2 ctw Diamond Studs - Need help Finding a pair

TPF may earn a commission from merchant affiliate
links, including eBay, Amazon, and others

C

Chicago Mama

Member
May 14, 2014
24
0
#1
Hi ladies (and gents),

My husband wants to get me something nice for Christmas (and also baby nmbr 3) and I mentioned id love a pair of diamond studs. I am unsure of what he wants to spend, but want to make things as easy as possible so he can decide between options without overpaying for specs that aren't necessary.

I would like to find a pair of excellent cut RB 2ctw H-I color, VS2-SI2 clarity studs. Not entirely sure if I'm ok with SI range as I will likely be buying studs sight unseen, but as they are earrings, i know that I can go down on some of specs and still have nice pair (provided they are excellent cut or equivalent)

I am mainly considering Blue Nile as well as ID jewelry but open to other reputable competitively priced jewelers. One thing I am debating is whether the studs really need to be Gia certified or if I am ok with jeweler certified diamonds (ID jewelry has a large selection of certified diamonds which are not necessarily GIA certified but are of course much cheaper because you are not paying for the cost of the GIA certification process). I wouldn't necessarily go this route with just any jeweler, but am debating this bc I understand that id jewelry is extremely reputable.

From looking at blue Nile, approximate pricing for minimum 2ctw excellent cut GIA is as follows:
I SI2 - $8.5k
I SI1 - $10k
I VS2 -$11.5k

H SI2 - $9k
H SI1 - $11k
HVS2 - $13k

Would love expert opinions on which specs are worth paying for. Also considering going the jeweler certified route (to avoid the GIA certified premium) in the $6.5k range. Would love to hear thoughts. Thanks in advance!
 
#2
In my opinion, cut and colour matter more than clarity in the case of studs. Consider going for lower clarity and higher colour to save you money. The colour and the cut will provide the most glimmer and eye-catching-ness (is that a word?) whereas the clarity won't matter so much in studs since no one is really going to come very close to your ear to inspect your clarity.

In my opinion, unless you like the look of warm studs, H-I colour is too low.

Please also go with GIA certification. If you go with other certification sight unseen, you can really get duped. GIA is the best and there's a reason for the extra cost of GIA certification.
 
#3
smashinstyle said:
In my opinion, cut and colour matter more than clarity in the case of studs. Consider going for lower clarity and higher colour to save you money. The colour and the cut will provide the most glimmer and eye-catching-ness (is that a word?) whereas the clarity won't matter so much in studs since no one is really going to come very close to your ear to inspect your clarity.

In my opinion, unless you like the look of warm studs, H-I colour is too low.

Please also go with GIA certification. If you go with other certification sight unseen, you can really get duped. GIA is the best and there's a reason for the extra cost of GIA certification.
Click to expand...
Smashinstyle, thanks for the input. Yes, I agree GIA cert gives peace of mind, just so tempting to go without it for the significant savings (provided it's a trustworthy jeweler). I think I am ok with h-I color for studs, but maybe will go down in clarity as you suggest. Thanks again.

If anyone has any suggestions, please keep them coming! TIA!
 
#4
Go down *slightly* in size.

My studs (I have small lobes) are .48's (.96 TCW) each and the price difference between them and the 1 carat was a lot.

So go for .97's–.98's in each ear and see if that makes a difference.
 
#5
I have I color studs…you can not see any warmth in them at all when they're on my ears, they are beautiful. I can only see the difference when they are next to my F engagement ring when I clean them. I am really happy that I maximized size by going with the I SI1s.
 
#7
saligator said:
Go down *slightly* in size.

My studs (I have small lobes) are .48's (.96 TCW) each and the price difference between them and the 1 carat was a lot.

So go for .97's–.98's in each ear and see if that makes a difference.
Click to expand...

etk123 said:
I have I color studs…you can not see any warmth in them at all when they're on my ears, they are beautiful. I can only see the difference when they are next to my F engagement ring when I clean them. I am really happy that I maximized size by going with the I SI1s.
Click to expand...
Both good points!
Cut, above anything else, can make/break a stone. That's why it's good to have a GIA cert...serves as a blueprint for your stone. Also if you ever want to upgrade/sell a GIA cert is helpful.
 
#8
skyqueen said:
Both good points!
Cut, above anything else, can make/break a stone. That's why it's good to have a GIA cert...serves as a blueprint for your stone. Also if you ever want to upgrade/sell a GIA cert is helpful.
Click to expand...

Yes, exactly. If you ever wanted to sell, GIA certification guarantees that you will get the most return for your purchase, and also, in my experience, it's almost impossible to sell online without a GIA certificate.
 
#9
The other thing, re: clarity, is that someday you might not want them as earrings. You might want to make a 3 stone ring for example. Having a good clarity will enable that.
 
#10
For me cut and certification would rank. The size difference will be minimal. I personally would go with I range for color and VS clarity. But I am less color sensitive and more clarity sensitive.
 
#11
I have had great success with Whiteflash. Their diamonds are mostly Ideal cut and AGS certified. Their search engine will make pairs for you. The Ideal cut throws so much light and sparkle. You can go for SI1 and keep the color you like for a great price.
 
#12
Brian Gavin Diamonds is having a sale today as well--worth a look.

http://www.briangavindiamonds.com/black-friday-and-cyber-monday-diamond-and-jewelry-deals?utm_source=facebook.com&utm_medium=social&utm_content=8%+Off+Diamonds+++$195+Off+Pendants+and+Earrings&utm_campaign=Black+Friday+2014
 
#13
If you buy from bluenile, try to pick the diamonds individually, not to use their "paired" mechanism. Then you can call the customer service to make them a pair. I saved about $1500 by this strategy. The pair of earrings maybe not quite "perfectly matching" on the girth/width, symmetrical etc..but have ideal cut, G color, VS1 and 1 carat each. If you do not have your ears sitting side by side, no one can see the difference of symmetry...even put the diamonds togethere, we, not jewelers, can not tell. Also you can pick up the mild fluorescent ones (no one can see the fluorescence with naked eyes).
 
#14
I would consider cut above all else. The color, depends on your taste. If you are color sensitive I wouldn't go beyond J. As for the clarity, for me, as long as it is eye-clean and it sparkles, I'm good with it. With regards to certificate, I would prefer a GIA. But if you see the stones in person and like the look of a non-certified diamond, I'd say go for it. As long as you think it looks and feels good.


My engagement ring is my mother-in-law's and I can see warmth in it. But it still sparkles and is totally eye clean. I've never had the chance to look at it under the loupe. It does not have any certification. For me, I am okay and comfortable with that!
 
#15
I have also used Blue Nile in the past and will say that purchasing a slightly smaller size has saved us $$$$.


I have done this with our Tanzanite jewelry as well and wound up getting better clarity and cut for much less than if purchasing a full ct.


saligator is right on the price difference!


Good luck in your search - Linda
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top