Please Show Me Your Upgrades !

[BrightSpot]

Date: 8/12/2005 1:31:58 AM
Author: kaylagee
One trick with this ring is that my pair of plain, thin wedding bands(the old-style w/ a D cross-section, not the comfort-fit) slide right in under the head-frame and fit perfectly against the band on both sides. So I do this when I want to wear a ''set'' now.

I''ll post a picture of this soon.

First of all, what a great thread! I loved seeing everyone''s e-ring journeys!

Patty, what a great story of the evolution of your beautiful rings! Your new setting is beautiful!

kaylagee, I think your new e-ring is stunning & I''m sure it looks wonderful w/ a thin wedding band that slides under the halo. Please do post pics soon! Could you tell me more about the style of wedding band you''re referring to? (what is a D-cross-section?) I too am in the market for a w-band which will slide under my halo & fit flush against the shank of my e-ring so as to avoid the ring gap. I wasn''t sure where I could find such a flat band (and if comfort fit bands would be too thick) so I''d appreciate any info you could offer.

Jenn, what did you feed your diamond so that it doubled in size in 2 weeks!? Miraclegrow?

I must find some of this miraculous substance....

Your set is truly stunning. Yum!

Sundial, I just love your 3-stone ring! The center stone looks huge in the setting! So gorgeous...

Diadiva, your pear is just incredible! Yowza!

MauiTikii, welcome to PS!

I love your new w-band in platinum & think a 4-prong e-ring setting w/ tapered baguettes would match perfectly!

Catmom, that''s cool that your DH likes diamonds too! I love your new setting & anniversary band. The mix of shapes is lovely & unique.

Mrsjam, your ring is just stunning! Any tips for the husband wearing down process? (just for future reference...

) How wonderful to be sated w/ your diamond!

FG, wow the final halo setting is SO much prettier than version 1. It really makes the stone look so much bigger! Please post the pics of your new bands soon--I can''t wait to see them! I know I''m going to love the look! Does it bother you that the new bands are WG & the band that matches your e-ring is plat? Do you wear them all together? I can''t wait to see!

 

[jellybean]

I won''t post every change I''ve made over the years, just the ones from this year.

I first got a 0.55ct J/SI1 ideal rb. I had that put into the x-prong setting my 0.38ct was in.

 

[jellybean]

I liked the 0.55ct but wanted a little more *bling* so I traded it up for a 0.724ct J/SI1. It was too big for the x-prong setting so I had it put into a tiffany 4 prong solitaire.

 

[jellybean]

I traded the 0.72ct for this 1.04ct J/SI1. It''s not as big as some of the other upgrades on this forum, but I absolutely love it! I have always wanted a 1ct stone. Now I want a new solitaire setting...

 

[Lorelei]

Date: 8/16/2005 12:04:57 AM
Author: diamondfan
Firegoddess, love your new halo. I agree with the others that it made the stone look smaller, the first one, since the proportions were not ideal. I have three kids, try to not worry about gouging! Does not happen that often...

My story, is I got a 1.53 carat rb for my engagement ring, in a very contemporary yellow gold setting. Did not love it but a family friend of DH''s designed it and we saw her often. Her father was a diamond dealer and told my dh he was spoliing me...little did he know! Moved to the east from LA, saw little yellow gold, lots of platinum and facny shapes. Decided to upgrade, found out my stone was not great quality. I kept it and made a pave halo bezel pendant with it, which I love and wear a lot. My dh know it bothered me that the quality was not great and since we were new in town he decided to go to Tiffany''s. I then got an EC, three carat e/vvs1 center with one carat on each side for my tenth anniversary and 35th birthday. The ring was gorgeous, but I teasingly told him I wanted a monster for my 40th and our 15th, which is this year. We went back to Tiffany''s, traded in and I got a 9.22 carat emerald cut with baguettes. I went down to a g vvs2, but I am okay with that, it is still gorgeous. This is it for me, so I am enjoying it. I would never say never since my husband never thought he would go for this upgrade, but it is an amazing ring...I would get pear drops for my studs or an amazing bracelet before I would touch this stone! I have no digital right now, my son took it on a field trip in June and it does not seem to work, I have been so busy that I have not had time to replace it! I tease my hubby and say I have a bit of diva in me, since it does not phase me to wear it, though I do leave it home in the safe if I think I need to...

I have seen a picture of Diamondfan''s ring, as she sent me a pic before her computer and camera crashed and lost everything a while back - I am sure she won''t mind me saying it is the most beautiful diamond I have ever seen! Huge, sparkly and gorgeous!!!!

 

[aljdewey]

Date: 8/15/2005 5:27:08 PM
Author: FireGoddess
I also had the pear prong set above the halo. Screw the future children. If their eyes get gouged out, they shoulda been more careful around my ring.

(J/K!)

ROTFLMAO! Hysterical!

 

[sarita]

Oh my God.

As much as I want to see this monster EC.... PLEASE NO MORE MONSTER ECS EVERYONE PLEASE

This is just insanity!

First DiamanteBlu''s 6ct + and now a near 10????

I had resolved that 3 cts was my [feasible someday] dream size. I don''t want anything else planted in my head!

What is your ring size, diamondfan? God, that thing must nearly encompass your finger!

