advice - stud earring reset?

[gailrmv]

I could use some advice on my stud earrings. The are about 0.2 each, so quite small. They were a gift from special relatives many years ago, so they have sentimental value. I don''t have any specs but think they are pretty good stones, b/c these relatives used to be in the diamond business. However, I''m thinking about changing the setting so that I enjoy wearing them more. They are currently in 14K yellow gold 4 prong baskets. I wear mostly simple, contemporary jewelry in plat and wg, but you really don''t see the yellow much on these studs. Still, I think I might enjoy them more in a white setting that made them look bigger. I also expect to buy bigger diamond studs eventually, but might be a few years. However, when I do, maybe I will be glad if these guys are in bezels or something different so I won''t have 2 pairs of studs in the same style.

What do you think of these options:
- do nothing, wear em and just hold out for bigger studs
- get them bezeled in white gold
- get them rhodium plated
- change to white gold or plat martini setting (someone did this recently - lmurden? - and it looks fabulous!)

thoughts?

 

[Sundial]

My original .33 carat each diamond studs were also set in yellow gold baskets and when I started wearing less YG I had them reset in white gold bezels. It created a clean contemporary look and made the diamonds appear a little larger. Now that I have bigger studs in martini settings I could still be wearing those for something different, but of course my daughter talked me out of them!

 

[oldminer]

Getting the existing earrings rhodium plated is very inexpensive and will make them "white" at least. Making them bezel set will make them look larger and you might be inclined to wear them more often as this style is more low and casual.

Those two choices make the most sense to me.

 

[gailrmv]

Date: 4/4/2006 4:10:44 PM
Author: oldminer
Getting the existing earrings rhodium plated is very inexpensive and will make them ''white'' at least. Making them bezel set will make them look larger and you might be inclined to wear them more often as this style is more low and casual.

Those two choices make the most sense to me.

Thanks to you both for the replies.

Oldminer, thanks for these suggestions. These are actually the two that I was considering most. How long do you suppose the rhodium would last, and do you think it would look weird if it starts to wear off?

 

[Lynn B]

I think you would LOVE a thin bezel setting for your diamonds. I have ~1ctw martini set studs that I love, but I also have a pair of teeny-tiny T&Co bezel set studs (.10 ctw) that I adore. There is something so casual and so fun about the bezel setting.

 

[Jewels]

Bezels. As you saw in my recent post on my latest recycling project, I reset my old 0.51 tcw studs to bezel and they turned out amazing. Definately look A LOT bigger in bezels. You can later get the classic prong studs when you eventually get your bigger studs. Here is a pic of a pair of Tiffany bezels studs I found on Ebay a few months back. Love the look.

 

[Jewels]

Here''s another pic from the side. The setting is quite thin and low so you don''t have to worry about them drooping.

 

[gailrmv]

Wow, those look great! Thanks for the pictures! I do really like the bezel look and it would make my earrings look larger!
I really like your recent reset and new studs, jewels.
Sometimes I feel bad changing things that were gifts, but then I think, if I will enjoy it more while still preserving the most important part of the gift (the diamonds in this case), isn''t that even better?

 

[Lynn B]

JEWELS!!!!!!!!!!! Those are WONDERFUL! I LOVE THEM!!!! They are just like mine, although I think yours are the larger version.

And you got them off of eBay??! Ohmylord!!! Whatta FIND!

What is the tcw? (Mine is .10 tcw) Are yours platinum? (Mine are.) And if you don''t mind me asking, please... what did you pay for them??!! If you do mind, that''s OK -- just ignore the (rude!) question!

 

[Jewels]

Date: 4/4/2006 9:41:54 PM
Author: gailrmv
Wow, those look great! Thanks for the pictures! I do really like the bezel look and it would make my earrings look larger!
I really like your recent reset and new studs, jewels.
Sometimes I feel bad changing things that were gifts, but then I think, if I will enjoy it more while still preserving the most important part of the gift (the diamonds in this case), isn''t that even better?

Thanks gailrmv. I love my new sets of earrings. Don''t feel bad about getting them re-set. You are changing the inexpensive part and not the diamonds.

I am so excited for you. Let us know once you have made your decision and remember to post pics. Also, recycling is the next best thing other than buying a new bling. You don''t have to spend a lot to get a brand new look. Trust me, it will make you feel like you just bought a new piece of jewelry.

 

[Jewels]

Date: 4/4/2006 9:59:32 PM
Author: Lynn B
JEWELS!!!!!!!!!!! Those are WONDERFUL! I LOVE THEM!!!! They are just like mine, although I think yours are the larger version.

And you got them off of eBay??! Ohmylord!!! Whatta FIND!

What is the tcw? (Mine is .10 tcw) Are yours platinum? (Mine are.) And if you don't mind me asking, please... what did you pay for them??!! If you do mind, that's OK -- just ignore the (rude!) question!

Hi Lynn B

.....OK, don't mean to disappoint you. Those are the real Tiffany's listed on Ebay a few months ago, but I did not buy them. They were quite expensive. I downloaded the pics and kept them as I know I can use them for my upcoming my recycling project. I just completed the recycling project, please see below. I had my diamonds set the same way as Tiffany's. I printed these pics and told my jeweler that "I WANT THEM TO BE SET LIKE THESE ONES IN THE PICS" They turned out perfect!!!

https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/my-first-recycling-project-part-2.42850/

 

[Tacori E-ring]

I LOVE the bezel idea! It will make the stones appear much larger.

 

[gailrmv]

Oh, fantastic! thanks for all the affirmations about the bezel. I do love that modern look and I think in this size, even when I get my bigger studs in a couple years, I will enjoy having the smaller ones for every day.

I inquired about it with my jeweler, and they said it would be about $200 in WG (Stuller mounting). That strikes me as a tad high, but maybe that''s what the metal prices are doing these days. I''ve been pretty pleased with this jeweler and they do stand behind their work. I need to pay them a visit!

Do you think there''s any reason to get plat for earrings?

 

[littlelysser]

I have a pair of .85 ctw earrings bezel set in white gold and I love them. I where them all the time. As a general rule, I love a bezel set, especially for earrings or a pendent...I think it really brings the stone out and definitely makes the stones look larger...

As for whether you should get them reset in platinum. It will be more expensive, and really, I''m not sure what the benefit would be. If you have allergy issues with white gold then I might go platinum, but otherwise, I don''t think there would really be much of a point...

 

[gailrmv]

Thanks for the thoughts, everyone! You''re right, no need to get plat. I am glad I have it for my e-ring and w-band, but in my ears, it probably doesn''t matter that much after all. It is sort of tempting, since there is not a lot of metal the price difference isn''t as much, but if I don''t need it, I don''t need it!

Virginia, I think I will think it over for another week or so, and then visit my jeweler to get the project going! Assuming I go through with it, I will DEFINITELY post pics!!

Date: 4/5/2006 10:49:27 AM
Author: Virginia
I agree with the bezel set idea, they will look larger! IMO I would not spend the extra money for platium on earrings. I have a bezel set necklance in white gold that I have had for years and it still has not turned and needed to be plated and that is on my neck. In the ears I think white gold will be great and it will be quite a while before you need to get them rhodium plated.

Good Luck!!

Cant wait to see the finished product, when do you think you will start the project?