1.5 is plenty, do that one.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How big are her fingers?

OP here. I don’t know. Small hands. Petite frame at 5’1 110lbs.

I'm about the same size. 2c would be huge. If you think she would like that kind of attention go for it, but know it cuts both ways and some people with think it's pretty tacky to have a ring that size on her frame.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The other thread got me thinking. Would you rate have a high quality ( ideal cut, high grade color and clarity, and no fluorescence) that is 1.5 carats, or a still good quality but not as great 2 carat? Would you sacrifice better quality over size?

Smaller the better. I do care about craftmanship. But I want to be able to wear rings with sentimental value all day, every day. And big rocks get in the way of real life.

DP, +1. I ended up buying a $10 ring off of eBay because there was always attention. It became uncomfortable. Also, I was concerned of hitting it against a plate, it was top heavy and eventually I did. Luckily it chipped in a place that was okay and didn’t change the symmetry, but it was too much. I had no vote in the choice. The pave band I didn’t fire either because once or twice one of the stones fell out. I learned to take it off when getting any type of estimate because they treated me like I was the queen of England and could afford everything. Contractor doing a repair? Price does up. Issue with my tire? Price goes up.

Last, there is no value it holds. Selling you’re going to lose 30% min off the top and that is with a kind dealer/goldsmith. The value is in sentiment. Passing it to your child and letting them wear it — or signaling to the world that you’ve made it and will not have the economy car wash, thank you very much.


I 100% would do moissanite. It is lab created perfection with just as much sentimentality on it that you’re willing to drizzle it with. I too, would prefer the trip to Tahiti and bonus, coming back with pearls bought there at near 40% reduction too!!

Anonymous wrote:If it's eye clean and the cut is good, go for bigger.

Some diamonds can have perfect stats but an ugly cut. If one sparkles more- go for that.

Sparkle is brilliance and yes it comes from a high quality cut. Some brilliance looks better in different shapes. For example all other things equal a round Diamond will have more brilliance than an emerald cut, or oval cut, or cushion cut. It is well worth it to invest in an excellent cut but the entire composition of the ring really does need to be weighed individually ans in context with its presentation. Yes, the cut that will provide the fire and sparkle, the “brilliance” and clarity are the two things that I think make a noticeable difference. I’d go down in size for that. are OP didn’t specify the exact GIA symmetry term, so I’m assuming it is Excellent when he said Ideal.

Strong ratings:

Color
> G (colorless)

Cut (symmetry)
Excellent > Very Good

Carat
2>1

Clarity
> VVS2 (very very slight inclusions)

Best shape for “brilliance”, in order of best to next best:
Round
Princess/Square


You can move the scale in each of those categories to play. Every Diamond is unique too. So uou could have the highest classification dor each element above, but maybe instead of it being flawless it has inclusions. What type of stone is it and which setting is it going into? My excellent cut VVS2 has a slight inclusion but it was hidden from the setting (pave) and and didn’t take away from the symmetry/cut/brilliance. This is why it is good to see and compare stones too. See why it looks like with a naked eye, see what it looks like dirty. My stone will sparkle in the night because it picks up and refracts any light beautifully.

All of this advice is for OP’s stone, a round shaped, 1.5-2ct, going on a solitaire band.

Anonymous wrote:The other thread got me thinking. Would you rate have a high quality ( ideal cut, high grade color and clarity, and no fluorescence) that is 1.5 carats, or a still good quality but not as great 2 carat? Would you sacrifice better quality over size?

Smaller the better. I do care about craftmanship. But I want to be able to wear rings with sentimental value all day, every day. And big rocks get in the way of real life.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP here. I plan to propose this year and have started looking at rings. I’ve found a really good quality 1.5 carat ring and then a still good quality, but not as high 2 carat. I’m wondering if the size is worth it or if a smaller one is worth it. We will likely pass down the ring to future kids.

Can you give us stats on the 2ct? CCC

OP here.

The 1.5 carat is ideal cut, F color, and IF clarity.

The 2 carat is ideal cut, G color, and VVS1 clarity.

Both of those clarities are too high. Go lower clarity and even larger and/or save money

Agree

The 1.5 will look bigger, and will be so sparkly you can use it as a buzz light year beam. At that weight, .5 increase on a round stone in particular won’t give more surface area looking down at the ring, just more volume. He could go down in clarity but I would not recommend anything below a VVS2.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP here. I plan to propose this year and have started looking at rings. I’ve found a really good quality 1.5 carat ring and then a still good quality, but not as high 2 carat. I’m wondering if the size is worth it or if a smaller one is worth it. We will likely pass down the ring to future kids.

