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Buying a setting for large loose diamond

Jethro

Rough_Rock
Joined
Jul 4, 2012
Messages
8
My fiancee took me by Grafs when we were in Las Vegas a couple of months ago. It was a ploy. After looking at $600,000 rings and watching her ooh and aah for about half an hour, spending a small fortune on a "build-your-own" ring at less than a quarter of that cost didn't seem like such a bad idea. So I moved out of my house and into a small apartment and bought a 10 carat radiant cut stone from B2C jewels. The price appeared very good, but the clarity is SI2. I have 10 days to return after it arrives next week and will take it by an appraiser in Houston or Dallas first thing. It will be interesting to see how that turns out.

Anyway, I'm getting off the subject. I don't know beans about jewelry. Assuming I keep the stone, I'm trying to figure out what to do about a setting. I've looked at posts here and was thinking about using someone like BGD. But will they sell you the setting and mount the stone if they didn't sell you the diamond? Anyone else you'd recommend for a setting? Or maybe I should try to find someone locally in Houston or Dallas? Could my fiancee potentially take a look at settings in jewelry stores, and if she sees one she likes, would they likely mount my stone in their setting?

Well, if you've gotten this far, you know I'm incredibly naive, so any help would be appreciated.

Thanks,

Jethro
 
Jethro, oh my. If you are serious, and I am not sure you are, please return that diamond (or preferably cancel before it is sent!) and come here and start over. You could be making a crazy mistake. Did they give you pictures of this stone or did you buy without seeing it? I wouldn't consider a 10 ct. SI2. And I cannot believe you moved into a smaller place to afford a 10 ct. diamond???? Seriously, I think maybe this is a joke but I am giving you the benefit of the doubt.

We can tell you the very best ring makers. But you need to return that stone and come here and get some advice before doing anything. And start with a realistic budget of what you can really afford.
 
Thanks Diamondseeker. I actually didn't move into a smaller apartment -- that was indeed a joke. But I did order the stone, without seeing a photo, figuring that since I can return it I'll only be out the hassle. The fiancee has a preference for a large stone. I have a preference for not breaking the bank, so was hoping the stone wouldn't have noticeable imperfections visible to the unaided, untrained eye. From what I read here prior to buying, I realize that's a real risk with the SI2 clarity. FYI, here's a link,

http://www.b2cjewels.com/dd-2915671-10.02-carat-Radiant-diamond-I-color-SI2-Clarity.aspx?sku=2915671&utm_source=diamondse.info&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=diamondse.info

I will be taking it by an appraiser, for sure, and from reading the posts here I have the names of several good ones here in Texas. Thanks for your thoughts -- they impress on me the need to be very careful.
 
HI:

Does it have to be this shape? I have a radiant diamond and love it and therefore would not dissuede you, but there are other shapes that look "large" without the actual ctw: I mean that a well cut 5 ctw RB will look HUGE on any one's hand. An elongated pear as well..
BTW, read on this forum about EGL certed stones. Ton-o-threads.

Glad you are getting an independent appraisal. A MUST.

Anyway, if you "must" have 10 carats, then your choices will be limited. But smaller, same budget OH goodness let us help you!

cheers--Sharon
 
Jethro,

Start with this current thread: [URL='https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/gia-vs-egl-usa.177212/']https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/gia-vs-egl-usa.177212/[/URL]

and then read some of the linked threads. The reason that looks like such a great deal is that it's EGL graded and priced accordingly. It's probably not an SI2 clarity or an I color. I don't know how you'd find GIA comparables (nothing turned up when I used the search here). It's likely one or more color and clarity grades lower, which in a stone that size is probably going to be obvious.

If you really want a top-notch diamond that will blow your fiancee away with something other than pure size, get the regulars here to help you find something absolutely stunning.

liz
 
Oh, gosh, it's EGL. You ordered a stone with no photo that is EGL graded (unreliable) for over $100,000? Seriously, you can get a very fine diamond for that budget. Ordering a sight unseen random diamond with a poor grading report is just a huge gigantic mistake!

You know, canuk-gal has the finest larger radiant (5 carats) I have ever seen. But let me tell you, the cut varies and you have great ones, mediocre ones, and terrible ones, and everything in between. Never, ever would I go to the trouble and expense of buying any diamond without photos. You could be wasting a LOT of time and money. You could go through 20 large stones like that at EGL I SI2 before finding a decent one...why? Because the best diamonds will be certified through GIA which is a more reliable lab. Your stone may be 2-5 color grades lower than stated. And radiants show color, so I wouldn't recommend lower than a GIA H color for a radiant.

I am not trying to be mean at all because I can see you really want to please your girlfriend and that is really sweet. But you have the potential to waste a huge amount of money or buy wisely and get a very fine diamond.

Cancel now. Seriously.

Surely she'd rather have a 5-6 carat high quality diamond than a poor quality 10 carat one? A good 10 carat diamond is going to cost a LOT more than that one did. And unless she hangs out with the Kardashians or something, almost no one wears 10 carat diamonds. They aren't going to be impressed with a huge poor quality diamond, trust me.
 
