the more we learn, we change and become more open to certain things and stringent about others.

 

[diamondseeker2006]

Re: Am I crazy? An I1 for my matching stud?? Help please..

Have you been able to look at this stone compared to yours in various lighting conditions? I just think an I1 with clouds is likely to have some light performance issues. Since you say the stone is eyeclean, there has to be something making it earn the I1. If there were just a couple of little clouds, it would not be I1. So that is the only thing I would caution you about. I have seen kind of dead stones before that lacked superior optics due to clarity, so just be sure you check it out well. I honestly think if you compare your stone and this one in various lighting before you have to commit to it, you will know if it is worthy of being paired with your current diamond. And if it is, I certainly understand your decision! (You can't go by me because I sold a pair that were well cut but uncertified and sold to me as "H SI" that turned out to be H I1 pre-PS. I had them appraised too late to return them! Clarity is personal preference. There is nothing wrong with either as long as you are sure that the clouds are not diminishing light performance when compared with the other stone. I am just providing a cautious opinion so you know all the pros and cons!)

 

[TC1987]

Re: Am I crazy? An I1 for my matching stud?? Help please..

Hi Mrs. Blop. Thanks for that find. Yeah. This one does pull you away from the "I" edge. Thanks for checking for me. I bet it's a nice stone. 1.6 HCA at least.

But I am surprised that going down two colors, but up one in clarity increases the price by $1486. Are I1s that undesirable that they have to be priced that low? I would certainly never get that for an ering, but for other purposes...

I'm wondering if you can't hem and haw and show some hesitation ("oh, it's nice but I just don't know if I could pair it with a VS..." , then maybe get the price discounted more. If it were $4500, or $4600, it would be an even better deal.

 

[LLJsmom]

Re: Am I crazy? An I1 for my matching stud?? Help please..

Have you been able to look at this stone compared to yours in various lighting conditions? I just think an I1 with clouds is likely to have some light performance issues. Since you say the stone is eyeclean, there has to be something making it earn the I1. If there were just a couple of little clouds, it would not be I1. So that is the only thing I would caution you about. I have seen kind of dead stones before that lacked superior optics due to clarity, so just be sure you check it out well. I honestly think if you compare your stone and this one in various lighting before you have to commit to it, you will know if it is worthy of being paired with your current diamond. And if it is, I certainly understand your decision! (You can't go by me because I sold a pair that were well cut but uncertified and sold to me as "H SI" that turned out to be H I1 pre-PS. I had them appraised too late to return them! Clarity is personal preference. There is nothing wrong with either as long as you are sure that the clouds are not diminishing light performance when compared with the other stone. I am just providing a cautious opinion so you know all the pros and cons!)

So DS, I read your post after my time at the jewelers and I actually did exactly as you suggested. I had them unset my stone from the pendant, and looked at it loose. I have to admit. My stone is a stunner. I compared it to the potential, and another one from the store. Honestly, to me, it had the most sparkle of all. The sparkles started at the center of the stone and went all the way out to the edges, all over the stone. I was really surprised since this is an OLD stone, before GIA had a cut grade, just polish and symmetry, which were very good.

The E was very sparkly, but compared to my F, there were parts of the stone that did not sparkle as much. I spoke with my jeweler, and asked if it was due to the inclusions. DS, early in my thread, I said that the stone was not eye clean. I could see the cloud from 6 inches. I thought maybe I could live with seeing that cloud. I think I still can. But it's the other inclusions that were causing obstruction. Certain parts did not light up, not the way mine did all over. I looked at it all over the room. In darker, less well lit places, I could not really see the dimmer spots. In super bright lighting, compared with mine, I could tell.

If I buy this stone, at this price, I know what I am getting. I know why the price is what it is. And if I want a sparkly diamond (not the most sparkly), at an affordable price, in a color I like, in a size that I feel comfortable with, this would fit the bill. However, if I want more sparkly, which is definitely possible (mine is), less included, I will have to pay for it and maybe postpone this project.

"I honestly think if you compare your stone and this one in various lighting before you have to commit to it, you will know if it is worthy of being paired with your current diamond." I have to seriously consider this comment. If I didn't know how beautiful my stone was, I would probably have been fine with wearing it as an earring and buying this one to match. Now that I know how beautiful mine is, I almost don't want it in an earring. I would set it as a pendant in a bezel. Who knows?

