Carat, Carat, Carat!

[KarenD]

i guess the more you read on ps the more informed decision you will make. The most important though, is not the size of the diamond, but the size of your hubby's heart.

 

[KarenD]

i guess the more you read on ps the more informed decision you will make. The most important though, is not the size of the diamond, but the size of your hubby's heart.

 

[16ocean]

The most important though, is not the size of the diamond, but the size of your hubby's heart.

aaaaaw
I second that

 

[Shuane]

Yes it has gone up at first I was ok with 0.80-0.90 then it went up to a 1.00. Now it's up to 1.25 because it gives me 30% finger coverage thanks to the chart I found on here. My ideal size would be 1.40 or 1.50 but I've been lusting over this 2.23 old european cut diamond I saw on JBEG for sale N/O in color but faces up like a K. Pricescope isn't helping my SO pocket when it's time to buy the ring. He told his budget was 6k and I was like oh mine was 8K so it's only two grand difference. I hope he goes up the extra two thousand so I can get a bigger old european cut diamond e-ring.

Can you send me a link to the chart? I'd love to take a look. Thank you

 

[totallyfree]

Going through this at the moment... We've been talking about 'A Ring' for a while, and last night he started rattling off a few questions, and then said the diamond would be 0.62ct. While I would like bigger, I am also concerned that the jeweller is totally taking him for a ride... Assuming this is an average B&M jeweller, in an average Australian store the stone would be F-G / SI - VS and 'his' budget is $6k (Aussie). $6k for 0.6ct!!? That's madness!

"Do you trust me?"

Of course I trust him, but he hasn't been obsessing over the details for 3+ years and he is a prime candidate for a Chain Store Rip Off.

So I think we're back to square one... I want to share 50% of the cost, and have 50% of the say. He wants a solitaire, fine band with no details. Surely that's his 50%

Ideally, with double the budget and me doing a detailed, evidence based comparison.... 1.5ct old cut diamond in a Leon M rose gold band. Super simple. Compromise.... 1ct in the same band.

 

[lmcriss]

Going through this at the moment... We've been talking about 'A Ring' for a while, and last night he started rattling off a few questions, and then said the diamond would be 0.62ct. While I would like bigger, I am also concerned that the jeweller is totally taking him for a ride... Assuming this is an average B&M jeweller, in an average Australian store the stone would be F-G / SI - VS and 'his' budget is $6k (Aussie). $6k for 0.6ct!!? That's madness!

"Do you trust me?"

Of course I trust him, but he hasn't been obsessing over the details for 3+ years and he is a prime candidate for a Chain Store Rip Off.

So I think we're back to square one... I want to share 50% of the cost, and have 50% of the say. He wants a solitaire, fine band with no details. Surely that's his 50%

Ideally, with double the budget and me doing a detailed, evidence based comparison.... 1.5ct old cut diamond in a Leon M rose gold band. Super simple. Compromise.... 1ct in the same band.

Hi totallyfree !

I just looked up the conversion rate and it doesn't sound too far out there. Still very expensive though. I'm assuming that you've done your diamond research and know what a diamond of similar size, cut, color and clarity is supposed to cost. In my area, buying local and supporting local business is kind of a big deal and sometimes you pay more for something locally than you would from a chain store. It can differ a lot from a chain store which is usually less expensive (but you don't get the service, knowledge or quality of diamond from a chain usually). If your research is showing a drastic price difference between what you're seeing in your area and online, mention it to him. It doesn't sound like your band will be all that expensive by itself since it sounds very simple and elegant. Perhaps you could purchase your stone from an online dealer and go through your jeweler for your mounting?

Here's what I did when we had a similar situation...

I had been researching Montana Sapphires for forever. Once night when we were sitting in a fast food drive through, he asked this really vague question about if I thought a bi- colored sapphire could be synthetic. I told him that they probably could be but why anyone would do that is beyond me. After more probing he showed me this stone that he found. It was larger, but VERY VERY expensive and not great quality at all... I about had a meltdown right there in the car. I reached out to Pricescope with my "conundrum" and some pricescopers showed me some stones that they knew of. We looked at one particularly pretty stone that was already less expensive for a couple of days but then it went on sale and ended up being less than HALF of what the original one that he showed me cost, PLUS it was a much nicer stone. It was the first larger financial decision that we navigated together and I think we are better off for it (and now I have this super pretty stone that I stare at all day that doesn't have a big yellow spot in the center of it ).

