What is the largest ring/studs/tennis bracelet you’ve ever seen someone else wear in real life?

[AllAboardTheBlingTrain]

Been binge-reading all of the “how big is big” and “what is the largest size you would wear” etc threads on PS because it’s super entertaining to me and it made me think of this question.

Could be someone you just saw at a distance at a party, or someone in your social circle. Could be in your city or on holiday. You can estimate the size for yourself or post the “true size” if you know it. Really just to give us all things to dream about

I would say the largest ring I can think of that I have seen is a 13 or 14ct emerald cut ring on an acquaintance of my mother’s. The biggest studs, belonging to a friend of a friend, are these HUGE 6ct each boulders (and she has them set in a halo!!!) - they are bigger than her earlobes. The biggest TB I’ve ever seen (was more of a bangle style though, but stones all around) was 1ct each stone - so 30cts I would guess? - on the wrist of this woman I don’t know at a party. Just stunning.

Eager to know yours!

 

[missy]

A very poorly cut OEC worn by a jewelry store owner. It was big. About 14 carats? But not attractive. Big fish eye. Surprising because she owns a jewelry shoppe with beautiful pieces.

We don’t go there anymore however because she turned out to be less than ethical on top of wearing poorly cut diamonds. That was the final straw.

 

[AllAboardTheBlingTrain]

A very poorly cut OEC worn by a jewelry store owner. It was big. About 14 carats? But not attractive. Big fish eye. Surprising because she owns a jewelry shoppe with beautiful pieces.

We don’t go there anymore however because she turned out to be less than ethical on top of wearing poorly cut diamonds. That was the final straw.

I hear you, I wouldn’t patronise someone who practiced unethical behaviour either! But it surprises me that she would not get her OEC recut to make it look more beautiful. On the other hand though, at that size I would guess carat weight would be a much bigger driver of price given the rarity of finding any diamonds - especially OECs - in that size range. And most people would only see “diamond” and “size” and not notice the cut of the diamond per se... though even if a full carat was lopped off in the recut I’m pretty sure the size is all anyone would be able to see anyway

 

[winnietucker]

I actually don’t know anyone IRL who wears a tennis bracelet. People I know IRL only have small diamond earrings as well. With just my diamond band left I have flashier jewelry than most people I know...

 

[elizat]

I actually don’t know anyone IRL who wears a tennis bracelet. People I know IRL only have small diamond earrings as well. With just my diamond band left I have flashier jewelry than most people I know...

Honestly, same.

Even people I encounter for work, when I "saw" them in person. Usually stud earrings, pearl studs or hoops, maybe a pendant, and if married, a wedding set. Usually a modern round of 1 ct or less or princess cut. Sometimes in a halo, sometimes a solitaire.

 

[canuk-gal]

HI:

I don't know anyone, personally, who wears large diamond jewellery. But when vacationing in California, I've seen HUGE rings and earrings. Rings, I'd estimate to be in the 10 carat range.

cheers--Sharon

 

[Diamond Girl 21]

My cousin wears a 3 stone wedding ring that 7cts total weight. The center is a 5ct radiant cut, and it's flanked by 1ct radiants on either side.

The largest diamond earrings I've seen someone wear is probably about 2cts per ear.

The largest tennis bracelet total weight was about 15cts.

Edited to say my cousin's husband is in the jewelry business.

 

[AllAboardTheBlingTrain]

I actually don’t know anyone IRL who wears a tennis bracelet. People I know IRL only have small diamond earrings as well. With just my diamond band left I have flashier jewelry than most people I know...

Honestly, same.

Even people I encounter for work, when I "saw" them in person. Usually stud earrings, pearl studs or hoops, maybe a pendant, and if married, a wedding set. Usually a modern round of 1 ct or less or princess cut. Sometimes in a halo, sometimes a solitaire.

I think it’s like a regional thing as well, like in most of Europe people generally tend to have smaller stones and not wear as much jewelry. For me I currently live in a place where people don’t wear a lot of bling, but where I grew up (India) there’s a lot of wealth that is disproportionately distributed, and I see rocks like you won’t believe on people (not all or even most people of course but if you have it you definitely wear it).

 

[AllAboardTheBlingTrain]

HI:

I don't know anyone, personally, who wears large diamond jewellery. But when vacationing in California, I've seen HUGE rings and earrings. Rings, I'd estimate to be in the 10 carat range.

cheers--Sharon

Oooh that’s a boulder if there ever was one! I’d love to try one on my hand to see how it looks but I’m afraid if I do then my future e-ring will seem puny

 

[AllAboardTheBlingTrain]

My cousin wears a 3 stone wedding ring that 7cts total weight. The center is a 5ct radiant cut, and it's flanked by 1ct radiants on either side.

The largest diamond earrings I've seen someone wear is probably about 2cts per ear.

