upgrade or reset, which would you do with a limited budget?

[butterfly 17]

I really hope she doesn''t mind me posting this, I can''t even remember who it was actually, but this is the ring I would reset into.

 

[mrssalvo]

butterfly, i totally love that tacori ring..i still vote to go ahead and upgrade your diamond first, then start a setting fund to tuck extra money into and get the setting. it's really priced quite reasonable so my guess is you'd be able to get it in no time.

i tried that setting on at a local jeweler a couple of months ago and put the tiny tacori pave bands on either side...it was just stunning....

 

[Rhea]

Date: 4/3/2008 9:46:11 PM
Author: butterfly 17
Thanks Lyra. Sometimes I just feel like I need to get over myself sometimes. My original was a 1.51 F VVS2 ACA with F VVS1 ACA sidestones. I am like you were I don''t care so much for color as I do for clarity. I don''t know why it bugs me.


As you can see, I am a clarity nut as well, why I don''t know. They say you can''t see clarity like you can see color, but honestly, I would rather have higher clarity.


My only other thing is that I don''t want a stone that will cost me over $30k. I just can''t wear it. I don''t know why. If it was given to me as a gift, fine, but for me to spend that kind of money, I just can''t. I would never ever wear it. I don''t know why, but I have a limit as to how much I would be comfortable wearing on my hand and I just don''t think anything over that would be comfortable for me. I feel it''s just unnessary considering my lifestyle and what I do, to have a more expensive ring.


Whiteflash does have a K VS1 ES that is 2.43 carats right now. I can''t even trade for that because I paid more for my diamond 5 years ago. Gotta love the VS1 clarity though.


But, anyway, bigger diamond or reset diamond? Which one?

Both? Could you not upgrade to the WF, K VS1 mentioned here AND since you''d have money left over also get the setting you want? I''m not sure how upgrades work and if the setting cost could be counted toward the upgrade amount, but to me this truly seems the best of both worlds.

If that''s not possible, my vote is for upgrading!

 

[butterfly 17]

hey mssalvo,
yes, it is a gorgeous ring. I really love it. I am actually supposed to go ring shopping today with my sister(she got engaged with three rings and then he also told her she could pick another one if she did not like any of them). We are going to the NYC. I am supposed to meet her at 3pm and I plan to see this ring at Michael C. Fina.

I can''t wait to go.


Addy,
I can''t upgrade to a lower costing stone. It has to be more than what I paid. Also, I asked if I could exchange my diamond for the one of lower cost and a 1 carat diamond to make it even out to just a bit more, but they said no, it has to not only cost more but also be for one diamond and not two of them.

Anyway, after thinking about it, I don''t think I want a K.

 

[MichelleCarmen]

Date: 4/4/2008 10:21:58 PM
Author: butterfly 17


Yeah, you are a bummer.

I can''t find anything better out there that met my other qualifications. H, SI1 clarity in the 2.5 range showing a H&A pattern with all EX''s and within the HCA <2 range.

BTW, a diamond popped out of my setting today.... Maybe it''s trying to tell me something?

Take your time and watch for a stone you love (and call WF and have them look out for you). . . fwiw, when I got my solitaire pendant, it was a must-have NOW items. In hindsight, I wish I had waited a bit and thought out more as to what I wanted. The stone is an E and it is just a bit TOO colorless for me and if I could do over, I''d probably have gotten an H-I color. At the time there wasn''t much to pick from, so I bought that one.

 

[diamondseeker2006]

I love that setting! Leon does a beautiful one, too:

https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/im-engaged-introducing-my-2-68-fvs2-in-my-new-leon-custom-setting-at-last.80177/

 

[mrssalvo]

so, how was shopping today butterfly?

 

[3hearts]

upgrade

 

[butterfly 17]

Okay, all you upgraders, I think I will do it. I just want to make sure I find the right stone. This one seems to be the right one, but I need one more important opinion from Brian, and then I will know for sure.

MC,
I am kind of hoping that the reason Brian went to Antwerp was to get more ACAs. I can't wait to speak to him about this diamond and whether or not he will get any ES/ACA's in.

I just feel like they never have a stone I want in the size I want with the specs (G/H SI1) I want and when they do, it's sold. I guess I was not really in the market before, but still, the picks are really slim. Even if you do a quick search right now for a 2.3 to 2.6 G/H SI1 H&A, you won't find one. Even if you do the same search without H&A's. all the ones within ideal parameters are gone, even though they show up on the list above. There are a few still that show up, but the depth is 63 or the table is 60, or it's not EX's across the board. I want that if it's GIA, it has to be EX in cut, polish and symmetry, or if AGS, then AGS000.

