The search for a ~4 mm (~.23 ct) diamond (diagonal cut tension ring)

[crbl999]

Time to start planning and creating my wedding band. Diagonal tension cut ring with a ~4 mm (~.23 ct) diamond (5 mm band width). The ring will be made out of titanium by Bruce Boone. I've sent him an email and hoping to have the color of the ring grey or charcoal in color to provide excellent contrast for the diamond.

Now on to the search for the stone. Desired specs: round, H&A, F+, VS2+, ~4 mm (~.23 ct), I don't really have a budget.

Side note: I originally wanted a Octavia, but Yoram does not cut them that small currently. They are working on their processes and may in the future.

BGD carries stones in the 4mm range ($550ish). Distinctive Gem offers Custom Cut Private Reserve LGD in that size ($400), but no guarantee on what the stone will actually be (D-G color, VS1+).

I was heavily leaning towards a LGD until I searched on BGD website. While the price is more, I like knowing exactly what I am buying and it is a natural stone.

Are there any other vendors that I should be looking at?

The ring below has a .15 ct diamond and the band is 4.5 mm wide. Overall look of the stone in comparison to the width of the band will be very similar to the ring below.

 

[Petalouda]

Love the look of a tension ring!

Try also looking at whiteflash. Their ACA (A Cut Above) line is spectacular. They are also in houston so if you’re wanting to go in person you can visit BGD and Whiteflash in one go.

 

[crbl999]

Love the look of a tension ring!

Try also looking at whiteflash. Their ACA (A Cut Above) line is spectacular. They are also in houston so if you’re wanting to go in person you can visit BGD and Whiteflash in one go.

I purchased my fiancée's stone and setting from WF. I have already sent Brittany an email inquiring about availability of ACAs in that size. We are about 4 hours from Houston so a road trip is certainly a possibility.

 

[tyty333]

Might be just as easy to go with the BGD and be done with it since the price difference isn't that much...but here are
a few from JA. There are more.

0.23 Carat round diamond

This 0.23 carat round diamond E color vs1 clarity has Excellent proportions and a diamond grading report from GIA

www.jamesallen.com

0.24 Carat round diamond

This 0.24 carat round diamond F color vs2 clarity has Excellent proportions and a diamond grading report from GIA

www.jamesallen.com

Edit...since your wife's stones are from WF it would be kind of nice to keep them all in the family...if WF has something that
suits.

 

[crbl999]

Might be just as easy to go with the BGD and be done with it since the price difference isn't that much...but here are
a few from JA. There are more.

0.23 Carat round diamond

This 0.23 carat round diamond E color vs1 clarity has Excellent proportions and a diamond grading report from GIA

www.jamesallen.com

0.24 Carat round diamond

This 0.24 carat round diamond F color vs2 clarity has Excellent proportions and a diamond grading report from GIA

www.jamesallen.com

Edit...since your wife's stones are from WF it would be kind of nice to keep them all in the family...if WF has something that
suits.

Those are two great choices! Agreed, I would love to have a matching ACA. Will keep you all posted once I get a reply from WF.

 

[crbl999]

@tyty333 @Petalouda Just got an email from Brittany. They do no sell loose diamonds under .30 cts.

She did send me a link to a stone that was .3 ct F VS2, ~4.32 mm diameter, $735. This is larger than I was considering as the band width will be 5 mm.

I have emailed Bruce Boone to confirm it can be set securely as the width of the stone is very close to the width of the band.

Overall look of the .3 ct stone in comparison to the 5 mm width of the band will be very similar to the ring below.

Thoughts on overall look of this size vs. the smaller size in the OP?

 

[mayaINaU]

@tyty333 @Petalouda Just got an email from Brittany. They do no sell loose diamonds under .30 cts.

She did send me a link to a stone that was .3 ct F VS2, ~4.32 mm diameter, $735. This is larger than I was considering as the band width will be 5 mm.

