Once you go big, do you ever go back?

[MakingTheGrade]

I'm just wondering, for those of you who have multiple of the same gem in the same color, do you ever wear the smaller one over the bigger one?

For example, you bought a lovely 5mm round green tourmaline when you started collecting and had a set. A year down the road, you get a 7mm one in roughly the same color in an oval this time. You set the new one as well. Do you think you'd wear the small one much anymore?

In general, I find that I wear my larger pieces more often these days and my smaller 5mm stones don't get as much finger time. I might be acquiring a second tsav that will be bigger than my current, and I'm just musing how often I'll wear the smaller one if I love the bigger one too now that I'm used to a little more finger coverage.

What do you guys do with your smaller stones? Reset them? Sell them? Keep them for sentimental reasons and revisit them every one and awhile?

 

[cellentani]

Given my plump fingers, I never thought I'd wear anything smaller than 7mm, and my largest stone is 10mm! I've been into earrings and pendants lately though, and I've found that I can enjoy a 6mm stone in a halo pendant. Like you, I'd quickly get used to a larger size stone on my hand, and would probably reset the smaller one into a pendant or something. Ahh, MTG, it never stops with us stoners, does it?!

 

[MakingTheGrade]

Haha, no it never stops!

My problem also is that I don't really like pendants much. I just wear the same one all the time (my small WF flower pendant).
I"m mostly a ring junkie!

At least I've settled on a 6-7mm sweet spot. 7.5mm I've found is actually too big for my liking! That's at least a relief for my budget.

 

[chrono]

I haven’t any identical stones of different measurements so far so I can’t say with any certainty what I’d really do in that situation but here’s a possibility of what I may do: unless I think I am able to get something to match it (which admittedly can be a challenge) for earrings, I’ll either sell it or keep it to pass on as a gift to a close family member.

 

[PinkTower]

I've never worn RHRs. I prefer to rotate a colored stone as an engagement ring. Lately I have started to wear my smaller stones as a RHR.

 

[movie zombie]

i'm in the bigger is better camp. i don't own multiples of the same stone. and i think the reason i haven't set my recent acquisitions is because they are small. perhaps i'll make one big ring with them!

mz

 

[jstarfireb]

I've never been a size girl. For rings, I have a few bigger pieces that I tend to wear very sparingly, but I always go back to my smaller ones. I've been collecting jewelry for a LONG time, and even when I buy new things, I always gravitate toward smaller pieces. I don't usually go larger than 5-6 mm. Pendants are a different story; I feel like smaller pendants tend to get lost on my neck, and I prefer something larger (8-10 mm sounds about right).

 

[Nashville]

I prefer the way larger gems look on my hand. Luckily, this is usually obtainable with the tourmaline, spinels and amethyste etc. But it's frustrating because the one gem I do want for my forever ring is so expensive in the size I want

 

[T L]

It depends on the color of the gem for me. I have a large minty Afghan tourmaline of 4.5 carats, and now I prefer wearing my 1.82 carat minty garnet ring because I prefer the color on that one, even though the Afghan is larger and the cutting is precision faceting. I also wear my 1.1 carat rubellite because the color screams at people, and despite it's tiny size, people have noticed it from across a room. However, large size and great color would be optimal, but not everyone can afford that.

 

[partgypsy]

In general I would agree with you. I'm not a huge size girl, but after buying lots of stones realized for myself not to get anything under 5, 5.5 mm because I'm not interested in setting it to wear (saving myself some money). For me around 6 mm is a sweet spot, nice enough to see, but still (usually) affordable. I'd love to get a honking 2 carat blue sapphire ring someday, but in general a moderate (but not tiny) size works for me.

 

[kenny]

I have a couple white diamond rings, a 2.26ct asscher and a 0.83 ct round.
I usually wear the asscher but whenever I wear the round I think, this is beautiful, the different look, the size and the personaltiy and the amazing light performance.
The asscher has more of a bold pattern which means alternating light and dark areas.
The round looks like a ball of intense light, with a look that is much less pattern-based.

When I wear the smaller round I don't "miss" the largeness of the other rock at all.
Two totally different experiences, kind of like having a wife and a few concubines.

I'm about to get that tiny green diamond and wearing that will be a real delight that is not size-related at all.

 

[platinumrock]

My stones range from .50 to 6 cts. Of course I prefer the larger stones, but I've learned to appreciate fine/unique color over size. A smaller stone with an intense, unique color can have just as much presence as a larger stone with "diluted" color.

Thanks to halos and bezels, I can still wear smaller stones without them looking like chips on my sausage hands.

 

[arjunajane]

i'm in the bigger is better camp. i don't own multiples of the same stone. and i think the reason i haven't set my recent acquisitions is because they are small. perhaps i'll make one big ring with them!

mz

agreed! It does creep up on you though - at first, I felt 6.5-7mm was a perfect size. I now don't like to order anything
less than the 8 to 10mm range..
I would like to go bigger for a pendant, but mainly my sweet spot is in the ~8~9mm, as I prefer to set my stones in rings and feel this gives the nicest coverage without looking gaudy.