The largest tennis bracelet total weight was about 15cts.

Edited to say my cousin's husband is in the jewelry business.

2cts each ear is a great stud size I think - it can actually be worn both “formally” and “casually”. If the studs are too big they can start looking a little inappropriate/OTT for everyday! Of course it also depends on your earlobes - I have big ol’ elephant ears and my earlobes would probably make a snack out of 2cts

15ct TB sounds gorgeous! That’s gotta be like 0.45-0.5ct a stone right? Stunning.

I’m not the biggest fan of 3 stones but id make an exception for your cousin’s ring, it sounds gorgeous!

 

[winnietucker]

I think it’s like a regional thing as well, like in most of Europe people generally tend to have smaller stones and not wear as much jewelry. For me I currently live in a place where people don’t wear a lot of bling, but where I grew up (India) there’s a lot of wealth that is disproportionately distributed, and I see rocks like you won’t believe on people (not all or even most people of course but if you have it you definitely wear it).

What’s weird is we that live in what’s considered a HCOL area so seeing expensive cars and luxury purses/ accessories isn’t uncommon at all. It’s always weird to me that blingy jewelry isn’t more common. I know people who vacation often, own multiple homes, and generally have nice stuff but only modest jewelry.

 

[heididdl]

My very dear friend has a 7.5 pear shape solitaire. Funny as she wants to swap for my tiny 3.66 emerald cut. Hers is a honker of a stone.

 

[heididdl]

Kris Jenner and Khloe khardasian have been sporting boulder size studs. Can any one chime in with any intel how large they are.
If googled it to death and I can't find anything

 

[AprilBaby]

The biggest ring was 3 CT’s on a small finger on the wife of the jewelry store owner. Earrings IRL 1 ct each ear, tennis bracelet, mine at 3 CT’s.

 

[LilAlex]

Could be someone you just saw at a distance at a party, or someone in your social circle.

Gotta say, even in my M/HCOL coastal US city, and in our professional and social circles replete with high earners with tons of seven-figure homes and six-figure autos and other spendy indulgences, I have never seen any of the following in the wild: 1) tennis bracelet of any size; 2) diamond solitaire > 2 cts (guessing); 3) diamond studs > (maybe) 1.5 cts each; or 4) colored-stone ring that the typical PSer would covet.

I saw exactly one tiny, well-loved (= abraded) sapphire years ago at a social function that I asked about and the wearer gave me the whole "unheated" back story.

You guys must all live in the same compounds .

 

[ringbling17]

The biggest diamond solitaire ring I’ve seen in real life recently was over 4 carats. It belongs to a co-worker at the hospital. She mentioned it was over four carats and I could tell it was bc it was bigger than my 3 carat diamond. We even compared settings bc she had a metal square shaped halo like my old DK setting and we were surprised how similar they were. She told me her husband picked out the setting.

Before this when I lived in NY and went into the city I saw large diamonds whenever I walked around 5th Avenue, etc but I have no idea what size they were.

I’ve never paid attention to earrings for some reason unless they were dangling earrings, but I don’t think I’ve seen many big ones. For tennis bracelets I’ve also never seen anyone wear a larger one irl.

 

[Gussie]

I have an acquaintance who wears the ring in the picture. She let me try it on once and I wear a size 6.5. I am guessing this stone is 10-12 carats, lower color. The cut was not the greatest but dang it was huge!!!

The same lady also wears 12 ctw emerald cut diamond studs!

 

[canuk-gal]

I have an acquaintance who wears the ring in the picture. She let me try it on once and I wear a size 6.5. I am guessing this stone is 10-12 carats, lower color. The cut was not the greatest but dang it was huge!!!

The same lady also wears 12 ctw emerald cut diamond studs!

That is HUGE!

My colleagues wife has substantial emerald cut earrings. Not as large as you describe, but they were mesmerizing. Very elegant.

 

[SomethingNew]

Can I say most impressive? IRL, I have seen my friend's most impressive piece (at least to me) and I was fortunate to be able to wear it for a day, it is close to a 3 carat cushion, not big by size esp since it is a cushion, BUT it is a natural fancy intense green diamond with no undertone. It was a couple years ago, and she now lives in Asia, so I haven't had a chance to visit her. It was by far the most special piece I've seen in real life. She has another 7 carat gray diamond but I haven't see it IRL.

 

[yssie]

Once upon a time - before I got engaged - I was on the NYC subway sitting opposite a young lady with a round engagement ring. She had a thin pave band and the stone fully covered the top of the band. I swore that one day I'd sport the same look.

She was petite, and the stone wasn't all that big, I think, in hindsight... Maybe 3ct or so? And my stone doesn't cover the top of a thin pave band adjacent because the doughnut is too large but I know that it could, in a different mount, and apparently that's all I really need!