I have emailed Bruce Boone to confirm it can be set securely as the width of the stone is very close to the width of the band.

Overall look of the .3 ct stone in comparison to the 5 mm width of the band will be very similar to the ring below.

Thoughts on overall look of this size vs. the smaller size in the OP?

I actually think it looks more balanced than the first one with the smaller stone! Very cool.

 

[crbl999]

I actually think it looks more balanced than the first one with the smaller stone! Very cool.

Thanks for your feedback!

 

[Petalouda]

I, too, think it looks more balanced. In the first picture, the setting swallows the diamond more. In the second, the diamond shines in its own right.

 

[tyty333]

I actually like the .3 better...the .23 seems to look a little small in the setting (now that I've seen the .3).

 

[crbl999]

I, too, think it looks more balanced. In the first picture, the setting swallows the diamond more. In the second, the diamond shines in its own right.

I actually like the .3 better...the .23 seems to look a little small in the setting (now that I've seen the .3).

Thank you both for your feedback! My fiancée and I both agree.

The stone Brittany sent me has a feather near the girdle. I expressed my concerns and she also agreed to avoid that stone.

Good news though. There are 24 other stones to pick from that are .30-.33 ct, F+, VS2+.

Going to look through them all this evening and will post my favorites. Feel free to post any that catch your eye.

 

[crbl999]

@Petalouda @tyty333

https://www.whiteflash.com/loose-diamonds/compare/?idnos=4516237,4516197,4557698,4516185

Narrowed it down to 4 stones in the link above Monday evening. From those 4, I liked the .304 VS2 and the .302 F VS1. I kept going back and forth between the two so I emailed Brittany at WF asking her opinion.

She stated she liked the look of the VS1 better and after several emails back and forth yesterday, the winner was obvious. The VS1 is slightly brighter white, cleaner under magnification, and more colorless than the VS2.

https://www.whiteflash.com/loose-di...olor-vs1-clarity-round-ideal-cut-sku-a4557698

I've been emailing Bruce Boone and he has been extremely responsive (can't emphasize the responsiveness enough). Now I just need to choose brushed titanium or brushed black zirconium. I'm leaning towards the brushed black zirconium (dark grey color) as it will provide more contrast to the diamond. Any thoughts on these two? @Karl_K would love to have your opinion as well since we had a brief discussion in the bezel set thread.

@kenny I have done a lot of reading/research about your Octavia tension ring. I have read some of your posts about the distance between the culet and the band. I have emailed Bruce on this subject and he said he would be comfortable with .5mm to .75mm distance between the culet and the band. My fingers don't have a lot of extra skin on them and I'm not too concerned about the culet scratching my skin. However, I would like your opinion on this as you have much more experience with tension rings than I.

@Karl_K @kenny How high should the diamond be set in the tension ring? Table flush with the band? Where the star, bezel, and upper half facets meet? I want to find a compromise between safety and maximum light/diamond exposure.

 

[Karl_K]

Either metal is fine.
I love that ring.
Since he gave you a range maybe split the difference and go with the middle. If @kenny thinks otherwise listen to Kenny.
Flush is sleeker if you work with your hands, table above gives a little more light return from angles.

 

[crbl999]

Either metal is fine.
I love that ring.
Since he gave you a range maybe split the difference and go with the middle. If @kenny thinks otherwise listen to Kenny.
Flush is sleeker if you work with your hands, table above gives a little more light return from angles.

@Karl_K Thanks for your input!

Will be checking out some brushed titanium and brushed black zirconium rings after work.

I do work with my hands, but it is extremely gentle work. No risk of damaging the ring or stone. I like the idea of a little more light return for sure! Looking forward to seeing what @kenny has to say.

Diamond was shipped today and should be in my hands by Friday!

 

[crbl999]

Finished ring pictures and hand shots are in this thread:
https://www.pricescope.com/communit...bruce-boone-diagonal-cut-tension-ring.279973/