And I only want to trade with Whiteflash as I can get the full value of my diamond.
So considering all those things, I may have to wait a very very long time to get a stone.

I think though, as long as this is eyeclean, I will be extremely happy with it. I really do.

Diamondseeker2006,
I did see the setting and realize I don't like it as much as in the pictures. It is very thin, just like the Ritani I have and I want something a bit thicker. I don't like the LM as much as the Tacori only because I like how the Tacori band seems to be the same width and the diameter of the diamond.


Mssalvo,
I didn't go. I already went with her last week or so and she knows what she wants but her fiance is having a family friend make the ring. It was fun when we went last time. Today we were supposed to look for settings just in case, and also I wanted to see if I could find a ready made solitaire. Also, I wanted to try on a 2.75 carat diamond. I have tried on 3 carats, but never a 2.75.

She was also supposed to get a few diamonds from this family friend shipped to her today and when she didn't get them in the mail, we decided to cancel our date.

I know she wants a cushion cut with a halo. We looked at all the stores, Cartier, Harry Winston, Tiffany's, 47th street, everything. It's cool because she and her fiance live on 54th street and 5th avenue, so all the stores are right there within walking distance. I think she is so lucky to have her guy let her pick a ring. It's so exciting and I am so excited for her.

He actually already proposed with three different rings. a huge 5 carat emerald with diamond halo and band, a yellow gold with diamond ring, and the other one I actually did not even see.

When we went shopping last week, she wore the emerald (it's also her birthstone) and you would not even believe the compliments she got.

She tried on a Legacy at Tiffany's, 2.55 carats E VVS1, $93,000, thank goodness she did not like it. Then a cushion in the HW halo pave that was around $53,000 (I think it was 1.7 carats, because I remember fiance saying something like he thought a 1.7 to 1.8 would be perfect for her). She liked that a little bit more than the Tiffany one.

She really fell in love with one we saw in a booth on the corner of 5th and 47th. It was so stunning, I fell in love with it as well.
I tried to tell her and fiance about Leon Mege, Michael B, Daniel K, but fiance is adamant on using their family friend. She designs lots of modern hammer type 22kt. gold things and even has a website.

anyway, I can't wait for her to get the diamonds, she is getting a few of them in all different sizes, colors, clarities, but all cushion. I want to see all of them. I may even take pictures and post them.

 

[Tacori E-ring]

Oh I *love* that Tacori but I think I would still upgrade the diamond (for now!

)

 

[Gemma12]

Chiming it a bit late to say ''upgrade''! While I love that setting if you have been resetting your ring to make it look bigger, I don''t think that setting will do it for you! Plus I am a terrible enabler!

Your ring is beautiful but if you''re wanting a bigger stone you should have it! (see?!

)

 

[butterfly 17]

Date: 4/5/2008 11:27:40 PM
Author: Tacori E-ring
Oh I *love* that Tacori but I think I would still upgrade the diamond (for now!

)

Yeah, something tells me that you would love a Tacori..

 

[butterfly 17]

Date: 4/6/2008 12:38:48 AM
Author: Gemma12
Chiming it a bit late to say ''upgrade''! While I love that setting if you have been resetting your ring to make it look bigger, I don''t think that setting will do it for you! Plus I am a terrible enabler!

Your ring is beautiful but if you''re wanting a bigger stone you should have it! (see?!

)

Enable me some more, why don''t you!

 

[Tacori E-ring]

Date: 4/6/2008 9:17:25 AM
Author: butterfly 17

Date: 4/5/2008 11:27:40 PM

Author: Tacori E-ring

Oh I *love* that Tacori but I think I would still upgrade the diamond (for now!

)

Yeah, something tells me that you would love a Tacori..

What ever gave you that idea?

 

[Kasey3]

Hi butteryfly-

I say definately upgrade. I too am color sensitive, and I would only consider E/F colored stones-but when it came time to spend the $$$s on my upgrade I decided to give some lower colored stones consideration-especially after seeing all of the beautiful H-I-J colored stones here on PS. I found a 2.36 I SI1 at GOG, and I went to take a look at it-I fell in love!!! And it wasn''t just the size. I put it on hold, and thought about it and decided to but it. While I waited for my setting, 3+weeks I of course began to doubt my decision, but I always knew that if I didn''t like the color, I could upgrade again. Well, I picked it up Friday after having it set and I have no regrets. I see no color at all-and I have tried in all types of linside lighting situations and also outside. All I see is a big beautiful stone!!!

So I say definately go for it, if you don''t like the H you can keep it until a G comes along, but I bet you will love it!!

 

[butterfly 17]

Thanks kasey3, someone did mention that if I upgrade to this stone, I would be going down in everything, color, clarity, cut.

