I can''t make up my mind!

[packrat]

Seriously, am I the most indecisive person? I feel like it.

I want to do a 3 stone, and I want it to be different than a round 3 stone in a trellis type setting, which is what I have now. (Mine isn''t diamonds, it''s a sim) Mine is wg w/rose gold prongs, and when I got it, I thought I was pretty cutting edge, b/c of the rg haha. That was long before I stumbled thru the door here and found out just how fun and cool jewelry can be!

Leon has a 3 stone ring that I love, and wanted to do my own version of. I attached my hack job haha. (We all know I have a knack right? hehe) After talking to one of the vendors, I realize that as pretty as I think rose cuts are, they prolly aren''t for me, so I would have regular faceted stones w/pavilions, not flat backs. (And I''m assuming that if ovals have a culet rather than a keel that would help avoid the bowtie and half/half look?)

So then I get my bezel ering and I love it and start staring at Uppy''s JM 3 stone in her avatar. And I start waffling.

I like the rails on the one..and I adore bezels. I''m about ready to eeny meeny miney mo. I''m still waiting for the rough to be found, but still, I don''t want to get an email tomorrow that he''s got it and then me be like uhh yeah, I don''t know what shape I want now.

Could the ovals be semi bezeled inside the rails? Both of them are different, to me, from what I think of as a traditional 3 stone.

Uppy was lovely and sent me an email of pictures (since I can''t save pics from websites now for some reason) and I sent them to Sally w/an email. She said she can think of several ways to change the JM so it''s not a replica, and if I wanted to do the ovals but w/out prongs, suggested doing a channel setting so it sort of gives the feeling of a bezel. (Channel setting isn''t for me tho)

I''d planned on white spinel for the ring. (depending on how hard it proves to find and maybe I''ll have to move to a pale color if it''s too hard to find) I want something different and to sparkle like the dickens.

Ugh. I just go back and forth between them. One day I''m totally set on the oval, and then the next day I''m convinced I want the round bezel. I was going to put the oval ring on my middle finger, but now I''m thinking of doing it for my right ring finger instead, so then I''m not sure if the sizes I''d planned would be too big, and if I went smaller, it might not have much presence or impact on my hand. I thought rounds would have more oomph in that case, than ovals.

The round sim 3 stone I have now is 6mm center and 4mm sides the listing said. (tho to me, the center seems like a 5mm-my 7.1mm spinel is ginormous next to it) If they were 4x6 and 3x4 ovals I think they''d be so small and lost.

Just..gah. Maybe I''ll have to do middle finger to do the ovals. Maybe I''ll have to talk to Sally more about what she would do to modify the round bezel. The oval ring we talked about adding milgrain to the rails instead of plain metal.

And maybe I over analyze things.

Thanks for letting me type my frustrations. I''m hoping that will help me figure it out!

 

[ma re]

After the "War and peace" you just wrote above, I have to confess I''m totally confused. Could you put it in simple terms (without the who told what to whom parts) what is it exactly that you''re indecisive about? I remember this project of yours and your concerns about it, but looks like the idea evolved over time.

 

[chrono]

Yes, ovals can be semi bezeled inside the plain double shank setting. And yes, a pale coloured spinel would be a good option as you’ll still get some nice sparkle from it.

 

[Upgradable]

Welcome to my world!!

My suggestion.... keep mulling it over in your mind, save the money, and DON''T DO ANYTHING until you find something that has stolen your heart completely! Then do it right, no half way, no "make it look as much like X as you can."

You have time to do just what you want. No reason to rush into a Kind-Of piece.

 

[innerkitten]

I''m exactly the same way when it comes to making jewelry choices. Gosh rose cut spinels sound soooo cool. Who''s going t cut them for you? I want one!
So your interested in the setting like the one below and you need to figure out a way to change it slightly?

 

[LD]

Instead of bezelling around the ovals inside the setting how about tension setting them using the north/south sides of the setting as you look at it in the picture? Or have I missed the point?

 

[packrat]

Sorry Ma Re-I tend to get a little rambly at times. Added to the fact that I got interrupted about 97 times so I kept losing my train of thought.

Basically what it boils down to is I''m having a terrible time going back and forth between the 2 settings that I adore. If the rough is sourced anytime soon I can''t say 100% what shape I want. I changed the finger I want the ring for, so the stone sizes I''d decided on for the ovals I think will be too big, and if I go smaller, I think the ring will be lacking visually.. I started having jewelry fantasies about Uppy''s round bezel 3 stone, and thought rounds might work better size wise, and since I love my bezel ring, I figured it was the way to go..but yet..I just want to be sure.

