Overwhelmed, Please help with first studs :)

[squiggy241]

Hi there I'm pretty new here, and am looking for assistance from the knowledgeable people on here! I have been browsing for awhile, and finally joined to request help. I do not want anything too big, but I know that I have fallen for the BGD hearts and arrows . My budget is not as large as I would like it to be, but this is a present to myself for making it halfway through Nursing .

I have seen a few matched pairs on BGD, but do not really know what to look for to have a bright stone with some fire I have between $800-$1200 to spend (+/- $100) I am hoping to be able to find some nice H & A's in a 0.50-0.65 ctw. I know that the cut is most important! My sweet spot for other specs would be for the color to be between G-I, and the clarity to be SI1. I would be most appreciative if I could have some help!

 

[sugarski]

Hi there I'm pretty new here, and am looking for assistance from the knowledgeable people on here! I have been browsing for awhile, and finally joined to request help. I do not want anything too big, but I know that I have fallen for the BGD hearts and arrows . My budget is not as large as I would like it to be, but this is a present to myself for making it halfway through Nursing .

I have seen a few matched pairs on BGD, but do not really know what to look for to have a bright stone with some fire I have between $800-$1200 to spend (+/- $100) I am hoping to be able to find some nice H & A's in a 0.50-0.65 ctw. I know that the cut is most important! My sweet spot for other specs would be for the color to be between G-I, and the clarity to be SI1. I would be most appreciative if I could have some help!

Hi squiggy241,

I recently bought a pair of studs from BGD and could not be happier with them. Mine are .864 ctw, JVS2. They are absolutely beautiful diamonds, and icy white to my eye; so if you want my advice, don't be afraid to go down in color. Honestly, if I had it to do over again, the only thing I would change would be to see if I could find an SI2 pair, in order to save a bit more dough. BG Signature stones are all so well-cut that IMO you don't have to worry about any of them being duds.

That said, if you use the "Brian's Matched Pairs" tool http://www.briangavindiamonds.com/brians-matched-pairs/ to do a search for G/SI1/under $1000 you will see many pairs that meet your specs and will keep you under budget, including setting (assuming you're not doing one of the more expensive handmade settings). Check to make sure the two stones are close in diameter and table size, and you'll be good to go. HTH.

 

[squiggy241]

Thank you! There are so many to choose from Do you think there is much of a difference between 0.50-0.65 ctw, or should I lean more toward the 0.50 ctw pairs pricewise if there is not much of a size issue?

 

[Enerchi]

Hi Squiggy, I also have BGD signature stones and they are J's (.44 & .43) that I absolutely love! the cut of the signature stones is well worth it - they face up brighter and sparklier than other stones, IMO.

Call and speak with Denise, or Jamie or even Lesley and see what they can put together for you. Have you gone thru the SMTB thread on stud earrings??? You'll enjoy browsing that thread!!!

 

[stargurl78]

I don't think you can go wrong with a pair of BGD signature studs. I am biased though because I have a pair of F SI1s and I LOVE them!

A gorgeous pair of G SI1s:

http://www.briangavindiamonds.com/diamonds/diamond-details/0.301-g-si1-round-diamond-ags-104051366097

http://www.briangavindiamonds.com/diamonds/diamond-details/0.302-g-si1-round-diamond-ags-104052884052


If you are comfortable going down to I color, you can go up a tiny bit in size (the carat weights aren't an exact match but I would compare the diameter of the stones rather than the carat weight):

http://www.briangavindiamonds.com/diamonds/diamond-details/0.330-i-si1-round-diamond-ags-104061074123

http://www.briangavindiamonds.com/diamonds/diamond-details/0.317-i-si1-round-diamond-ags-104061079018


Both of those options should leave enough funds for the settings and still stay within budget.

In regards to your question about size, I think you will notice a difference between 0.50ctw and 0.65ctw. I would go with the largest you can afford in the color and clarity you are comfortable with.

 

[squiggy241]

Hi Squiggy, I also have BGD signature stones and they are J's (.44 & .43) that I absolutely love! the cut of the signature stones is well worth it - they face up brighter and sparklier than other stones, IMO.

Call and speak with Denise, or Jamie or even Lesley and see what they can put together for you. Have you gone thru the SMTB thread on stud earrings??? You'll enjoy browsing that thread!!!

Oh yes! I have definitely looked through that wonderful thread They are all so lovely!

