Hey Dot! Great to have you join us. Nice gift - I much, much prefer to pick out my own diamonds. Not something I'd leave to someone else!  
I can't tell you which one to pick (all of them!!) but I can tell you what I think about them, for what it's worth.


The asscher halo - that can be made for you, David can always source gorgeous asscher cuts, no problem. I love that style and I don't think I ever saw one here that didn't turn out looking exquisite. Take a look around the semi-mounts page, there are some newer halo styles available too (although this one is classic and beautiful and hard to beat).

I really like the long oval - I've always liked that stone. Personally, I would think about an East-West setting with a halo for that one (I think about that a lot, actually...)

The Daussi - I really do like that colour and I had an M pendant that I traded up a few years back. I enjoyed the warmth, it was a lemony, antique white and really pretty. Have to say though, if you're looking for a WHITE stone, there are probably others that will make you happier. If you enjoy warmer colours, then this one would be really hard to beat, I think. I love it, personally.

It's a really nice marquise, I agree that it's perfection! Another one I love (are we going to have to fight over some of these stones?! ). I too would set that one East-West, but do consider a pear, if that's where your heart lies. I have trouble picking just one shape, there's something about most of them that appeals to me. So hard to narrow it down sometimes.

Jen

It is really hard to say which to pick to someone since we all have different tastes.

I love the asscher halo look.  Absolutely beautiful.  I was considering that for a while myself, but I decided in the end on a radiant cut for myself.  Leaning towards a halo but I keep changing my mind.

I'm not huge into marquise, but I do love a strong blue stone.  They are just wicked cool!

I really like that Daussi a lot as well.  I love the warm colored stones myself but if you are unsure of the color I would spend time looking at stones of that color.  See if you can decide.

The oval though?  OMG, I am not a fan of ovals but I soooo love this stone.  The color is just amazing and I think the cut is beautiful and a bit unique.  Like Jen I see it E-W set.

I will say if you have your heart set on something and you don't see exactly what you want, ask David.  He's good at finding what you want

I admit a squat or plumpy little marquise is a lot better looking to me than a long and thin one.  Though the first natual colored diamond I saw and loved was a gray marquise.  It was awesome!  But in general they aren't me.  I even wore one for a while trying to mimic my mom's engagment ring, and I realized I just didn't love them.

It's funny though I get so torn between the sparklies and the broad flashes too.  I decided for color I seem to like the sparkly look better.  For colorless stones I prefer chunky & broad flashes.  So if I got an asscher cut, it would be a high color and probably either in a solitaire or set alone.  I still have an idea that some day when I get lots of money to spend, I'll do kite set ascchers set in leverback earrings.  I think for the ears I would love the broad flashes.

I eventually decided on the cut for my ring by trying on tons of stones (colored or not).  It took me a *long* time to figure it all out!

You can't go wrong with the halo setting with the surprise diamond.  It's absolutely gorgeous!  I've got one with a fancy light yellow radiant, and I never tire looking at it.  Let us know what you decide to do and if you need some more help.  You can always count on us for encouragement (enabling)!

Mikla