I'm not sure what your relationship is like, but if you think he could be taken advantage of by a salesman, step up and talk to him about it. Show him other stones that you find that are similar quality but less expensive. Doing the research together is pretty fun and open communication about a purchase like this can't be anything but a good thing.

 

[totallyfree]

@imcriss - I did type a long reply and then it got lost in a browser refresh

Short story... I ended up ordering an antique cushion online, completely antagonised over the shipping and then cried when it eventually arrived. (LOL)

I don't think OH is particularly fussed about the specifics of the stone - he was buying an experience. Where as I (and all of us?) are very interested in the minor details and quality of the elements, as well as getting value in our purchase.

I think all is well that ends well? Just need to wait for my ending

 

[lmcriss]

@imcriss - I did type a long reply and then it got lost in a browser refresh

Short story... I ended up ordering an antique cushion online, completely antagonised over the shipping and then cried when it eventually arrived. (LOL)

I don't think OH is particularly fussed about the specifics of the stone - he was buying an experience. Where as I (and all of us?) are very interested in the minor details and quality of the elements, as well as getting value in our purchase.

I think all is well that ends well? Just need to wait for my ending

Ugh I hate it when that happens!!! So did you keep the stone you purchased online or did you send it back and opt for one in the store?? Any idea when your wait will end?

 

[totallyfree]

@imcriss - I did type a long reply and then it got lost in a browser refresh

Short story... I ended up ordering an antique cushion online, completely antagonised over the shipping and then cried when it eventually arrived. (LOL)

I don't think OH is particularly fussed about the specifics of the stone - he was buying an experience. Where as I (and all of us?) are very interested in the minor details and quality of the elements, as well as getting value in our purchase.

I think all is well that ends well? Just need to wait for my ending

Ugh I hate it when that happens!!! So did you keep the stone you purchased online or did you send it back and opt for one in the store?? Any idea when your wait will end?

We're engaged! He was very happy with the antique ring from old world diamonds - which I, in turn, am super please about because this was the first Big Compromise hahaha

Prices in Darwin (Australia) are insane. There is a v.small market for diamonds, particularly 1ct+ and not a lot of competition - mostly mass made chain stores with 1ct stones and I3 clarity (like looking into a hail storm!)

So we are very happy.

He was a little miffed that he didn't get to pick it, and then when I broke down the pricing for him, showed him what it would cost in Aus he was much happier with the value of our purchase

Wins all around!

 

[KKJohnson]

I had never thought much about ring size until I knew my SO was going to ask, I went looking at rings with my bestie and I settled on 1ct-1.5ct oval. Anything larger was just too big and my SO proposed with a 1.2ct oval that I had set into a micro pave setting. It was perfect and I could not have been happier. The only thing that was disappointing was that it wasn't a real diamond and got cloudy looking pretty quickly but I married an amazing man who does more for me than I truly deserve.

Fast forward to about a year into our marriage and his brother is moving so we have to drive out of town and pickup everything up they have been storing for my husband because he didn't have room for it all (bachelor that got married so we were building a house) well he has items in a shared lockbox that I didn't know about. Ends up his morther had split her jewelry collection between her two sons. My brother in law gave his wife a beautiful 5 carat round cut that looks huge on her tiny hands (I think she is a size 4.5) it's gorgeous. Well my sister in law presents my husbands side of his inheritance and there is a massive 5.65 carat (side stones included, 4.45 ct center stone) marquise engagement ring My jaw hit the floor! Most amazing thing was that my stepmother was also with us on this trip helping move and she was like "is it real?" Neither of us imagined my husband had been hiding this ring.