 

[Mekp]

I don’t live in an area where expensive jewellery is worn. I think the average engagement ring is about 0.5 ct here. 1 carat is considered big. I did once have a meeting with a woman who was wearing a large (maybe 2.5-3 carats) very poorly cut and included diamond engagement ring. That was the biggest I've seen in real life.
The biggest studs I've seen were a little bigger than mine, maybe 1 - 1.2 ctw.
I've never seen a tennis bracelet in real life.

 

[Polabowla]

I tried on an 8 ct fancy yellow heart shaped diamond (at graff) and it was huge & incredible! And huge pear diamond drops.
A different time I was in Bvlgari and they had a lot of incredible high jewelry there. The sales person offered to let me try on a massive diamond ring but i was too nervous to accept lol. (In hindsight i kinda wish i had lol)
But other than that irl, nobody has huge stuff that i have seen really.

 

[lambskin]

Let me preface this and say I love big, unadorned, non halo-Ed diamonds. If you got a big stone no need to drown it with melee. Love a three stone diamond ring. That being said, I am not a fan of 5 +carat each studs for earrings. I would rather have a beautiful spray or sweeping cluster of round, baguette,and marquise diamonds in a beautiful pattern. Same with a diamond bracelet. Love the thick cluster of beautiful set diamonds Rather than a single row of diamonds.. no matter how big. I love a big beautiful diamond ring with a pair of baguettes, or similar shaped side stones to accent the diamond. I love a big beautiful rock if it is simply set. Less is more, IMHO.

 

[Polabowla]

Let me preface this and say I love big, unadorned, non halo-Ed diamonds. If you got a big stone no need to drown it with melee. Love a three stone diamond ring. That being said, I am not a fan of 5 +carat each studs for earrings. I would rather have a beautiful spray or sweeping cluster of round, baguette,and marquise diamonds in a beautiful pattern. Same with a diamond bracelet. Love the thick cluster of beautiful set diamonds Rather than a single row of diamonds.. no matter how big. I love a big beautiful diamond ring with a pair of baguettes, or similar shaped side stones to accent the diamond. I love a big beautiful rock if it is simply set. Less is more, IMHO.

Completely agree!
I tried on tennis necklaces years ago & although i love how it looks on others, it just didn't work for me.
So my diamond necklace & rings are all various shapes. (Hearts, flowers, swirls etc)

 

[AllAboardTheBlingTrain]

What’s weird is we that live in what’s considered a HCOL area so seeing expensive cars and luxury purses/ accessories isn’t uncommon at all. It’s always weird to me that blingy jewelry isn’t more common. I know people who vacation often, own multiple homes, and generally have nice stuff but only modest jewelry.

Gotta say, even in my M/HCOL coastal US city, and in our professional and social circles replete with high earners with tons of seven-figure homes and six-figure autos and other spendy indulgences, I have never seen any of the following in the wild: 1) tennis bracelet of any size; 2) diamond solitaire > 2 cts (guessing); 3) diamond studs > (maybe) 1.5 cts each; or 4) colored-stone ring that the typical PSer would covet.

I saw exactly one tiny, well-loved (= abraded) sapphire years ago at a social function that I asked about and the wearer gave me the whole "unheated" back story.

You guys must all live in the same compounds .

I guess it’s probably cultural too, if jewelry is not an important part of the culture of the area or the person, people tend to not spend on it. Or perhaps these are people who don’t care much about bling (heresy!!) who therefore never upgrade from their first ering and have little else.

 

[AllAboardTheBlingTrain]

My very dear friend has a 7.5 pear shape solitaire. Funny as she wants to swap for my tiny 3.66 emerald cut. Hers is a honker of a stone.

Oh my, a 7.5ct pear would be so utterly delicious! The finger coverage!! And I like how you say “tiny” for your 3.66 emerald cut. Only on PS (not even the purview of this thread) could someone make a statement like that

 

[AllAboardTheBlingTrain]

The biggest ring was 3 CT’s on a small finger on the wife of the jewelry store owner. Earrings IRL 1 ct each ear, tennis bracelet, mine at 3 CT’s.

Can I say most impressive? IRL, I have seen my friend's most impressive piece (at least to me) and I was fortunate to be able to wear it for a day, it is close to a 3 carat cushion, not big by size esp since it is a cushion, BUT it is a natural fancy intense green diamond with no undertone. It was a couple years ago, and she now lives in Asia, so I haven't had a chance to visit her. It was by far the most special piece I've seen in real life. She has another 7 carat gray diamond but I haven't see it IRL.

Once upon a time - before I got engaged - I was on the NYC subway sitting opposite a young lady with a round engagement ring. She had a thin pave band and the stone fully covered the top of the band. I swore that one day I'd sport the same look.