Then, I come back to my earring question. What to do? I see how big and blingy at 1.1 would look. If I don't use my own stone, I certainly wouldn't spend $20K to buy a new set (2+ ctw) in the same quality. So is it back to the drawing board? Whiteflash pairs, and go with smaller for now? Maybe...

I was also thinking that I may be uncomfortable wearing big 1.1s everyday at work. I know!! Crazy. I was already thinking about buying 1.2 ctw to wear daily, before committing to the 1.15 E. Ok, so back to considering this option??

I'm not saying no to the pretty E, reasonably priced E, but my head is clearer...

Such is the ups and downs of jewelry shopping. Such fun!!

 

[AprilBaby]

Re: Am I crazy? An I1 for my matching stud?? Help please..

You can always trade it up when you have more to spend!

 

[diamondseeker2006]

Re: Am I crazy? An I1 for my matching stud?? Help please..

Well, you are thinking through every single aspect, just like I do! I certainly think your current diamond would be great to keep in a pendant since it is such a nice stone, and then you could do H or I color studs because they face up white.

I am glad you checked out the stone's performance. I understand how hard the decision is, trust me. I have this dilemma all the time. I have more on my wishlist than I have money! So I always have to prioritize and sometimes either wait longer for something I want, or adjust my specs! I really want to upgrade my .80 each stones. The price increase at 1 ct is a killer. But I think 1 ct is such a great size! But I will add this, if you can go to .90 instead of .80, I think that might be a good compromise. I really wish I had gone to .90 each instead of .80. But live and learn (and be thankful for upgrade policies!!!).

 

[LLJsmom]

Re: Am I crazy? An I1 for my matching stud?? Help please..

I think it is a good idea and wise to think about it but sometimes you know right away when something is meant to be. I have been thinking about buying a particular high white I1 stone for a long time, beautiful stone. Another time, a very short time ago I bought one right away but this one is a fancy color and an in between grade SI2/I1, in fancies it is harder to grade them as this stone has quite a bit of clouds but none are visible to the naked eye. What does your gut feeling tell you? I think in my case my gut told me to buy both but I had to choose at the time so I went with the fancy.

I do not think that selling I1s are really a problem; it depends on the stone, in Europe jewelers buy quite a few from wholesalers because this way customers can go up in carat weight, color and cut. Now if you can trust your source they will not sell you one where the integrity of the stone is jeopardized. Even when it may be the case once the stone is set and in your ears you do not have a problem. I have seen them set in rings as well with a feather going in right from the girdle all the way to the middle of the table; that one I would call a more dangerous inclusion. Most of these inclusions I see here on your plot do not seem of this kind, just by looking at the plot, I cannot tell you without seeing the stone IRL how much the inclusions are on the surface or deep in the stone but they are under the table, there is only a tiny one on the girdle but during setting care must be exercised anyhow. I do not think they would worry me much, key is that you trust your jeweler.

I disagree very much when people,even certain trade members tell you that the human eye cannot differentiate between the highest four color grades; then how on Earth would we color grade stones? The human eye can definitely perceive the difference (some of us have better eyes and some not but you feel the difference somehow), you may not be able to put a finger on it as to saying a G/H are yellowish, no they are not but they are also not icy white like E/F stones are, they just glow and sparkle differently. It is much harder to tell the difference between a D and an E or an E and an F but there is a definite difference between the character of an E and an H and the difference between the SI2 and I1 may be minimal to nil; after all a divergence of one grade is even allowed. Very difficult to grade clarity in case of borderline SI2-I1; one person might grade the stone an SI2 and the other an I1, I have wavered back and forth in many cases and I still do not know the answer in some; GIA may assign it an SI2 and AGS an I1 or vice versa. Do we really only grade stones with eye visible inclusions I1? What exactly is eye visible? I have seen plenty stones graded SI1 with eye visible inclusions because they had black crystals. Clarity grading is the most subjective of the four 4Cs; in case of color grading you can rely on a colorimeter next to the master set and the graders, in case of cuts high tech equipment are available (and HRD has the H&A software they have developed...), carat weight is easy but what about clarity, who decides?