 

[squiggy241]

A pair of G SI1s:

http://www.briangavindiamonds.com/diamonds/diamond-details/0.301-g-si1-round-diamond-ags-104051366097

http://www.briangavindiamonds.com/diamonds/diamond-details/0.302-g-si1-round-diamond-ags-104052884052


If you are comfortable going down to I color, you can go up a tiny bit in size (the carat weights aren't an exact match but I would compare the diameter of the stones over the carat weight):

http://www.briangavindiamonds.com/diamonds/diamond-details/0.330-i-si1-round-diamond-ags-104061074123

http://www.briangavindiamonds.com/diamonds/diamond-details/0.317-i-si1-round-diamond-ags-104061079018


Both of those options should leave enough funds for the settings and still stay within budget.

In regards to your question about size, I think you will notice a difference between 0.50ctw and 0.65ctw. I would go with the largest you can afford in the color and clarity you are comfortable with.

Wow! Thank you for finding these I like both pairs! I think I will try to go with the higher ctw. Is there a noticeable difference between the G and I? I really do like the second ones (decisions, decisions)

 

[sugarski]

Thank you! There are so many to choose from Do you think there is much of a difference between 0.50-0.65 ctw, or should I lean more toward the 0.50 ctw pairs pricewise if there is not much of a size issue?

Hmmm... I am not sure how noticeable that difference is in studs, honestly.

If it were me, and I were trying to save money, I would get the least expensive pair I could find, knowing that BGD has a great upgrade policy. I think .50 ctw is a *great* size for a starter pair of studs [I wore a .20 ctw pair until I got my BGDs!] and you can wear them happily for years, then upgrade whenever you like. Keep in mind, though, that the BGD upgrade policy requires you to go up in two of the following categories: size, color, and clarity. So if you do .50 ctw GSI1, you'll need to go up in color *or* clarity as well as size in the future.

 

[stargurl78]

Wow! Thank you for finding these I like both pairs! I think I will try to go with the higher ctw. Is there a noticeable difference between the G and I? I really do like the second ones (decisions, decisions)

No problem! I think most people on here would vote for the slightly larger I SI1s, which honestly should be plenty white for earrings. If it were me personally, I would probably go with the G SI1s but I am VERY color-sensitive (I like ICY white stones). I really think color is a personal preference and only you will know what you are comfortable with. I really think that the I colored stones will be fine though if you want to go for the slightly larger pair. Most people here would think J color would be fine too but I couldn't find any options that meet your criteria.

There really isn't going to be a huge difference in the size of those 2 options and I don't think you could go wrong with either choice. If you are interested in them, I would call BGD and have at least one pair put on hold because there are often lurkers here who buy things based on our suggestions.

I'm going to disagree with sugarski regarding the size but again, this is up to you. I think the difference in stone sizes will be about 0.3mm which in my opinion, is enough to be noticeable to the naked eye. I have compared a 0.37ct stone to a 0.41ct and you could definitely tell which one was the larger stone. I actually started out with a pair of 0.62ctw studs and I wish I would have went with a larger pair to begin with (I ended up with a pair of 0.88ctw studs). And the problem with upgrading later is you have to eat the cost of the settings, which can be anywhere from $175-300 or so, depending on the settings you choose. I guess it's not a huge expense, but it's about 15-30% of your current budget. Or maybe I'm just cheap

 

[squiggy241]

Wow! Thank you for finding these I like both pairs! I think I will try to go with the higher ctw. Is there a noticeable difference between the G and I? I really do like the second ones (decisions, decisions)

There really isn't going to be a huge difference in the size of those 2 options and I don't think you could go wrong with either choice. If you are interested in them, I would call BGD and have at least one pair put on hold because there are often lurkers here who buy things based on our suggestions.

Oh boy Do you happen to know how long they will put product on hold for? Unfortunately, I will not have money until the end of the month....Maybe I should have waited to post until then I'm sure I could always get assistance again if they end up selling

 

[Enerchi]

not sure if you have covered this thought yet --- but for your ears, since YOU don't see the studs, I would be comfortable going down in colour. Mine are J and to those that look at my ears, they are just bright white and sparkly! If it were a ring that I was able to view all day long, then maybe I'd want higher colour, but for studs, I think you can go down in colour and up in size.

Just my thought, for what its worth!

 

[squiggy241]

I'm not positive, but if they didn't go too warm and still sparkled, I wouldn't mind going down in the color a bit As long as they still had the ideal cut and were eye-clean!

