If you couldn''''t afford diamond what would you get???

[woobug02]

Woo, my sister is trying to upgrade from her 1/4ct. diamond and just can''''t afford the big diamond she wants right now. She doesn''''t want a CZ but wants nice new ER with side diamonds... SOOOOOOOOOOOOO if you couldn''''t have the diamond you wanted what stone would you use as a ER center stone?????? What is poplular????

 

[windowshopper]

a sapphire......................the heat treated ones which are most stones (even at Harry Winston I might add) are very affordable and can be in the same fabulous colors at the very best sapphires available.

 

[woobug02]

Where would you find this type of sapphire

 

[windowshopper]

the natural sapphire company (formerly arnstein or something) --very solid company supplies sapphires to big name jewelers. has super expensive untreated and very very nice heated stones. they have a great website and the owner michael will find her what she wants

 

[lumpkin]

I would also go with a sapphire. I personally prefer the blue ones, but Nicole Richie''s pink sapphire made my heart stop -- it is so gorgeous! Honestly, you can''t get much better than that, eh?

 

[woobug02]

She wants to put it in a platinum setting with side diamonds so she is thinking around $750.00-$1500.00 for center. Not alot but she wants a really nice setting

 

[windowshopper]

Date: 5/9/2006 9:31:33 AM
Author: woobug02
She wants to put it in a platinum setting with side diamonds so she is thinking around $750.00-$1500.00 for center. Not alot but she wants a really nice setting

so her total budget would be what?

 

[woobug02]

$4000.00 total budget. She found a setting with side diamonds and a band that is going to cost her around $2700.00. She love the large setting but can''t afford the large diamond for the center....

 

[woobug02]

2.00 ct. ish

 

[Gypsy]

A sapphire or whatever her birthstone is. Spinels and Rubies are nice too. And Beryls. Okay... so they are all nice. If you look at the colored gems area there is a thread with all the PS colored stones rings and they are stunning!

 

[windowshopper]

Date: 5/9/2006 9:47:26 AM
Author: woobug02
$4000.00 total budget. She found a setting with side diamonds and a band that is going to cost her around $2700.00. She love the large setting but can''t afford the large diamond for the center....

oay--so i am guessing that she is okkay with spending the $$ on this setting she loves with the goal of replacing the center stone down the road with a diamond?. Virginia is right--a two carat sapphire is much larger than a 2 carat diamond. she will need the dimensions of the head for the center stone and then look for something that will fit.

 

[woobug02]

Yes, that is exactly what she is going to do

 

[woobug02]

Ok, she said the setting holds a tiffany style head and thinks a round, princess or oval would look fine. She wants to keep the set traditional so doesn''t want to do anything real trendy. She is doing a band on each side like my set. I just talk to her and she loves blue and wondered if a aquamarine would look ok as an ERing?

 

[partgypsy]

Actually a 2 ct sapphire will be smaller than a 2 ct diamond, she will have to get a larger weight sapphire to fit. She should find the dimensions of the ring and go by that.

for me I second sapphires and spinels. I would also say emerald and ruby, but those aren''t going to really be any less expensive than a diamond in a large size. Other suggestions are tourmaline and garnet.

 

[woobug02]

She said that the on the sides must be at least 6.00mm in width for the setting to look right. She said a round 7.5 ish would be good.....

 

[indecisive]

Maybe you should post in the colored stones section...

 

[Kismet]

How about a chrysoberyl? Those are relatively inexpensive and nice and sparkly.

 

[FireGoddess]

If she loves blue I also wanted to throw in there that I have seen some LOVELY blue topaz erings, a 4 ct one (!!) just recently. They look beautiful as well....

 

[MJO]

Hello,

Personally I would find out what color she would like and then pick the stone. She should get something she will want to wear later so she can keep it as a memento of her original ring and not just get tossed asside. Even sapphires come in a variety of colors so first choose a color.