In conclusion; in my opinion it is most definitely not worth paying the premium for an SI2 with much worse color as long as you love this stone and trust your jeweler. Trust your gut too and do not let others sway you, go with what you love. It does not matter what others think unless you feel that you are getting a substandard stone and this has to be personal, I find many I1s really cool and definitely amazingly gorgeous, the more we see the more we learn, we change and become more open to certain things and stringent about others.

OVincze, thank you for your thoughtful explanation and response. I am very appreciative that you took the time to explain. I thought about what you said and looked carefully at the sparkle. If I never looked at this E next to my F, I would have already bought it. I was pulling out my credit card. Then when I unmounted my F, and compared the sparkle that way, I would have expected to like the E more but I didn't, and I was disappointed. I actually wasn't that bothered with seeing the inclusion. It was the dark spots that just did not seem to light up. Thus, my really examining it and rethinking. I'm still not completely decided against it, but I am actively considering other options. My DH is voting for it. When they looked at the inclusions, they did say that next to the white cloud, there were black inclusions that I could not see with the naked eye, but were the cause of the certain spots not lighting up. **sigh** But, I do still go back and ask, how much will it matter to me? Maybe once I've got that bright E on my ear, I won't care. So we'll see...

 

[Sunstorm]

Re: Am I crazy? An I1 for my matching stud?? Help please..

There goes the problem that plots do not really help in a way that not all inclusions are plotted and we do see a big crystal anyhow under the table and my question is whether it is black. Black inclusions do bother me because sometimes you can see them with the naked eye even in SI stones. A big cloud can too affect light performance but black is what can be the most apparent in my opinion and they do bother me a lot. Now are are scrutinizing too much but I guess in making this decision we should. Again in your ears you will not see it but will it bother you is what you have to decide about. I think when it comes to lower clarity grades even with training it is not easy to make a decision. Again there are I1s I absolutely love and in other cases I would rather go with a smaller stone that has clarity not lower than VS2. When you need this size that is a different story. It would still certainly make a nice earring. Big help I am, not? It is extremely difficult without seeing the stone.

 

[jill_s]

Re: Am I crazy? An I1 for my matching stud?? Help please..

Tough dilemna. I have a pair of 2.41ctw J I1 studs that I LOVE. Size was my first priority, and I realized that I wanted as close to 7mm as possible (mine are around 6.85mm). The only way I could afford that size in my budget was to go with J I1s, they do have SBF which I absolutely adore! So, all in all, these are my dream studs. I don't ever see myself upgrading. All inclusions in both stones are white, so I'm pretty pleased and they are almost completely eye-clean (there is one white feather in one of the stones that I can see from about 8 inches).

In your case, I would hesitate to recommend an I1 unless your only priority was biggest size at the lowest cost. Clarity is the least important C to me, so I don't have any problem wearing SI or I stones, because they feel like a better "deal" to me. But that's just my opinion. Since you own higher clarity items, would an I1 bug you over time?

 

[LLJsmom]

Re: Am I crazy? An I1 for my matching stud?? Help please..

Tough dilemna. I have a pair of 2.41ctw J I1 studs that I LOVE. Size was my first priority, and I realized that I wanted as close to 7mm as possible (mine are around 6.85mm). The only way I could afford that size in my budget was to go with J I1s, they do have SBF which I absolutely adore! So, all in all, these are my dream studs. I don't ever see myself upgrading. All inclusions in both stones are white, so I'm pretty pleased and they are almost completely eye-clean (there is one white feather in one of the stones that I can see from about 8 inches).

In your case, I would hesitate to recommend an I1 unless your only priority was biggest size at the lowest cost. Clarity is the least important C to me, so I don't have any problem wearing SI or I stones, because they feel like a better "deal" to me. But that's just my opinion. Since you own higher clarity items, would an I1 bug you over time?

Jill, I wish I knew the answer to that question too. Truthfully, I could see myself loving these studs. Clarity was really important to me for my ering but not as much on my studs. I clearly recognize it doesn't sparkle they way my F does, but I can actually live with it. It's the right color, size, and price. Clarity, not so much. But even the cut is really good, 1.4 on the HCA. When I didn't stare at it constantly for 1/2 hour trying to study the sparkle pattern and compare it to my other stone, I loved it. I'm actually very sad. I may go against all the general wisdom and buy this stone anyway. So my thought about earrings are not what most people think. I've never even had pierced ears before. It's a luxury to have any earrings, let alone a 1.15 carat diamond. Are you kidding?? This is way more than I ever spend on myself, e-ring aside.I I don't feel like I'm the kind of person that splurges on something like this. So spending $4900 is a lot for me. From the standpoint of market price, I would not feel like I was getting ripped off or a great deal, either way. I feel it is a fair price. But from an absolute value viewpoint, it works for me. It's within my budget.

