my upgrade from a VS2/H to an I1/J (long)

[kathleenmv]

Yep, you read it right. I just upgraded my VS2/H princess to an I1/J Jubilee.

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A couple of you might remember my post from awhile ago about how I went from loving my three-stone princess ring to just liking it. At first I thought it was just a mild case of buyer''s remorse. Then I realized that the ring just didn''t curl my toes the way I hoped it would.

I began a dialogue with Jonathan at Good Old Gold. (I can''t overstate how wonderful he was to work with!!!) After entertaining about a million questions and emails about all of the square stones they offer, I decided to look at two Jubilees--a .87 SI2/D and a 1.14 I1/J--in person. I was really worried about dropping so drastically in clarity grades, but even the inclusion on the I1 was minute in the photograph (and completely, completely prong-able), so I decided to give ''em a shot.

Wow. I mean...wow. The difference between my diamond and the two Jubilees was incredible. I expected to see a little more brilliance, but nothing like this. Best of all, I couldn''t see the inclusion in the I1, no matter how hard I looked. The J also faced up super-white (another one of my concerns) in part because of its moderate blue fluorescence. Looked like I could get a bigger stone for my budget, the diamond equivalent of having my cake and eating it, too.

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Since I wanted to keep the three-stone look (it was a gift from my husband, part anniversary gift, part Mother''s Day gift, so I loved the three-of-us-now symbolism of the three diamonds), Jonathan and Tim at GOG found two beautiful side stones. Because Jubilees are somewhat scarce, we went with two .25 Square Hearts & Arrows diamonds in I and J colors. The whole crew at GOG was so wonderful. Although my budget was pretty modest, they treated me like, well, gold. I am so very grateful for the support and kindness they showed me every step of the way.

Now the journey is almost complete, almost being the operative word. I''m having a bit of a setting issue and would love any input y''all would like to offer.

I found a lovely pre-made setting at mavilo.com. They had to make some modifications to it to fit the stones because the head was larger than what the website advertised. I just received a photograph of the setting with the stones, and I''m just not sure it looks right. I chose split prongs, but I feel like they look a little (or maybe a lot??) large--especially on the side stones.

Am I just seeing the exaggeration of a photograph? Am I splitting prong hairs (no pun intended)? Does everything else look alright? Prong/setting question aside, what do you think of the size of the side stones? Big enough? Unfortunately I only have this one photograph from the setting vendor, but maybe it can give you somewhat of an idea. I have an email into Jonathan and Marie, too.

Thanks in advance for your feedback. Although I''ve mostly just been a lurker and have made very few posts, I feel like I know you guys!

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[strmrdr]

prongs look ok to me.
The angle is wierd.
a strait from the top shot would decide the issue.

 

[valeria101]

Date: 11/24/2005 1:07:39 AM
Author:kathleenmv

They had to make some modifications to it to fit the stones because the head was larger than what the website advertised. [...] I feel like they [prongs] look a little (or maybe a lot??) large--especially on the side stones.

If you haven't said it, it would be pretty clear too - and that is precisely because the setting was large for the stones so the prongs had to be bent more to reach and hold them.

I can't see if really more of the stones is covered or just more of the prongs show reaching from the larger bezel from under the sidestones... or both. The first sort of problem could probably be fixed to some extent (so the prongs will be shortened and not reach so far over the stones). It is not unusual for custom work (the setting of stones here) to be adjusted over customer feedback - and this one could be addressed I guess.

The second maybe not, if it is there. The picture is not too clear. If, a perfect fit comes down to the size of the settings (i.e. the baskets holding each stone) and needs extensive reconstruction surgery, it may never look right for about as much work as a custom setting.

The ring looks lovely though and if worse comes to worse, the sidestones can be upgraded

 

[kathleenmv]

Thanks to both of you for your input.

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I think you''re right about the retro-fitting. I''m not sure how extensive the semi remake of the head was, but it does seem like it''s not as ideal as if it were the right size to begin with. It was strange because the website said that the center would fit a 5.5mm stone and the sides would fit 3.5mm stones, but when GOG got the setting, the center could accommodate up to 8mm. Hmmmmmm.

Anyway...I guess I''ll know more once I see the ring in person. (Yeah, the angle does make it kinda hard to tell.) Hopefully it''ll look okay. And I''m definitely not averse to upgrading the side stones.

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" src="http://www.pricescope.com/idealbb/images/smilies/1.gif" width="15 border=0"> I went down in size from .40 sides to .25 when I changed from princess to Jubilee/SQH&A, so I don''t mind something a little larger.

Everything else look copacetic (as far as the picture will let you see, that is)?

 

[valeria101]

Tacori ? The picture just tells me 'get better ones', please

 

[kathleenmv]

Alas, no. Inspired by Tacori, I think, but just part of mavilo''s stock of mountings that they manufacture.