That said, I have just committed to purchasing a 10mm stone from Gary I don't think I can pull off 10 in a ring, so this should be ideal for a first gemstone pendant.

to answer the question about smaller stones - I chose to have five set in one piece (although some wouldn't really be considered small at 8 and 7.5mm)..
That is what I would do though - try to find a project where they complement each other (if you like them enough to set them) - otherwise just keep em around for learner stones..or give away as gifts?

 

[cellentani]

I have a couple white diamond rings, a 2.26ct asscher and a 0.83 ct round.
I usually wear the asscher but whenever I wear the round I think, this is beautiful, the different look, the size and the personaltiy and the amazing light performance.
The asscher has more of a bold pattern which means alternating light and dark areas.
The round looks like a ball of intense light, with a look that is much less pattern-based.

When I wear the smaller round I don't "miss" the largeness of the other rock at all.
Two totally different experiences, kind of like having a wife and a few concubines.

I'm about to get that tiny green diamond and wearing that will be a real delight that is not size-related at all.

Is that the green diamond in your avatar?? I wondered what that was, and had a hard time picturing you with a tourmaline or garnet, lol!

 

[LaurenThePartier]

I went bigger with a few of my asschers and decided that I'm just a 7mm or less girl.

It all depends on how you live your life, but my husband and I don't go out all that often, and my larger stones are rarely worn to the office.

 

[Kismet]

I have demantoids, chrysoberyls and aquamarines in various sizes and I wear them all. The chrysoberyls are in various colors so maybe that's different.

 

[redfaerythinker]

I have about six rings with green stones, and I wear them ALL! I wear one for a couple days, then switch to a new one. Although after I wear my 8mm peridot with a halo it's pretty hard to go back to the 5mm tsav. But they're all a bit different and I like them for different reasons so it works out alright.

 

[MakingTheGrade]

Yeah, I don't wear my 5mm padparadscha ring as often any more. But on the occasions I do, I'm reminded of why I doted on it so much, the color still makes me smile!

I guess I'm thinking about it because I currently have one tsavorite ring, the tsav is .9ct . I'm possibly acquiring a second one that is about 1.3 ct. and significantly larger visually and depending how I set it may have substantially better presence and finger coverage. I adore my current tsav to pieces, but I do wonder how I'll often I'd wear it if I got another tsav or larger size and possible better color.

 

[jstarfireb]

Well, the better color would be a much bigger issue for me independent of size. I'll take a small stone with great color over a larger one with worse color any day.

 

[MakingTheGrade]

Well, the better color would be a much bigger issue for me independent of size. I'll take a small stone with great color over a larger one with worse color any day.

Heh, yeah, that's why I haven't had so many projects lately. I think I've gotten spoiled by PS and amazing PSer gem pics that I just don't buy anything I don't think is exactly what I want anymore. I figure I"ll find it eventually so no point settling for something less now just to never wear it later on.

I'm still waiting for pics of the new tsav...supposed to get some today...so excited! I keep jumping every time I get a new email.

 

[CharmyPoo]

I have lots of rings in pinks or reds of various sizes. I do switch around because the settings are very different.

 

[kenny]

I have a couple white diamond rings, a 2.26ct asscher and a 0.83 ct round.
I usually wear the asscher but whenever I wear the round I think, this is beautiful, the different look, the size and the personaltiy and the amazing light performance.
The asscher has more of a bold pattern which means alternating light and dark areas.
The round looks like a ball of intense light, with a look that is much less pattern-based.

When I wear the smaller round I don't "miss" the largeness of the other rock at all.
Two totally different experiences, kind of like having a wife and a few concubines.

I'm about to get that tiny green diamond and wearing that will be a real delight that is not size-related at all.

Is that the green diamond in your avatar??

Yup.

 

[kelpie]

I got this emerald and now everything else I own looks shrimpy to me. I don't wear my tiny gypsy set emerald anymore. I wanted to wear the new emerald more than my engagement ring at the time (.95) so now I have a competing 2ct OEC. It's not practical for everyday, but it has definitely changed my sense of scale in what I look for in jewelry. I also think larger jewelry appeals to us more as we age (I'm only 27, there is no hope!).

 

[kelpie]

Kenny brings up a good point...it's nice to appreciate the smaller sizes and the different look. To combat DSS I have some very petite diamond rings and studs, I switch to them for a while and when I return to my usual jewelry I'm satisfied with the size again.

 

[MakingTheGrade]

Well looks like I won't have a problem since my new potential tsav is med to med dark and has red flashes.

 

[Indylady]

I just "went big" at 6.5mm centerstone+halo today!! Its the lite version of a setting that a lot of PS'ers have. I haven't experienced CSSS yet, but now we'll see if this one gives my other smaller rings competition.

 

[newbaglover]

Beautiful setting! I think I am atracted to medium sized stones ( between 5-10 mms). If they are larger, the ring has to be very high, and not practical for my lifestyle. I cannot do very small gems because of my chubby size 9 fingers.

 

[klewis]

I started out buying larger stones but now, if I'm looking at a larger size I consider if it's going to be set or if it's a specimen stone. I think large stones are less easily incorporated into a man's ring design. Women can wear the tiniest or largest gems.