I thought if I laid it all out in black and white I could read it and it might help me work it out in my head, and in the mean time if anyone had any insight or wanted to pat my head and say "there there, it will be ok" (haha) that would be nice too.

Thanks Chrono-I might just email Dana and see how the search is coming and mention about pale colors and see what happens!

Uppy oh my love..nope, won''t rush into anything! I most definitely want it to be exactly and completely what makes me giddy so I''ll bide my time!

IK, I''m so glad I''m not the only "oo this, wait, um, no this one ohhh wait how about this" person! Dana Reynolds of Master Cut Gems is looking for the rough. He said he can cut whatever strikes a fancy (I think Michael E will cut some as well!)..and I''d planned on rose cuts but after talking about it, I think I''d rather go w/a different cut..like an OEC type or something. You should SO get one!

LD, nope, you didn''t miss the point at all! I think the point is just me pulling my hair out haha. That sounds like a nice idea too-I''ll have to ask Sally about it!

I do appreciate everyone''s replies

 

[Gailey]

Packrat, how big is your finger size? 3 E/W ovals is some pretty serious finger coverage. Are you hell bent on east-west?

 

[packrat]

Date: 3/4/2010 5:45:20 PM
Author: Gailey
Packrat, how big is your finger size? 3 E/W ovals is some pretty serious finger coverage. Are you hell bent on east-west?

My middle finger, I think it would fit, (the setting would have to be up a bit) but not my ring finger. Ring finger is 5 or 5 1/2 or so I''m guessing. I can''t find my sizer things. My ering is a 4 1/2 and I can fit it on my left ring finger to mid 2nd knuckle. My middle finger is *guesstimated* a 6.

If I did ovals, yeah, I''d want them e/w..but I think my fingers just aren''t going to be big enough for that much mm length. My opal is an oval, and if I do that in a ring, I would do it e/w for a middle finger-it''s 9mm, but it would be just in a plain solitaire type setting w/no extra stones on the sides.

I got a ruler and the stones end to end would be 17mm..that''s a lot. (ha, not that I needed a ruler to add, hehe just to measure how long that is on my finger)

 

[Gailey]

Packrat, I think you need to re-think this a tad. What about 3 trillions? The two outers could be slightly smaller (not very much) than the centre and you could still go with the same style of ring.

 

[ma re]

Go on Youtube, or anywhere else where you can see videos of gemstones, type in the name of some cut and watch. You might find out that you''re not as drawn to some of them as you thought, cause a video is much more similar to viewing the stone for real than a photo. Oh, avoid videos of diamonds, unless you''re on a hunt for them.

Then go to some search engine, and type something like "oval three stone ring" or "cushion three stone ring" or something, and save on your computer those rings you think have a nice arrangement of stones. Try to limit the search to stones similar to those you''ll be getting, in terms of colors and/or level of brilliance.

This might lead you to some answers.

 

[packrat]

Thanks Gailey..I''m not so much for trillions, but that did give me the idea to browse around for other shapes and ways of putting them together. JM has some that are round center, kite set sides and other combos for ideas.

Ma Re, I did go play on youtube today and have been using google and bing like crazy, thanks for the suggestions! I''m also going to browse here in the bezel threads and see what strikes me.

What I''ve noticed so far is that I''m really drawn towards bezels. Round and square in particular.

 

[ma re]

Don''t forget that some large vendors tend to have videos of jewellery they''re selling available for viewing as well.

 

[Michael_E]

Date: 3/4/2010 7:20:55 PM
Author: packrat

I got a ruler and the stones end to end would be 17mm..that''s a lot.

17mm is not all that much really. Go here: http://www.onlineconversion.com/ring_size.htm and input your ring size of 5.5 and you''ll see a circumference of 50.3mm...this is at the surface of your finger. If you are using stones with pavilions you''ll need at least 5mm of depth at the top of the ring for the culet to clear your finger. Doing a little math and you''ll find that the 17mm only takes up about 1/4 of the outside of the ring at the top. Not unreasonable for 3 stones and easily accommodated on even a size 5.5 ring. The only question is whether you''d like a ring 5mm tall when the one shown in your example is probably only 2.5mm - 3mm tall ?

