It''s done! A 1.60 J SI2 has found a new home...

[fire&ice]

Date: 3/11/2005 12:19:27 PM
Author: Mara

Funny, last nite we were admiring the diamond on the couch and I was telling Greg about the appearance of Mr F&I (so honored!) and what everyone else was saying and some of the funny responses

and then the next final jump can be to slightly over 3c (or as Greg said last nite...a 3.5c

...).

What one does when traveling together in a car for 3+ hours! I actually told hubby about Mara from PS upgrade and how you were aiming for 3c in the future. And, his response really was......"somebody''s got to talk to that boy because as time passes that diamond will grow exponentially! I know from experience!"

AND.........................in two short days it grows from 3c to 3.5c

Greg - get out that checkbook NOW!

before she''s gonna need a wheel barrel also to cart that thing around.

 

[Mara]

BG I'm sure your stone will be fabulous. I am looking at my stone right now and it looks great in the office, but I definitely think this office is better than my last office, I didn't love the look of my stone there so maybe it depends on the type of fluor? Who knows!

mmm, I am the same way with not too many pieces of jewelry, I only wear the basics anyway. I would like a RB pendant, I have a Regent right now, and also I would want to upgrade my earrings, but really those three things are it for the immediate radar.

The RHR is probably a project for at least a few years out, probably after the e-ring stone is maxed out at 3.5(?!!?) and sometimes I see fabulous pieces at Tiffany or Fay Cullen I wouldn't mind having replicated, but that may be down the road when I don't have any other jewelry goals to focus on..gotta keep focused here!!

 

[Mara]

F&I...yep Greg is a goner...no doubt about it!

I truly think his only saving grace is that is as I just mentioned, that I don''t like LOTS of various types of jewelry. Wanting various other types of baubles and jewesl on top of a diamond ''habit'' could just push him over the edge!!

 

[teebee]

Mara... Wow... You are my PS hero!!!

Your new stone is just amazing!!! It looks stunning with your setting & on your hand!!! Wow...

Well, I''ve already "copied" you with my setting so I guess now I will just have to start working on the stone upgrade.... Actually, perhaps I should try to keep my diamond aspirations at bay until we get married?!?!

 

[Jennifer5973]

oooooh, Miss Mara, have you seenTHIS

and with med. flour. too....

 

[Dancing Fire]

Date: 3/11/2005 7

1

8 PM
Author: Jennifer5973
oooooh, Miss Mara, have you seenTHIS

and with med. flour. too....

Jenn
yes,it''s perfect for mara

hey Jenn if she upgrades to this 3ct,she would break your record 2 upgrades in 2 weeks

 

[Jennifer5973]

Date: 3/11/2005 7:41:38 PM
Author: Dancing Fire

Date: 3/11/2005 7

1

8 PM
Author: Jennifer5973
oooooh, Miss Mara, have you seenTHIS

and with med. flour. too....

Jenn
yes,it''s perfect for mara

hey Jenn if she upgrades to this 3ct,she would break your record 2 upgrades in 2 weeks

DF, you are SUCH a troublemaker!

 

[Pearberry]

Mara:

Love your new ring! Very pretty!

PB

 

[Mara]

Haha Jen OF COURSE I have seen it .... but can I afford it? Sadly not...but it definitely looks FABULOUS and totally up my alley with the med blue fluor, that would be an absolutely stunning stone!

If it''s still there in the next 2 years, maybe it would become mine!

 

[Dancing Fire]

mara

you never heard about the 2 yrs layaway plan?

too bad,3 ct is too big for me.

 

[Kamuelamom]

Mara, I agree with those who said the 3 ct. mock up which ana did looks great on you. But then again, so does the 1.60.

 

[Mara]

hee hee guys...here is my version of the photoshopped 3c stone...i did this last week.

how close is it to val's...I will have to scroll back and see. this one may be a very tiny bit smaller than a 3c...

edited to add: oh yes val's is DEFINITELY bigger than my 3c version, she also has better control of Photoshop so I will just drool over hers.

 

[Jennifer5973]

Mara, you need a credit card with 0% for life...then, it''s painless... and it''s NOW.

