Help! 2.5ct H or 3ct J?

[Ashleigh]

Hi all,

I'm somewhere between a size 6 and 6.5 and DH has given the go-ahead to get another ring. I looked through the vendors' inventory of rounds and come to the conclusion that I can either get a 2.5ct H or 3ct J. I'm ok with J color. My question is more along the aesthetic sense.

1. How would 2.5ct vs 3ct look on a size 6-6.5 finger? Which is more pleasing to the eye?

2. Is there much visual difference between 2.5ct and 3ct? If there's not much difference, then it doesn't really matter which size I get. I looked through the 2-3ct thread but it was hard to get an idea as no finger size was stated. Can anyone please share your 2.5/3ct on size 6-6.5 finger?

Thank you.

 

[madelise]

There's a huge visual difference between a 2.5 and 3 ct (assuming they're both ideal cut and not one very shallow 2.5 ct and one very deep 3 ct). There's also a visual difference between the H and J.

Are you getting a MRB?

If you're really impartial to color, why not go for the larger stone?

 

[Ashleigh]

Madelise, I'm wondering if 3ct would look too big on size 6-6.5 finger or would 2.5ct look too small. Which would look more pleasing to the eye? Yes, I'm looking at H&A rounds.

 

[madelise]

2.5 will not be 'too small', and there's no such thing as too big around here blasphemy!
But honestly? for a MRB, I'd go with an H. I'm a huge size-ho, and color is way down my list of priority (I have an M), but for MRBs, there's something about getting a near colorless stone!

 

[madelise]

What about splitting it in the middle and finding something that's maybe a 2.7 I?

 

[GreenBling]

I wear a 2.3ct /8.5xmm solitaire on my 6.25 right hand. It felt offensively big the first couple weeks but now it looks just fine. I'd try bigger ones and I'm quite sure I can pull off something bigger but below 4ct. As to color, i love icy white but comfortable with I. Agree with madelise about splitting in the middle. I'd probably go for the biggest Ideal/ExExEx I. Why not c as the vendors to see what they can find within your budget? GOG found me several very good candidates within first week.

 

[Dancing Fire]

Madelise, I'm wondering if 3ct would look too big on size 6-6.5 finger or would 2.5ct look too small. Which would look more pleasing to the eye? Yes, I'm looking at H&A rounds.

I would go for a 2.5-2.75ct G/H stone. A well cut 2.5ct is about 8.8mm,so it is not too small, but diamonds will shrink about .25mm per yr... in other words... a 2.5ct will look like a 1.5ct 4 yrs from now...

 

[TheGeckoLady]

I've been trying to figure out where I'm comfortable in that range and I mocked up a couple of rings to see how I felt about the size difference, not considering color. My middle finger is about a 6.5. The bottom stone is 9mm and the top is 8.6mm. There is a visible difference, at least to me. If you split the difference you'll find lots of stones in the 8.8mm range which might be a happy medium.

 

[tweeter8177]

I think the size difference will be noticeable. Although not the exact size you are looking at, the picture attached shows my 3.25ct, 2.3ct and 1.3ct rings for a little perspective. My finger is 5 3/4 and the diamonds are both an I color (the top one has a CZ in it). What type of setting are you thinking? The setting could make a difference on what size you want (especially if it eats into your diamond budget)! I say go bigger now because you never know if you will upgrade again!!

 

[AprilBaby]

The color in a MRB would bother me more than the size.

 

[Niel]

I've never looked at a ring and been envious of color. I have been of size.

Plus j like a j color. As long is its well cut I say a J!

Could you pop it in rose or yellow gold?? That would be stunning.

 

[UrsTx]

I don't remember who posted this "ring size to finger" chart nor where they found it but according to it, if your finger really is closer to a size 6, there is a slight but noticeable difference in the two sizes. But if your finger is closer to a size 7, then a 3 ct round would look like a 2.5 ct on your hand, and a 2.5 ct would look closer to a 2 ct. Of course this all assumes the cut is ideal on both stones.

If the J looks white face up and the clarity is fine, I'd go with the 3 ct. But if the 2.5 ct has better cut and clarity too, I'd take that one. Sorry I couldn't definitively choose just one. Let us know which you choose!

 

[UrsTx]

...... What type of setting are you thinking? The setting could make a difference on what size you want (especially if it eats into your diamond budget)! I say go bigger now because you never know if you will upgrade again!!

