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I've recently been looking at engagement/wedding rings and learning about diamonds so I know what to look out for. I'm going to buy a loose center diamond online and my boyfriend (when the time comes) will buy the setting and wedding band I've chosen. This will ensure that I get the center stone I want and it lessens the financial burden on him (which helps me not feel guilty about my request). We've also somewhat searched for a wedding band for him. I'll be looking for a 1ct radiant cut diamond, VS2 clarity or better, G color or better, LW ratio <1.05, no fluorescence with a Very Good or better rating on cut, polish and symmetry, and a GIA certification. I'll be trying my best to buy conflict-free/Canadian. Based on the research I've done so far, I think I should expect to spend about $3500-$5500 for the loose center stone, give or take depending on the combination of variables. My questions regarding diamonds are these: 1) What are the ideal table and depth percentages that will maximize brilliance and the appearance of size of a square radiant cut? I've read several different opinions on this ranging from "Depth 64-76.5%, Table 62-76%" equating a rating of "Excellent", to "Depth 50-65.9%, Table 55-69%" for the same rating. Is this even something I should be worrying about? 2) Is it bad for a stone to have a girdle that is "thick to extremely thick" or "thin to extremely thin"? What is the ideal here? Does a too large or too slim girdle effect light dispersion or is this more a concern when it comes to setting the diamond? Again, is this something I should even worry about? 3) Would I be better off looking for a 0.90ct diamond with the same specifications? Would it look like 1ct, is there even much of a visual size difference? I would be okay with a 0.90ct diamond if it was going to save me a little money and still look like a 1ct stone. 4) I've heard rumors that some radiant diamonds are actually a "princess with the corners cut off" that are labeled as a radiant because then the seller can charge more for the stone. I know the basic differences between a radiant and princess cut (radiant has facets like a round brilliant and princess has linear facets that form an X appearance). Since most online websites don't provide actual pictures of the exact stones they offer, is there any other way to tell if a radiant is a true radiant and not a rebadged princess cut? Or should I just look for a GIA certificate that states the stone is a "cut-cornered modified brilliant" to be sure I'm getting a true radiant? I have tried looking in jewelry stores for a radiant cut but it appears that virtually no one carries them in-house, they would have to be special ordered in for me to choose from. And it appears to be cheaper to buy loose online than in a jewelry store. With regards to a men's wedding ring... My boyfriend wants a tungsten ring with a rounded edge and some small channel set sapphires or aquamarine stones along the top (~8-10 stones). I can't find this anywhere. 1) Is tungsten not easily set with stones other than diamonds (the only thing I've found so far)? Would it be possible to have a ring specially made that would have the sapphire or aquamarine that he likes? Who would I ask about this? How much can I expect to pay for a custom tungsten ring with gemstones? 2) I see that titanium is very similar to tungsten and just a little bit cheaper. Are there any major benefits of one versus the other? I know it sounds like I'm taking all the romance out of the engagement, but we're both very practical people and we don't want to rush headlong into a purchase without being fully informed, only to find out later that we'd been sucker-punched. I see the purchase of these rings as both a life investment and a monetary investment, so I want to be sure that I'm getting the best quality for the money. And I don't want to have any regrets that one of us didn't get what we truly wanted. If you can't answer all of these questions, I understand.  Thanks for posting this thread!
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Oct 20, 2010 20:49
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| # ¿ May 5, 2024 17:10 |
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