I''m really not a good influence...

Hey--it took me 8 years of marriage to get the 3 ct upgrade--you can hold out until at least 3.

 

[Mara]

Date: 3/11/2005 10:37:51 PM
Author: Jennifer5973
Mara, you need a credit card with 0% for life...then, it's painless... and it's NOW.

I'm really not a good influence...

Hey--it took me 8 years of marriage to get the 3 ct upgrade--you can hold out until at least 3.

HAH Jen don't even get me started on the OTHER items in your collection from the previous years....sure you waited 8 years to upgrade the big stone but what about the rest of the items??

...no playing innocent allowed here. you are as hard core as the best of us...hehehe. we're all angels.

I have a 0% card for the next 2 years..hmmmm...NO...I won't do it!! But I have been drooling over that 3c all evening...

 

[Jennifer5973]

You can blame Pricscope for that.

I did/do enjoy collecting all my "stuff" and I had told myself I didn''t "need" a new ering stone and did a dance with my husband around it....he was attached to the original stone, as sad as it was in terms of cut. But eventually, the truth set me free--literally.

Your new stone is both beautiful and smart--I personally love it when people ask if my SI2 is "flawless"....it is so satisfying, isn''t it? It''s like you saved $40,000 or something and no one knows. A dirty little secret...and as you mentioned, don''t even bother talking about SI this or cut that with 99.9% of the people around...no one gets it. It''s big; it''s sparkly. That''s it.

 

[pqcollectibles]

and as you mentioned, don''t even bother talking about SI this or cut that with 99.9% of the people around...no one gets it. It''s big; it''s sparkly. That''s it.

Ain''t that the truth!!


Well, dear Mara,.......... I got busy the end of the week. WF sure wisked your ring back to you!!

I am so glad for you that it''s as absolutely gorgeous as you heart desired!!

I have to admit that I worried a bit for you that you may see some hint of color that was a total turn-off. The ring is fabulous, you are happy, and I am so thrilled for you!!

 

[hoorray]

Mara, counter to what most expect to think, I think the 1.6 looks just perfect on you. If you go straight to the 3c now, and that''s it, you have nothing to look forward to. Your stone is both bigger and prettier than most peers you know, would be my guess. Revel in it, enjoy in it, and save the next step for next time! Having these step upgrades is part of the fun. This is a beautiful upgrade that really suits you. Have fun with it!

 

[Mara]

It really is true about how people have NO IDEA out in the real world about diamonds, cut, clarity, color, all of that. That conversation with that gal last week showed me that again very clearly. Seeing this stone this week showed me even more clearly just how much that exceptional cut does mask. Probably a hint of color but also the inclusions, when a stone sparkles so madly you can't look at anything else! I didn't even notice the girdle wasn't faceted!

Part of what is fun for me with these upgrades is that I get to see various types and colors/clarities of stones rather than just buying into one for the next 10-20 years and then being stuck with it or feeling like the wish was unfulfilled. So I have seen a G VS1, have seen an E VS1, have seen an H SI1, I SI1's, and now a J SI2! They all are eye-clean to me and I was just telling alj tonite that I feel like this J stone is the BEST out of all the stones I have seen. The funny thing is that it has almost the same specs of table, depth, crown and pav that my old H SI stone had but this stone just looks so much 'more'...not just bigger but MORE in terms of more sparkle, more arrow glimpses, more scintillation, more more more. More fabulous. And my old H SI stone was pretty fabulous, but this is even MORE.

It's very fascinating, all the small nuances of diamonds, even ones with such similar specs, but such different looks. I wonder if part of it could be that the stone is bigger, aka same facet # but bigger facets which Greg noted, so possibly larger surface area of the facet reflects *more* light?? Something of which I don't know has ever been discussed.

I can't wait to see the next one and the next one! Does it just get better along with bigger?

Oh and don't worry lop...no way could I do that 3c upgrade (though I did tell Greg about Jen's comments tonite and he asked how much it was...hehee) right now, nor would I really want to. I love having something to look fwd to next year in the 2c+ and then after that who knows! I really am curious to see how long this 1.6 stone captivates me. Again I really do like this size and feel like it FITS with my hand/finger size, my ring set, it just looks better.