And I agree about the setting. The setting you choose can accentuate the stone or take away from it. I like Mom2boys solitaire for her 3.6 ct MRB. [URL='https://www.pricescope.com/forum/show-me-the-ring/my-new-3-6ct-bgd-upgrade-victor-canera-gabriella-setting-t190533.html']https://www.pricescope.com/forum/show-me-the-ring/my-new-3-6ct-bgd-upgrade-victor-canera-gabriella-setting-t190533.html[/URL]

 

[WinkHPD]

The following is assuming that both diamonds are well cut, by that I mean AGS 0 light performance grade or GIA Excellent cut grade.(for some stones, for their steep deeps, it may read Ex, but not when you see it side by side with an AGS 0).

The 3ct. diamond will have larger flashes of both white and colored light and will be more visually pleasing to the eye for most people. The more precisely and symmetrically cut the larger the flashes will be. The 3ct. diamond will also have more eye visible scintillation events than the 2.5ct. Each will have approximately 200,000 Scintillation events as the diamond is rotated through an arc 40 degrees from perpendicular to the eye, both above and below perpendicular. However, as the virtual facets get smaller and smaller, the scintillation events quickly become too small for the human eye to perceive. (This is a function of the sizes of the virtual facets in the diamond in conjunction with the laws of light physics.) Whether or not you will be comfortable wearing it is a totally different issue and depends on how you feel about wearing the bigger diamond.

I have a client with a size 3.25 finger who wears a 4ct and who looks incredible wearing it because she believes that it is her destiny to wear a big diamond. she will eventually upgrade to a 5 and then a 6. Her goal is to get to 10 someday. On her the four carat really looks just fantastic as her personality is WAY bigger than her fingers.

I have another client who traded our of her one carat for a .75 as she felt the 1ct was too huge for her. It did not matter that I thought she could wear a larger diamond on her size 7 fingers, it mattered what she thought.

So you have really asked a question that only you can answer. Someone who likes big will tell you to go for it, someone who likes small will tell you that the 2.5ct is already too big. Only you can decide which you will like living with, and as someone has pointed out, shrinkage IS a factor.

Wink

 

[Dreamer_D]

The best value is to stay just under the 3ct mark. That is what I would aim for, and maximize carat and color within budget.

 

[Ashleigh]

What about splitting it in the middle and finding something that's maybe a 2.7 I?

Good suggestion. I'd look into the available options over the next few months.

I wear a 2.3ct /8.5xmm solitaire on my 6.25 right hand. It felt offensively big the first couple weeks but now it looks just fine. I'd try bigger ones and I'm quite sure I can pull off something bigger but below 4ct. As to color, i love icy white but comfortable with I. Agree with madelise about splitting in the middle. I'd probably go for the biggest Ideal/ExExEx I. Why not c as the vendors to see what they can find within your budget? GOG found me several very good candidates within first week.

Thanks for sharing your experience.

I would go for a 2.5-2.75ct G/H stone. A well cut 2.5ct is about 8.8mm,so it is not too small, but diamonds will shrink about .25mm per yr... in other words... a 2.5ct will look like a 1.5ct 4 yrs from now...

I'm not sure if I'd get a chance to upgrade in 4 years should the 2.5ct look like a 1.5ct So this's a motivation factor towards a larger rock.

 

[Ashleigh]

GeckoLady, Tweeter, thanks for the pictures. Visual aids are the best

The color in a MRB would bother me more than the size.

I've a 1.8ct J and am alright with the color. But I understand that color shows up more in a larger size.

I've never looked at a ring and been envious of color. I have been of size.

Plus j like a j color. As long is its well cut I say a J!

Could you pop it in rose or yellow gold?? That would be stunning.

I'm considering platinum as I like white color and don't like re-plating.

I don't remember who posted this "ring size to finger" chart nor where they found it but according to it, if your finger really is closer to a size 6, there is a slight but noticeable difference in the two sizes. But if your finger is closer to a size 7, then a 3 ct round would look like a 2.5 ct on your hand, and a 2.5 ct would look closer to a 2 ct. Of course this all assumes the cut is ideal on both stones.

UrsTx, thanks for the ring size chart.

So you have really asked a question that only you can answer. Someone who likes big will tell you to go for it, someone who likes small will tell you that the 2.5ct is already too big. Only you can decide which you will like living with, and as someone has pointed out, shrinkage IS a factor.

Wink, thanks for sharing your experience with your clients. DSS is pusing me towards a larger rock

The best value is to stay just under the 3ct mark. That is what I would aim for, and maximize carat and color within budget.

Thanks for the practical advice, DD.

 

[hearts-arrows_girl]

I think a 3ct on a 6.5 finger would look fantastic! And since you said you are OK with J color, that's the one you should get. Lucky you, getting to get either huge size rock!