Diamond Seeker, Sharon, and Liz, Thanks VERY MUCH for your comments. I now believe ordering the 10 carat diamond will be an exercise in frustration, but after talking with the fiancee the plan is to take delivery, see what she thinks of it, and take it by an appraiser if she likes it. So I'm expecting to be back here in about 2 weeks time, crawling on my knees, begging for advice about how to do this the right way. Actually, I too think that 10 carats is too much, in terms of size, and I agree that it could be on the gaudy side. I picked out about 20 choices on the web for her to consider, the range being from 5 to 10 carats (comparable to what she liked at Graf's and Harry Winston) and what I ordered was one of her two favorites. The second was a yellow stone that was really out of the range of what I felt I could afford. Surprisingly the grading of the stone I bought wasn't too dissimilar to what we were looking at Graf's, although Graf's was not using the EGL certification.
 
Okay, a suggestion. Victor Canera is one of the finest ringmakers in the US. He happens to have a 3 ct. radiant ring in stock in one of his handmade settings for $56K. A gorgeous setting can add size to the appearance. You can easily get a 5 carat stone that will look even larger if you have it set in a halo setting.

But anyway, here is an example of a very fine quality setting:

http://www.victorcanera.com/jewelry/engagement-rings/square-radiant-in-halo-with-double-row-shank.html

another at $79k

http://www.victorcanera.com/jewelry/engagement-rings/radiant-cut-trilogy-with-shield-cut-side-stones.html

Victor can source you a fine quality stone at a good price and then help you design a setting.
 
diamondseeker2006|1341435000|3228638 said:
Okay, a suggestion. Victor Canera is one of the finest ringmakers in the US. He happens to have a 3 ct. radiant ring in stock in one of his handmade settings for $56K. A gorgeous setting can add size to the appearance. You can easily get a 5 carat stone that will look even larger if you have it set in a halo setting.

But anyway, here is an example of a very fine quality setting:

http://www.victorcanera.com/jewelry/engagement-rings/square-radiant-in-halo-with-double-row-shank.html

another at $79k

http://www.victorcanera.com/jewelry/engagement-rings/radiant-cut-trilogy-with-shield-cut-side-stones.html

Victor can source you a fine quality stone at a good price and then help you design a setting.

Thanks, both are beautiful, especially the second. I expect the end result of this is that I'm going to save about $60,000 and she'll end up with a better looking ring.
 
Jethro|1341434905|3228637 said:
Diamond Seeker, Sharon, and Liz, Thanks VERY MUCH for your comments. I now believe ordering the 10 carat diamond will be an exercise in frustration, but after talking with the fiancee the plan is to take delivery, see what she thinks of it, and take it by an appraiser if she likes it. So I'm expecting to be back here in about 2 weeks time, crawling on my knees, begging for advice about how to do this the right way. Actually, I too think that 10 carats is too much, in terms of size, and I agree that it could be on the gaudy side. I picked out about 20 choices on the web for her to consider, the range being from 5 to 10 carats (comparable to what she liked at Graf's and Harry Winston) and what I ordered was one of her two favorites. The second was a yellow stone that was really out of the range of what I felt I could afford. Surprisingly the grading of the stone I bought wasn't too dissimilar to what we were looking at Graf's, although Graf's was not using the EGL certification.

Okay, good. But number one rule after this is to never order a diamond that doesn't have a GIA report and photos of the stone. We'll be more than happy to help you, but I think my best recommendation is just to tell you to call Victor Canera.
 
That second Victor Canera ring is a work of art! I can't imagine a woman in the world not getting weak at the knees over it. :love:
 
canuk-gal|1341435039|3228639 said:
HI:

DS--you are VERY sweet to say such things! :oops: That siad, there is a better picture of my ring--better true likeness....page three, Jewel of the Week Forum (from our good Miss Coati)...on a banana no less..... :bigsmile:

https://www.pricescope.com/blog?page=2&tag=Jewel+of+the+Week

cheers--Sharon

Only telling the truth! Thanks for the link to the better picture! Jethro, show her this, too:

radiant-cut-diamond-ring-canuk-gal.jpg
 
You have a very generous budget.

Given that, I would personally recommend first deciding what sort of "feel" you would like the ring to have -
A) A classic solitaire/halo/threestone/sidestones?
B) Something a bit more whimsical?
C) Something antique-y?
And choose the designer based on those criteria.

My recommendations (are you in the US?) would be Leon Mege for A, McTeague & McClelland for B, and Single Stone for C.

I choose them specifically because they've long proven their talent for capturing a vision and translating it into a specific aesthetic. There are many designers who have produced lovely pieces, but those three in particular have long and successful histories of bringing designs to life in their most beautiful, sensual, and compelling incarnations.

I know you can have LM and SS source stones, I'm not sure about MC2. If you prefer to buy the stone separately your best bet is to call some vendors and see what they can do for you - not many PS vendors routinely stock such high-value stones so we won't find much in our usual go-to repositories online, but they'll of course have access to stones we do not.

Unless you want a coloured diamond in a typeA setting, in which case I'd recommend talking to Diamonds by Lauren about both stone and setting.