I know I sound like a broken record raving about this diamond, but I can't say enough good!

It's really fun to be so pleased about something of which I was not 100% sure what to expect.

 

[headlight]

Date: 3/11/2005 10:37:51 PM
Author: Jennifer5973

Hey--it took me 8 years of marriage to get the 3 ct upgrade--you can hold out until at least 3.

That''s pretty good... took me 13 years of marriage to get the 3 ct upgrade!!!

 

[Mara]

Date: 3/12/2005 1:58

6 AM
Author: headlight

Date: 3/11/2005 10:37:51 PM
Author: Jennifer5973

Hey--it took me 8 years of marriage to get the 3 ct upgrade--you can hold out until at least 3.

That''s pretty good... took me 13 years of marriage to get the 3 ct upgrade!!!

So will 3 years be the PScope record? Would I get the award of ''truly and hopelessly diamond obsessed'' and win a 1 month stay to Diamonds Anonymous Recovery Clinic??!?!?!

I shouldn''t joke!!

 

[headlight]

Date: 3/12/2005 2

1

7 AM
Author: Mara

Date: 3/12/2005 1:58

6 AM
Author: headlight

Date: 3/11/2005 10:37:51 PM
Author: Jennifer5973

Hey--it took me 8 years of marriage to get the 3 ct upgrade--you can hold out until at least 3.

That''s pretty good... took me 13 years of marriage to get the 3 ct upgrade!!!

So will 3 years be the PScope record? Would I get the award of ''truly and hopelessly diamond obsessed'' and win a 1 month stay to Diamonds Anonymous Recovery Clinic??!?!?!

I shouldn''t joke!!

Yes, that would definitely win the award!!! As for that one month stay at the DAR clinic... don''t ''cha think that after my three center stone changes and 5 settings, I deserve to at least ACCOMPANY you there???!!!

 

[valeria101]

Date: 3/12/2005 217 AM
Author: Mara

Diamonds Anonymous Recovery Clinic??!?!?! I shouldn't joke!!

"Diamonds Anonymous Recovery Clinic" ???

That's a funny one ! A month of diamond grading should do the trick

In the mentime.... You would not consider a diamond bezel or sidestones, no ?

 

[headlight]

Date: 3/12/2005 2:13:55 AM
Author: valeria101

Date: 3/12/2005 217 AM
Author: Mara

Diamonds Anonymous Recovery Clinic??!?!?! I shouldn''t joke!!

''Diamonds Anonymous Recovery Clinic'' ???

That''s a funny one ! A month of diamond grading should do the trick

In the mentime.... You would not consider a diamond bezel or sidestones, no ?

Did I have too much wine with dinner or what -- I don''t get it???

 

[Kamuelamom]

Date: 3/12/2005 1:58

6 AM
Author: headlight

Date: 3/11/2005 10:37:51 PM
Author: Jennifer5973

Hey--it took me 8 years of marriage to get the 3 ct upgrade--you can hold out until at least 3.

That''s pretty good... took me 13 years of marriage to get the 3 ct upgrade!!!

Well I''ve got all of you beat. It took me 13 years of marriage to get my first diamond ring from DH!

And yes, it was soooo worth the wait. Upgrade? Naw....a little prong makeover and I''ve got a new ring all over again.

 

[valeria101]

Date: 3/12/2005 2:23:13 AM
Author: headlight

Date: 3/12/2005 2:13:55 AM
Author: valeria101

Date: 3/12/2005 217 AM
Author: Mara

Diamonds Anonymous Recovery Clinic??!?!?!  I shouldn''t joke!!

''Diamonds Anonymous Recovery Clinic'' ???     That''s  a  funny one !  A month of diamond grading should do the trick

In the mentime....  You would not consider a diamond bezel or sidestones, no ?

Did I have too much wine with dinner or what -- I don''t get it???