Well here we are today I've been wearing it ever since we moved into our new home this year so for about 8 months I've been loving this ring and dreaming about updating the band. I never in a million years thought I would ever wear let alone own such a large diamond! This was all before PS so yeah happy ring was 1-1.5 carats until I fell in love with my 4.45 Ct stone. Sadly, I could totally see myself rocking 7 carats now after joining PS! I live in Texas where bigger is ALWAYS better and in a city where there are lots of huge rocks that will give you a complex and make you wonder where you went wrong in life lol

Luckily for me I did something right! Not sure what it was but I couldn't be happier

 

[Matthews1127]

I joined PS after marriage. I had researched & educated myself on the bare basics for 15 years prior to my engagement.
I knew what I wanted, as far as CUT, and clarity, but CARAT and color were a different story. I had to have an EC. I honestly would have accepted any carat weight...as long as it was an EC...an eye clean, beautuful, crisp & clear EC.
DH started looking, and asked me questions to try to understand the 4c's.
HIS concern was size (carat wt). I had never sat down in a jeweler's store and examined/compared EC's, because most jewelers don't keep a variety of EC's in stock; they're ordered.
DH & I sat, extensively, with a jeweler to compare carat wt between EC's. I told DH that I only referenced 1ct as an even starting point; it could have been heavier or lighter, I didn't care. I knew enough about EC's to know that any QUALITY EC in the 1ct range was between $5,000-$10,000USD and up...
He finally selected 2 EC's to choose between: 0.70ct & 1.07ct. We both agreed that the 0.70ct stone seemed to get lost in the metal of the setting I had previously chosen as a sample of what I liked; I left him a trail of bread crumbs. After that, it was up to him to decide...
I was given a 1.07ct EC to wear on my size 5.5-5.75 finger (my ring is a size 6). ECs typically face up smaller compared to rounds, but I have limited real estate from knuckle to knuckle on my fingers, so my EC actually appears, to others, to be somewhere in the range of 1.50-2.0ct.
I live in a suburban area outside of a small city, where the carat weights of diamonds in the area differ, tremendously; some are 2+Ct, and others are under 1ct. Some fall between 1-2ct. The most popular diamond shape is quite evident, here: Round, which is prob why my EC gets so much attention. Besides appearing much larger than it is, it's a completely different, and not-so-popular Cut. I work in an office of all women; the majority of us are married. My ring gets the most attention, and it's the only step-cut of the bunch. It doesn't hurt that it is the largest diamond in a solitaire among the others (with the exception of 2 of the physicians I work for-theirs are between 1-2ct, like mine).
I love my EC so much that I want to give her friends, rather than upgrade. I'm a HUGE bling person, but I'm practical; We have 6 kids...5ct diamonds just aren't practical...lol!
Instead, I'd prefer to surround my EC with other, lighter weight diamonds that total nearly the combined weight (or more) of my EC. My WR is a total carat weight of 1ct. It's a nine stone ring.
I am also in the process of designing my Asscher Anniversary Band (7 stones between 0.25ct-0.33ct/each). This ring, once it's made, will join my WR & EC...more bling, more carat weight, more reasonable budget. EC still remains "alpha dog".
PS has taught me that there is so much more than the size & wt of a single diamond. So many characteristics of each stone are necessary to create the personality of each diamond.
I have so many ideas, and there are so many diamonds of varying cuts & styles on my wish list (for later in life) for a RHR, now that I've found PS. One of those items is a 2-5ct Octavia (I discovered the Octavia prior to PS). The others are a 3+Ct ACC, and a 2+ct OEC (PSers introduced me to OECs & ACCs). Yes, the sizes of those stones are significant, but the different ways in which those stones are cut are why they made it to my wish list, in the first place. They aren't found everywhere, and not everyone has one. OECs & ACCs are rather reasonably priced, and I'd much rather have an older, or more original, large stone for less. However, none of them will ever replace my 1.07ct EC.

 

[AprilBaby]

Got engaged in 1979. My dream ring was .5. I got .35

 

[GearGirly]

My ideal size was a 1 carat plus with the idea that a 1.5 would be crazy huge and satisfying. Now for a modern round brilliant 2 carats would be what I would want and for an old cut 3.5ish. I'm crazy now lol, but I really love warm diamonds now and strong fluorescence (blue). So I guess that helps a little!

