New CADs for ring -- opinions please

[Kay]

My jeweler just sent me CADs showing 2 style options for a ring I am having made for my mom (it features her birthstone and my DD''s birthstone). When I was showing my mom pictures of rings to get an idea of the style she would like, she liked this picture, which is what I would call a "cluster" ring. In discussing the design with my jeweler, I started to think a thin sapphire halo might look nicer since the opal for her ring is 9x7 mm, which is larger than the one in the inspiration picture. I''m pretty sure my mom would like either option. My mother does not know jewelry terms, so there is no point calling and trying to explain the difference, and she does not have internet service, so I can''t e-mail her the CADs. Thus, I need opinions about which style looks better.

I love thin diamond halos in white gold or platinum, but I wonder if there is too much contrast between the sapphires and the metal, so that just prongs would look better. When we were discussing the inspiration ring, my mom said she preferred yellow gold to white, but she has lots of two-tone pieces, so I would consider doing the halo in white gold or palladium if that would look better next to the sapphires and opal, with the shank in yellow gold.

Inspiration:

 

[Kay]

Here are the CADs. Once I choose a general style, then I will deal with the finer details, like the angle of the split shank and the gallery.

 

[Kay]

Second angle. What do you think?

 

[SB621]

Oh that is just beautiful. For me personally i like heavier rings so I like the benzel set halo version. But both are lovely! Can''t wait to see the finished product!

 

[jstarfireb]

I personally prefer the cluster look over the halo look, but halos are very popular on PS. I think you''re going to get a lot of votes for that thin halo.

 

[haagen_dazs]

Hi Kay I personally like the one with just the bead set prongs.
It has a cleaner look and there is less metal. It feels more elegant and less cumbersome/chunky to me

 

[D&T]

I much prefer the bezel ring. To me looks more stream line and clean (but I'm biased as I'm not a very prongy gal

so beadset it is)

 

[Kay]

If I choose the halo, I will ask him to make it look less heavy. I don''t like that the opal looks almost recessed in the bezel. I really like this oval halo (I apologize that I can''t remember whose ring this is -- I saved it in my inspiration folder).

 

[Kay]

Metromom's halo is also lovely. I love bezels, but I thought an opal would be too soft to bezel.

 

[packrat]

I prefer the halo as well.

 

[AprilBaby]

Another vote for bezel, sleek and modern looking. The prong looks grandmotherly to me.

 

[chrono]

My vote is most likely unpopular but I prefer the prong set. They allow the sapphire to really stand out.

 

[LtlFirecracker]

Personally, I prefer the bezel one.

However, if she likes the cluster look, the prong setting would be the way to go.

 

[Kay]

Date: 11/11/2009 7:32:51 PM
Author: AprilBaby
Another vote for bezel, sleek and modern looking. The prong looks grandmotherly to me.

LOL, well it is intended for a 73 year old grandmother. I was worried that the prong set sapphires might look dated, which is why I am considering a bead set halo instead, but that may be pushing my taste on my mother.

 

[Kay]

Thank you for your comments everyone. If I choose the halo, should I have the opal bezel or prong set in the halo? Also, should the halo be yellow gold like the shank, or white?

 

[arjunajane]

definitely the bezel - the prong set one looks awkward where it joins the shank.
And even though it is for an older lady, it''s quite a dated look.

To answer re. whether 2 tone, could you share some pics of the opal, or a description? Seeing as they vary so much, some suit white and some suit yellow metals imho.

Opals can be bezeled as long as its done by someone experienced in working a bezel - I would take the jewellers advice on whether to prong or bezel set the centre. However from that image you posted, it seems you prefer the bezel look?

 

[freefly]

I prefer the bezel look. As everyone else has said, the prong set looks very dated. I may be for someone in her seventies, but she''s getting it now, not 20 years ago....

 

[LD]

May I make a different suggestion? Whichever you go with, prong halo or bezel, could you have the split shank less wide - so more like Metromum''s ring? Especially if you go for the bezel it will update what is a very classic looking ring. If you then decide to go for the bezel you''ll have a much less "bulky" look (if you know what I mean).

 

[Laila619]

Date: 11/11/2009 7:50:05 PM
Author: Chrono
My vote is most likely unpopular but I prefer the prong set. They allow the sapphire to really stand out.

Yes, I think I do too.

 

[ma re]

I''d go for the bezel, simply because (to me) it looks more appropriate for the grandma. I think these prong set, "flowery" halos suit young women better, while those with slightly more metal seem more...mature (for the lack of a better word). But that''s just my opinion.

 

[tyty333]

I like the bezel set better.