Never mind ... I was just thinking aloud. Grading looks like such a supremely boring, eye-crossing job to me that a relatively small doze should cure any level of diamond obsession

Mara mentioned potential sidestones at some point - so I was asking if that kind of "upgrade" is still a possibility. There''s room for a serious pair of sidestones for what the upgrade from 1.6 to 3 carats would cost.

 

[MiniMouse]

Mara, your ring is GORGEOUS. It certainly makes me think ''out of the box'' when it comes to my future ring. I''ve always thought I wanted to have D-F, VVS (maybe VS) stones, but my thoughts are now slipping, wondering if color and clarity can slide to increase size. Your stone certainly shows that it''s possible to get a wonderfully white stone at value for money, but still end up with a stunning ring that will make jaws drop! Congratulations, it''s a masterpiece!

 

[Colored Gemstone Nut]

Mara:

I love you like the sister I never had

, but you need some serious help Girl!

I don't care how many vices Greg might have, we should all start a fund raiser for your therapy.

I have an active imagination picturing you in a psychiatric ward, drooling getting your daily meds, with crazed eye's while you rock back and forth chanting my diamond...my diamond..for the love of God...Biggger Greg..Bigger..My diamond must be BIGGER!..

 

[pqcollectibles]

Date: 3/12/2005 5:54

9 AM
Author: Colored Gemstone Nut
Mara:

I love you like the sister I never had

, but you need some serious help Girl!

I don''t care how many vices Greg might have, we should all start a fund raiser for your therapy.

I have an active imagination picturing you in a psychiatric ward, drooling getting your daily meds, with crazed eye''s while you rock back and forth chanting my diamond...my diamond..for the love of God...Biggger Greg..Bigger..My diamond must be BIGGER!..

Of course, appropriately attired in a STRAIGHT JACKET!!!

 

[headlight]

Date: 3/12/2005 3:21:40 AM
Author: valeria101

Date: 3/12/2005 2:23:13 AM
Author: headlight

Date: 3/12/2005 2:13:55 AM
Author: valeria101

Date: 3/12/2005 217 AM
Author: Mara

Diamonds Anonymous Recovery Clinic??!?!?! I shouldn''t joke!!

''Diamonds Anonymous Recovery Clinic'' ??? That''s a funny one ! A month of diamond grading should do the trick

In the mentime.... You would not consider a diamond bezel or sidestones, no ?

Did I have too much wine with dinner or what -- I don''t get it???

Never mind ... I was just thinking aloud. Grading looks like such a supremely boring, eye-crossing job to me that a relatively small doze should cure any level of diamond obsession

Mara mentioned potential sidestones at some point - so I was asking if that kind of ''upgrade'' is still a possibility. There''s room for a serious pair of sidestones for what the upgrade from 1.6 to 3 carats would cost.

Okay, that is where I thought you were going with this, but I didn''t know a mounting change was in the thought process -- I was under the impression she loved her bands.

 

[Mara]

okay I am not THAT bad...Greg is very proud of me for forgoing the larger H SI2 potential later this year to get something that is more inline with our budget that fits my size requirement (for now!), and so am I actually! We have other priorities this year which I am looking fwd to, aka decorating the house a bit more and getting some real artwork...I actually need to get a new car later this year so am thinking of leasing a Mini...it''s cute, small, fast, and most importantly cheap!

Can''t have it taking too much money away from OTHER things...

headlight...I had asked Val to mock up an image of my ring with side stones a while back, before I did the Big J...I wasn''t sure if maybe that was a better way to go, as she notes I could get a pair of serious side stones for the cost it would take me to make a jump to 2c+, and at the time I wasn''t even sure if I wanted to jump the center stone if I got side stones etc. Aka a 1.29c with a nice pair of sidestones would make the whole lot stretch across my finger in a way no 3c will. But in the end I really do love my solitaire...and while I''d love a 3 stone in the future, I don''t think that my setting will be the one that holds it. Who knows though, that could change later!! Part of the fun.

But honestly, the thoughts of putting side stones on the Big J makes me think ''monstrous''...I adore DiDiamond''s 3 stone monster ring but how does she wear it daily?! Maybe one day I will find out...hehee.