 

[diamondfan]

Sarita, I think (but do not quote me) it is a 6 1/4? I know I have tried on size 6 and needed to go a smidge bigger because I have bigger knuckles and worry I won''t be able to get it off again. I have good sized hands, I am certainly not petite...almost 5" 6'', and not dainty!

 

[sarita]

Thanks diamondfan. Can''t wait to see your pics when you post em. Happy 40th b-day and 15th anniversary!

 

[jcrow]

yes diamondfan- i think we are all anxiously awaiting your wonderful pics!

 

[Mara]

Date: 8/15/2005 5:27:08 PM
Author: FireGoddess
I also had the pear prong set above the halo. Screw the future children. If their eyes get gouged out, they shoulda been more careful around my ring.

(J/K!)

LOL! Too funny, I love it!

 

[sarita]

Ok, I suppose I will throw my upgrades in here. I guess you can call them that. I'm not married yet, not even engaged (yet) but I "got into" diamonds a few years ago. These are some diamond rings I went through before I ended up with my current pear and emerald cut.

First up: A vintage (circa 1920's, 30's) .40ct RB center in square mount as was the style then with approx .10cttw sides in platinum. The setting sort of resembled a bow tie.

 

[sarita]

So shortly after I had that I realized I really like emerald cut diamonds and knew that''s what I really wanted. So I sold that ring and ended up getting a .55ct EC diamond in a plain YG mounting from a maul store (family owned, lower qualiity non-chain).

I knew the diamond had a little tint at the time but it didn''t bother me too much and the guy was a shyster and kept going lower in price until I couldn''t say no. I paid in installments for a few months until I could afford it. I don''t recall any color or clarity being listed! I think I asked the guy and he said "SI" for clarity, didn''t know the color. I was maybe 18 then and knew it wasn''t great quality but again the price was really cheap and I wanted it. The YG setting helped and it turned out to have at least a medium flourescence which also most likely helped.

I did look at it under the microscope at my BF''s lab later when I was trying to sell... I''d say it probably was an SI1 or 2 (eye clean) but the color was K+ yellow tint.

Here is a poor quality (old camera) photo on my BF''s index finger.

 

[sarita]

So after being happy with the EC then of course I wanted bigger. I didn''t have $$ for that so enter E-bay (where I found the antique ring) and enter lowered expectations. I purchased a 1.02-1.04ct (stone was set so range was given for weight) I1 (yes, in an EC!) H color diamond in a classic baguette mounting. The stone had an obvious crystal inclusion which I got CE enhanced. Even that could not hide the poor cut, however. It looked like cut glass, only white reflections from the table. I had the ring for a couple years before I sold it, and kept the mount as it is plat/WG with a fingermate shank and classic setting. (too bad it''s a size 6 though!)

 

[sarita]

Later I purchased the 1.7ct M VS1 EC solitaire that I currently have and love and intend to use as my E-ring.

 

[sarita]

Finally sometime in between realizing my love for ECs I realized I really liked pears too and decided such that once I got a great EC and a great pear that I would be completely satisfied. This is still true today. Sure I would love a monster EC someday, but at this point in my life I am thrilled and truly content with my two pretties.

I started with the .77ct I SI1 pear below in YG setting with soldered on band intending to change settings. Of all the rings I had, this was the one I wore the least. The setting wasn''t me and I didn''t bother making a new one. I was aiming for a 1ct pear. Knowning pears were spready I thought I''d be happy w/ the size, but I wanted bigger. Also, I thought I''d like the lean l/w ratio but it looked too much like a marquise to me.

 

[sarita]

Finally, sold that pear and purchased a loose pear stone 1.35ct F SI1 with a shape I liked better. Planned on setting it into the low set pave mount below (here it is sitting on top)

 

[sarita]

Ended up finding a gorgeous pear sidestone mount, switched out the head from RB to accomodate the pear... and voila. (here is a side view to show mounting - I have better stone shots around)

End of my upgrades.

Please continue to share yours everyone!

 

[widget]

Thanks for sharing your diamond saga, Sarita! Hee hee...You're in serious trouble, girl!

Author: sarita
I was maybe 18 then....

I was WAY older than that before I got hooked. I wonder where you'll be (diamond-wise) when you're my age!!!

I've ALWAYS been in love with your magic warm EC....nice to see it again!

widget

 

[sarita]

I know widget, it''s really sick, I have serious issues!

Luckily gravity kicks in though because even if I wanted a 3ct at this time there is no humanly way I could afford one w/o winning the lotto or robbing the bank (I do happen to work at one.... SO kidding, however).

I really am satisfied with what I have and know I''m lucky to have such non-essentials at a young age. No more diamond splurges (though never say never if I see a great deal but I''m not looking). I am in saving mode now big time and just upped the 401k from 10 to 15%.

 

[kaylagee]

Here are the promised photos(roval w/bands).

I should have the 1.08 rb back in a week or so. I decided to go w/ the e14k reproduction ring after all. It's much prettier in person than on their site and extremely comfortable. Pics of that one will be coming soon I hope.

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1 of 2

 

[kaylagee]

photo #2 of 2

 

[BrightSpot]

Wow, kayla, those plain bands look lovely w/ your gorgeous e-ring! What a nice, warm, golden sandwich for your ring!

Thanks for posting pics!

Sarita, I just adore your new pear 3-stone! Yum!

 

[sarita]

Thank you BrightSpot! (I actually typed BS first but then thought that looked bad).

bump