 

[Bron357]

When I was in my 20s I thought 1 carat was a great size. Now in my 50s I think 5 carats is right. That’s a carat a decade. I think hubby is hoping I don’t live to 100 - ha ha.

 

[KKJohnson]

When I was in my 20s I thought 1 carat was a great size. Now in my 50s I think 5 carats is right. That’s a carat a decade. I think hubby is hoping I don’t live to 100 - ha ha.

I like the carat a decade idea! I could totally get behind this lol

 

[dkata]

I joined PS only after my marriage, and as an ER I’ve got a half carat E, VVS1 round. After I learn about HCA, I looked up the stone, and the HCA was under 2, so we made a good decision even without knowing it!!

After I have joined PS my dream was a one carat round. I’ve got it one year later to my birthday.

Then the old cut bug has bitten me, and I wanted to have something around 8 mm face up size. A few years later, when I got the possibility, I wanted to rule out DSS, and I went for 9 mm, which meant 2.86 ct OEC for me. I’m really happy with it, but I could imagine going up to 10 mm, i.e. 4 carat.

 

[Loreal]

I wanted a 1.5 before PriceScope! My first RB was a 1.4 J SI1 RB. 5 year anniversary I got a 1.67 G VS1 oval (which I'm selling), and now I have a 2.61 H VS1 MRB. PriceScope also encouraged me to change settings 3 times!

 

[FinleysMom]

I was delighted to get a carat! Can't imagine going larger for a center Or solitaire stone. I am happy where I am. Honestly...not a fan of the halo look....but I am not in the younger age group that buys them. I just "see" "clean that ring" all over it! Lol! Practical....that is I.

FM

 

[Gemly]

Oh boy....I’ll play . My first dream ring ten years ago would have been 1-1.2 carats. I got the (almost) 1 carat signature ring from Tiffany. Fast forward 10 years...still before PS. I wanted an upgrade....1.8ct-2.2 was the goal. That’s when I found PS. Did an insane amount of research and looking at photos and ended up with a 3.2 ct that falls within all PS super ideal specs. I’m hoping this will be a ring I don’t get tired of

 

[ThiaChelf]

My first ring with my ex fiance who I didn't even marry was a 0.33 ct marquis. The ex hubs gave me a 0.5 ct round that we upgraded to a 1.20 ct round. I dont have either of those rings anymore but im fairly certain the 1.2 ct was a deep cut stone as the face up of my 0.86 ct round is almost the same. Now I have everything from 0.54 ct to 1.41 ct and everything from mrb to fancy. My dream stone would be between 1.5 and 2 cts. I dont think I would want any bigger.

While I love every ring I have, my favorite out of the ones I have now is my 0.86 mrb that I searched for pricescope specs on. Then it's a tie between my 1.41 radiant K in rose gold and my henri daussi 0.70 elongated cushion halo.

 

[Runningmama]

PS ruined me. I always dreamt of a one carat RB solitaire. Had it, upgraded it 26293728 different ways. I'm now on hopefully my last one. Awaiting a 2.05 E VS2 solitaire.

 

[RMOO]

Same here, PS ruined me. I thought I was done when I upgraded from the original 0.63 to a 1.3 - a perfectly lovely, respectable size (especially where we live where 0.50 to 0.75 is average) Then I found PS, and now I dream of a 1.8 - 2 carat. DH says he has no problem with spending the money, but it's ME who feels guilty doing it. Sigh... maybe for our 40th anniversary in a couple of years.

 

[ariaaaa]

This is so funny - I used to joke in college that the rule was "2 carats or don't propose" and eventually ran into a 3ct emerald cut that i absolutely swooned over but thought it was too massive and ridiculous to even consider.

Fast forward to becoming an adult and browsing pricescope...when my partner and I started looking at diamonds, we were almost exclusively looking in the 5ct+ range. The current running joke is that there's a stronger chance we'll downgrade than upgrade in the future.