*Edited
 
An EGL Si2 is not something worth considering. EGL is loose in grading so it is likely an I1 or worse. Return shipping with insurance may be problematic for such a hugh value item. Look into a return/refund now rather than bothering with the hassel.

If you are sincere in the post -- and I have my doubts :halo: -- then think of this like you would a car purchase or other expensive purchase. I canot believe you buy another pricey item with such lack of time/investment or research?
 
I'm sorry. This can NOT be real. If you really moved out of a house into an apartment for a ring... it just can NOT be real.
 
Gypsy|1341443469|3228690 said:
I'm sorry. This can NOT be real. If you really moved out of a house into an apartment for a ring... it just can NOT be real.

The OP already said they were joking about that.

OP, personally with that budget I would get a nice 1ct fancy (maybe intense) pink diamond. You see how everyone is different? Listen to the others here and really have a talk with your gf about what she likes. This is an important purchase.
 
Thanks a million! I’m going over Sharon’s picks with her, also Yssie’s and Diamond Seeker’s recommendations for vendors. Sharon, you were very kind to dig those up.

Anonymous, actually, the previous time we were engaged, about a year and a half ago, I wanted to take a similar tack, only look for a manmade pink diamond, and buy something cool with the leftover money, like power tools. She nixed that. She wants a large stone. As you know, large, real pink stones are incredibly expensive and the manmade ones aren’t available in larger sizes. The manmade thing was a no –go with her anyway. I ended up, as she wished, buying a ring from Tiffany’s, even though doing so, IMHO was about 10X stupider than getting a virtual SI2 stone from B2C Jewels. She lost the ring, but that’s a story for a different forum.
 
HI:

Speaking of Tiffany....the link to Oakgem did not come thru...but you might peruse their website and see the >4 carat Tiffany I am referring to.....buy it before I do!

As for those rings I posted...it was really just to get you looking at those sites...Lang, Fortuane, Shreve, Oakgem....NO shortage of impossibly beautiful rings to be had on the secondary market....some vendors you can even negotiate with.....

cheers--Sharon
 
I do agree with Sharon that you could potentially get a spectacular ring on the secondary market. 1st Dibs is like fantasy land for jewelry lovers!
 
Sharon, I copied and pasted into my browser and it came through just fine, thanks. Diamond Seeker, I hate to have to verify the suspicion here that I'm a complete idiot, but the ring, which cost $40,000, was not insured. My fiancee lives in Mexico, and at the time I suspected that getting insurance and collecting on it if something happened would have been difficult.
 
;(

Well, I truthfully do not know how the insurance would work in that case, but if she is in Mexico now, I surely wouldn't be buying another ring until she is living in the US! Seriously, you need to do insurance research before buying a diamond again.

(I don't think you are an idiot. I just think you have so much money that the cost of rings is not a big deal for you. ;)) But I think losing a $100k ring would be sickening to anyone, wouldn't it???)
 
Jethro|1341449434|3228739 said:
Sharon, I copied and pasted into my browser and it came through just fine, thanks. Diamond Seeker, I hate to have to verify the suspicion here that I'm a complete idiot, but the ring, which cost $40,000, was not insured. My fiancee lives in Mexico, and at the time I suspected that getting insurance and collecting on it if something happened would have been difficult.


Hmmmmmmmmm. People in Mexico don't insure cars and houses??? And you want to buy her a 10 carat diamond--that would be very conspicious?? Weeelll, you won't make that (non insurance) mistake again!

cheers--Sharon
 
Thanks, I will get insurance, and agree, if it's a big, conspicuous piece of jewelry it needs to stay in the U.S. until she moves here. She lives in Guadalajara, which used to be an oasis from violence because all the narcotraficante's (drug smuggler's) families lived there. But it's an oasis no more, and drawing attention to yourself isn't a good idea. Actually the big and conspicuous is her idea. I'd be happy with cubic zirconium.
 
Well, there is plenty in between big and conspicuous and a cz! Maybe you two can compromise. I think 5 carats would be seen as a very large diamond in almost any major city. In fact, 3 carats is a very large diamond in most major cities.
 
I am a Texan too Jethro and you sound like a pretty genuine guy. SO SO SO glad you found this forum. The purchase you are about to make is a serious amount of cash and I felt a little queasy reading about the lost ring. :eek: I can't imagine how you felt.
My advice, back out of this SI2, let your GF know that you are "working on it," and take the pros advice here. Many are vendors, but most are extremely knowledgeable consumers and great advocates. Some of the stones they have found, I didn't even see in my bazillions of hours of looking before I joined PS. It will save you a ton of time and soften the learning curve a bit.

I second the Victor Canera suggestion.
 
AN0NYM0US|1341445555|3228701 said:
Gypsy|1341443469|3228690 said:
I'm sorry. This can NOT be real. If you really moved out of a house into an apartment for a ring... it just can NOT be real.

The OP already said they were joking about that.

OP, personally with that budget I would get a nice 1ct fancy (maybe intense) pink diamond. You see how everyone is different? Listen to the others here and really have a talk with your gf about what she likes. This is an important purchase.

Thanks! Sorry, I didn't read down, and I should have.
 
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