Regards,
Maurice

 

[Gypsy]

Date: 5/9/2006 12:26:52 PM
Author: MJO
Hello,

Personally I would find out what color she would like and then pick the stone. She should get something she will want to wear later so she can keep it as a memento of her original ring and not just get tossed asside. Even sapphires come in a variety of colors so first choose a color.

Regards,
Maurice

I totally agree. I wanted a gem to replace my diamond in my current setting, when I get this one re-set. I started with colors... decided I wanted something that looked like a canary diamond and was affordable (saphires seemed out for me... but my budget was 300 bucks)... and Zircon''s have a high refractive index-- close to diamonds-- so BAM. I knew what to ask for. But definitely start with color.

 

[jleb]

Ugg.. diamonds.. how boring.. have you noticed that EVERYONE has a diamond?? I used to deal them.. accents only please..

Hmmm.. platinum setting.. if this is a day ring, then a sapphire is probably ok.. if it''s a nitetime ring, then not so good.. they tend to go dark in night lightening.. Just dont'' buy one that is so dark you can''t see any rich full blue and one that does not have a grey mask.. ( an example of bad is anything over 2k in the macey''s jewelry case!)
Google Aussie Sapphire for a mine owner that has nice sapphires.. I got some killer rough i''m cutting from them..

I would put a Tsvaorite garnet in that ring.. nice and green.. side stone it with mandarin spessarites.. yumm.. different and a lot of fun..

Other option would be a paraiba (Cu bearing) tourmaline.. you can get a lot of different shades of blue and green from sapphire like to swimming pool neon...

 

[woobug02]

GREAT IDEAS for her....She loves blue and pink...................... Would you consider Kunzinite????

 

[woobug02]

She wants to wear it all the time... Day and night...

 

[MJO]

Date: 5/9/2006 1:38:35 PM
Author: woobug02
GREAT IDEAS for her....She loves blue and pink...................... Would you consider Kunzinite????

I would not concider Kunzinite because it is a spodumine and most I know ,if left out in the sun, bleach to clear or slight pink. Pink spinel would be my choice since the lighter Kunzinite colored pinks are relatively cheap. The deeper pinks are more expensive but under 2cts still reasonable. For blue I would go with blue zircon. Zircon has more disperssion than diamond and is brighter than sapphire. A top blue in that size would be minimal. I would go with AJS for the Zircon since he seems to have a nice variety. I would contact him first and ask him which would be the best. I just ordered 2 larger ones from him the other day. If he doesn''t have one to fit he will take one and have it cut for you.

Regards,
Maurice

 

[FireGoddess]

My jeweler wears a kunzite ring (is this different from ''kunzinite''???) and I will say that the pink color has faded quite a bit, for what it''s worth...

 

[woobug02]

Great Info on the Kunzinite.... Do you have a link to AJS??? Thank you

 

[Kaleigh]

I also heard on here that Kunzite fades when exposed to sunlight??

 

[treysar]

If I were her, I would get a nice 2ct oval lab grown sapphire from Chatham or somewhere like that, and get half moon diamond sides (or white sapphire sides if the budget can''t allow for diamonds).

 

[MJO]

Date: 5/9/2006 2:37:43 PM
Author: FireGoddess
My jeweler wears a kunzite ring (is this different from ''kunzinite''???) and I will say that the pink color has faded quite a bit, for what it''s worth...

Hi FireGoddess,

I copied the spelling from the post and it was wrong, you are right it''s Kunzite.

Regards,
Maurice

 

[MJO]

Date: 5/9/2006 2:47:23 PM
Author: woobug02
Great Info on the Kunzinite.... Do you have a link to AJS??? Thank you

Hi Woodbug02,

The link is www.AJSgems.com and the owners name is Arnold. Ussually you will get either Arnold or Rung. I don't believe he is answering email today as it is his birhtday.

Does the stone have to be round? If so this looks like the best match:

http://ajsgems.com/ZBL/ZBL-00709.htm

If not I would take this one:

http://ajsgems.com/ZBL/ZBL-00642.htm

Regards,
Maurice