Here it is on my daughter's ear.


On mine:


At this point, I'm just kinda going with what other people are saying. Lots of others have told me not to do it. Maybe they know better. They've worn jewelry way longer than I have.

But the diamond is really beautiful, for an earring I'll say. And I do love the E color. I'm very torn...

 

[mrs-b]

Re: Am I crazy? An I1 for my matching stud?? Help please..

LLJsmom - don't be torn.

To every comment advising you to wait or to look at a different clarity or color, you've mounted a good, logical argument why this is the right stone for you. At the bottom line, you clearly know what you want. Try to see this - not as something that goes against the way you think it *should* be done - but as a learning experience which has taught you that your previous parameters aren't necessarily correct or representative of the only way you can be happy.

That stone looked freaking awesome on your ear! And you've defended it since you first asked the question. I think you've found your stone - it just wasn't what you expected. So re-read your own comments if you have any doubts - then relax and enjoy a great pair of studs.

If it were me and I wanted to upgrade in the future - I'd buy another E I1 stone - rather than buying a second F VS1 stud. I'd maybe put the F VS1 in a pendant or back in a ring. But you are clearly happy with the E I1 as an earring, so I'd go with that. And, if the chance came up in the future, or you felt thus motivated, get a second E I1 to match. That's the way I'd go, anyway.

And as I said earlier, I used to own an E I1, and it was fabulous, and nobody EVER said "wow - what a shame you couldn't hold out for something better..." All anyone ever saw was white white WHITE!

 

[sweet_blossom]

Re: Am I crazy? An I1 for my matching stud?? Help please..

...Truthfully, I could see myself loving these studs. Clarity was really important to me for my ering but not as much on my studs. I clearly recognize it doesn't sparkle they way my F does, but I can actually live with it. It's the right color, size, and price. Clarity, not so much. But even the cut is really good, 1.4 on the HCA. When I didn't stare at it constantly for 1/2 hour trying to study the sparkle pattern and compare it to my other stone, I loved it. I'm actually very sad. I may go against all the general wisdom and buy this stone anyway....

Personally, the idea that you could tell your original diamond from the new diamond appeals to me if you were to pair these two diamonds-- I would like to know which is the original and could loupe the other for its birth mark. Based on some of the things you’ve said and the picture, others probably could not tell they were anything but a matching pair because of size and color (other than your family or doctor, no one would usually be up that close to your ears). …Twins that have their own special qualities—original engagement diamond with the 4 Cs and the second found together as a family with a different C of an appealing cost. Based on the bold part of the quote, you love each twin on its own. When you said you were very sad with the cry emoticon--was that meant as sad to walk away from the stone--maybe that is how one knows (?)

Regarding the clarity, the picture of the diamond on your daughter’s ear looks beautiful and you and your husband said that it looks beautiful in person so that would open me up to a well cut I clarity especially with a fair cost to balance it. And you said that you could live with the clarity, too. As an aside, I’ve seen an I clarity stone and a SI clarity stone with the same color and same good lab where the I clarity stone looked more beautiful because its inclusions seemed to “blend” better with the cut and you really had to find it whereas the SI clarity stone’s inclusion was much more visual so that makes me more open to I clarity stones unless there is a structural issue. (I’m not an expert, just a first impression visual impact).

Regarding any sparkle difference between the diamonds, from a distance it might not be as visual (?) My personal experience--I used to take my smaller studs off more often for cleaning but the larger for me upgraded studs are more difficult to take off (same friction backs but the larger studs’ backings are larger and tighter to make them more secure) so I wear them much longer between cleanings. Because of this 24/7 wear with shampooing and fingerprint smudges from putting them on/checking they are there, the larger ones don’t seem to sparkle as much even though the pairs had the same specs just different size. After cleaning, all sparkly. Also, in a larger size, I have to be more careful with the phone against the stud—angling the phone.