Can you give us stats on the 2ct? CCC

OP here.

The 1.5 carat is ideal cut, F color, and IF clarity.

The 2 carat is ideal cut, G color, and VVS1 clarity.

NP that mentioned differences like this in the other thread. Hands down my vote is for 1.5

Anonymous wrote:And please no “ I want less expensive or smaller”. I don’t need a ring stuff.

Here's the thing: you can't post on a public message board and then dictate your responses.

I would rather skip the ring and go on a trip. Or buy a sailboat.

If it's eye clean and the cut is good, go for bigger.

Some diamonds can have perfect stats but an ugly cut. If one sparkles more- go for that.

Anonymous wrote:OP here. I plan to propose this year and have started looking at rings. I’ve found a really good quality 1.5 carat ring and then a still good quality, but not as high 2 carat. I’m wondering if the size is worth it or if a smaller one is worth it. We will likely pass down the ring to future kids.

Don’t do it

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP here. I plan to propose this year and have started looking at rings. I’ve found a really good quality 1.5 carat ring and then a still good quality, but not as high 2 carat. I’m wondering if the size is worth it or if a smaller one is worth it. We will likely pass down the ring to future kids.

Can you give us stats on the 2ct? CCC

OP here.

The 1.5 carat is ideal cut, F color, and IF clarity.

The 2 carat is ideal cut, G color, and VVS1 clarity.

Both of those clarities are too high. Go lower clarity and even larger and/or save money

Agree

Anonymous wrote:Depends. I don’t need ideal cut or D or E color, but I wouldn’t want H or I color either. Too yellow. I also don’t need flawless, but no SI either. There is a happy medium.

This

OP, we can all answer you but it's your future bride's opinion that matters. Does she have any sisters, close friends that know her really well that you could ask?

Anonymous wrote:OP here. I plan to propose this year and have started looking at rings. I’ve found a really good quality 1.5 carat ring and then a still good quality, but not as high 2 carat. I’m wondering if the size is worth it or if a smaller one is worth it. We will likely pass down the ring to future kids.

Please consider your fiancee's day to day lifestyle. If she has a large enough stone, that means a large and/or high setting, and that can get in the way a LOT even if she loves the ring's look. She might end up loving it but still removing it a lot. My sibling is a jeweler and says a lot of people do not consider things like the height of the setting needed for the particular stone, etc. and then end up finding the ring gets caught on things, etc. That's why you want her to be able to try it on before you drop a bundle on it.

It sounds as if you're planning to buy the ring to surprise her with it--? Or are you asking just for information you'll share with her? Please consider that the surprise of being proposed to with the ring is nice, but if you misjudge and get her a larger or smaller stone than she really wants, or one that ends up getting in the way, or is in a setting she doesn't care for much, she might say she loves it but really she is just living with it. Most jewelers will tell you to make the choice together so she can try on rings. A jeweler who pushes you hard to buy the ring on your own without any input from her is a jeweler looking to take advantage of your desire to surprise her and push you toward whatever's most expensive.

There have been threads here on DCUM along the lines of "My fiance got me a ring and I don't really like the stone/the setting/whatever, but I don't know how to tell him and he already bought it" and so forth. Look for some of those threads here. You want this to be a ring she really will WANT to wear daily for decades. I would put that ahead of either the surprise of having a ring when you propose, or the thought of "we will pass it down to kids."

Bear in mind too--your kids may not want the ring. Styles change, tastes are different, stone cuts go in and out of fashion, etc. etc. Consider focusing on what your fiancee will love and can wear without issues, instead of "heirloom value" or a big reveal at the engagement. My sibling says he sees a LOT of people coming in with mom's or grandma's ring to get the stones taken out and reset, or frankly, to sell it to get a ring they really want. Yes there can be sentimental heirloom stuff going on, but it's not a sure bet, ever. Just something to consider, OP, based on what a jeweler has said over a lot of years of selling engagement rings....

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP here. I plan to propose this year and have started looking at rings. I’ve found a really good quality 1.5 carat ring and then a still good quality, but not as high 2 carat. I’m wondering if the size is worth it or if a smaller one is worth it. We will likely pass down the ring to future kids.

Can you give us stats on the 2ct? CCC

OP here.

The 1.5 carat is ideal cut, F color, and IF clarity.

The 2 carat is ideal cut, G color, and VVS1 clarity.

What setting are you getting? I would only get a solitaire band for those diamonds. I would get a smaller diamond if you get a pave or halo setting.