Help with what colour metal to set stones in

[MeowMeow]

I just got nine 3 mm dark yellow, almost orangy citrines today for usage in an eternity band after I get 9 or 10 more, and I was wondering what a good colour metal was to set them in. I''m not super fond of yellow gold, but I LOVE rose and white gold. Would they hypothetically be good in one of those metals?

Thank you so much to anybody who might know!

 

[Arkteia]

White may not be good - I think it may "kill" the yellow. I think rose gold works best with colors that have some red in them (red, pink, purple) or stones like sapphires, but a combination of rose and white can work well. I''ve seen several stacked rings, or a bigger rose gold ring with yellow gold "incrustation" (I do not know how to describe it - look at Richard Wise''s website, he has Zoltan''s jewelry there (in designer section). It is very expensive and please do not even look at the prices, but you''ll understand what I mean by "incrustation".

 

[Arkteia]

Or, if you put the stones in between rose and yellow gold rings and make the rose and gold interweave between the stones (sorry, can not draw but each thread makes a sine wave and they cross and you insert the diamonds in between) it could be interesting. Hope you understand, I shall try to ask my secretary to make a sketch and use a scanner - I am so ashamed of my drawing! Actually, this combination could "cancel" the brown tones in your citrines - they are more valuable when they are yellow (untreated).

 

[D&T]

i have an orangy citrine, and will be setting them in yellow gold, if you don''t like all yellow gold, think about putting just the head in yellow gold and white shank

 

[MeowMeow]

Crasru: Thanks so much for your answer! I would love to see a mock-up of what you mean! Though I suspect I have an idea already, it never hurts to see a drawing though! Thank you so much if you are able to do that!

As far as trying to look up Zoltan¡¦s gallery, I looked but was not able to see what you meant. Do you happen to have a link?

DT: That¡¦s exactly my problem! I really hate yellow gold! Lol I actually did do your suggestion with my 2 ct citrine before it got lost, but this is an eternity band

Would you still be able to do that with one? Thank you for your reply! I look forward to seeing your citrine after it is set! I bet it will be lovely!

 

[Fly Girl]

I''d set yellow-orange citrine in yellow gold, no question. But, then, I like the color just fine.

I was just at the jeweler''s yesterday to design a pendant, and we tried laying my stone on different color metals. That is a revealing exercise which tells you which metal the stones will look best in. Nothing like seeing it for yourself.

 

[marcy]

Sorry you don''t like YG because that would be my choice for citrine. I like Fly Girl''s idea of taking them somewhere and trying it in differentc colors of settings.

 

[Arkteia]

Date: 1/9/2010 8:14:55 PM
Author: MeowMeow

Crasru: Thanks so much for your answer! I would love to see a mock-up of what you mean! Though I suspect I have an idea already, it never hurts to see a drawing though! Thank you so much if you are able to do that!

As far as trying to look up Zoltan¡¦s gallery, I looked but was not able to see what you meant. Do you happen to have a link?

DT: That¡¦s exactly my problem! I really hate yellow gold! Lol I actually did do your suggestion with my 2 ct citrine before it got lost, but this is an eternity band

Would you still be able to do that with one? Thank you for your reply! I look forward to seeing your citrine after it is set! I bet it will be lovely!

I''ll try to find a link but I think I just meant carving and filling in with a metal of a different color. It has been around for ages, and I do not want to create the impression that I advice to reproduce his work. He uses a setting for one stone, I just forgot the word for this term.

Another idea - split shank of one material (rose gold) and your citrines bezel set in another color (white gold?) inside. They are small, and bezel set may optially enlarge them.

I just think of a way to combine two kinds of gold because I am positive that white will "kill" the color or bring out the brownish, and rose may be too bright on its own. But together it may work fine, just by contrast. Since you do not like yellow gold.

 

[chrono]

Many citrines have an element of brown that comes out when set in white. I also suggest yellow but if you hate that, rose gold might work. It''s hard to say without any pictures because citrines come in so many different hues, tone and saturation. OK, so they are all orange/yellow but there are differences even within that colour range.

 

[Bella_mezzo]

I''d use rose gold or red gold if you don''t like yellow gold.

 

[Arkteia]

Date: 1/9/2010 8:14:55 PM
Author: MeowMeow

Crasru: Thanks so much for your answer! I would love to see a mock-up of what you mean! Though I suspect I have an idea already, it never hurts to see a drawing though! Thank you so much if you are able to do that!

As far as trying to look up Zoltan¡¦s gallery, I looked but was not able to see what you meant. Do you happen to have a link?

DT: That¡¦s exactly my problem! I really hate yellow gold! Lol I actually did do your suggestion with my 2 ct citrine before it got lost, but this is an eternity band

Would you still be able to do that with one? Thank you for your reply! I look forward to seeing your citrine after it is set! I bet it will be lovely!

Trying to think how to explain it since the earliest time I could draw it would be Monday. Well, have you ever seen the screen of oscilloscope? With two interfering sine waves? They just cross in the middle. Well if you take white gold (you may not need much, just a thin thread, since your stones must be light; you may even twist it rope-like), then do the same with the rose one, and let them cross in the middle, you can mount your stones inside each opening. It will be light, sort of net-wise.

Another idea (I just like challenges): the ring may look like an X letter only the vertical angles have to be large and horizontal ones - small (just rotate X 90 degrees). Actually, there are two intersecting rings; one may be white; the other one, rose. You may have seen these types of rings, they are easy to wear. You have 9 stones, one will be mounted at an intersection, 2+2 (four) in each ring. 2-1-2 and 2-1-2. The stones will be mounted inside the rings.

Citrines have a hardness of 7; it makes them somewhat vulnerable but they can be better protected if they are mounted inside the rings.

All of us are trying to make things on a budget; luckily your stones are small and won't need much gold. If they are really brownish or very saturated yellow, red gold might be OK though.

For some reason, it is not always easy to find proper setting for citrines. I have a big round yellow one, and I was thinking of setting it into yellow gold of a loose "basket" type but even with yellow gold, you have to carefully adjust the tones. I am thinking of using small contrarting stones to modify the contrast.

 

[ma re]

Since yellow is not an option, rose gold prongs in a white gold band. Or a rose gold band, with white gold edges. But I''d keep it simple if you''re using three colors (unless ornate is really your style).

 

[MeowMeow]

Flygirl: That’s a good idea! I’ll do that as soon as I can get down town next to the jeweler who is going to set these for me. Thanks!

MarcyC: So do I! Thanks!

Crasru: Oh no of course not! I actually already had a style in mind for this ring. I’m either doing a thin 3 mm band channel set or a shared prong one. My main issue is just trying to find a metal that I like (or will just plain old tolerate as the case may be) that won’t make my poor little stones look sick lol Your idea sounds cool though! And your idea for your own ring sounds marvelous to me! My old 2 carat-er was set in a basket and was fine in that setting.

Chrono: Thanks for the advice! I went and found a link. I don’t have a clear camera (I only have my Reclaim and for some reason the camera doesn’t focus well on stones at all!) But I found a picture of a colour that is similar to my baby stones in this link. My stones might be a teensy bit less dark though.

http://www.modernjeweler.com/images/article/1176941736739_Citrine.jpg Will this help?

Bella: Thanks! I’m definitely considering it! I love the way rose gold looks!

Mr Ma re: The rose gold prongs and a white gold band sound like they could be very pretty, or vice versa! Thank you for the idea! I appreciate it!

 

[MeowMeow]

going to try and attach a file!