The head size thing aside, mavilo really does have some lovely settings...

 

[kathleenmv]

PS Once I get the ring, I''ll definitely send more pictures.

And Ana, I think you''re right about the head perhaps still being a bit big. I think I can see metal underneath the side stones, which doesn''t seem right. It may be more than just a prong question....

 

[Lorelei]

Kathleen, great to hear that it is an I1 diamond that makes your heart sing!

I have one too, they can be such incredible bargains, congratulations!

 

[CoutureFemme]

beautiful diamond! I can''t believe it''s an I1! The prongs SORT of overwhelm your diamond, but I like the way it looks otherwise. Can''t wait for handshots!

 

[squarediamondlove]

The prongs are definately too big for the stones, especially the side stones. They hide them. I''m no sure if its just the picture, but the diamonds look like they fell down into the setting more than they should have; they look a bit like they are drouning.

 

[Lorelei]

I think if you are concerned Kathleen, wait until you see it in person, the prongs can always be trimmed back and the sidestones reset or changed, the prongs may look a little large from a pic, but so do my double prongs in photos - wait till it arrives, it might be fine.

 

[kathleenmv]

Thanks for the kind words everyone.

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I really wanted to do a ta-da! with the new ring, but then this little setting glitch happened. I''m so glad to have your feedback.

The "drowning diamond syndrome" was what I had before they fixed the head and set the diamonds. In fact, I''m attaching a pix of the setting that GOG took for me when they received it. Based on their input and the photograph, I sent the diamonds and the setting back to the setting vendor as they said they could remake it to fit correctly. I have a feeling that they just worked on the center stone part of the mounting and sort of forgot the sides.

I''m trying to be patient and wait until I see the ring for myself. I just have a bad feeling in my gut that it''s not quite right. I''m not sure what my plan b should be. If it''s more than a trim-the-prongs kind of thing, I''m concerned that, as Ana said, another rework may still not look right. Maybe I should just get bigger sidestones. (snort!)

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[kathleenmv]

Dang. I guess my picture was too large to upload. It was a pretty good "before" of the setting--even though the setting might not yet be an "after"!

 

[Lorelei]

Kathleen try to keep your nerve

I know it's hard waiting and being anxious but I am sure if you aren't happy GOG will do everything to make you so. Best to get it right now if you aren't completely happy, it will be well worth it in the end! As Aldejewey wisely said in an old post it's best to go through a bit of inconvenience now and have it perfect. However it might be just dandy when you get it, keep us posted!

By the way I just tilted my double split prong ring to the angle of the photo of yours and the prongs look thicker and longer the same way yours do - it isn't actually the angle the ring will be viewed in, so it might just be the angle of the ring in the photo and an optical illusion, see how it is in " the flesh." Mine looks fine, hopefully yours will be too!

 

[kathleenmv]

Good advice, Lorelei.

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" src="http://www.pricescope.com/idealbb/images/smilies/1.gif" width="15 border=0"> I might be freaking out for no reason. I''ll try to patient and just hang tight until the ring arrives.

If I need some tweakage, it''d actually be by Mavilo, the setting vendor, not GOG who will do it. I originally had the setting sent to GOG, but Marie and Christen noticed right away that the head size wasn''t right for the diamonds. So all the elements were sent to Mavilo so they could make ''em jive. I''m sure Mavilo will do their best to make things right if indeed the head is still too big. They''ve been extremely responsive.

Okay. Taking a deep breath. Worse comes to worse, it''ll just take a little longer to get my "dream ring," right? Not so bad.

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And I''ll definitely keep you all posted!!

Thanks again for your input and advice. I really value and respect PS-ers'' opinions!

 

[Lorelei]

No problem Kathleen, glad to help!

I am sure the ring will be fabulous, if it does need a little modification it will be well worth it, but fingers crossed it might not need any!

 

[kathleenmv]

Thanks for the finger-crossing! I''ve got my toes crossed, too. I''ll give you all an update--probably on Monday--when I get the ring.

Now I''m off to work on some yams. Happy Thanksgiving!

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[kathleenmv]

Me again.

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One thing I forgot to say in my original post is that my "upgrade" wasn''t that I was going from a princess to a Jubilee per se, but that I was going from my particular not-the-best-cut-in-the-world princess to something with a wonderful cut.

When I realized that my "ideal" princess wasn''t so ideal after all, I was going to upgrade to a better cut princess. I became interested in other squares, though, and just fell in love with the Jubilee. For some reason, it just spoke to me.

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" src="http://www.pricescope.com/idealbb/images/smilies/1.gif" width="15 border=0"> Just wanted to get that out lest I sounded anti-princess or something, which I''m definitely not. I love ''em, too!!