This really made me wonder, doesn''t everyone who upgrades settle for something a little lower than what they wanted in order to get the size they wanted? Or is it just me?

I think that most who want a certain size have to settle for something here and ther to get it, in my case it is the clarity.

I should do a poll, for those who upgraded, who went down in color or clarity. I am going to assume everyone one who upgraded did.

What do you think?

 

[bem3231]

Date: 4/3/2008 8:42:33 PM
Author: canuk-gal
HI:


Reset your stone. I like the qualities of the stone you already possess!! But I am biased, b/c if my vendor would take my ring, I would trade it in for a 2ish D IF. OK I said it.


cheers--Sharon

Sharon... would you really? I know that you can see some body colour in your stone, but would you really swing to the top of the spectrum if you could? I've been wondering if I should have gone lower in colour / clarity and up in size, so hearing some words of wisdom from the other side of the debate is good for me!

I obsessed over that Tacori setting for ages as well, hence the Leon design that I ended up with (Diamondseeker posted the link). When I actually saw the Tacori in person I was underwhelmed. I also saw it with a 3ct stone and liked it even less, because Tacori only scales the tcw up ever so slightly for larger center stones (I think that that style can accomodate up to a 9 or 10 mm diameter).

I agree that it sounds like you ultimately want a larger stone, so I would say wait for the one that feels like the easiest compromise to make.

 

[canuk-gal]

Date: 4/6/2008 6:38:17 PM
Author: bem3231

Date: 4/3/2008 8:42:33 PM
Author: canuk-gal
HI:


Reset your stone. I like the qualities of the stone you already possess!! But I am biased, b/c if my vendor would take my ring, I would trade it in for a 2ish D IF. OK I said it.


cheers--Sharon

Sharon... would you really? I know that you can see some body colour in your stone, but would you really swing to the top of the spectrum if you could? I''ve been wondering if I should have gone lower in colour / clarity and up in size, so hearing some words of wisdom from the other side of the debate is good for me!

HI:

I would indeed Barbara! Quantitatively speaking, the (entirely) colorless and purity aspect appeals to my sense; and the mind clean, or qualitative aspect, appeals to my sensibilities. KWIM? I guess, perhaps, that means I "need" another ring??? Or a different one.....

(not in my lifetime methinks.....)

cheers--Sharon

 

[bem3231]

Date: 4/6/2008 7:16:31 PM
Author: canuk-gal

Date: 4/6/2008 6:38:17 PM

Author: bem3231

Date: 4/3/2008 8:42:33 PM

Author: canuk-gal

HI:



Reset your stone. I like the qualities of the stone you already possess!! But I am biased, b/c if my vendor would take my ring, I would trade it in for a 2ish D IF. OK I said it.



cheers--Sharon

Sharon... would you really? I know that you can see some body colour in your stone, but would you really swing to the top of the spectrum if you could? I''ve been wondering if I should have gone lower in colour / clarity and up in size, so hearing some words of wisdom from the other side of the debate is good for me!

HI:


I would indeed Barbara! Quantitatively speaking, the (entirely) colorless and purity aspect appeals to my sense; and the mind clean, or qualitative aspect, appeals to my sensibilities. KWIM? I guess, perhaps, that means I ''need'' another ring??? Or a different one.....

(not in my lifetime methinks.....)


cheers--Sharon

Good to know - thanks for the feedback, Sharon! I honestly wonder where my ''mindclean'' sweet spot is - and I''m not sure that I would know for sure until I actually lived with a different combination to find out. I know that I do love my FVS2, and that that combo is totally and completely mind clean for me.

We won''t be surprised if we see you ''shopping'' in the future, although as you well know your radiant is STUNNING!...

 

[Kasey3]

Date: 4/6/2008 5:56:25 PM
Author: butterfly 17
Thanks kasey3, someone did mention that if I upgrade to this stone, I would be going down in everything, color, clarity, cut.

This really made me wonder, doesn''t everyone who upgrades settle for something a little lower than what they wanted in order to get the size they wanted? Or is it just me?

I think that most who want a certain size have to settle for something here and ther to get it, in my case it is the clarity.

I should do a poll, for those who upgraded, who went down in color or clarity. I am going to assume everyone one who upgraded did.

What do you think?

I definately did, but I still ended up with a beautiful stone in the size range I wanted, for a price I am comfortable with. After this experience I would not hesitate to buy another I colored stone again-and I was really stressed about my decision!!! While I waited for my setting-I found comfort in the up-grade policy, and I knew that if the I color bothered me I could find a new one next year when I saved some $$$. So -you can do the same if the color/clarity gets to you-and while you wait the size will pacify you!!