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RB Stud Earrings Questions

seaglass

seaglass

Rough_Rock
Joined
Dec 2, 2017
Messages
48
This may seem like a silly question, but I need advice. I would like to get the lovely wife some nice diamond studs. She's not going to want anything too expensive. I figure 0.8ct total weight would look decent? Plus it's in a reasonable price range.

I'm looking at both ACA diamonds and a pair from Costco. Same sizes, but Costco of course is $1200 less and I can drive down there to pick them up or return them easily.

So for something this size and in this setting, will the ACA diamonds be that much more brilliant? I really don't know. I'm willing to spend the money if it really is a big difference. I also see a lot of halo type designs and they are really bright and shiny, but I just seem to love the simplicity of a single diamond. But should I look at those also? So undecided!
 
Well it depends. I personally think ACAs are best for rings, they’re kind of wasted for earrings imo. For earrings I like shallower stones - they have better spread and favour white light return.

Of course the ACAs will be beautiful, I’m just not sure if they’re worth the premium. Does Costco do certified diamonds? If yes, then post the GIA certs here for feedback on specific stones. Alternately perhaps check out other vendors who don’t sell super ideals but do/can provide great value for money - online vendors like blue Nile or someone like ID Jewelry.
 
There will be a visual difference, and I would bet money that most people, even the novice will notice the difference. However, will the buyer care? Completely depends on the buyer. I do, and many on PS do. And there are some people who don't and don't think the price difference is worth it. And some people who do see the difference but still don't think the price difference is worth it. Any combo is fine. It's just matter of determining who you / your wife are.

Ok, so aside from the better cut and more sparkly diamond, Whiteflash ACAs can be upgraded by spending more than $1. I kinda get the feeling that you may be the type of (awesome) husband that would consider doing that for his wife some time down the road. That in itself would be worth the additional cost for me. So there you have it. Just fyi if you buy both to compare. Don't compare under those Costco lights. They make everything look amazing. Bring it home and compare under dark lighting, dim rooms. That's when you can really see the difference in the performance of a super ideal and just a GIA excellent.
 
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Agree that there is a difference visually for an ACA and whether that is worth the price difference depends on how you personally feel. The advantage of an ACA with WF as already mentioned above is the excellent upgrade policy so that option is available down the track.

As for your question about extra sparkle of a halo. I would say start with a basic diamond stud and if you are interested in a halo option for her, you can get 'jackets' for the studs down the track to dress them up for extra bling for more dressy occasions.
 
In one of my threads I asked about ACA vs other diamonds and ordered an ACA to compare to my GIAs. In the thread I posted some videos so you can view the difference:

Worth it to downgrade size in order to get ACAs? Thoughts appreciated.

As some of you might know I put my existing studs on the market for sale, but I know how tough it can be to sell to an individual when the price tag is high. I have 3 ctw diamond studs that are GIA SI2 and I in color; one is triple x and one is xx VG. Anyway I have also asked a couple of local...
www.pricescope.com

If I could turn back time I would TOTALLY go for ACA; in my situation I already had my studs so concluded it wasn’t worth taking the loss of $. But in your situation, starting from scratch, I would go ACA.

ETA: Videos are on the third page of that thread.
 
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jim bones said:
This may seem like a silly question, but I need advice. I would like to get the lovely wife some nice diamond studs. She's not going to want anything too expensive. I figure 0.8ct total weight would look decent? Plus it's in a reasonable price range.

I'm looking at both ACA diamonds and a pair from Costco. Same sizes, but Costco of course is $1200 less and I can drive down there to pick them up or return them easily.

So for something this size and in this setting, will the ACA diamonds be that much more brilliant? I really don't know. I'm willing to spend the money if it really is a big difference. I also see a lot of halo type designs and they are really bright and shiny, but I just seem to love the simplicity of a single diamond. But should I look at those also? So undecided!
Click to expand...

ACA hands down
 
You are a very thoughtful husband and it’s not a silly question! You’ve already gotten great feedback from this awesome group. I thought I would add a comment since I have a pair of ACA studs that are 0.82 ctw. From what I have learned here, the increased edge brightness from an optimized cut like that of ACAs may make the stones appear proportionally larger on the ear compared to a non-super-ideal cut stone of the same carat weight. At the scale of ~0.8 ctw (approx. 4.75 mm), even small differences in diameter can be perceptible to the eye from a distance. I know that I have been pleasantly surprised at the visibility of my studs, even in low-light conditions. In any case, I also agree with you on preferring the simplicity and versatility of a simple stud over a halo design!
 
Thank you all for the wonderful and thoughtful comments. I have a lot of reading to do and will be back with more questions I'm sure. I can't thank this community enough for the really thoughtful and non-judgemental help you all provide. I first came here looking for an engagement ring just a few years ago. And she still raves about it.
 
MiniMinerva said:
to follow up on my larger perceived size comment, @Rfisher and @yssie have referred to resources here on PS containing images showing this effect:

https://www.pricescope.com/communit...look-compared-to-fair-cut.145748/post-2632100

www.pricescope.com

Diamond Performance Explained

Did you know that "fire" and "scintillation" are not the same thing? "Contrast" and "leakage" also differ from each other.
www.pricescope.com
Click to expand...

Can I ask what setting you have for the studs? I'm looking at the 4 prong vs the 6 prong "martini"? Thanks!
 
seaglass said:
Can I ask what setting you have for the studs? I'm looking at the 4 prong vs the 6 prong "martini"? Thanks!
Click to expand...

Happy to help if I can! Since the stones are on the small side, I preferred less metal surrounding the stone and chose the 4-prong basket. I am likely to upgrade this pair at some point, so I also thought a basic setting might help to keep “consumable“ costs down prior to the final upgrade/setting, for which I think I will prefer a 6-prong for aesthetic balance and security for a larger stone. Here are the WF glamour shots for my current 4-prong pair in case they might be helpful:E5268CB1-7797-44CB-A2F9-B3C778935EA8.jpeg271B5DFC-B96F-4E44-92E5-66FF68FC0962.jpeg
 
ACAs because even at a smaller size they will really pack a punch visually. And she can go up in size down the road if she wants.
 
Thank you. At what stone size would the 6 prong look more appropriate? I know it's all subjective of course, but I do like the better symmetry of the 6 prong setting.
 
I would choose the setting that would fit into WF's earring jackets that can be purchased at a later date if she would like to add more sparkles to her earrings.

DK :))
 
I will suggest Brian Gavin Hearts and Arrows ideal cut. I have a pair that is about .60 CTW.. about .3 each.. they are tiny but they really are little fireballs just like promised. the website makes it very easy to find a matched pair.. there's an option for it. I got the three prong martini handmade setting in white gold.. and I love how the stone sits low.
 
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