 

[Kay]

Date: 11/11/2009 9:03:02 PM
Author: arjunajane
definitely the bezel - the prong set one looks awkward where it joins the shank.
And even though it is for an older lady, it''s quite a dated look.

To answer re. whether 2 tone, could you share some pics of the opal, or a description? Seeing as they vary so much, some suit white and some suit yellow metals imho.

Opals can be bezeled as long as its done by someone experienced in working a bezel - I would take the jewellers advice on whether to prong or bezel set the centre. However from that image you posted, it seems you prefer the bezel look?

Sadly, I did not take pictures of the opal before I gave it to the jeweler. It is 9x7 mm, white body, with good flashes of blue, green and red.

I actually like halos with either prongs or a bezel on the center stone. Before he did the CADs, I had given the jeweler pictures of both Metromom''s ring and the one with the purple center as examples of halos I like. The one in the CAD looks very metal heavy, but then CADs always look bulky so it is hard to judge.

 

[Kay]

Date: 11/12/2009 9:15:18 AM
Author: LovingDiamonds
May I make a different suggestion? Whichever you go with, prong halo or bezel, could you have the split shank less wide - so more like Metromum''s ring? Especially if you go for the bezel it will update what is a very classic looking ring. If you then decide to go for the bezel you''ll have a much less ''bulky'' look (if you know what I mean).

That''s an interesting suggestion. I usually like wide split shanks, where the arms are close to the ends of the stone. However, the stone is 9 mm long and will be even longer with the halo, so it might be better to go with a narrower split so the ring does not look so wide and bulky. The inspiration picture my mom chose was pretty delicate looking.

 

[Kay]

Date: 11/12/2009 9:38:54 AM
Author: Laila619

Date: 11/11/2009 7:50:05 PM
Author: Chrono
My vote is most likely unpopular but I prefer the prong set. They allow the sapphire to really stand out.

Yes, I think I do too.

That''s part of the problem I am having choosing. In the abstract, I prefer the halo style, but most of the ones I have seen are diamonds set in white metal. The sapphires do seem to stand out better in the prong setting.

 

[bookworm240]

I think the prongs are more feminie. I like the bezel more, but know it would look awful on my hand. I read quickly through the thread...is the ring for you? Any feeling about what type of setting is most flattering to the wearer''s hand?

 

[Kay]

Date: 11/12/2009 5:16:04 PM
Author: bookworm240
I think the prongs are more feminie. I like the bezel more, but know it would look awful on my hand. I read quickly through the thread...is the ring for you? Any feeling about what type of setting is most flattering to the wearer''s hand?

The ring is for my mom. She has long fingers and wears a size 8 ring, so she can handle a substantial ring. She tends to go for very large stones on thin shanks (I sometimes think the shanks are too thin for the scale of the ring), so with either setting the split shank will be something new for her.

 

[LaurenThePartier]

What about prong setting the opal in the bead set halo?

 

[Kay]

Date: 11/12/2009 5:23:36 PM
Author: SanDiegoLady
I like the bezeled opal.. I like how the design flows with it and I like that the opal is secure from niks that way.. I wonder what a little milgrain would look like around that bezel? Is Jeff doing this for you? It will be lovely! I hate to say I think the cluster ring looks very 1980''s... I had a sapphire & diamond ring that was very similar.

Jeff is doing it. I think the cluster ring looks dated too. I know she likes that style because she gave me something very similar (opal surrounded by garnets) 10 years ago. I never wear it because it is not my style.

I was actually thinking of miligrain on the bezel and maybe the outside edge of the halo. It would look a bit more antique, rather than modern, which might appeal to my mom more.

 

[D&T]

Date: 11/13/2009 4:23:36 PM
Author: Kay

Date: 11/12/2009 5:23:36 PM
Author: SanDiegoLady
I like the bezeled opal.. I like how the design flows with it and I like that the opal is secure from niks that way.. I wonder what a little milgrain would look like around that bezel? Is Jeff doing this for you? It will be lovely! I hate to say I think the cluster ring looks very 1980''s... I had a sapphire & diamond ring that was very similar.

Jeff is doing it. I think the cluster ring looks dated too. I know she likes that style because she gave me something very similar (opal surrounded by garnets) 10 years ago. I never wear it because it is not my style.

I was actually thinking of miligrain on the bezel and maybe the outside edge of the halo. It would look a bit more antique, rather than modern, which might appeal to my mom more.

Love this idea.

 

[decodelighted]

I think a more graceful swoop up to the bezel & smaller split could freshen the look up a bit more. I keep thinking "Class Ring" when I look at that bezeled CAD.