Based on what you said, it does seem like you would be happy. If you decided to upgrade later, yes the tax is surprising—on the entire new purchase instead of just the difference of the upgrade (some states, all states?). Since it also looks great on your daughter, you also have the lucky option to one day pass it on to her if you wanted to change. 

You’ve gotten a lot of good advice from other posters regarding the pros and cons of the diamond, so I wish you the best choice to go forward or not that makes happy sense for you.

 

[LLJsmom]

Re: Am I crazy? An I1 for my matching stud?? Help please..

LLJsmom - don't be torn.

To every comment advising you to wait or to look at a different clarity or color, you've mounted a good, logical argument why this is the right stone for you. At the bottom line, you clearly know what you want. Try to see this - not as something that goes against the way you think it *should* be done - but as a learning experience which has taught you that your previous parameters aren't necessarily correct or representative of the only way you can be happy.

That stone looked freaking awesome on your ear! And you've defended it since you first asked the question. I think you've found your stone - it just wasn't what you expected. So re-read your own comments if you have any doubts - then relax and enjoy a great pair of studs.

If it were me and I wanted to upgrade in the future - I'd buy another E I1 stone - rather than buying a second F VS1 stud. I'd maybe put the F VS1 in a pendant or back in a ring. But you are clearly happy with the E I1 as an earring, so I'd go with that. And, if the chance came up in the future, or you felt thus motivated, get a second E I1 to match. That's the way I'd go, anyway.

And as I said earlier, I used to own an E I1, and it was fabulous, and nobody EVER said "wow - what a shame you couldn't hold out for something better..." All anyone ever saw was white white WHITE!

Thanks mrs-blop. I think you're probably right. It's hard for me to see clearly or be certain in this situation. So many people have had much more experience buying and wearing beautiful diamonds than me. I do usually believe they know better.

The idea of "relax and enjoy a great pair of studs" sounds like a plan to me. I'll put it on hold tomorrow, and see how I feel after some more days. I'm happy to hear that you owned one too and loved yours. And it's not like I'm totally boxed in. I can upgrade any time. And who knows, if I love an E I1, who knows what can happen.

 

[Sunstorm]

Re: Am I crazy? An I1 for my matching stud?? Help please..

I too agree, you seem to love the stone, that is what it comes down to and honestly beauty does not mean perfection at all. From a subjetive standpoint as I have said I can also love I1 stones and would even recommend them as budget stones in many cases if the stone is right. This stone has very good color and cut, the clarity can actually be a plus because it has as someone suggested birthmarks, I find the idea romantic in a way, making the stone even more special and easy to identify as well. You do not need top clarity to have earrings you cherish and love, all you need to decide is whether you can love this stone which to me it sounds like you can and I could too but we need to understand diamonds and be able to accept certain faults in them. Most would choose to get lower color and a bit higher clarity but me like you would rather have top color and cut with lower clarity. Yes, light performance is important but I even love rough diamonds set in jewelry sometimes. Sounds to me that you have done enough soul searching and that you love this diamond you are just not sure whether this is accepted since it is not the "norm" and it does not need to be. Good luck and let us know whether you get it and how you feel about it.

 

[thecat]

Re: Am I crazy? An I1 for my matching stud?? Help please..

I didn't reply to this thread initially as my opinion is very different from most. I'd buy this diamond as a stud as long as its performance is good. I've read in hangout that some people need not buy the best car so long as the car fulfils its duty. This is a diamond forum hence most would go for the best cut with more common specs. I'm sure the previous statement applies to your engagement ring which you look at daily. However, for studs, which we don't see so frequently, sometimes the sentiment we have towards a car might apply to studs as well. There are many factors that contribute towards one's enjoyment of a diamond. One might be the amount spent on it. Overspending on it might lower one's enjoyment of it. Does your jeweler allow an upgrade? If yes, I'd definitely go ahead with it now.

 

[LLJsmom]

Re: Am I crazy? An I1 for my matching stud?? Help please..

Personally, the idea that you could tell your original diamond from the new diamond appeals to me if you were to pair these two diamonds-- I would like to know which is the original and could loupe the other for its birth mark.

You’ve gotten a lot of good advice from other posters regarding the pros and cons of the diamond, so I wish you the best choice to go forward or not that makes happy sense for you.