 

[Enerchi]

Mine are J's and forget the clarity but they sure sparkle and I love them! I think I posted them in the SMTB /studs thread... It was worth it for me to go up in size and down in colour. I had dealt with Denise over that purchase and she was super helpful! Good luck!

 

[stargurl78]

Oh boy Do you happen to know how long they will put product on hold for? Unfortunately, I will not have money until the end of the month....Maybe I should have waited to post until then I'm sure I could always get assistance again if they end up selling

I think they will only hold them for a few days at the most. But no problem, there are always stones available so just come back and ask for help when you're ready

I'm not positive, but if they didn't go too warm and still sparkled, I wouldn't mind going down in the color a bit As long as they still had the ideal cut and were eye-clean!

It definitely sounds like you could go with I or J then and save a bit on the cost!

 

[sugarski]

Wow! Thank you for finding these I like both pairs! I think I will try to go with the higher ctw. Is there a noticeable difference between the G and I? I really do like the second ones (decisions, decisions)

No problem! I think most people on here would vote for the slightly larger I SI1s, which honestly should be plenty white for earrings. If it were me personally, I would probably go with the G SI1s but I am VERY color-sensitive (I like ICY white stones). I really think color is a personal preference and only you will know what you are comfortable with. I really think that the I colored stones will be fine though if you want to go for the slightly larger pair. Most people here would think J color would be fine too but I couldn't find any options that meet your criteria.

There really isn't going to be a huge difference in the size of those 2 options and I don't think you could go wrong with either choice. If you are interested in them, I would call BGD and have at least one pair put on hold because there are often lurkers here who buy things based on our suggestions.

I'm going to disagree with sugarski regarding the size but again, this is up to you. I think the difference in stone sizes will be about 0.3mm which in my opinion, is enough to be noticeable to the naked eye. I have compared a 0.37ct stone to a 0.41ct and you could definitely tell which one was the larger stone. I actually started out with a pair of 0.62ctw studs and I wish I would have went with a larger pair to begin with (I ended up with a pair of 0.88ctw studs). And the problem with upgrading later is you have to eat the cost of the settings, which can be anywhere from $175-300 or so, depending on the settings you choose. I guess it's not a huge expense, but it's about 15-30% of your current budget. Or maybe I'm just cheap

Hee hee! I should have prefaced that thought with "I'm sure I'm alone in this opinion, but..."

I will say that I was surprised by how *huge* my .864 pair seemed... I said to myself "I would have been completely happy with something much smaller." But again, that's just me!

Great point about eating the cost of setting. OP, if you don't think you'll want to bother with an upgrade in the foreseeable future, by all means, get the biggest pair you can swing now! To reiterate, unless you are very color-sensitive like stargurl, I think you will be very pleased with BGS stones in a lower color. And I think many folks on here would agree that lower clarity is fine for studs.

 

[stargurl78]

Hee hee! I should have prefaced that thought with "I'm sure I'm alone in this opinion, but..."

I will say that I was surprised by how *huge* my .864 pair seemed... I said to myself "I would have been completely happy with something much smaller." But again, that's just me!

Great point about eating the cost of setting. OP, if you don't think you'll want to bother with an upgrade in the foreseeable future, by all means, get the biggest pair you can swing now! To reiterate, unless you are very color-sensitive like stargurl, I think you will be very pleased with BGS stones in a lower color. And I think many folks on here would agree that lower clarity is fine for studs.

No worries sugarski! And of course what I said is just an opinion too. I think many would agree with you that the size increase isn't worth the increase in cost and when I got my 0.88ctw pair, I wondered if they were too large (I have since decided that there is no such thing ).

 

[m-2-b]

I SI-1 is my favorite combo for studs! Here are mine which face up really white:

 

[diamondseeker2006]

Just for the record, the difference is only .1mm (around 4.35 vs. 4.45mm) which is a VERY tiny amount !!! My feeling is that if they are forever studs, go with the G pair. If the intent is to upgrade, you'd better go with the I pair in order to meet the upgrade requirements.

 

[woofmama]

I just got my first pair of studs from BGD. They're J VS2 60tcw in the three prong martini setting. The sparkle is amazing and the color is a non-issue for me. I intend to upgrade to at least 80tcw & get some jackets eventually but these are perfect for now. I feel it's fine to go with the lower color to afford larger stones. Whatever you decide if you buy from BGD you will love them

 

[stargurl78]

Just for the record, the difference is only .1mm (around 4.35 vs. 4.45mm) which is a VERY tiny amount !!! My feeling is that if they are forever studs, go with the G pair. If the intent is to upgrade, you'd better go with the I pair in order to meet the upgrade requirements.