 

[Upgradable]

Michael - I love your contributions to this board!! Your experience and perspective, being "of" the trade, is invaluable to so many of us!!

 

[packrat]

I completely agree Uppy!

I''ve been tearing the house apart looking for my little ring sizer things. I cleaned out a couple drawers in my computer desk and put them someplace else.."I''ll keep them here so I remember"..the problem being I don''t remember where that place is. However, I did find 2 way back in the drawer that I missed, the 5 & 6. The 5 fits nicely. There''s 1.3mm difference between the 5 & 5 1/2 sizes on that converter deal.

Ok so that''s helpful-thanks Michael! My ering sits about 7mm off my finger I think, and that seems like a nice height for me. Wouldn''t want to go higher tho.

Hm..I don''t think bezeling them would work then inside the rails if the stones themselves would be that long..it probably would have to sit up skyscraper style off my finger then. Excessive finger coverage haha.

Bezel v prongs ahhh the debate. I like that bezels give extra protection on the sides against accidental banging around, plus they add a little extra finger coverage. But I like the rails too. Probably get more sparkle w/rails and prongs.

Maybe it will come down to what would be done to modify them so they''re not trying to be copies but version Missi.0.

I''m hopig to get to the city Thursday and I''m going to spend some time at one of the bigger jewelry stores (it''s waaaay bigger than the ones in the mall so I''m hoping they''ve got a better selection too) and see if I can find things remotely close to these 2, to get a better idea of what might work. Otherwise I really will have to play eeny meeny miney mo!

 

[packrat]

Soooo I been a thinkin. I really like those supernova ovals, so I''m back w/the oval 3 stone, white sides and pale yellow center. (white i think is just going to be too too hard to find) Would chrysoberyl come in a pale yellow or would only sapphire come in that color?

 

[chrono]

I have seen light yellow chrysoberyl but the colour wasn’t very bright. I guess that qualifies as pale? They still show a greenish tinge though.

 

[packrat]

Hm..shoot..I was reading about it and was interested in the sparkliness of it. Stick w/sapphire then I guess! Thanks Chrono!

 

[packrat]

I was playing around on Leon''s site today (uh, yeah, actually it''s called not cleaning my house like I should) and lookee at this''n. Can you picture this (the colors) just ovals e/w w/the rails?? Can ovals be double pronged or is that too much?

 

[packrat]

K, Michael E can do a chrysoberyl like the yellow above, but no white spinel. He suggested silver zircon. I don''t know much (zilch if I''m honest) about it, so thought I would ask, what say you? Should I see if one of the others has white spinel?

 

[stepcutgirl]

I don''t really have anything to add...because I''m clueless about this stuff...but I just wanted to say it''s nice to see I''m not the only one who is just not sure what to do about settings! Confusion city.

 

[packrat]

Date: 3/12/2010 1:03:09 PM
Author: stepcutgirl
I don''t really have anything to add...because I''m clueless about this stuff...but I just wanted to say it''s nice to see I''m not the only one who is just not sure what to do about settings! Confusion city.

HA! I''m AWFUL! Sometimes I can "see" it in my head but I''m not sure if it''s doable..especially when I see something I like but want to change it-like the colors above to ovals. Seems pretty to me, but will it work? I don''t know if it''s just being somewhat new to the whole process or what!

 

[innerkitten]

But silver zircon isn''t as durable. Though it would be really pretty and sparkly. What about silver or white topaz?

 

[chrono]

I think a colourless spinel is uncommon and agree with InnerKitten that a white zircon isn’t going to hold up as well as a white/silver topaz.

 

[Kismet]

I think for the size of the ovals you''d need for 3 E-W stones then double prongs would be over kill.

 

[packrat]

Thanks for the replies! Will white topaz be sparkly? What about danburite or sapphire?

 

[innerkitten]

Good question. Freke has a couple of white topaz stones maybe she''ll se this post and give her opinion.

 

[Dreamer_D]

I also want to add my commisseration about being indecisive about settings. Wait until yo uare SURE because if you are like me and indecisive before hand, then after you may have a tendancy to double think your choice. So ya goota be sure!

I love that color combo and think it would looks cool with the ovals between the rails FWIW.

 

[packrat]

Thanks Dreamer! I hate being so..wishy washy. It''s like I think my taste sucks and I''m constantly second guessing myself. I don''t know what it is about stones and settings and putting a look together that thwarts me so much-maybe not being able to actually see what it will look like until it''s done? It''s dang fun tho, I''ll say that!!