Hi Sweet blossom. I felt funny thinking this too. I thought it was silly, but I do really like being able to tell them apart. (What is that??) PSers have been really generous with their time and effort helping me through this. And I know in my head that all their advice is REALLY good advice. Many are such experienced buyers and owners and in the industry that I do tend to think they know better. I have trouble trusting myself, know I can be emotional, and don't want to make a mistake. But feelings nag, and I keep thinking about this stone. I will ask them to hold it for me. So I can step back and breathe...

But, I did want to attach a couple more crappy iphone pictures.

Just as a size comparison. I think mine is the one on the right. But I can't remember.


I could not notice the light obstruction in a setting. I wonder why?


I keep looking at the videos I took. Then I wonder what the heck am I waiting for?

 

[LLJsmom]

Re: Am I crazy? An I1 for my matching stud?? Help please..

I too agree, you seem to love the stone, that is what it comes down to and honestly beauty does not mean perfection at all. From a subjetive standpoint as I have said I can also love I1 stones and would even recommend them as budget stones in many cases if the stone is right. This stone has very good color and cut, the clarity can actually be a plus because it has as someone suggested birthmarks, I find the idea romantic in a way, making the stone even more special and easy to identify as well. You do not need top clarity to have earrings you cherish and love, all you need to decide is whether you can love this stone which to me it sounds like you can and I could too but we need to understand diamonds and be able to accept certain faults in them. Most would choose to get lower color and a bit higher clarity but me like you would rather have top color and cut with lower clarity. Yes, light performance is important but I even love rough diamonds set in jewelry sometimes. Sounds to me that you have done enough soul searching and that you love this diamond you are just not sure whether this is accepted since it is not the "norm" and it does not need to be. Good luck and let us know whether you get it and how you feel about it.

Wow, OVincze, kinda deep. "what it comes down to and honestly beauty does not mean perfection at all", and very true, in diamonds and in life. I'm discovering that spending more and more time on PS and in jewelry stores (bad...)

"You do not need top clarity to have earrings you cherish and love, all you need to decide is whether you can love this stone which to me it sounds like you can and I could too but we need to understand diamonds and be able to accept certain faults in them." True again. I'm so surprised too since I felt this need for a VS1 on both my erings. I am glad to know the stone better. It's not perfect and I have a better sense of it's flaws. Either way, I do feel like I am making an informed decision. That is always good.

 

[LLJsmom]

Re: Am I crazy? An I1 for my matching stud?? Help please..

I didn't reply to this thread initially as my opinion is very different from most. I'd buy this diamond as a stud as long as its performance is good. I've read in hangout that some people need not buy the best car so long as the car fulfils its duty. This is a diamond forum hence most would go for the best cut with more common specs. I'm sure the previous statement applies to your engagement ring which you look at daily. However, for studs, which we don't see so frequently, sometimes the sentiment we have towards a car might apply to studs as well. There are many factors that contribute towards one's enjoyment of a diamond. One might be the amount spent on it. Overspending on it might lower one's enjoyment of it. Does your jeweler allow an upgrade? If yes, I'd definitely go ahead with it now.

thecat, yes to this: "here are many factors that contribute towards one's enjoyment of a diamond. One might be the amount spent on it. Overspending on it might lower one's enjoyment of it. Does your jeweler allow an upgrade? If yes, I'd definitely go ahead with it now."

Very true for me. In particular, with my attitude toward earrings, I do feel this way right now. Who is to say 10 years from now, I might want way nicer. But now, this, definitely. And yes, there is an upgrade policy. It's simple. As long as I spend more.

 

[mrs-b]

Re: Am I crazy? An I1 for my matching stud?? Help please..

Hi Sweet blossom. I felt funny thinking this too. I thought it was silly, but I do really like being able to tell them apart. (What is that??) PSers have been really generous with their time and effort helping me through this. And I know in my head that all their advice is REALLY good advice. Many are such experienced buyers and owners and in the industry that I do tend to think they know better. I have trouble trusting myself, know I can be emotional, and don't want to make a mistake. But feelings nag, and I keep thinking about this stone. I will ask them to hold it for me. So I can step back and breathe...

But, I did want to attach a couple more crappy iphone pictures.

Just as a size comparison. I think mine is the one on the right. But I can't remember.


I could not notice the light obstruction in a setting. I wonder why?

I keep looking at the videos I took. Then I wonder what the heck am I waiting for?