You're right DS. The 0.3mm difference that I was referring to was in regards to her question about the size difference between the 0.50 ctw and 0.65 ctw studs, although that was just a guesstimate too...

Is that upgrade requirement (that you have to also upgrade color or clarity) a new policy from BGD? I saw it on their website today but I know that when I upgraded my studs a year ago, I only went a tad bigger but color and clarity were exactly the same for both stones. If you do plan to upgrade, maybe it would be best to go with the I colored stones, as DS suggested, so that when you upgrade it won't be too expensive if you have to go higher in color.

 

[squiggy241]

This is all very good advice! Even if I end up never upgrading, the size difference isn't much between the two pairs, nor is the I color an issue. They still seem like VERY good stones regardless. I'm starting to wonder if the difference in the ct numbers between the I color pair (second pair) is too large, or do you all think they are matching pairs

 

[squiggy241]

I SI-1 is my favorite combo for studs! Here are mine which face up really white:

mom2boys, those are beautiful! I like the 6 prong look!

 

[Bosie]

To the OP:
Just wanted to throw in my 2 cents to you. You have talked about the size and a little about the setting, when you consider the backs, I think that is important, so they stay on your ear. Some people like the screw backs, butterfly or push backs. From my experience with my daughters studs, she lost a pair with the push backs, the next pair were the LaPousette backs which I recommend highly. They just don't come off. Look into it and ask Lesley at BGD. Best of luck what ever you choose.

 

[diamondseeker2006]

This is all very good advice! Even if I end up never upgrading, the size difference isn't much between the two pairs, nor is the I color an issue. They still seem like VERY good stones regardless. I'm starting to wonder if the difference in the ct numbers between the I color pair (second pair) is too large, or do you all think they are matching pairs

Carat size doesn't matter. All that matters is diameter. I try to have the diameters either overlapping or extremely close and tables the same or close. And same color.

 

[squiggy241]

To the OP:
Just wanted to throw in my 2 cents to you. You have talked about the size and a little about the setting, when you consider the backs, I think that is important, so they stay on your ear. Some people like the screw backs, butterfly or push backs. From my experience with my daughters studs, she lost a pair with the push backs, the next pair were the LaPousette backs which I recommend highly. They just don't come off. Look into it and ask Lesley at BGD. Best of luck what ever you choose.

Those are the backs that I was going to get! I read about the screwbacks causing problems. I wonder how much extra lapousette would cost

 

[squiggy241]

This is all very good advice! Even if I end up never upgrading, the size difference isn't much between the two pairs, nor is the I color an issue. They still seem like VERY good stones regardless. I'm starting to wonder if the difference in the ct numbers between the I color pair (second pair) is too large, or do you all think they are matching pairs

Carat size doesn't matter. All that matters is diameter. I try to have the diameters either overlapping or extremely close and tables the same or close. And same color.

That is good to know! Thanks

 

[goldfinger]

I know exactly how you feel, I am in the process of getting a pair of studs from BGD myself. I contacted them and they helped me find a nice pair of matching diamonds. I am getting mine made with la pousette backs for around $100 extra. Well worth it, I think, for peace of mind. I am also going to order a couple extra backs, just in case I lose one at some point in the future.

 

[squiggy241]

Okay, so here I am ready to put the money into this...I was given both of these matches to look at, but I am not sure....What would you all choose??

Match #1
-------------
http://www.briangavindiamonds.com/diamonds/diamond-details/0.258-g-si1-round-diamond-ags-104054434103
http://www.briangavindiamonds.com/diamonds/diamond-details/0.257-g-si1-round-diamond-ags-104055615081

Match #2
--------------
http://www.briangavindiamonds.com/diamonds/diamond-details/0.271-g-si1-round-diamond-ags-104051761017
http://www.briangavindiamonds.com/diamonds/diamond-details/0.272-g-si1-round-diamond-ags-104055468097

 

[Jax172]

You really can't go wrong with either pair. But get the first set as they are slightly cheaper and you won't see any visual difference in the size between those two sets.

 

[squiggy241]

Thanks! So there really is not a visual difference at all?