Weirded out a little by diamond sizes...

[IntlSet]

I tried on a 2 carat oval Bvlgari solitaire in Rome three weeks ago, and was a little disappointed.

I was shocked by how small it looked on my hand -- because in the pics of engagement rings thread, some 1 carat rings look huge on you ladies.

I actually have small hands and wear a size 5 ring. Maybe oval is just a shape that looks a bit smaller than others?

Oddly, they didn't really have much to choose from in terms of engagement rings, so I didn't try anything else on. The 2 carat stone was the largest they had in store at that time for a solitaire.

Anyway, just think it's very funny how my eyes pick things up... how 2 carats can look so different than what I expected, especially after seeing some of the rings here.

Thanks for listening.

[chinadoll724]

I know exactly what you mean- KathyinJapan's picture (first in the <1 ct thread) shows a .35 ct ring, but it looks perfect, but I can barely get a 1 ct to look like that on me and i'm a 5.5 ring size. I think the rounds does have a large "face up" than an oval, but one of the resident experts here can fill you in on that.

[guccimamma]

you have been spoiled looking at all these huge rings!

it depends on the cut, you can have more at the top to make it appear larger...or cut deeper, which doesn't show so much at the top..

i don't know the technical terms

[dusty paws]

i'm a 5.5 too, and when i tried on 2ct it looked so gaudy and fake. 1.5 seems to be the perfect size for me - these were all round solitares too.

[shu]

Agreed. Can't say I've tried anything on recently, but in the past, I've tried on a 2+ carat and it looked ok on my hand, definitely NOT overpowering and I also tried on a 3ct and it looked fine too. Maybe I just have gigantic hands because some of the rings I've seen look blingtastic under 2ct.

[burberryprncess]

I've been looking at 2 ct + and it overwhelms my size 3.75 - 4 finger.

[spylove22]

A 2 carat doesn't look small at all on my finger. I think in Europe, women don't wear gigantic e-rings, at least I haven't seen any.

[illinirdhd]

I wear a size 6.5. My ering is a little over 2ct (emerald cut solitaire) and looks very substantial on my hand.

Try a different shape. I was convinced I wanted a princess cut until I started trying them on. The emerald cut is the one that made my heart skip a beat.

P.S. - IntlSet, do we hear wedding bells???

[Swanky Mama Of Three]

Annie, I bet that particular stone was deeper than it needed to be.
A lot of 1.5 carat soliatires are plenty large looking because of their measurements.
Go to a local store that has a lot to choose from, I bet you'll be surprised
My finger is 3.75 and depending on the proportions of the specific stone, sometimes a 2 can look average or large on me.

[smalls]

I agree- the depth of the ring and shape of the stone can make such a difference in size perception. I think princess shapes tend to look smaller and marquis look huge. I have never tried on an oval shape though. When it comes to a stone having more depth and a smaller spread (I also don't know the correct term) it's amazing what a difference a millimeter or a fraction of a millimeter can make.

[Swanky Mama Of Three]

^ princesses are cut deeper, so a 1crt round won't really look like a 1carat princess.
Cut is paramount.

[bisousx]

I know what you mean. My ring is much smaller than it looks in pictures, so it's deceiving!

[c*jo*c]

Originally Posted by spylove22

A 2 carat doesn't look small at all on my finger. I think in Europe, women don't wear gigantic e-rings, at least I haven't seen any.

I agree ^^

I have big fingers i'm a US 6.5 (UK N) & a 2ct looks & feels huge on me. It's probably because i'm from the UK & I'm used to smaller stones. I don't know anyone with a carat weight more than 0.33ct apart from Me (1.10ct) & my Mam (0.75ct & she's a US 4).

[toiletduck]

I tried on a 2.5 ct and it looked much too big on me. Even 2 ct round brilliants look big but I wear a size 4 ring so maybe that's why. I told my BF I'd be happy with a 1.5 round brilliant or cushion because the price jump for 1.5-2 is just ridiculous and because it looks like I'm trying too hard

I tried on a 1 ct Oval and it looked alright on my hand. It was very well cut and had great proportions...I love how the oval elongates the fingers but also want it to sit flush with the future wedding band.

[barcreperie]

The size of a diamond can look very deceiving in a picture, and I expect when posting a picture people will post the picture that is most flattering, including making the diamond look as large as possible. And of course a diamond perceived size will be affected by the size of the wearer's hand. People post ring sizes, but if someone has long skinny fingers, their ring size may be small, but the diamond may not look large compared to the overall size of their hand. But if the size of their hand is proportionalely sized to the ring size (small) the diamond will look larger.