Oh, and one other thing I meant to say in my impossibly long first post: I would never have even considered an I1/J if it weren''t for everything I learned on this site. Before coming here, I had basically been "conditioned" to avoid anything below an SI1/H. Then I discovered that each stone must be regarded on its own merits. The grade-maker on my Jubilee is a feather on a corner. It''s not only super hard to see, but also totally prong-able. Going by the why-I-can-see rule, it looks inclusion-free and gorgeous.

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" src="http://www.pricescope.com/idealbb/images/smilies/3.gif" width="15 border=0"> And the J color looks every bit as white and bright as my H. Best of all, choosing a "lower" clarity/color combo allowed me to get a bigger stone with a better cut than what I had before, or than the other available branded squares. I would never have known to consider that path if it weren''t for PS.

You guys are the best!!

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[Mara]

Kathleen, congrats!!

I actually inquired with Jonathan about that 1.14 J I1 for a pendant about a few days after you snapped it up. I was like DAMN! But he told me it went to a fellow PS-er so at least I knew it was in good hands.

What an excellent selection it is.

I think that the center stone looks awesome the way it is set but the side stones do look a bit more recessed than they seemingly should. The prongs as well seem like a DIFFERENT split prong than the center stone? Is that just my eyes or are they more of a claw prong style while the middle stone is more of a nub split prong (for lack of a better phrase)? If so, having the two styles different is a bit odd to me. But that said it just seems like the side stones are sinking into the ring somehow and don''t have much of a presence at all. The size of them *should* be fine with the 1.14 in terms of diameter, a nice complement, so something maybe a bit off.

Let us know what happens and please post more pictures of that ring!

 

[kathleenmv]

Thanks for the reply, Mara. I must say it''s the ultimate compliment that you considered the stone I chose. I know how exacting your standards are and you have such wonderful taste!! Rest assured, the Jub is going to a good home.

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And I completely agree that the prongs on the sides look a little different than those on the center. I''m not sure if that''s really the case or if it''s because the head is a bit too large for those stones or if it''s because of the angle of the picture. I''ve gotta admit, though, based on the picture, those poor side stones look a little lost.

I''ll definitely give you all an update once I see the ring "in the flesh." I''m not as worried as I was about it, though. After talking with my fellow PS-ers, I feel like it''s fixable, one way or another. Yay!

 

[Kaleigh]

I can''t wait to see it once you get it, Congrats!!!

 

[monarch64]

IMHO...I am not a fan of split prongs, I think they are distracting. I do think the sidestones are the perfect size. Your center stone is beautiful! Congrats on a lovey upgrade!

 

[kathleenmv]

Well...I got the setting. Not good. Like I wanted to cry not good. Not only do the prongs on the side stones come way up onto the side diamonds, but I can clearly see the bezel beneath. Although they said they "modified" the setting to fit the diamonds, the head is clearly too big.

I called Mavilo and they were awesome. Said they wanted me to be happy with my purchase and asked what they could do to help. So nice! I''m just not sure what to do.

My options seem to be
a) replace the head with a smaller one
b) get bigger side stones
c) a and b
d) get a different setting.

Seems like "c" might be the best option. After seeing the stones set, I feel like the side stones are too small to get that "anniversary-y" look I was going for. And, from what I understood from Marie at GOG, the head should be (or in this case, should''ve been) replaced with smaller one. My concern is that the setting looked so not-good, the setting company might not be able to deliver on their very good intentions. I''m also not wild about how the split prongs look on the side stones. So maybe I should get a different setting?? Siiiiiiiiiiiiigh. I dunno.

Any advice? Opinions? Insight? I don''t want to be a pain, but I also don''t want a ring that doesn''t look its best. Any feedback would be so greatly appreciated. I''ll consult with GOG, too, when they''re in tomorrow.

Thanks for your help!!

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[pebbles]

If it were me, I would probably chose option D - get a new setting. For me it would be for piece of mind. If you don''t, they will probably take this setting and try to make something fit again, and it would drive me crazy just knowing that''s what they did. I also am not a fan of the split claw prongs.

If you are not 200% happy with it, then not saying anything about it will just make you feel worse. Trust me, I have been through many setting issues over the last few months.

I know you don''t want to be a pain, but heck, this is your ring and you''re spending a lot of money on it. I was like that way too - I didn''t want to inconvenience anyone or seem like I am being unreasonable. In the end, I was the one looking down on it every day and realized I had to make myself happy first.

 

[kathleenmv]

Thanks for the advice, Pebbles. Makes sense. It''s hard for me to say for sure since the ring isn''t right, but the split prongs don''t look the way I thought they would. Maybe I should consider other setting options after all. I definitely don''t want to feel regret every time I look at my hand. Hmmmmmmmmm....

 

[Kaleigh]

Oh that''s a shame, I''m sorry. I say go for a new setting. Sounds like this one isn''t right for you. Too many things about it are off, so that''s my best advice.

 

[kathleenmv]

Thanks, Kaleigh. Great feedback. Stay tuned for further developments!

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