LLJsmom - I'm glad you feel closer to a decision. I just wanted to share with you that the above bolded statement made me chuckle. If you can't tell for sure which one is yours - I think that's a good enough match!

And I think they look killer together! And I agree - by the time you put them in a setting, and on your ears, any difference is going to be swallowed up. And besides - something we all know here on this forum but hardly ever admit to - 99 out of a hundred people are just going to look at them and say "Wow! They're HUGE!"

 

[woofmama]

Re: Am I crazy? An I1 for my matching stud?? Help please..

I've followed your thread and think you should purchase the I1. It seems to fill your needs for color and size, scored great on the HCA and has an upgrade policy. I'm all about value for the money and don't have a huge budget for my projects so I can relate to longing for something but not quite being able to spend what you would like to. I think the total package with this particular diamond is very appealing for you! That's what matters at the end of the day. For the record if I found a beautiful SI1, SI2 or I1 I wouldn't hesitate to wear it in a ring.

 

[tweeter8177]

Re: Am I crazy? An I1 for my matching stud?? Help please..

Hi LLJsmom! I haven’t contributed to thread yet because I have been torn! If it was an SI stone, I would have said go for it hands down! But, the I1 has been my struggle (“mind” issue). Funny, we all have our boundaries on “mind clean” and they differ so much! My earrings, old engagement ring and ering are all SIs and I have no issues with them, so really how different is an I1!

As I think it through, I personally would never spend the extra money for high clarity or high color for earrings because in reality, you never see them! They are in your ears, hair can cover them partially, and no one ever gets close enough to even judge them! People will notice the size!

So I think I have talked myself into telling you to go for it. The color is fabulous! It will save you a couple grand and if worse comes to worse, you can upgrade the quality in the future if it bugs you a few years from now. And I doubt anyone could see the slight size difference between the 2, because they will be far away from each other once in your ears.

It all comes down to what you feel you can live with and it sounds like you could live with these!

 

[sweet_blossom]

Re: Am I crazy? An I1 for my matching stud?? Help please..

But, I did want to attach a couple more crappy iphone pictures.

Just as a size comparison. I think mine is the one on the right. But I can't remember.


I could not notice the light obstruction in a setting. I wonder why?


I keep looking at the videos I took. Then I wonder what the heck am I waiting for?

Thanks for the additional pic of the pair. I think the pair looks beautiful in the picture so they must be even more dazzling in person.

As I’ve gone through my own diamond journey, I’ve come to realize I’m more a mind-color-happy person than a mind-clean (so long as an inclusion does not look ugly to my eyes) when balancing a budget. So that pair seems appealing, but that is me.

When my well-cut pair aren’t as sparkly because of 24/7 wear, knowing that they are my color grade sweet spot makes me mind-happy—if that makes sense.

Every person’s mind-happy may be different. So take your time and whatever you decide, I hope you find your mind-happy. And as you say, who knows in 10 years.

 

[jill_s]

Re: Am I crazy? An I1 for my matching stud?? Help please..

Tough dilemna. I have a pair of 2.41ctw J I1 studs that I LOVE. Size was my first priority, and I realized that I wanted as close to 7mm as possible (mine are around 6.85mm). The only way I could afford that size in my budget was to go with J I1s, they do have SBF which I absolutely adore! So, all in all, these are my dream studs. I don't ever see myself upgrading. All inclusions in both stones are white, so I'm pretty pleased and they are almost completely eye-clean (there is one white feather in one of the stones that I can see from about 8 inches).

In your case, I would hesitate to recommend an I1 unless your only priority was biggest size at the lowest cost. Clarity is the least important C to me, so I don't have any problem wearing SI or I stones, because they feel like a better "deal" to me. But that's just my opinion. Since you own higher clarity items, would an I1 bug you over time?