She was petite, and the stone wasn't all that big, I think, in hindsight... Maybe 3ct or so? And my stone doesn't cover the top of a thin pave band adjacent because the doughnut is too large but I know that it could, in a different mount, and apparently that's all I really need!

I don’t live in an area where expensive jewellery is worn. I think the average engagement ring is about 0.5 ct here. 1 carat is considered big. I did once have a meeting with a woman who was wearing a large (maybe 2.5-3 carats) very poorly cut and included diamond engagement ring. That was the biggest I've seen in real life.
The biggest studs I've seen were a little bigger than mine, maybe 1 - 1.2 ctw.
I've never seen a tennis bracelet in real life.

It’s interesting to me how in a lot of places 3ct is the biggest you’ll see. As in, no matter how different the places are from each other, 3 seems to be a “standard of big size” in a sense. I would guess it’s because while 3 is very large, it’s a more accessible large (in terms of value) and is not so oestentatious that you’re stressed about your safety.

also, @SomethingNew, that ring of your friend sounds like an absolute dream! Fancy intense green, wow!!

@yssie I also really like that look, I think it’s cool as hell! Also all your jewelry is spectacular so I’m glad you’re not motivated to reset any of it to achieve that look because it’s beautifully made already!

 

[AllAboardTheBlingTrain]

The biggest diamond solitaire ring I’ve seen in real life recently was over 4 carats. It belongs to a co-worker at the hospital. She mentioned it was over four carats and I could tell it was bc it was bigger than my 3 carat diamond. We even compared settings bc she had a metal square shaped halo like my old DK setting and we were surprised how similar they were. She told me her husband picked out the setting.

Before this when I lived in NY and went into the city I saw large diamonds whenever I walked around 5th Avenue, etc but I have no idea what size they were.

I’ve never paid attention to earrings for some reason unless they were dangling earrings, but I don’t think I’ve seen many big ones. For tennis bracelets I’ve also never seen anyone wear a larger one irl.

I guess tennis bracelets aren’t that popular! I would suppose for most people who buy jewelry other than a ring (already a small subset of the population) earrings (studs) are the next go to; but TBs are further down the list and not a staple for everyone the way studs and ring are.

I too wouldn’t pay attention or notice earrings unless the person has their hair pulled back, I think that’s natural!

I have an acquaintance who wears the ring in the picture. She let me try it on once and I wear a size 6.5. I am guessing this stone is 10-12 carats, lower color. The cut was not the greatest but dang it was huge!!!

The same lady also wears 12 ctw emerald cut diamond studs!

OMG that stone is fricking HUGE! And 12ctw emerald cut studs, wow! I just loooooove emerald cuts in studs I think they work so well and so elegant. Gorgeous!

I tried on an 8 ct fancy yellow heart shaped diamond (at graff) and it was huge & incredible! And huge pear diamond drops.
A different time I was in Bvlgari and they had a lot of incredible high jewelry there. The sales person offered to let me try on a massive diamond ring but i was too nervous to accept lol. (In hindsight i kinda wish i had lol)
But other than that irl, nobody has huge stuff that i have seen really.

Omg Graff has such stunning jewelry every time I’m near a Graff store I stand there, drooling, staring at all of the pretties until the people inside probably get creeped out by me. 8ct fancy yellow is like “be still my beating heart” territory! I collect pictures of my favourite Graff designs and hope someday to get pieces made that are inspired by the Graff - scaled down, modified and with less expensive stones of course, because I don’t have millions to drop on a piece of jewelry

 

[AllAboardTheBlingTrain]

Let me preface this and say I love big, unadorned, non halo-Ed diamonds. If you got a big stone no need to drown it with melee. Love a three stone diamond ring. That being said, I am not a fan of 5 +carat each studs for earrings. I would rather have a beautiful spray or sweeping cluster of round, baguette,and marquise diamonds in a beautiful pattern. Same with a diamond bracelet. Love the thick cluster of beautiful set diamonds Rather than a single row of diamonds.. no matter how big. I love a big beautiful diamond ring with a pair of baguettes, or similar shaped side stones to accent the diamond. I love a big beautiful rock if it is simply set. Less is more, IMHO.

I agree that huge stones look the best in simple settings like solitaires, like, let the honker speak for itself.

For me, cluster earrings/bracelets are undoubtedly beautiful if made well, but I find huge studs / TBs stunning in a really elegant way. I don’t like halos on big stones though, there we agree.

 

[jaysonsmom]

One of the executive assistants at work got a 7ct emerald as an anniversary gift. But the largest e-ring I have ever seen was probably around a 10ct of lower color and around 10 prongs to hold the giant boulder. This was a random stranger at an airport.

As for largest diamond studs, probably my local jewelry store owner, she wore OECs about 5ct each and was trying to sell her pre-owned 2ct each OEC studs to me. She had nice big loves to support her 5ct each studs, but I don’t think my loves could bear anything over 1.5ct each