Jill, I wish I knew the answer to that question too. Truthfully, I could see myself loving these studs. Clarity was really important to me for my ering but not as much on my studs. I clearly recognize it doesn't sparkle they way my F does, but I can actually live with it. It's the right color, size, and price. Clarity, not so much. But even the cut is really good, 1.4 on the HCA. When I didn't stare at it constantly for 1/2 hour trying to study the sparkle pattern and compare it to my other stone, I loved it. I'm actually very sad. I may go against all the general wisdom and buy this stone anyway. So my thought about earrings are not what most people think. I've never even had pierced ears before. It's a luxury to have any earrings, let alone a 1.15 carat diamond. Are you kidding?? This is way more than I ever spend on myself, e-ring aside.I I don't feel like I'm the kind of person that splurges on something like this. So spending $4900 is a lot for me. From the standpoint of market price, I would not feel like I was getting ripped off or a great deal, either way. I feel it is a fair price. But from an absolute value viewpoint, it works for me. It's within my budget.

Here it is on my daughter's ear.


On mine:


At this point, I'm just kinda going with what other people are saying. Lots of others have told me not to do it. Maybe they know better. They've worn jewelry way longer than I have.

But the diamond is really beautiful, for an earring I'll say. And I do love the E color. I'm very torn...

Given everything you've just said, I say go for it. When we talk about "mind clean", I think that also applies to something other than the 4Cs - budget. Sounds like budget is a big driver for your decision, and a nice I1 is a very budget-friendly option! I also tend to think of inclusions like birthmarks, so I like diamonds that have them, so I can easily distinguish my stone. All in all, sounds like the stone is what you need, you are happy with the price and the timeline, and it looks like a smashing match to what you already have. Do it!!!

 

[LLJsmom]

Re: Am I crazy? An I1 for my matching stud?? Help please..

Hi PS support (enabler) group

Just thought I would give everyone an update on my E I1 dilemma, since you were all so kind to listen to my wishy-washiness/soul searching/stud mental drama, and give me some great practical advice.

First off, I did get comfortable with the idea of a E I1. If I was going to match my existing stone, that would be it. I love that stone. I still think about it. In fact, I'm tempted (per Mrs. Blop's suggestion) to buy it and save it and look for another. But, there was still something else holding me back, a niggling worry at the back of my mind.

Turns out, I am not ok with the idea of putting my gorgeous F VS1 into a stud, which I will never see, and likely lose. The stone is so gorgeous that I really want to set it somewhere I can see it. Maybe in several years, a yellow gold RHR setting made by Single Stone??? My DH was so wonderful to buy that for me 16 years ago, when we were dirt poor and didn't even have a place to live. Shoving it into an ear piercing seems so disrespectful of what he went through to scrape up enough money to buy that for me.

And truthfully, I considered using it as an earring in the first place because it was the fastest and cheapest way to big ear bling.

So I started looking at WF and picked out a pair of 1.6 ctw, and am going with those. It will take me some time to get used to wearing diamonds on the ears anyway. I am looking forward to owning my first pair of WF studs.

Thanks to everyone. It's interesting the things that factor into the decision making process. Special thanks to DS and Phoenix. Their advice was kinda vague and against the tide, but there was a truth that rang out to me that I could not put my finger on, yet could not ignore. And I am very grateful to all the people that shared their experience with I1 stones (OVincze and Mrs. Blop, just a few) and their view points on stud quality diamonds. I will never look at an I1 diamond the same way. Now I just wish they would find a match to the E I1 at that price point, and I might be on my way to another pair. Just kidding. I'll do one pair at a time! Thanks PSers!! You guys are the best.

 

[MissGotRocks]

Re: Am I crazy? An I1 for my matching stud?? Help please..

I am SO glad you made this choice! I hated to be the Debbie Downer to your party but I felt that you really should keep your original stone in a pendant. It deserves to be on its own! You just seemed so excited about the prospect and I pooh-poohed your talk about an ering reset so I decided to keep quiet and see what happened.

You made the best choice! I am so happy for you!!!

You've made a great decision about diamond studs - I think you will be very happy and upgrading will be no problem should you ever want to.

 

[mrs-b]

Re: Am I crazy? An I1 for my matching stud?? Help please..

LLJsmom-

.8 stones will be lovely. Besides, this is why man invented jackets.

Looking forward to photos.

 

[LLJsmom]

Re: Am I crazy? An I1 for my matching stud?? Help please..

LLJsmom-

.8 stones will be lovely. Besides, this is why man invented jackets.

Looking forward to photos.

Mrs Blop, thanks to you, that E I1 will probably be "the one that got away". Now if I had the funds, I would snap it up and hoard that little sucker! Keep it in my inventory forever until I found another to match. You had a fabulous idea. Just all about timing. Isn't everything??